2012-09 Perth

RAKSHA BANDHAN

Wrapped in cotton wool

ASydney public school recently took the decision t o ban hand srnnds, cartwheel s and somersaul ts in tl1e p layground during lun ch and recess Lmless '\u1der the supervision of a c:ra.ined gymnastics teacher and with correct equipm ent".

Should tl1e move be accepted as cutrent day realic:y, or does it mean the snatching away of childhood from our children?

On one hand the schoo l feels that it does not have sufficient teachers to supervise lunchtime play, and is keen to avoid injury co the child ren who may indulge in tl1ese robust activities. The school maintains that these children are under their care during school hours, and simply ,vane to ensure a safe play environment, just as parents in the conmmnity take extra care of their chiJdren's friends when they come visiting.

On the od1er band, parents are concerned mat an important pare of childhood fun is being take n away from d1eir children and d1e school is bending excessively to a strict regime.

Childhood does seem co have veered in a different direction these days. Most

readers wiU recaU their own childhood before tbe advent of the internet, iPods , iPads and even 24/7 television, when they found their entertainment in the great outdoors, coming home only when mLm1 shouted our that dinner was read y Growing up in India, we can al.I remember congregating in the streets after school to play cricket or other traditionaJ games (gilli-da11da, anyone?) or becrer still, ma.Icing up our own games with battered tennis baUs and even more battered cricket bats. Play/ entertainment was aU abom inventing fun, rather than having it package-delivered to us Rough and rumble was part of this fm1, as we took physical risks in c ycling withom helmets or p laying on hard surfaces or facing a fast bowler wi d1out a helmeL

Sure, d1ere were more than a few cuts and grazes and chipped teem - even a broken arm or a l eg - these were bur a staple of child hood

Even parents were more relaxed about these activities , oftentimes happily unaware of the risks their children were taking. \Xlhat doesn't kiU you can only make you stronger - when was tl1e last time )'011 used these words as a parent? We put padded surfaces on play areas in tbe park, keep slides sho re (plastic onJy please) , and teach kids to use antibacteriaJ hand soaps

In sport, we give trophies co all participating kids

Everyone's a winne r, bab y

At school, ' F' for fail is becoming increasingly uncommon. Some teachers don't even put a cross against a wrong answer in math s because it is ' too negative ' - choosing instead to mark it with a dot that is 'less confronting'

Is this an insane effort to overprotect our kids from ph ysical and mental injuries iliac we all suffered growing up, and which caught us res ilience? A re we making our kids think d1e world is more dangerous than ir reaUy i s, thereby stifling independence and imagination and raising a generation of ri s k-avoiders rarner than risk - takers?

While you might argue that the Sydney school - and perhaps parenting attitudes in general - have taken matters too far, a fact of modern life is diar new dange rs d o exist which were les s prevaJent when we were growing up. Car seats and safety belts do help protect lives in our more streamlined cars that we drive o n s m oother roads and in faster traffic; coloured drinks do have more harmful food additives, and stranger-danger is a relev ant menace.

ln the modern era we need to learn, as respon s ible parents, what limits our children need and when to let them test their independence. EquaU y, responsible schools should provide sn1den ts avenues for exciting physical (and mental) activities that reach d1em that well -managed ri sk is good for them.

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A person's home is their retirement!

Home ownership has long been the Australian dream. However for 4.8 million individuals retiring during the next 20 years, the home has become more than j ust a man's castle. It's also a solu t ion to funding retirement years.

A recent MLC survey found more than a third of the respondent's clients will downsize their home, about one-third will sell their investment property, and about one-third will sell an existing business during the next five years to shore up their retirements savings. This supports studies conducted during the mid 2000s, which found a third of baby boomers would be willing or would expect to downsize or sell their family home once they stop work. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) also highlight this heavy reliance on bricks and mortar (Property) as their primary nest egg.

The family home, however, represents 47 per cent of net wealth Investment properties represent another 15 per cent, while an individual s own business makes up 9 per cent Other investments such as shares form the remainder of total net wealth. It's clear to see that the retirement of baby boomers will be funded by consuming the capital represented by non-super assets, such as property, rather than merely drawing down their super balance and spending income from non-super assets such as dividends, interest and rent.

It's surprising that investment properties are highly represented in this breakdown. They are the asset of choice for the majority of Australians, courtesy of the capital appreciation and the many tax deductions.

However, they ve been a particular favourite of baby boomers. 5tatisticsfrom the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) show that 27 per cent of boomers have multiple investment properties, while this same demographic owns one half of Australia's total number ofinvestment properties. Property has been a great investment, particularly during the past 40 years.

An ANZ report found that the highest returns over the past 40 years came from owning your own home.

The report suggested that on average owning a home generated an annual return of 12 per cent, even with costs and taxes factored in Homes trumped both investment properties at 9.6 per cent and shares at 8. 9 per cent.

What has fuelled housing prices over the last 20 plus years is a halving of interest rates - from around 14 percent to 6 per cent. So while the cost of debt was falling the bankers' ent husiasm to len d increased.

Home ownership was the catalyst for Baby Boomers who have been the big winners;they successfully elbowed young first homebuyers out of the way at auctions using the equity in their homes to purchase investment properties like an ATM machine.

MBIC's advise to first home buyers is to look at what the baby boomers have achieved and to emulate them, we do not have to reinvent the wheel property is one of the safest investment vehicle with theleast risk in any volatile market, you only have to look at the options available to us to work that out The Australian economy has been powered by the baby boomers, whose entry into the workforce enmasse in the 1980s saw Australia's dependency ratio fall to all t ime lows. During this period, Australia s economy benefited enormously from the boomer's productive capacity consumption spending, and taxation receipts which peaked after the 1990s as they reached t heir peak earning/spending age (45 to 55 years of age). Asset values, too, were pushed-up by the baby boomers as they accumulated vast amounts of housing and financial assets with the aim of funding their retirements.

From 2011 onwards, however, Australia s economy will face significant demographic headwinds as the baby boomers gradually: enter retirement; cut back on spending; draw-down on assets; cease paying tax; and receive increasing levels of health care and social security, funded by increasing taxes on the younger generations. Confirming the importance of investing in Property !

MBIC's advice to you;Takecontrol of your financial affairs NOW!

Ifyou are serious of creating a retirement opportunity for yourself and your family, come to MBIC's final information evening for the year 17th October 2012 at 7pm, please contact me by phone or email for your reservation as seats are limited. We promise not to d isappoint you

Ensure that you are taking control of your Destiny NOT others.

DISCOVER HOW TO USE YOUR SUPERANNUATION AS A DEPOSITTO BUY PROPERTY.

Should you have any question, or would like to seek any further assist ance in property investment options, please feel free to call me on: Mobile: 0417 483 355 E-mail:

Panel discusses drivers of positive change

A high-powered panel discusses how to face challenges and opportunities for India and Australia

The Consulate General of India in association with Australia India institute (All) and Federation of Indian Assoc iations of Victoria (FIAV) recently o rgani sed a panel discussion o n t he topic India: Going Bryond Todt!)'• The discussion featured speakers from bus in ess, politics and creative industries talking about the challenges and oppo rrunities facing India and Indians in Australia in the coming decades. Prof Amirabh Martoo, Director, All; Mr Vasan Srinivasan, President, FlAV; Mr Ravi Bhatia, Pres ident, Australia India Business Cou ncil (AIB C); Mr H oward Ronaldson, Secretary, DBJ; and Ms Tara Rajkumar OAJVf, eminent classical dancer were th e panellists, with Dr SK Behera in the role of moderator.

As Consul General, Dr Behera has shmvn a keen interest in developing an empathetic, culturally a\vare understanding of India within Australia. By initiating this dialogne he sought a more nuanced understanding of w hat WOLLid work to create closer cooperation and multifaceted interactio n between India and Australia. The panellists were

selected to pro vide an insight into the important drivers of change including growth, globalization, gove rnance and ctllmre.

According to Prof Amitabh Mattoo, the '4Ds' (d r ivers) of change are demography, demo cracy, deve lopment and diversity (dialogue and reconciliation), and he elaborated o n each, stating that they cottld be a source of g reat strength as well as p otentially a source of great weakness. "India has tbe yo1Lt1gest population in any leading economy, which can bear great dividends if it is trained, educated and skilled, and given the right values," said Prof Matroo.

"In India democracy did nor only survive, ir succeeded," added Prof i'viarroo while addressing a rapt audience. "Contrary to predictions, democracy has thl"ived in India ; ho,vever there are many pockets of depriv ation and instances of corruption that have also eroded the nation," he said. As for diversity, India n eeds to meet the challenge o f reconc iling diverse segments, be it the Maoist or the Separatists in Kashmir and I orrh East. "\Xlirh all rhe commonalities between lndia

and Australia the time has now come for them to work rogerher in strategic partnership in all fields be it economy, energy security or to define the ne\v security archi tecture in t he As ia Pacific," stared Prof .Martoo.

Mr Howard R o nald so n stressed the importance of a strategic partnership witl1 India, saying that it is essential fo r the survival of Australia n economy " lt is now mandatory for Australia to engage wicb Asia particularly with countries like China and India," said Mr Ronaldson. He sr.aced that the Victorian government needs ro do something bigger and more significant i n tl1e education sector with India, ro achieve results.

All die other speakers echoed similar sentiments and discussed their perception and vision o f what is required to bring about changes. Mr Ra vi Bhatia offered statistical data of exports between lnclia and Australia, stating that the Indian IT industry provides resource augmentation to all major banks and contribmes to die productivity o f the Australian economy. He highlighted lndia's requirement of resources from Australia and urged Indians ro

Experiencing true Australia

A group of travel operators from India enjoy the best Australia has to offer

More than 70 crave.I operators from India were invited by Tourism Australia fo r a n India Mega Faniil y and Workshop in Melbourne recently Renowned cricketer Brett Lee was roped in as an ambassador for Australian Tourism in India and he began his rol e as a 'Friend of Australia', by taking the agems on a tour of tlie Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The travel agents were in Melbourne between September 1- 6, ro experience the best of tourism attractions in Australia and ro form business relationships with Australian sellers.

Australia Arrivals from India ba\7e seen a compound annual growth rate of 1 l .9 per cent between 200 1 and 2011 According to Andrew McEvoy, Tourism Australia aims ro grow tli e Indian visitor market to Australia b y up to 300,000 potential ammal visitors by the end of this decade.

.Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson reconfirmed Australia's commitment ro the Indian marker by launching the India 2020 Strategy recentl y, which is aimed to capitalise on India's growing afAuence tli rough new consumer researcl1, a nd by identifying

Pan e llis t s a t th e d is cus sion continue making economical and techno logical contributions and invesanenrs here, speci fying that there is a huge potential of bilateral economic relationship between the two n atio ns.

Mr Vasan Srinivasan emphasized tbar community engagement is crucial i n creating strong relationships, and he urged die lndian and Australian governments ro strengthen ties between chem through the community. 1frs Tara Rajkumar meandered her way th.rough h e r own migrant ~,periences in the UK and Australia, tlltimarely conclu ding tl1at the arts must Aouris h for tlie community to

feel empowered and connected. "We must bring culture very strongl y into our lives if we are ro inspire people ro contribute m ore effectively to society," she said A Q& A session followed tl, e discuss ion.

Si nc e irs economic liberalisation, India's economy has grown rapidly and consistentl y, and its future is exciti ng. Fresh thinking, innovation and a deeper understanding of India's unique cultlll'e and behaviour will l ead to realising irs potential. This discussio n was a srep in the right direction to help analyse, initiate and facilitate that change

A welcome event for the Indian travel Operators was organised ways to work effectively in its rourism marker. According to Minister Ferguson, ''India is already one of the world's fastest growing outbound travel mat"kers and is predicted to g row to 50 million outbound travellers

Cricke ter Brett Lee takes th e India n tour opera tors on a tour of the MC by Tourism Australia at the iconic Melbourne Aq uarium. Federal

Tourism :Minister Marrin Ferguson; V ic toria's Tourism and major events minister Louise Asher; Regional General Manager, South/ Soutl1 East Asia and Gui£; Maggie White; and To urism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy were present to address the 70 buyers from India and select sellers/ operators from Australia.

India is Australia's tenth largest tourism market. lt is a market of scrong future p o tential for

by 2020." " Last year, lndia contriburedA$867 million to the Australian economy and has the potential to contribure up to A$23 billion annually b y tbe end of this decade if we successfully grow our market s hare," he added. The aunospbere was vibrant at the welcome event as guests

enjoyed some Australian hospitality ac the aquarium. Agents were divided into teams named Kangaroo, Koalas and Platypus and tliey competed against each o tl1et for the coveted prize of the best ph otograph during their visit. There wer e so me o utstanding and creative contributions; however the Koalas took away the prize amidst a lot of nois y fw1. The catering ar the aquarium was tasteful and tl1e en tertainme.nt pwvided by a band wit!, ilippers on tl1eir feet was

enjoyable in parts

During their v is it, the travel operators from India had the opportunity to experience Australian food, wine and shopping, and were able to meet some friendly Australians. Besides vis iting the world's most liveable ci ty of Melbolll'ne, some agen ts made a trip to Sydney and tl1e Humer Region in t SW, the Gold Coast in Queen sland, and Perth and. Fremantle in Western Australia. Several agents al so visited

The Whitsundays, Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland and Adelaide, di e Barossa Valley and Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Us ing i ts marketing and research expertise, Tourism Australia intends to target the Indian marker where the greatest tourism growth opportunities exist. This familiarization programme was a small, yer significant srep cowards achieving that ob jective.

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Film flags safe and fun Sydney

A new Bollywood movie takes a light-hearted perspective on student life in the city

Endearing love stories, unstab le family relationships, crosshenuspheric locations and tongue-in-cheek humour - aU these themes are incorporated in Praceek

Chakravorty's highly anticipated

BollY"vood film Fro111 Syd111y with Love

The film was mostly shot at die University of New South Wales during 2011, and feam r es other popular Sydney locations such as Bondi Beach and Cenrral Station.

The film is the story of Meghaa Banerjee, a small town girl from West Bengal who moves to Sydney after winning a prestigious scholarship to UNSW Co mplirntions arise as her o ld and new culmres collide and love begins co take over.

Meghaa's story is drawn from C hakravorcy's own experiences a nd memories of his time as a student in Sydney.

"FiLrung here has been really nostalgic," h e said. "It remin d s me of m y o ld college days back in Sydney and remrning here is almost Like reliving die w hole college experience all over abi-ain".

Prateek is the gra ndson of popular filmmaker Pramod Chakravorty and he wrote, directed and starred in Fro111 .'i_J1d11v1 1JJith uve The film is a comeback for the family banner Pran1od Fi lms, whic h a lso produ ced film s such as Deedr1r ( 1992) and Barood (1998)

Fro111 Sydmy JJJith Love is typically a vibrant an d musical BoUywoodstyle experience. The timely, well - produced music score and sound effects add to the emotion a l in tensity of me melodramatic scenes.

However, the m o re Western aspects of the Elm, e nh anced by tl1e youthful college se tting, are emphas ised b y cliches a nd cheesy lines like, "Dude, I seriously owe you one," verbalised b y Prateek

Chakravorty's character Raj Bakshi

The film premiered at the Ri tchie Thearre at U SW on August 1, a nd die cast of Bidita Bag, Sharad Malbolrra and Karan Sagoo, Rew in from India for the occasion.

Sadly, due co a famil y emergency Chakravo r ty was unable to make ir to the premiere. Anupam Sharma, head of production in Australia fo r rhe film and himself a UNSW alumnus, described C hakravorty as a "visionary and a wonderful person".

Chakravorcy is hoping that the m ovie can change rhe be lief that Australia is unsafe for Indian students, an imp ression created in 2009 when assaul ts against Indian students here were deemed by me media as being 'racially motivated'. This resulted in protests and a signi1i.cant decline in the number of Indian students coming to Australia.

1n its aftermath, Bollywood began reconsidering shooting fi lms in A u stralia, and acclain1ed star Amitabh Bachchan turned down an honorary doctorate from me Queensland U niversity of Technology, which he subsequentl y accepted in October 2011.

Indian acmr Aanur I-Chan had also stated, ''It is mosr disturbing to hear about racist attacks on Indians living in Ausrralia rh e frequency and seriousness of such attacks, I think , caUs for an extraordinary reaction from tl1e Australian autliorities."

The leading lady of Frofll .l_)'dllCJ' With uve Bidita Bag (w h o plays

Meghaa Banerjee) described the events of 2009 as ' unfortunate incidents', and said she had no bad experiences while filming in Sydn ey.

"Aussies are nice. Witl,ouc their help and support this film would not have been poss ible," she said.

" The film will do good things to he lp bridge the two cultures as emotions are die same everywhe re," she added, clainung th.at tbe film would relate to Indians and non-Indians alike.

As for filming at UNSW di e cast and crew had nothing b u t praise.

" It's been so welcoming, so warm ," said actor Karan Sagoo. "Noc just the weather, the people have been great, and di e un iversity has been so bospitable. l would love to come bad , a nd shoot h ere as much as possible to be honest. It's been an absolute ly fantastic journey, like wonde rland".

Ms Bag, who left university to scare modelling, said mar fi lniing ar UNSW made her want to start studying again and was impressed with the university facilities a nd

in frastructure.

" I've never seen peop le just l ying on the grass in Indian universi ties," she s,ud.

P ro-Vice. Chancellor of UNS\V, Ms Jennie Lang, has been a big suppo r ter of rhe film mroughom irs production. "The synchroni sation that occurred between a nniversity as a cenrre of lear1ung and a wo n derful production team of mis calibre bas just been phenomenal," she said.

In h is shore s peech at tl1e fil m 's premiere, cast member Sbarad Malliotra took me oppornmity co thank the Australian med ia and tourism, followed by an address b y Ms Lang who stated that UNSW was proud of its close links with India, and mar it was a "dream come true to we lcome the scars and crew h ere".

"Should there be a sequel, you're welcome back an yti me," she added \Vith a smile.

Fro!ll Sydmy With ]...,Qve i s an enjoyable film tl1a c will hopefull y change India's perspective positively o n d1e way meir smdents are bein g rreaced i n Sydney.

"Co me and fall in love w ith Sydney!" is actress Bidi ta's advice to Indian smdents contemplating studying abroad.

"l clunk Indians are pretty excited abouc coming to a different counu-y and smdyi.ng in Australia. A t first mey rnigh c be a little apprehensive, bu t slowly and steadi ly, l ike me, they gee used to die environm ent and at the end, they can become more Australian man Indian," sta ted C hakravorcy.

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Excelling in English (Part 1)

Ever since that morning when results spilled out, when printers overdosed on HSC headlines, when ABC and Channel 7 haggled for interviews with the sisters of mothers of best-in-shows, when the high achievers, topof-the-states and child prodigies were spattered across the pages of the Sydney Morning Herald, I think I may have been asked the same question a good few hundred times:

"So, how did you do it?"

I was left grappling for a h alfway decent response each t ime the loca l journalis ts drilled me to the core. " I have no idea1" I wanted to scream, as all of t hem hovered in si lence, their pens poised and breath baited, anx ious to unlock the secret of success. How was I to possibly gabble out a coup le of sentences that would transcribe what I had done, count off on my fing ers a list of bul let points that alphabetised the road to high ach ievemen t?

You've probably gathered that landing top of the state in both the Advanced and Extension 2 Eng lish courses came as much of a shock to me as it did to the rest of New South Wales.

But then, once the reporters had pr ied and p ressed and the storm of excitement had sett led, I began to think about how I might an swer that question properly, with all fact ors and ingredien t s in mind. And I t hink - having now had the time to think - that there might just be something of a formula to finishing well in English. Don't get me wrong: there are always t hose th ings th at can't really be taught (natural ta lent and an intrinsic f lair for the written language, perhaps), and I certain ly cannot promise to pave a d irect path to First-in-the-State territory, but there are some steps I took which, though doing so subconscious ly and witho ut a second thought at the t ime, I fee l I might be able to pass on to you, albe it w ith a li ttle experience behind me.

