Summer 2014 edition by Mast The Magazine

28 The Magazine EMPOWERING WOMEN

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

PROFILE

JAY KHAN - BED MASTERS

PUSH & PULL

HUMAN TRAFICKING

FACE TO FACE SOMALILAND FASHIONISTA FASHION OF GUJARAT PEOPLE & PLACES MY DREAM HOLIDAY - GOA JOURNEY THROUGH INDIA

SHANTI NIKETAN TO ST. GEORGE 2

ENTERTAINMENT BRIT-ASIAN COMMUNITY AT HEART

HAIR & MAKEUP

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In this Issue

PR & Marketing: Big Q Media & Entertainment Editor: Big Q Sub Editor: JC

Business profile Jay Khan - Bed masters

Proof reading: Vanessa C Denman Terry Basset

Empowering women in business Fadumo Ali

Features: Junior Sheikh Sue. S Raffi. S Big Q Nigel Williams Waheeda Sheikh Mani Chakyar (Mumbai) Fatma Ahmed Suad Abdulahi

Federation of Bangledeshi caterers South West chapter Supporting local entrepreneurs Lona Lebanese grill and juice bar Special feature Push and pull of human trafficking

Art & Design: M. Hall

Face to face Somaliland

Print Setting: B. Skuse Web E-copy: M. Wyatt Photography - Black Iris Images Nigel Williams Maxine Williams Bashir Omar Mursall Mohammed Junior. S Special Thanks: Raj Ghai Nisha Sahdev PRthat Susan Elmi - Hair & makeup Correspondents

People and places From Shanti Niketan to St George 2 My dream holiday - Goa Fashionista Fashions of Gujarat Reflection On Ramadhan Healthy eating The black tomoto Recipe from the East African Coast

Advertising: Big Q Media & Entertainment Tel. +447975 790368 +447807 802325 Email. bigq.media.entertainment@gmail.com e-magazine available @ www.radiomastfm.com

Classics Legendary Hema Malini Entertainment Brit-Asian Community at heart Nagar kirtan festival Festival of Holi

Mast -The -Magazine @mastmagz

28 The Magazine The Lord Mayor Bristol Lord Mayor Councillor Alastair Watson and Lady Mayoress Sarah Watson.

The Lord Mayors diary 2013-2014 Pride of swindon - a pictorial Out and about People and events MTM Awards 2014 Launch of the nominations Trending on the web Boda Boda taxi

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Hi there, Welcome to our Summer Edition, we have added more pages to give communities space to show case their events and achievements. We have increased our business pages thus giving more start-up and small businesses a platform to market their brands. Brit Asian artiste also benefit with a bumper six page entertainment package though sadly the South West is still lagging behind in this area. This edition was intended for the month of Ramadhan but to give it a wider read and a variety of features the team opted to have it coincide with the Eid festivity and summer holiday. We take this opportunity to welcome the new Lord Mayor of Bristol 2014 – 2015, The Right Honourable Lord Mayor Councillor Alastair Watson and Lady Mayoress Sarah Watson. We are proud to be associated with some new small businesses that have come since our last edition, Peri Peri Grill Kingswood, Khan’s Supermarket Lodge causeway and Lona Lebanese Grill & Fruit Bar on Gloucester road to name a few. The Magazine’s MTM Events group will be holding the Tesco Summer Road Show at the County Athletic Ground Swindon on the 25th of August supporting Diabetes UK. The group launch the 2014 MTM South Asian Awards for the South West on in August for the finale to follow later in the year. Nominations for the different categories open on Sunday 10th August 2014 on www.radiomastfm.com . The event is open to all in the South West. An e-magazine is available on www.radiomastfm.com Happy holidays! Front page model; Jodie Horton, Hair & Make-up: Susan Elmi of Saharla Salon Roman Road Bristol Outfit & jewellery: Yasmin’s Beauty & Fashion Stapleton Road Bristol. Photography: Nigel Williams - Black Iris Images

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Business profile Jay Khan Visco Therapy Jahangir Khan, known as Jay to most of his friends and clients, is one of the many success stories of young entrepreneurs. Jay Khan shuttles between the North and the South West, where part of his business interest is based. Passionate about success, Jay has a goal to achieve by taking his group’s brand to another level. Simple, soft spoken and eloquent, Jay is one of those business elite that can walk past you without notice. His passion for clothing cannot go without mention. He is one of those that will don a pair of jeans and pass off as a normal lad. Yet, this business genius has a massive turn over in the group of companies of which he is co partner. Jay, glad we have finally got to meet up and have a short chat. As is our tradition on Mast, we would like you to give us a brief outline of yourself. I met Munir, my business partner, some 12 years ago in Malaysia at a time when my main line was furniture imports. My background is in real estate so I travelled to Bristol where Munir Safdar is based. We went into property buying. Later we set up a factory in Turkey, though still importing furniture from Malaysia. As the furniture factory was not doing too well in Turkey we opted to set up a plant in Bristol and later in York. We import from Malaysia and China. We have also started importing from Indonesia now that the market is on the rise again.

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I see your main focus in on wholesale. “Have you thought of going into retail?” We have had some retail outlets but it is not our cup of tea. We are an online business. We have three outlets in Bristol and an outlet in York. We are doing well online. “Do you still manufacture?” We manufacture mattresses. These are bulky items so importing and storage is not an option. Consumer requirement with mattress varies as there are so many sizes, colours and textures. Stocking them is just not possible so they are made to order at our plants in Bristol and York. In York, for instance, there are between 40-50 factories. Each factory employs close to a hundred people thus creating employment for many during these trying times. We are glad that we are a company that is employing currently. Unlike most of the South Asian community, you do not create a lot of noise despite your group’s success. We do not believe in making noise. We have kept our heads down, working hard. Working is our passion. What you see is just 50% of our business. We are into many projects. We do not believe in media hype; that’s one of the reasons that it has taken me so long to sit down with you and talk about our achievements. Our group, One Holding, has a turn-over of over 20m and employs more than two hundred full time regular employees from all ethnic groups working with us. Basically, we are trying to create opportunities for all communities. It does not matter where you are from, as long as you have merits and know-how, that is what counts. Like Munir Safdar, I enjoy keeping a low profile and that has been our success. Munir is my senior partner. I have learned a lot from him. We are currently on the up. Manufacturing is booming since the arrival of e-com. Things work fast. Online ordering means you get your goods within days in most cases.

You mentioned that 50% of your business is known to us. “What is the other fifty per cent?” We import quite a lot that we as manufacturers require at the plants, such as fabrics. We have an in-house group that supplies our manufacturing unit. “What about Real Estate?” Despite all the talk, I think commercial properties are currently at the right prices; this is the time to buy as we are paying what we ought to be paying instead of those previous exaggerated prices. The situation in Bristol is one of the best and we are trying to acquire a unit next door. This highlights that current prices are good. “What is your comparison with prices in the North?” I think the North is more enterprising but Bristol is the best to do business with. There is better scope. In the North the Asian community does business en-masse. For instance, now everybody is into manufacturing. “Are you happy with your bankers?” Banks are not lending easily; they look at the ‘backbone’ of your business. As long as your criteria are solid the banks will back you up. In the past everybody could get finance and that caused prices to sky rocket. Today, it is only the solid businesses that benefit from the banks. We are happy with our bankers, NatWest Bank. They are good to us. “What are your brands?” Visco Therapy is the most well-known. We also have Bonkers Bin Bags, Bedmaster, Humza Amani and recently we launched Amani International. Your empire is set miles apart in the South West & the North. “How do you manage?” I believe our success is in the strong teamwork we have. We have very loyal staff and our families are our biggest assets. They motivate us. Without their support it would have been another story. We can get on the plane and travel abroad to meet our suppliers and be assured that all is well at our factories because of this great team work. In the next few years we will be doing a lot of travelling. 2014 is the year to expand and further our international business contacts. This is the time for us to do what we enjoy most importing. Away from your profession, give us an insight of Jay, the man. This is the hardest thing for me to say. It is hard to sell myself as I have never being interviewed, not even for a job. I have always been self-employed. Personally, families keep us humble; any businessman will succeed if he is happy at home. My wife is my driving force. After her is my daughter. With her arrival I have a hunger for drive. It has given me perspective. I want to do it for them, they are my success. One has to have a goal in life and that is my goal, that is Jay. If you do not have the hunger and drive you can’t make it. “What is your passion and hobby?” Working, I get excited when we are doing things. When we have projects and goals to meet I feel good. Of course my family time is important too. I am not a sports enthusiast; I just pray to be successful. “Do you have an inspirational message to young entrepreneurs?” I will give you a story. Munir, my business partner played a big role in my life. He has taught me a lot and made me stronger. You have to have a role model and mine has been Munir. You have got to work hard, it is not easy. If someone asked me to do this again I would say no thank you, as you get only one chance. There are no shortcuts, there is no overnight success, and you have to follow rules and discipline to succeed. If you are a 9-5 person and unwilling to take risks, you cannot make it. You must be ready for good and bad news in life. Things can change overnight and you have to be strong to handle that. “Finally, is your group involved in any charity work?” Not at the moment. We are looking at some charity projects for the future, mostly to open schools in Pakistan, Africa or wherever the need is. We are looking to start a long-term project so we can monitor it and see it work. This we intend to fund through our group’s profits.

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Empowering Women in Business - Fadumo Ali Fadumo Ali

Fadumo Ali, a mother of six, is a self made business woman. She started on a small scale in one of the many Somali common markets in the East Bristol area. She started trading in Somali clothing and perfumery in the Maandeeq Centre just off Stapleton Road and gradually expanded as a furniture and furnishing shop. Trading as Iqra Furniture & Fashion, Fadumo moved into bigger premises, becoming the leading importer of designer furniture most adored by the Somalian community. We caught up with Fadumo on the high street of Lawrence Hill where she has opened Iqra Furniture & Fashion II “Fadumo, as a single mother, how do you do this?” I have the support and love of my boys; they are my inspiration and drive. Since arriving in the UK, I have strived to have the best for my children. I have ensured that they have a good education and upbringing. I thank God for making it happen for me. “How did you start?” I was working in a school as a translator and assistant. I enjoyed working there but due to the odd working hours I could not give quality time to my children. I decided to have a small shop at the Maandeeq Centre. This was where many Somalian women opened shops. I listened to my customers’ requirements and slowly started stocking what they needed. At Maandeeq you operated in an enclosed ‘make-shift’ shopping complex, yet you managed to import designer furniture and became one of the most sought after furniture outlets for the Somalian community. “How did you do that?” I imported what was in fashion and current. I also used social media a lot to market my products. I also made sure my customers got the best.

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“Do you find it more demanding now you are on a busy high street?” Yes it is, and my customers are diverse. I have a lot of English and Polish customers on the high street so I now stock a large variety. I have introduced the sale of household and kitchen items and I have a wide range of carpets and curtains. I also stock designer ladies ‘clutch bags’ and handbags and I still stock designer Islamic ladies Hijab, Abayas (Burka), beauty products and Halal perfumes. “Do you do wedding packages?” Yes, I have a range of wedding items from complete bedrooms sets, wedding dresses and gift sets. This has become our speciality and we hope to expand our shop by the end of the year where we will have a section dedicated entirely for wedding products. “Where to you get your goods from?” I import from different countries. I have Italian and Chinese furniture, carpets from Belgium, Islamic clothing from Saudi Arabia and Dubai. I buy most of my kitchenware in the UK. “Do you travel to these places or you have agents?” I travel personally to see for myself the quality of what I am buying. I know it is difficult as a mother with children but sometimes we have to do this to better our lives. “Finally, what advice would you give to other women who may want to go into business?” It takes hard work and a lot of patience and commitment. I have worked hard and thanks to the drive from my children I can now see the success of my hard work.

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Supporting Local entrepreneurs

Lebanese Grill House & Juice Bar

Lona Grill House & Fruit Juice Bar is the latest of many food places to open in Bristol. At a colourful opening ceremony attended by the new Lord Mayor of Bristol Alastair Watson and Lady Mayoress Sarah Watson. Lona is situated on Gloucester Road, the largest independent Road in the UK. Lona brings in a touch of finesse and quality Lebanese cuisine with a difference. Spacious and beautifully decorated, Lona is an ideal eating house for friends and families. The restaurant is managed by a team of experienced Chefs and restaurateurs. Talking to the team at the official opening they said, “It is important for the team to bring culture and food to the people of this vibrant diverse city. “Most people love char-grilled foods due to its taste and quality, this is what we bring to Bristol, a touch of quality, healthy cuisine”. We have taken over four years to set up this restaurant. After much research we found that Bristol lacked a place of this nature so we invested in Lona for all nations and cul281/283, Gloucester Road, Bristol, BS7 8NY Tel : 07928 882887 tures. www.radiomastfm.com

Coming to Bristol was due to demand from the many Bristolians who visited our outlets outside Bristol. So here we are Bristol, place of your asking, family friendly and alcohol free and what better place than Gloucester Road that fits our character. He added, “We have been in this trade from back home, it is a family tradition, from our fore-fathers, cooking and running restaurants is what we do best. The team at Lona has taken this trade to another level. Coming to Bristol is a challenge for us but we are ready to prove that we will provide quality, taste, hospitality, efficiency and with our staff drawn from all communities this will be an ‘all nations’ restaurant. I would like to add that we are family friendly and have set aside a Crèche for the young ones to give families peace as they enjoy their meals. Our menu is wide and a real mix of freshly prepared grilled foods, Meze, chef’s special salad served with mouth watering Olives. Lona has its own Fruit Juice Bar beautifully decorated with fruits of the world. All our juices are freshly prepared and served to one’s requirement. At a colourful opening ceremony attended by the new Lord Mayor Alastair Watson and Lady Mayoress Sarah Watson, Lona opened doors to the public. Team Mast attended the official opening and to sum it one word, ‘Fantastic’, just what Bristol needs.

