April 2022 - Online Edition

A Division of Qld Multicultural Times Print Post Approved PP : 424022 1724 | ISSN 2652-6182

Volume 18, Number 8 Saturday, April 9th, 2022

As God is One, we respect all Religions

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'Historic' trade agreement with India signed after decade of negotiations Australia and India have signed a major interim free-trade deal hailed as a significant step in diversifying export markets and reducing Australia's economic dependence on China.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison touted the deal as "one of the biggest economic doors" available to open.

"We are opening the biggest door of one of the biggest economies in the world in India," Mr Morrison said ahead of the signing.

The interim AustraliaIndia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement was signed in a virtual ceremony

by Trade Minister Dan Tehan and his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal, and witnessed by prime ministers Scott Morrison and Narendra Modi.

"We are very confident that this deal will see our two-way trade, the trade between our nations, double in the coming years," Mr Tehan said at the virtual event.

"This will create a new dawn for our nations."

Mr Goyal celebrated the agreement, saying it was a "natural" partnership.

"India and Australia are natural partners. Like two brothers, both nations

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Our relationship rests on the pillars of trust and reliability," Mr Goyal said.

The trade deal cuts tariffs on a range of Australian exports to India, including coal, lentils, sheepmeat and wool, lobsters and rare earths.

It also includes a phased reduction of tariffs on wine and a host of other agricultural products including avocados,

cherries, nuts, blueberries, almonds, oranges, mandarins, pears and strawberries.

"The Indian economy is worth billions and billions and billions all around the world, and there are many countries who want to do more business with India, but it's actually Australia that has been able to secure that in the agreement that we've been able to reach," Mr Morrison said.

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Inside

• Local News ..................................4-37 • Real Estate ................................14-18 • wwww ...................................... 26-27 • India News ..................................... 38 • Fiji News ......................................... 40 • Entertainment .............................. 42 • Health & Well Being .................... 44 • Business Directory/Classified ... 47 • Sports News ................................... 48

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From the Publisher Hello and welcome to our April Issue; April is one of those months that remind you of William Shakespeare’s “ A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” warming up in some countries and cooling down in other parts of the world. With the colors of Holi fading into memory, Hindus worldwide are gearing up for Ram Navami.

Lord Rama was born on Navami Tithi during Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month.

Each year this day is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Rama. Lord Rama was born during the Madhyahna period, the middle of the Hindu day. Madhyahna, which prevails for six Ghatis (approximately 2 hours and 24 minutes), is the most auspicious time to perform Rama Navami Puja rituals.

The mid-point of Madhyahna is marked when Shri Rama was born, and temples symbolize this moment as the birth moment of Lord Rama. The chanting of Shri Rama and celebration reach their peak during this time.

Due to the widespread use of a western clock and Gregorian calendar, people assume noon as a Madhyahna moment.

This could have been correct if sunrise and sunset occur strictly at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., respectively, but in most places, sunrise

and sunset timings are different from six O'clock. Hence the exact time to celebrate the birthday of Lord Rama falls between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in most Indian cities.

Most Hindu Temples are preparing for this significant event; the last day, the 10th of April, being a Sunday, allows the celebration to occur at Midday.

Muslims around the world will observe the holy month of Ramadan and fast from before sunrise until sundown for the month.

To establish the beginning of Ramadan, which is determined by the sighting of the new moon, until Arabia and other Muslimmajority countries rely on the testimonies of moon sighters. This year will see the return of pilgrims in whole numbers for the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina after two years of COVID-19 restrictions, as Saudi Arabia lifted most restrictions just ahead of Ramadan. Other countries have independent sightings, but Indonesia, Lebanon, Morocco, and Syria are also likely to begin fasting starting Saturday.

In contrast, east and west countries will commence as the moon is sighted.

I am looking forward to both celebrations, many Iftar dinners, and Ram Navami Bhoj.