I suppose this is it in a nutshell, for now

1. Commit yourself to English

The first thing you need to understand as you enter in to the p reliminary and HSC stages of English is t ha t YES, it is a lot of work, YES, it is very time consuming, and YES, it can become very ted ious at moments!

Look yourself in the mirror and co ns ciously decide to make a comm itment to your English study. A lot of students

(myself included!) who pass through the HSC find that studying for more black-and-wh ite, right-and-wrong type subjects like maths and science comes far easier - and so requ ires fa r less energy - than sitting down to struggle through an English essay.

Remember that 2 unit English is the only subject that is compulsory for everyone in the state, and is a d iscriminating factor in determining your ATAR. so comm it yourself and your t im e to tack ling what is, in actual fact, a very comp lex and difficu lt component of study!

2. Know and use the Syllabus requirements

I've lost count of t he number of times I've come across a student who just has not read the syllabus requ irements for any particular unit of study!

Take time to read the syllabus prescriptions: they will tell you exactly what is required of you, and set a k ind of perimeter around, a premise for the work you produce.

Remember t hat you r HSC exam inations can O NLY test you on t hat which is referenced in the syllabus - so if you are not comp lying w ith it's prescriptions , you will not be g iving those markers what they want to read.

Particularly with the Area of Study (the focus of Paper 1), the words used in the syllabus to describe the unit ca n actually help you to develop t he ideas around wh ic h you write your extended response and creative composit ion. Personally, all three of my 'insights' about 'Inner Journeys' were taken d irectly from the syll abus b lurb itself - and I guess it went down pretty well!

3. Think structure

The first fact or your exa miners w ill look for is whether you have structured your response/s soundly: that is, whethe r you have organ ize d and/or orde red your ideas i n a way th at allows the reade r to easily follow your tra in o f thought.

If you asked me to choose one word that defines the Advanced English Course, I'd say Structure, that is, whether you've organized your ideas In a way that is easy to follow."

Remember that each of your extended responses need to have:

• An Introducti on (wi t h an opening statement, a summary of you r ideas and references to your text)

-') TALENT100

• A Body (at least 3 or 4 pa rag raphs constructed v ia IDEA, NOT TEX T, as mention ed under ' Thi nk Conceptually' and chockablock w it h detailed ana lysis / deconstruction of your texts)

• A Conclusion (with an overall st atement t hat reeva luates your opening statement, and a clos ing insight that recognises what has been learnt/discovered/unveil ed from your study of t he unit)

Th is is a pretty compressed rundown of the bas ic structure you need to memorise, and our programs offered at Talent 100 will flesh out th is formula in specific detail, making use of specific examples and sample responses.

You shou ld memorise th is str uc ture and do not let it slip. At a ll t im es, ensu re that your ideas move appropriate ly from one t o the next, that your sentences a nd deconstruction f low and directly support the id eals you have presented, that your language of connection (how you link your ideas and/or texts) is inserted in the right pl aces an d crafts appropriate t ies.

4 . Identify, Support & Explain (ISE) - the most important acronym you' ll ever know!

Whi lst sett ing up clear a nd insightful ideas w ithin each of your responses is, as already mentioned, extremely important, it is essentia ll y yo ur deconstruction o f your texts - your identification of how a composer shapes meaning through hi s or her text via his or her use of d istinctive language features - that will award you your marks. Therefore, if I had to choose on ly one acronym to memorise throughout t he dreaded HSC, it wou ld be this one: ISE.

To be continued

Keep an eye out for Part 2 of Excell ing in English.

Article wr itten by Alex Borowsky

2007 HSC graduate, 100 UAI

100/100 for Advanced English

50/50 for Extension 1 English

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Cou r se Developer at Ta lent 100 HSC Tu ition

Trial our course for free! Contact us on 1300 999 100 or info@talen t -lOO.com.au for more information or enrol online at www.ta lent-lOO.com.au/enrol

Namaste Julia, G'dayTony

The India Australia Friendship Fair packs in some wonderful surprises this year

Itwas a star- studded affair at India Fair t his year, with the Prime Jvlin.is ter Julia Gillard attending, along side Leader of the Opposition Ton)TAbbott, NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell, state Opposition leader John Robertson, and a host of other dignitaries.

The India Australia Friendship Fair, organised by the Uni ted Indian Associations Inc (l JIA) commemorates India's Independence Day, and denotes the gathering of the 'clan' for a da y- long event of food and festivity. Community businesses reach our to the masses with special promotions even as kha1111pcena and /la(lth-gana go o n.

Ir was a beautifully warm winter day as the Sydney Olympic Park's Athletic Cenu·e opened its gates to the Indian community for the day.

This time round, travel agents, accountants, migration agents, educational institutions, entertainment channels, sp irin1al organisatio ns, all made their presence known.

Jvfadame Tussaud's wax museum brought out go rgeous Kareena Kapoor; candidates in the upcoming local council elections s hook as many hands as they could; portrait photographer Rajesh Kwii ar broke a world record by taking over 1000 portraits, and the hand -crafted wooden temples tugged at the spiritual side hidden in every heart.

The Australian Indian Medical Graduates Association (AIMGA) for the seventh successive year, conducted c o mplimentary b lood pressure, blood sugar, height and weight checks, detecting several cases of diabetes, unstable diabetes, h ypertension and related tlisorders, and sugges ting follow- up treamient.

But, no surprises, it was die food stalls that did the best business (and why not - the jalebis were fresh, die chaal was crunchy, the chhole bhat11re finger- licking good and the dosas divine ).

The most noise, however, was made by the travel companies, as d1ey brought along d1eir own entertainment. At one point during the formal proceedings, a UIA official was sent bmmding off the stage to a stall nearby to tell them to cone down those dhols.

\Xfere mm1bers down diis year from last year? Tr certainl y seemed so; in anodier o b se rvation, ir

UIA ropes in high -powered attendees for this year's India Fair

appeared chat the large mass of attendees were die relatively newer arrivals, with older settlers preferring co stay away.

Still, the star chief g uests made up for it all. Julia Gillard and Ton y Abbott, Barry O'Farrell and John Robertson, all did the rornid of die stalls, checking om the ware as well as meeting and greeting peop le and happil y posing for picrures Ms Gillard's first srop was at the henna stall (mehendi artist Zeenat remained on cloud nh1e all day after doodling o n die prime ministerial palm as one of her earliest jobs of the day). The PM also checked om the Indian fashions on display.

In the formal proceedings, UIA President Amari.nder Bajwa introduced the community well to d1e dignitaries, listing the ways in which we bave grown in recent times. He mooted the idea of a ''Little India" prec inct io the Harri s Park area which would not only strengthen the communi ty but also increase tourism. He a lso urged the government to support the community w ith mo re grams, stating quite pointedly that the previous government had been more forthcoming in this regard.

He looked dapper in his bm1dh-grJI", and should perhaps have shown it off more by speaking centrestage rather dian disappearing behind the lectern on one corner of the stage.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, like

other speakers after her, chose co keep no barriers between herself and the people. L ooking fetching in her embroidered silk scarf, she declared to much applause diat she was die first prime minister ro join the community on the occasion. Listing all the areas in which India and Australia have close connections, including now the sale of uraiuLmi, she also announced that she would be visiting Indi a before year-end.

Tony Abbott, perhaps slightly more chari s matic on dus occasion, fi.rsdy wished India on its anniversary of Independence (a tiny derail that seemed to have missed the PM's attention). Abbott found himself constaiid y applauded, such as when he remembered lus own visit co as a 23 -year-old: he travelled co Mw11bai, Rajasthaii, Delhi , Kashmir, he recalled, and in Bihar, he ~pent some six weeks widi the Australian Jesuit mission.

His message of support co Dilip Chopra, "a very old friend of mine" , and for whom he had secured citizenship in one of his first jobs as an MP, was clearly no ted by d1e community: no doubt it will provide a boos t co Dilip's campaign for reelection as a Hornsby councillor in die upconung local council elections.

To the communi ty, Abbott's words of encouragement were welcome: "Indian -born people are great citizens of Australia. No

commrnury better exemplifies Bob l\1Ienzies' great phrase "lifters, not leaoers". The Indiaiis are Iifting Australia co the heights we all want to achieve".

He concluded, " Thi s is not just an Indian / Australian occasion Days like today typify modern Australia and as I look around me I see great Australian people".

S\Y/ Premier Barry O'Farrell began hi s address wid1 a polite and friendl y 'Namaste', and th en ler it slip that he knew his absence l ast year was duly noted by d1e community. He went o n to thank India.ii Australians for th eir contributions in various secrors of endeavour, and also annorn1ced an India trip in October

Biren Nanda, die new Indian High Comnussioner, sounded rather like the o ld school principal from back home when he remembered on diis occasion "the sacrifices of our freedom figh ters". In a speech that was clearly directed cowards the personalities seated behind him on stage, he rattled off some stats about India 's incred ible growth, and t he possibilities for India to learn fro m the best practices of other developed countries like Australia.

Saclly, he had no message for the Indian community here

ln a wonderful new itutiative this year, a parade of member o rganisations ,vas held which wear off rather well. The smart Mararhi contingent clearly stole

the thunder, even from di e hhangmpmv11de Ptmjabis! Organisers later revealed d1at they have bigger plans for the parade, perhaps co take it mainstream, much like New York's lndia Da)' Parade down Manhattan's Madison Avenue. The culnu:al program was predictable, although d1e attempts to m ove away from Bollywood fare were commendable. Io o ne such effort, yo w1g Mili D akshin, a ta lented artist, created a painting live on stage accompanied co music. Mili completed her painting of Karnataka's famed Jog Falls in 7 minutes Aar. She had hoped to present her work to the PM, but was disappointed nor to be able to.

Next tin1e, Mili!

Earlier in the day, in what was another first at die India Fair, a citizenship ceremony was o rganised at the venue with Greenway ]\,Jl) l'vfichelle Rowland offic iating.

\Y/ith fireworks co fini sh off, it turned out co be quite a day For next ye ar though, d,e organisers will need to work harder to attract larger numbers, especiall y the established co mmunity (who will probably return if new initiatives like the parade are advertised weU beforehand) Bringing in mainstream audiences could be another challenge.

Coverpic: H enna artist Zeen a t ('w,V\\:zenacar t. com.au) applies a mehendi design Cor PM JLtli a Gillard (Ph om: J\P )

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Model beh

av1our

Perth beauty Alisha Farrer makes an impressive debut on the modelling scene even as 801/ywood beckons

ALisha Farrer may be just 18, but she's already making inroads into the fashion industry as a model, both here in Australia and in India. This attractive you ng lady was born in Perth, after her parents migrated here in 1988

But Alisha retains her root.~, being a huge fan of Bollywood and India since a young age She has maintained strong ties co India, with her family making a trip co the motherland at least once a year.

Since a very you ng age, Alisha showed a love of tl1e stage, participating in various events at school and within Perth's Indian community. With acts such Boll ywoo d dancing, she was recognised as a budding talent when she won her first talent award at the tender age o f 5

Alisha has always wanted to become a model, and she began her careet on the catwalk at just 17.

"I have the height and the looks, and I was always complemented on my personality when I performed o n stage," says this confident young woman.

It was this combi nation of talent tbat made her take the first steps i nto a career in modelling

An aspiring actress, Alisha looks on Aishwarya Rai -Bachchan, Katrina Kai f and Kareena Kapoor as ro le models.

"Aishwarya Rai is the epitome of beauty :rnd grace," says Alisha admiringly.

There seems little d oubt that she coo would like to follow in the footsteps of the forme r Miss \Xlo rld's eminently successful career

Alisha has already tasted a modinm1 of success here in Australia, as a finalist in the 2012 Miss India Australia contest, where s he won the competition's 'Public Choice' category

In March 2012, Alisha represented A ustralia in the lndian Princess International beauty pageant held in l\fombai, where sbe was placed in tl1e cop 5 and received four awards, including 'Miss Best Smile'.

In the Lead up to this event, she participated in the Miss r ortl1 India 2012 competition in June where she bagged the 'First RL1Ilner Up' prize as well as 'Jl.1iss Beauti.ful Legs'.

Bes ides the beauty pageants, Alisha has done many ad campaigns, Napoleon Percl is in particular. As well, tl1ere have been photo -s hoots, stage anchoring (such as t he Indian Ind e pendence Day function organised iJ1

e a ppe ars in the Napole on Perdis ad

Perth by the Indian Society o f Western Australia), and television commercials su ch as with tl1e Home-Buyers Centre in Perth.

And now, Alisha has take n her career to another level b y participating in a string of fashion shows, a natural progression from wirming beauty pageants. Her first trys t w ith the catwall, was at Rocky Ray, Model of the Future and in A ugus t 2011, when she walked the ramp for a Fashion Heir enterprise, a Perthbased promotiona l company with a large expecience in fashion photography and mar keting

"I bave a passi o n for m ode llin g and am a natural poser - I simp ly love being in front o f the camera," says Alisha entbusiast.ically.

"Getting my hair and makeup clone too is an enjoyable part o f the jo b, but what I l ove best is working with other model s, malcing new friends and co ntacts, and meeting more people in the industry," she acids

H owever, it's no t aJJ g litz and gl amour for tbis enterprising you ng lady. Working in cUfficul t locations, finding the right poses, going throug h test shoes and outfi t changes can take a co ll on her too.

"In m y line of work i t is important to be patienc and respectfu~ because so metimes shoots can go on for hours! " she

claims

The 5'9" beauty is reg istered witb 3 different m o delling agencies in Australi a (,Xtreem Model Management, Scene Model's acting agency, Accors Now and Lush Model Management), one agency

in India, Shimmer Model management and an entertainment compan y Sri Sai E n tertainment.

A nd Alisha is n ot just another a prercy face, she is also a dedicated w1iversi ty smdem a nd ed u cation remains a priority She is currently a student ar C urtin Universi ty in Pertl1 where sbe is srndying for a Bachelor o f Ans Degree majoring in journalism and minoring in fashion.

So how does Alisha balance her smdies and a burgeoning career as a model? On the occas ions when A lisha needs co travel co India for a phocoshoot, she takes time off from university. H owever, she en sures that she stays on top o f her stuclies by follmving lectures o n line.

"It is difficul t and I have a lot o f catching up to do when l return from m y modelling trips," she admits, but knows t hat in the long mn , education always pays off.

However, AUs ha takes time

o m to rela~ whenever she can, enjoying every momen t of her spare time. "1 go bike- ricling and wo rk out at t he gym at least three times a week. I also enjoy swimming, listening to B ollywood mu sic and naturally, watching the l atest Hindi films witl1 m y family," says Alisha with a smile.

Advising young peop le lookin g for a foothol d in th e g lamour industry, Alisha believes d eterminati o n is important. ' 'You shou ld follow your dream and there is nothing to stop you from achiev ing your goal," she says. "I know it sounds cliched, but m y favourite motto is: where the.re's a will, there's a way".

Alisha's fans and tbe commtmity will soon be seei n g her in a mov ie tlrnt will begin shooti ng in Occober thi s year, and this will b e Alisha's big Bollywoocl break. Looks like tl1ere's no stopping tl1i s ri s ing young s tar from Perth.

RohanaWood

A young Adelaide voice

An Jndian-oriain sinaer is a oart of a winnina children's choir that wins an international contest

Young Adelaid e Vo ices, a choir group based in AdeJaide, recentl y won the first prize at the International Golden Gate Youth Choir festival in San Francisco during tl1eir tour of the USA.

The choir pm up a fantastic performance, as participants aged fro m 12 to 23 won gold in the Historic Contemporary and Folk categories. In tl1e four weeks they spent toming the Stares and performing in different cities, they also carried away the coveted silver medal in the World Choir Game s in Cincinnati , Ohio, where in they faced a stiff chaJJenge against ten ocher choirs groups and 600 vocalists.

INDIAN LINK

For the Ind ian community, it was an added joy as young Orton D'SihTa, a student of Sc. Francis Lockleys and a member of Young Adelaide Vo ices, ,vas a part of this jubilant winning team. Orton sings as the second alto in the 41 - member choir, and he returned ro Australia ,vith fond memories of his maiden tour to the USA wirh the choir.

Speaking ro llldian Link, Orron (12) said, " Ir was good to meet participants from other countries and see t he difference in ' culrural singing'. It was a wonderful expe rience listening to so man y different voices and languages, which brought about a unique, yet rela_,<lng atmosphere."

Describing this atmosphere the budding artist said, " It was exciting and challenging, as we were competing against 365 choirs at the World Cho ir Games in Cincinnati and 10 choirs at the Golden Gare Festival in San Francisco. Bur we ha.nclled it

well with teamwork and good su pport."

O rton was full praise for the group leader Christe Anderson who worked bard w ith the group befo re tl1eir departure. "Ultimately it was hard work that paid off," said Orton, applauding the efforts of every team member for the ir dedication and involvement in each of their performances in the us.

Six otl1er choirs &om Australia participated, but it was the Young Adelaide Voices that stole the limelight during the competitions. Speaking about the performa nces of other countries at the World Choir Games, Orton asserted that the singing in differenr languages was uplifting and "So m ething to remind us chat we alJ have a voice, but it sounds much better when we sing, and sing as o n e," said Orton, adding that all participating choirs sang the World Choir Games' inrernationaJ song I ca,1

Young Orton has been inspired and influenced b y his fad, er Daniel D'Silva, who used to teach piano when rh e farniJy li ved in Dubai. However, he added that most of hi s influence was through seeing his father condu cting and playing in the church choir and at prayer meetings. O r ton began learning to play the piano at six, and began singing at seven. The first song h e sang was during a Christmas mass, where he rendered the Christmas carol, 117hen a child is bom.

"My singing was inspired through our fanul y singing at night just before going to bed , and ar our picnics and family parries", he claimed.

He has since performed at numerous concerts for his school and otlier occas ions, including a solo before a large gad1ering in LockJeys at Chrism1as.

NaturaJJy, proud parents Oli,Tia and Daniel are overjoyed with Orton's achievement.

"We beli eved in Orton's hard effort and dedication since tl1e day he was enrolled with YoLU1g Adelaide Vo ices," said Daniel D'Silva, Orton's dad " Though he had mus ic classes reguJarly h e would m ake it a point of never missing a practice session with the cho ir. He was very se rious about his role and wanted to give hi s best," be added.

Orton agreed, as preparations for d1e US competition s began &om September 2010, w itl1 the tro u pe iniriaJJy practicing twice a week, and g radualJy increasing the freq uency of the practice to four times as week. " During di e last months prior to leaving for tl1e tour we had lot o f sh ows and public performances to build our confidence and make sure that everything was up ro the mark," revealed Orton. And that hard work and dedication certainl y paid off.

So how di d this t.'llented young boy balance schoolwo r k wid1 singing, which is an extracurricular activity? "My school does encourage students to take part in such activities, and I did 11uss out on classes while doing p ublic performances and the US tour, but the principal and my teachers were very accommodating and knew that I was inclined to music," said Orton.

The taJented singer recently completed the Grade Five exam, passing w ith :Merits He also p lays jazz and classical piano, in addition to playing second trumpet for a Maltese band in Soud1 Australia.

And as a special treat ro celebrate his success, the e n tire famil y are cmrend y in l\1Iumbai, India to enjoy a bigger celebration \>.rich Orton's grandparents and famil y

Well d o ne, Orton, may yom singing continue to bring yo u joy and success.

Shooting 2.1 people per minute

A talented photographer aiming to establish a new world record finds the challenge interesting as well as daunting

but the numbers are still mindboggling.