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NEW IN BRISTOL

Many of you may already know the name of SARI (Support Against Racist Incidents) ~ an organisation that grew out of a need to support those suffering from racism in whatever form. SARI supports those in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. Racism is not just a current day issue ~ people have suffered in our local areas (and indeed in every part of the UK) for as long as we can remember. But in the past their cases were often not recognised and even when they were, people did not get justice. Many people felt frustrated, afraid and alone. Since its inception in 1988, as a steering group of local people who had suffered or who wanted to tackle racist abuse, SARI was formed as an organisation that would specialise in helping those people. In 1991 the Home Office, Safer Cities and Marks and Spencer’s gave SARI its first funding to get our project off the ground and from the back room of the Coach House SARI opened for business. Led by our beloved Batook Pandya (now deceased) – with his charm, charisma and acute sense of business together with his long standing team, SARI has managed to survive and thrive and grow over the past 23 years. Helping thousands of people in the community we have always remained as a grass roots organisation, ensuring we never lose sight of our original aim ~ that of serving every community to the best of our ability.

dealing with all forms of hate crime. We know that we have the knowledge and understanding to help any person who is being targeted because they are different. With the support of partner agencies such as Brandon Trust, LGBT Bristol and Bristol MIND, SARI is leading on a new service that now takes on cases where people are attacked or abused because they are from a different Faith community e.g. Hindu, Sikh, Jewish or Muslim, those who are Disabled including those with Mental Health needs or Learning Disabilities, those suffering because they are Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual or Transgender (LGBT) and in fact anyone who feels they have suffered persecution because they are different. As a reflection of this we have decided to change our name – while keeping the acronym SARI because it has become nationally recognised. These initials now stand for Stand Against Racism and Inequality. We have adopted a multi-agency approach with our partners above who are specialists in dealing with Disability and people who are from LGBT communities so that we can deal with more cases of those suffering some form of prejudice.

of you may already know the name of SARI (Support Against Racist Incidents) ~ rt those suffering from racism in whatever However form. SARI supports those in Bristol, We have always consulted our users when deciding what we should do to make our approach is the same. If you should need our services contact us a difference and over the years SARI has gone on to develop education services on 0117 9420060 or our Freephone number 0800 171 2272 and we will be set and South Gloucestershire. for children and schools and training, consultancy, conflict resolution and there for you. We will hold your hand through those rough times and give you offender reduction programmes so that we can prevent future racist abuse as well as deal with it when it actually happens.

the support you need to help you to resolve your case. If you like our service tell others…if something goes wrong tell us.

As partjust of a monitoring system to see how well we are doing, we a client m is not a current day issue ~runpeople have suffered our local areas (and ind Batook we missinyou…we continue feedback session. One of the biggest issues our clients have raised is that when they became a victim of racism, they felt isolated and very alone in trying to youroften legacy as recognised SARI goes on and even when n remember. But toin past their cases were not tackle what was happening them.the As the Chair of SARI, I and the majority of the management committee and the dedicated staff team of SARI know With the support of our long standing and fantastic team, being led in the interim that feeling, we are nearly all past victims of racism. and We understand how people feltasfrustrated, afraid alone. by Alex Raikes MBE and Agnes Yeomans, we are continuing the legacy left by devastating those attacks can feel. No matter who you are, or how strong you are, it is natural to feel the hurt and anger that goes with any racist attack. Often when you are at your most vulnerable, SARI offers support and specialism to help you through that difficult time. We have a multi-agency approach so that we are in touch with all the organisations that you might need to deal with – whether that be police, housing etc.

our founding Director, Batook Pandya MBE DL MA (hon), to become the leading organisation for all those suffering prejudice and inequality in the region. While we miss our larger than life Batook Pandya who many have commented on how he personally affected them – we are grateful for what he created and left as his legacy and he trained us well. We hope you will join us to become part of the SARI family working towards helping others…and remember if you need us we will be happy to help!!

its inception in 1988, as a steering group of local people who had suffered or who d as an organisation that would specialise in helping those people. In 1991 the Ho With the specialism we offer and after our many years of serving the community, we have become used toits hearingfirst people sayfunding just how great an to impactget racism our project off the ground and from the bac er’s gave SARI has had on their lives. But, we still feel very moved when we see statements as the above – “SARI saved my life” – they explained that they had been siness.such Led bytoour Batook Pandya (now deceased) – with his charm, cha frustrated with trying deal withbeloved their race case on their own. The father was at the end of his tether, yet he said “everything changed when SARI got involved ~ people began to listen”. There was a positive outcome tohas this case, and the case is long standing team, SARI managed to survive and thrive and grow over th is now closed. in the community we have always remained as a grass roots organisation, ensuri SARI has worked hard to become the region’s specialists for supporting and advocating for those that suffer racism, but we know there are many others of serving community todecided theto open best of our ability. suffering fromevery all kinds of inequalities. Therefore SARI has its doors to others who are suffering from some form of inequality – so we now

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

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ve always consulted our users when deciding what we should do to make a differ

Create awareness for yourself and others too. Trafficking in human beings is considered as one of the worst crimes against humanity that leaves a disastrous effect amongst those who are being victimized. I began to grow fonder of the situation after reading an article by the New Yorker. The woman inspired me to start reading and to understand the context of this inhumane strategy. If I could at least understand the factors magnetizing the issue towards its vulnerable victims then I could inform and educate others around me Understanding trafficking in human beings and its definition is complex. Trafficking can go under many sections of crime. The official definition has been described under Article 3 of the UK Convention against transnational and organised crime. It defines human trafficking as “The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms or coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.” This definition might seem very detailed and may be difficult to understand, but the process of it is very simple. False advertisement towards its vulnerable victims searching to better their lives presents traffickers with a full recruitment advantage. These victims are falsely advertised a job opportunity across borders that promise earnings and a good living, only to be tricked into an oppressive state of slave labour when they arrive. Passports are taken away for blackmailing strategies; women are locked in brothels and forced into prostitution. Their identity is taken away. And most importantly, their human rights are taken away.

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Special Feature

Human Trafficking

With Fatma Ahmed Trafficking is one of the worst crimes against humanity, yet it is ongoing across the world. As human rights are being violated and affected by countries whose political ideology is too greatly concerned with selfinterest. Every year, thousands of women, children and men are falsely tricked into working for an organized crime agency. They are then tortured, threatened, abused and even killed by their employers. It gets so harrowing that the victim chooses to commit suicide to escape the torture. It is a horrifying ordeal to go through, yet it is happening everywhere, and it can happen to anyone. Approximately, six hundred million to eight hundred million people are trafficked every year across international borders. This estimation may seem horrifying to many, but it is happening, and it is ongoing. Children are sold into slavery. Women are sold into prostitution, and this is just a portion of what these international crime organizations are doing. Organizations such as “Stop The Traffic” have statistically stated that it is “The world’s fastest global crime” and yet, many still have zero awareness of this issue. Cristina Andreatta owns a non-profit foundation for human trafficking in Watford, England. She tells me: “It is definitely hard to spot a victim, because it is so well hidden”… So well hidden, that it is difficult to get

these victims out. Some of these victims are so well brainwashed, that they are too afraid to escape and tell officials what is happening to them. This reminded me of a talk I had attended in Coventry by Glynn Rankin, the director of legal services at the UK human trafficking centre. He helped those to understand the factors leading towards trafficking victims. These factors were known as the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors of trafficking, as he stressed the importance of understanding the reasons as to why trafficking is continuing and growing vastly. “Human trafficking is a highly profitable crime that is based on the principles of supply and demand and which exploits a series of push and pull factors in the countries origin and destination. The push and pull factors are so important for an individual to understand and learn towards the consequences of being a target for human trafficking”. A strong example is poverty which brings about lack of education and opportunity. This makes one an easy target for traffickers. Glynn states: “This then pushes the target to fall prey to the hands of traffickers. This is why the victims are usually transported from rural villages to cities all across the world”. These factors go to show that lack of education on the dangers of trafficking can embark a series of dangerous motives for these traffickers. Pull factors are slightly different to push factors, as traffickers use this motive to then “pull” them in to remain within the trafficking organization. Demand for cheap labour has been another primary factor mostly involving migrants who work illegally with little or no pay. As for these illegal immigrants, any money is better than no money. It pulls in and tricks the victim into staying in the business. They are too afraid to come forward, making it difficult to spot who is a victim and who is not.

the iceberg, due to a “shambolic identification system”. “We have allowed human beings in the UK to be bought and sold as mere commodities for profit, gain or gratification. How on earth have we arrived at a place where there is no ambition or leadership to stamp out this appalling crime?” CEO of anti-human-trafficking charity Unseen, Andrew Wallis, who also worked on the report, said. “I am currently working on a project with another Masters student to create an awareness video of human trafficking, in which we hope to make it viral by the end of the year. During this project, we have interviewed many on some UK streets and when we mention ’human trafficking’, a few were aware and had an idea, but shockingly, most did not have the slightest knowledge of what human trafficking meant. This is sad in a country where education is in plenty, so imagine in countries where they do not have opportunities of knowledge and education as we do this term would mean nothing, hence the vulnerability. It is important to encourage victims to report abuse and seek help from welfare agencies without facing the threat of criminal prosecution. It is also important for people to create awareness of the ills of this modern day slavery. This is why we need to start educating those around us and in institutions. Educating a person of the matter may not completely fight it off, but it can help prevent a person from being a victim. The push and pull factors are a first step to understanding the targets and motives of a trafficker. Educate yourself and educate those around you.

“It is definitely hard to get them to talk”, Cristina tells me. “The most influencing way to stop this crime from happening is to inform people of it”. As many civil societies and NGO’s are coming forward to help fight human trafficking by creating awareness, the world still needs a massive push to educate women, children and men of the dangers of being trafficked. Whilst doing a research on the dangers of trafficking in the UK, many citizens believe that such a torture could not attract them because they are living in a safe environment and feel safe. They argue that “this type of crime is usually committed in developing countries”. It is definitely not safe to say that this crime is not happening in the UK. This is not true, trafficking is happening in the UK and it is you and me that can stop it by reporting any suspicious cases. In 2012, the human trafficking centre for the UK stated that 2,255 citizens were potential victims of human trafficking in the UK. The types of crimes involved were sexual exploitation, domestic servitude and other forms of illegal crime. The UK’s Centre for Social Justice has called on the government for a “radical overhaul” of measures to combat slavery, claiming the “ministers are clueless” about the current scale of slavery and human trafficking in the country. Over 1,000 trafficking victims were detected in 2012, and the same in 2013 if not more. A staggering number of them were British children, according to the CSJ’s latest report. An investigation, entitled ‘It Happens Here’, features a range of cases where both adults and children are trafficked into and within the UK to be subjected to various forms of forced labor, from sexual exploitation to forced criminality. One incident reportedly involved a girl who was raped by 90 men in the course of one weekend. “Yet the authorities are either failing to understand the nature of this abuse or turning a blind eye to its existence. Our once great nation of abolitionists is a shameful shadow of its former self.” “Our research has uncovered a shocking underworld in which children and adults, many of them UK citizens, have been forced into lives of utter degradation,” the managing director of the CSJ, an independent think-tank established to tackle social issues in the UK, revealed. Christian Guy noted that the latest figures are said to represent only the tip of

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Face To Face With Saud Abdulahi

Members of the Somalian community that are from Somali Land in the South West of England celebrated Independence Day with pomp & style at City Hall, Bristol. This is the first time the community has held a celebration of this magnitude in the South West. Termed ‘historic’ by local Councillor Hibaq Jama also from Somali Land. The community and friends gathered at City Hall Bristol to celebrate. Colours of the national flag of Somali Land was the chosen attire for the hundreds attending. The ceremony kicked off with prayers for the ‘people of Somalia’ and speeches by senior representatives of the community; Somali Land Ambassador, Councillor Hibaq Jama and religious elders. Something I feel I should mention here is the turn-out of young Somalians and ladies – this was something we have not witnessed in any BME community event in the South West – young entrepreneurs were out in big numbers. Designer hair stylist Susan Elmi of Saharla Hair Styles, Easton was one of the many young entrepreneurs celebrating. The national Somali Land Flag was raised at 3.30 pm, witnessed by amongst others local Liberal Democrats MP & Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Right Hon. Stephen Williams. Community leaders included activist Muna Abdi, Councillor Hibaq Jama of the Labour Party and Junior Sheikh of Radio Mast FM. Later in the evening dinner functions were held at two different venues in the city. (Details to follow). Junior Sheikh meets with ...Face To Face who gives us an insight Somaliland is the will of its people The Somaliland experience of colonisation by the British was different. The British left the area traditionally intact which later became important as the traditional structures formed a house of elders who have managed to take Somaliland from a bombed area by the Barre regime to a flourishing democracy. In 1960 Somaliland received its independence from Britain. There was a five day period before it joined the southern Somali. These five days are crucial in Somaliland’s history as it has been recognised by 35 states, 5 current members of the UN Security Council. Within a month of the defeat of Barres regime Somaliland declared its independence. After a series of peace reconciliation building meetings, Somaliland’s independence was declared on 18 May 1991. Since then, on 18th of May every year Somalilanders across the world celebrate their independence. Since the Declaration of Independence, Somaliland has been working on meeting the international criteria for state independence and sovereignty. So far, it has achieved:Securing its territory, controlling its waters and air traffic. In particular Somaliland has been cooperative in tackling terrorism and piracy in the region, working in partnership with the international community (particularly in the UK).