Ram Navami also marks the beginning

of the new Hindu Year, and DJJS has planned for a large-scale public celebration of Navwarsh in King George Square. DJJS has been promoting this event in a big way, and it is slowly getting bigger and better, their focus has been on spiritual values. They have not deviated from this, though there was a push to make it like an ordinary festival as spiritual inclination brings with it some restrictions. Still, they have managed to keep spiritual values at the forefront.

AICC Australia India Chamber of Commerce has made inroads into Brisbane, and we were privileged to be there at the launch, wishing them all the best in Brisbane. Congratulations are in order for the Bangladesh Association of Brisbane for a successful Independence Day celebration at Queen Street Mall center stage. They also had their national flag at Brisbane City Hall, and the Story Bridge was lit up in their national colors.

After a long time, I went to the cinema hall and watched a movie well if you can call it that, we watched “The Kashmir Files” what an eyeopener, I would recommend everyone to watch the documentary movie, what one takes from it will be dependant on that person’s perspective upbringing and circle of influence.

Congratulations to Councillor Kim Marx for celebrating her tenth anniversary as a councilor. She has been branded a nonpolitical politician, and she gets on with the job; after a long time, it was beautiful to see a packed house at Michaels; everyone was there for her celebration.

Order of Australia Association held its annual meeting and dinner at Kedron Wavell RSL in Chermside; I was humbled to be admitted as a life member of the Order of Australia Association.

Well, we can’t forget the floods, can we?

Our location on the river gives us a good vantage point for viewing; we witnessed the river break its bank; one thing I must say is that the recovery effort was very efficient; on my morning walks, I have seen first how the situation was handled and how portions of the riverwalk were opened to the public, many of the restaurants are undergoing a complete renovation as the damage was extensive. We attended the flood appeal fundraiser organized in a bi-partisan manner at the Queensland parliament house, a total of $246,000-00 was collected. Our thoughts are with the residents of Lismore, where they had the double whammy.

And finally, at the time of printing, we were waiting for the federal election to be called; it was tipped to be around the 14th of May; on our Girmit Diwas, well, we will have to see; Coalition is banking on the budget announcement, and short-term relief of fuel tax, etc. and the opposition is banking on a policy based on wage rise.

Make the best of April in whichever way you want, and best wishes for all the festivals. Will see you next month, until then, happy reading.

—Umesh Chandra OAM Publisher

BIT MAY 2022

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Eligibility To be eligible for a Temporary Graduate visa extension: • Visa holders must have held a Temporary Graduate visa on 15 December 2021 • The current visa expires before 30 September 2022 • The primary visa holder was in Australia at time of the visa grant • The primary visa holder has been outside Australia for any period between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 (inclusive) • The visa has not been cancelled since 15 December 2021 • The holder has not been granted a further substantive visa since 15 December 2021.

To be eligible for visa refresh: • Visa holders must have held a Temporary Graduate visa that visa expired between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 inclusive • The primary visa holder was in Australia at time of grant • The primary holder of the visa has been outside Australia for any period between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 inclusive • The visa was not cancelled • The visa holder has not been granted a further substantive visa.

Cost The visa extension is free and occurred automatically. Applicants do not need to contact

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COVID-19 Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) replacement stream visa Applications for the COVID-19 Temporary Graduate replacement stream visa open on 1 July 2022.

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Brilliant colours of ‘Holi’ in New Delhi

By Rama Gaind It was just a brief visit to New Delhi, India, but long enough to again be able to appreciate – now that we can travel overseas again – the spirit and significance of Holi – the Festival of Colours.

That’s usually a time when life is a riot of vibrant shades which has an impact on countless aspects of our daily lives from the way we decorate our homes and what we eat to the clothes we wear.

Everyone was putting on their most lively side upfront because the season was about celebrating the brighter hues of life with our near and dear ones.

March 18 was a time (though celebrations were rather subdued this year) when the streets were alive with people rejoicing, spraying each other with coloured liquid and exchanging gifts.