So how did the idea to create a record originate?

Rajesh Kumar likes making people happy. He likes watching their faces light up when they see themselves caught on film and he,'lriog them say, "\Wow! That's fantastic!"

"It's intoxicating," he says enthusiastically.

Rajesh made over 1000 people happy at the lndia Australia Friendship Fair (AIFF) in Sydney Olympic Park on August 19

This 39-year-o ld Sydner resident set out to establish a new world record for the highest number of individual portraits taken in a single day. He managed to rake 1010 photographs within a space of 8 hours, shooting an average of 2.1 people per minuce. The world record is still in the process of being verified,

"I have been taking a lot of photographs, and wanted to do something different. I wanted to exhibit my unique ski.I.ls co the world and establish myself in the growing Indian community here in Australia," admits Rajesh.

The aim was to garner publicity for his wedding photography bus iness, and it has worked. He has received a few eoq u.iri es after the event.

To hit the ground running for the event, Rajesh started planning three months in advance, listing everythi ng he would need, from volunteers to light fixtures. "It would have been a far greater challenge without the support of my six volunteers and sponsors United Indian Association (UIA), and Dragon Image Australia who sponsored some of my equipment," he states.

One of Rajesh's first challenges was converting his minuscule 2.4sqm stall into a makeshift smdio. \Xlith the help of his voluntee rs, he got groups of people to come in and get their pictures taken. Most of them wanted co be photographed together, and had to be persuaded to have individual portraits shot instead. Persuasion i n Hindi, a language he does not speak, was also a challenge.

For Rajesh, chis was very different from his usual rela.xed smdio setting, as he had to have an eye on the clock and concentrate on shooting as fast as possible. But be still got complimented on the quality of his photographs, and on his ability to remain cool under so much pressure.

The worst period of the 8- hour day was the half hour when Prime l'vlinister Julia Gillard arrived at the event; Rajesh was only ab le to rake 12 photographs in that half hour. (Of course it would have been quite a coup if the PM herself could have sat for him, but sadly that did not seem possible!)

However, once the Prime M'i.nister left, he and his team were back to working with the crowds, persuading them co come ,rnd have their photographs taken Rajesh gallantly multi- tasked throughouc the 8-hour period, continuously snapping with his camera, monitoring the video, sending SMS updates to the organisers with every 100th milestone, updating his

Facebook stats and even being interviewed by a TV crew: There were a variety of partic ipants ranging from smaU children to senior citizens. "Relax", "Smile", "Pose" and "Thanks" were words Rajesh repeated constantly tlu:oughout the clay. He got participants to relax by cracking jokes, and tbe ones about actor Rajnikanth really got his audience smiling.

Rajesh'.s favourite photograph is of an Aboriginal man. " He had a didgeridoo with him bm I asked him do something differen t," be says He ended up with a shot that stands out in the collection. Rajesh also remembers a girl who came in as part of a dance troupe, raising her hands and asking him, "How should I pose?" but he had shot her before sbe had even stopped speaking.

Tbe collection of photographs will be composed into a montage and presented to LJIA to display in their office and at various art exhibitions. A time-lapse video of the event will also be available online. AU the individual pictures have been uploaded on Facebook, and about 200 people have seen tl1eir photographs so far Those who would like a bigh resolution picture can send Rajesh a request on Facebook, or email him.

1n spire of a sore neck and the immensely stressful

experience, he says, "I en joyed tl1e event 110% , and all the people who came to get photographed also enjoyed it."

This is a man who seems to thrive under pressure. He works as an Emerging Technology Specialist b y day, and spends the rest of his time as a photographer. As the official photographer in Sydney for tl1e Australian Banking & Fi11anre magazine, Rajesh spends man y of his evenings at corporate evenrs. Weekends see him at weddings and birthday parries across the city. He is also invo lved in video production, covering weddings and corporate events. He has also shot a few community-based TV commercials that aired on SBS, TVS and some online channels.

Inspired by one of his colleagues at his office, Rajesh decided to turn photography into a business four years ago, and basn't looked bad, since. He bought his first SLR five years ago and currently uses a N ikon D90. He enjoys portrait photography because he gets co meet so many different peop le.

With no formal training in photography, Rajesh believes it is his hard work tl1at has brought him where be is today "I don't believe in luck too much, hard work yields profit, that's what l believe in," he says.

Rajesh's advice to budding photographers is to keep practic ing. "It's not just about the camera or the lens, its practice that makes a person perfect," he avers.

To view the photos online, visit www ra jesh.corn.au.

Truth through fiction

The reality of the conflict between the LTTE and Tamil Tigers is chronicled through a compelling new work of fiction

overall pos itive

Visakesa

C h a ndra sekaram

beamed with pride at the o fficial .launch of his th rillin g new n ovel, Tige1,· D011~ Confes.r Held ar Gleebooks in Sydney on July 27, the launch dare marked the 29th anniversary of Black July, one of the most tragic eve n ts in Sri Lankan histo ry Friends and colleague s o f the well- rounded h uman rights lawyer, p laywrigh t and aud10r, joined together to applaud Viss a for his literary ach ievem ent.

But, the lau nch o f Tigen D011'1 Confess was not the only cause for celebration on the night

Two weeks earlie r, Vi ssa received his Doctor of Phi losophy restamur from the A u stralian Nation al University for success full y c ompleting his thesis titled, Do Tigrr:r confess? A11 interdiscipli11a,y sturfy of confessio11a,y e/Jidence i11 co1mte1·-terro1is1t1 111east1res of Sii Lo11kt1.

V issa's project was a fundamental driving force behi nd the production of his n ovel. or ever yo n e wants to read a thesis, but many would read a work o f fic tion," he said. " Als o fiction shr oud s the truth, so m y book will evade censorship".

Tigers D011~ Co11fes.r is se t in the ea rly 1990s, when the Sri Lanka n govern me n t was at war with the L iberatio n Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Us ing factual, wellresearched data from bis PhD thesis, V issa was able ro construct a gripping fictional narrative revolv ing aroun d the so-called 'co n fessions' of T amil Tigers Spine- tingling scandals a n d illicit love affairs betwee n captivating characters are also wove n into the p lot to create an exciting thriller. J oining Vi ssa to launch his novel were guest speakers Dr Yasmi n Tambiah, \'{triter and Seni or Research Development Officer a t the U nive r sity of Wesce rn Sydney; a n d Dr V icki Semas, a lecn1rer in Law at the Unive rsity of New Soutli Wales.

''Vissa is a p layw rig h t who pushes conventional boundaries," said D r Tambiah.

Whil e she admitted that the novel would have benefitted from ad dition.al eclitin g, h e r evaluation of che book was e nc ouraging and

Dr Tamb ia h commended the book for its ability to provoke compelling q uestions in the min d of the reader, such as w h y a nd how is die enemy constructed a nd exp lained; and, wh at is justice a nd how does one serve i c?

She also praised Vissa for his ability to seam lessly i ntegrate the very subsrnnce of Sri Lankan culmre into the n arrative itself.

Tigers D011 't Co1,fess carl"ies a cast of complicated characters within its pages One su ch character i s Tissa, the Si11gh alese Deputy Chief of the T errorist luvestigation T eam Tissa's str uggle to make difficul t choices a nd gra p p le wich his own moral conscience incites the read er co squeamishly q uestion what they would have do n e if tliey we re p laced in the same position.

Bue it is character Kumaran tha t truly strikes an emotio n al chord within di e reader. This Tamil university student is thrown into p r iso n after bei n g accused of associating w ith the Tigers. The n ovel poigna n tly tracks the tornrre that Kum arau endures be hind b ars and the deepening agony of bis fa mily, particularly hi s Am ma According t o Dr. Tam b iah, Vi ssa 's experience as a l awyer is grea tly reflect ed in tl1e careful deco n struction of Kumaran's confession and d1e coltrtroom scenes d1at surrmmd his case.

Ttwas certainly n o coincidence tl1at the date of Vi ssa's book l aunch coincide d wit h the 29 tli A nn iversa r y of Black J u ly. \Xnien asked why it was so im portant to la Lmch Tigers Don't Confess o n t he sa m e date, Vissa responded s aying, ''Bo th Singhalese and Tamils are in d enial about their share in it and re n d co b lame o n ly che other par ty - the e n emy Black J uly is a good srn r ti n g point for any d iscussion about ju stice and reconciliation because it was not something completely denied b y tl1e Singh alese majority in Sri Laaka."

Guest speaker Dr Vicki Semas gave a br ief overview o f t he history of Black J ul y

Black July refers co a se ries of anti -Tamil riots tliat too k place in Sri Lanka from Jul y 24 co 29 in 1983. The violence was triggered by die murder of chirteen Singhalese soldiers ac tl1e hands of die L'ITE, and around 3 ,000 Tamil civilians were massacred in subsequent pogroms that were s ponsored by the governm ent.

Acco rd ing to Dr Sentas, Black Jul)' was considered "a critical

Visakesa Chandrasekaram rmning po int for spiralling violence and conflict between t he LTIE and tl1e army", and man y T amils Aed Sri Lanka because of it.

Dr Se n tas ackn owledged that t he LTIE also commi tted severe war crimes, name ly u sing civilians as h uma n sh ie lds and killing people w h o tried to escape ch e country.

But the Sri Lankan governm en t is yec co cake responsi bility for t he part it p layed in the ma ssacre.

Dr Sencas also accomited

for Vissa's d ecision to create a fiction nove l based on his thesis, which she called "the book b eh ind t he book" She explain ed the dange rs that Tamil and Singhalese people face in Sri Lanka for o p ening up about thei r experiences o f tl1e war. ''By presen ting hi s researc h behind die guise of a fiction n ovel , Vissa's story can be s h ared in a rnan_ner that significan tly evades r isk," said D r Sen cas.

Congramlations ro V issa on completing his PhD and n ovel. Well don e, Vissa!

Of h me and food

Subhankar Banerjee uses his artistic and photographic talent to raise awareness of environmental issues

educator, Subbankar Banerjee.

he 18th Bienuale of Sydney takes place between June 27 to September 16 chis year, the length and quality of the exhibition making it Australia's largest and most exciting contemporary arcs event. Artist talks, performances, fol'wns, film screenings, fa rnily events and guided tours make up the prog ramme of this free exhibition. t aruraUy, artists featured in the festi val will have come from a variety of backgrounds and led colomful lives - but few will have come through a journey quite as unique as artist, activ ist and

Subhankar's work focuses on eco- cultural issues such as resource wars, cliniare change and Indigenous rights Re has delivered over I 00 lectures, taken iconic photographs, and a book of his featu.ring Arctic phorograph y, initially part of a display in the Smithsonian Institute, has been the topic of contentious debate in the US Senate. However, Subhankar's philosophy is a simple one.

"Things d1at I do may come across as variety, but for me it is simply talking about two issues

home and food mat the land provides to humans, and other species with whom we share mis earth," he says. "Everything before us - look around at the rare and speed of environmental destruction - that is chaUenging to me and everyone else who is working on diese issues".

Ir was a big smvrise then, when Subhankar, already recipient of countless awards and honours including being named an Arctic Hero by Alaska Wilderness League, reveals that he was born in d1e smaU \Xlest Bengal cown of Berharnpore, and studied e lecu·ical engineering in India before receiving two ]\tasters degrees in Physics and Computer Science i.n the United States.

Subhankar grew up revelling in die work of Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen, and was introduced to the work of Mahasweta Devi, a renowned activist and writer, by his parents at a yo ung age. He was taught how to paint by his grear uncle Bi.ma! Mookerjee, and ald1ough he had a passion for arts, as a member of a middle-income family, he chose die more practical padi of science.

Subhankar's transition from

being offered exciting research positions in advanced mad1ematics to developing a fuU- fledged career in socio-cultural activism was a long one. Indeed, his initial love for phys ics was a result of a passion for chinking, and a sense mat, in mis fie ld, he was closer to poetry and philosophy. Subhankar feU in love widi the wide, open spaces of the descrt dncing trips across the American soudiwesr. Armed widi an SLR Minolta camera, and in die company of fellow members of die environmental organisation Sierra Club, Su bhankar made the decision to leave his posi tion at Boeing to become a fulJ- time artist, educator and activist.

,.

Hi s journey since 2000 has been inspirational, to say die least. After leaving Boeing, Subhankar spent 14 months in che Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and published hi s first book - Arctic National Wildlife Refi1ge: S easo11s of Life and umd

Wid1 the help of a grant from the Lannan Foundation, Subhankar's b oo k was distributed to indigenous comn1tu:uties, libraries, smdents and policy makers in the US, yet met with controversy when d1e George W Bush administration censored d1e book's accompanying exhibition i.n the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural H istory.

"\Xlhen die Smithsonian political controvers y about m y Arctic photography happened in 2003 in Washington DC, I didn't consider m yself a political activist or m y art as political art, e\7 en though I had given ru y phorographs to conservation groups to raise awareness," he reveals. "Bur that experience, more d1an anyd1ing else, prompted me to become an activist. 1 don't do art for art's s ake; m y work is about engaging with die world we inhabit, and politics is an integral pare of diat process."

Subhankar's photography is globally recognised, and having spent die last two years editing die antho logy Arctic Voices- Resi1ta11ce at the Tipping Point, which was pub li shed earlier this mond1 , Subhankar's writing i s fundamental in his quest for change. ''You

Left: Caribou Migration I (2002) by Subhankar Banerjee, from the Oil and Caribou series, digital chromogenic print face - mounted to plexiglas, 218.44x 172.72 cm

can say d1at m y photograp hs are quiet, in d1e sense that they might encourage an emotional response, whereas my writing is rather loud, that might encourage action," he says " The environmental destruction char is raking place is massive, and die inaction on part of d1e US govemment prompted me to found ClimateStoryTellers.org, not o nly co share my own writing, but also b y many o iliers from around the world including, Alaska, Austn1lia and India".

In today's g lobal community where d1e world has become a smaller place, climate change has beco me an issue of increasing importance Hwi1an rights, however, has been a fundamental keysto ne of activism diroughout history Ir is Subhankar's unique willingness to link these two craditio naUy separate issues that makes his work relevan t to everyone, everywhere in die world.

Often, we find ours elves pigeonholed inro a comer of society, and this is nor necessarily a bad ming But we form just a tiny part of die larger machine that is mis p lanet, and we need co lend ourselves to it to ensure diat: the rest of d1e machine i s actually working properl y

Subhankar's journey is a testament to rhe facr that whether you are an engineer, doctor, musician, or builder, the planet belongs to everyone, and there is rea Uy no excuse for not caring.

Bc111c11ce \ 11 or/, at the Bic1111u/c of ~ytfn,,,. tll the 11 I <,a/It ,:1· <1/ \ 'W. 11111i/ I 6 Sl'pl

j philosophy, Mukherjee said the same is enshrined in the Indian constitution, which has been described as a 'l\fagna Carta' for

the socio - economic transformation of a large majority of the hw11an race.

Describing the Indian constitution as a living document, which is operationalised every day through statecraft, he pointed out how India bas been empowering people through legislations such as the Right to Information, Right to Education and Right to Food, which entrusted a tremendous amount of responsibility on the government.

T he president asked die youd1 attending the 2 1st edition of KIP to "always keep in mind lndia:~ tmiry amidst extraordinary diversity, economic goal of inclusive growth and the fact diat the key to attaining inclusive growth is spread of knowledge".

India's Grisha Hosanagara Nagarajegowda takes the silver in the Men's

on September 3, 2012.

In dian space agency scores a ton, ready for more

An Indian rocket recently successfull y put into orbit 1,vo foreign satellites, marking Indian space agency ISRO's 100th mission in the presence of Prime :Minister Manmohan Singh.

''As ISRO's 100th space mi ssion, today's launch is a milestone in our nation's space capabilities," d1e prime minister said in Sriharikota i n Andhra Pradesh after d1e launch

Exactly at 9.53 a.m., Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C21 (PSLV-C2 1), 44 merres tall and weighing around 230 conne, wirh a one -way ticket, hurtled itself towards the skies ferrying me rwo sacellires - SPOT 6, a 712- kg Frencl1 ea r d1 observation satellite, and Proiceres, a 15- kgJapanese nlicro satellite.

The PSLV, costing around Rs.90 crore, blasted off from d1e Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Srjharikota, around 80 km from Chennai.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (lSRO) has now completed its I 00th mission since the launch of irs first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975 by a Russian rocket. With a ricb orange Aarne at its tail and plume of white smoke, PSLV- C21 ascended towards the sky amid cheers of ISRO scientists and media team assembled at the launcl1 centre.

People perched atop nearby bui ldings too clapped as the rocket went up.

Scientists at ISRO's new mission control room were glued to their computer screens watching d1e rocker escape the earcl1's gravitational pull.

At around 18 minutes into the Right, PSLV- C21 delivered SPOT 6 and a few seconds later Proi teres into their intended po.lar orb its.

On the successful ejection of d1e satellites, scientists at miss ion control were visibly relieved and started clapp ing.

Manmohan Singh, w.ho along wim :Minister in Prime Mi.tlister's Office, V Narayanasamy, witnessed rhe launch, congratulated ISRO scientists and engineers and EADS Astriwn of France and Osalrn Institute of Technolog y of Japan for the successful launch of meir satellites.

"Question s are sometimes asked about whemer a poor country like Indi a can afford a space programme and whether the funds spent on space exploration, albeit

modest, could be better utilised elsewhere.

"This misses the point that a nation's state of development is finally a product of its technological prowess," the prime mi n ister said.

Tbe remore sen sing satellites se nd back picn1res and ocher data.

SPOT 6 is the heaviest foreign satellite to be carried by a PSLV since 1999 when ISRO scarred law1cbing satellites of foreign agencies

Proiteres will smdy powered Aighr of another satellite and observe Japan's Kansai district "~d1 a high- resolution camera

Speaking to reporters late r, ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnao said di scussions were on with me French space agenc )' to carry SPOT 7, a similar remote sensing satellite slated for launch soon.

He said there were 13 more satellites of similar class and some othe.r satellites could go as co-passen gers to the main cargo drnr ISRO/Antrix Corporation (ISRO's commercial arm) would target.

Declining to reveal d1e carriage fee received from French and Japanese agencies for .launching mei.r satellites, Radbakcislman said me miss ion revenue had recovered the rocket's cost.

Agreeing chat there was a two -minute delay in the rocket's lift off (the scheduled time was 9.51 a.m.), Radhakrishnan said it was to avoid possible space debris impacts

He said lSRO had dec ided to set up a Multi Object Tracking Radar (M.OTR) to crack space debris and time its rocker launches precisely.

ISRO was also pl anning to have a second vehicle (rocket) assembly building to increase launcb frequenc y, he said.

ISRO \Votild also build two more communication satellites - GSAT 15 and GSAT "16 - to augment its transponder (transmitters that receive an d send signals) capacity, he added.

Till dare, ISRO has successfully launc hed 27 foreign satellites and the Sunday mission took d1e tally to 29.

Pakistan visit fruitful : Kr ishna

Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna described as "fruitful " his three-day v isit to Pal,istan that he wrapped - up recently

Talking to the media after arriving at Allama Iqbal International Airport for a day- long visit co Lahore, Krishna said he and his Pakistaili counte r part Hina Rabbani

Khar had signed pacts on visa liberalization and culnu·al promotion, which would help promote b ilateral ties.

He arrived .in th is capital of the Punjab province on the final leg of h is visit that began on September 7 lndian High Commiss ioner Sharar Sabharwal was present.

Krishna said the dialogue between tl1e Indian and Pakistani leadership would be fruitful as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ai,d the people of India wanted peaceful relations with Pakistan.

He said the peacefu l ties between between the neighbouring countries would be he lpful for the prosperity of d1e region.

