Indian Down Under E Paper June-July 16

VOL 28 No.
1
Print Post Publication No. 23572300014
June - July 2016
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Australia Decides!
Inside this Issue:

Page 08: Election column by Cyprian Fernandes and Karam Ramrakha
Page 13: Vijay Badhwar on Election hopefuls
Page 14: Manju Mittal in chit chat with Nawazuddin Siddiqui on Raghav Raman 2
Page 17: Indira Naidoo pitches to turn city rooftops into gardens
Page 15: Neeru Saluja talks to Sarbjit director, Omung Kumar
Page 21: Nitasha Bhatia on big fat Indian weddings in Sydney
Page 31: T Selva writes on perfect Vastu of Indias famous iconic Taj Mahal
Indian Weddings
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Indira Naidoo
The Indian Down Under POBox 99 Thornleigh NSW2120 Ph (02) 9875 2713 Mobile: 0414 155 402 Email: indiandownunder@gmail.com
02 THE INDIAN DOWN UNDER May - June 2016
Australia Decides - Elections 2016
May - June 2016 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER 03
04 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER May - June 2016
Editor's Letter
Theres a right and a far right

Editorial/Advertising Enquiries: 02 9875 2713
Postal Address: PO Box 99, Thornleigh NSW 2120.
Email: indiandownunder@gmail.com
Website: www.indiandownunder.com.au
EDITORIAL
Principal Editor: Vijay Badhwar
Associate Editor: Neena Badhwar
North America : Parveen Chopra
Sports Editor: Kersi Meher-Homji
Delhi Reporter: Ritu Ghai
WRITERS
Third Eye: Rekha Bhattacharjee
Political Columns: Cyprian Fernanades,
Karam Ramrakha
Bollywood: Neeru Saluja
Films and Art: Neeru Saluja, Abhishek Sood,
Sumi Krishnan, Devaki Parthasarthy,
Neena Badhwar, Rekha Rajvanshi,
Manju Mittal
Body-Mind-Spirit: Dr Sunder Das, Kanaka
Ramakrishna, Faith Harper, T Selva
Sport: Kersi Meher-Homji, Gaurav Joshi
Fiji Diary: Karam Ramrakha
Cookery: Promila Gupta
Children Section: Esther Chaudhary-Lyons
Classical Music: Sumi Krishnan, Kris Raman,
Lokesh Varma
Travel : Vijay Badhwar, Kris Raman
Humour: Melvin Durai, Santram Bajaj
Seniors Column: Santram Bajaj
Beauty: Devaki Parthasarthy, Ritu Ghai,
Akvir Kaur
Community: Neena Badhwar,
Kersi Meher-Homji,
Vijay Badhwar, Sumi Krishnan, Neeru Saluja,
Savitha Narayan, Manju Mittal
Photographers: Raj Suri and Jordan Anjaiya
Graphic Design: Dhiraj Kumar, Nayanesh
Gandhi, Dinesh Verma, Bharat Bhushan Chopra/
Bhagwati Multimedia
ove over the

three oft-quoted AustraliaIndia-shared Cs cricket, curry and
Commonwealth and
enter D for the two
democracies that are
stymied, stalled and
seized by the two-tiered
parliamentary system
manipulated by polarising agendas. At the
brink of becoming dysfunctional, the Coalition
Government in Australia has opted to dissolve both houses of Parliament and the other, Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) Government in India, is resorting to all kinds of
tactics to secure more seats in the Upper House, Rajya
Sabha.
The Federal election in Australia is scheduled for July
2. The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has got a lot of
catching up to do not only the 21 seats in arrears but
also to bridge the popularity gap between the leaders. But
the two main parties are running neck and neck according
to the latest opinion polls.
It is no longer the economic policies that differentiate a
left party from the right, Labor from the Liberals, as they
both push each other to adopt centrist options. There is,
in fact, a right and a far right. There are no major tax
reforms, major changes in super concessions or a ticker
to handle negative gearing. They may talk differently,
have big slogans, but, in the end, their policies are out
from the same mould.
The two parties also agree on off-shore processing of
asylum seekers; neither cares about their human rights or
the plight of innocent children. There may be minor differences of opinion on transparency issues - how much
stifling of social workers, medical professionals and
media is absolutely essential. How much their abuse
should be shrouded from public view.
Coalitions Jobs & Growth slogan is good, as well as
Labors Education and Health reforms. The latters
demand for a Royal Commission to investigate the banking sector is a payback for the Commission instituted to
investigate the unions.
Neither the banking sector does anything for public
good nor the unions. If one only looks after their shareholders, the other takes care of their members interests.
Bringing union indulgences into open has put them on
guard, so should there be public benefit from exposition
of alleged excesses in the banking sector.
Beyond the fabled election manifestos, the real canvassing is through not so subtle messages as from
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton illiterate and innumerate refugees taking Australian jobs. That gives a
direction to the far right which way to vote.
In Australia, the Coalition government

dissolved both houses of Parliament, and
in India, the BJP government is desperate
to secure more seats in the Upper House.
n another continent, Indian PM Narendra Modi is also

frustrated not having a majority in the upper house,
Rajya Sabha. As the membership of this house comes
from State representation, BJP, in Arunachal Pradesh and
Uttarakhand, tried all the tricks in the trade to destabilise
the non-BJP governments there. But to no avail. The BJPs
success for the first time in the northeastern state of
Assam, however, in the recent State elections to form government in its own right has lifted the partys spirits. It
was also instrumental in changing the government in
Kerala while also getting a foothold for the first time by
winning a solitary seat in the state ruled by the Congress
or the Left taking turns. In West Bengal and Tamil Nadu,
however, BJP could not dent the popularity profiles of
Mamata Banerjee and Jayalalitha, the latter who likes to be
addressed in the parliament only as Most Honourable
Ammachi else the marshals escort the offending Members
out of the House! Meanwhile, the Modi Government celebrates two years in power with achievements such as
attracting highest foreign direct investment and being
bribery scandal free. The Government has, definitely,
powered India out of the slumber of Manmohan Singhs
second term at the helm. The high growth of 7.6 per cent
along with real efforts in infrastructure growth and youthled development in science and technology are certainly
feathers in the cap worth celebrating.
The biggest gain in the recent State elections for BJP was
wresting Assam from Congress. Pictured is PM Modi and
BJP bigwigs at the swearing in ceremony of Assam CM
Sarbananda Sonowal.
May-June 2016 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER 7
Columns
Election forecast: foggy but clearing in July

At this early stage, Australia appears to be favouring Labor but anything could happen in the next few weeks.
By Cyprian Fernandes
ccording to the ABCs Vote
Compass online assessment
of their readers individual
position in relation to their preferences and alignment with the major
parties, I am 63 percent aligned
with the Liberal/National Party
Coalition, 53 percent with Labor
and 32 percent with the Greens.
Actually, I feel as if I am a bit foggy
about the whole thing at the
moment. I feel I am not convinced
by any of the three parties. I hope
things will become clearer in the
last week of June. In the meantime,
after many years, I am stuck with
the swinging voter label.
In the 1980s and 1990s, life was
so much easier, the choice was pretty clear: Paul Keating (Labor) and
Peter Costello (Coalition), two of
the most successful, reforming and
innovative politicians of recent
times. Keating, as Treasurer (19831991), introduced far reaching economic reforms, progressive deregulation of the financial sector, floated
the Aussie dollar, made vital tax
reforms, dismantled protectionist
barriers and his reforms allowed
the economy to expand. He also
deregulated the airline and telecommunications industries and set up a
national framework for power. He
The two rival parties leaders: Malcolm Turnbull (Liberal/Coalition)

and Bill Shorten (Labor).
also returned the Budget to surplus.
As Prime Minister (1991-1996),
Keating continued on his national
reform path, setting up the Nation
Training Authority and a national
superannuation for low income
earners and reforms that addressed
the long term unemployed. He instigated the review of the Sex
Discrimination Act and enacted the
Mabo legislation which recognised
land rights for indigenous people.
Peter Costello is one of
Australias
longest
serving
Treasurers
(1996-2007).
He
reformed the Australian Tax system, restructured financial regulation and exercised fiscal restraint.
He also introduced the Goods and
Service Tax (GST), unpopular at
first but now accepted part of everyday life. Costello reduced income
tax, thus allowing more money to

circulate in the economy.
Those were the glory days.
Then the rot seems to have set in.
So here we are today when nothing is clear cut. Malcolm Turnbull
elbowed out Tony Abbott and took
over the reins as Prime Minister. At
first he was a bright, shining star in
Canberra but of late his star has certainly been slipping. With the
absence of genuine reforms, like the
ones I have mentioned above,
Turnbull is making his opponent
Bill Shorten look good. Turnbull, it
seems, is all image and very little
substance. It is a shame really
because he is a very likeable bloke.
So what of the uncertain next
few weeks? One thing that is certain
is that there are strange alignments
sneaking into view. Both the
Coalition and Labor are being all

lovey-dovey and are telling anyone
who is willing to listen this message: Vote either Lib or Labor but
dont waste your vote on the
Greens. It would seem that both
parties are of one mind that Greens
should be wiped off the election
landscape. At this point of the
General Election, neither Labor nor
the Coalition will direct their preferences to the Greens and the
Greens, in turn, are leaving the
preferences decision to their individual candidates. I wonder if this
ploy will have reverse effect, people
voting Green simply because they
have been told not to!
According to the Greens, our
preferences are determined by our
membership not factional powerbrokers. Our members believe in
welcoming people who seek asylum, strong action on global warming and tackling inequality.
The second thing both the
Coalition and Labor agree is stopping the boats of people smugglers
attempting to bring asylum seekers
and refugees to Australia. Both also
strongly support the offshore processing of these sad and tragic people. Both parties are almost, rightly
or wrongly, obsessed with stopping
the people smugglers. The common
answer is that by stopping the boats
Australia is actually stopping from

death in the seas.
The Greens strongest selling
point, especially with young people,
is their climate change policy. They
plan to bring on the next wave of
technologies help reduce Australias
reliance on coal and gas fired power
through a distributed energy system, including community-owned
renewable energy generation, battery storage, electric vehicles and
fast, affordable public transport systems.
Labor, on the other hand, plans
to introduce a domestic emissions
trading scheme that will get
Australias pollution levels back
under control and to establish the
architecture for an enduring ETS.
The first phase of this plan will
operate from 1 July 2018 to 30 June
2020 to align with the second Kyoto
Protocol. The ETS would include a
scheme for polluters and another for
electricity providers. More details
to come on the ETS.
The Coalition plans to cut
Australias emissions by 26 to 28
per cent by 2030 and Labor promises to cut emissions by 45 per cent by
2030.
At this early stage, Australia
appears to be favouring Labor but
anything could happen in the next
few weeks.
Electionselectionselections
By Karam Ramrakha
n my native Fiji, elections formed an
important part of our lives. Suva, our
largest town, had in the 1940s only
30,000 inhabitants, the number is 70,000
today.
Fiji has shunned Australia and New
Zealand because they criticised its military
coup. China came to Fiji's aid and Russia
recently sold arms to Fiji. But the people of
Fiji should remember that it was Australia
which speedily came to Fijis aid in the
recent hurricane disaster with relief workers and other aid. Undoubtedly, it was the
largest donor. A friend in need, as the saying goes, is a friend indeed.
As elections overtake our lives, television campaigns bring into proximity the
candidates and the parties but it is all long
distance and highly impersonal. For a former MP and now an election junkie I find
that highly frustrating. On the international
front we have Brexit when the Brits vote to
say if they will quit the European Union.
The Mother of All elections, a phrase
which Saddam Hussain gave us, the convoluted and tortuous Presidential race in
America, where, at last, a lady has a
Election campaigns
are also on in Fiji
and in the US, and
Brexit referendum
in Britain.
chance of being a Presidential nominee for
the Democrats. Opposing Hillary Clinton is
likely to be the mercurial and unpredictable
Donald Trump and only in November 2016
the world will know the outcome.
In Australia, we have an eight-weeklong campaign following a double dissolution and already the Weekend Australian
screams nine pages of broadsheet election
coverage. In the 1950s, Labor was seen as
the party of the underdog and a beacon for
unionists while Liberals were seen as a
party of unbridled capitalism with am
alright Jack and Devil take the hindmost
and cavalier attitude towards the poor and
less advantaged.
Today, those distinctions have blurred
with the rise of a strong middle class in
Australia. But it has not stopped one media
8 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER May-June 2016
deriding Bill Shorten quintessentially as a

trade union product, a Union Hack. There
is some angst among Liberal supporters as
how and indeed why Malcolm Turnbull
deposed Tony Abbott as PM when he has
hardly been able to make any changes or, as
one wag put it, produce a rabbit out of his
redoubtable top hat.
Malcolm is suave, polished and plausible but is seen as insipid, colourless.
Besides, his latest budget does not quell
fears of changes to Medicare, especially
after the $7 a visit to your doctor debacle in
the earlier budget.
Shorten is no plebeian having once married a daughter of a Liberal Minister and
now married to the daughter of Quentin
Bryce, our past Governor General. He is no
Hack having rubbed shoulders with such
royalty and Malcolm should not treat him
too lightly. Already, Shorten senses victory
within his clasp and the Labor Party has
come out swinging and fighting.
Many Australians, by and large, enjoy a
good lifestyle and few are concerned with
the pressures of refugees boat people' who
threaten to engulf Europe and whether
those held in detention centres in Nauru or
Papua New Guinea are getting a raw deal.
What is important is to understand what

makes our economy tick and what can be
done to improve our production, especially
when we seems to be losing manufacturing
jobs, particularly in the car making industry. Asia has always frightened Australia
and the growing power of China casts a
long shadow, especially when a recent proposed sale of the Kidman Cattle Farm was
vetoed by the Treasurer. But the Chinese
secured a 316 hectare Gippsland dairy
farm. Now that the mining boom is over
and we have sold the farm we are exhorted by our past PM Bob Hawke to develop a
clever country. No wonder Labor now
flogs Gonski Reforms as a panacea. To end
on a lighter note: In 1966, one of our key
supporters in Fiji openly switched sides and
began to cohort with our opponents but with
an assurance to a confidante: Don't worry
Doc when I enter that voting cubicle (he
used the Hindi word kathghara) and I hold
the pen the Holy Ghost will descend upon
me and guide my pen.
Karam C Ramrakha, Putney Chambers, 36
Pellisier Road, Putney NSW 2112, Phone:
02 98082760, Mob: 0434 986 123, Email:
karamcramrakha@gmail.com.
Column
The Third Eye
By Rekha Bhattacharjee
As China comes off the boil, Australia keen to engage India

hey have often been called
natural allies but there is
something
which
has
always stopped Australia and India
from forging closer ties. With
India becoming the fastest growing
large economy in the world, the
Australian politicians and mandarins are left with no choice but
to find ways to engage the worlds
largest democracy. To mark a definite change on both sides, the
Engaging with India 2016 conference was organised in Sydney in
mid-May.
The two-day inaugural conference, co-hosted by the Australia
India Business Council (AIBC)
and The Australian Financial
Review, discussed the trade relationship between the two Indian
Ocean Rim countries. A number of
corporate and governmental bigwigs attended the conference,
which also explored the possibilities of strengthening business ties
further. The Sydney conference
was organised at a time when
Australia and India stand tantalisingly close to inking a Free Trade
Agreement. Negotiations to conclude a Comprehensive Economic
Cooperation Agreement (CECA)
between Australia and India were
launched exactly five years back in
May 2011. Like the overall relationship
between
two
Commonwealth countries, CECA
has also been dogged by avoidable
delays and misunderstanding
which characterise the bilateral
(from left) Jonathan ODea, Parliamentary Secretary, Trade, Major

Events and Tourism NSW; Lindsay Fox; Sheba Nandkeolyar, AIBC
National Vice- Chair; Nihal Gupta, Chair of NSW Multicultural
Business Panel; Mr. B. Vanlalvawna, Consul General of India,
Sydney; Ted Ballieu; and Navdeep Suri, High Commissioner of India at
Engaging with India 2016 conference held in Sydney on May 16-17.
ties.
The timing of the conference is
immaculate from the Australian
perspective as it came at a juncture
where the modest growth of the
Australian economy is threatened
by the slowing down of its largest
trading partner, China. Australia,
like any other significant trading
partner of China, needs to look
elsewhere as a part of the strategy
to keep the GDP growth rate in
black.
To make matters worse for the
Australian policy-makers, the
growth rate of a number of other
Eastern Asia economies is also
tapering off.
Even though Australia is positioning herself for a transition of
its own, that is, moving away from
the resources-oriented economy to
the one more reliant on services,
Canberra still needs to find business partners to prevent hard-landing.