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The Somaliland communities have worked hard on gender equality in education and employment. Somaliland is ahead in this area compared with neighbouring countries. Female access to education and political engagement is much higher and so is access for other minority groups. Somalilanders have secured freedom of expression and speech as well as free, indiscriminate press and media. Engagement with political parties and the role of parties in opposition are important. They have free access to express their support or disagreement with the current administration. Role of minority groups and their voices: the press and the media tools are used to encourage their voices, there are

key structures in place to encourage their engagement. A democratic process has been created that represents the public of Somaliland through political parties, lobby groups and activist groups and an electoral system. Somaliland government has successfully managed three fair national elections monitored by the international community. The lack of recognition has had the following key effects on Somalilanders: Lack of sufficient developmental support. Lack of access to international bodies and negotiations both political and economic. No recognised passport for Somalilanders to travel in and out of their country. Lack of adequate employment opportunities in the country especially for the young people who graduate from universities. Lack of international education opportunities for Somaliland students; they cannot access international universities and this keeps the students in the country and at risk of radicalisation and escapism. For a country without access to international and collateral connections it is a success story that needs to be celebrated, recognised and encouraged as a role model for the Horn of Africa. This is the country, these are the people, this is the land that made democracy possible in an area that is extremely difficult to stabilise. Without recognition it will be difficult to access financial support to boost economical growth. An African Union fact finding mission looking into the state of affairs in 2005 published a report that recommended favourable consideration for recognising Somaliland. Somaliland is a member of UNPO, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation.

This year it marked a special occasion as members of the Somaliland community have put in a lot of hard work to get Somaliland recognised at a local level by putting in a motion to Bristol City council. On Friday the 16th of May the independence celebrations were taken to another level when the flag of Somaliland was raised in front of children, mothers, grandparents and friends of Somaliland at the council house, College Green. It was a beautiful day with lots of sunshine and a lot of colour in front of the council house. The day event was followed by evening gatherings and celebrations across a number of exclusive venues in the heart of Bristol. See pictures here:Unfortunately, as a result of this, we have seen and experienced a series of backlashes, harassment and negative reactions to Somalilandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s independence. What this shows is that although we live in a democracy, the Somaliland community voices are being silenced by the same people they have fled their country from. It is every citizenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right to exercise civil and political rights without repression. It is that right that we encourage and harness for the sake of our children to grow up with a sense of identity. Those campaigning against Somalilandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s independence are campaigning against democracy, peace, stability and basic human rights. They are asking for a united Somalia which Somaliland left 23 years ago. It would be great if the west could wake up to the reality of a real potential ally in the Horn of Africa and stop trying to shoe-horn the remarkable people of Somaliland into an alliance with the failed state of Somalia, itself an artificial construct.

Every year on 18 May in Bristol and across many other big cities in the UK and the international community, the independence is remembered and celebrated.

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PEOPLE & PLACES

FROM SHANTI NIKETAN TO ST GEORGE With Nigel Willams

Part 2 – Length & Breadth During our time in India, we had the good fortune to be able to travel widely, both in India and in Asia more generally. But 4 years was nowhere nearly enough! It would take a lifetime to do justice to a country the size of a continent. ‘Diverse’ is an adjective often associated with India and with good reason – geographical, linguistic, cultural, climatic variation all abound. In this article I’ll touch on some of the highlights of our travels other than those in Rajasthan, which I intend to write about separately. The far north is dominated by the Himalayas – incomprehensibly vast and breathtakingly beautiful. Like every other part of India, we only had the opportunity to sample a tiny proportion of what northern India has to offer. In pristine atmosphere of Ladakh, we scramble up the rocky slopes, puffing and wheezing in the thin air. By the time we visited in August 2011, the debris from the devastating floods, which killed up to 600 people a year earlier, had all but disappeared – all that remained were signs of where the water had scoured the valley floors. The frequency and severity of (in our eyes) disasters and the resilience of the communities that these calamities affected was a source of constant wonder to us. We ‘sampled’ other areas in the north. We travelled from the sublime surroundings of the Golden Temple in Amritsar to the mountains of Himachel Pradesh, where, despite the challenges of a dispersed population and demanding terrain, the educational provision today is amongst the best in India. Maxine and I stayed at a tea plantation in Darjeeling, where the fundamentals of life, for those who worked on the plantation and those who managed it, had not changed in decades – health care, education and living standards have improved but the basic business of tea production remains labour intensive and demanding and the plantations are still pretty remote places. My youngest daughter spent 6 months teaching in an English-medium school in rural Assam. And my eldest daughter and I visited the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland.

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The Hornbill Festival was a tremendous highlight – an exuberant, colourful, celebration of Naga culture. At one point, I found myself sitting next to Nagaland’s Minister of Tourism, who explained to me that a village from one of the larger Naga tribes would only have an opportunity to be represented at the festival once every 25 years or so. No wonder they made the most of it! The standards of singing, dancing and display were superb and our 3 days at the festival passed in a flash. Of course, we sampled the food and the rice beer and our stomachs were ‘turned’ watching 2 of the less appealing competitions, which involved the consumption of improbable quantities of Naga chili and pork fat. Mumbai and Kolkata are at the extreme west and east of the country and they are quite different to each other in many ways. Mumbai, the financial capital, has brash modernism and extreme wealth rubbing alongside vast slums and destitution. Breakneck economic growth is evident everywhere, from the shiny corporate headquarters to the armies of migrant labourers seeking to reap their small part of this economic success. Kolkata is an altogether sleepier place – a delightful city to visit but its economy has not kept pace with the leading Indian cities (in 2009, Kolkata was judged by the World Bank to be the Indian city in which it was most difficult to do business).

However, in both cities, far apart though they are, it is difficult to move around without tripping over remnants of the colonial past. From the ‘Gateway of India’ in Mumbai to the overstated mausoleums of the ‘Park Street Cemetery’ in Kolkata, the cities are littered with colonial monuments. The Park Street Cemetery, a heritage site protected by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), bears some investigation, which Maxine and I did during a drenching, monsoonal, downpour, much to the amusement of the ASI team who look after the place. One of the more modest mausoleums, styled after a Hindu temple, is that of Major General Charles ‘Hindoo’ Stuart (1758-1828), an army officer and Indophile who converted to Hinduism. Stuart caused ‘outrage’ amongst British women by writing an article in a women’s magazine in which he exhorted the readers to adopt the “..elegant, simple, sensible and sensual..” sari and dispense with the “…prodigious structural engineering European women strapped themselves in…” In the south of India, our visits ranged from the backwaters of Kerala through the Nilgiri Mountains and on to the Deccan Plateau and included historic, evocative, cities such as Hyderabad and Kochi. Old Kochi reeks of history. For example, its Synagogue, in ‘Jewtown’, now only used by a dozen or so families, is all that remains of the once vibrant Malabari Jewish community who emigrated en masse to Israel in the mid-1950s. However, our most memorable visit in southern India was to the Periyar National Park, in the Western Ghats. Here, one can stay in the tiny ‘Lake Palace’ Hotel on an island in the middle of Periyar Lake - elephants ‘snorkel’ across the lake to the island and you are surrounded by wildlife, long after all other tourists have had to leave the park and all is quiet except for the sounds of the animals. Magical moments… But a place that drew us back to it time and again was much closer to home. Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, is only a 4 hour train ride from Delhi but it is another world. Once the seat of the Rajahs of Orchha, it declined after the capital was moved in 1783. Orchha is now a small, rural, town but its atmospheric palaces and mausoleums are extraordinary, as is its setting on the beautiful Betwa River. It is also remarkable for being surprisingly off the main tourist beaten tracks. We will return to India and continue with our travels some day. To my mind, the tourist potential of India is woefully under-exploited. But this is, of course, one of its delights and there are many more Orchhas to be ‘discovered’ away from the main tracks beaten by most Western tourists.

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Welcome to Goa, a tiny state in India which exhibits each bit of power left by the Portuguese during the 500 year rule. But, Goa is well again branded and familiar for its huge stretches of attractive sandy beaches, plain blue waters, luxuriant green mountain ranges and its idyllic daily life which embraces any beginner into its fold. Goa is also well-known for its broad variety of spiritual places which form an essential part of its momentous & devout tourist spots. Many of the places of worships are known for its wonderful construction. Located in Western India in the region known as Konkan, Goa is Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest state and its population is fourth smallest in India. It is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the North and by Karnataka to the East and South while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast. With a GDP per capita two and a half times that of the rest of the rest of the country, Goa is Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s richest state. Goa has been ranked top for the best quality of life in India by the National commission on Population. Panaji is the state's Capital, while Vasco da Gama, named after the Portuguese explorer is the largest city. The historic city of Margao, which has a predominantly Roman Catholic population, still exhibits the cultural influence of the Portuguese, who first landed in the early 16th century as merchants and conquered it soon thereafter. With the rule of the Portuguese for over 450 years and the consequential influence of Portuguese culture, Goa presents a somewhat different picture to the foreign visitor than other parts of the country. The state of Goa is famous for its excellent beaches, churches, and temples. The Basilica of Bom Jesus Cathedral, Fort Aguada and a new wax museum on Indian history, culture and heritage in Old Goa are other tourism destinations. Goa exhibits beautiful churches and cathedrals built by the Portuguese such as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church located in Panaji. The most popular and famous of all the churches in Goa, Basilica of Bom Jesus which is a World Heritage Site, it holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier kept in a silver casket are enshrined here which draws in many tourists. Although Goa is known for its vast amount of tourism, it is mainly focused on the coastal areas of Goa, with less tourist activity inland. In 2010, there were more than two million tourists reported to have visited Goa, about 1.2 million of which were from abroad. In 2013 Goa was the destination of choice for Indian and foreign tourists, particularly British tourists, with limited means who wanted to party. The state was hopeful that changes could be made which would attract a more upscale demographic. Goa's beaches cover about 125 kilometres of its coastline. These beaches are divided into North and South Goa, both of which attract certain crowds. North Goa is more commercial and filled with tourists, with an abundance of mainly low and medium budget tourist accommodations. Whereas South Goa has high-end hotels and is where private beaches are located. A notable exception in South Goa is Palolem Beach which features basic accommodation and is one of the most visited beaches in Goa. The further North or South you go, the more isolated the beaches get. Some of the more popular beaches are Colva, Calangute, Baga and Anjuna. These beaches are lined with shacks that provide fresh sea food and drinks. Some shacks arrange special events to attract more customers. Some of these beaches offer tourists exciting activities such as parasailing, water sports and dolphin cruises The festival of music and dance The Shigmo Mel or the Holi is a spring festival celebrated in the State of Goa, where it is now one of the major festivals in the Hindu community, it signifies unity in diversity.

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People a

Goa

e and places

By Sue S

My dream holiday

The cuisine of Goa is a delicious reflection of its history and heritage. It is influenced by its Hindu origins, four hundred years of Portuguese colonialism, and modern techniques. No other cuisine in India can claim such contrasting influences. Goan cuisine is famous for its rich variety of fish dishes cooked with elaborate recipes. Rice with fish curry is the staple diet in Goa. Kingfish (Vison or Visvan) is the most common delicacy. Others include Pomfret, Shark, Tuna and Mackerel. Among the shellfish are Crabs, Prawns, Tiger Prawns, Lobster, Squid and Mussels. Coconut and coconut oil is widely used in Goan cooking along with chili peppers, spices, and vinegar which gives the food a unique flavour. Goa features a tropical Monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification. Being in the tropical zone and near the Arabian Sea, Goa’s climate is very hot and

humid for most of the year. The Western Ghats are a mountain range that runs almost parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula. They form most of Eastern Goa and have been internationally recognised as one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world. In the February 1999 issue of National Geographic Magazine, Goa was compared with the Amazon and Congo basins for its rich tropical biodiversity. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity in the world. It is sometimes called the ‘Great Escarpment of India’. Goa also has a wide variety of wildlife and its sanctuaries boast of more than 1512 documented species of plants, over 275 species of birds, over 48 kinds of animals and over 60 genera of reptiles.