Stories abound of the origins of Holi (also called holika or phagwa) which is a harvest celebration marking the climax of spring. It carries India into the bright days of summer. The most widely held belief is that Holi marks the day when the devotee of Lord Vishnu, Bakt Prahlad, seated on the lap of demoness Holika, was saved from a fire by God. Bonfires are lit, marking both the end of winter and the death of evil, and proceeds from the seasonal harvest – including grains and coconuts –¬ offered to the flames. The next day, dhuleti involves throwing plenty of coloured powder, colourful water, offering prayers, fast and feasting.

The historic Red Fort in Old Delhi. Photo: Rama Gaind archway in the middle of a crossroad that attracts an endless stream of tourists on a daily basis.

India Gate, in New Delhi, commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army during World War I. Photo: Rama Gaind People have fun dancing and gambling, but there are some who prefer to steer clear of the streets to avoid the enthusiastic celebrations and keep away from getting stained with dye.

An assortment of delicacies makes choice difficult for those with a sweet tooth!

Iconic sites While the spirit of celebration showcases the shifting panorama of life, sights, movement and feelings, the urge to explore cannot be contained. There’s a fascinating charm about both Old and New Delhi which you have to dig deep to uncover. First impressions can be off-putting, but underneath the chaotic façade hides the inner peace of a city that’s steeped in

history, has a wealth of culture, fine architecture and human diversity and a capital that will delight epicurean tastebuds.

Overlaying the site of seven ancient cities, New Delhi was laid out to the south of the Old City which was constructed by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan – who gave us the fabled Taj Mahal and the Motī Masjid (Pearl Mosque), both in Agra, and the Jāmiʿ Masjid and Red Fort in Delhi.

At the heart of the city is the magnificent Rashtrapati Bhawan (then known as Viceroy's House) which sits atop Raisina Hill. There are eight forts in Delhi that give a peek into the city's glorious past. The Red Fort or Lal Qila is a historic fort in Old Delhi, that served as the main

Proud painted young faces celebrate Holi. While some people rub coloured powders onto each other’s faces, some children find using water pistols is much more fun! residence of the Mughal Emperors and is a Mughal fortress which surrounds an ancient city. The Red Fort was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.

The 42-metre-high India Gate, in New Delhi,

commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army during the World War I. Originally called the All India War Memorial, it’s an ‘Arc-de-Triomphe’-like

Sightseeing highlights There is so much to see and do in the capital. Apart from indulging in shopping sprees and tasting the local cuisine, you should also go to Qutub Minar, spend some time at Humayun's Tomb (famous as the most captivating and perfectly proportioned mausoleum in Delhi), pay one’s respect at Raj Ghat (a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi), be awe-inspired in Akshardham Temple, relax at the enchanting Lodi Gardens (considered to be one of the most favorite hangouts in Delhi) and walk around the Akshardham Temple, which is recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the 'largest comprehensive Hindu temple' in the world.

Remember to take note of official travel advice.

Holi reminds us that the time is now perfect to be recharged, to be coloured, to renew love and to revitalise our energies - all in sync with nature. The multi-coloured hues symbolise the vivid, passionate pulse of life that signifies vitality.

HE IS RISEN!

Pastor Suresh Dass Joseph josephdass@optusnet.com.au

Dear reader, it is with loads of joy; we bring to you the word of God. Happy Easter to you! This month the world is celebrating this special occasion of Easter, the cross, the death, the burial, and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It was as per God's plan that Jesus was crucified between two thieves on a

highway road, and near a town garbage heap. Because of the different cultures of the day, His title was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek languages. It was the place where soldiers gambled, thieves cursed, and people mocked. But it was where He died, and it was what He died about. And just before His death, Jesus cried out with a voice of victory and triumph, "It is finished."

This sounds so familiar when written on a receipt that the debt has been paid in full. There is no more payment required. You don't have to perform or prove that you can be saved and enter heaven after you depart from earth. The cross is the trading post. All it takes is to believe that God has completed the plan and action for your salvation through Jesus. At

4 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

the point of your faith in Him, God takes away all sin and lays it on the shoulders of Jesus, while at the same time, taking all of Christ's righteousness (right standing with God) and wrapping you up in it. What a transfer! And how do you get it? By working for it? No! you receive it by trusting in Christ alone!