Krisbna met Punjab province Cllief l\folister Shilibaz Sharif as well as Punjab Governor Mul1ammad Latif Khan Khosa.

Shahbaz Sharif said India and Pakistan should discuss all omsranding issues.

While in La.bore, me lndiai1 external affairs nlinister vis ited Data Durbar shrine of a sufi saint and d1e Minar-e -Pakistan, a call monumental minaret.

The minister arrived in Labore from Islamabad where he mer his Pakistani coumerparc Hina Rabba11.i Khar An agreement on a libe ralised visa regime was signed b y h.im and Interior Mi.tlister Rehman Malik.

M ukherjee asks youth

d iaspora to learn about Ind ia

President Pranab Mukherjee recently asked the youth of me Indian diaspora to learn about Lidia, its craditions an d thought process and to use d1e knowledge for ilie betterment of tl1e global community at large.

Speaking to a group of Indian youth diaspora attending the 'Know India Programme' (KIP) of cl1e ministry of overseas Indian affairs (l\1IOIA) in New Dellii, Mukherjee said cl1ey were formnare to .l earn from d1eir Indian ancestors the princip le of 'Vasucll1aiva Kummbakam' (fhe world is a family).

Answering questions from participants at Rastrapati Bhavan, me president empha&ized d1e importance of values for d1e youm and said: "\'(le are fortunate to have learnt from our ancestors the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam."

Naming Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore and Maham,a Gandhi as contemporary exponents of the ancient

"The story of India is not a few paragraphs in a te.xt bo ok of history, but the story of a vast multitude of human beings crying ro find their i:ighrful place in the comity of nations," he said and noted that th.is story is enacted everyday in L1dia's villages, agricultural fields, offices, factories, laboratories and classrooms.

Expressing confidence that each of che participants would take home a little part of India in their hearts, he encouraged chem co continue learning about India based on their first hand experiences acquired through the KIP.

Commencing on the influence of the western world on lndia, Mukherjee said India has always been an open society with a continuous Aow of cultural i.nAuences to ai1d from outside.

India, he said, assimilated the foreign inAuences and redesigned d1em to snit its own, unique identiry.

''English education and pat:liamemary system are some of the contributions of the West to India. India added its own traditions of Sabha and Sanliti ~ocal bodies of governance) to the democratic sy stem.

The president said every modern nation is a product of assimilation and India has led in c ivilizational interaction with ocher parts of rhe world

The 21st edition of mree-week KIP has participants of lodian origin from 11 countries such as New Zealand, Surinam, Malaysia, Fij i, Sci Lanka, Mauritius, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Iran, Slovak Republic and Israel. All are in the 18-26 age group.

KIP's objective is to introduce India to d1e youd1 of Indian origin living abroad and co link the youth diaspora w ith their country of origin.

Under the present edition, d1e participants will visit Tamil Nadu to see and experience historical, cultural, industt:ial and administrative instin1tions. They will also interact with the Indian media, visit NGOs ai1d women's movements

The first leg of cllis edition of KIP began on Aug 29 and ended with the participants' interaction wid1 Mukherjee.

The visitors will visit their host state and will also return to the national capital co share d1eir experiences wid1 the r.1JOIA officials

Need jo int efforts to save Himalayas: Eco-activists

Concerned over the threat to natural re.~ources in the Himalayas, environmentalists recently said in New Delhi that there was an urgent need to preserve its

ecology a nd the country's states benefi tting by the motmtain 's resources like water should step up effo rt co protect them

Observi ng the 'Himalaya D ay' for the third year consecutively, t he environment activists urged t he central government to urge the s tates which reap benefits from its natural resources like water to join hands to conserve.it.

" Responsibiliry to conserve the richness and resourcefulness of the Himalayas needs to be shouldered by every citizen of the country," said eminent environmental ist Anil J os h i.

" The call by us (ac tivists) is to develop strong co llateral r elatio n s between mountain and non- m oun tain r egions ro negate the threats posed to n at ural resources, water and Oll.')'gen, as Himalayas is not a co ncern for the H imalayan communities alone; it rather is a question of the securi ty of livelihood w hich involves all the parts of the country that reap mul ti ple ben efit.~ from it," h e said.

A group o f environmentalis t gathered in national capital to ce lebrate Sep 9 as Himalaya D ay

The day w as chosen b y activi sts in 2010 co hri ng awareness to save the lofty ranges of Himalayas whic h are under eco logical threat due to increased human interferenc e

"Unfortunately, Himalayas are seen as a commodity. Everybody ju st enj oys the resources but no o n e is ready to address the crisis o f this region," be said, adding tha t 65 percent of the water from the Himalayas is being used b y other states while t hose in t he Himalaya n regio n use only 3 8 percent of it.

H e also said Himalayas are dying as the snowfall pa tterns are drasticall y al tered and glaciers are m elting in the reg ion. Landslides, cloudburst are the results of mistreating the nature.

If we don't get our ac ts toge ther we will have to bear the brunt, w h.id1 would be devastati ng. C hangi ng climate p attern 11-1eans more frequent droughts and Roods nor o nly in the region but also those living in downstream," he added.

Various e nviro nment activists participating in t he Himala yan Day celebration d em a nded a separate board to be formed to tackle envi ronment issues in the H imalayan region

"To safeguard H imalayas a separate board co mprising representatives from va rio us states should be formed so that they could focus on the issues per taining to it," an activist participating in tbe event added.

Faster development when India fully literate: Ansari

Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari recently said India's development would be fast- tracked from the day the c ountry

Devotees attend evening prayers at the Golden Temple, the holiest of Sikh shrines, illuminated on the occasion of 408th anniversary of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the holy book of Sikh religion in Amritsar, September 1, 2012.

attain ed complete literacy.

Speaking at the Sakshar Bhara t prize distrib u tion ceremon y of the National Literacy Missio n Author ity at the Ram Man ohar Lohia atio nal Law University in Lucknow, A n sari said that if tl1e nu mber o f li t erates in creases in the c ountry, India would become a centre of kn owledge

In his a ddress, Chief Minister A khil esh Yadav noted that his Samajwadi Parry (S P) government h ad taken a host of decisions aimed at inc reasing literacy, s pecially amon gst tl1e wom en

Citing so me o f the measures, h e said

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that th e gove rnment would p rovid e for a free tabl et for s mdents passing class 10 and taking admission in class 11 and a laptop to all smd e n ts who pass class 12 and ta ke admission in degree colleges. By doing so, the state government, o ther than be n efitting the studen ts, was also aiming at getting pare n ts and guardians t0 get connected co internet a nd improve their liv ing standard s by increasing their income, Akhilesh Yad av said He also said ch at his gove rnment had approved tbe centrally-aided n atio nal optical fibre n etwork tl1rough whicl1 all the

• student Visa / Tourist Visa (ETA)

, General Ski lled MigrationCTR/PR)

, Partner/Spouse Visa

, Parents/Child/Famil~ Migration

, MRT/RRT Appeals/ Business Visa

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• Admiss ions to leading universities and TAFE's under SVP

• Expression of Interes t (EDI)

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panchaya t s would get broadband access and the countryside would benefit immensely by the use of internee.

He a lso said that his government was working towards increasi ng the literacy of girls over 15 wi th the Kanya Vidya

Through chis scheme girls would be encouraged to go in for highe r srndies and be give n Rs. 30,000 as encouragement.

Gi rl s from the minori ry community passing class 10 would also be given Rs 30,000 in fi nan cial aid, he said IANS

'Daaad, you're embarrassing me!' is a familiar refrain now, and isn't just confined to teens. Familiarity with fathers has now reached new heights with kids saying what they feel, and dads taking their comments in their stride - and even going out of their way to further embarrass their children. It's an easy, open, cheerful bonding that is a delight to experience.

embarrass me

He shouts, "Run, girls!" at the top of his voice in his Indian accent at my cricket matches.

thatHe tries to sing One Direction songs, but is convinced that the name of the band is'lnside Edition~

He's really quite cool and I love him very much, but not when he's singing I've Got the Moves Like Jagger.

When we're at the shops and if I move out of his line of vision, he always calls my name out loudly, as if I'm 4 instead of 14!

He'll ask what movie is going on, about three times in the same hour.

He says he's going to get an earring on his 50th birthday.

He drives around with loud Bollywood music blaring out of his car - it's so embarrassing!

When a Bollywood love song is on (eg You are my Sonia), he'll start singing along and acting like Hrithik Roshan, and then grab mum and pretend she's Kareena Kapoor.Thankfully she rolls her eyes most times and pushes him off.

He sometimes belches loudly after a big meal and then looks around the table and says, 'Who was that?' It's gross, but you gotta smile!

He wants to adopt my fashion sense, wear skinny jeans and spike up his hair with gel. He tried on a pair of really low cut hipster jeans, and then asked the teenage shop assistant whether they had 'trendy'wide-banded designer underwear to match.

He told off my maths teacher at school once -I was so embarrassed to go back!

He thinks Salman Khan movies are entertaining - 'nuff said!

He organises kids' games at parties and tells them to dance around to warm up before starting the game. But he's the only one dancing

He sings in an opera voice just to make me laugh - it's hilarious and embarrassing!

Sweat soaked saris: Dance disclosures

A daring book reveals the unacknowledged influence of Indian classical dance into America's modern genre

of Somh Asian communities in the US, and their location within tl, e US multicultural discourse.

In her ground-breaking work, Sweati11g Sari.s: Indian Dance as Trat1.mational J__,t;/;or (December 30, 2011) Priya Srinivasan examines dancers not just as aesthetic bodies, but as transnational migrant workers and wage earners who negotiate ciri2enship and gender issues.

Sweating Saris see ks to understand dance - and more spec ifically, Bharatanaryam - as gendered bodily labour, and through it, highlights racism and a certain cultural bias inherent in the idea of American citizenship The author argues that by examining the dancing woman as a labourer, one can see her negotiating the terms of US citizenship. The dancers' sweat-soaked sari is the symbol of that umecogn.ized L'lbour - and hence the title of the book. Srinivasan introduces and deals with several complex ideas in tl1e book - in duding the idea of Bharatanat:yam dancers as upholders of cultural nationalism

ln the course of her inquiry, she examin es and demonstrates the debt owed by Ruth St Denis to Indian dance which has never been recognised or admowledged. following the work of Edward Said's Oriental.ism, the author places chis squarely in the lap of US colonialism and imperialism of the earl y cwencietl1 century. Srinivasan poims out that Ruth Sc Denis's 'modernise' p roject of American dance reproduced 'nach/llalis dance' of lnclia without acknowledging it; tl1e contribution made to her career by Indian male perform ers was erased from public discourse; St Denis benefitted from fodian dancers and cead,ers withou t honouring them. The nachwalis labour was effectively effaced through the process of absorption of their dance practices without acknowledging their contribution.

Ruth St Denis never admitted the contribution of Indian bodies to her dancing, ye t she is touted as tllis great innovator of 'modern dance'

- the gurn of the legendary Martha Grah am. Invoking the French philosopher Foucault's ideas, Priya Srinivasan d escribes Indian

dancers as the sub al terns: male and female Indian labour in the context of race-charged US citizenship debates.

The author argues that they h.ighligh c the rac.is c overtones and w1derpinnings p reviously sidelined in North American Orientalist discourse. l'vfoclern dance attempted to establish itself as new and original, w llile d enying its Oriental origi ns Tilis is part of the construction of tl1e Luger myth tl,ac US citizeosllip is a purely a white endeavour.

The author, while dem onstrating this, nevertheless resists the temptation of going to the otl1er extreme: o f clinging to tl,e idea that Bharatanatyam - and Indian cl assical dance - in .its twen tietb century form as somehow 'authe n tically traditional'. She locates those ideas coo in India's independen ce movement and it.~ drive to establish a national identity

In Chapter 6, Srinivasan argues that wllile resisting the dominant A merican culrure represented by \Vb.ice American nationalism in the early twentietl1 century, Indian dance coo, presented its own problems of cultural nationalism. Nevertl, eless ic offered and offers an alternative to the dominant

mainstream US citizenship, and allows ymmg lndian dancers to access possible alternatives to assimilation - however temporary.

Srinivasan merges edrnography, llistory, critical race theory, performance and post-colonial srudies am ong otl,er disciplines to i nvestigate tl1e embodied experience of Indian dance. She is the 'unruly sp ectator'; the dance etlmographer who frames tl,e whole field of Indian dance witllin the larger question o f race, gender, class and politics. This book is nor for everyone. It is written very much

in academic language and apart from acad emics, few readers will be able to read the book from cover to cover and be able to glean the tlu·ust of tl,e autl1or's argrnnent. That d oes not take away from i t tl1e fact tl1ac it is an important book that needed to be written; an argument that had to be made. Srinivasan makes it forcefully, deai·ly, honestly, fearlessly, ai1d with a great degree of sophistication.

Priya Srinivasan is Associate Professor in Critical Dance Srudie.~ at the Department of Dance, of California, Ri verside. In 2008, she rece ived the Gertmde Lippinco tt Award given by the Society of Dance History Sd10lars for tl,e best English-language article published in dance studies.

''The author argues that by examining the Indian-American dancing woman as a labourer, one can see her negotiating the terms of US citizenship ' '

e r1s1n

Fundamentalism by ultra nationalists is seeping through the core of India today, with damaging effects

1

Acolleague once mid me that he loved travelling in Asia for all its hilari o u s contradictions

Such as the metro trains i n Tok yo, w here talking on mobile p ho ne s is banned to avoid disrurbing otber people. Arriving at each statio n, however, passengers are earbashed by an organ player, announcing the name of the stop along with a ditty o n the keyboard at full volume. Absurd? Absolutely! Living in India, l see similar contradictions; ho,vever the p aradoxes he re are ofte n muc.h more profound and unsettling. Each evening now a huge bank of clouds builds over Chennai b elying the heat of the da)7, an o minous warni ng () f the app roaching monsoon. A not dissimilar sensation may also occur to anyone who has m onitored th e media in r ec em months and yea rs.

The question of national ide nti ty has been a bot to pic in Asian cow1u-ies for many years, and India is no exceptio n. Si nce as long as people can remember Indians have struggled, an d for the most pare, balanced who th ey are: nationality, language, religion, job - but not necessaril y in chat o rde r. Occasion ally che balance would be thrown a nd would explode imo violence. H oweve r in che late-2000s man y held t heir breath chat maybe econo mic progress would outstrip d1e days of commun al u nrest. Today, those people find t hemselves in b etween ultranationalists, religious fund am e n ralisrs and hard lin e secularists, all of w hom have a vision of what India should be. This debate is an old o n e, b u t is rising in intensity and scope thanks to social and trad itional media sour ces. It is p articular ly fraught in India, where morality and policies has been confused by years of forei!,>n invasion and rule.

The 2009 overrurning of Sectio n 377 of the Indian Penal Code is a case in poim. The law which fam ously crinlioalized seio.1al activity 'against d1e order of nature' was in troduced during British m le Thar co nsidered, opposition to overturning the law came from an unlikely source - ultranationaliscs. Of course religious figures also

INDIAN LINK

campaigned against the move, but for differe n t reasons to chose given by the nationalists. Ir served to highlight the contradictions in t he id eology of the far right - that some of che (allegedl y) proudest Indians would seek to uphold a relic of the British era. Is India not the home of the Kamasutra?

Isn't the world's finest exan1ple of rh eological erotic ar r in Khajuraho?

The point here is n ot t ha t we m u se all engage in the acts sculpted our of those stone walls. We don 't even have to condone themblush i f you wiUJ The point is that India has an indigenous traclition of sex independent of Britain and it s scan dal- ridden 'passions of the flesh' para noia.

The contradiction s in modern lnclia are ri fe. Con servative Muslims receive Ltninvited promotional text messages advertising: "The secrets of love - just Rs. 5, push yes to know more!" Young girls are rut-mered by old men fo r the clothes they wear enroute ro a nightclub. D o n 't be fooled, this is not a str uggle between tradition and modernity - it 's a battle between two different vis ions for the nation. And alth ough d1is isn't unique to India, w hat is most concerning is the often vitrioli c form it is taking. In 2010, journalist Sagarika

Ghose coined the term 'Internet H.indu' ro describe d1ose who had attacked her online for her " pseudo-secularism" (cue outraged gasps). Man y have objected to the term ' Internet Hindu' as Hinduism pr eaches peace, while so-called 'Internet Hindus' are characterized by their aggressio n. And therein lies d1e biggest contradiction o f t he u ltranarion alisc movement.

lf Hinduism i s a religion of peace, it is difficult to comprehend how it can be reconciled with so m e of the acerbic rhetoric emerging nowadays Equally, the marriage of rabid ultranationalis rn and mo d ern India is troublesome, given d1e fo un da tions laid by the father of the nation , Maham1a Gandhi

He spo ke of h is v ision for a plmalis tic, harmonious society, and I can't imagin e t he current tide of ul tranationalism bein g condoned by the 'great soul', were he scill alive. J\for eover, t he consequences of an overly aggressive India could be catastrophic for the nati o n. Gujarat's repmarion is still recovering from d1e riots of 2002, and tl1e .loc al tourism mai:ket has felt the p inch Tourism is just one area char would be affected b y a

Storms brew over Chennai and over the government in Delhi.

paradigm shift in Indian soc iety. ln dia h as had from-row seats to the effects of exu-emi sm in Pakistan in the past decade, not to mention the implications if India was drawn into a war with its neighbour. Uber -patriots claim that the lndian mili tary could conquer any adversar y - the y fail to address w hat would be the cost to the natio n:~ credentials an d society. The stor ms chat breaks over

Chennai every night brings with t hem cnmult and turbulence hut come morning, the clouds are gone. India, o n the ocher hand, can't sleep during d1e growing srorm over its future The idea tl1at India is a peaceful nation is problematic, given its lo n g hiscory of internal co n Aict. ( ever theless i t's an idea that must b e aspired to - d1e sta kes are too high for it co be otherwise.

Life in Facebook world

Being a citizen of the world's largest cyber country can lead to quiet assassinations and even intense isolation

th.rough SMS was the ' in ' thing. But again, the wo rld is moving fast. Even Sl'v[S is a personal one - co -one contact. You send , and one other person responds. But on FB, you can do the most personal of things witl10ut being personal at all. J\nd what's more, tl1e who le country knows it and there's no recour se either!

Empty your mind and relax

Ancient texts exhort the neccessity of staying calm and finding serenity in the face of adversity

from correct cogrution (Jmi()•ak..rba) 1.6'.

n1\1

In contrasc, 'false knowledge (vipmy~ya) is ejther wrong information, illusory ideas (111itqya ;/na11am) or notions which do not possess (pmtishtha111) a firm foundation (t1tadmpa) l.7'.

According to a recent survey, Facebook, with almost 900 million users, is the chjrd largest country in the world after India and

While on a positive note, FB has helped in catching up with friends from the Jjstant past and lands, whom we would never have imagined see in g again Ir cannot be b lamed for how it is being used, but it has also served as a too l to become face le ss. Faceless, when you want to.

We are Living in difficul t times. More trnnquiJJ.isers and antidepressants are being sold than ever before And some of these medjcations have been known to create more havoc, rather tl1an sootlling me rec ipient.

After gairung all me information for buying a property, the mind is botmd co be in turmoil. One needs to mentalJy quieten down, to be able to make a sound decision. The mind needs to be emptied and relaxed.

Cenmries ago, tl1e unrivalled classic of mental contemplation Tbe Yogt1 S11tras ef Patanjali emmciated d1ac for any form of mental Jjscip line, it is essential co cairn or restrain (11irodhah) the flucniations of the mind (chittt1 -vritt1).