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Fashions of Gujarat

With Manni Chakkyar

FASHIONISTA

When we talk about the dressing trend of Gujarat, the first thing comes to mind is tradition and culture. The Gujarati dressing style is quite cultural but it also reflects in the ways which the state has gone through over the decades. Amidst the revolution in the fashion world the Gujarat clothing style has adapted itself according to the need and still maintain its identity. The outfits brighten up the atmosphere and surroundings with its burnished glossy shades with enriched dresses. The women beautify themselves by wearing aesthetic and fancy jewellery along with fashionable accessories. The main outfit for Gujarati men is Chorno and Kediyu, with the female being the chaniyo and choli. Both the men and women wear lavish jewellery and ornaments. Geographically the Gujarat area provides so much variety, so the clothing trends will do as well. The fine thread works, use of beats, astragals, small patches and cloth pieces are more commonly found as add ups of Gujarati outfits due to the finesse and creativity of Gujarati embroiders. Chorno is the most commonly worn outfit by Gujarati men. It is mostly a cotton dress worn by the men in the rural areas of the state. The Kediyu or Angrakhu is put over the top of the Chorno to cover the upper part of the body. Men will wear some kind of head dress like a turban, especially in the rural areas. The head dress or clothe is known as a phento and is a thickly folded or layered piece of cloth. Women generally wear the channiyo within the rural areas. This outfit will consist of a petticoat with a blouse, which is known as a choli. The petticoat is brightly coloured and decorated with glass pieces. The choli consists of quite the same patterns and design that the match the glass pieces on the petticoat. To give the women a graceful and decent finish to the outfit the women will wear what is known as a chunri. This chunri will be draped around

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the upper part of the body covering the shoulders and head. A chunri is a coarse piece of cloth and usually does not have any heavy work done on it and is light in weight. India is the land of the most colourful festivals and when we think about Gujaratis there is one main festive that comes to mind and that is Navratris. On this festival, the Gujarat culture is seen in full swing and enthusiasm for it seems to have no bounds. For occasions like this they go out and buy entire new outfits. The Gujarat state and Gujaratis in the Diaspora erupt into a nine night dance to celebrate the festival, most likely the longest celebration in the world. The importance of the Navratri worship is to tender devotion to Divine Mother Amba who is believed to exist in several different forms. The dance style performed to celebrate these festivities is known as raas garba and can be joined by dandiya at times.

While this folk dance is being performed the men will wear an outfit with a small coat called a keviya. The coat is tight long sleeved and frilled with pleats at its waist and shoulders and borders are embroidered tastefully. A tight churidar pajama and colourful turban are put on along with the keviya, colourful waste band with white keviya and churidar add to the great beauty of this outfit. Women will wear a lehenga choli and ghagra choli for this festival. These outfits consist of a bare-backed blouse extending down the waist with ghagras and lehengas ankle length skirts and are fixed at the waist. A veil cloth known as odhni or dupatta gives a final touch to complete outfit by being dropped across the neck or over the head. Women would generally wear such an outfit, but for such festivals the outfit would be decorated and heavily designed. Gujarati outfits are very attractive, eye catching and adorable. The Abhas which is traditionally from the Kutch region is quite a popular outfit. This amazingly styled garment is adorned in glass pieces and tastefully decorated with golden

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and silver thread work; along with decorative patches to give it a glossy core. As everything changes with time, so are ornaments. Ornaments like rings, earrings, bangles and chains are stylish, aesthetic and come in a large variety and are simpler and sober. Such ornaments are what make the bride even more beautiful on the day of her wedding. The introduction of western culture has brought some changes with it, but traditional ornaments like these are what keep the culture tied to the present youth. In Gujarat women commonly hang keys around there waist. They will wear different kinds of jewellery such as a necklace, earrings, bangles, rings and “mangalsutra”. Other jewellery has the purpose of fashion alone except the mangalsutra; this carries a deep meaning in a woman’s life. Women will put a red powderoin the upper centre of their forehead, this powder is known as ‘sindoor’ and symbolises that a woman is married. Gujarati men usually wear a dhoti, which is a long or short coat and turban cap. The women usually wear sari and blouse, the Patola of Patan are forms of sarees which are quite famous in Gujarat owing to its attractive geometrical patterns. The jewel work of Gujarat is also very famous. Gold, silver, iron, copper, bronze and different forms of metals are used as jewelleries by the local women staying in Gujarat and are also exported outside the state. Bollywood has for long borrowed a leaf from the Gujarat State on fashion, with some divas donning outfits that have both rare embroideries, that patched the tukdas (pieces) on rustic textiles to create whole outfits like the one Deepika Padukone wore in Goliyon ki Rasleela Ram-Leela. Wherever they have set foot the Gujaratis have taken along their way of dressing, culture & food which is a landmark of the people from the State of Gujarat.

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As millions across the world complete the month of Ramadan, we take a brief look at the month. Ramadan allows Muslims to tap into unparalleled spiritual energy that sees the faithful perform extraordinary feats. However, the greatest miracle of Ramadan is in the personal transformation that takes place. It takes believers out of the profane and into the sacred. It moves Muslims to truly become Atomic human beings, focused on good, and determined to avoid detriments that tarnish hearts. Muslims remain vigilant and in a state of remembrance of Allah (dhikr). Allah’s mercy pours throughout this month unlike others, and it is an opportunity to make up for past misdeeds. We wish you a blessed Eid Ul Fitr! One to One with Sheikh Rizwan Gangat What better question to ask at this time than that of the burning issue of “Are we eating Halal certified products? This is the unanswered question. Many are confident that they are eating Halal. After all, this is what we all assume as is advertised in Halal outlets, but are they actually selling and serving Halal? We sat down with a young Imam who is also a representative and inspector of the Halal group, HMC. Local Imam, Sheikh Rizwan Gangat, is pro-community and works with BTIT (Bristol Taleem-UlIslam Trust). He is not only focused on religious affairs in the city but social matters that affect both the Muslim and wider community. Sheikh Rizwan is originally from India and grew up in Zambia, in East and Central Africa. He moved to Leicester in the UK in 2000, joining Islamic Dawah to study Islamic technology from 2001 to 2007. In 2008 he moved to Bristol and worked as an Imam at Easton Islamic Darsagh on Roman Road and later that year he joined BTIT. Welcome to Mast Sheikh Rizwan, please give us an insight of brand HMC. In my personal opinion HMC (Halal Meat Certified) is an organisation that understands for and determines Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) method of slaughter. HMC also promotes quality assurance and monitoring guarantee which consumers of Halal products can be fully comfortable with. In short, HMC not only stands for Halal justification but they guarantee Halal slaughtering. “How did you get involved with HMC, knowing too well that this is tricky ground?” I got involved after a close friend mentioned the worries and concern on products coming to Bristol, especially the stunned chicken that was coming into Bristol. However, having researched as an Imam, I concluded that having unstunned meat and poultry is closer to the ‘sunnah’(ways)

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of the Prophet(PBUH) as there is no doubt that the animal is still alive at the time of slaughter. Since the introduction of HMC certified outlets in Bristol, to date we have seen only two that are HMC certified. “Why is this?” They are four outlets that are HMC certified in Bristol; three butchers and one take-away. “Are these just a drop in the ocean in this big city?” There are two conflicting opinions amongst the Bristol scholars regarding stunned & unstunned ways of slaughter. Some say it is in order to consume stunned and others say if unstunned is available, why one should consume stunned. Difference in opinions by scholars is the major stumbling block in Bristol. Having talked to many outlets in Bristol that sell Halal, they claim that HMC certified products are more expensive compared to stunned products and that HMC cannot meet the demand of these outlets. I personally would not have phrased it that way; HMC is slightly more expensive due to administrations costs, which involves monitoring from the slaughter house to the outlets. Supply is readily available and pricing is not an issue. We are talking about a few pennies above the stunned meat. “How do you monitor your approved outlets?” There is an element of trust involved in this. I believe if a client goes as far as getting HMC certified, he has to have trust. If the client decided to go through the route of mixing products (which I highly doubt any of the HMC branded outlets would) they will eventually get caught and exposed. I understand from butchers’ products such as cow tongue, tripe and foot are not available as HMC products. “Why?” Certain products are difficult to get due to supply and demand. We are working on having more HMC approved abattoirs, especially with beef products. Bristol’s location does not help either as most slaughter houses are in the North and Midlands. “Are restaurants and take-away outlets able to afford HMC certified products?” I do not understand why we do not have food outlets going HMC. It may be a cost issue. Surprisingly, consumers in Bristol are not aware of the difference between stunned and unstunned products, as long as the product says Halal. Many take it for granted. In recent times, some are questioning the authenticity of Halal products whether they are stunned or unstunned. This all comes down to educating the masses on the importance of eating Halal as per the Sharia of Islam. In recent months the Animal Rights groups have been campaigning against stunning. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. “If the European Union passes this as a must, how would it affect those communities that are strictly pro unstunned products?” It would definitely affect those communities, a good fraction of Muslim people and others that are pro unstunned products. Moving away from the Halal issue, you are one of the very few young English speaking Imams in Bristol. “How effectively have you used your position to educate and create awareness against the evils of society, drug abuse, and violence, to promote family values?” I try my best when delivering lectures at various mosques in the city. I teach a group of teenage students and one of the things I emphasise is family and community values. I have a very open approach in my work. I encourage students to have open discussions and Q&A sessions on all subjects affecting society. Such discussions give me an opportunity to counsel and at times provide advice and guidance to the youth. I would like to add that the community seriously needs to involve young people in decision making on youth related issues. Do not get me wrong, there is some good work going on within all communities but that is not enough. We need to seriously understand these issues and do something about them. “Finally, what message do you send out to the community?” I am only a ‘student’. My understanding is very limited, and like all Imams, we are learning every day. I would advise every Muslim to build a closer relationship with their respective Imams, consult Imams in their religious and social affairs.

EID Mubarak

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NOOR SUPERMARKET Bristol

pecialists in

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AL-NOOR SUPERMARKET 205 Stapleton Rd, BS5 0PA Tel: 0117 9518460 Specialists in African foods alnoor.supermarket@yahoo.com Bristol

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ASIAN, AFRICAN, ENGLISH, CARRIBEAN AND WORLD FOODS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK, INCLUDING BANK HOLIDAYS - 9AM - 7PM

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Recently opened Peri Peri Grill on the Kingswood High Street has brought a sparkle for lovers of tasty grill chicken with a range of some of the finest Milkshakes in the city. Owned by Bristol couple Shazia & Abdul Gaffar, Peri Peri brings the difference that South Gloucestershire residents & those bordering the area have long wanted.

Clothing  International Money Transfer  Travel

NOW OPEN! New look and lines instore now!

The outlet has a good sitting area and ample parking at the rear and provides a free delivery service for up to a three mile radius.

Clothing & Accessories  Styling the South-West with traditional South-East garments!  We stock the latest trends in clothing and accessories, styling you and your family for any occasion!  We also provide a tailoring and saree fitting service. Ask in store for details.

The Peri Peri chicken is freshly prepared with authentic herbs and spices and flame grilled. Some of the meat products are sourced from Halal approved outlets that are certified by recognised certification boards. Open seven days a week from 12 pm till late Peri Peri personalised service only available in a community based family business.

Established since 2000 within the heart of Bristol, we hope to fulfil all your needs. We aim to please no matter the occasion or budget! Come and see for yourself!

International Money Transfer & Travel  Send money around the world with the best rates and lowest fees in the South- West!  We offer various methods of transfering your money across the globe.  We also provide flight tickets to Bangladesh as well as Hajj & Umrah Packages. An authorised agent of AN Express Ltd.