This brings Australias age old
natural ally, that is India, into
play.
Other opportunities in the
region, particularly in ASEAN
countries, particularly in India,
will hopefully meet the hole that
has been left by the slowdown in
China, Australian Resources
Minister Josh Frydenberg had
opined earlier this year.
To state the obvious, there is
definitely room to grow as far as
commercial ties are concerned.
Like China, India has 1 billion
plus population and has equally
enviable GDP growth rate too.
Even
though
India
is
Australias tenth largest trading
partner accounting for almost
A$18 billion in two-way trade,

New Delhis share in total
Australian trade flows is barely
2.7 percent. Compared to this,
Australias trade with its numero
uno trading partner China is worth
A$149.8 billion, which is nearly
one quarter of Australias total
trade.
The trade with the South Asian
powerhouse interests Australias
policy-makers for one significant
reason and that is Canberras massive trade surplus with India.
It would be prudent for any
economist in the world to recommend commercial tie-up with India
which is now a $2 trillion economy. Moreover, India is on track to
become one of the top three
economies in the world by 2030.
According to a write-up on
Department of foreign Affairs and
Trade (DFAT) website: Indias
youthful population, diversified
economy and growth trajectory
present significant opportunity for
Australian business, especially in
the agriculture, energy, manufacturing, mining and services sectors.
But to increase the exportdominated bilateral trade with
India, many in Canberra need to
upgrade their mindsets.
The successive governments
have been neglecting India as the
China-driven resources boom
yielded unprecedented wealth to
the Australian coffers. India was
kept on a backburner as the mam-
moth Chinese manufacturing units

displayed insatiable hunger for the
Australian resources creating
numerous multimillionaires in its
wake. It was a classic dream ride
which had previously ended in
soul-numbing bust. But this time
Australia is better equipped to
manage the slowing down of the
gravy train.
The numerous Free Trade
Agreements Australia has with
various global economies are helping to absorb the downturn in the
resources boom. If Australia manages to sign the CECA with India
later this year, it will be seen as a
major success for the Liberal policy of engaging India.
Australia is also busy negotiating another major FTA the
Regional
Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP).
The twelfth round of negotiations
towards a major new free trade
agreement was hosted by Australia
last month in Perth. As many
Australian commentators have
been telling us in recent days, the
potential of RCEP is staggering as
it would bring together the economic powerhouses in Australias
neighbourhood with China, Japan,
Korea, India, New Zealand and
the 10 Member States of ASEAN.
This grouping covers nine of
Australias top 12 trading partners
and almost 30 per cent of global
GDP.
Rekha Bhattacharjee can be
contacted at vijay@hotkey.com.au
Big trade opportunities await Oz in India

n the end, the message emerging out of the Engaging with
India 2016 conference was
emphatically clear: Australian
businesses need to get their act
together and take massive opportunities in India seriously or miss the
boat. The two-day conference was
organised by Australia-India
Business Council.
The criticism of the indifference shown by the Australian corporate world came from none
other than Indias senior most
diplomats. "I think there's more
interest from India in Australia
than vice versa. I don't see that
same level of enthusiasm coming
from Australian industry," The
Australian Financial Review has
quoted newly-appointed Consul
General of India in Sydney, B
Vanlalvawna, as saying.
The Consul General reportedly
also expressed surprise at the low
number of Australian companies
making enquiries about the business opportunities in India.
Indian High Commissioner
A view of the attendees mingling at Engaging

with India 2016 conference.
Navdeep Suris views about the

legendary Australian apathy
towards India were not much different from Mr Vanlalvawna as he
told the forum that Australian
business was being "a bit behind
the curve" in engaging with India.
The warnings have come at a
time when China, which is
Australias largest trading partner,
is coming off the boil forcing
Canberra to look elsewhere.
The Sydney conference has
come at a time when Australia and
India stand tantalisingly close of
inking a Free Trade Agreement.

Negotiations to conclude a
Comprehensive
Economic
Cooperation Agreement (CECA)
between Australia and India were
launched five years back in 2011.
Like the overall relationship
between two Commonwealth
countries, CECA has also been
dogged by avoidable delays and
misunderstanding which characterise the bilateral ties.
"CECA presents an opportunity to reshape the Australia-Indian
partnership, leveraging each
other's strengths for the benefit of

both countries, Australias Trade
Minister Steve Ciobo told the
Engaging with India 2016 conference in Sydney.
"For Australia, CECA offers a
framework for tapping into the
fastest growing major economy in
the world. India's rising middle
class offers big opportunities for
Australian business particularly
in services and investment.
Australia has much to offer a
growing India. Our strengths
match India's priorities in
resources and energy, agriculture,
education and infrastructure.
"CECA is a valuable opportunity to promote India's reforms
and increase India's productivity
and competitiveness. With over
half of India's exports to Australia
currently facing tariffs, a CECA
would quickly put India on the
same tariff-free footing as its
major
competitors
in
the
Australian market, Steve Ciobo
added. While the Australian government is all excitement about the
Free Trade Agreement with India,

it is yet to be seen how the corporate world would lap it up once
CECA is inked. The scepticism
shared by many observers of the
Indo-Australia bilateral ties is not
entirely misplaced.
They have often been called
natural allies but there is something which has always stopped
Australia and India from forging
closer ties. With India becoming
the fastest growing larger economy in the world, the Australian
politicians and mandarins are left
with no choice but to find ways to
engage the worlds largest democracy. The two-day inaugural conference in Sydney discussed the
trade relationship between the two
Indian Ocean Rim countries. A
number of corporate and governmental bigwigs attended the conference which explored the possibilities of strengthening business
ties further.
Rekha Bhattacharjee can be
contacted at vijay@hotkey.com.au
India
Modi and ministers highlight

achievements, anti-graft moves
New Delhi: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on May 28 said his
government was working with
determination to fulfil its promises
to people and had been able to
check leakages to the tune of
Rs.36,000 crore as the NDA organised a gala event at India Gate here
to mark its two years in office.
Union ministers showcased their
achievements and Bollywood's
leading names, including Amitabh
Bachchan, espoused social causes at
the "Ek Nayi Subah" event which
lasted over six hours.
A range of initiatives including
'Swachh Bharat' campaign, the
'Beti Badhao, Beti Badhao',
'Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana'
and were highlighted as well as
moves to boost farmers' income,
improve connectivity, step up
investment and enhance jobs and
improve rail, road and air infrastructure and provide electricity to
all villages.
The event was held in a
"Talkathon" format with ministers
answering queries put to them.
Media was not invited at the event
which was screened live on various
Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi speaking at the India Gate

event celebrating two years of NDA government
channels of Doordarshan.
Discussions were in studio format and interspersed with some
light entertainment in the form of
songs and dances. The "breaks" in
between discussions featured consumer awareness advertisements as
also the NDA government's theme
song on completing two years in
office - "Mera desh badal raha hai

(my country is changing)".
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley,
Health Minister J.P. Nadda,
Women and Child Development
Minister
Maneka
Gandhi,
Minorities Affairs Minister Najma
Heptullah, Agriculture Minister
Radha Mohan Singh, HRD
Minister Smriti Irani and Food

Minister Ramvilas Paswan highlighted government initiatives and
heaped praise on Modi's leadership.
Road Transport and Highways
Minister Nitin Gadkari, who interacted from Nagpur, said that Modi
had taken steps to end "policy
paralysis", while Jaitley said the
economy had achieved a growth
rate of around 7.5 percent amid
global slowdown.
Meanwhile, Big B said the girl
child should be nurtured, educated
and treated as equal and how 'Beti
Bachao, Beti Padao' aims at ending
discrimination against them.
Sporting a saffron coloured
Nehru jacket, he also interacted
with girl children from various
schools, and even recited lines from
his
father
Harivansh
Rai
Bachchan's famous "Madhushala".
In his speech, Modi targeted
Congress over alleged corruption
during the UPA rule and said his
government will provide LPG connection to five crore rural women
by 2019.
In a veiled attack on Congress
Meet two new chief ministers
Sarbananda Sonowal after being sworn in as chief minister of

Assam in Guwahati.
Kerala Governor Justice (Retd) P Sathasivam administered the oath

of office to CPI-M leader Pinarayi Vijayan (left) as chief minister of
the state on May 25.
Mamata and Jaya retain power, Left regains Kerala in state elections
ever BJP member in the Kerala assembly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted,
"Across India, people are placing their faith
in (the) BJP and see it as the party that can
usher in all-round and inclusive development." Riding on the development plank,
Banerjee led the Trinamool to a landslide
win, winning 211 or more than two-thirds of
the seats in the 294-member Bengal assembly.
Tamil Nadu produced a spectacular result.
The AIADMK was set to grab 126 of the 234
seats, leaving the DMK-Congress combine
with 102 seats, but far more than what it won
in 2011. Almost all other parties were wiped
out. An elated Jayalalithaa said: "There are
not enough words in dictionary to adequately
express my feelings of gratitude to the people
of Tamil Nadu."
Most exit polls had predicted that the
Amitabh Bachhan and some other

Bollywood stars also took part in
poke at the event.
Modi govt doesn't

deserve Rajan:
P Chidambaram
BJP expands base, Congress shrinks

New Delhi: West Bengal's ruling Trinamool
Congress in mid May crushed the opposition
and Tamil Nadu's AIADMK proved exit
polls wrong by retaining power in assembly
elections, the biggest popularity test after the
2014 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP stormed to
power in Assam while the Left made a comeback in Kerala amid a washout in West
Bengal.
The Congress was the worst hit in the
five-state election, losing power both in
Assam, which it had ruled for 15 long years,
and Kerala, where it was confident of winning its second term. The Congress-DMK
alliance was, however, the victor in
Puducherry.
The BJP also made history in Kerala
where its veteran O. Rajagopal, 86, was
elected
from
Nemom
in
Thiruvananthapuram. He will be the first
and parties critical of the government, Modi said some will just
oppose his government for political
reasons.
"Two things have emerged in the
last 15 days. One is 'Vikasvad'
(development) and the other is
'Virodhvad' (opposition). What is
the reality, people can judge for
themselves", he said.
He said the government had
saved leakage of Rs.15,000 crore in
LPG subsidy, identified over 1.62
crore fake ration cards and checked
other malpractices such as appointment of fake teachers.
"In broad terms we have been
able to plug leakages of Rs.36,000
crores," he said.
AIADMK would be unseated.

In a much-awaited victory, the BJP was
took power in Assam, with its candidates and
allies winning 85 of the 126 seats.
The stunning performance buried the
Congress.
Keeping alive Kerala's tradition of ousting
the government in every election, the
Congress-led UDF suffered a stunning rout,
which its leader and Chief Minister Oommen
Chandy said he had never expected. Left
Democratic Front (LDF) led in 91 of the 140
seats and the UDF in 47.
An apparently shattered Congress vice
president Rahul Gandhi said the party will
work "harder" to gain the trust of the people.
"We will work harder till we win the confidence and trust of the people," he tweeted
after the Congress was voted out in Assam
and Kerala.
New Delhi: Taking a dig at the Centre,

former finance minister P Chidambaram
on May 28 wondered whether the Modiled BJP government "deserves"
RBI
Governor
Raghuram Rajan
and described him
as "one of the most
outstanding economists"
in
the
world.
RBI Governor
Rajans threeRaghura Rajan
year term ends in
September. BJP
leader Subramanian Swamy has been
repeatedly urging that Rajan should not be
given an extension. "UPA government
appointed one of the most outstanding
economists of the world as the governor
of RBI. We placed full confidence in him
at that time, we continue to place full confidence in him today," Chidambaram
added. The former finance minister chose
not to comment on Swamy's letter to the
prime minister asking him to sack Rajan.
To a question on Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley having differences with
Rajan on the issue of interest rates,
Chidambaram said, "World over finance
ministers and central bank governors
engage in a dialogue. That doesn't mean
finance minister is questioning the competence of the RBI governor. Each one
approaches the economy in his or her perspective. Government's perspective is
growth and central bank governor's perspective is monetary stability."
India
Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Royal

Challengers to win IPL 2016
Chasing 209, RCB were 114/0 before Hyderabad
bowlers choked the run chase, winning by 8 runs.
Bengaluru: Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers
put up an incredible performance to ruin
Virat Kohli's fairytale season, beating Royal
Challengers Bangalore by 8 runs in a highoctane summit clash walking away with their
maiden Indian Premier League trophy, in
Bengaluru on Sunday. The Orange Army
came up trumps despite initial blitzkrieg
from Chris Gayle and Kohli, defending their
total of 208 for seven by restricting the home
team to 200 for seven.
It was David Warner's batting and astute
captaincy complemented by some inspirational death overs bowling by Mustafizur
Rahaman (1/37 in 4 overs) and Bhuvneshwar
Kumar (0/25 in 4 overs) that clinched the
issue.
Warner, who hit 68, finished IPL season
second in run-getters' list with 848 runs.
Gayle (76 off 38 balls) and skipper Kohli
(54 off 35 balls) had a scintillating opening
stand of 114 in 10.3 overs as it looked like a
Sunrisers Captain David Warner, of

Australia, hit 69 off 38 balls
cakewalk for the home team.
But in the end, Kohli was the tragic hero
once again after the WorldT20 in a tournament that will be remembered for his
exploits. He finished the tournament with an
astounding 973 runs at an average of 81.08
and equally impressive strike-rate of 152.03.
He hit an unbelievable four hundreds and
seven half-centuries, not to forget 83 boundaries and a staggering 38 sixes.
Taliban supreme leader Mullah

Mansour killed in Pak
tinue to stand with our
Islamabad/Kabul: Taliban
supreme leader Mullah
Afghan partners".
Akhtar Mansour has been
Mansour took control of
the militant group in July last
killed in a US drone strike in
year after the delayed
Balochistan province of
announcement of Taliban's
Pakistan.
The Taliban confirmed
then leader Mullah Omars
the death as well as Paksitan.
death.
The Afghan Taliban
Mansour killing was authorannounced a new leader to
ized by President Obama.
replace former chief Mullah
The US had targeted a vehicle Mansour was travelling Mansours killing by US Akhtar Mansour.
in, a Pentagon statement drone strike is a big blow
He is named Mawlawi
for the Taliban and
said.
Haibatullah
Akhundzada.
US Secretary of State embarrassing for Pakistan. Leader of Haqqani terrorist
network, Sirajuddin Haqqani
John Kerry said Mansour had
posed "a continuing, imminent threat to US and late Taliban chief Mullah Omars son
personnel". He said the air strike sent "a Mullah Yaqoob were appointed as deputy
clear message to the world that we will con- supreme leader of the group.
Nirankari chief dies in car

crash in Canada
New Delhi: Baba Hardev Singh,
the head of Sant Nirankari
Mission, was killed in a car accident in Canadas Montreal area in
mid-may. He was 62. His
widow, Savinder Kaur, has been
made head of the sect.
Baba Hardev Singh was made
head of the spiritual organisation
(characterized by its followers
wearing white) after his father
and previous Satguru Gurbachan
Singh was assassinated in 1980
by a hardliner Sikh organization.
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, Union home minister
Rajnath Singh, BJP leader
Shahnawaz
Hussain
and
Congress Captain Amarinder
Singh extended their condolences
on Twitter.
Baba Hardev Singh
India
India is ready to become

the worlds industrial hub
Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
was the keynote speaker at the
Make in India Conference
on March 30 in Sydney.
By Vijay Badhwar
ndia is in a hurry to develop, to lead
the world out of its recession. The
largest democracy in the world is
not satisfied with its present high
growth rate of 7.5 percent that is an
envy even of the major economies in the
world.
The recent budget in February is cast
from the theme Make in India
launched by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on September 25, 2014. It identifies three sectors that converge on to the
theme Smart Cities and Urban
Solutions, Agri-business and Mining and
Resources. India has to prepare for a
massive move towards urbanisation that
may send 300-400 million people from
rural areas towards the cities.
This has to happen quickly within
the next five years, according to experts
from Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) for which the Indian Government
has empowered the States to take the
lead, according to Sumit Mazumder, its
president.
The Special Envoy for Trade,
Andrew Robb, recognised the political
gravity of the globe shifting towards
India and China that has profound effect
on the world, he said, at the Make in
India Conference on March 30 at the
Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney.
The Indian Minister of Finance, Arun
Jaitley, said that India became a lowcost service provider but not a low-cost
manufacturing provider, a change India
is keen to implement. Despite global
downturn, India has shown remarkable
resilience. 7.5 per cent growth does not
reflect our true potential, he said.
Mr Jaitley said the buying capacity of
a large middle class constituting nearly
30-45 percent of Indian population, no
investor could ignore. The States and
regions have become competitive, both
in policy and attitude, complemented by
people who have shown acceptance for
technology advancement, start ups etc.
That makes trained manpower readily
available. Mr Jaitley quoted Australian
Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbulls
remarks at the Lowey Institute about a
resurgent India that would become a
leading economy in the world.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley flanked by Andrew Robb, Australias Special Envoy for Trade,
and Indian High Commissioner in Australia, Navdeep Suri, and others.
Arun Jaitley spoke at the SP Jain

School of Global Managements
Sydney campus on March 29.
During his Sydney visit, Indian Minister of

Finance Arun Jaitley called on Australian
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Community
Marginal seats empower Indian community
Lisa Singh, sitting senator from

Tasmania, is up against heavy
odds this time.
By Vijay Badhwar
in or lose doesnt matter; participation is the
name of the game and
no game is bigger than politics.
Based on this philosophy, there
are many participants of Indian
origin in the forthcoming elections, albeit none predicted to create even a dent in the results.
Our only pride, sitting senator
from Tasmania, Lisa Singh, has
become a victim of factional
Labor politics, relegated to the
sixth position, thus being out of
the reckoning to retaining the
position from a predicted four or
five Senate seats Labor may win.
Lisa Singh was conferred with
the highest honour given to people
of Indian origin living overseas,
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, recognising her exceptional and meritorious service in fostering better
Australia-India relations. She par-
Alex Kaur Bhathal is a Greens

candidate from the currently safe
Labor seat of Batman in
Victoria.
Restaurateur Avtar Singh Billu

is standing as an independent in
Greenway
Mohit Kumar is the Liberal

candidate for the
Chiefly seat.
Mahesh Raj is running for

Parramatta seat as an
independent candidate.
ticipated in the Lowy Institutes

Australia-India Roundtable in
2012 and 2014 and led ALP
engagement on the Australia in
the Asian Century White Paper.
Alex Kaur Bhathal is a
Greens candidate from the currently safe Labor seat of Batman
in Victoria. The sitting ALP member David Feeney requires a hefty
10.6 % swing to unseat him but
he is embroiled in so many controversies, of not living in the constituency, neither disclosing his
$2.3 million property which he
could not tell if it was negatively
geared, that the target has come
within reach of the Greens.
Ms Bhathal has got the right
credentials being a well-known
social worker, popularly known as
Tampa Green after the children
overboard scandal of the refugee
ship, Tampa. She is also helped
by the rising popularity of the
party leader Richard Di Natale
from the neighbouring electorate.