''No words were exchanged , no swords drawn, no one was killed; but like a smooth

To people you kn ow, those you have been friends w ith and shared your time with, and people China, and a co untry that s ize will certainly have its own language too. Diehard Facebook converts know the language, talk, share and promote their feelings in a language only the ardent FB folJower will understand.

For examp le, one of my FB as well as real- life friends (as most peopl e have a FB and a real life, it's on ly namra.l to have C\VO set of friends), unhappy over some of m y actions recently, k ic ked me om o f hjs FB. No words were exchanged, no swords drawn, no o n e was kill ed; but like a smooth criminal,

crimina l, my i d entity was chopped off from the th i rd largest count r y in the wor l d

who deserve better As a matter of fact, there are websites dedicated to me issue of handling your emotions whe n dmnped by your partner or friends on FB, and the most efficient ways co dump people too, in case you decide co use the same method.

On the who le, social medfa like Facebook bas made us more densely networked than ever. Yee for all this connectivity, ne\v research suggests tlrnt we have neve r been lonelier, and it's getting worse my identity was chopped off from the third largest country in the world And I noticed and understood the

l anguage , and the accent too. It was s imp le, effortless and accompl ished with only a little click!

W / e live in moments of super- connected loneliness. While we connect to peop le on FB, we are shying a\vay from them in real li fe We find chatting on FB acceptabl e and easy, but find ic d ifficult to discuss issues witl1 che same friends face - co - face. W/e click the toughest pictures, researcb the rarest of quotes co pm on FB, yet

The world i s a troubled place with the financial markets creating daily havoc, and armed conflicts not getting resolved. This coupled with me unresolved wars in a belt stretch ing from Turkey to Afgharuscan are reflected i n personal mental mrmoil. Retirees see

If a troubled person sees a counsellor o r a psychologist, it is very l ikely that the very first thing thac that person will be told is co rela.-.:: and to stop worrying about tl1e problem. Very often, modern medical practice uses drngs co induce tranqwllity. Centuries ago, Patanjali had spoken about drugs as a means co artairung yoga but he had frowned on such a practice.

''The wor ld is a

Such emptying of tl1e mind (pratyaham) is a prerequisite for mental troub led place with the financia l markets creati ng daily havoc, and armed conflicts yoga. \'{/e can envisage two levels: a s im ple relaxation n ot getti ng resolved by stopping worry ing, and a higher level where one withdraws one's senses from the external world. their superannuation funds dwindle, whilst those who invested in scams which were 'too good to be true' are affected b y the financial crisis.

Still worse is me case of those who participate in the wars tl1emselves. They and their families pay the price in mental tmmoil and often in anguish Th is has happened whilst tl1e scars of the Vietnam war in Australfa are still being felc.

''The modern face of despondency and hopelessness stand in marked conu·asc co d ie emptiness or nothingness (s11t~)'ata) of mental yoga. These negative terms, for which lndfan philosop he rs are famous, means the oppos ite Nothingness for them meanc an describable plen imcle, that is, a fullness beyond human in1agination.

In this fast- moving worl d, a phrase used since the l 980s as tl1e world hasn't slowed since then, any appreciation, any growl, any feeling can be expressed through we wane ch e easy way our when ic comes co dealing w ith the same people in FB w ithout sayin g a word. Relationsh ip statuses first change on FB and then in real life A co -worker recently realised that

real time.

While a large part of Facebook's appeal stems from its fusion of dist.ance with intimacy, or tl1e illusion it, it drives his fiancee had dumped him after he got a calJ from a murual friend saying her status was cha nged from engaged to single. Thar was it. The ultimate blow, me extreme hit w ith no recourse! Poor guy b ecame lik e Bahadur Shah Zafar dur ing h is last days in Rangoon: Kit11a bad11aseeh hai zafar daf,111 k e l(Je do gaz za111eetJ hhi flt/ 111illi kl!)'etl )'Oar mei11 Could not even find do gaz zameen close to his fiancee co discuss their relationship, or what was l eft of it.

Till a few years ago, expression of emotions

''While a large part of Facebook's appea l stems from its f usion of d istance with intimacy, or the i llusion it, it drives us away fro m the reality we live in

us away from the reality we live in. I r's taught us the Jjfference between connection and bonding, espec ially in the Light of the "connected world" coday It has created local online communities which have become the drivers of our se lf -image. And to top ic a.LI, our se l f-image has become restless, eager co show d1ese online communities our soc ial achievements. And just like FB, our self- image refuses co take a break from FB.

In Australia, the younger generation (popul arly called the Y-generation) are under intense pressure, for examp le, needing to buy tl1e right housing, in the right subm:b and ar the right price. High prices in the most desirable suburbs creates che burden of repayment over me next cwenty tears o r so Childcare and school fees add co me load of responsibilities. Then there are travel expenses. Many migrant groups, incl u ding lnruans, are expected to make a trip occasionally to lnclia co meet close relatives

At this stage, it is imporcaoc nor to have fanciful ideas ahom the place one wishes co acquire. One has to live witrun one's means and one should remove i mpractical ideas witl1 regard to transport, sc hools and so on One should remember that, as PatanjaLi noted, 'fanciful ideas (vikalpt1h) can have their basis in verbal or rhetoric expressions (shahdqj11tma) whi ch are devoid (sh,111.Jt1) of substance (vt1st11). 1.8' Such expressions include 'posh suburbs' and 'country athmosphere'.

The necessicy of right knowledge at every stage of me process cannot be overemphasised. As Patanjali had srud, ' Right knowledge (prama11am) can be gained from making logical inferenc es (c1111m1a11a) , from trarutional knowledge (t1gamab) and

The Hindu concept of S111!)'ttfa or nothingness was elaborated by t h e Zen Buddhists and by French poets and writers as the 'vide'; incidencalJy tl1e Sanskrit term for this state is videh! Ac che higher level (t1srJl!ljJrqjnata sal!lt1db1) tl1ere is an absence of alJ modes of tl1e mind (time , space and number) and only subconsc ious impressions (sa1J1Sams) are retained. Tlus come.5 from the constant practice of the highest type of nonamichment, (1.18) wruch is not the l evel for me average person.

However, me average person should s low down their materialistic purswts and remove fear, worry and anger from tl1emse lves, co remove the burdens thar can overload the nuod. This can free them from their shackles. For example, anger i s one of the main burdens wh ich afflict the young and the media must share a lot of tl1e blame for that. Anger (mg,1 in Sanskrit, similar ro the English 'rage') goes hand -in - hand with attachment (also termed raga)

Achieving simple tranq u illity can help the young as it can the old. Many of those in turmoil are today's o ld people. Some of them lose substantially during the global financial crisis. Others see themse lves as nus/its in the modern world, and still otl1ers find it difficult to relate co the ir children

A penny saved .....

eigbtened inAation is a legacy that the global financial crisis bas left in its wake, and people all over the world are ree ling from its effects. The cost of living is constantly rising, forcing everyone to tighten their be lts I-Jere in Australia we have grown so accustomed to an easy, comfortable life tbar this global phenomenon and more recently om own carbon ta,, resulting in inflated petrol prices, skyrocketing water and e leccrici cy rates, unaffordab le housing and unpalatable fruit and vegetable prices, is hitting us pretty hard. Tbe good news however, is tl1at a few simple steps and changes can ensure we get back on cop of things, make our do llars go a longer way and develop some good saving habits that will serve us well throughout our lives.

il"g on eJ --nci-'·v

The recent electricicy bills have been the bane of everyone's existence and it is time to make so me changes:

• Use electric blankets co warm up your bed in winter, cacher than heating the whole room which takes up much more energy. Electric blankets cost a little more than duvets and use only a fraction of electricity compared to heaters.

\Xlhen using heaters or air conditioners, readjust tl1e iliermostat. For every degree you turn down on ilie heat during winter or nun it up for summer, you will save one co three percent on your cotal electricity b il l. Turn off tl1e lights when you leave tl1e room.

Rep lacing old .incandescent light bulbs w ith energy saving Auorescenc bulbs can save up co 75% on your annual lighting b ill. Tmn off appliances at ilie switch. Don't forget co switch yo ur computer and te levision off. A plasma TV on standby uses as much energy as yoLJI fridge.

Drying your cloches in the sun instead of using a clothes dryer can save hundreds of dollars on yo m e lectricity bill

Use the washing machine in offpeak times to take advantage of lower rates

,irC""onwa r

In the light of recent droughts, water is to be conserved anyway and a rapidly ascending water bill is just one more reason to be ilirifty witl1 water.

Use rainwater can.ks to collect water and save 011 yotu water bill. Wash dishes in a dishwasher,

as d1is appliance uses much less water ilia.n washing by hand. Scraping food off d ishes rather tl1an rinsing before putting d1em in d ishwasher also conserves water.

Take shorter five minute showers and use a l ow flowing shower head. This way yo u w iJJ use only about 45 li tres of water compared co 140 litres for a fifteen m inutes shower wiili a high Aov.ring shower head.

• Wash your car less often as each wash uses up between I 50-350 litres of water, and even using tl1e carwash can sometimes he lp yo u save on water bills.

P lant drought- resistant plants in tl1e garden and mulch to save on watering cost. Turn off ilie tap between brushing and shaving.

Invest in a water-e ffi cient d ishwasher and washing machfoe and you'JJ be amazed at the d ifference in your water biU.

Low fuel prices now truly seem a thing of the past and we have

all accepted ilie fact iliat high fuel prices are here co stay However, tl1ese tips could help you save tl1ose extra dollars instead of spending them on fuel.

Shop around for the best place co bu y fuel and use your fuel vo uchers from ilie shopping trips. Slowing down can save on petrol, as acceleration uses more fuel.

• Turn off me AC and roll down yom car \'lri.ndows in pleasant weather

Sec up a ca r poo l. Sharing your car ride wiili just one friend can save the boili of yo u hundreds of doJJars.

Check your air filter and tyre pressure regularly co keep yo ur car fuel -efficien L Cut down 011 unnecessary loads in the car like r oof racks and buJJ bars if yo u don't need iliem; it will save on fuel.

Avoid hard braking and Aat footing to reduce fuel consumption b y 30%, and don't rest yo ur left foot o o the brake o f an aucomatic car as the extra drag increases fuel consumption by 5%

avin; on ·r;yt

The best way to save on your food bill is to reduce che number of tim es you eat our or better sti.U, scop it alrogether. Take a homemade lunch to work and make your own tea or coffee. Th.is is not only healthier, but ends up saving you heaps.

\,1(/hen grocery shoppin g, always check yoLtr receipts; yo u 'U be surprised how man y times even computers stuff Ltp.

Buy in bulk and check tl1e unit pl'ices co get [he best deals.

Use your scores reward, loyalty or membership cards to save on special deal s Make a budget and stick to it.

Ser yourself a limit on money spent on food per day. O nc e you've reached chat limit don't spend mor e, no matter what.

Reve rt co paying by cash. It i s proven iliac peop le spend less when iliey pay in cash , rather ilian when us ing credit or deb it cards.

• Buy score brands for basics like sugar, !lom and salt etc. They are all just ilie same, but big brands cost more.

up to 75 9-'o on your ,ii nnu

As the cost of living increases, it's time to begin saving on the necessities of life, writes FARZANA SHAKIR

'' HP.pladn g olcJ incandesc~nt light hqlb; v,.ilth energ)l'saving fluor~Sq!llt bulbs tan save

,;I ligh,i'ng bill.

''

''

ltiis proven tl)at peaple-sp~ntJ IE:SS when1J1ey pay irv:asf), mthe r-tha,, wl1en us'ing nedi1 or dell it ~Uri~

Baba Aparajith, left, ce lebrates w ith teammates the dismissal of Australia's Kurtis Patterson, the 2012 ICC under- 19Cricket World Cup final Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012, In Townsville, Australia

It was still winter down under, bur in late August

Inclia won tbe U nder- 19 Cricket World Cup, beating Australia in a tense final in Townsville, Queensland. The match was underlined by a stu nning century by the L1dian skipper, Unrnukt Chand, aod certainly exposed some exciting talents to the international cricket community.

U- 19 tourney gaining glory

The lCC Under- 19 Cricket World Cup has taken place every two yea.rs since 1998, having initially been sraged as a one-off evenr Lhat year. Whil e it does not carry with it the prestige of the senior version, the pedigree of tli e players that take part in it makes up much of the attractionplayers s uch as Saqlain Mushtaq, Brian Lara and Sanath Jayasuriya

featured in d1e earliest edition; die 2008 murna.mem included James Pattinson, Darren Bravo and India's Virat Kohli, who led the side to the trophy, and currentl y sits as d1e second - best OD1 batsman in the game. The hype tliat has surrounded the tournament in recent yea rs, then, is oot without reason - ir really has become a breeding ground for future champions.

Mental preparation is key

\'v'hile die senior lndian ream was at the same time busy tlirashing a hapless ew Zealand om/it by an innings and 115 runs at home in H yde rabad , tl1e U - 19 side proved just how much more mental preparation goes into young lndiao players today. The side lost their very first march against a talemed West Indian outfit, but comprehens.ively thrashed minnows Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea. They then scraped through a ridiculous ly tense quarter- final against Pakistan, winning by just one wicket - and dien backed the performance up with anodi er narrow win in the

semi- final b y just 9 runs against New Zealand. After SLich an emotional rollercoaster, die side, which featu red playe rs as yo ung as 17, might have been forgiven for an average disp lay in the final. lnstead, lndia got off ro a g r eat start, p icking up four early wickets against an Australian batting line up that had not yet failed to deLiver. Led by a steady unbeaten 87* by captain William Bosisto (w ho was dismissed only once in 6 innings - and that coo, ruo- (mt), die Aussies recovered and posted an impressive 225/8 off tl1eir 50 overs Ian Chappell, the for m er Australian captain , had remarked about this tournament that it was notable how much more ad vanced the fast bow lers were in their development than th e batsmen - and this explains die low-scoring affairs throughout die competition. The top team score in the semi - finals was 209 ; in the quarter- finals, 244 Fo r Ind ia, chasing 225 in a final, with cloud cover and a stro ng home bowling attack, was not an easy cask.

A dete rmined win

Whil e Australia were 4/38 early in their innings, lndia had moved steadily to 1/75, largely due to the sparkling strokep lay of Baba Aparajich - who is definitely o ne to watch om for in the s horter fo rm at o f the game. Australia's Gur.inder SancUrn, however, who spoke to I11dia11 Link ahead of the tournament, broke die ChandAparajith partnership, and a flurr y of wickets followed.

Ac 4/97, widi v ice- captain Akshdeep Na d1 woefully oul o f form, India moved their enterpris ing and confident wicketkeeper, Smit Patel, up the order. B y now, Australia were rampant - runs were extremely d i fficLtlt to come by, and die press ure on Chand was immense.

Joel Paris, the Australian leftarmer, was regul arly clocking up speeds above 140km/h The parttimers were stifling and d1e fie lds inmitive. The Aussies had dieir tails up, and they lee me Indians know it, coo. Tt was no place for the faint-hearted.

Some w1believably beautiful batting then mrned the match on its bead.

Chand began hitting pure cricket strokes - drives over extra cove r, lofted straight drives down the ground - ro not only reach the boundary, but to clear it comfortabl )'- Chand, who was especially brutal on Sandhu, hit 7 fours and 6 sixes in all, including a perfectly- timed drive over the cover region which both brOL1g ht up his cenmrr and all but sealed die trophy. It was Chand's 5th centllr)' at the U - 19 level, but more tellingly, his third in tomnarnent finals - B osisto , the Australian captain, later remarked that that it was "nor tl1e first time h e has terrorised us".

Patel's contribution, roo, was crucial ; his 62* in a partnership of 130 - the hig hes t in any U- 19 World Cup final - was enterprising, and simi.larly risky. Blll it paid off.

Pick the talent

The re were also notable performances by seamer Sand eep Sharma - who finished with 12 wickets ar 15. 75, including 4- 54 in the Ii nal, as well as tweaker Harmeet Singh, who lan Chappell has stated categorically as tbe best

left- a.rm spinner in the world, and the second- best overall behind Graeme Swann But you can only compare apples with appl es - and it's plaudits like d1ese which can often send young athletes down the wrong road.

Greats such as Tendu!kar and Ponting n ever p layed in an Under- 19 World Cup. India's Robie Sharma and Australia's Mo ises Henriques both shone in the 2006 edition, ye t both have found international cricket thoroughly miserab le Lara, Jayasuriya, Kohli - none of these names were the mp run- sco rers in their respective tOL1rnamenrs. There was some brilliam cricket p layed in Townsville, and no doubt there ·was an abundance of talent on display - but pare of the fascination of d1e U - 19 World Cup is see ing how they develop from here. There's still one more step to go - who will put their l1and up?

The Indian U- 19 team returns home with the Cricket World Cup trophy to many accolades ... and one brickbat!

b stake home

India's Under- 19 oy the trophy

Euphoria back home

Back home, a hero's welcome awaited the U - l9s as they triumphantly carried home the World Cup. W inning against Australia has become almost as prestigious as a win against hereditary arch - rivals Pakistan, and cricket- lovin g Indians were quic k to shower appreciation on these young stars.

The triump hanr U - l 9 Indian cricket team arrived ho m e to a

euphoric reception in Mumbai

As Delhi boy and skipper

Unmukt Chand came out of d1e

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport terminal holding the trophy, cel ebrations broke out Mumbaiite Harmeet Singb 's relatives and friends also turned up in large numbers and carried a huge cutout of the spinner.

•1 am very happy. We played well in Australia and won iL It's a proud feeling," said Chand, who is the d1ird captain after Mohammed

Kaif and V irat Kohli to lead the country to the ru1der- 19 World Cup tide

In Kolkata, a hose of Cricket Associatio n of Bengal (CAB) officials and a large nw11ber of East Bengal fan club members waited at ilie NSC Bose lncemational Airport here to greet R avikant Singh and Sandipan Das, the two cricketers from Bengal who were in d1e winning squad. \Xli th 12 wickets, Ravikant finished as the most successful Indian bowler in rne. cournan1enc played in Australia.

In die melee of fans eager to greet the young cricketers, their families were p u s hed to the sidelines and se.curir:y personnel had to intervene, getting the cricketers into their cars in a hurry, drns cutting the celebrations short.

However, the glory of d1e wi n was overwhelming, as Ravikant stated. "\Y;/e were over the moon. I ever in my life was I so happy," h e said adding, " l owe a lot to captain Unmukt (Chand). 1 came. into the team as a replacement but he showed faith in me and gave me confid ence. Unrnukt is a batsman, but he is a bowlers' captain."

Unmukt is now richer not just in experience, but also financially as the state of Utcarakhand announced a cash reward of Rs. l 1 lakh for the young cricketing star who h it a match-winning w1beaten cenh1.ry in the final.

Although Unmu kt p lays for Delhi in do mestic cricket, he hai ls from Khudku Bhalya village in Uttarakband's Pirnoragarh district. Officials said the state was also considering felicitatin g the entire

U - 19 cricket team.

And while accolades have been pouring in, the International Cricket Coun cil (ICC) president Alan l saac also con gratulated t he Indian team for winning the U - 19 World Cup for the third time. "It has been an incredible performance by India. The way the team bounced back after losing th e tourname n t opener reflects rne talent and self- co n fid ence of d1e side. And with captain U nmukt Chand leading the side from the from with a century in d1e final, i t just sums up three great weeks for th em in Townsville," sa id Issac.

Ironic loss over win

And in what can o nly be termed as a bi2a.rrely typical situation, Unrnukt Chand was disallowed by St Stephen's College in Delhi

to sit fo r his annual exam because his cl ass attendance was poor Unmukt was forced to approach the Delhi High Court petitioning that he was un able to attend classes because of cricket matches, inclucling di e Indian Premier League. He requested the Hig h Court co ask his college to allow him to si t for the annual exam. Fortunately, the Association of O ld Stephan ians are backing up the talented cricketer, and have appealed co St Stephen's College and Dell1i University "to take necessary steps co ensure that promising sportspersons are encouraged to perform better and bring laurels to d1e country". It's the old fanuliar a rgument between academics and spores. So wbo will be the winner?