456 Stapleton Road, Eastville, Bristol BS5 6PA Telephone: 0117 952 0672 Website: www.sultanasbristol.co.uk E-mail: sultanas.bristol@yahoo.co.uk Sultanas & AN Express Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

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Increasing food prices are driving households to become more self-sufficient Green-fingered gardeners are growing black tomatoes in the latest colour swap food craze. The jet-black variety is said to be healthier than its red cousin as it has more anti-oxidants. Already popular in America, they went on sale for first time this spring. Some are already growing purple carrots, yellow courgettes and white asparagus. But black tomatoes are the must-have crop for greenhouses this season, growers say. Not only will the dark toms turn heads at the allotment society, they are also healthier than normal red varieties, according to plant scientists. The new tomato starts out as a normal green fruit, but ripens to a jet-black colour. The fruit is among the first in the world to contain anthocyanin, an antioxidant believed to help fight cancer, diabetes and obesity. The tomato’s jet black colour stems from pigments in its skin which develop when exposed to sunlight. On sale for the first time this year, the new ‘Indigo Rose’ was cultivated by breeding red and purple tomato plants, and is being heralded as a new super food. Scientists in America bred purple tomatoes contained anthocyanin, an antioxidant said to help fight diabetes and obesity, with normal red varieties. Devon-based Sutton Seeds have secured the rights to start selling the new plants in the UK for the first time this spring. Alfie Jackson, of Suttons Seeds Devon, said: ‘They are not as sweet as normal tomatoes and have a more savoury flavour, and are nice roasted or eaten in salads. ‘There are some dark coloured tomatoes but Indigo Rose is the only real black tomato and is the darkest that has ever been bred. The Black tomato was bred by Professor Jim Myers at the University of Oregon in the US and came about after a graduate student was interested in looking at health benefits in tomatoes. ‘They found some tomatoes with purple pigmentation and tests revealed that anthocyanin were providing the colour, the same as blueberries. ‘They crossed the purple tomatoes with some wild tomatoes and eventually came up with a black strain. This is the first time they have been available to buy in the UK. American nutritionists advise people eat the less sweet version to fight obesity and help diabetes ‘During the growth process it starts out

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Healthy Eating! With Rafi S

green like all tomatoes and when the sun hits the fruit it turns black rather than red.’ Gardeners are opting in increasing numbers for rare crops such as okra, purple carrots and specialist vegetables used in stir fries such as Pak Choi, oriental mustard and red hot chillies, which fetch high prices in the supermarkets. ‘An entire generation is rediscovering the delicate flavours of vegetables cooked straight from the garden,’ she said. Another fruit with great nutrients is the Cashew Fruit (Kaju, Kharosho (Swahili) Cashew apples are not actually fruits scientifically; the real fruit of the cashew tree is the kidney-shaped formation growing at the end....

These fruits also called drupes, when harvested, become what we know as a cashew nut. In their raw form, the outer layer of the fruit contains multiple toxins—including anacardic acid, a powerful skin irritant similar to the toxin found in poison ivy - that must be removed prior to eating. Growing up in Mombasa Kenya Cashew fruit was readily available as the tree would grow in our backyards competing for space with guava & Matomoto trees. The flesh itself was inedible. I used to sprinkle salt on them before sucking in the juice. Roasting the cashews destroys the toxins. When they are roasted, cashews change from their natural greenish-gray colour to the light brown ‘nut’ sold in stores.

Recipe from the East African coastline

Mahamri

With Dija S

Breaking away from the curry & Biriani tradition that many are used to, I will take you across continents to taste and experience the different delicacies of these countries. My first stop is the East African coast of Kenya, Tanzania and the beautiful Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, on the Indian Ocean. Due to the Portuguese, Arab and Indian influence on these lands, culture, language & food has a touch of these early merchants. We look at two delicacies very popular with all races in this coastline, Mahamri (which I feel is a mix breed of a traditional doughnut and sponge cake), can be eaten with almost any kind of dish or on its own, dipped in tea. The other is the Kitumbua or vitumbua in plural, delicacies I find hard to place anywhere. Both these can be had as a breakfast accompaniment with a nice cup of tea and coconut spiced gungo peas or as dinner with either spiced Chinese styled fried meat with a little gravy or the traditional curry.

Kitumbua

Mahamri

Kitumbua

Ingredients:

.. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made out of rice, cardamom, yeast and coconut. There is a special pan which has shallow holes 6-7 used to make vitumbua.

2 cups plain flour 1 tsp. yeast 1 tsp. crushed cardamom 1 large spoon sugar (if you like it sweeter, add a little more) 2 tbsp. oil Coconut milk for making dough or coconut powder. Water if needed

Ingredients: makes approx 30 small vitumbua.

Preparation 1. Ferment yeast in 1/4 cup warm water with a little bit of sugar. 2. Mix rest of the ingredients. 3. Once yeast rises to the top, add to the flour mixture. Thoroughly mix everything. 4. If using coconut powder, take 1/4 of same, mix well with rest of ingredients and form dough. Kneading dough is very important for Mahamri to turn out soft and fluffy. 5. Knead dough until it is smooth to the touch. 6. Cover dough and let it rise overnight or morning, whichever is applicable. 7. Form balls out of the dough. Roll out dough which should not be thin. 8. Fry until golden brown. Ready to serve â&#x20AC;&#x201C; best eaten when still hot.

1 cups finely ground rice flour 4 tablespoons plain flour (I use whole-wheat) 1 packet of coconut milk powder 1 egg white 1/2 cup warm water 1 teaspoon yeast 1/4 cup sugar (You can add up to 1/2 cup, like mine less sweet) 1 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds oil for frying (some people use vegetable ghee)

Preparation: Mix rice flour, plain flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom and the coconut powder then add the water slowly to form a thick paste.(You may need to add less or more water). Cover and keep in a warm area (oven with the lamp on) for approx 45-60 minutes you see bubbles on the top and have at least doubled in size. Seasoned makers advice to leave it overnight. Give the batter a stirring. Heat the appam pan, place a drop of oil in each pan, and pour a teaspoonful of batter so that the pan is 3/4 full. Cook for 2-3 minutes (until it browns), flip the vitumbua. Cook the other side and repeat until all the batter is finished.

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Classics Legendary Hema Malini With Manni Chakkyar

There has been no heroine who has had more hits than her, in fact no hero has had more than her. The ‘Dream Girl’ mesmerized millions with her dancing, acting and style. Hema Malini is an Indian actress, director/producer, Bharatanatyam dancerchoreographer and politician. She is well known for her roles in Hindi cinema making her debut in Sapno Ka Saudagar (1968). Malini appeared in numerous Bollywood films, most notably those with actor and future husband Dhamendra and with Rajesh Khanna; it was with Khanna that Hema was first promoted as ‘Dream Girl’ and starred in a film with the same name in 1977. It was during this period that she established herself as one of Hindi Cinemas leading actresses, recognised for her comic and dramatic roles, beauty and accomplished classical dancing. Hema is one of the most successful female film stars in Indian cinema history. She has appeared in over 150 films in a career spanning over 40 years. Over the decades she has been nominated 11 times for best actress in the Filmfare awards, of which she won once since 1972. Malini was presented with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000, that same year she was honoured with the Padma Shri, this is the fourth highest civilian honour given by the government of India. In 2012 the Sir Padampat Singhania University conferred an Honorary Doctorate on Hema Malini in recognition of her contribution to Indian cinema. Hema Malini Chakravarty was born into a Tamil speaking Iyengar family in Ammankudi near Orathanadu to V.S. Ramanujam Chakravarthy and Jaya Chakravarthy on 16th October 1948. Her mother was a film producer and is the youngest of three children with two older brothers. During the filming of “Sholay” Hema fell in love with co-star Dhamendra the pair eventually married in 1980, they both converted to Islam. At the time Dhamendra was still married to Prakash Kaur who refused to divorce him. Other than the film Sholay, Dhamendra and Hema appeared in films together such as Seta Aur Geeta, Dream Girl, Charas and The Burning Train. Hema had starred in many hit movies in the 70s and 80s but is most remembered for her role in

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“Sholay” as the talkative Tangewali. She has two daughters with Dhamendra, Esha Deol born 1981 and Ahanna Deol born 1985. Esha her older daughter is a well-known actress. After having minor roles in Tamil movies and rejections from directors, a film producer called Ananthaswamy offered her a role opposite Raj Kapoor in his film Sapno Ka Saudagar (1968) after the film was refused by Vyjayanthimala refused the film she was promoted as the dream girl of Bollywood from that film. Hema played a double role with Dhamendra and Sanjeev Kumar in Seta Aur Geeta (1972). The film was a blockbuster hit and earned her first Filmfare award for best actress. Hema Malini established herself as one of the best leading actresses in Bollywood having made her debut 4 years earlier. After getting married Hema continued to work in films such as Kranti, Nasseeb, Satte Pe Satta and Vijay Anand’s Rajput, and was paired with Dhamendra in Alibaba Aur 40 Chor, Baghavat, Samraat and Razia Sultan. Having taken a break from film for a couple of years Hema made her comeback in Baghban (2003). The film starred Amitabh Bachchan who played the role of her husband; this earned her a Filmfare Best Actress Nomination. Hema was nominated as Rajay Sabha MP (2003-2009) by the president of India Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, from Maharashtra. In the general elections of 2014 (Lok Sabha-India) Malini made a dream debut from Mathura Lok Sabha constituency by defeating incumbent Jayant Chaudhary of RDL by an impressive margin. Hema Malini is a trained Bharatanatyam artist and has trained her daughters in the dance form; the three of them have performed together at charity dance concerts. Of late Malini spends most of her time on charitable and social ventures as well as making occasional appearances in films.

ENTERTAINMENT With Junior Sheikh

Another ride with UK Asian talent on the second quarter of the year. Sad to see it’s not looking as promising as what it was in 2013 but no cause for worry as we are only halfway through the year and with an expected beautiful summer they may surprise all! The NEXT BIG THING!

Baby Ice is So Solid...

Every now and then an artist emerges on the scene and creates a wave so big that you have to take notice! Jay Sean laid the path for new UK urban artists to follow into overseas markets and Baby Ice has finally arrived, taken note and is ready to go global! Hip Hop artist Baby Ice out of West London has a passion and love for music which ignited at a very young age. Inspired by early experiences, Baby Ice began writing empowering lyrics, picking up the mic and perfecting her unique style and skill. Baby Ice’s talent and undeniable well-crafted lyricism led her to an introduction to the BBC award winning producer/rapper V dubl E (Dubl Up Productions) who took this artist under his wing and spent the next year refining her skills. There is no one out there like her... The Baby Ice Phenomenon has been a long time coming...

a desi mix (music by Baldev Mastana), a club mix and a reggae mix (music by Third Generation Collective). Daljit Mattu is a well known UK Punjabi artist from West Midlands. He is well known for his melodies and one of his popular album is Captain Bhangra II Singh Sardaar is available worldwide from iTunes and all other credible leading digital music stores from Thursday 3rd July 2014.

Jassi Siddhu

When the ambassador of UK Bhangra music Jassi Sidhu and the hit-maker PBN come together this summer for the year’s biggest collaboration, it’s safe to assume that Bhangra fans worldwide are going to have to sit up and take notice. Jassi Sidhu is cemented as one of the UK’s biggest international artists...PBN has a hit list of dance floor anthems unparalleled in recent times. Now two of the greatest ever talents in the Brit Asian music scene come together to bring you ‘SINGH’ a track to light up the summer and resonate across dance floors worldwide. ‘SINGH’ is a culmination of months of hard work bringing together two of the most distinctive style’s to originate from the UK shores to create a dance floor anthem, that Punjabi music lovers worldwide will instantly connect with. ‘SINGH’ is the latest chapter in an incredible journey taken by two artists who have lit up the music scene globally with their own distinct styles. With such an extensive catalogue of hits and a wealth of experience between them Jassi Sidhu & PBN are about to unleash their best work to date on the world. This is big British Bhangra at its finest. ...2014 is definitely going to be remembered as the summer of ‘SINGH’.

Mick St Clair: Singh Sardaar Ft. Daljit Mattu

In 2006 and 2007 Mick released two albums, Loud ‘n’ Proud and Loud ‘n’ Proud 2. He now returns with a single entitled Singh Sardaar, featuring the vocals of Daljit Mattu. The song is about young people who are proud of their heritage and culture, and feel pride in being sardaars. There are three versions of this single,

Pretty Boy & Bushkin team up for ‘Pichlee Galee Remix’

Pretty Boy Music proudly presents the brand new clothing line ‘Pretty Wear’ and celebrates the occasion with the release of the remix to Onkar Sumal’s ‘Pichlee Galee’ produced by veteran music maestro Music Manny and featuring Bushkin, previously of Heartless Crew. Onkar Sumal, dubbed the most controversial Punjabi music artist in the history of Asian Urban music, brings the flava back to us with his newly launched clothing line and tantalising remix to his Asian Urban hit ‘Pichlee Galee’. Music Manny was very well recognised for his production skills as part of smash hit producers ‘Illegal Demo’. Legendary UKG artist Bushkin is well known for his unique rap and style which made him a key individual in the

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Heartless Crew set up that shaped the evolution of UK Garage and Grime music. This remix is a fresh take on last year’s Pichlee Galee; Music Manny has taken ambient bassline and traditional instruments and fused them with Onkar’s urban Punjabi vocals and the inimitable Bushkin’s vibe. This is a bass thumping remix of the original single.

Debut single “Jaan Soniye”

Hip-Hop Duo Deliver ‘Forever’

Brothers Mar2s (Mar-toos) and Ripz from Bedford form ‘Ill Defined’. They have been rapping and producing for many years and now they team up with the heartthrob Navin Kundra to deliver the masterpiece ‘Forever’. The meaning of Ill Defined is: ‘not clearly or sharply defined’. It’s used to describe something that is not understood and something you do not quite know what to do with. It’s like a problem and it’s this mystery that separates them from others in the industry. The singer-songwriters bring a unique style and concept to their productions which has led to their sound been coined an ‘Ill Deli Beat’! Being themselves influenced by producers and artists from all eras of music and multi-genre music; they deliver a bit of something for all tastes and audiences. Following from the buzz of their urban success they now bring you a fusion of urban & Asian with the smooth vocals from Navin Kundra on ‘Forever’ which promises to give the listeners something a little bit different.