She was a Labor follower in her
university days, but became disillusioned with careerist politics.
Tampa affair the plight of young
children on board being dragged
into politics and subsequent discussions with then Greens leader,
Bob Brown, motivated her to join
the party.
Alex
Bhathals
success
depends on Liberal Party directing
their preferences to her or the
Labor Party. In 2013, her primary
vote was 26.4 per cent, up from
23.5 per cent in 2010. While in
2010, with Liberal preferences
directed her way, she received
42.1 per cent votes, in 2013 the
Liberals changed their stance to
direct preferences to ALP, making
her lose the election. ABC poll
analyst Antony Green argued that
she would have won the election if
Liberal preferences had come her
way.
Bill Gupta is also contesting

the Batman seat as a 21st Century
Australia nominee.
Restaurateur Avtar Singh
Billu, standing as an independent
in Greenway, a Labor seat held by
Michelle Rowland, can make a
difference by directing his preferences (which, he says, he will
nominate after having meetings
with other parties). The seat
requires a swing of only 3 per cent
but its boundaries have been
redrawn to lose parts of Pendle
Hill and Toongabie and gain parts
of Blacktown. This should not significantly affect the voting preferences except for a significant
Indian community presence in the
area which can shift the scales.
Billus slogan is Community
First and easier visas for parents
and close family members.
Parramatta is a Labor held seat
with a margin of 0.6 per cent. Its
boundaries have also been altered
in the north and the south, the

expected benefit of redistribution
going to ALP.
The seat is held by Julie
Owens who is very visible at
Indian community functions.
Mahesh Raj is running for this
seat as an independent candidate
promising to provide effective
representation to communities settled in Western suburbs.
Chifley in the Western suburbs
of
Sydney
Blacktown,
Doonside, Rooty Hill and parts of
Mt Druitt in the main - is another
seat where the Indian community
has a strong representation. It is a
safe Labor seat, further helped by
boundary redistribution. The seat,
always held by Labor since its
inception, has prominent unionist
Ed Husic as the sitting member.
Mohit Kumar is the Liberal candidate here representing his partys
manifesto for jobs, growth and
investment.
Bowen family enjoys Holi colours

By Manju Mittal
ne politician who has enjoyed a
meteoric rise in the Australian
Labor Party is Chris Bowen. And
you havent seen nothing yet.Elected to the
House of Representatives in 2004 from
Prospect (now abolished and renamed as
McMahon), Chris Bowen was appointed in
2006 to the Labor front bench as Shadow
Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister
for Revenue and Competition Policy.
The following year, then Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd appointed him Assistant
Treasurer and Minister for Competition
Policy and Consumer Affairs. Two years
later, in June 2009, Bowen was promoted to
cabinet as Minister for Financial Services,
Superannuation and Corporate Law and
Minister for Human Services. He was
appointed acting leader of the Labor Party in
September 2013 following the resignation of
Kevin Rudd in the wake of the partys defeat
in federal election that year.
Chris Bowen regards multiculturalism as
one of the pillars in the Australian society
and has enjoyed being part of the Indian fes-
tivals Holi, Diwali and Vaisakhi recently.

I feel Indian community growing very
strongly. Multiculturalism is all about
respect and I show respect to the Indian
community. I have done Diwali events in the
past and I just wanted to make sure we all
celebrate together. Holi festival was a huge
success this year; especially my children had
a wonderful time with colours. I look forward to holding Diwali at the end of this
year, he said.
India now provides majority of
migrants to Australia. I think Indian community integrating into Australian culture
perfectly and possibilities are endless. The
role it plays and strength it adds in NSW is
increasingly significant. We feel a real affinity with India, in terms of the work ethic,
the contribution to the economy, not only
with cricket, but the history and culture. Its
who we are as NSW- the multiculturalism
and Indians play a big part in that.
Elections are opportunities for people
to express themselves for Australias future.
I will be honoured to represent the subcontinent people in the Parliament following the
July 2 elections, Chris Bowen said.
Arunesh Seth and kids with Chris Bowen
Bollywood
By Manju Mittal
rowned Miss World back
in 1994, Aishwarya Rai
has forged a successful
modelling and subsequent acting
career in Bollywood. In 2003
she became the first Indian
actress to be a Cannes Film
Festival Jury Member. She is
the brand ambassador for
LOreal, a regular at Cannes
where she has reigned as the
queen of red carpet for 15
years. Having proved her versatility as an actress, Aishwarya
took her onscreen talent to
Hollywood in 2004 with
Provoked, The Last Legion
and The Pink Panther 2.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
who has a four year old daughter, Aradhaya, with husband and
actor Abhishek Bachchan, says
she is committed as an actress,
but being a mother tops her priority list.
I caught up with the
Bollywood diva and a woman
named one of the most beautiful
on the planet at Grand Hyatt
Cannes Hotel Martinez, just
before she walked the red carpet
at the prestigious film festival in
an off-shoulder Rami Kadi May
Blossom gown and wearing a
purple lipstick. She chose a
sober gold and black creation by
celebrity Indian designer Rohit
Bal for the screening of her new
film, the biographical drama
Sarbjit, and looked simply stunning. Aishwarya talks about her
passion, style and Sarbjit that
premiered at Cannes.
Did you enjoy your visit to

Sydney last month?
I loved the whole feel of the
city of Sydney, the vibe, the
warmth of the people. It was
short but sweet experience to
visit Australia.
Congratulations for completing 15 years at Cannes,
how do you feel?
Yes, I have been associated
with Cannes for 15 years. I have
come here initially for my films
like Devdas, then as a Jury
member for the opening ceremony in 2003 and as a brand
ambassador, besides a couple of
times for our cinema. I feel fortunate to bring Provoked here
at Cannes, then there was a
shout out for Raincoat in 2004.
Its a blessing when you get a
chance to take your work to
Cannes and now I go with the
flow. I thank everyone here at
Cannes, LOreal and (laughs) of
course media like you that
remind me its 15 years now.
How do you feel being an
Aishwarya Rai is drop dead gorgeous in person, but in the film

Sarbjit she has an utterly unglamorous woman-centric role,
which she has handled brilliantly.
LOreal ambassador?
I enjoy working with
LOreal, its their prerogative
and I am happy about it, it is
my professional commitment to
deliver what they expect from
me as their ambassador. I feel
fortunate to work with great
professionals and they have been
magically creative with me. Its
not about an opportunity, it is
not about an event and its not
about the clothes, its just about
being comfortable in your skin.
I started having fun with it. I
feel truly honoured to be a part
of LOreal and love my role as
the ambassador.
Can you tell us about your
film Sarbjit premiering at
Cannes and your views in
terms of your character in the
film?
I had done one similar film
Provoked in 2006. Sarbjit
was a divine connect. It was a
wonderful and intense piece of
cinema to work on. I thought
this was a unique subject and
movie based on a real story of
Indian national who was sentenced by Pakistani court in terrorism and spying case. I feel
incredibly honoured and this is a
great pride for all of us to bring
this film to the Cannes Film
Festival.
I am very grateful to God
and people for incredible support and their love towards me
and my entire career for all
these years. I use word well
wishers because thats what I
experience - my fans blessings.
TIDU interviewed Aishwarya just

before she walked the red carpet in
an off-shoulder Rami Kadi May
Blossom gown and wearing
a purple lipstick, the
latter which
became trending
topic on social
media.
It is very
inspiring
and liberating so I
can make
choices as
a professional.
And
hence letting me
give my
voice and
my presence
to the kind of
cinema I can
enjoy. Big commercial productions
and subjects as that I
believe should find audience, on this festival platform,
so glamorous on one end and at
the same time meaningful from
where media, market, cinema
find avenues to reach wider
audience. Hence it is important
to bring Sarbjit here and share it
because it can find a wider
viewership. I am sure you will
get where I am coming from
when you see the film, and the
reason why I definitely wanted
to give my presence and share
my voice while getting the
opportunity to play the role of
Aish has reigned as the queen of red carpet

at Cannes for 15 years now.
an incredible spirit like Dalbir,
my character in the film.
Having interviewed Abhishek
last year in Brisbane it was a
sheer desire of mine to be able
to talk to Aishwarya. Having
befriended her and seeing her
from up close in my three visits
at Cannes, it was good to catch

up with her and talk about her
journey in films. I must say she
is drop dead gorgeous in person
but in the film Sarbjit hers is
totally an unglamorous womancentric role. She has handled it
brilliantly. )
Bollywood
Sarbjit will be Aishwaryas Mother India

Director Omung Kumar
After a dream diectorial debut with Mary Kom starring Priyanka

Chopra, Omung Kumar has made another biopic, Sarbjit.
By Neeru Saluja
ational Award winning
director Omung Kumar is
known for cutting edge
biopics. After making his directorial debut with Mary Kom, a
biopic on an Indian woman boxer,
he is all geared up for his next
release Sarbjit which is already
creating waves.
The film Sarbjit narrates the
struggle of Dalbir Kaur (played by
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) whose
sole aim was to get her brother
Sarbjit Singh (Randeep Hooda) out
of the Pakistani jail as he was mistakenly taken to be an Indian spy.
In a conversation with the
director before the release, Omung
reveals his style of direction and
passion for transforming his
actors. Viewing the promotions,
there is no doubt as actors Randeep
Hooda and Aishwarya are
unrecognisable. A Mind Blowing
Films release, this film released
across Australia on May 20.
What inspired you to make

the film Sarbjit?
This movie was meant to be
made four years ago by another
director. I had just finished Mary
Kom and I wanted to do another
film, but not a biopic. Sarbjits sis-
ter was trying to make the world

aware of her story and how her
brother died four years ago, but
after my national award, I was not
ready to do another biopic. Once I
saw her videos and realised what
she has gone through in life, I
asked myself why Im shutting
myself away from a biopic. This
was a story that inspired me to tell
the world. I called her and wanted
to know the smallest details of
actually what happened.
Was Sarbjits family
involved directly into the making
of the film?
Dalbir Kaur came here, talked
to us and told us all the details. She
has been a part of the film throughout, from being on the sets to
explaining the narrative to us. She
was very happy to see her brothers story finally made into a film.
We have also heard that it
took Aishwarya Rai just 15 minutes to accept the main protagonists role?
The role comes with a responsibility and I chose Aishwarya as I
wanted a mature actress who can
play the role of a 22 year old and
a 60 year old. Aish is a directors
actor, she will mould herself
accordingly. The moment I sat on
Randeep Hooda and Richa Chadda in a still from Sarbjit
A deglamourised Aishwarya Rai plays Dalbir Kaur, Sarbjits sister who fought long
and hard for his release from a Pakistani jail.
the couch and narrated the story to
her in 15 minutes, she said a yes
because she understood the role.
This film is going to be a Mother
India for Aishwarya.
Talking about Aish accepting
the role in 15 minutes takes me
back to the time when we knew
you as the Ek minute guy.ek
minute ek minute anchor Ek
minute!
(Laughs aloud) It feels good
when people recognise you as the
ek minute game show anchor.
They also say they used to watch
the show when they were a kid
which makes me feel really old!
Besides Aishwarya, how was
it working the remaining star
cast of Sarbjit Randeep Hooda
and Richa Chadda?
Randeep Hooda is a fantastic
actor. He gets into the skin of the
character like no one does. Here I
wanted him to push himself further, I wanted him to lose weight
like no actor has done before. He
thoroughly researched the character before he took up the role. He
went into the psyche of Sarbjit, he
wanted to feel how he lived in a six
foot hole for 23 years. Randeep
actually lived in a dark area in his
house and he would walk in that
area. Richa Chadda is another brilliant actress. Even though she
doesnt have many dialogues, she

expresses herself really well in the
film.
Neerja, Azhar and now
Sarbjit, 2016 sounds like the
year of biopics. Are filmmakers
taking a new approach?
After Mary Kom and Bhaag
Milkha Bhaag, the viewing pattern
has slightly changed. The audience
have started liking such kind of
films. Producers and directors
have now got a new avenue of
telling stories rather than the
cliched love stories and dishum
dishum. Because the viewers have
opened up their minds, the writers
are now open enough to say something new. Its not a trend, biopics
are here to stay. We have seen
love sagas for years, the audience
wants something new now.
Its also a platform for actors
to show their real talent. Do you
think history will be repeated for
Aishwarya like Priyanka Chopra
in Mary Kom?
You are getting to play a role
from someones life and it depends
on the actor how he or she moulds
it. I like to make movies which
bring out the best in actors.
Mother India was not a biopic but
every actress wants to do the
Mother India role. This will be
Aishwaryas Mother India.
In both of your films you

have deglamourised the most
beautiful women of the world. Is
the transformation a deliberate
attempt?
I want to change people. This
is a challenge for me. I didnt want
Priyanka to look like Priyanka, or
Aishwarya to look like herself. I
like to change people and see that
transformation in actors. Thats a
big achievement for me as a
director.
Will you be releasing this
film in Pakistan and do you
expect a backlash?
I want to release this film
everywhere in the world otherwise
how will people see the film. I will
definitely take the film to Pakistan.
Regarding the backlash, the facts
and the story are already out there.
Whatever happened cant be
undone.
Its a film that needs to be seen
and hopefully this wont happen
again.
What will the viewers of this
film be it in Australia or India
-- take home?
With this film, you will see
family relations in a different light.
Everyone needs to see the struggle
of this family. You will cry with
them and you will laugh with
them.
Bollywood
By Neena Badhwar
hanul Sharma arrived in
Australia as an IT student a
few years ago. Little did he
know that he would, one day, be
an opera singer and a tenor at
that.
A handsome young man who
landed in Australia at a tender age
of 19 was moulded into what he is
today, his journey traversing from
listening to Mohammed Rafi in
his younger years in Delhi, to
heavy metal and finally being an
opera singer who is being hailed
as the operatic voice of the young,
yet, multicultural Australia.
On stage, Shanul has appeared
as Piangi in Phantom of the
Opera (Babbira Music Theatre)
and Engineer in Miss Saigon
(Albury
Wodonga
Theatre
Company), subsequently performing throughout 2010 and
2011 as a guest tenor with the
Australian Army Orchestra.
Shanul moved to Melbourne in
August 2012 to commence vocal
studies and has remained active
on the concert and recital stages
around Victoria and NSW since.
In 2013, he was a featured soloist
on the Melbourne Welsh Male
Choir album In the Spirit.
Having ended up in Regional
NSW in Wagga Wagga, Shanul
joined the band, Subrusion. He
was deep into heavy metal then as
he wrote lyrics and produced
three albums under its banner.
He says music was a regular
feature of his childhood when his
civil engineer dad took the family
around on outings along with his
mum and his little sister. As children they sat at the back of the car
and their young ears were so
receptive to Bollywood songs
sung in the 50s and the 60s that
his dad loved.
I remember the speakers at
the back of the car that blared all
Mohammed Rafi songs, mostly
from Shammi Kapoor movies,
such as the famous Yahoo song.
I loved Rafis voice, his trills
and shrills, the highs and the
lows. What a fine singing, how he
sang some of the most memorable
songs.
This gave me the musical
spark, says Shanul.
That is what led me to like
music a lot. My dad used to say
academics are many but singers
like Rafi were very rare.
Unlike many Indian parents
who put a lot of stress on their
children to study, his dad, however, Shanul says, loved music and
steered his taste towards music.
He says with a laugh that he started off in India singing songs such
es people on various levels of

their consciousness, he says.
Shanul keeps on going
back to his childhood days
and remembers, Ram
Leela remember the
enactment of the story of
Ramayana also used to
leave the audience spellbound. Same is with opera.
It plays with basic human
emotions. It is able to bring
that out of a singer and drags it
out of you on stage. When
performing, I totally get lost.
And as you know opera is
very lavish with over
100 musicians
playing
Shanul Sharma and Margaret Plummer in

Werther Lyric Opera of Melbourne.
as Khambe jaise khadi hai but
soon was introduced to Michael
Jacksons music and also rock
music.
We Punjabis kinda sing with
dil khol ke and that is what gave
me my originality when I was in
the band. We wrote a lot of original music and I wrote lyrics
myself, he says.
Shanul soon realised that he
had to go deeper into his passion.
After his band broke up, he
thought why not to try the western
classical. He packed up his bags
and landed in Melbourne to learn

western classical music.
In this transition phase Shanul
read a lot of Gita and Eckhart
Tolle, both gave him power, purpose and a path and a passion to
follow.
I didnt have a very big voice
and I refused screaming, so I had
to develop frequencies in my
voice that could travel over loud
guitars, drums and the rest,
Shanul says.
He tried to explore his voice
further when he trained under
some of the best opera singers in