TRAVEL NOTEBOOK KUCHING, BORNEO

GETTING THERE

Kuch ing is130 hours by air from Singapore (Silk Air) or 1.40 hours from Kuala Lumpur (Ma laysia Airli nes or Air Asia).

GETTING AROUND

Taxisare plentifu l and inexpensive. Buses are cheap, efficient and modern The Visitors Information Centre has timetableand fa re information. Sampans cross the river for around 15 cents per person. The Sarawak River Cruises sunset cruise is remmmended. For Bako, catch Bus No 1 to Kampung Bako and from there charter a boat. Local touroperatorsalso offer t rips to Bako. Purchase a ma pof the 16 wa lki ng tra ilson arriva l.

The newly refurb ished Hilton Kuch ing isthe place to stay a landmark in its own right, on the Waterfront Espla nade in the centre of town Rooms are newly refurbished, we II appointed and with great views. Phone:+ 60 82 248 200 Ema il:kuching@hilton.com / website:www.hilton.com

The modern and quirky Batik Boutique Hotel will su it those wanting an upbeat exper ience, www.batikboutiquehotel.com, wh ileBeramb ih Lodge www.beram bihlodge com and the Tune Hotel w1vw.tunehotels.com aregood budgetchoic~ Four hours by road and ashort boat ride away, the Batang Ai Long house Resort, managed by Hilton isset ina prist ine rai nforest setting. www.hilton.com

Bako National Pa rk offersovern ight accommodation

WHERETO EAT

Magna Carta, Main Bazaarfo rcafe food at Sydney priCfs; Food Courts and Hawker Centres for authentic no-frills dining. Recommended are sp icy coconut milk-based Laksa, popiah satayor anyofthe many nood ledi shes The Hilton iswhereKuch ing's movers and shakers meet, with a menu that ranges from authentic Malaysian cu isine to grea t club sandwich~

MORE INFORMATION

Borneo Adventu re, 55 Main Bazaar, Kuch ing. Website: www.borneoadventu re com organizes highly regarded eco logicall y sustainab le tours

Sa rawak Forestry has information on National Parks: www.sa rawakfo restry.mm

Sa rawak Tourism Website:www.sarawaktou rism.com

Tou rism Ma laysia Website:www.tourism.gov.my

fJ.---A ,;,,.

with turrets--:'"~:-- ~Grneo, the third largest island _ _ 1s-l1ot what vou 10 the wG l'ld and one of the most might expe;r to see deligh tfol cities in South - East as you cruise gently Asia. Kuching offers a glimpse · downstream by of what other .Asian cities were

Qn the Sarawak River, b ut - Fort Matgherim built in 1879 by ;. Charles -Smoke the second White Rajah, is just one of the many r- charms you wiU .find here.

At d,e beginning of the 19th <.:entury, Sarawak was under tl1e cohcrol of the Sn.lean of Brunei.

After the appointment of an unpopular governor, ilie locals revolted ln 1839 James Bro0ke arrived in Kuching, pur down the rebellion and became Rajah. His nephew Charles, though not quite the adventurer he wa~, was a n excellent administrator expanding his ru.le co encompass all of Sar;wak_ After d1e Japanese occupation during World W.ar 11, Sarawak came under British col oni.al rule until 1963 when independence was granted and it formed pact of Malaysia.

Kucbing is the ' capitalcicy of Sarawak on the is land of

once like. Laidback, gracious and friendly with a population of 600,000, a walk along t he streets will reveal dragon- festooned Chinese temples and shop houses, a L9m-cenmry South Indian mosque and historiq colonial ar<;hitecture, che most atmospheric streets beingJalan Cr.tmbier, India and Carpenter.

Restaurants and open-ai r hawker stalls sell a variety of J\sian cuisines, including the mu.ltilayered rainbow-coloured egg sponge cakes known as keklapls.

There ace manymusettrns including the splendid Sarawak Musewn with an exceptional ethnographic collection, the Textile Museum with hand- woven fabric made of gold o r ~ilver thread, an lslamic Muse L1m and a ,cat m,1si;um; after all 'Kuching' means cat in Mallly.

The road chat runs a.Long the

river has long be~n l;:n:Q_'fill as che Main Bazaar. l:ws.is tlre·best place to shop for tcadicional cribal hanclicrafcs indudingdalowpipes. A shopp ing highlight is the chaotic Sunday 1-fai:ket at Jalan Satok with open-air st'lils, many run by tribes~ people, selling an exptic array of fresh produce including okr.a, g inget, ted c hillies, jungle herbs, sp ices and bananas @f al.I s izes and colo rn:s from yellow to dark red.

The appeal of Kuchi.ng however, lies outside tl1e city acco rding to Dr Philip Ting, J\uscrali,:1n Honota.ry Consnlin Kuching

Whik l1alf the population of Sarawak. is Chii::!ese or Malay, the

otl1et half are mba~ lban, Bidayiffi, i\1.elit~,.1 _ Orang Ulu wim rich c:P1tmal traditions, handicrafts, handwoven textiles, bead,;a!rk and WGod carvings. Many still live fo longbouses, a communal habitation for an entire community who share an open plan Jiving area. I visited Anmib Rais home to Bidaynh that welcomes v isitors

You can go in search of the world's largest flower, the R.afflesia at Gunung Gading National Park when, they're in b loom, ot vis it the Semenggoh Wildlife Cemre escablis.hed to rescue otai1gutan:s from mplivity, I.hough

given tl1e centre's vast size of 65.3 hectares, sightings are not guaranteed.

I went in search of ch e endangered proboscis monkey at Bako ·ational Park. Getting d1ere is quite an adventure. After a 37km bus 1:ide, I experienced an exhilarating boat ride. Bako National Pa.i;k is 27 sq k.ms of seven comp lete ecosystems· including beach and cliff veget:ition, heath, rn angrove, peat, forests and grasslands, representing the types of vegetation found in Bomeo. Mangroves the coastline a.nd rocky headlands -lead to seduded beaches. 1 trekked all day along trails try ing, but failing to do all 16 wall,s, or sight a proboscis monkey, d1emale having a huge pendn.lous nose and a large pot- belly. 1 w~s sorry noc to have,stayed overnight as mqst visitors do In th e 20 years since my fust visit, many changes are evident. Kuching has evolved into a very pleasant ciry, well desen,ing of several clays stay. On one of my stro ll s, I st:Opped for a Jhampoo and hai rcut at the Superior Unisex Sal0n. 1ly stylrst Lyll11 was Orang Ulu. l asked if she knew anything of the pbtnts found in the rainfores t that for ovec 2,000 yeats have been used by tribes-people for d1erapeutic ahd curative purposes. She shrugged her shbtudcrs. Her childrtlll bad a bright future she $aid, made possible by efficient transport, good eduaation and heallhcace. 1\nd the prirne growth rainforests chat filled me with such a.we have kmg gone. To encoumer the Borneo chat is ~till unearned, ydu need to ventu(e deep into the forest.

eon

I'm sure aU of you rugged u p in jumpers and boots can't wait to welcome warmer weather So wha t does spring have in store for us? Well, it seems the latest tre nd is aU about fluorescen t- h ued clothing and accessories, and it's raking off fast! This season seems to be a ll about hot p ink, citron yellow and bright lime green shad es, so if you're a little colour shy like me, this trend can be quite daunting to master. But don't worry, I have a few tips for you, whether you 're a little sh y o f neon , o r ready to rock a full-on neon o u tfit

Neon accessories

The easiest way to incorporate neon into your wardrobe and to dip your toe imo the trend, is by simply adding accessories ro instamly brighten up your outfit. Neon scarves, belts, s hoes, handbags and jeweUery are aU si m p le, Lnexpensive and subtle ways to pull off the neon look. For spring, why not pair a white dress with som e lace derail s and add a bold pop o f colour b y stylin g ir with a hot pink skinny bel t and/or a m archi n g pair of shoes? A sleek, neutral-co loured clutch makes sure you're not going overboa rd v,itb the neon, and finish off wit!, simple gold jewellery to add a feminine touch.

Pair neon with neutrals

Mixing neon and neutral colours cogerhe r create~ a balance between d1e stro ng co.lours, a nd is a matdi made in fashion heaven. lt's also tl1e perfect s tepp ing-sto ne if you feel comfortab le enough to start wearing neon clothing. Choosing ro wear just o ne p iece of neon clothing w ith a neutral colour palette aUows the bright colour to be the statement piece and d1e focus of the o u tfit, creating a bold, yet tam e look. You can choose any neon h ue yo u want; for

exam p le, take a basic lim e green t-shirt and nick it in cream s h orts and matching cream co loured shoes. Throw so m e sunn ies on and yoll insta n tl y have a casua l, yet stylish loo k for spring. You can also tea o;i a pair of neon skinny jeans w ith a grey top a nd by adding a s mall neon necklace to match tl1e jeans, yo u'll really be embracing tl1e trend.

Downplay the neon colours

You can also choose ro downplay the neon in your outfit. This means that rather than making a bright neon p iece stand out by pairi n g it with neutral cones, instead style ir wit!, othe r bol d clothing and access ories. This ensures tliat the neon piece is just one element of the outfit, and when styled correctl y, it can look super trendy and boho -like. This l ook works particularly well with softer n eon colours tliat aren't as b r ight o n tl1e eyes. For exam ple, eiqJecin1e11t wit!, pairing a p leated neon orange skirt wi th a primed t-sh.irt and a denim vest Finish off with some strapp)' sandal s, feathered earrings and a ligh t Aoral satchel. A U the different elements in this o u tfit help to balance out tl1e neon an d create a casual look - it's perfect for those who still want ro incorporate d1e trend, but nor make it tl, e focus

Create co ntrast

Black and n eon are total oppos Ltes i.n rhe colour world, yet still wo rk ver y well together, wh en paired. Wearing bright neon wit!, clean- lined black c lotl1ing and sleek accessories not onl y creates a fa n tastic contrast, b ut a lso makes for a daring look that will

definitely get you noticed. 1\ n eon ye ll ow dress with a b lack belt will create greaL contrast. If you fee l your neon dress can do wirhom a belt, acid a pair of black a n klecuff heels ins t ead and a simple black shou lder strap bag, to create a polished and e legant look. Finish off with and some black anJ silver accessories to tie tl1e who le theme in anJ g ive tl1e outfit a little edge.

Co lou r b lock

Colour blocking has been b ig the past few seasons, so naturally p airing one neon piece wir.h ano t her is a g rea t way to wear this trend. Jus t keep tbe neon pieces solid and b ri.ght for maximum effect, and sin ce neon co lours are quire bright, it's best co colnurblock a pi ece of cl d th ing with an accessory instead of tw o items of clothi n g, just so you d on't look li ke a bad '90s Aashbac k and over the top. For example, tr)' pairing a neo n yellow shirt w ith cream shorts an d a chin neon p ink bel t. You could also try a white shirt with neo n blue jeans and a neon ye llow necklace. Finish accesso r isi ng w ith a black and white watch and si mple studs for an outfit that inc orpora tes the neon trend witl1 a modern and class ic edge.

Co lour b lo cking has been b ig the past few seasons, so naturally pair ing one neo n piece wit h anothe r is a g reat way to wea r this tre nd.

Our rin so it

Dreams can become a reality when fortified with courage, determination and the will to succeed

group of volunteers pull back their s h oulders and begin tbe tmm ense tas k of creating a township where only sand or soil exists Brick by brick, they rruse home after home An infrastructure is created tl1at includes tl1e supply of clean water, power and foo d. Access to education , medkal fac ili ti es and trans p o r t to tl1e rown are orgarused.

''

Today, athletes come from the five inhabited continents and their participation is aptly symbolised by the five rings on the flag.

Cenruries ago, a group of athletes came together to meet and engage in competitions in friendl y rivalry. All discord was p m as id e for the duratio n , as O lympia saw the first of what came to be known as the Olympic Ga.mes Time saw an expansion in the number of athletes and nationalities. Today, athletes come from the five inh abited continents. Their participation is aptly symbolised by the five rings on the Aag - inter twined rings of different colours that symbolise tl1e f:ive continents unifying in fri end ship and equali Ly! The aim is co promote sportsman shjp and goodwill.

\Ve coo have om 'cbaUenge' coming up. i\1en and women coming together from chose same continents, fo r tl1e same duration, buc unlike the athletes that w ill fight for tl1eir p lace in history, we are collecting co creare ours.

There is Peter, the architect from Australia who, a decade ago, lost bis famil y to tl1e Roods. A s ingle m oment was all it cook

for his e n tire world to coUapse around rum. When the water receded, he got his home back bur nor his precious belongings, nor hjs even more precious family. He told me once tl1at h e had faced two choices: drown in despair o r swim above it. He chose the latter. When he met our o r ganiser, he knew what d esti ny had planned fo r him a n d became our Asia -Pacific coordinator.

Ram, an ophtl1almologist beca m e our Asian Subcontinent co- ordinator. Rising from humb le beginnings, he had won a schola.rshjp t ha t saw rum rise to tl1e sta ru s of a world-class eye surgeon and head of a renowned eye hospital in Mwnbai. Never forgetting the past, now retired, he wants ro give back ro society in the best way he knows.

Abrahani retired from his prominent position in tl1e Un it ed Natio n s, and became the president of our organisation. He brought with him the social network ch at s aw our dream escala te from vision to reality His vast circle of assoc iations includes many gen tle and grac ious souls

w h o are more than happy to assi st w ith rud and guidance.

Pierre is tl1e renowned chef who retired ro open his o,-,.,n catering company that suppJjes

w h o lesome dishes packed with

tl1e daily dose o f v itamins and rrunerals. He believes tl1ar tbe world bas enough food to feed every man, ,voman and child on tlus planet if it is not wasted or caught up in bureaucracy and reel tape. His motto is, 'Respect food today and it will nourish you tomorrow'.

Robert, a US citizen, is a landscaping artist fanious for hjs popular television series w here be travel.led t he g lobe, designi11g playgrounds for tl1e underpr ivileged An orphan himself, he began bjs career at tl1e age of t\vo, when h e shovelled dirt w ith his shoe and planted rocks in anticipation of seeing beautiful plants.

Abdul is the co-o rdinator of our African region Once the presi dent of his tiny nation, he has seen his country destroyed by war a nd farn.iJ1e. Undefeated, he got togetl1er a small band of volunteers to r ebuild hjs cow1cry, village by vil lage, rown by rown. Ir took him fifteen long ye ars, but he proved to the wo rld tliat w1icy and faith are strong bui lding bl ocks. It was he, who can1e up with tl1e idea of our 'villages'.

And so, every fo ur yea rs, the commfrtee ge ts togetl1er to choose locations on each of the continents a nd negotiates tl1e procurement of land. Then they band together their army of volllilteers.

Th e next follr ye ars sees rbjs

I r e.member the idea being scoffed at w hen we first began. It was said, "S poon feedjng will lead to a generation of idle and irresponsible citizens" and tlrnt " i t would be a financial failure". H ow wrong they were!

Tbis is o ur fourth 'cba.llenge' and in the twelve years, we hav e seen fifteen viUages set up, three children earn scholarshjps to h ig h schools and t\VO villages become totally self-sufficient. In bo tl1 places, a cottage industry was set up chat gave employment ro the men and tl1e women

Governments haYe now become invo lved, large companies have come forwa rd w ith donations an d raw m aterials, and political parties have offered their support

Abdu l had a dream one day, to rruse his nation from the ashes We have exte nded iliat dream We wane co create a world wh er e every crulcl can ca.11 a bu ilding 'home.', w h ere every m an has a source of inco m e and where every woman can seek education and equality

The road ahead is difficult. Wars make i t hazardous, but just as athletes d o not give up ar the first hurdle nor sir back o n past accolades, so too will we venture forward. Ail we ask is for yo u to wish us well as we create a m in i u topia for people who have never had a place to call their own.

\Ve name our 'villages' after me top five medal winne rs in the Olympics iliac year L ike us, these athletes have spent four long years preparing to make a dream come tr u e.

What keeps us going? Our rings of fruth!

''Wars make it hazardous, but just as athletes do not give up at the first hurdle nor sit back on past accolades, so too will we venture forward

After water, tea is the most w idely consumed beverage in the world. There are basically three types of teas - black, oo long and green, which all come from the leaves of the Camellia Sineusis p lant. Of these, green tea whid1 is muted as the healthiest drink in the market, is the least processed and hence harbours myriad of healing properties. The Chinese and lndians have known of the many health beneht5 associated with green tea for thousands of years, and recent studies and research has prompted even die sceptical western world to sit up and rnke note of this wonderful brew. 1n a bid to stave off various health problems, millions of people are now consummg green tea on a regular basis. Ir is fast becoming a popular drink prompting an influx in the market of products like handy green tea bags, green tea ice crean1, iced green tea and green tea 1ULxed with other Aavonrs like vanilla and strawber ry to make it more palatable. ln addition, cosmetic companies are cashing in on the trend and skincare products like moisturizers, band creams, deodorants and deansers containing green tea extract are appearing on the supermarket shelves. Here are some of the benefits of green tea.

Anti - ageing

Green tea is different from the b lack and oolong teas as it is made from unfermented leaves. The green tea leaves are steamed which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized and it thus contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. Our body needs anti.oxidants co fight free radicals whi ch are the culprits caus ing wrinkles, cell death, damaged D 1 A and acceleration of the aging process. Drinking green tea regularly keeps our body's antioxidant reserve well supplied co neutralize free radicals and help reduce and even prevent the damage caused by them.

Cancer inhibitor

The polyphenol.s found in green tea are mainly responsible for most of it5 health benefits. These

INDIAN LINK

are considered to be the most powerful and effective of all antioxidants and careclun, which is a subgroup of polyphenols, is found in abundance in green tea EGCG, one of the four main catechin substance is d10ught co be much more powerful than vitamin C and E. Th is miracle element has been shown to inh ibit the growth of cancer cells and de.5troy the diseased cells without affecting healthy tissues. It is found to be effective against many forms of cancer including breast, bladder, ovarian, skin and lung c.1.ncer to name a few.

Weight watch

A lot of research bas been done to prompt the condus ion that drinking green tea can play a vital part in weight management. Green tea extracts may boost om metabofom and aid in burning calories. Again, clinical studies credit catechlns for the fat-burning properties of green tea. Some researchers think that d1e fat-bm,ung characteristics of green tea derive from its caffeine content, but this is debatable as c(1ffee contains more caffeine and yet green tea helps the body burn more far than coffee.

Cholesterol check

Scientists aren't sure why, but green tea seems to reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It lowers total cholesterol and raises RDL (good) cholesterol. le is thought that po lypheno ls in green tea may be responsible for blocking cho lestero l from being absorbed in d1e intestine. A population- based clinical study conduded that men who drank green tea were likely to have .lower total cho.lesterol than their non- tea drinking counterparts. Green tea lowers d1e levels of IDL and prevent~ blood clots from forming.

Diabetes control

Green tea may help regulate g lucose in the bodies of diabetes sufferers. It has been used traditionally to control blood sugar levels and is reputed to help prevent the onset of Type I diabetes. Drinking green tea is also said co slow down the progression of diabetes once it has developed. Some clinical smdies have determined d1at taking a daily dose of a green tea extract helped lower d1e haemoglobin A 1c level in borderline diabetics.

Bowel soother

Green tea has been used traditionally as a tummy soother for years. It relieves gastric pains, aids digesrion, reduces inflammation associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and, provid es relief for d1ose suffering from Inflanimato r y Bowel Disease (IBO). lt is also effective in preventing food poisoning.