Rotherham based business man Maz Khan releases his debut single Jaan Soniye. Maz started singing at a young age at family events and parties before he met with record label owner Zahid Parvez who offered to give him his first break as a professional singer Born and Raised in North England, Maz’s roots are truly Pakistani where he was raised listening to Late Noor Jehan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Attaullah Khan. Maz had some singing lessons at an early stage where he honed his voice and ability to understand the depth of music and raags. I am excited and blessed to have this opportunity and look forward to this journey”. Jaan Soniye produced by twilight productions is a musical enchantment with live strings, pianos in the composition it really takes you to another world with Maz’s soulful voice and romantic vibe.

Japjit Debuts with ‘Jalte Hain Dil’

Jaan – Maz Bonafide!

Fresh from shooting his latest video for the forthcoming solo debut ‘Jaan’, Maz Bonafide claims to have caught the acting bug! Speaking to some journalists recently, Maz explained that he has always had it in the back of his mind to one day experiment with film work but never really got the opportunity because of his hectic music career. Maz said: “Shooting the Jaan video in Pakistan was an amazing experience and a real eye-opener for me. Making a pop video is one thing but this project was literally like making a movie. The huge hand-built sets, dozens of extras and runners and a full crew is another world.” Maz has apparently already had talks with a couple of movie producers in India and is planning a trip to Mumbai soon. He adds: “The Jaan video is like my acting debut as well as my debut solo track but it’s also a stepping stone to my destiny. ‘Jaan’ is a beautiful, romantic, Bollywood inspired track which looks set to be one of the biggest love songs of 2014.

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She has one of the most remarkable voices in the music industry. Her dulcet tones are enthralling and her pitch perfect voice is the epitome of her music. Having dominated the stage for nearly a decade, the hugely-talented Japjit Kaur now presents her highly-anticipated debut single ‘Jalte Hain Dil’. The Indian classically trained singer-songwriter raises the bar with this refreshing and toe-tapping track that is showing all the hallmarks of becoming a massive hit. Built off the success of songs like Ur Jaa, Sapano Se Pucho and Baavaria, all written and performed by Jagjit Kaur for the award-winning and critically acclaimed British composer and musician Niraj Chag, Born in Delhi now resident of London, Japjit has been performing as a singer-songwriter for several years. Appointed Music Director in 2007 for the Olivier award-winning play ‘Rafta Rafta’ at the Royal National Theatre, Kaur has performed nationally with internationally renowned Saddlers Wells, World Stages, Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatre Royal Stratford East and West Yorkshire Playhouse.

DJ Chan from Lionhearts –Visa FT: DMC & UV

West Midlands based DJ Chan released his debut music project ‘Visa’ FT DMC and UV. Chan developed a passion for music and the production after playing numerous hits in clubs, parties and private functions.

The B.A.D. - Pride Attitude \Killer Instinct’

The Burban music scene is getting ready to welcome brand new, breakthrough artist THE B.A.D. who’s set to challenge and provoke audiences with the release of his debut, controversially titled single, P.A.K.I. An acronym for ‘Pride Attitude Killer Instinct’, P.A.K.I. tackles the pervasive issues of race and identity which are ingrained in society, even today. The new single takes a reflective look at Britain’s multicultural society and analyses the level of tolerance for ethnic minority communities. THE B.A.D., real name Kash Chaudhary, was inspired by his own story; growing up at the intersection of the 80s and 90s in Britain as the son of an immigrant, the talented rapper used his confusion over his dual identity as a source of inspiration. Growing up never truly understanding where ‘home’ is resulted in dissociation with both countries; realising he was neither classified as English in England and nor a Pakistani in Pakistan. The track’s title P.A.K.I. cleverly turns the racist term on its head,.THE B.A.D. reclaims and rebrands the word which has been used to demean, alienate and discriminate against himself and his family.

Chanjit Karra (his real name), born in West Bromwich, West Midlands initially started his journey whilst studying at Coventry University. It was in 2000 when he performed at Brixton academy with some of the biggest stars in the music industry, that inspired him to take his disc- jocking to the next level by establishing his own brand ‘Lion Hearts Entertainments’. Speaking to a correspondent he says, “It’s been one of my dreams to make my own track and I am happy that all my hard work and dedication has paid off. The debut song ‘Visa’ is a peppy Bhangra song sung by UV from Jalandhar, India and emceed by DMC from West Midlands. This fresh trio have composed a banger track for all the party goers across the world. Visa was released on April 24th.

Soulful Kesh K -The Live Session

ANPARH DESI!

DJ Harvey brings together Saini Surinder with Jaswinder Jassi of Patandra fame to launch a foot-tapping, energetic Desi collaboration for his first traditional duet - ANPARH DESI This is Saini Surinder’s first single of 2014, Saini is regarded as one of the top Punjabi folk singers to make a mark in the UK with tracks likes Thor, Mundra, and most recently the Bindrakhia tribute. Producer DJ Harvey is responsible for bhangra songs Ehni Sohni feat. Miss Pooja, Gidha feat. Jaswinder Daghamia and the romantic duet Tere Naal feat. Jaz Dhami.

It’s not often a star is born with a god gifted voice, passion for classical music and ability to play numerous instruments at just the young age of 25. Kesh K born and raised in Bedfordshire is armed with the knowledge of Tabla, harmonium, vocal, writing and composing. Born into a family of mixed origin, Indian and Italian, Kesh’s influences have predominantly lent towards the Indian side as you can tell from his music. Kesh was drawn to Sufi, classical music from the age of 3 listening to great Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Ghulam Ali, Ustad Zakir Hussain to name a few. Kesh’s father, Om Kaushal also a singer inspired Kesh to pursue his musical dream. Kesh’s father has been training him since the age of 4 and at the age of 10, Kesh went on to learn tabla by his guru Shri Anil Bhagwat, who provided the platform for his musical development and from the age of 11 he started performing at private functions. “It’s not about fame, quick success or making some money from sales. Real music needs to be appreciated; I want people to appreciate my music, compositions all over the world. I want to bring back live music and with the support of fans and music lovers we can make this happen” ~ Kesh K

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Samir Mirza Returns!

International singer-songwriter Samir Mirza is back with a stunning Punjabi ballad called ‘Ik Yaad Teri’ with music produced by the incredible Hunterz. Samir has the ability to sing across various Asian styles and genres including Ghazal, Kashmiri, Potowari Folk, Bhangra, Qawali and more! Samir is a veteran of the Asian music industry. His journey dates back as far as 1981 when won his first Asian music award which was organised by OSA (Oriental Star Agencies) in Birmingham.

Sanj Meghowalia debut single ‘KIDDAN’

Songwriter Sanj aka Sanj Meghowalia who has given us smash hits like Fitteh Moo, Patandra, Saa Charju, Go Crazy to name a few. Sanj has been working closely with Inda Bains honing his music skills and knowledge before his debut in to the UK and International music scene. With years of vocal training, Sanj’s performances with polished Punjabi pronunciation and vocals always leave crowds memorised. Sanj is looking forward to his singing career after writing a string of number one hit songs “I am blessed that people across the world have loved all the lyrics to my songs and now I am ready to launch my singing career. Kiddan is a song for all music lovers across the globe! Another dance floor number” ~ Sanj Meghowalia

Zora Randhawa with his debut

Jeeja Sali-Gin & Rees - Miss Pooja & Jagdev In The Boxing Ring!

Gin & Rees are back again with a real traditional banger of a track. ‘Jeeja Saali’ is a folk duet song that brings to life the traditionally Punjabi banter which occurs between the sometimes inebriated ‘Jeeja’ and his new ‘Saali’ (sister-in-law). Gin & Rees have expertly encapsulated this cultural aspect of a Punjabi wedding and portrayed it in a video shot in a Boxing ring! The highly comical video shows Gin & Rees coaching the Jeeja and the Saali for their verbal stand-off in the ring. Employing the fantastic vocals of Miss Pooja and the late Jagdev Jammu, Jeeja Saali is as traditional as it gets

Single Haa!

Born in Amritsar, Punjab raised in UK and spent his teens through Canada and Australia. At the age of 7 Zora began singing under the guidance of late Kaka Bhainiwala and at 11 began learning Table and Harmonium. Zora began touring the world with Punjabi superstars Dr Zeus, Bally Sagoo, Jassi Sidhu, Mika Singh and so many more. Zora’s debut single HAA produced by Mofolatic and project conceived Dr Zeus is a quirky track with traditional Punjabi lyrics mixed with modern beats. Zora’s music talent is yet to be unleashed with a string of hit ready to release in the next few months. Look out for this new singing sensation ready to take over the music scene

Aron Brown – Pehla Pyaar!

The Brit-Asian music scene welcomed the much-anticipated return of popular singer-songwriter, Aron Brown. Back with new beats and a new body, Aron Brown‘s latest track ‘Pehla Pyaar’. Perhaps best known for his debut single ‘I Just Wanna’, Aron Brown is no stranger to the industry. After taking a short break from the scene to work on his music, the multi-talented performer has returned with a brand new image. The track’s two parts are creatively diverse. The first part is a romantic ballad, Featuring Aron’s distinctive urban sound. In an unexpected yet incredible turn, the latter part sees a return to Aron’s Punjabi roots.

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Aishwarya silences critics!

All glammed up in glittery gold on her first appearance and in silver on her second day at Cannes 2014.

Community at heart With Big Q

Nagar Kirtan festival in the South West of England 'Nagar Kirtan is a Punjabi terms which literally means "Neighbourhood Kirtan". The word "Nagar" means "town or neighbourhood," and "Kirtan" is a term describing the singing of Shabads (divine hymns). The term refers to the possession of Sikh Sangat (Congregation) through the town singing holy hymns. The concept of a Nagar Kirtan is to bring the message of God to the doorstep of the community. It is very common for Nagar Kirtan to take place wherever Sikhs live. They are common during the month of Vaisakhi and take place all over the globe. When participating in the Nagar Kirtan, one can find solace and peace even when thousands are walking with you. One can reach a state of Nirvana when indulging in the singing of Kirtan while following the Guru Granth Sahib. This is what the Nagar Kirtan is all about. There are young and old, Sikh, non-Sikh that follow the Nagar Kirtan route, stand on the sides and freely distribute refreshments to all alike. The Nagar Kirtan is concluded as the sacred Guru Granth Sahib re-enters the Gurudwara and the whole Sadh Sangat stands still for the Ardas (concluding Prayer). For those that had a chance to see the procession you may notice that many members of the Sadh Sangat take their shoes off on the streets while the Ardas is being read on the loud speaker. This is purely a sign of respect of the holy Bani. It is also noticeable that the majority of the Sadh Sangat have covered their heads, this is a significant sign of respect to the presence of our sacred Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The colour Orange is in honour of the Khalsa Panth, as the Panj Pyaras are robed in Orange. Everyone pays respect to the Sacred Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji by bowing their heads and is presented with Prasad (sacred food) by the Sewadars. The Nagar Kirtan is started when the Panj Piare (5 beloved ones) walk in front of the Sacred Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The Panj Pyaras are donned in their colourful Bana befitting the occasion. The five are almost always Amritdhari – baptised Khalsa Singhs. The number 5 is very significant as it was on the day of Vaisakhi 1699 that the Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh created the order of Khalsa by baptizing five volunteers from each corner of India and from different backgrounds. The five beloved ones ‘Panj Pyaras’ were given this reference by our 10th Guru Ji as they selflessly presented themselves at the call for their lives. It was these Panj Pyaras who amongst 80,000 stood up and entered the tent where Guru Gobind Singh asked for the head of his beloved Sikhs. It was to everyone’s amazement that the Panj Pyaras came out of the tent alive and in glorious valour dressed in the 5 Ks, as they had the holy ceremony of Amrit Shakna performed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The Panj Piare (five beloved of the Guru) lead the procession of the Nagar Kirtan. This is followed by at least one main float, which carries the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. In the float you have several Sewadars performing Kirtan and attending to the Guru. The Sangat walked behind Guru Ji and the Panj Piare singing Shabads and enjoying the glorious day. Food and drinks are sometimes served from stationary points or from other subsequent floats.

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Holi Celebrations in South West –England!

Holi Me Sab Miljate Hai Kushiyo Ke Rang Khil Jate Hai! With Junior Sheikh

Every year streets reverberate with the chants of Holi Hai across India, Nepal, Srilanka and countries with large Hindu Diaspora such as Guyana, Trinidad, East & South Africa, Mauritius Fiji and parts of United Kingdom and America where celebrations are contained at community centres and temples.

The lighting of the Bonfires marks the miraculous escape of young Prahlad after he was carried into a burning fire by Demon Holiaka and walked out the burning of effigies is no more. In some places of the United Kingdom where the Bonfires are lit, coconuts are thrown into the fire and when the outer shell burns it is removed. The burnt husk of the coconut represents Demon Holiaka and the white inside represents Prahlad signifying his miraculous escape from the Demon’s fire.

United States of America, Europe and here in Great Britain, Holi Hai….