Australia and last year earned a
scholarship with Opera Australia
and trained with Joshua Hecht.
Soon he was spotted in various
ARIA concerts, at times singing
from start to finish. It was last
minute casting sometimes and I
had to learn just in a matter of two
days before performing, says
Shanul.
He has been accepted by
Wales International Academy of
Voice in Cardiff and is looking
forward to be trained under the
best conductors, opera singers
which, he tells TIDU, will develop his career further. This school
accepts only about 15 students
from around the world and is
known for having produced some
of the best opera singers in the
world.
What does he say to Indians
who are Bollywood fans, how
they can get hooked to his genre
of music that is pure classical
western.
Opera is an art that combines
music and drama and requires a
deep intellectual commitment at
the highest level. At times one can
see that even in Bollywood
movies. They take one to a different level. When you listen to
opera, close your eyes and imagine the character, his pain, love
a whole gamut of emotions come
to the surface. Opera helps people
to get lost in themselves. It touch-
in the orchestra. It can be quite an

absorbing experience, not just for
the singers, the conductor and the
musicians but also for the audience who get drawn into it.
When I ask him whether there
will be any Indian folklores converted into opera, Shanul mentions Pearl Fishers by Georges
Bizet and the French Lakme
which is set in India. Portinis
Turende and Madame Butterfly I
suggest one must see, he says.
Shanul disagrees that the
opera has not been taken up in
India. I have heard that a quite a
devoted audience has built up in
India who love opera, he says.
So when are you performing
in Sydney for us? we ask him.
I will definitely let you know
when I come to Sydney, he
replies, at the moment funding
his study at Wales is on top of his
mind, which he says will cost a
lot.
Shanul Sharma recently performed on May 1 at the
Southbank in Melbourne as one of
the 10 tenors in a 55-piece symphonic orchestra, Songs that my
father taught me.
Keep an eye and listen to this
young Indian tenor who is well
versed in Hindi, Punjabi, English
and Italian and can sing a
Neapolitan Italian number to the
highest pitch opera style, as also
with equal ease, a Mohammed
Rafi.
Community
By Neena Badhwar
hat should news anchors do
when they move on. Should she
find another job or start a new
program was the dilemma former ABC
news presenter Indira Naidoo faced. She
had seen enough, watched enough footage
of gruesome stories, wars, abuse and violence. She really sat and pondered about
things seriously, she says.
At her home in Paddington, Indira
turned inwards and turning inwards made
her find herself, her roots and the knowledge she came with when she had moved
from South Africa. It reminded her of her
childhood days how they had a vegetable
patch next to the house and how some of
the dishes had vegetables sourced from the
home garden. The food tasted so good
though it was just a very simple meal that
we all enjoyed eating together.
Indira turned to growing herbs and
vegetables in her apartment balcony at
Potts Point. Would you believe, on the
balcony, a 20 square metre concrete
space, 13 floors above the ground level!
Her partner Mark, obviously, objected to
the idea. It couldnt happen, he prophesied.
But to Indira and Marks surprise the
balcony facing the northerly Sun actually
took to the plants and also to their pride,
they actually flourished. Before starting
out she read a lot, talked to some avid gardeners and watched gardening shows on
television. Soil, sun, shade, wind, direction, weather, pollination, bees, water,
compost and mulch were all the factors
that she thoroughly looked into and went
and spent just around $200 on good potting mix, good seeds and seedlings.
I happened to taste some heirloom
tomatoes from an organic farmer from a
stall at a farmers market. They were just
delicious and reminded me of tomatoes
from childhood days, their aroma that
wafted. It was divine.
She says she got as much info as she
could from the farmer about those tomatoes and went ahead and planted some on
her balcony. Not only the tomatoes, Indira
went ahead and experimented with around
40 herbs and vegetables and ended up with
a bumper crop of about 72 kilos.
Mark had stopped complaining by
then. We arranged the balcony in such a
way that we had our barbecue and our
chairs and we sat in an environment with
herbs and vegetables growing around us.
My mornings became quite interesting as
I looked forward to checking the plants
on my balcony soon as I got up, watering
them, weeding and getting rid of any
bugs and pests.
It was only 10-20 minutes of my
time but it relaxed me a lot and gave me
a good reason to get up to, says Indira.
We have had some very interesting
dinners where we have cooked dishes by
using produce from our garden. And
every one has really enjoyed the food
and the environment.
I experimented a lot with my cooking, just simple dishes we used to have at

my parents place. It has been a kind of
learning curve for me. I ended up writing
my first book Edible Balcony and then
last year I wrote Edible city on my experience in helping some of the city gardens
that I have been involved in. Indira was
approached by actor Dave Wenham to
help set up a rooftop garden for Wayside
Chapel which has turned out to be quite a
fruitful journey for its team of volunteers.
Also, a Melbourne restaurant that turned
its rooftop into a beautiful garden where
its patrons can enjoy their meals in the
middle of city, yet sitting in the midst of
greenery.
In her books, Indira talks about food
miles how the cost of food increases with
the distance it has to cover to reach the
consumer, at times from one part of the
world to the other, travelling thousands of
miles. The stored food loses its value, she
says, even the fresh vegetables losing half
their vitamins once left in the fridge for
over a week.
Indiras books are an interesting read
as they take one from being a novice to a
seasoned gardener, like what she is now.
At times frustrated, other times elated,
Indira pours out all her emotions as she
goes along and encourages the reader not
to give up. She describes each and every
herb and every vegetable she has grown
and follows it up with a recipe that has
used the crop from
her own garden. The
dishes are simple, look
good and authentic
and seem delicious
for anyone to try on.
Indira has also
visited many gardens around the
globe to see and
study how people
grow and handle
such kitchen garden experiments.
It
has
Indira Naidoo in her balcony garden that inspired in her a cause to promote
changed her life and also through her
experience Indira is trying to change
peoples lives, people who are worried
about the world, the climate change and
want to be able to produce things right
close to them.
If I could, I would
change all the roof tops
in the city to gardens
tended by its residents.
A place where they
can go and relax
right in the middle
of city, not to some
far away farm,
said Indira in her
recent
talk
at
Hornsby library.
The
talk
was
attended by aspir-
ing community members who bought her

autographed books. She gave away complimentary Munash - the rock dust that
has come out of a used mine and is rich in
nutrients and helps grow rich, robust crop
when used.
Her going away tip is to always read
the label on the plant you buy. Dont
throw it away as it has some very good
information. And make sure to invite bees
by planting bee-attracting flowers such as
calendulas, marigolds, nasturtiums and
borage. You can also keep sting-less bees.
Know the friends and foes of the bugs and
plants that grow synergistically alongside
each other.
I am one convert now, trying to grow
things in my garden, armed with her book
which has given me new confidence to go
try gardening the way Indira explains.
If I could, I would change all the roof tops

in the city to gardens tended by its residents. A place where they can go and relax right
in the middle of city, not to some far away farm,
said Indira in her recent talk at Hornsby library.
Bollywood
In
the title role
of the serial
killer in Raman
Raghav 2.0,
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
has surpassed
his notable earlier
By Manju Mittal
roles such as in
Bajrangi
awazuddin Siddiqui is
Bhaijaan.
a well known actor of
Bollywood.
He
has
stormed the film Industry with his
powerful performance in Bajrangi
Bhaijan as Pakistani reporter.
Nawaz has been a regular at the now that I have become a regular
prestigious Cannes film festival. here. This is my third visit to
Raman Raghav 2.0 was his Cannes. People have started recogeighth film at the film gala in four nising me, it feels great. The first
years. He was the talk of the town time when I came here I was excitduring this years Cannes film fes- ed and nervous at the same time: I
tival. So much so that he even was shocked at not just the
earned himself the special sobri- grandeur but the passion for cinequet King of Cannes. He has ma people have here. It is amazbeen to the Cannes for The ing. The culture of cinema here is
Lunchbox,
Gangs
of very rare to find elsewhere.
I am very happy that Raman
Wasseypur, Miss Lovely and
Liars Dice among others. Raghav 2.0 was premiered at
Among the eight films, Nawaz has Cannes, it only goes to show that
been a part of the cast in seven, you are on the right track and are
while one was a short film, which making the right choices. I considhe produced and was directed by er myself fortunate playing title
his brother Shamas Siddiqui. role in the film.
Miyan Kal Aana was Nawazs
Tell us about your journey in
debut production and was also
Raman Raghav?
screened at the festival.
NS: Well, it was a challenging
Nawaz was in for a great surprise when his latest film Raman role for me. Raman Raghav was
Raghav 2.0 got a standing ovation not a normal man, he lived in a difof 20 minutes at Cannes. The film ferent world of thoughts, his logic,
is based on the notorious life of his reasons for what he did were
serial killer Raman Raghav who something a normal man cant
operated in Mumbai during the even think of. I had to work hard
mid-1960s. The title character is to get into the mind of a serial
played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui killer. Before the shoot, I went
and the film is directed by well away from Mumbai for two days to
known film maker Anurag internalise the mans thought
Kashyap. It was great meeting process. By the end of it, I was at
with Nawaz at Cannes Majestic times scared of myself. It is a
hotel after the premier of Raman thriller and audience will find it
Raghav. Nawaz was quite busy interesting to travel through the
giving interviews after the premier mindset of somebody who is not
of Raman Rahav, yet he spared normal. They will know that these
some precious moments with me kinds of people also exist.
for TIDU in an informal chit chat
How was your experience
when he said at the end kuchh aur
poochhna hai poochh lo, one of working with the director
the most down-to-earth actors I Anurag Kashyap?
NS: Anurag Kashyap is one
have met:
First of all, congratulations who makes his actors comfortable.
on Raman Raghav being cho- Even the difficult characters are
sen to premiere at the prestigious made easy and I would know since
Cannes International film festi- all my characters in his film were
val. How do you feel and what not at all easy to portray. I like him
are your impressions of Cannes? both as a person and as a filmmakNawazzuddin Siddiqui: I have er. I am very impressed with his
knowledge of cinema. Working
a special relationship with Cannes
with Anurag has been a great

process of discovery, you are
exploring all the time. I am growing with every film.
What other festivals have you
been to?
NS: Yes, Berlin, Venice all are
good festivals, they showcase good
cinema. I have been to Sundance
festival. Cannes & Sundance are
my favourites.
Tell us about your current
projects?
I have done Garth Davis

Lion with Dev Patel, Nicole
Kidman and Rooney Mara. I
enjoyed doing this film because I
wanted to be part of a good story.
There is another one Te3N with
Bachchanji and Vidya Balan, a suspense thriller set in Kolkata which
is releasing on June 10. I am doing
a film with Sridevi, Raees with
Shah Rukh Khan and Farzi with
Shahid Kapoor are nearing completion. Here at Cannes I am discussing a film Manto with
Nandita Das and I am very excited
about it. Many projects are on the

floor and in the pipeline.
And a few last words to your
fans in Australia?
NS: Thank you for watching
my films that I have been in. Love
you all and keep watching.
Nawazuddins film Raman Raghav
2.0 will be released in theatres by
the end of June and is also part of
the Sydney Film Festival. Surely,
one must watch out for this actor
and his movies for they are definitely a must see on our list.
Nawaz
has become a
regular at the
prestigious Cannes
film festival, where
Raman Raghav 2.0
was his eighth film to
be featured. TIDU
caught up with him
in the mecca of
cinema.
Bollywood
Sydney Film Festival warms our winters

with nice picks from the subcontinent
By Neeru Saluja
inter is upon us and so is the popular Sydney Film
Festival from June 8 to June 19 in venues across
town. The 63rd Sydney Film Festival program
was officially launched recently by the NSW Deputy
Premier and Minister for the Arts, Troy Grant.
The NSW Government is proud to continue its support
for this amazing festival; a key event that has cemented itself
in Sydneys winter entertainment calendar, Mr Grant said.
Im extremely pleased that these films will be seen by more
and more people in regional NSW, as the Festival goes on
its regional tour later this year.
SFF has gone from strength to strength in recent years,
with attendances increasing by over 59% to 176,000, since
2011, said festival director Nashen Moodley.
In 2016 the Festival will present 244 films from 60
countries including 25 World Premieres, representing hundreds of fresh perspectives and new stories from across
Australia and around the world, he said
Following are the films that are participating in this
years Sydney film Festival:
Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto

International Film Festival, where it finished second in the
voting for the Peoples Choice Award. It has been billed as
Indias first all-out female buddy film. Freida (Sarah-Jane
Dias) is a fashion photographer who invites a group of
friends to her familys home to announce that she is getting
married. The announcement sets off a chain of reactions,
letting out hidden secrets. After the announcement the wild
bunch of girls from all over India descends upon Goa, thus
begins an impromptu bachelorette, and a riotous rollercoaster ride of girl bonding. Amidst the fun and frenzy, the
girls are oblivious of the impending doom and go on living
life like there is no tomorrow.
Raman Raghav 2
their hidden stories of sacrifice, it is ultimately a universal

story about longing for recognition, and finding the courage
to make a change.
A Girl in the River

More than a 1000 women are killed in the name of
honor in Pakistan every year. A Girl in the River: The
Price of Forgiveness follows the story of a rare survivor
who falls in love and lives to tell the tale. Academy Award
winning Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy shares her experiences as
a woman making films in Pakistan, following the screening
of her feature A Journey of A Thousand Miles (Meet The
Film Maker: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy) hosted by Macquarie
Universitys Kathryn Millard.
Angry Indian Goddesses
A Journey of a Thousand Miles

Set in present day Mumbai the story follows the life of
a serial killer Ramanna who is inspired by an infamous serial killer from the 1960s Raman Raghav. His strange obsession with Raghavan, a young cop keeps growing as he closely follows him without his knowledge and often creates situations where both of them come face to face.
Tithi a Kannada film
Spice Sisters
Angry Indian Goddesses, a 2015 Hindi drama film, directed by Pan Nalin with Sandhya Mridul, Tannishtha
Chatterjee, Sarah-Jane Dias, Anushka Manchanda, Amrit
Maghera, Rajshri Deshpande and Pavleen Gujral in the
ensemble roles with Adil Hussein. It was screened in the
Co-directed by Geeta Gandbhir and Sharmeen ObaidChinoy, A Journey of A Thousand Miles follows a unit of
160 who, between June 2013 and July 2014, travel far from
their families, friends and all that is familiar at home in
Bangladesh to join the United Nations Stabilizing Mission in
Haiti (MINUSTAH).
Rohini Bhaskar (played by Kumud Merani), a former

Bollywood actress, is bored and restless with her life. When
a popular reality cooking competition issues a call for
entries, Rohini decides its now or never to make a change.
Says the director Sheila Jayadev, Spice Sisters explores
the alienation and loneliness of the migrant experience, and
A 2016 Kannada-language film written and directed by

Raam Reddy. Consisting of a cast of non-professional actors
from villages in the Mandya district of Karnataka, the film
is a light-hearted story about three generations of men reacting to the death of their 101-year old patriarch.
http://www.sff.org.au/
Preethi & Shilpa wow audiences on TV and at home

Kersi Meher-Homji interviews Preethi of Family Feud fame
urther to the story Mohan family wins
cash, car and hearts (published on-line
in e-TIDU, April 25) I interviewed
team captain Preethi and was overwhelmed
by her enthusiasm for the Channel 10 Game
Show Family Feud. In five evenings in April,
Preethi, her husband Ajay, her vivacious sister Shilpa and Dad Mohan won cash worth
$24,900 and a new Mitsubishi car worth
$30,000. Shilpa and I always wanted to be
on a Game Show, so we tried Family Feud
and were delighted to be called for an audition. We had no expectations of winning but
went for fun. The victory on all five days was
a bonus, she said smiling.
I remember our first day during audition
in Melbourne when we met other families.
Everyone was nervous although we had lots
of fun.
She had a good laugh when I interrupted
her, Should Family Feud be renamed
Family Fun?
Tell us something about you, I asked.
Born in Chennai, I came with my family to Australia when I was four years old in
1991. Recently, I got married to Ajay in
Chennai. Ajay is Test cricketer Murali
Vijays cousin.
I am a B.Com and a Bachelor and Master
in IT. Professionally, I am Digital Marketing
Manager with Intercontinental Hotel Group.
My hobby is classical Indian dancing which I
did a fair bit in Adelaide.
What is Games host Grant Denyer like
- just as charming, bubbly and humorous
as he comes out on the TV screen?
He is a terrific entertainer who puts
everyone at ease. He is extremely spontaneous, interacting well with all the families on
the show. He enjoys himself and makes
everyone comfortable, she said.
How did you react to Grant teasing
Shilpa, Doing a Shilpa with the studio
audience chanting and clapping in unison
after she scored four zeroes on the first day
in Fast Money?
Oh we all loved it, she replied chuckling away. On the whole, although we were
nervous as the show was pre-recorded, we
enjoyed ourselves laughing most of the time.
Thank you for the time, Preethi. Our congratulations and best wishes to you, Ajay,
Dad and your younger sister Doing it a
Shilpa!
The Mohan family: (from left) Preethi (captain), Shilpa, Ajay and Mohan.
COMMUNITY
A wedding with a lot of layers

By Neena Badhwar
much awaited play of
Girish Karnad directed by
Sydneys Saba Abdi with
actors of the Adakar Theatre &
Cultural Group was staged at
NIDA on May 1, 2016.
Watched by a packed Sydney
audience it drew a mixed response.
Wedding Album depicts the lives
of women from different generations that included a maid servants
story interwoven along with the
characters who hail from a family
when its younger daughter is to be
betrothed to a suitable NRI boy
from US. Though the whole drama
is set around the wedding and the
guests who enter the household on
account of it, yet the family goes
through a roller-coaster mix of stories that are linked to its cast, in
one way or another. Family secrets
come out from the closet as the
characters themselves become a
party to the intricacies of plots and
subplots.
Director Saba Abdi herself
introduced the story pretty much in
the beginning, yet it confuses the
viewer whether the story is currently taking place with wedding as
the backdrop. The point that it was
three years ago was missed by
many in the audience. At times the
sequence of events does not match
up as one wonders whether there
are more than the 50 shades of grey
in this Indian drama. Has the plot
moved ahead in years when the son
of the family (played by Vedant
Tijoriwala) is now settled, married
Stories within stories

and a father or that the present
scene of wedding is yet to take
place. Or the girl bride-to-be-inwaiting (played by Pragya
Goswami), a girl playing multiple
personalities when she pretends to
be her maid-servant at the internet
caf she visits often, to do what,
explore her sexuality?
It seems that Girish Karnad has
quite a fertile mind for the Sydney
audience who could not keep up
with the stories and the layers that
were created through its characters. Bobby Maliks role as maid
servant that shone right at the end
could have been exploited a bit
more. Since there were too many
shades to almost all the characters
then why not use grey even for the
head of the household and perhaps
link him up with the maid-servant
as his keep, which could have been
a good reason for her not to leave
the household as well as the reason
of the fear of losing her job. She
could not be that selfish a mother if
Director Saba Abdi is presented with a bouquet by Sheba Nandkeolyar.
there was more than just the reason

of self preservation.
The groom-to-be (played by
Kartik Mohandas) came pretty
much late and went about with a
long monologue while the girl sat
like a dolled up Indian bharatiya
nari subservient and too keen to
move to the US. The girls these
days in India can be quite demanding and not as willing to be door
mats as expected. When inside at
the internet caf she shows her true
colours and grit to fight the Hindu
vigilantes who come barging in.
Perhaps it was too complicated
a play to be handled right though it
is quite contemporary in its content. That the women have not
found their freedom and are shackled to the mindset of the society
which has passed through generations still suppressed in different
ways from old to the new generation as well as from rich to the
poor. Role played by the mother
Aprana Tijoriwala suited her to a
tee. Others of note were, of course,