Dental shield

Drinking green tea is said to help prevent dental cavities and guard against moth decay. lt.~ bacter.ia fighting abilities can also kill d1e bacteria d1at cause dental plaque.

The health benefits of green tea are countless but on the condition that ir should be used regularly. Ir prevents the symptoms of cold and flu, helps arthritic patients by reducing inflammation and slowing down tbe breakdown of cartilage. It has been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine as a stimulant, to contro l bleeding, heal wmmds, improve heart health and correct mental processes. Green tea is also c redited \vid1 being able to help normalize blood pressme and strengthen the immune system.

''It has been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine as a stimulant, to control bleeding, heal wounds, improve heart health and correct mental processes

Cosmetic companies are cashing in on the trend and skincare products like moisturizers, hand creams, deodorants and cleansers containing green tea extract are appearing on the supermarket shelves

It's an urban fad that is fast growing, but with roots in ancient medicine, green tea has numerous health benefits, writes FARZANA SHAKIR

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MATRIMONIALS

SEEKING GROOMS

49-year-old, 5'3" lady seeks Srilankan origin Christian never married (no encumbrances) working professional groom 40s to early 50s N/S, teetotaller with a view to marriage. Email selc99@hotmail.com

Seeking suitable match (from Australia, never married) for Hindu girl 34 years, Chartered Ac countant (non-veg), living in Australia over 25 years, with eastern and western family values.

Please email with all details on ganesh2011v@gmail.com

Gujarati Patel (native Sunav), '87 born, 5'6'; dentist, good looking, unmarried girl (presently in Mumbai) looking for a smart and highly educated Gujarati boy. Send biodata and kundli to kaushikpatel2602@gmail.com

Parents seeking match for Australian- born (1975) good looking Punjabi girl, medical professional working in SA. Prefer Australian citizen or long-settled residents with good profession. Serious proposal only contact mandy_sing@hotmail.com

Well educated Punjabi fam ily seeks professionally qualified well settled match for their Australian citizen daughter, 27 years, 5' 4'; fair, slim, traditional Indian/ Western values, highly educated, Master ofTeaching and MBA from Australian universities. Working as project officer in well reputed company. Please email particulars with recent picture to schanderchopra@hotmail.com or call 0297601832 / 0431 289442.

SEEKING BRIDES

29 years, 5'9: Punjabi, Khatri boy, born and brought up in Delhi, India and settled in Australia since 2006, seeks a traditional, god loving, family oriented girl.

Email: am 121982@gmail.com

Shaadi.com: SH74368540

35-year-old, Hindu, Australian qualified specialist doctor, working in major sydney hospital, never married, 6 feet, handsome, athletic, good habits and sociable in nature. Seeking Hindu girl, age 27 to 34 years, height above 5'3'; similar family values and genuine nature, well educated. Please respond with photograph to sydney2407@gmail.com

Seeking graduate Hindu girl for well established 5' 1o•; very fair 21/11/1968 born Australian citizen. Never married. BE(Electrical) self employed. Vegetarian non-smoker teetota lier. Please email profile with photo to anandrao68@gmail.com

Compatible match for 1975 born, handsome, dean -shaven Sikh Khatri boy, 5'9'; two post grad degrees from India and recently finished Masters in IT from Australia. Applied for temporary resident visa (currently with full work rights) and working as Vehicle Service Agent for Hertz multinational car rental company, earning $4000 per month. Girl should be tall, well- educated with pleasing personality, and must be from Sikh background. Early marriage; serious proposals only please. Phone 0422 102 242 or email jas_ghai01@gmail.com

Transcending l inguistic and cultural barriers , calenred singer-songwriter and sitarist Sarangan Sri.ranganathan's music is well known to mainstream audiences. Following his hugely successful show with Hariharan last year, Sarangan has once again co ll aborated with che Padma S hree awardee to produce a catchy Tamil single Aval Oru Melfi.ya Poongaatn1. ('ihe is a fragrant breeze). The recording spans two continents and features artists i.n India, Australia a nd Sri Lanka.

Released on YouT ube recently, the song crossed 10, 000 hies in its first fortnight. Having casted success across many genres of music over the past two decades , chis time round Saarangan hopes co stir the socia l conscience of fans.

Using social media, particul arly YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, Sarangan h as been raising awareness about cbe p light of refugees in war-ravaged far north Sri Lanka.

" Everyone has a social responsibility. My goal is co pubUcise che good work done by welfare organisations in war torn areas;' exp lained Sarangan, speaking to fndian link. "Ma ny have supported these institutes during a nd immediately after the war. The sad thing is chat, day by day, cl1e support/fundi.ng and the focus are diminishing. With this particular project, I am supporting a children's orphanage in Kilinochchi (in the north of Sri Lanka). 1l1ey desperately need support".

"When someone wants to purchase a n audio version of the song I ask chem to p lease call and support the organisation in kind or cash ," said Sarangan. "We have got great response from fans and friends. Most of the radio and TV stations across tbe gl obe are also playing our song. Some web based news sires have also suppo rted us".

One of the reasons why Saranga.n wanted to record with high profile artists is because it brin gs attention from the general pubUc much faster. "The attention and popularity gained from these productions help me generate awareness and support these institutions," he particularly emphasised. Saarangan and Hariharao go back a long way, having performed together at many concerr.s in India , Australia and UK.

Hai l ing from musically inclined families, the duo has much in common besides their spoken language (Tamil) and love of music. "Hariji and I have a strong classical music background, especially in Hindustani music. I have a BA in Sitar too," he disclosed. "We vibe very well and have a great time. When I came up with the idea , I-lariji was on ly coo keen to coJJaborate. I composed the songs in Sydney in my private studio and then went to Mumbai to record Hariharan's voice. We recorded cl1e song in barely an hour1" He then went t o Colombo to record the dholak wich percussionist Raman1 Ramathurai. Sarangan's vocals were then recorded in Sydney and all the poscprod uction work was done in Australia and mixed by Ganesh Singaram.

" I have used Australian and Indian female backin g vocalists. The video was recorded in Sydney and m y wife Shobana Meera did the post-productions of the video t be revealed.

Local artists who have worked on chis single include Australian Idol gu itarist Rex Goh, bass g uitaris t Shru1e Gamage and percussionist Christopher Sou l es. Wendy Angerrani did some additional progrru11ming.

Whi.le in Mumbai , Sarangan also recorded a nother duet with Shreya Gboshal which is to be released shortly.

Meamvhile, Sara.nga n's calendar is busy as ever with ano ther huge concert planned for .next year, feamring some big names in cl1e industry.

To support Sarangan Sriranganathru1's nominat ed charity Mahadeva Achchirama Children Home, Kilinochchi, p lease email rasa46@yahoo.com

eers or couscous

This little-known food is gaining growing popularity for its easy of cooking, taste and as a healthier option than pasta or rice

acid. Couscous contains a I% facto-calorie ratio, compared to 3% for white rice and 5% for pasta

Elite food circles consider it o ne o f the healthiest grainbased products today, a nd it is au easy substitute for rice or pasta. Yes, couscous is here to stay, and its various options of grain l end s it a versatility that adapts co many different recipes. Couscous has been around thr ough cennicies of MidclJe Eastern cooking, but my first acquaintance with it was on supermarke t sh e lves whe re its r esemblance co the m ore familiar sago or sab11da11a drew my atte nti on I finally summoned up the nerve to try and coo k it after viewing va rious di sh es b eing prepared using couscous on as many TV shows. A nd it was not just easy to cook, but also h ealthy and very tasty.

Cousc ous contains 3 6g of protein for every 100 calories equivalent to pasta and is well above the 2 6g fo r everr 100 calories of white rice. Its vitamin pro61e contains twice as much r iboAavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate tl1a11 pasta, and four times as much th iamine and pan tothen ic

Of the many varieties of cous cous available, I use Pead couscous which is a small rou nd variety mad e from w h ea t Aour and semolina. Othe r popular types are Moroc ca n couscous (wh ich looks just like semolina bur the grains are slightly bigger in size) , Israeli couscous (which has more medium sized grain s which rake longer to cook) and Lebanese couscous (which is the size of b aby peas). Here are different recipes that br ing out the b est of couscous.

Couscous gratin

We've heard of poraro gratin, so how about cry ing tlie healthier couscous versio n.

For the jilli,{g

4 cups couscous

4 cups water

1 m edium eggp lan t , cut into circles

1 red capsicum cut into circ les

1 g ree n cap s icum cut into circles

2 mecliw11 tomatoes cut into circles

1 medium zucchini cut into circles

2 tsp dried or fres h mixed Italian herbs

OiJ for cooking

Salt and pepper to taste

For the white sauce

4 tbsp butter

2 tbsp plain Aour

3 tbsp sugar

2- 3 cups full cream rnilk

Salt and pepper to taste

For the toppit{g

2 cups grated cheddar and mozarella chees e

1 cup breadcrumbs

Few pineapple rings

Boil the water with a tablespoo n of oil. Stir in the couscous and turn off h ear. Cover and leave fo r 10 minu tes tiJI the couscous absorbs all the water. Stir w itl1 a fo r k and keep aside.

To make tlie white sauce, hear the butter in a non- stick pan and add t he Aour. Coo k till the Aom: turns golden brown. T a ke off the gas and add rue milk slow ly, stirrin g consrantl)' to make sure tl1ere are n o lu m ps. Add sugar, sal t an d pepper. Take a baking tray and spread tlie cooked couscous evenly ac ross the base of the tray. Spread t he white sauce evenly over it. Cover tbe cop of tl1e white sa uce w itl1 the cut vegetables , sp reading evenlr over the surface. Keep as ide. In a bowl, mix rogec he r the cheese a nd b readcrumbs. Spread eve nl y ove r

tl1e vegetable layer and decorate with th e pineapple rin!,'S-

Bake in tl1e oven at 160 degrees for 45 minutes or till the vegetables are cooked

Vegetable Couscous

Simple and healthy, great for kids.

2 cups Moroccan couscous

2 cups water

2 cups cubed vegetables (potato, French beans, red caps icum, pumpkin)

I 1/2 cup roasted ground peanuts

1 small romaro, cubed

Few curry leaves (optional)

2 cloves

1 stick cinnamon

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp mrmeric p owder

½ tsp cumin- coriander powder

½ tsp chiUi powder (optional)

Oil for cooking

Sal t to caste

1 tsp butter

Yogurt for serving

Boil water in a saucepan with 1- 2 tablespoon o f oil and 1 teaspoon of sale. Pour in the couscous

and sti r. Allow to sta nd fo r 2-3 mi n utes Add butter and cook again on low fire to separate th e grains. Heat oil u.1 a n on - stick pan and add cloves an d cinnamon.

1 ext, add cumin seeds a nd c urry l eaves O n ce they crackle, add all tlie vegetables and cook till tender. Then add the couscous with the spices and tomato Cook on slow lire till all the ingredients are well mixed. Serve w itl1 del icious chick yogurt

Anot her method of cooking tl,is recipe is to use 2-3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth instead of water. For an interesting accompanim ent, (see pie below) blend togeth er 3- 4 medium roasted comaroes, 1 tsp lemon juice, 4 garlic cloves, ½ tsp chilli powder a nd salt co taste with 6- 7 tbsp of olive oil. ML'( t h is p uree with the couscous, adding a ha n dful of cooked green peas to tlie mix. Serve h ot or cold, as you prefer.

Berry and Saffron Couscous Pudding

1 ½ cups couscous

3 cups milk

2-3 tbsp honey

½ tsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp chopped nuts of your cho ice

2 cups berr y mix (frozen berries will also do)

2 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon

P inch saffron, dissolves in a tbsp of warm milk

1/2 cup tl1ick cream for serving 1 uts for serving.

Boil rhe milk, then add rhe couscous, n uts, hon ey, saffron and vauilla extrac t. Let the couscous abso rb tl1e milk for 20-30 minutes. Keep as id e and let rue mix cool dow n. Heat the berries and brown sugar together in a pan till tl1ey form a thick and saucy consistencr, Place bo th bowls in the fridge to coo l. To serve, scoop some couscous mixture into dessert bowls and top witli a d o ll op of cream, b erry sauce, mus and sprinkle with a pinch of ci cmamon powder.

Tip: fo r a healthier option, use yogurt instead of cream.

It's Aamir Khan's Time!

There's something specia l about Aam i r Khan. And it's not just his versatility as a hugely successful actor, director and producer, it's possibly because he comes across as being an honest, sincere and down-to-earth individual. Add this to his repertoire of movies with a message and you have the man in his element But Aamir is now becoming much more than this. He's now becoming the face of Brand India. The actor 's hugely successful TV show Satyamev Jayate focusing on burning issues facing India and ways of tackling them, has landed him on the cover of the prestigious Time magazine as India's "first superstar-activist:'

'He's breaking the Bollywood mould by tackling India's social evils. Can one actor change a nation?' asks the blurb on the cover of the Asia edition of the September 10 issue of the US magazine, which features a close-up of the actor looking intensely i nto the camera.

Tracing the rise of Aamir Khan with the 1988 blockbuster hit Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Time' s Bobby Ghosh noted over the past decade the 47-year-old actor has acted in, directed and produced a string of"movies that artfully straddle the demands of popular cinema and that desire for grace:•

"Now, with his groundbreaking TV show Satyamev Jayate (Truth Alone Prevails), he has dispensed with commercial considerations to indulge his conscience,"writes Ghosh. 'With it, Khan has taken on the mantle of the country's first superstar-activist:'

There's no doubt that the show brings some of India's worst social problems to the fore, but Aamir had the nerve to carry it through.

"It's a ballsy move, and potentially jeopardizes his status as the beloved idol of millions," writes Ghosh, since the subjects his show tackles "are precisely the sorts of harsh realities from which many of Khan's fans seek escape in his movies:•

As Khan assesses the impact of his first series, Time suggests, "Whatever Khan chooses to do next in his quest for grace, there's a good chance it will lift India a littl e closer to what he- and fellow Indians - would wish their country and society to be:'

Aamir Khan is the third Indian actor to be featured on the cover of Time magazine. Aishwarya Rai made it to the cover in 2003 and Parveen Babi was featured in 1976. And when the issue hits the stands, it's likely that Aamir 's fan base would have swelled across Asia, and perhaps other populists will seek answers to the endemic problems in their own countries. Kudos Aamir, you' ve made us proud!

Remembering AK Hangal

He is remembered in many avatars across the fickle screen on Indian cinema. From loving father to concerned uncle to dogooder neighbour, AK Hangal played each role with aplomb. His was a face that automatically lent itself to these roles, with kindliness and a belief in humanity etched on his features since he faced the cameras at the comparatively young age of SO.

Born in Sialkot now in Pakistan, Hangal spent most of his childhood in Peshawar. He grew up to be a tailor but quenched his thirst for acting through theatre. Postpartition, he is said to have moved to Mumbai in 1949, and got his first breaks in Bollywood around 1966-67. Hangal's initial films included Teesri Kasam and Shagird.

Being 50, he had few options in terms of the variety in his roles but he gladly and responsibly played uncle, father and grandfather to heroes and heroines starting from the 1970s.

This talented character artist is best remembered for playing Rahim Chacha in Sholay, but some of his other memorable movies include Namak Haraam, Bawarchi, Chupa Rustam, Abhimaan, Shau keen, Guddi, Lagaan and Paheli.

Most of his films were with Rajesh Khanna, India's first'superstar'who passed away on July 18. They shared screen space in Aap Ki Kasam, Amar Deep, Phir Wohi Raat and Sautela Bhai.

But life wasn't easy for the actor as he grew older. After featuring in over 200 films in a career that easily spanned over four decades, Hangal was living a life of penury- a fact which came to light in 2011.

He had no income and his only son Vijay, who is 70-plus and with whom the veteran actor lived, had to give up his job due to a severe back ai lment. The result was their inability to afford mounting medical bills. But even then Hang al didn't give up or seek financial aid Such was his spirit - and pride. Hangal and Vijay were said to have had medical expenses of Rs. 15,000 per month, and had to choose between spending on food and medication. But once the news broke, the film fraternity immediately came to his aid.

Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan funded a chunk of his medical expenditure, with Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Priyanka Chopra contributing too. His seniority and respectability in the industry also moved the Maharashtra government and the Cine and TV Artistes Association to lend a helping hand. The humble Hangal was overwhelmed.

At 96, he was al ready recharged enough to 'walk'the ramp in a wheelchair for designer Riyaz Ganji. At 97, he lent his voice-over for an animated film and did a TV show. Age was clearly never a bar for AK Hangal. He lived with an undying passion for his craft almost till h is last breath, epitomising the phrase, once an actor, always an actor

A man with a never-say-no attitude, Hangal maintained his enthusiasm to wear greasepaint when he entered the sets ofTV serial Madhubala in May 2012.

"I believe there is no age limit to work," Hangal said, on agreeing to the cameo role. He was ill by then, but he wasn't willing to give up.

He reached the sets, looked around, and just as he must have done in his prime, he called out: "Make up man!"

RIP, AK Hangal!

Confident Kareena doesn' t go over the top Kareena Kapoor may be one of Bollywood's best known and loved belles, but she's still grounded when it comes to her work. The actress recently admitted that she was "confident, but not over-confident" of her soon to be released movie, Heroine.

"I am not over-confident, but quite confident and excited about the film;• said Kareen a recently of Heroine, which revolves around the ups and downs in a journey of an actress. However, she was quick to point out that although her role was the lead one, in real life she is nothing like the actress in the film.

"People think there are simi l arities, but I am not like that in real life She is bold, manipulative, dark and edgy. I am not at all like that;' she said.

Her favourite looks are in the title song of the film, which is yet to release.

Answering genera l questions, Kareena

came up with general , and sometimes predictable answers Asked of whom she is jealous in l ife, she said, "I am jealous of people who get to go on holidays, even though I go on many on my own I love travelling. I am also jealous of people who get to eat whatever they want."

But the actress still maintains that the film closest to her heart wi ll be Refugee - her first film, despite acting in bl ockbusters like Ra.One, Bodyguard and 3 Idiots "The first film is always specia l. That innocence never comes back," she said

But back to Heroine, the film also stars Arjun Rampa! and Randeep Hooda, and has been directed by Madhur Bhandarakar

So it's up, up up for Kareena Another reel life portrayal, even if it isn't quite like her real life!

What fazes

Big B?

Now he maybe India's megastar and reasonably comfortable in front of the camera, but Amitabh Bachchan finds it hard to perform when his wife Jaya is on the sets with him The actor, who wi ll be seen with Jaya in Bhojpuri film Ganga Devi, says there is lot of restriction when his wife is on the sets and he gets conscious in her presence

"When your wife is on the sets with you, then your behaviour also changes, there are lots of restrictions, there is always a discipline on the sets or el se when you go back home, the situation goes out of control;' a laughing

Amitabh told reporters recently, during the music launch of the film.

"I hope the aud ience likes the film,"he added

Amitabh played a key role in his makeup man-turnedproducer Deepak

Sawant's fi l m, which is about reservation for women in elected bodies

He acted earlier in Bhojpuri movie

Gangotri, which did well at the box office

Amitabh says Sawant is like a family member.

"I am glad to be part of this film Deepak is like fami l y and when he approached me for this film, I did it without any hesitation. I know him now for 30 to 35 years," stated the actor

"He is my makeup man, INDIANLINK

CAPTION CONT~ST

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• he takes care of my face and it was my duty to give him something in return The best part of working with (the Bhojpu ri crew) is that they fin ish shooting for 30 to 35 scenes in a day, so that I don't h ave any problem," added the megastar

Produced by Sawant and directed by Abhishek Chadd ha, Ganga Devi also features Dineshl al Yadav'Nirahua; Pakh i Hegde, Girish Sharma, Awadhesh Mishra and Vi nay Bihari. The music director is Madhukar Anand Well, it's easy t o tell who wears the pants in that family!