Holi has a lot of rituals attached to it, reading the holy book at various temples, smearing of the colours and squirting of coloured and scented water using pichkaris (syringes or squirt guns). The festival begins with Holi Milan, where songs related to the festival and the epic love story of Radha Krishna are sung. Over the years Holi has become an important celebration in the Hindu calendar wherever the Indian Diaspora have set foot, be it in Africa, North America,

Junior Sheikh, CEO Radio Mast & Director of Mast The Magazine joined Hindu Temple secretary Parag Bhatt, chair Bharthi Katrecha, former chair Rasik Patel amongst many others at the fun filled celebration in style, pomp, song, dance & colour, for Holi knows no bars, everybody feels it is their right to enjoy and so they did ending the day with Prasad (blessed sweets).

Holi also referred to as the Festival of Colours is a popular Hindu Spring festival. It marks the end of the winter gloom and rejoices in the bloom of spring. Days before the celebration markets are flooded with colours, of magenta, pink, green and blue colours Buying these colours is bringing joy and colour to your home and life. In West Bengal and Bangladesh the festival is known as Dolyatra (Doul Jatra) or Basanta-Utsav (spring festival). Bonfires are lit before the main Holi day known as Dhulendi and is known as Holiaka Dahan, the burning of Holiaka or Chhoti Holi (Little Holi).

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The Bristol Hindu Temple on Church Road, South West England marked this occasion at the temple in conjunction with Bristol Hindu Youth Forum. Students from the local universities & colleges joined the local Hindu community to celebrate this auspicious day. The Lord Mayor of Bristol Councillor Faruk Choudhury was Chief Guest.

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The Lord Mayor’s Diary! 2013 -2014

This was followed by a visit at the Shah Jalal Mosque ,the only purpose built Mosque in the South West and is situated alongside the M32.

The Lord Mayor of Bristol has had a very active term of office. Making the Blood & Organ campaign his top priority Lord Mayor Cllr Faruk Choudhury has trekked across the city of Bristol propagating the importance of this Blood & Organ Donation whilst promoting closer links between communities. Our photo editor Raffi Sheikh has complied some of these fine moments. At the Bristol Blood Centre: An absolute, enlightening tour of Bristol Blood Centre. It is Europe's biggest Blood processing laboratories and distributes to over 90 hospitals.

BJC 65th Dinner

BCFM Radio Dinner

Bristol Hindu Temple The Bristol Hindu Temple, otherwise known as Sanatan Deevya |Mandal, was founded in 1979 by members of the Hindu community who had fled Uganda in the early 1970s. Freedom City of London Huge honour and privilege to receive the Freedom of the City of London Award. Glad to be the first youngest recipient of this prestigious award in London.

The Mall Cribbs Causeway: Reaching out to all communities the Lord Mayor’s team was at The Mall Cribbs Causeway.

Places of worship seem to be best suited to create awareness of Health related issues. Siri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara, Bristol.

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In Aid of Syria! The Charity Dinner for Syria at the Bristol Hotel organised by Human Concern - a UK charity established with the aim of supplying humanitarian aid to people affected by the current crisis in Syria-

A visit to Avon and Somerset Police Horse and Dog Section at Bower Ashton, Bristol, remarkably trained horses.

The Lord Mayor’s Annual Service! The event was held at the Lord Mayor’s Chapel Park Street Bristol. The Chapel is the only remaining building of the 13th century Hospital of St. Mark. The Council have since moving out of the Cathedral continued to use the Chapel to this day. The service was led by Chaplain to the Lord Mayor Reverend Prebendury Harold Clarke. The Muslim Chaplin to the University of Bristol Rizwan Ahmed led the Islamic prayers. Also participating were The Lord Mayor’s Choir, Master of Music Doctor John Marsh, Verger to the Lord Mayor Mark J Barden. The Mace escort were Avon Fire Service and Mrs Tessa Orford was the sword bearer.

A pictorial from Swindon Pride of Swindon Awards!

Every year people in Swindon are recognised for their amazing voluntary work in the community. They received a certificate and those who have gone the extra miles received a badge and their names are put on a plaque in the Swindon Central Library. Now in its sixth year, The Pride of Swindon Awards recognises people who have made a difference to their community by helping others. The awards cover a range of categories including; volunteering, people who have shown remarkable courage and even doctors, nurses or teachers who have gone that extra mile in their way of duty to help others. The awards were hosted by Shirley Ludford, station manager at Swindon 105.5. The event was put together by organisations, volunteers as well as representatives from Swindon Borough Council The event was opened with a special performance from up-and-coming singer Charlie-Anne Bradfield. Pride of Swindon Badge Winners included Daniel Struve, Hazel Furze, David Bell, Janet Clarke, Morgan Sharpe, Jum Bahadur Gurung, Deb Hows, Lyn Parfrey, Sheila Harrod, Stephanie Hathaway, Tim French, Mike Fisher and Fred Ferris (posthumous).

Having tea with our New Madam Mayor Teresa Page and presented her with a gift from Mauritius. It is the Map of Mauritius showing all the wonders of the Island which sums up why it is called the Paradise Island. The scroll will be hanged on the wall in the Mayor's Parlour.

Diversity week at New College-Swindon The event featured Henna painting and sari tying by Akila and Nazma, Belly Dancing and other community activities.. This was another good day to bring the communities together.

Breaking Free Charity!

High Sheriff Awards Swindon The High Sheriff of Wiltshire, at end of his year in office, has made a special award to the Station Manager of SWINDON 105.5 for making a real difference to the lives of very many local people of all ages and abilities, as well as all the community work carried out since a teenager. Station volunteers, some of whom attended the presentation and were invited by Shirley to say a few words, say "We are all very proud and the recognition is well deserved".

..As usual Swindon is always buzzing with activities, At Breaking Free, a charity for female survivors of sexual abuse and rape the audience were captivated with emotion as two of the members relived their experiences of sexual abuse. These two ladies bravely recounted the horrors of the abuse they were put through. Performing on the night was The Great voice of Sade....Sophia Epiphany Bovell

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The Raj Mahal opened its doors to customers in 1992. Tucked away in Stapleton, just off the M32. The Raj Mahal is renowned for its exquisite Indian cuisine. Raj, the proprietor is always there to welcome you as soon as you step into this Indian speciality. With over 25 years in the catering business Raj who started in London opening the prestigious Indian Palace. With passion, quality service and excellent dishes Raj turned The Indian Palace into one of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest eating places. Having established himself in the restaurant industry Raj set foot in Bristol and launched Raj Mahal. The restaurant has attracted clientele from all over the world and is reputed for its traditional dishes and celebrated for its house specialities. The menu is enticing and has a range of specialities. One such is House Kebab special, Murgi Kofta and Tandoori trout. Raj has won many awards including a five star write up in the local Bristol Evening News. So whatever the occasion, for that exquisite Indian Dining, unmatched service and a welcoming atmosphere

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Big Spring Clean at Bradley Stoke. The Big Spring Clean’ events and litter picking sessions at Bradley Stoke is organised by volunteering groups like ‘Bradley Stoke in Bloom’, ‘Three Brooks Conservation Group’, ‘Friends of Jubilee Green’ and ‘Dream scheme’ are making noteworthy contributions in keeping Bradley Stoke spick and span and in spreading the message of keeping the town clean and green..

Bristol Somali Youth Forum Bristol Somali Forum’s Meeting with the Police to discuss how to build and strength the Community relations at Barton Hill settlement. The Easton Community Cup Bringing together communities from across Bristol. The Easton Community Cup is an annual football festival this year organised by Bristol Somali Youth Network& sponsored by The Police, Pak butchers, Kingston Church& BSYN (Bristol Somali Youth Network) 16 teams participated in the tournament which was attended by Cllrs. Marg , Afzal Shah, Lord Mayor Cllr. Faruk Choudhury & Ahmed Geedow Head of the Somali Diaspora office.

festivities that bring Europe closer to its citizens and the peoples of the Union closer to one another. To mark this date and in view of Bristol’s undeniable European identity, at the invitation of the European Movement Bristol & Bath branch, The Rt. Hon. Lord Mayor of Bristol Cllr Faruk Choudhury hoisted the EU flag in front of the Bristol City Hall. The event was attended by Bristol Political Leaders, Bristol Elected Members, members of the public and of course members of the European Movement and hosted by the Chair European Movement Dr. Razvan Constantinescu. Also in attendance was Labour MP Kerry McCarthy.

Students Embark On International Project.

Bristol based Ahmed Cantoobo & Liban attend Global Somali Conference in Istanbul Turkey

Frenchay finally closes as the new look Southmead hospital opens. Two academies within the Cabot Learning Federation are embarking on a ground breaking international project. Bristol Brunel Academy, secondary and Minerva Academy, primary are embarking on a Bristol-China Cultural and Technological project with Yucai Experimental School and Xiehe Primary School, both in Guangzhou, China. The overall objective of this project is for students to learn and discover the difference in cultures between the two countries in a variety of ways. Over the rest of the academic year students will film and blog on a variety of topics to include, academy way of life, what is traditional English culture and famous Bristol landmarks to describe what it is like to live in Bristol. A highlight of this project will be the visit of 40-50 students and teachers from Yuexi Yucai Experimental School in July to experience British culture first-hand and visit both Bristol schools. Ms Domini Choudhury, Assistant Principal at Bristol Brunel Academy said, “This is a wonderful opportunity for the Cabot Learning Federation to develop international links and foster lasting working relationships with the education sector in Guangzhou, which is Bristol’s twin city.

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Fahma Mohammed Honoured! Fahma Mohamed is presented with the Courage and Bravery Award at Bristol Young Heroes by Assistant Fire Chief Marc Anderson for her ‪#‪EndFGM‪ campaign; what a lovely photo.

Europe Day On the 9 May 1950, Robert Schuman, the first President of the European Parliamentary Assembly, presented his proposal on the creation of an organised Europe, indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations. This proposal, known as the Schuman Declaration is considered to be the beginning of the creation of what is known as The European Union. The peoples of Europe celebrate the 9 May as the Europe Day. This is an occasion for activities and

Nurses are some of the country’s toughest men and women, but for these brave caregivers the devastation became too much as their A&E department was shuttered. With their hands round each other’s shoulders in the centre of the ward that some had served for decades, many of the men and women had tears rolling down their cheeks.

The emotional nurses had gathered for a group hug on their final night shift at the Accident and Emergency department of Frenchay Hospital in Bristol. Speaking to Mast, Dr. Kirsten Jones Lead Consultant at the Emergency department said, “Frenchay is really special to a lot of people. And a lot of people have worked here for many years. “It has always had a really lovely warm atmosphere and we know that people who use Frenchay feel very fondly about it. But you cannot deliver healthcare

based on nostalgia. These buildings are decrepit and although it is very sad to leave them, the new building will give patients a much better experience.” Patients will now be taken to the £430m Southmead

The Pakistani Raja Royals will this season be captained by Raja Saleem Akhtar, whose sons Rizwan and Ramzan are competing for places alongside grandsons Armaan and Aiyaan. The Royals begin life in Division Four and “will be aiming to hold our own”, but family members will still have to prove that they are worth their place in the starting side. Raja Royals is an open club and welcome any new players.”

Hospital which fully opened on the 29th of May Award for Amir Cheema! A Muslim Scout leader who has brought together hundreds of young people from different faiths and backgrounds has won an award from the Prime Minister. Amir Cheema has spent the past 11 years dedicating his spare time to encouraging Muslim boys and girls, as well as young people from other backgrounds, to join the Scout Association. Yesterday the Muslim Scout Fellowship, part of the wider movement, announced a 13.5 per cent increase in its members and a rise of 85 per cent in the past five years.

Gloucester FM woolsack race held in Gloucester. Seen in the picture is Shahedur Rahman a volunteer with Gloucester FM doing his bit. To donate please visit gloucesterfm.com

Mr Cheema said: “It’s a massive privilege to accept this award on behalf of the fantastic volunteers from the Muslim Scout Fellowship and my Brunel Scout District, who work tirelessly to help young people experience the adventure of a lifetime. I look forward to continued contributions and to hearing from all members of the community, including people who have not yet experienced Scouting – please do come forward and help transform lives. We are delighted to say that SWINDON 105.5 to have received an official announcement today from Buckingham Palace that SWINDON 105.5 has received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services.

Of the key campaigners to get an elected mayor in Bristol has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours list. Jaya Chakrabarti was already well known in Bristol’s business circles as founder and managing director of digital communication agency Nameless. But she gained a public profile in 2012 when she founded and chaired the Yes campaign for the Bristol mayor referendum. Bristol became the only city in the UK to vote in favour of an elected mayor during a referendum held in May 2012, leading to the election of George Ferguson as mayor in November of that year. Ms Chakrabarti has received her award for ‘services to the creative digital industries and the community in Bristol’. She said on Friday it had been a “total shock” to find out about the award, as she described herself as merely a “tiny pilot light in our beautiful city”.

Giant slide on Parkstreet Bristol

This is a great accolade for all involved with the Station and recognition of the totally inclusive and accessible policy we hold dear. This is also fab for the town itself.