Bobby Malik as the maid-servant
and Nissar Sirguroh as an uncle.
Others did well but some scenes at
times were very good and at other
times they sank with characters
looking a little lost. All in all the
play Wedding Album is a good
effort and we are sure that some of
the dialogues could be changed to
suit the current set of situations.
We raised an eyebrow and also our
ears when Kartik says on the
phone, Oh so Donald has got the
nomination. We all know who
that is and dread Americas future
as well as that of the worlds.
Director Saba Abdi tried her
best but the script was a bit complicated and confusing to portray
not just for her but also for the
audience to capture. Though some
scenes did leave an impact and
intrigue when Aparna Tijoriwala is
put on the spot due to her brotherin-laws mischief of naming the
younger daughter as the father in
her birth certificate. It did bring the

best in Aparna and the characters
around her, Preeti Thadani and
Amitav Goswami. The end scene
was the best as the actors introduced each other and took a bow.
A huge line up of people who put
in the hard yards for months.
Definitely one ought to include the
wonderful music as a backdrop
contributed by Sumathi Krishnan
and her rendition of Kaaye ko
biahi bidesh and Sita Kalyanam,
sound engineer Sunil Kumar and
lighting by Dhruv Jyoti Ghosh both
did a good job. Set design was by
Rajeev Maini and was tastefully
done. Mala Mehta and Saba both
designed the costumes and the
props. The play generally was
well liked by most of the audience
as one walked out of the hall and
heard from a few a bit of a mixed
reaction. There is definitely a keen
audience building up here that
looks forward to Indian-centric
plays and themes. Let us see.
Indian ragas have the power to heal: Madhvi Mohindra

By Rekha Rajvanshi
usic not only entertains us, it lifts
our mood, reduces anxiety, raises
motivation and helps combat
insomnia and depression.
A recent study by Stanford University
shows that depressed patients gain selfesteem and their mood improves after music
therapy. On 16th May 2016, INNER
GLANCE, Dr. Madhvi Mohindras organization, launched mental health and counselling services through a workshop
Healing with Ragas. This was the first
ever workshop on this important subject in
Australia. In the workshop, Madhvi
Mohindra explained how Music and Music
therapy works.
She highlighted how stress, depression
and anxiety are affecting Australian people.
According to Australian Psychology
Society, the social and economic cost of
depression in Australia is staggering.
Depression costs the Australian economy
approximately $12.6 billion per year and
accounts for up to six million working days
of
lost
productivity
(www.beyondblue.org.au), and there are
significant personal and social costs to individuals and their families, which is associ-
Sydneysiders at Madhvi Mohindras Healing with Ragas workshop

ated with depression. Madhvi mentioned
that anger and irritability play a big role in
family conflict, while high levels of anxiety
and panic attacks may lead to heightened
dependence on family members. In a substantial number of cases, risk of suicide also
puts the family on high alert and can lead to
high levels of stress amongst family members. She informed the audience that cheaper alternatives such as music therapy are
also available to solve such problems.
Madhvi has a PhD in Music
(Therapeutic effect of music on stress

depression and anxiety) and believes that
Indian Classical Music Therapy is an effective therapeutic tool. Not many people
understand the importance of music therapy.
Raga performances create sensations in
human mind. The raga-generated sensations
are different for different ragas. Indian Raga
therapy is 4000 BC old and it is mentioned
in Sam Veda. Madhvi explained how ragas
affect our body, behaviour and brain. She
said music can impact different people
thoughts differently and the imbalanced

body Chakras can be balanced with Music
therapy.
Madhvi is a passionate music therapist
and offers free workshops. Her mantra, she
says, I want to let people know the benefits
of music and Ragas as a therapeutic tool. I
am open to come and do free workshops at
peoples workplaces or organizations. If
they want to contact me they can go to our
website (www.innerglance.com.au) and
send us an e-mail.
Community
By Nitasha Bhatia
es, its that time of the year again,
wedding season is upon us. I love
weddings; I mean what is there
not to love! Its my one chance to dress up
in my favourite sari, adorn myself with
glittery bangles, get my hands painted
with mehndi, stuff my face with way too
much Indian food and, of course, dance
the night away to the latest Bollywood
beats.
Yes, one thing is for certain, Indian
weddings are definitely a huge spectacle,
filled with entertainment, food and frivolity. The Australian Securities and
Investment Commission (ASIC) says that
the average Australian spends $36,000
dollars on saying I do. Indian weddings, however, tend to be even more
exorbitant. Indian parents spend years
wishing, hoping and praying that their
children get married and want to have the
grandest wedding possible. Its no wonder
that the average Indians budget is close to
$65,000 dollars, close to double the rest
of the population.
Having been brought up by a Punjabi
father, over the years I have attended my
fair share of Punjabi weddings. The
Punjabi wedding motto seems to be do
everything king-size.
As much as I enjoy the fun of Indian
weddings, the pressure to be married off
before I become damaged goods is
something Ive become well accustomed
to.
For me it started early, from the ripe
age of twenty-one. I vividly recall being
asked at a family friends wedding So
when is it going to be your turn?
Gradually the questions got worse, So
you are done with uni, whats next?
Maybe its time to find you a nice boy.
And theres more, if you dont get in
quick youll be left with the duds.
Yes, Ive heard it all.
As an Indian-Australian, Ive grown
up navigating two different cultures and
essentially two different mindsets. Finding
a partner is not as simple as it used to be.
For todays generation dating is an amalgamation of apps like Tinder and Badoo,
and the (in)famous matrimonial website:
shaadi.com.
By contrast, arranged marriages were
the most common and widely accepted
avenue for my parents generation. When
choosing a partner, more emphasis was
placed on the marriage between two families, rather than that of two individuals.
However, as Indian women of today,
the prospect of marrying without love is
something we eschew.
Recently, SBS featured an observational documentary that followed two
Indian Australians, Dalvinder and Tarun,
on their quest to find love before the formidable age of thirty. Whilst the documentary made for an evening of light
hearted entertainment, it also had a deeper undertone. Director Sean Cousin put a
There is no denying
that seeing an Indian
bride brimming with
happiness on her
wedding day, in her
embellished crimson
lehenga and dupatta,
decked out with gold
jewellery is a feast
to the eyes.
There is no denying that seeing an

Indian bride brimming with happiness on
her wedding day, in her embellished crimson lehenga and dupatta, decked out with
gold jewellery is a feast to the eyes. And
watching a couple cement their commitment to each other through the act of
walking the saat phere (seven rounds)
around the blazing fire is a beautiful sight.
Nevertheless, todays generation of
women are in no rush to walk down the
aisle. Women today now enjoy high-powered careers and more freedom than our
predecessors, this has turned marriage
into a choice, not destiny. Its no surprise
then that so many of us are enjoying being
single ladies.
Yet whatever side of the fence you are
on whether you are in favour of love
marriage, arranged or not getting married
at all, the institution of marriage still plays
an integral part in each of our lives and
yields significant social benefits to the
wider community.
Ive given you my take on it. Whats
yours?
spotlight on the struggle todays generation face to live out the Western ideal
around finding your one true love while
balancing the expectations of their Indian
parents.
Maybe this is the reason we tune out
whenever our parents mention the topic of
marriage?
I recently was talking to a group of
girlfriends, all of whom are in their midtwenties, about our plans for the next five
years. We covered an array of subjects
from travelling to New York, to moving
out and buying our first home.
Surprisingly though not one of us mentioned marriage.
Perhaps it is just my generations attitude, having been brought up in the postfeminist world filled with ample opportunities? According to The Economist magazine, women of today, aged 25 to 34, are
the first generation to start their careers
nearly on par with men, earning 93% of
mens wages. Single women of today also
buy homes at a faster rate than single men.
With this rise in women empowerment, combined with rising divorce rates
and life expectancies, its easy to see why

so many women are putting marriage on
the backburner. More and more women
today are opting to focus on their careers
and stretch out their singlehood. We are
the YOLO (you only live once) generation who have taken living in the moment
to new heights.
One thing is for sure. The complexities
of marriage for our generation are more
so than ever before. Being born or
brought up in Australia, the culture clash
makes marriage even more confusing. We
face questions like:
Should I say yes to my mums offer
to set me up with that Hindu-Brahmin,
vegetarian engineer, who is also well
versed in Carnatic music?
Or, just continue swiping right on
Tinder?
As a woman of today, do I really want
or need to get married?
I agree marriage is a beautiful thing. It
represents the union of two people.
Marriage is a sacred institution underpinned by trust, respect, loyalty and commitment.
The complexities of marriage for our

generation are more so than ever before.
Being born or brought up in Australia,
the culture clash makes marriage even
more confusing, writes Nitasha Bhatia.
Community
SYDNEY DANCE FESTIVAL

A RUNAWAY SUCCESS
By Sumi Krishnan
adhuram Academy of
Performing
Arts
(MAPA)
presented
their third annual Festival of
Classical Indian Dance in Sydney
on April 16, a six-hour-long
repertoire of Indian classical
dance. Presented by Dr. Divya
Sriram and backed by her mother
Kalpana Sriram, director MAPA,
held at Bryan Brown Theatre in
Bankstown, the festival was a
runaway success.
In a stand out performance
drawing from the traditions of
yakshagaana (dance that was
performed outdoors with intermingling spoken work deliveries), Sreelakshmy Govardhanan
stole the show with her
Kuchipudi dance performance.
Sreelakshmy introduced and
explained each item and demonstrated how she would use various bhavas and abhinayas to narrate the story through dance. Her
simple introduction made the item
more meaningful and engaged
and prepared the audience.
Sreelakshmy, an exemplary
Kuchipudi dancer, broke new
realms in not only her dance technique but also in choosing pieces
for the Madhuram Festival of
Dance, which were truly unique
and different. She captivated the
audience with her bhavas as the
beautiful Mandodari who finally
gives in to the charms of the tenheaded Ravana and be his wife.
Her next piece Siggayeno
Yemma when she shies away
from telling her friend her husbands name was rendered beautifully. Sreelakshamys expressions told everything as the Jathis
she performed were exquisite.
She was equally good in por-
Christopher Gurusamy
traying Poothana a negative
character as the demoness who
comes to Krishnas house to poison the baby by feeding him on
her breast milk. Sreelakshamy
quite vividly captured the expressions of someone in excruciating
pain as poison fills the body when
baby Krishna sucks life out of her
and relieves her from her present
demon form.
Finally, though the audience
could not have enough of this
exceptional Kuchipudi dancer,
Sreelakshamy was equally adept
at dancing on a plate and quite
skilful as she moved around
effortlessly. Sydneysiders were
totally mesmerised by her performance as many keen fans
came to meet her in person after-
Consul General Vanlalvawna at the festival with Dr. Divya

Sriram, Kalpana Sriram, Raj Datta and Dak Sriram
Sreelakshmy, brilliant performance
wards outside the hall.

Vishal Krishna, the Kathak
exponent belonging to a long lineage of dancers from the Benaras
Gharana and grandson of Kathak
Queen Sithara Devi, entered the
stage like the magnificent
Nataraj. Standing tall with one
leg lifted, Vishals cosmic dance
was light footed as he heralded
the many rhythmic turns and
twists with accurate arithmetic
meticulousness.
Breaking into a feminine role
of Kaushalya in Tumaka Chalatha
Rama Chandra, Vishals expressive portrayal of chasing little
Rama who hides from him, then
picking him up and playing with
him, were very picturesque and
beautiful.
The Tarana that followed continued to display more complex

footwork with rapid turns in fast
succession to the tune of Ragam
Kalavati in Amir Khusros composition. Vishal concluded with a
Meera Bhajan, in Barse Badariya
Sawan Ki, with Meera awaiting
her beloved Shri Krishna as thunder, lightning and rain reflect her
yearning for Lord Krishna.
Divya Shiva Sundar, the torch
bearer of the Dhananjayan stylisation of Bharathanatyam, portrayed Matha Parashakthi in
Bharathiyars composition set to a
ragamalika, which was introspective, restrained and controlled in
the main piece of her recital the
Varnam.
Her next item of Chaliye
MP Dr Geoff Lee with Christopher Gurusamy

and Kalpana Sriram
Kunjana Mo described the love

between Radha and Krishna when
they meet amidst the kukkoo
birds, to the accompanying flute,
beside the river Yamuna,
Brindavani came to life in Swati
Tirunals poetry.
Followed by Idai vida set to
ragam Saveri when the heroine
accuses Muruga of having cheated on her. She concluded with a
thillana in Kuntalavarali composed by BMK.
Christopher Gurusamy, a
Kalakshetra graduate and a
dancer from Leela Samsons production company, he was energy
personified. His Aramandi was
exhilarating, his leaps and jumps
produced
some
breathless
moments. In the traditional recital
format true to this form of dance,
he
commenced
describing
Muruga, the God on the Peacock,
followed by an Alarippu.
In the main piece, the
Varnam, Christopher maintained
audience attention as he advanced
through the various expressions,
stories and cryptic rhythmic patterns. He too successfully traversed the journey as he swapped
in an instant being the heroine
and then the hero. He concluded
with
Jayadevas
Ashtapadi
Kshana Madhuna in Ragam
Dwijvanti, followed by a Javali
both choreographed by Bragha
Bessell and finished with a
thillana. It is good to see young
dancers such as Christopher
Gurusamy in Sydney as part of
this Festival.
Community
Chef Vikrant Kapoor of the Darling Harbour restaurant talks to TIDU.
Zaaffran was started by Firdous Zulfikar with the well known Chef Vikrant Kapoor (left)
The presentation is a sheer delight for the eyes.
By Neena Badhwar
e sit here in Sydney and
drool when we think of
the fabulous street food
of India. How the khomcha walas
in the street call out with all those
spicy, tangy and fresh food specialties - Chhole Bhature,
Samosas, Chaat, Panipuris, Mung
Dal Pakoris, Kebabs, Tikkas, Bhel
Puri, Dahi Bhallas, just to name a
few. Each vendor has his own speciality, his own unique call out.
Just take the example of the
humble chhole (chick pea/grams)
and the variety of ways it is cooked
- Peepe wale, Pateele wale,
Keechad chhole - each so different
in flavour and taste and served on
shiny leaves with different hues of
chutneys.
Go to Mumbais Juhu beach
and you have Bhel Puri and Pao
bhaji. Go to Gujarat: one is offered
aloo puri, theplas, dhokla, handyo,
dabeli and, down South, one can
feast on dosas, idlis and vadas all
cheap and cooked right in front of
your eyes. The genuine regional
food variety is not commonplace in
the a-la-carte menus of Indian
restaurants in Australia.
Zaaffran at Darling Harbour
changed the equation some 17
years ago with experimentation on
Indian food. Started by Firdous
Zulfikar with the well known Chef
Vikrant Kapoor, it created an
euphoria for a finer variety of
Indian palette for discerning taste
buds.
Vikrant Kapoor not only
offered tasty Indian food but
served it with a presentation that
was a sheer delight for the eyes as
At Zaaffran small plates served are continuously, one after the other, for people to sample a lot of things in one sitting.
well. Zaaffrans menu was always
evolving with Vikrant coming up
with beautiful Indian dishes as it
built a loyal following.
Recently in April, Zaaffran
offered a peek into its new
Khoomcha menu street food
served in style, creating a fresh
taste for patrons from the business
community and from the nearby
citys high rise dwellers.
TIDU got a taste of Zaaffrans
new menu on May 3 at its media
event and also talked to Chef
Vikrant about food and his tasty
innovations inspired by the street
food of India. Here is what he
says:
On Khoomcha menu
Chef Vikrant Kapoor: We do
more to what we do to entice local
palate. These are small plates
served continuously, one after the
other, for people to sample a lot of
things in one sitting. Things will
keep coming as you eat and drink,
similar to India when people go to
a market place. They do not eat
just one thing; they taste various
things and come back home all
well fed having feasted on many
different dishes.
I started to work on the menu

last year and tried it for 2-3
months before offering them to our
patrons. We welcomed their feedback and then finalised this menu.
What about the famous
Panipuri?
VK: Yes, we have that but I
tend to make it spicy, tangy and
sweet by adding fresh pomegranate. On the night we served
Beetroot Patties more of an
earthy flavour, gilavaat kebabs
rotis from lamb cooked slowly.
There are thousands of such dishes
and I am still learning after 17
years of being here and having
worked at the Taj and Oberoi earlier, where I met chefs from many
parts and regions of India and
learnt as I went. We used to share
our cooking secrets with each
other and that is how it evolved for
me.
You seem to like Saffron a
lotany other favourites?
VK: Yes this is one of my
favourite spices. Hence the name
Zaaffran. My wife is of Persian
origin and a very good cook with
Persian dishes. I tend to use spices
sparingly. They should not over-
shadow a chicken, a bhindi or any other. They