Diwa li will see dhamakas at Bollywood box office

Bollywood is gearing up for a Diwali with fireworks galore, of the moolah kind.Two major releases are slated to make the grade, Shah Rukh Khan's yet untitled film with Yash Chopra, and Ajay Devgnstarrer, Son Of Sardaar The buzz is strong for both projects, which are most likely to mint at least Rs. 100 cro re, according to trade pundits, as no other fi l ms are releasing a week before and after them.

The Shah Rukhstarrer marks the return of veteran filmmaker Chopra to directi on after a hiatus of eight years. He is currently shooting for the romantic drama in the scenic locales of the Kashmir Valley His movie also stars Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma and is said to feature King Khan in his true-blue romantic avatar, making it one of the most awaited releases of the yea r Son OfSardaar, a romantic comedy directed by Ashwini Dhir, features Ajay and Sanjay Dutt in key ro l es, with Sonakshi Sinha and Juhi Chawla essaying the female leads The movie's teasers have received a positive response.

A budget of at least Rs 60 crore each is said to have been utilised in the making of the two fi l ms according to the buzz around Bollywood. However, punters opine that

What 's the chitchat between brother and sisterTusshar and Ekta Kapoor here?

Send in your responses to info@indianlink.com.au and win a surprise prize

Yash Ch opra's film may have the edge over the other and wi ll benefit more But both the Ii lms have the potentiaI to survive, and should co l lect around Rs 100 crore each

Yash Raj Films (YRF) is lately riding high on the success of b l ockbuster EkTha Tiger, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Ka ifwhich has already amassed over Rs.170 crore and is on its way to creating more records

To make sure the film got one of the best openings ever, YRF re leased Ek Tha Tiger in over 3,000 screens on Independence Day

Now, YRF is reportedly planning to go bigger with its mega Diwali release, pre -booked maximum screens for the new fi l m which al so marks the coming together yet again of the award- winning duo of music maestro AR Rahman and poet and lyricist Guizar. Son ofSardaar wi ll need to have strong content to match up against the YRF camp

So the gloves are on, let's see who emerges the w i nner!

Gripping espionage romp, with unique star chemistry

There is something about the SalmanKatrina pairing that goes deeper than real-life affection. Even deeper than that crackling pitchperfect chemistry that we see among endearing starpairs, like Raj-Nargis, Rajesh -Mumtaz, Shah Rukh-Kajol... you name it!

Here in Ek Tha Tiger, we see a look of genuine protectiveness in Salman's eyes every time he looks at Katrina Kaif. That look suits the film's purposes fine.

Ek Tha Tiger is the love story oftwo spies from different sides of the border who during the course of their volatile sinister cloak-and -dagger work, fall head over heels in love.

As the lovers flee their enemies, they are pursued by do mulk ke dushman. Which is nine mulk less than where Shah Rukh's Don was wanted.

Salman's spy-hero codenamed Tiger cuts through the chase brings the secret agent 's role down to an amiably human level, drawing secret alcoves of childlike vulnerability and, yes, humour from his character 's secret life, making the spy's double life look doubly redeemable.

Every time Salman looks at Katrina his eyes melt. Kabir Khan taps the actor's potential to fill up the screen to great advantage. Even while flexing his biceps through four continents in some of the best staged action sequences in some never-seen rugged exotic spots of the earth (full marks to action director Conrad Palamisano) Salman gets lots of very quiet contemplative moments with his beautiful co- star.

For once the superstar looks neither bored nor distracted. And he isn't impatient to move on.

Ruminative reflective rich in self-mocking resonances, Salman's spy in Ek Tha Tiger is a remarkably restrained and expressive character. He

handles both the action and the romantic sequences with seamless empathy.

Katrina gets better with every film. As a woman who had a genuinely happy childhood that has been snatched away by the nature of her profession, her eyes convey infinite pain. She conveys pain and love with as much elan as she kicks ass when the need arises. Yup, this lady rocks.

Kabir Khan whose earlier Katrina starrer New York defined Islamic isolation during times of terrorism with gripping gusto, this time, decides to have fun with the espionage genre without trivialising it. The blend of action and romance is achieved with a fluency that we' ve seldom seen in the action-r omance genre.

The storytelling is l aced w i th loads of humour.

Aseem Mishra's camera -work punctuates the pungent drama of lovers on the run, captu r ing the bustle and the festivity of Ireland, Cuba and Istanbul w ith much warmth and affection and a detached fascination that is the opposite of touristic curiosity

Kabir Khan has an eye for everyday details. Though his frames are arranged to convey aesthetics, the beauty of the moments shared by lovers is never defined by their surroundings.

It's a very commonplace attraction seen in umpteen H i ndi films of every hue and variety. What makes director Kabir Khan's telling of this routine love story come alive, is the presentation and

packaging, both unique but never over-punctuated.

Epic in design, the film has a surprisingly low number of main characters Kabir works on building the love story through the intelligently-written interaction between the two protagonists rather than their exotic environment or the incidental characters. Still, Girish Karnad as Tiger's boss and Ranvir Shorey as Sal man's buddy-in-arms are first-rate, never letting the script down.

It's not easy to make an intelligent film on intelligence without tr ippi ng over the barbed wires of politics and espionage jargon. Kabi r Khan strips the love stories to its bare necessities without diminishing the density of the drama.

Ek Tha Tiger Is more a

passionate love story than an actioner. Brill iantly scri pted and deftly directed, it s Salman Khan' s best film in ages. As for his chemistry with Katrina Ka if, it is the stuff l egendary love stories are made of.

Very few films make you sit at the edge of your seat when the hero fights and then makes you recline in sighing submission when he romances his sweetheart, in equal measures.

Ek Tha Tiger gets it right.

Ek Tha Tiger

Salman Khan,

Katrina Ka if

TOR: Kabir Khan

AskAuntyji

Dear Auntyji

*We have come a long way as a nation. But lately, Aunty, in my opinion, it seems that we are losing our way. I know everyone has an opinion about this, and what I wanted to know your fee lings on the latest tamashathis new film calledJism 2 Do you think that we should be more mindful of how our children are growing up, and what they are seeing on TV and cinema? Auntyji , do you think we are aping the west blind ly and one day, we will have no moan maryada left? What are your thoughts on all this, and what do you think of that girl Sunny, and also, that Sherlyn who posed for Playboy and calls it an achievement? Yehzaleel ladkiyan hamari izzat badnam kar rahi hain. They are bringing shame upon us Our mooh is kala on the international stage.

OY\ f;ltlY\Y\.0 tlY\tl f;VteX~Y\

Auntyji says

Yes, since Independence, we have come far as a nation. We have a lot to be proud of, at the same time we should be aware of how far we must go in order to reach enlightenment. But this Sherlyn and Sunny saga perplexes me somewhat I am undecided on the subject of what constitutes morality, because there are multiple philosophical arguments to be had about this. Jism 2 is being produced in the land which gave us the Kama sutra and the erotic art at Khajuraho. We as a people were much more relaxed during various stages of our being But I suppose we should talk about where we are now. On a personal level, I do feel that some of those music videos are a little more explicit than they need to be - and if I had young children, I would be concerned about the message that these videos are sending.

On the subject of Jism 2, well, I have not seen the movie and cannot comment on the artistic merit of it, but I do feel compelled to make general observations about the philosophy behind the tamasha that it has generated But first, l et's just talk about the cu ltural impacts of Bollywood films in a society where morality and decency are paramount. In such societies, a lot of things then disappear beneath the surface of respectability. So, our appearances are one of respect, maan, maryada, but darwaze ke peeche, we show our true colours.

Meanwhile, in other societies where people are more open and are comfortable with being themselves (no matter how objectionable some of their behaviours are - as long as it is not illegal) we tend to tolerate people's peccadilloes. I suppose what I am trying to say is that any society that claims that respectability is much more important than true expression, has as its core a fundamental hypocrisy. There are countless examples across the world where such duplicity exists - the Catholic church and its history of abuse is a clear example.

So back to Bharat mata. Let's look at the society we live in. We have been sexually repressed in the public arena for a whi l e Holding hands in public and any public displays of affection were frowned upon. And now, we are allowing ourselves the option to change this. Using Australia as an example, no one has issues with public displays of affection, but no one does it either. You rarely see people running around and engaging in indecent behaviour, unless you count those girls on a Friday night carrying on - but that's another story altogether. Give these same girls another 5 years and they will be models of decorum. The point I am making is that Indian society seems to be becoming more open-minded, but in an experimental way. We are using cinema and art to push forward an agenda - and this cannot be a bad thing. Ok, with such progressive movements, there are bound to be problems, but I would like to think that one of these days, a nice balance will be met and that videos and films with gratuitous sexual imagery will be seen as rather dull and lacking artistic merit. And as for Sherlyn and Sunny?

Wei I, the more important question is not what these girls choose to do with their lives, but what we do with ours. We can choose to watch the images or the film. We can choose to see the message they a re endorsing rather than the veneer behind which the message is cloaked - that openness in and acceptance of matters of sexuality are part of a tolerant and progressive society That's all I have to say on the subject. Except for this one thing Sherlyn and Sunny are very naughty girls. They must be punished severely except Sunny would probably enjoy that. I shall have quiet words with them when I see them for Diwali.

Dear Aun t yji

I t was my birthday on the 8th of August and I turned 45 AuntyJi, I wonder where most of my life went It just flashed by in a hurry and did not give me time to catch my breath. While I have a fantastic Job and education, a very big and beautifu l house, multiple investment properties and a very loving family, I sometimes wonder if I coul d have achieved more. And then, I al so wonder what the second hal f of m y life will bring I have no intentions to buy a flashy red car and drive off with a blonde chikni chameli, but sometimes I wonder if th i s option is still available to me. And then I ponder and ponder the life I could live with my blondie and how much masti I would have Of course, my teenage bachche will be aghast to know I am thinking such lurid thoughts, but I am a mard I need to prove my mardangi every now and again Can you give me some hints please?

\ CfLSLS

Auntyji says

Oh you%$"&* ! Is budhaape mein aap masti karna chahete ho, and that too, with a b londe dayan? I am simply channelling your mother-in-law, because her words should ring in your ears as you ponder the virtues of the apsara who would be your blonde chameli. Now, 45 is still very young This is evident by your immaturity. If you had any aka/, any wisdom , you woul d have realised that your life has been immeasurably blessed You have more than most log would achieve in teen generations in some countries So instead of focusing on your Leo sel f, and yes, it is always about you, maybe you should be taking the waqtto think how you can g i ve back to a society and community that has given you so much. Perhaps you could be looking at ways how you can help other people in need, instead of working out what else you can claim in life. And while I am here, I may as well give a nadaan like you some sa/aah, because it's evident that tumko to bilku/ bhi aka/ nahi hai. The purpose of life is to live to your potential, and give of yourself to others. This does not mean you give yourself to a blonde chammak cha/lo, but it means using what you have - whether it's resources or your time - to help those who have l ess than you And when you can make a difference to someone else's life, and when you can make someone else's life much better, only then can you fee l that you have achieved your goals This is what your mardangi should be about, and definitely not about how many ways you can get chikni chameli to tell you that you are the best

TA n QTPREDICT IONS FOR SEPTEMBER 20,2 K

ARI ES M ar ch 21 - Apr i l 19

Th is month you may want t ime o ut to clear yo ur head and decide what you want to do nexl The cards are indicating a great t ime for space and thinking You are determined to get projects and plans underway a nd will not allow anyth ing lo gel in your way. Do not allow othe rs to influence you r de cisions There is going to be some interesting de velopments lhis month with family members. Stress and tension will ease and you will feel better

TAURUS April 20 - tv1ay 20

This month sees you being very outspoken and standing up for what you believe in There are decision s you need to lake with regard lo career and personal life You have been stuck in a certain relat ionship fo r some time now and cannot seem to make a move on or out. Make up your mind this month and make changes Take time out fo r a health check up too You may hear from an old friend who may need your help

GEMINI tv1ay 21 - Ju n e 20

This month sees you trying lo make moves and changes , but something holds you back al the last point. There are family members who seem to be putting pressure on you and you are not able to discuss anything with them. Stress and tension is affecting your health so lake it easy; make sure you re lax and take time out fo r you rself Your ca r may give you problems so make sure that you check out the oil brakes and water.

CANCER Ju n e 21 - J u ly 20

This month the cards are indicating a time for making that commitment. You are dancing around an idea of being w ith that one person. Your heart is being guided by your head There is some news from an overseas contact that will send your whole system into confusion You may be looking at the possibility of working away from home An older member of your family may be feeling a litt le under the weather Nothing serious is indicated here

LEO J ul y 23 - A ug 22

Th is month sees you being a very popular person, with people flocking towards you from all over. Your charm and sense of humour will keep your social calendar packed out. You m ay be thinking of buying a new car. o r treating yourself to a new wardrob e Make sure you do not over do things t his month and overspend Control your urges as you will need to keep an eye on your finance s. Look at your diet this month and start exercising.

VIRGO A ug 23 - Sep 22

Th is month the cards indicate that you will want to travel and stay carefree and relaxed You are looking into the possib ility of a new concept getting off the ground. Efforts from the past will pay off and your work will start from mid next month. There are also friends around you who may be a bit argumentat ive Steer clear and keep calm You may be feeling a little restless and not able to s leep loo well. Try deep breathing

LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22

This month you may ha ve some o utstanding due s to pay off Make sure you pay b ills o n time: do not neglect your b ills and look into finances carefully There will be some news of a wedding, which may leave you fee ling upset lo be losing a goodint ' friend, who may decide to leave his hometown You will still keep in touch Your focus will be on making chances in your career and personal life Try getting away for a break

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 2 1

This month you will be at your best ever, with work, love and finances t icking over as you desire You have worked very hard this year, and you are constantly trying to make improvements in you r life As the year is coming to a close, you will be looking al new ideas for work and at doing something for yourself. There is an indication of you looking for a new place lo live Look for a place near water and greenery.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - D ec 21

This month will be a time when you need lo keep a control over your tongue a nd not up set a nyone with your truths Some people will take offence, even tho ugh what you are saying is not wrong There are also plans lo buy a pet. but choose carefully There will be concern over a younger member of your fam ily. Tests need to be done. There will be some stress ove r their condit ion but things will improve so do not worry.

CAPRICORN D ec 22 - J an 19

Th is month you are oozing sexual power and your appetite will be just as large There will be many encounters with people of the opposite sex, who may catch your eye You will also be thinking about making a comm itment or propose lo a significant other Decisions will force you to make some drastic changes in your love life. Work will be another area where you will focus much en e rgy Take th ings easy and make some intelligent choices

AQUARIUS J a n 20 - !=e b 18

Th is month sees you being the leader of the pack At work you seem to be getting on well with your co workers and there is an indication of more money around you. End-of-year travel plans will be made Yet loved ones seem to be putting pre ssure on you lo d rop a certain habit. You know what that is and you do need lo exert control there. Life will be a little stressful but re lax your mind and spirit

PISCES !=e b 19 - M ar c h 20

This month sees a c hange in your appearance and outlook You have been wanting to change your hair for a while now Time to go for it and look al buying some new clothes. You have been neglecting yo urself a bit. Time lo take some bold steps into the future and allow yourself to be that confident, bold person you see yourself as. Do no t h o ld back A colleague or a s ignificant other could help you in making that change

en rues!

Being a creative mind in the kitchen with the motivation to cook up a feast is tough, specially when it comes to choosing the right recipe

Ilove to cook DLffe ren t cuisines, traditional d is h_e~, m od~ rn dis~es, traditional dishes wi th a modern twist. Entrees, main s, des seres even cock tail s! Cooking, i n particular baki n g, i s fo r me not o nly a release when I'm stressed, but also a n excelle n t pro cras tinarjo n too l w h e n wha t I really should b e doing is proofreading a paper chat ,vas due yesterday o r clearun g the bathroom. I own a sh elf full of cookbooks w hich are su:a cegica lly p os itio n ed close to the kitche n for converuence. From your basic $5 pa sta bible bought at t he discount cable in a s hoppin g cen tre to spectacular hardb acks writte n by ce lebriLy chefs with photography that is al.t11osc as delicious as the recip es themselves From l\fadhut J affery to Masterchef, i t's all there o n that s helf, in pristine condition a nd ,vaiting to b e used.

One thing that su·ikes me about these recipes is the names of the di5hes: Spiced Lamb Rack 1Pith Herbed Cot1sco11.r and Po111egra11ate Dressing; S~ cmd Sake Scallops 1vith F11ji Apple and Toro Chips; Le111011 and Garlic Chick.en with Gree11 13ea11s. My questio n is, w h y do the authors fee l it's necessary co in clude all the main in gredie n ts in the title? I m ean , we don't do this in Indian cooking! I have never, ever gone to my pa.rents' p lace a nd bee n greeted by my

mum sayi ng, ''Hello! I have made rasam with te11de1· to111o!oes, lmtiLr and cotirmde,!' Nor have 1 made korma and greeted m y husband w ith, "Today I have m ade Mixed vegetable amy in a ground cashe)J) base with spices and chapottis" I guess if us Indians tried to incorporate all t he iJ1gredients th at go into our i nu·icate dish es in me ti tl e of our recipes, ou r cookboo ks would take u p more tl1an just the s h elf by th e kitchen! But I digress

Somewhere in a p arallel uruverse, iliere is a me w ho h as the tim e t o attack chis collection of recipes wi tl1 vigour. That h igh ly organi sed, efficie n t me has a 9- 5 job that allows he r to try a n ew elaborate recipe every night, master the processes that acco m pan y the more co mp lex re c ipes, and maybe even cook a fab u lous three -course m eal for her husba nd twice a week. Sa dly, like many other entlrns ia stic but tim e- poor h ome cooks who are happy enough to pm together a ,vholesome al beit w1adve ncuro us meal every night, that me is a p ipedream So I s a tisfy myself w itl1 the occasio nal b ur st of experimen tation o n an infrequent and precious free evening. 1 generall y start by Aipping throug h at leas e 4 of my favomi t e cookbooks as well as back iss u es of food magazines. I look tl1rough eac h book from cover to cover, droo lin g over the pictures a n d imagini ng the flavours in m y mind. I linger o n m y personal favourite, t he desserts section s, knowing full well that I have no intentio n of cooking d essert that day I run through each recipe in

my mind rejecti n g many for be ing coo difficult, timeconsuming or req uiri ng ingredie n ts that are hard co find 1 d o a thorough stock- take of the pantry, and in evitab ly b y then I am quite peckish and hence get distracted b y the thin gs I come across. Even tually I make a short List of 3-4 recipes ch at are n ot o nly do- able b ut satisfy whatever food craving I happen tO have at t he

''I guess if us Indians tried to incorporate all the ingredients that go into our intricate dishes in the title of our recipes, our cookbooks would take up more than just the shelf by the kitchen!

time, as well be ing sure to cleLight my husband. Usually by thi s rime, tl1e sun h as set, as i f even it can n o longer bear to wa tch me procrastinate.

On these n ig hts, the hubby comes home, fishes m e out from the piles of cookboo k s o n the couch, and stifl ing hi s laughter asks, "Takeaway?"

And I, sheep ish b m always gracefu l, s ay, "Okay!"

Eventually I make a short list of 3-4 recipes that are not only do-able but satisfy whatever food craving I happen to have at the time, as well being sure to delight my husband

We all know how important it is to keep our family healthy - but if you're new to Western Australia, you might not know much about our health system. As WA's largest health insurer, HBF can help you understand the benefits of having health insurance.

We've even put together a useful information guide to our health system, so you can look after your health with confidence. Pick up your free ' New to WA' booklet from any HBF branch.

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