Tariq Mahmood Memorial cricket Tournment

This Award comes soon after my High Sheriff’s Award, then the ITV “Surprise Surprse” trip to New after Boyzone were flown in to our Swindon studios to surprise me! and the arranged meeting with actress Whoopi Goldberg who agreed to become our third Patron.

JAWAD GULFRAZ KHAN winning young player of tournament at Netham playing fields . The tournament is held in memory of local Pakistani pioneer cricketer Tariq Mahmood annually.

All the team here are chuffed that dedication to the true reasoning behind Community Radio is being recoginsed in these very public ways - great for the town and for Community Radio as a whole.

Out and about www.radiomastfm.com

Official opening of Subway II at the Yate Shopping Centre by Rt. Hon Steve Webb MP Minister of State for Pensions ...all day Friday 20th June ....Special Buy One Get One at outlet....proprietors Ben Skuse & Spencer O’Leary who already have an outlet at the shopping complex felt there was need to open another small Quick serve station at the main walk about area.

Bristol being home to a large Somali expatriate community, the government was keen to gather their views ahead of a conference about the conflictravaged nation. International Development Minister Stephen O’Brien travelled to the city for the conference, a precinct to a London conference. Latif Ismail, who chaired the discussion, said roughly three million Somalis are living outside their homeland, many as refugees in neighbouring countries Latif Ismail said the Bristol Somali community played a big role in investment and politically in Somalia.

What a glorious day in Queen Square , funding from Bristol City council brought 2000 people together to dance, sing, eat , share stories and information , cakes , crepes ,and above all humanity celebrated.

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Summer brings out the best in many sports enthusiast in the South West, Waleed Mahmood of Pak Bristolians under 11 cricket team.

What a way to relax on a beautiful sunny day than enjoy a relaxed swing at the Park. Chair of Easton Jamia Mosque, Bristol and director of the Pak Butchers group Abdul Raoof Malik and friend Nassir

Mehmood seem to make the best of a sunny day. Finally a number of new business outlets worth a mention, Khan’s at Lodge Causeway, and a new team walks into Alwaha Grill Easton. Shoppers seem to bond well with sales people at these community

St Pauls Carnival was back again this year, big as usual, exiting, full of diversity. The Carnival attracted people across all communitues from different parts of the UK who came to celebrate and be part of this great Carnival.

Bioceras South West UK AUE Reversal and skin enhancing clinic using Nand current technology For Health improvement support including- body wrap advice and product.nutrition for health advice/products.The clinic is based at Space Works Centre in Easton.

March for Palestine in Bristol Hundreds turned up for the grand march for Palestine on Saturday 19th July, starting at Shah Jalal Mosque by the M32 in Easton through the local vicinity and onto the city centre, Bristol saw the support the different communities show for the war in Gaza. Speaker after speaker condemned the indiscriminate killings of women and children in the conflict.

Tesco Summer Road Show Swindon Tesco Extra Swindon in conjunction with MTM Events present The Tesco Summer Road Show 2014 at the County Athletic Grounds Swindon SN1 2EH on Bank Holiday Monday 25th August. The event is scheduled to start at 12pm to 8pm. The event features Live Entertainment on the main stage with R&B sensation Arjun as one of the headline acts. There will be modern & cultural dance troupes, solo performers; UN discovered talent & DJ performances on main stage from 1pm non-stop to 8pm. Spread across the grounds will be a market Bazaar, International Food stalls, exhibition stalls; funfair rides for the young & old, amusement, games and much more! This is all in support of Diabetes UK; Tesco’s chosen charity for 2013 -2014. Entry is free & parking is available locally, please check FB page Tesco Summer Road Show. Tesco Extra Swindon community champion Michelle Hobbs is seen launching the first PR campaign.

Harbour Festival 2014! The Bristol Harbour Festival is one of the best-loved and most diverse festivals in the South West of England - and one of the biggest free events in the country. . Bristol’s beautiful city centre harbour was alive with music, dance, circus, children’s entertainment, ships and boats, markets and fireworks for a spectacle weekend and despite the down pour on the Saturday this did not stop the continues flow of people at the 2014 festival. This year expanded into Castle Park - the historic and beautiful park next to Broadmead and Bristol Bridge. Along with a completely new attraction (the Bristol Village Fayre on the Amphitheatre) and a major development that will saw King Street buzzing.

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TESCO COMMUNITY TEAM PRESENTS

TESCO SUMMER Supporting ROADSHOW Diabetes UK

Mast The Magazine Honoring The Best in the South West of England! The Asian community in the South West has been in the region for over 60 years- playing a great role in socio-economic benefit in the country. The first of the Asian communities here came as emigrants to seek better pastures with intentions of employment and later education after which all if not most expected to go back. But fate has had many of them settle in the UK and start families.

Main Stage Live Entertainment all Day

From simple groceries and small food outlets, today the Asian communities has expanded in all aspects of businesses and are major contributors to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy. The off-springs are also playing a massive role with many working in various sectors thus too contributing to the development of projects. To recognise these achivements Mast the Magazine launced MTM Awards.

International Food Stalls Exhibition Stalls Rides, Games, Football Final & much more A Charity Fun Day For the Family 12-8pm To book a stall Contact: 07807 802325 07514 408470

MTM Awards were held for the first time in December 2012 in Bristol. The event was a big success and attended by hundreds with the Bristol Mayor George Ferguson as chief guest. The event featured entertainment by local and national artiste with R& B sensation Arjun headlining the evening. It was decided on the night to hold the event every two years, this would give both the participant and organisers time to put together a better event every season. The 2014 Awards will have a special category to include members of other communities who have achieved in community work, business and entertainment with a special emphasis on the new small start-up businesses. MTM Awards 2014 will be officially launched on August 10th and nominations will be available on the Radio Mast FM website as in the previous season. This will be on MTMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s official page on www.radiomastfm.com Once the Nomination process is closed an open X-Factor style voting system will prevail on the following: www.radiomastfm.com

Bank Holiday Monday

25TH AUGUST 2014

FREE ENTRY! County Athletic Grounds Swindon, Behind Tesco Extra

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OPENING SOON

MTM AWARDS

2014 CATEGORIES Nomination open 10th August @ www.radiomastfm.com Food Business World Foods Mini-Markets Butchers & Fish Suppliers Restaurants Fast Foods Indian Takeaway Best Chef

Arts & Entertainment Best Performer/Dancer Best Singer Solo/ Group Best Videography/Film Best Photography/Art

open awards Business of the Year Empowering Women in Business Sporting Achievement Professional Award

Fashion & Beauty Best Hair Stylist Best Make-Up Artist Best Model Best Fashionista

General Business Pharmaceutical Auto Trade & Services Furnishings & Carpets One Stop Services Personal Transport New Business Wholesalers - General Wholesalers - Food

Special Award Public Service Community Group Community Cohesion Young Achievers Award Unsung Hero Lifetime Achievement

AWARDS OPEN TO ALL IN THE SOUTH WEST ASIAN COMMUNITY www.radiomastfm.com

Trending on the web Fatherly Love!

The 40-year-old father from China's Sichuan province refused to give up on the boy, now 12, despite both his arms and legs being twisted and his back being hunched. Because there was no school bus and no suitable public transport the father decided that the only alternative was to make sure he carried him every day to school and back.

The Sworn Virgins

Burrneshas, also known as 'Sworn Virgins', cut their hair, don male clothing and adopt all the chores and responsibilities of the typical male head of the family. Unlike other women, they are permitted to drink, smoke, carry a gun and socialize with other men. The tradition dates back to a 15th Century tribal code, where battletorn families who had lost their last remaining male heir could put forward their oldest daughter to take on the patriarchal duties instead. Diane Rakipi, pictured with a photo of herself as a young girl, is one of the few remaining Burrneshas in Albania.

Face To Face – Lion V Crocodile only in Kenya!

than carry it on their heads. This allows for three to five times more water to be transported at one time compared to traditional methods.

Unto Death does us apart!

The Brazilian Bride

If you're a wildlife photography buff or ever enjoyed a safari, you'll know this is a golden moment as a lion fights off a crocodile from a bounty of dead hippo, in Kenya's Masaai Mara reserve.

A ranger in Kenya sleeps beside baby orphan rhinos that he's protecting – with an increase in poaching in Kenya in recent years this lone ranger has put his own life at risk to protect the Rhino, sadly such bravery goes un noticed in Kenya. Image shared by the Put Foot Rally

Money ‘can’t buy happiness!

Being happy isn't about money. Don't be too poor that all you have is money!

Parking fine for a two year old!

Normally drivers dread having to pay motoring fines, but little Za'Dariyah Mishaw cannot wait to go to her local police station to hand over her $4. The two-yearold girl was driving her small pedal car outside her Jacksonville, Florida apartment complex when a police cruiser pulled her over (left) for speeding and handed little Za'Dariyah a ticket.

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The Water Wheel

Water, hygiene, and transportation are constant challenges for developing nations like India, and women often shoulder the burden of collecting water for their families. For many isolated areas, family members (mainly women) are forced to trek up to five miles to the nearest water source with large, heavy plastic containers balanced on their heads. It’s estimated that Indian women and young girls spend up to 25 percent of their time each day collecting water. Cynthia Koenig, a young social innovator, decided to create a new way to make this chore less arduous. She designed a device to transport water in a more efficient and hygienic way: the Water Wheel, a round 50-liter container that enables people to roll water from water sources rather

Elisany da Cruz Silva, from Brazil, who is a staggering 6ft 8ins tall, has been dating 5ft 4ins Francinaldo da Silva Carvalho for more than three years. Despite a massive 1ft 4ins between them, Francinaldo had no problem increasing the distance by dropping to one knee after a romantic stroll along the beach. Elisany is keen to get pregnant soon as she is worried her conditiona form of gigantism caused by a tumour growing on her pituitary gland- may mean she is unable to conceive.

Twitter storm over Kenyan policewoman's 'tight' skirt

A policewoman's uniform in Kenya has caused a social media storm. Kenyans on Twitter are outraged after Corporal Linda Okello was reprimanded for wearing a tight skirt. Thousands tweeted their messages of support using the hashtag #KenyansForLindaOkello. It's not the first time police uniforms have hit the headlines in Kenya. Last year police were barred from wearing lipstick and big earrings while on duty as it was considered "unprofessional". The move angered MPs who said it was "archaic and extreme".

ONLY IN KENYA - BODA BODA TAXI

'Two thousand therapists'

One thousand masseurs have broken the world record for the largest simultaneous massage. The successful attempt took place at a beach in Sanur, Bali, Indonesia. The record-breaking challenge was called 'Two thousand therapists' hands in traditional Indonesian massage' and saw the masseurs carry out the treatments for 15 minutes. Lying on Palmyra leaf mats, with the beautiful Indonesian coastline as the backdrop, 1,000 lucky participants were continuously massaged for 15 minutes in a bid to land the new record title, the therapists - who were dressed in matching purple and blue outfits - were later divided into groups giving nine types of treatments. There were also herbal steam baths, traditional saunas, exfoliation treatment sussing egg protein, detoxifying rituals and steam treatments.

Try recycling this!

Recycling at its best Waste plastic bottles couldn't be used in any better way!

AND PEACE ON EARTH TO MEN OF GOOD WILL

Pope Francis embraces his Jewish Rabbi -Abraham Skorka and Muslim Imam -Omar Abboud friends at the Western wailing wall of Jerusalem

Anglo European Immigration Services Norwuz

The Afghan men look on from the tree branches while other revellers gather near the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine for the New Year's festival's celebrations in Mazar-i-Sharif. The festival is one of the biggest events in the warscarred nation, and marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. Norwuz is calculated according to a solar calendar, with this coming year marking 1393. It is a largely secular holiday that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths, and is also celebrated by other cultural regions including Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and other scattered populations in Central Asia.

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Gold Plated Skate Board

It is the world's most expensive skateboard coated in pure gold and is on sale for a staggering £9,000. The board has been plated in pure gold and still works normally despite its precious paint job. According to the board's creator, the lucky buyer will have to wear special gloves to avoid smudging the mirror-finish.

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Federation of Bangledesh Caterers launch

Asian Catering Federation & Federation of Bangladeshi Caters 1stSouth West Regional Inauguration & Networking Dinner held on the 24 of March at De Vere Village Urban Resorts Shawbridge Leisure Park Swindon. In an event attended by a host of Bangladeshi Caterers in the region with FOBC representative from London & other parts of UK. The event was graced by the attendance of the Deputy Lord Mayor of Swindon & the Lord Mayor of Bristol Cllr Faruk Choudhury. Speaking at the event Founder Chairman of FOBC Yawar Khan thanked sponsors, affiliates & members for making FOBC a strong voice for Bangladeshi Caters. Also attending were Swindon Councillors Abdul Amin & Cllr Junab Ali Entertainment was provided by Bengali Diva Moni!

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Turkish & Mediterranean Cuisine

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

Nazar Mediterranean Meze is beautifully decorated in traditional Turkish style Jeweled candlesticks on each table with drapery on the ceiling. The Chef prepares his delicacies in an open kitchen with a charcoal grill. Nazar offers dining with a difference, cozy, elegant with sumptuous dishes. Turkish & Mediterranean Cuisine

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