should complement them,
rather. Like the way Maa
(mother) used to make it.
Simple, yet never overpowering. Indian food
has, only in the last few
decades, become commercial. It used to be
home cooked based on
The ambience is evocative
rational cooking. But now
it is bustling all over. Using too chilli rates the highest on Scoville
much spice is not what Indian food Scale at around 1 million SHU.
Can you comment on what is
is. The spices should be used quite
subtly. Yes, Saffron is my being churned out in eateries
favourite and it costs the same as here in the name of Indian food?
VK: Sorry, no comment. But I
gold.
How hot you make your food can say that some of us are doing
and what has been the response? justice to Indian food. I can proudVK:
There
are
some ly say Zaffraan is one such place.
Australians who like it very hot. And for the rest, all I can say is
But they are only a few. Once I you get what you pay for.
One last question, who feeds
tried a dish using Bhut Jolokia
chillies the hottest chillies in the Vikrant Kapoor, the chef who
world. Some of our patrons ate it feeds Sydney?
VK: My wife cooks at home. I
willingly and relished on it.
Though I had to take it out of the occasionally help. At times we go
menu as it was not popular with out with kids to Haymarket for
everyone. By the way, when I Chinese food. We also like
made it we had to wear masks to Lebanese food. Japanese and Thai
make the dish as you know this are also on our list of favourites.
Community
By Neena Badhwar
ndian community is greying since the
ones who came in the 60s and the 70s
when Australia opened its door to
Asians. The Indians who passed the immigration points, then, were mainly doctors,
engineers and teachers. Now they make up
the retiree force as they enter into their
sixties, seventies and the eighties.
So also has sprouted the need for
Indian associations that serve the needs of
its seniors. Indian Senior Group Hornsby
recently celebrated its tenth anniversary.
ISGH founder Meera Raheja was honoured at the function in the presence of
Consul General Mr. B. Vanlalvawna and
his wife along with other guests who
graced the occasion.
Mrs. Raheja, frail and weak though
she is, remembered all those people who
had helped her form the much needed senior group. Her vision ten years ago could
look into the future and see the rising aged
care related needs of the Indian seniors.
The flagship ISGH which is flying high
and now at its helm is Dave Passi with his
wife Kanchan. Not only they both put in
hard work they keep the seniors entertained. Dave and Kanchan as active seniors look after the older seniors. The
activities are well planned in advance.
There are games, interactive activities,
songs, dances as well as talk by specialists
on aging, health issues and yoga sessions.
Dave Passi has also tried to introduce
basic computer sessions to familiarise the
seniors with the social media of today
such as Facebook, email and other tools
so that people can stay in touch with the
world. Otherwise life can be quite lonely
for the Indian elderly. On the 10th
anniversary ISGH also announced the
newly acquired 12-seater van which stood
proudly outside Epping Leisure Centre
decorated with balloons. The vehicle will
be used to transport people to and from
their place to attend the much needed
social outings that the members eagerly
look out for.
Says Dave, ISGH president who has
just recently finished a course on Senior
Leadership Training, We follow the
guidelines of myagedcare introduced by
the commonwealth government. Recently
weve had talks on hypnotherapy, senior
rights, an audiologist, dementia and
Centre Link. We help impart information
and look after the general wellbeing of our
members.
Dave adds, The bus has really helped
some of the people who cannot go at night
to functions. The response has been great
from the community with some quiet
donations from well wishers.
It was Senior Week recently which
usually falls in March but it was celebrated in April this year and Sri Om Care
foundation held its own function with over
400 people, all older, yet an active lot,
with singing, dancing, skits and even a
fashion parade. The one skit that caught
the eye was an old lady who keeps on
brooming her sons place diligently every
day when one day she hurts her back and
is then comforted by a social worker. She
Indian Senior Group Hornsbys newly acquired 12-seater van will be used to transport people to & from their place to attend social outings.
is advised to go and enjoy at the Sri Om
Care Centre and not overwork.
This is what the seven Sri Om Care
Centres are doing around Sydney. They
boast full attendance with members who
enjoy the day and snatch some fine hours
with education, merriment and are simply
made to feel special. Birthdays, anniversaries, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and
Indian festivals as well as important
Australian days are celebrated with equal
ease in an atmosphere of fun, laughter and
friendship. Sri Om Care specialises in
short respite and long day care for its
members. It provides fresh food to its
members, tea, snacks with gentle care by
its workers who are trained in aged care.
The best aspect is that these workers serve
the seniors with lots of love, care and
encourage participation by all. Respect
and love for the elderly is inbuilt in Indian
genes but the Sri Om Care angels definitely have it in them.
Sri Om Care Senior Week skit.
ISGH's10th anniversary cake cutting ceremony with its founder Mira Raheja, Consul
General Mr Vanlalvawna and members
Suheela John in another skit
Mrs Savita Patel during Sri Om Care's

fashion parade catwalk.
community
Samnatha
has travelled
to India
before.
Samantha Gash, an ultra-marathon runner from Melbourne, will run West to East
across India starting on August 22. She will visit 18 development projects along the
route and will be talking about her project as part of the AustraliaIndia Youth dialogue. She will also raise funds for World Vision India.
By Neena Badhwar
ndia lately has turned into a
favourite haunt of Aussie
ultra-marathon runners Samantha Gash now running
West-East across India following
Pat Farmers much hyped 4,600
km Kanyakumari to Kashmir run
which he completed on March 30.
Samantha will be doing it
easy, relatively speaking, doing
nearly a marathon a day compared to Pats two. Starting on
August 22, she plans to run for 76
days, approximately a distance of
4,000 km, averaging about 50km
a day.
Samantha aims to collect
funds for World Vision India,
which looks at raising awareness
on health education, malnutrition,
sanitation facilities and a whole
variety of difficulty barriers to do
with health and hygiene. The
projects are related to water,
hygiene, eco development and
community related issues.
What inspired Samantha - a

lawyer turned marathon runner
- to take up this ambitious run
through India?
In 2011 I went to Leh in
Ladakh and spent quite a bit of
time there. I was really impressed
with the beautiful landscape and
the people when I thought, why
not see more of India, she says.
Samantha is starting her run in
the west from the deserts to the
mountains, from Rajasthans
Jaisalmer city and ending in the
east in Meghalaya.
She says she is quite simplistic

in her approach as she is taking
her 12-space campervan from
Australia that she owns. Itll
have its own driver, a security
guard, a chef, she says, as she
runs ahead with the campervan
following her.
The idea is to do it in a simple way and spend as much time
as I can with the people.
Samantha will visit 18 development projects along the route
and will be talking about her project as part of the Australia-India
Youth dialogue.
How has she prepared for
this run which is kind of a super
test of ones endurance; what
went into planning?
I have done Simpson Desert
in 2012 and also Asian countries.
I collaborate with people who
work out the logistics.
It is a challenge, though, and
its not easy. One must have a
strong motivation reminding oneself that we are very lucky and
some of us have not chosen to be
in poverty.
Moreover, I love exploring
countries, cultures, different people and I know in my heart that I
am running for a reason, says
Samantha.
What kind of preparatory
routine Samantha follows?
I do altitude training, normal
and mountain bike riding, yoga
and a lot of visualisation. My
training tends to be very holistic, says Samantha.
A corporate lawyer, Samantha Gash has changed the course of her life to be able to connect to a wider
audience and make a difference in the life of common people.
And what about diet?
I have a fridge, a freezer and
a cook on board who will cook
simple dishes for me. It is mainly
a vegetarian Indian diet and I take
supplements, vitamins and electrolytes and, of course, plenty of
water, whatever the body needs
according to the day ahead.
How did she decide to leave
a successful corporate law profession and take up this as a
way of life?
Says Samantha, I find more

meaning in work that is not profit based. I wanted to bring about
social change as a lawyer. But it
would have been restricted to
whoever comes to us as a client.
But this way I am able to connect
to a wider audience and make a
difference in the life of common
people. Its my way of making an
impact on people. Not to prove
myself as a better athlete but a
very adaptable one.
Samantha wants the local
Indian community to join in her

effort and engage with her
through her website where she
will be posting live, unscripted
version of her run every day. She
hopes people will support her
ambitious marathon and encourage her all the way through this
project that she has undertaken.
Samanthas website blog
address is:
www.runindia.org,au.
Facebook: Run India 2016
Community
Shirdi Sai Temple comes

to Regents Park
By Manju Mittal
early six thousand devotees attended
the three-day-long grand opening
ceremony of the Shirdi Sai Temple at
Regents Park in Sydney during April 15-17.
The newly constructed Sai Temple, Babas
third temple in Sydney, was inaugurated on
the auspicious day of Ram Navami.
The beautiful marble idol of Sai baba was
proudly ensconced in the shrine in an atmosphere of bhajans, chants, hymns and dances.
It looks at you with all its karuna and loving gaze when one bows in front of it with
reverence. The idol was sculpted by Rajiv
Talim whose grandfather, late B V Talim,
carved the original Baba idol in Shirdi, India.
Being a Sai Baba devotee myself and a
regular visitor of Shirdi Sai Temple in India,
the moment I entered Regents Park Sai
Temple I felt overwhelmed as if I were in
Shirdi. Surely, it would have created similar
feelings in thousands of other devotees who
came for Babas darshan. Sydneys Babas
idol is so similar to the one in Shirdi and so
divine that it feels as if Sai Baba is really
looking at you.
The traditional ceremony of lighting of
lamps, Sai Baba Palki and dance on dholak
was performed to mark the inauguration of
the temple on this auspicious occasion.
Everyone participated with a lot of devotion
and religious fervour. Thousand of devotees
chanted Babas name during the abhishek and
immersed themselves in his glory. It was a
historic day for Sydney and blessing of Shirdi
Sai Baba is there now for us all for years to
come. Delicious Sai bhandara prasad was
served to all the devotees after the inauguration.
Jody McKay, Member for Strathfield;
Craig Laundy, Federal Member for Reid,
and many other dignitaries were present on
the occasion. The highlight of the opening
ceremony was the Jugalbandi live painting by
Navneet Agnihotri at Sai temple on April 16,
organised by V3 Events and Entertainment
and Avoyasa Entertainments in association
with Sai Temple Sydney. Bhajans were performed in the evenings by well known singer
Vijay Jogia and his team.
A few years ago, Baba devotees Jack
Tolani and Dr. Hemchander Rao took this
ambitious initiative and formed the Trust of
Babas idol in the new temple in Sydney is similar to the one in Shirdi, India.
Shirdi Sai Temple Sydney with a plan to
build Shirdi Sai Baba temple.
With Sai babas infinite blessings and
the support of Sydney devotees, we have
finally been able to build this temple for
Shirdi Baba and welcome Him. Our aim was
to construct a Shirdi Sai temple in the Auburn
area, which is a centre for social and spiritual activities promoting Sai Babas message of
Shraddha (Faith) and Saburi (Patience). Our
vision is to spread the message of love, kindness, unity and make a meaningful contribution to the welfare of the mankind without
any distinction of religion or personal
belief, Jack Tolani said.
Do visit the Sai Temple, experience
Babas presence and His kind gaze and be
blessed.
For temple timings and general information please visit the temple website at
www.shirdisai.org.au
Vijay Jogia and party singing Sai bhajans
Dr. Hem Chander Rao, Jack Tolani, Jody McKay,

NSW MP for Strathfield, and Aruna Chandrala
Devotees thronged the temple for the inauguration
Body Mind Spirit
A mere 90-minute drive south from Melbourne takes you to the

world famous Summerland Beach where the Penguin Parade
takes place amidst picturesque settings.
By K. Raman
ustralia is a land packed with
natural wonders the Great
Barrier Reef, mighty Uluru,
spectacular Katherine Gorge, the
Great Ocean Road and its Twelve
Apostles - are only a few among
scores of others that are unparalleled
for their beauty. But a parade of Fairy
penguins at the Philip Island in
Victoria is a spectacle not to be
missed.
A mere ninety minute southerly
drive from Melbourne takes you to the
world famous Summerland Beach
where the Penguin Parade takes place
amidst picturesque settings. Created in
1996, it is a conservation Park where
32,000 Fairy Penguins live in harmony and entertain tourists every day.
Fairy Penguins are fishing marvels, a part of the bird species of
EUDYPTULA minor, weighing 1.5
kg, and 33 cm in height. They are
from the 17 Penguin species seen on
earth whose life span is only six
years.
Fairy Penguins are seen only in
Australia and New Zealand. Their inground accommodation is called
Burrow. They spend one day to four
weeks at a stretch in the sea depending on availability of the feed. They
are master divers who can dive up to
72 metres, their longest recorded time
to make a super dive is 1 minute 56
seconds in motion.
Male Fairies are distinguished
from females by their beaks. Females
have thinner beaks compared to males
who also have a distinct hook at the
end of their beaks. Their modified
wings are called flippers. Their stream
lined body structure makes them marvellous swimmers. Water proof feathers, a salt gland above their eyes to
filter salt from sea water, with an oil
generating gland to spread oil on the
feather top are all features that adapt
them to survive in water for long
durations.
It is a pleasure to watch these
stumpy elegant swimmers in water
while they waddle through the sandy
beach with a languid, clumsy looking
Chaplin style walk, moving their
bodies from side to side in an exaggerated fashion.
The Fairy spectacular happens
every night for a duration of 50 minutes from the time the first small
group of early arrivals cross on to
land from the roaring wind swept
ocean. As minutes tick by, the group
arriving from the frothy sea becomes
The author with his family enjoying the Penguin Parade.
bigger and bigger and they waddle up

the beach to the safety of their burrows. When the sun sets, the sea
looks a dark mass but tourists can
view the arrival of the Fairies in the
illumination provided at the entry
point of the Summarland beach
mouth, near which the viewers are
seated in a viewing stand known as
the Theatrette.
The Rangers at the venue are very
helpful and courteous and they follow
strict adherence to rules requiring
everyone to be seated 20 minutes
before the first batch of penguins
arrive. Photography is strictly prohibited in the viewing area. The flash
agitates the Fairies and may make
them disoriented. During our visit, at
around 7.15 pm, five penguins
emerged from the sea and soon larger
groups began appearing on the sandy
beach. Each one from the 32,000 living in close proximity knew where his
or her burrow was and straight went
to their home sweet home without any
confusion. The young chicks venture
A Fairy Penguin coming out of its Burrow. Fairy Penguins are to be found only in
Australia and New Zealand, and is one of the known 17 Penguin species.
out of their burrows looking for their

parents but the unrelated Fairies pass
by and only stop when their chicks are
spotted. It is hard to explain the
excitement of the chicks when they

meet their parents. A visit to this
event is something divine; you cannot
find another show to match this.
28 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER June-July 2016
Santram's Grey Page
Health and Wellbeing

By Santram Bajaj
Six healthy facts

about eggs
ggs were out of favour health-wise
for years. Now experts say they're
a great protein option, packed with
nutrients. Here are half a dozen facts about
eggs that may surprise you. There's nothing like an egg for a quick snack and they
are an essential ingredient in many delicious recipes but there are myths and misunderstandings that should be laid to rest
before cracking your next egg.
1. Eggs do not affect heart health
It was once thought eggs were bad for
your cholesterol. But what's far more likely to send your 'bad' blood cholesterol
shooting up is eating saturated fat or trans
fat (a fat found in many deep-fried and
commercially baked products). There is
little saturated fat and no trans fat in eggs,
but they do contain good amounts of
omega-3 fats that have been proven to benefit heart health in multiple ways. The
Heart Foundation says, "In a healthy balanced diet low in saturated fat, individuals
can consume up to six eggs per week without adversely affecting cardiovascular disease outcomes."
2. You can poison yourself and your
friends with poorly-handled eggs
Before you serve that mousse, mayonnaise or tiramisu, consider this: foods
made with raw or minimally cooked eggs
are the most common cause of food-borne
salmonella outbreaks in Australia. Eggs
can carry bacteria from dirt or chicken poo
which may be on the outside of their
shells. When this bacteria comes into con-
The spread of flu by small particles,

after coughing and speaking,
can spread up to 2.5 metres.
Health experts
warn of severe
flu season
ustralia is headed for a severe flu
season with doctors advising people to take precautions to protect
themselves from getting sick and spreading the virus.
Australia has had a 47 per cent increase
in confirmed cases of influenza this year,
with 11,000 cases already reported. But
doctors say it's not too late to get an annual flu jab, even though we're almost halfway through the flu season. Vaccine is
now available and in most cases it is free.
GPs do have the vaccine in their clinics
and they are actively encouraging people
to have the vaccine.
Infection control expert at the
University of NSW, Professor MaryLouise McLaws, says it's really difficult
to avoid catching the flu if you haven't
been vaccinated.
"The flu is transmitted by large and
small particles. The large, or droplet-size,
fall fast but the spread of flu by small particles, after coughing and speaking, can
spread up to 2.5 metres," she says.
"Influenza particles can be spread by
just talking and breathing, so, if someone
is incubating the flu, they are most infective two to three days before they get
symptoms."
Professor McLaws explains that an
infected person could be sitting on the
same bus or train as you and be spreading
the flu virus without any obvious sign,
which is one of the reasons it's so difficult
to control.
"You have to be very vigilant with your
hand washing and coughing," she says.
You should also try and avoid touching
your face as much as possible, as virus
particles need to make their way into your
nose. This can happen if you put your finger up your nose or even touch your eyes.
(Viruses in the eye can travel to the nose
through the tear ducts.)
Doctors are encouraging us to consider
our families and work colleagues if we are
feeling unwell with flu-like symptoms of
fever and muscle aches.
McLaws recommends self-isolation and
the careful use and disposal of tissues
together with vigilant hand washing, as
soap and water do kill the virus, augmented by the use of alcohol-based hand rubs.
The fresher the egg, the safer it is so store.

Eggs keep to their best before date if you
store them in their carton, in the fridge
tact with what's inside the shell, trouble
begins.
3. There's nothing magical about egg
white if you're trying to build muscle
Sure, egg whites make a great pavlova
and they are a good source of protein. And
yes, you do need to eat enough protein
when you're trying to build muscle. But
there's not much justification for egg
whites being the 'food of body builders',
says Sarah Dacres-Mannings, a spokesperson for Sports Dieticians Australia. Two
small egg whites are equal to 10g of protein, and they are low in fat, but there is
nothing miraculous about them compared
with other sources of protein. DacresMannings says, "It's also worth remembering that the yolk of the egg contains the
iron."
4. You should wash eggs in the laundry
sink before using them
Bacteria on the shell of an egg can find
its way into the egg as you break it.
Washing your eggs before using them substantially decreases this risk. By washing
them in the laundry sink, you also
decrease the chance any bacteria in the
sink will contaminate other food preparation surfaces. Remember to wash your
hands too!
5. Eggs are freshest when stored in their
cartons in the fridge
The fresher the egg, the safer it is so
store. Eggs keep to their best before date
if you store them in their carton, in the
fridge. If you aren't sure if an egg is fresh,
drop it (gently!) into a bowl of water. If it
floats, it is an old egg and if it sinks, it is
fresh, according to the Australian Egg
Corporation.
6. You should invest in a yolk separator
It's time to invest in one of those cute
fish-shaped egg separators, or a plastic
bottle or whatever works for you just
don't use the shell to separate the egg.
This is how bacteria on the outside of the
shell could make its way into the egg white
and yolk, contaminating whatever it is you
are making, especially if you are only
semi-cooking the dish.
HUMOUR
A woman noticed her husband standing on
the bathroom scale, sucking in his stomach.
Ha! Thats not going to help, she said.
Sure, it does, he said. Its the only
way I can see the numbers.
Disclaimer
The Health tips in the article are taken from
various well established and reliable sources
and are given to you in good faith. However,
readers are reminded to take care and consult
their doctor if not sure, as noresponsibility can
be accepted by the writer of this column or
The Indian Down Under).
Home remedies of mosquitoes bites

osquitoes survive by feeding on
human and animal blood. They use
their thin, sharp and elongated
mouthpart to puncture the skin of the host
and suck up the blood.
Because the puncture is so small, we
often dont feel the bite when it happens. But
the after effects can be very annoying and
potentially harmful.
Some of the symptoms of mosquito bites
are itchiness, swelling, skin rashes, bruising
and occasionally skin infection. Mosquito
bites can also lead to fatal diseases like
malaria and dengue in some parts of the
world.
Ideally, you want to avoid being bitten by
wearing long sleeves and long pants or other
protective measures. But if you are bitten,
there are many natural remedies that can provide symptom relief and help treat the affected area.
Here are home remedies
for mosquito bites.
1. Lemon: Lemons contain natural antiinflammatory and anaesthetic properties that
make them very useful in treating mosquito
bites.
Simply cut a lemon into two pieces and
rub the inside of one of the halves against
your itchy skin for quick relief. You can try
rubbing the yellow rind of the lemon over
your skin too.
Apply lemon juice to the bites to help
reduce the chance of developing an infection.
Another option is to add crushed basil leaves
to lemon juice and apply the mixture onto the
affected area.
inflammatory properties.
Create a paste using a few drops of water
and a small amount of table salt. Apply the
paste onto the area.
6. Ice: Hold an ice pack or some ice wrapped
in a washcloth on the affected area for about
10 to 15 minutes. This will give you quick
relief from the swelling as well as itchiness.
If ice is not available, hold the affected area
under a cool running tap for a few minutes.
osquito bites
m
of
7. Alcohol: Put a small amount of alcohol
s
om
pt
m
sSome of the sy
in rashes, brui
on a cotton ball and rub it onto the affected
sk
g,
lin
el
sw
,
ion.
ct
are itchiness
fe
in
in
sk
skin area. If you do not have rubbing alcoly
onal
ing and occasi
hol, you can use mouthwash that contains a
2. Minced Onion or Garlic: high amount of alcohol or vodka.
Onion and garlic help reduce swelling and 8. Tree Oil: Simply use a cotton ball to
soothe the itching caused by mosquito bites. apply some tea tree oil to the affected area.
Moreover, their strong smell repels insects If you have sensitive skin, do not use tea tree
oil as it can cause skin irritation. You can try
and mosquitoes.
Apply minced onion or garlic directly other essential oils like lavender or cedar oil.
onto the affected area. Leave it on for a few 9. Toothpaste: Toothpaste can help minimize itchiness caused by mosquito bites.
minutes, and then wash it off.
3. Baking Soda: Baking soda can effective- Simply dab some toothpaste onto the affectly stop the itchiness caused by mosquito ed area.
bites. Being alkaline in nature, it neutralizes 10. Aspirin: Grind a regular aspirin into
the pH of the skin and hence provides relief. powder form. Add a few drops of water to
Dissolve one teaspoon of baking soda in make a paste. Apply the paste to the affected
a glass of water. Dip a clean cloth into the area and leave it on for a few hours. Wash it
mixture and put the cloth over the affected off with lukewarm water.
skin area for 10 to 20 minutes.
Omega-3 aids muscle regeneration
4. Aloe Vera: Cut the meaty portion of an
It was first noticed in cattle. Now
aloe vera leaf to extract the gel. Chill the researchers have shown that a diet rich in
aloe vera gel in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 omega-3 fatty acid assists in muscle regenerminutes. Rub it directly onto the affected ation when combined with exercise such as
site.
resistance training. This can be useful for
5. Salt: Salt is another easy remedy for mos- people of all ages including seniors, who
quito bites due to its antiseptic and anti- experience muscle reduction with age.
Body Mind Spirit
Taj Mahal represents perfect

love and Vasthu
VasthuSastra
By T. Selva
oved by its architecture
and much talked about
magnificence, I made a
trip to Taj Mahal recently, a masterpiece of the worlds legacy.
It is dubbed as the most photographed monument of love and
anyone stepping foot there will be
mesmerised by its beauty and the
peaceful energy it exudes.
My recent visit to the integrated complex in Agra was to analyse
the memorial from the Vasthu
Sastra perspective because no
grave in the world can draw over
four million visitors annually.
According to Vasthu practitioners in India, Taj Mahal, one of
the Seven Wonders of the World,
bears influences of the ancient science of construction in its layout,
design and placement of the building.
Built in 1632 by Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan in memory of
his third wife Mumtaj Mahal, the
magnificent white marble structure
sits on a square piece of land as
recommended in Vasthu Sastra.
An awesome sight of grandeur
welcomed me when I entered the
main entrance to the huge courtyard which was lined with trees
and water channels located in the
West.
Taj Mahal has four grand
entrances located in the four compass directions of North, South,
East and West. Each entrance
measures 32m high and was built
with red sandstone. The construction of Taj Mahal took 22 years
and this was marked by the 22
small domes at the main entrance.
My tour guide Furqan Ahmad
Ali was quick to point out that several key aspects of the layout and
design of the monument were in
accordance with the principles of
Vasthu.
According to him, Taj Mahal is
one of the finest examples of
Mughal architecture which combines elements of Persian and
Indian styles. It was designed by
Ustad Isa Afandi of Persian Indian
origin, before he embraced Islam.

The land slopes towards the
North and East which is an auspicious feature in Vasthu; its length
and width are exactly the same as
its height.
As I strolled through the Taj
Gardens lined with flower beds,
fountains and running channels of
water drawn from the Yamuna
River, I stopped to admire its natural beauty which has been preserved for hundreds of years.
The tomb was framed by four
minarets, one at each corner of the
pedestal and reflecting pools.
For every hour of the day and
for every weather condition, the
Taj has its own colour display,
from the dreamy mood at dawn
and the stunning glow of whiteness

at midday, to its romantic glitter in
the moonlight.
I felt a strong energy overwhelming me as I queued and
walked closer and closer to the
tomb. Furqan stopped me in my
tracks and prepared me to experience a sense of contentment and
achievement when walking into the
large white dome.
He asked me to take a look at
the entrance arch which was decorated with messages of love and
peace written in Arabic calligraphy, and motifs of entwined flowers and leaves made by semi-precious stones inlaid in the white
marble. The intricate, decorative
themes are embedded with jade,
crystal, turquoise, lapis lazuli, sapphire, carnelian and other gemstones. This decor was repeated on
the translucent marble throughout
the complex.
No photography was allowed
and there was complete silence
from the crowd as we walked pass
the graves of Empress Mumtaz
Mahal and Emperor Shah Jahan
placed in the middle of the dome.
They were buried along the NorthSouth axis an appropriate position for the departed. The inner
chamber was dimly lit. The air was
still and I felt a chill as I bowed
and paid my respect.
Taj Mahal is a burial site but
people who visit the grounds
return home feeling blessed that
they experienced something that

words could not explain.
For many people, the Taj
Mahal is a symbol of overwhelming love. It sends a strong but subtle message on the importance of
strengthening bonds and relationships between loved ones.
Designated by UNESCO as a
heritage site in 1983, today Taj
Mahal remains a source of admiration.
T. Selva is the author of the
bestseller book titled Vasthu Sastra
Guide for peace, happiness and
prosperity. To get a copy contact
Devi at 0412623017. He can be
contacted at drtselvas@gmail.com
Website: www.vasthusastra.com
Matrimonials
Mat16052016MM. Match for my daughter

Hindu Gujarati Australian born brought up vegetarian well cultured 28 year old girl, beautiful, fair, tall
5.7, educated completed Diploma in Paralegal and
also Completed Bachelor of Business and Currently
Studying Bachelor of Law - University of Western
Sydney Rose Hill Part time while working full time
with Department of Immigration. Looking for a
Hindu, fair, tall and handsome, vegetarian non
smoker and non drinker preferred, 5.10ft to 6 ft. tall
highly educated please contact by email - krishnagopee9@gmail.com
Mat170616MS. Looking for a suitable match

for boy, 39 year old, 5 8 tall, divorcee. Running an
Australian Grill restaurant. Hindu, educated, good
traditional values would like a girl from Australia
with similar values and traditions. Divorcees can
apply. Belongs to well settled family with grandparents and uncles living in Sydney. Write to: The
Indian Down Under, PO Box 99, Thornleigh NSW
2120 quoting Mat no.: Mat170616MS.
Mat140616DH. Qualified professional match
for Bengali boy, Australian citizen, 31, 510,
Master in Finance, FRM, Manager in a leading

bank. Girl should be Hindu, 23 28 years, slim, professionally qualified, Australian Citizen or PR.
Please send details to vidhu7612@gmail.com
Mat190616SG. Suitable alliance sought from
girls 28-30 for a boy 33 years, 511tall, finishing
MBBS internship at the end of this year. Family
well settled in Australia, Hindu and believes in
Indian tradition and well versed in western ways.
Girls from similar academic background, preferably
from families living in Australia with similar beliefs
and respect for Indian culture. Write to; The Indian
Down Under PO Box 99 Thornleigh NSW 2120
quoting Mat No.: Mat190616SG
Mat200616VG. Suitable matrimonial alliance
sought from boys 30-34 years for a 56 tall doctor
girl, specialising currently. Belongs to well settled
Hindu family and is comfortable with both in Indian
as well as western culture. Local boys from similar
family background, doctor, lawyer or IT professional are welcome. Write to The Indian Down Under
PO Box 99 Thornleigh and quoting Mat No.:
Mat200616VG.
Monika Geetmala
Sundays - 10am - 3pm
89.7fm Eastside Radio
or
Tune into:
www.eastside.org
Nonstop entertainment at home, in
car, on your computer or radio...
Body Mind Spirit
Slow, deep, long exhalation and retention after

exhalation is the secret to a calm mind
By Saraswathi Vasudevan
ave you ever noticed that when
your mind is preoccupied or disturbed, your breath will invariably
be short, shallow and disturbed? Even otherwise, we generally breathe from the
upper chest or, worse still, by using our
neck and shoulder muscles primarily,
causing fatigue, pain and stiffness in this
area. This kind of breathing does not
allow us to take in oxygen or remove
waste products from the metabolism optimally.
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali introduces a powerful method to calm the disturbed mind by focussing on exhalation,
and holding the breath after exhalation
(Yoga Sutra 1.34). You can try this when
you experience a mild disturbance, not
intense. Try to breathe out slowly and
deliberately, focusing on the exhalation
and suspend the breath for a few seconds
after a complete exhalation to experience
the stillness within.
Through regular pranayama practise
we can detoxify the system, calm and
clear the mind and prepare for meditation,
while also training our system to develop
complete mastery over every component
of the breath: exhalation, inhalation, reten-
tion after exhalation and inhalation.

Through this mastery, we are able to
deploy the breath more efficiently and
effortlessly. The mind, of course, calms
down quickly as we shift the system from
sympathetic to parasympathetic domination.
This Sutra also suggests that discriminating between what to retain of our experiences and what to throw out of our system will calm the mind too. Often, we
hold on to what is disturbing, and create
greater turmoil. While letting go is easier
said than done, a systematic practice of
working with long exhalation through
pranayama practice is the key. The breath
has to be trained to be long (dirgha) and
subtle (sukshma). Controlling the breath at
the throat/nostrils or tip of the tongue are
techniques employed to lengthen the breath
and make it more and more subtle.
Mrgi mudra
Mrgi mudra is useful for nostril control in pranayama. If you are right-handed,
use the right hand for mrgi mudra (left
hand can count the number of breath
cycles). Fold the index finger and middle
finger (of the right hand) and hold them at
the base of the thumb. Bend the ring finger slightly to bring the tip to match the
length of the little finger. Place the fingers
Mrgi mudra is useful for nostril

control in pranayama.
on the nose (thumb on right side and ring
and little finger on left side exactly where
the bone ends and cartilage begins so that
it is possible to block the nostrils partially
to narrow the passage for air flow.)
Do Nadi Shodhana (Anuloma Viloma)
pranayama, using mrgi mudra to close the
right nostril fully and partially close the

left nostril. Inhale through the partially
closed left nostril. Exhale through the partially closed right nostril with the left nostril fully blocked. Then inhale through
partially closed right nostril and exhale
through partially closed left nostril. This
will constitute one breath cycle. A minimum of 20 breath cycles (40 breaths) at
least is required to complete a good
pranayama practice.
When the breath is drawn in and
exhaled through partially closed nostrils,
the breath is very long and subtle, the
velocity of air flowing in through the partially closed nostril is higher and therefore
through its penetrative power facilitates
greater reach into the bronchi and air sacs
for better exchange of gases. Similarly
exhalation through partially closed nostril
helps better emptying of the lungs and
removal of waste creating a powerful
detoxifying effect.
Saraswathi Vasudevan is a yoga therapist trainer in the tradition of Sri T
Krishnamacharya. She specialises in
adapting yoga to the individual.
(www.yogavahini.com).
This article courtesy Life Positive
Magazine, India.
THE HUMOR OF MELVIN DURAI
The plane truth about Yoga
oga offers a number of benefits,

including stress reduction and
improved fitness. It may also
reduce your risk for heart disease, high
blood pressure and other conditions. Best
of all, it allows you to twist your body
into various impressive positions, earning
you admiration from your friends and
family, and perhaps even a recruitment
letter from the traveling circus.
One of the major advantages of yoga
is that you dont need any equipment to
do it. That means you can do yoga anywhere you go. But please resist the temptation.
Some places are just not meant for
yoga. You probably shouldnt do yoga in
a busy restaurant, for example, even if
youve been waiting too long for your
food. A few breathing exercises are fine,
but unless youre eager to get the waiters attention, please keep your feet on
the ground.
The same applies to a crowded bus,
even if putting one foot behind your head

allows you to occupy less room. If the
bus makes a sudden stop, you may hurt
yourself or someone else. The paramedics may have trouble untangling you
from yourself.
Trains are also not ideal for yoga,
unless you have a compartment to yourself. But even then, you need to be cautious, in case the train makes a sudden
stop and sends you rolling, all balled up,
into the next life.
Planes are usually too cramped for
yoga and your fellow passengers may
look at you strangely. Before you attempt
anything, please ask the flight attendant if
the airline has a policy about in-flight
yoga. It may not seem fair, but the inflight yoga policy is usually quite similar
to the in-flight golf and in-flight soccer
policies.
If youre really eager to do yoga
while flying, feel free to start a petition.
I know at least one man whod be willing
to sign it. His name is Hyongtae Pae and
he recently tried to do yoga during a
United Airlines flight from Hawaii to
Japan.
Rather than stay in his seat during
meal time, the 72-year-old retired farmer
from South Korea decided to go to the
back of the plane to do yoga and meditate. (This is not too surprising. Most
people would rather do yoga than eat air-
line food.)
When members of the flight crew told
Pae to return to his seat, he grew violent,
according to an Associated Press report.
He allegedly pushed his wife and tried to
head-butt and bite some military personnel (U.S. Marines on the flight) who
joined the effort to get him back to his
seat.
Yes, he was very determined to do
yoga. Not many people would fight off
the Marines to do yoga, but Pae was
ready to take on the entire U.S. armed
forces if need be. I want do yoga! You
no stop me do yoga!
Pae also allegedly threatened to kill
his fellow passengers while yelling that
God doesnt exist. The pilot, concerned
about safety, had no choice but to turn
the plane around and return to Hawaii.
Request to land! Request to land! he
radioed the Honolulu airport. We have
a yoga emergency!
Pae soon found himself in jail, with
enough time and space to do as much
yoga as his heart desired.
Prisoners, incidentally, can benefit
immensely from yoga. It calms their
minds and reduces their stress. But more
importantly than that, it greatly enhances
their flexibility, allowing them to squeeze
through small openings.
According to his attorney, Pae started
doing yoga recently to help him deal with
anxiety. He was probably feeling a little
anxious on the flight thats why he
wanted to do yoga. But a plane, like a
bus, train or car, isnt an ideal place for
yoga. Pae should have perhaps done his
yoga and meditation in the airport, before
boarding the plane.
Airports usually have plenty of space
for yoga. But please be cautious. Even if
you have good balance, you probably
should stay off the baggage carousel.
You never know who might claim you.
Airports also have travelers taking
naps in all sorts of unusual positions, so
its easy to blend into the crowd. Just
close your eyes, assume a yoga position,
and no one will raise an eyebrow.
But if you happen to be doing yoga
with your limbs bent awkwardly, dont
be surprised if a rich traveler tosses a
few coins at you.
Its yet another benefit of doing yoga.
Sports
IPL 2016 more ho-hum than heave-ho

Many prized signings have been disappointments, even as the
spectacle of past IPLs is missing, causing a drop in TV ratings.
By Gaurav Joshi
or the first time in nearly a decade IPL
seems to have dropped in TV ratings in
India. Recent survey suggests that people of India have not taken to IPL like in the
past.
As in the past IPL has had its controversies with the matches shifted out of
Maharashtra due to drought sanctions by the
Government. But the most concerning part
has been the quality of cricket.
Every season IPL franchises spend millions on nursing young players or hoping a
new signing can spark a teams interest on
and off the field. But this year those prized
signings are yet to materialise and it is still
the IPL veterans who are putting on the
show.
Carlos Braithwaite, the West Indies hero
in the World T20 final, was one of the highest paid signings but is struggling to be part
of the final XI with Delhi Daredevils. Yuvraj
Singh always attracts big cash but so far
injury has kept him out for Sunrisers
Hyderabad.
Kevin Pietersen was touted as a marketing
success for Pune Supergiants but sadly, he
has gone home due to injury as has his teammate Faf Du Plessis.
For the Royal
Challengers, Chris Gayle had not scored a
run but had to fly home to Jamaica for the
birth of his first child. Lasith Malinga hobbled on one leg for Mumbai Indians and was
told he was not fit enough. These are the
Chris Gayle had not scored a run but had

to fly home to Jamaica for the birth of
his first child.
Kevin Pietersen was touted as a marketing

success for Pune Supergiants but sadly,
he has gone home due to injury.
Lasith Malinga hobbled on one leg for

Mumbai Indians and was told he was not
fit enough.
players who have made IPL a spectacular

tournament but unfortunately they are missing in action and it has affected the quality.
On the other end of the scale, no exciting
talents are yet to emerge. Jasprit Bumrah has
tried to fill the void left by Malinga in
Mumbai but, as the Wankhede crowd will tell
you, its just not the same. Sanju Samson,
Karun Nair, Hardik Pandya and Manan
Vohra have been in the system for a couple of
years now but have lacked consistency. IPL
popularity still depends on established stars
like Virat Kohli, AB De Villiers, Rohit

Sharma, Dwanye Bravo and David Warner to
brighten it up. There has been the rare
onslaught like Chris Morris 82 off 31 balls
for Delhi Daredevils or Kieron Pollard
smashing a half-century off 17 balls for
Mumbai Indians, but far too little heave-ho
six hitting in between.
Perhaps the franchises are becoming predictable or it may be simply a hangover of
T20 cricket. Most players have been playing
the T20 format now for three months contin-
uously and before they were preparing for the

World T20. It means that they are slightly out
of ideas and their innovations are not what we
are accustomed to.
In the last few games we have finally seen
a few cliff-hanging finishes but the IPL this
season needs more than that. They need an
emerging quick bowler or another mystery
spinner or dynamic batsmen to really take the
game by the scruff of the neck because for the
first time in a decade there is a monotonous
ho-hum feel about the current IPL season.
Leg spinners rule in World T20
Nine leg spin bowlers between them sent

down 116 overs, took 42 wickets at an average
of 17.11 and at an economy rate of 6.27.
By Gaurav Joshi
icking leg spinners in T20
cricket was always considered a risky business.
However, in the recently concluded World T20 leg spinners were
an integral part of each playing
XI. Since the start of the Super 10
stage, nine of the ten countries
used a leg spinner.
Ish Sodhi of New Zealand,
Sabbir Rehman (Bangladesh),
Adam Zampa (Australia), Shahid
Afridi (Pakistan), Adil Rashid
(England), Imran Tahir (South
Africa),
Rashid
Khan
(Afghanistan), Jeffrey Vandersay
(Sri Lanka) and Samuel Badree
(West Indies) between them sent
down 116 overs, took 42 wickets
at an average of 17.11 and at an
economy rate of 6.27. It has been
a watershed tournament for leg
spin bowling.
Each of them is different.
There are the ageing warriors in
Afridi and Tahir, both in their late
30s but still extremely effective.
Afridis straight bustling run up
contrasts to Tahirs angled
approach. Both rely on beating the
batsmen for pace off the pitch and
ensuring each balls projected path
is towards the stumps. On the
(from left) Ish Sodhi playing for New Zealand, Samuel Badree for West Indies and Rashid Khan for
Afghanistan were influential and valuable as leg spin bowlers for their respective teams.
other end of the scale is Rashid
Khan. The 17-year-old is touted as
a leg spinner but rarely spins the
ball away from right-handed batsmen, preferring to bowl a googly
nearly every ball. With a high and
a slightly awkward bowling action
when he releases the ball almost
off the wrong foot, Rashid Khans
freshness has added another
dimension to the Afghan story.
Then there is Badree, the
power play specialist. Out of the
crop, he must be the only one with
most self belief, knowing a small
error can be expensive. He has
learned to be deadly accurate with
quick arm action so the batsmen
have no time to come down the
pitch. Of all the leg spinners, he
is probably the only one with the

least variation, but his ability to
land the ball on a dime ball after
ball is an art that should be commended.
The most classical of the lot is
Sodhi. With slightly side-on run
up, the arm slanted at the point of
delivery, he is, perhaps, the only
bowler with a big turning leg
break. His ability to spin the ball
sharply and dip it in has made him
the most difficult bowler to confront. Besides, he is the most well
built of the lot, standing at 62
with broad shoulders. He has
shown in this tournament since
learning to bowl a big spinning leg
break, his cleverly disguised googly has become more of a weapon.
His pace through the air has also

been phenomenal. Bowling at
speeds around the mid-80s has
enabled him to spin the ball off the
surface.
Englands Adil Rashid is the
slowest of the lot. Of all the spinners in the tournament he relies on
flight. His vertical arm at delivery
also means he gets plenty of top
spin. Unfortunately for him, he
had to fight against dew and his
style of bowling is, perhaps, more
suited to pitches which have
bounce. His trajectory is completely different to that of Afridi,
Badree or Tahir. Rashid is a flight
master but just needs a bit of pace.
Adam Zampa is also a classical
limited-overs leg spinner. Like
most of his leg spinning colleagues, the arm is very high at

delivery, so has plenty of overspin
but lacks the side spin. In the
mould of Tahir he is a real threat
when the batsmen are trying to
attack him. Zampa has enough
variety of pace and has a googly.
He could have been more effective
in the tournament had the captain
backed him more.
The two most unnoticed leg
spinners are Sabbir Rehman and
Jeffrey Vandersay. More a parttime leg spinner, Rehman is in a
similar mould to Vandersay
because both of them barely use
their bodies at the crease. Both of
them rely largely on their arm,
shoulder and upper body, meaning
the revolutions on the ball are well
down compared to other spinners.
Their follow through is nonexistent but they have shown on a slow
low surface that this style of leg
spin can still be effective.
In the past we have seen fast
bowlers with all the variety. Now
it is the leg spinners. As mentioned, each of the nine leggies
have different run ups, trajectories, body rotation, arm angle at
delivery, revolutions on the ball,
dedicated roles and also the faith
of the captain.
The Kersi Meher-Homji column
Kohli reigns supreme in

limited-overs cricket
irat Kohli is considered among
the best batsmen in world cricket today and among all-time
great Indian batsmen.
Comparisons have been made
between him and the recently retired
Test trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul
Dravid and VVS Laxman.
Here is how I would distinguish
them. If Tendulkar was Mahatma
Gandhi of cricket and Dravid / VVS
were Jawaharlal Nehru then Kohli is
Sardar Vallabhai Patel and Subhash
Chandra Bose rolled into one.
Non-violence is not in Kohlis vocabulary. The famous Subhash Chandra
Bose quote: Tum mujhe khoon do,
main tumhe azadi dunga [You give me
blood, and I promise you freedom] sums
up Kohlis philosophy as a batsman and
skipper, substituting blood for do-ordie on-field performances and freedom for victory.
In his red hot aggression, Kohli is
more like an Australian cricketer than an
Indian, sledging a l Glenn McGrath
and Matthew Hayden. Like it or not,
this has given India a sharp edge they
never had before. I may add that of late
he has toned down his aggro without
losing his flamboyance.
When MS Dhoni retired after the
Melbourne Test in 2014-15, Kohli took
over as Indias captain in Tests although
he plays under Dhoni in One Day
Internationals
and
Twenty20
Internationals. By his own high standard
his Test record is modest but he is outstanding in ODIs and T20Is.
Born in Delhi on 5 November 1988,
Kohli has scored 2994 runs at an average of 44.02 in 41 Tests, hitting 11 centuries and 12 fifties, highest score 169.
But he averages a high 51.51 in 171
ODIs (with 25 centuries and 36 fifties,
highest score 183) and a world record
average of 58.60 and an astounding
strike rate of 135.17 in 43 T20Is (with
16 fifties, top score an unbeaten 90). In
ODIs and T20Is he holds numerous

Indian batting records including the
fastest ODI century, the fastest batsman
to 5000 ODI runs and the fastest to hit
ten ODI centuries. He is only the second
batsman in the world to have scored
1000 or more ODI runs for four consecutive calendar years.
Kohli is the fastest batsman in the
world to score 1000 runs in T20Is and
also holds the record for most fifties
(16) in T20Is. He also has the highest
T20I average for any batsman, holding
the top position with an average of
58.60. No other batsman has even
reached an average of over 50 in T20Is.
He was made Player of the recently
concluded World T20 scoring 273 runs

in five matches at a mind-boggling average of 136.50 and strike rate of 146.47.
The highlights were his unbeaten knocks
of 55 against Pakistan, 82 against
Australia and 89 in the semi-final
against the West Indies. In all matches
he batted forcefully without slogging but
cover-driving and square-cutting with
panache.
No wonder he is ranked number one
in T20Is in the world and no. 2 in ODIs
after South Africas AB de Villiers, just
as India is ranked no.1 in T20s and no.
3 in ODIs. Thus India and Kohli go
hand-in-hand.
Virat Kohli has been the recipient of
many awards such as the ICC ODI

Player of the Year in 2012 and the
BCCI's International Cricketer of the
Year for the 2011-12 and 2014-15 seasons. In 2013, he was awarded the
Arjuna Award in recognition of his
achievements in international cricket. A
UK magazine SportsPro rated him as the
second most marketable athlete in the
world in 2014.
Test captaincy has toned down his
aggro on the field but he is still a ticking
bomb when leading India with the
Subhash Chandra Bose motto: Tum
mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azadi
dunga [You give me blood, and I
promise you freedom].
Will be surprised if Dhoni continues till 2019: Ganguly

New Delhi: Former India skipper Sourav
Ganguly does not think that current limited overs
captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will last till 2019
and feels that it is high time Indian selectors
appoint a new captain to lead the side in the next
ICC World Cup.
Ganguly, who heads the Cricket Association of
Bengal (CAB), further said that Test skipper
Virat Kohli is the best man to replace the Ranchi
stumper, under whom India won the ICC World
T20 in 2007 and the 50-over World Cup in 2011.
"Every cricket team in the world plans their
future. But my question to the selectors is three-
four years down the line, do they see M.S.

Dhoni as captain of India?," Ganguly was quoted as saying by 'India Today' channel.
"Dhoni has been captain for nine years,
which is a long period. Does he have it in him
to go for another four years? He has already
given up Test cricket and now plays only ODIs
and T20s. So the selectors need to find an
answer to whether they see Dhoni leading India
in 2019? If the answer is no, then find a new
captain. If the answer is yes, which I will find
very very surprising, Dhoni continues," he
added.
The Kersi Meher-Homji Column
WHY VIRAT KOHLI MISSED

OUT ON WISDEN LIST?
he list of Five Wisden Cricketers of
the Year was announced recently
and the name of Indias Test captain and master batsman Virat Kohli was
missing.
Wisdens Five Cricketers of 2016
based on their performances in 2015 are
Australias Steve Smith, New Zealands
Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson
and Englands Johnny Bairstow and Ben
Stokes.
No one can dispute the inclusion of
Smith, McCullum and Williamson as they
performed exceptionally well in all forms
of cricket in 2015.
But why Bairstow and Stokes at the
expense of Englands batting maestro Joe
Root and Indias stroking supremo Kohli?
Here are the reasons: One can be honoured Wisdens Cricketer of the Year only
once and Root was awarded in 2014. But
Kohli has not been awarded previously.
As Wisden Almanack is an English
publication one of the rules of selection is
that only a cricketers performance in
England is considered. And as Kohli did
not play in England in 2015, he did not
qualify.
In my opinion this rule should be
amended as Wisden is recognised as an
international publication, the bible of
cricket. From 2000 to 2003 the awards
were given based on a cricketers performance internationally which was a
change for the better.
But sadly it narrowed down again to
performances in England only from 2004

onwards. This is unfair as a cricketers
performances overseas do not count.
The Wisden Cricketer of the Year
award commenced in 1897 and is continuing till now, 119 years later. The only
exception was in years 1918 to 1919 due
to World War I and from 1941 to 1946
due to WW II when Wisden was not published.
Nineteen Indian cricketers have been
honoured as Wisden Cricketers of the
Year, three when playing for England and
16 when representing India.
The three who were selected when
playing for England are the legendary
Ranjitsinhji in 1897, Duleepsinhji in 1930
and Nawab of Pataudi Snr in 1932. They
played for England as Test cricket was not
played by India till 1932. Pataudi Snr sub-
sequently played for India in 1946.

The 16 Indians who were made
Wisdens Cricketers of the Year are:
CK Nayudu (1933), Vijay
Merchant (1937), Vinoo
Mankad (1947), Nawab of
Pataudi
Jr
(1968),
Bhagwat Chandrasekhar
(1972), Sunil Gavaskar
(1980), Kapil Dev (1983),
Mohinder Amarnath (1984),
Dilip
Vengsarkar
(1987),
Mohammad Azharuddin (1991),
Anil Kumble (1996), Sachin
Tendulkar (1997), Rahul Dravid
(2000), VVS Laxman (2002),
Zaheer Khan (2008) and Shikhar
Dhawan (2014).
Outstanding Indians to miss out
on this honour are Vijay Hazare,
Polly Umrigar, SP Gupte, Ghulam
Ahmed, Bishan Bedi, EAS Prasanna,
Farokh Engineer, Chandu Borde,
Dilip Sardesai, GR Viswanath and
Virender Sehwag.
Kohli, the Player of 2016
World T20, is only 27 and
has time on hand apart
from the three Ts talent, temperament and
tenacity to win this
honour when he tours
England.
Two others in the running could be

Ravi Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane.
Perhaps it is too late for MS
Dhoni.
As Wisden Almanack is an English publication one of the rules of selection is that only
a cricketers performance in England is considered. And as Kohli did not play in
England in 2015, he did not qualify. But this rule should be changed.
Quickies and batsmen sizzle but spinners fizzle

Gaurav Joshi reports from India on IPL 2016
o what has been so unique
about this season of the
IPL? Sixes continued to
flow, as did the fall of wickets
and the crowd still poured
through the gates.
However,
cricket on the field took a slightly different turn.
One of the key statistics this
season is the lack of wickets
taken by spinners. Pitches this
season have been the flattest and
the lack of help for the spinners
has affected their wicket-taking
abilities. Only since Royal
Challengers started posting
improbable totals did their spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal started
seeking rewards.
Kolkata Knight Riders have
built their success on spin bowling but this year the Eden
Gardens pitch behaved in favour
of batsmen negating the Kolkata
spinners impact. In the last two
seasons, Kolkata only lost three
games at home. This year they
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mustafizur Rehman and Dwayne Bravos ability to bowl accurate yorkers at the
death has been a standout feature of this IPL.
lost three in one year alone. The
impact of spinners has reduced
dramatically.
The Sunrisers
Hyderabads path to success has
been built around fast bowling.
Their spinners have taken only
four of the 83 wickets this season. But while spinners have had
low impact, fast bowlers seemed

to have evolved. Bhuvneshwar
Kumar, Mustafizur Rehman,
Jasprit Bumrah and Dwayne
Bravos ability to bowl accurate
yorkers at the death has been a
standout feature.
The credit
should be given where it is due:
the fast bowlers despite playing

on docile pitches have taken the
game up to another level.
The batting on the other hand
has been scintillating. It is no surprise to see the three best batsmen in the world Virat Kohli, AB
De Villiers and David Warner are
smashing all the records. Warner

and Kohli have scored more runs
in a season this year than anyone
has ever managed to do in the last
eight editions of the IPL.
The cream at the top seems to
be rising but perhaps there is a
concern that no emerging talent
really blossomed with the bat this
year. Karun Nair from Delhi was
the standout but the likes of Sanju
Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak
Hooda, Unmukt Chand among
others really failed to contribute.
It begs the question: are the
upcoming batsmen still in transition phase? Are they still trying
to work out what works the best
for them? Watching Kohli, De
Villiers and Warner should be a
lesson to all of them that hard
work is the best solution.
The batsmen may have the
last laugh in the IPL final but this
season has been about the development of the fast bowlers in the
T20 game.
40 THE INDIAN DOWN UNDER May-June 2016

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VOL 28 No.

June - July 2016

Annual Subscription incl. postage & handling $17

Inside this Issue:

02 THE INDIAN DOWN UNDER May - June 2016

Australia Decides - Elections 2016

May - June 2016 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER 03

04 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER May - June 2016

May - June 2016 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER 05

06 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER May - June 2016

Theres a right and a far right

ove over the

In Australia, the Coalition government

n another continent, Indian PM Narendra Modi is also

May-June 2016 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER 7

Election forecast: foggy but clearing in July

The two rival parties leaders: Malcolm Turnbull (Liberal/Coalition)

tax, thus allowing more money to

Coalition and Labor are being all

Australia is actually stopping from

8 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER May-June 2016

deriding Bill Shorten quintessentially as a

What is important is to understand what

As China comes off the boil, Australia keen to engage India

(from left) Jonathan ODea, Parliamentary Secretary, Trade, Major

Canberra still needs to find business partners to prevent hard-landing.

A$18 billion in two-way trade,

moth Chinese manufacturing units

Big trade opportunities await Oz in India

A view of the attendees mingling at Engaging

Navdeep Suris views about the

inking a Free Trade Agreement.

other's strengths for the benefit of

Free Trade Agreement with India,

May-June 2016 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER 9

Modi and ministers highlight

Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi speaking at the India Gate

office - "Mera desh badal raha hai

Minister Smriti Irani and Food

Meet two new chief ministers

Sarbananda Sonowal after being sworn in as chief minister of

Kerala Governor Justice (Retd) P Sathasivam administered the oath

10 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER May-June 2016

Amitabh Bachhan and some other

Modi govt doesn't

BJP expands base, Congress shrinks

AIADMK would be unseated.

New Delhi: Taking a dig at the Centre,

Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Royal

Sunrisers Captain David Warner, of

Taliban supreme leader Mullah

Nirankari chief dies in car

Baba Hardev Singh

May-June 2016 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER 11

India is ready to become

Arun Jaitley spoke at the SP Jain

During his Sydney visit, Indian Minister of

12 THEINDIANDOWNUNDER May-June 2016

Marginal seats empower Indian community

Lisa Singh, sitting senator from

Alex Kaur Bhathal is a Greens

Restaurateur Avtar Singh Billu

Mohit Kumar is the Liberal

Mahesh Raj is running for

ticipated in the Lowy Institutes

from the neighbouring electorate.