This is called being ‘Born Again.’ The old has passed, and the new has come. A new way of living, a new life through Christ, begins!

Here are 2 things we can learn from Easter this season.

God always offers us another chance in life. After His death, Jesus was laid in a tomb. When the women came to the tomb early in the morning, they found the stone at the mouth of the grave, had been rolled away.

Inside the grave, the angel said, "He is not here; he is risen!" Then he added, "Go tell the disciples and especially Peter that He will go ahead of you." God had seen Peter fall by denying that he knew Jesus. But God wanted to help him when the angel said, "Be sure to tell Peter he's not left out… one failure doesn't make him a flop." It's not every day that you get a second chance, but Easter is also about a second chance.

Peter must have known that, so the next time he saw Jesus, he got so excited that he jumped into the sea to get to Him. Later on, Peter went to Rome with this Gospel of a second chance, where they killed him. It's not every day you will find someone who will give you a second chance – much less someone who will provide you with a

second chance every day. In Jesus, Peter found both, and you will too!

We all deserve another chance. But you know that in your strength, it is impossible. You have seen some failures. Now you don't have the connections and the resources. Like Peter, God is saying; you have not been left out. God is in control, and He knows how to turn your bad situation and experience into something beautiful.

You are more than your scars. When Thomas found out that Jesus was alive, after seeing Him nailed to the cross then seeing Him die and laid in the tomb, he said, "I will not believe it until … I put my finger where the nails were…." Jesus' scars were proof-positive He'd been crucified and resurrected.

When Thomas checked

them out for himself, he responded, "My Lord and My God." This is the first time a disciple is seen directly addressing Jesus as God, and it came in response to seeing His scars.

We all have scars. Things have happened to you.

Perhaps you may have said and done things that you are not happy about. Some of your scars can be seen, felt, and touched, while others may be invisible. The good news is that Christ also has scars to prove His love for you. If you don't know Him or like Thomas, you aren't sure, then He will show you His scars, that you may believe, and by believing, you may have life in His name.

Our prayers are that you have a safe easter with your family and friends.

God bless you.

PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

CRAIG KELLY MP 6th April 2022 My fellow Australians Liberal and Labor have given Australia one Trillion Dollars of debt ($1,000,000,000,000) (a million million) At the Government’s proposed rate of repayment, it will take Australians 250 years to repay the debt.

A Trillion Dollars of debt will increase home loan rates to 4% in 2 years and to over 6% in 3 years.

At 4%, over 60% of Australians will default on their mortgages and will lose their homes, and at 6% or more over 80% of Australians will lose their homes.

The real estate market will then collapse and foreign buyers will flood our real estate market as they will have the money to buy up our properties.

We have to stop Australians from losing their homes!

A maximum of 3% interest on Home Loans The United Australia Party will introduce a maximum interest rate for all home loans of 3% per annum for the next 5 years to save Australian homeownership.

My treasurer, Clive Palmer, has a wealth of business experience and the ability to save Australia. The Liberal and Labor finance teams just don’t know what to do and they are keeping you in the dark.

Repayment of National Debt Both Liberal and Labor fail to address the Trillion Dollars of National Debt, but not the United Australia Party.

We plan to address it head-on and save your family from its impact.

Australia supplies over 80% of all Iron Ore to the Asian manufacturing market, where tens of trillions of dollars are invested in manufacturing in China, Japan, Korea and the rest of Asia.

Asia achieves its position in world trade by using Australian Iron Ore. Asian economies and industry have no alternative.

In the 1960s, Australia had an export license on the export of Iron Ore. The United Australia Party will introduce a 15% export license on the export of all Australian Iron Ore. The export license receipts will be isolated for the sole purpose of repaying our National Debt which will relieve every Australian from that burden and set up our future. So Australia can be all it can be without the financial destruction the Labor and Liberal parties have imposed on our country.

Bring Australian Super Home Australia has over One Trillion Dollars of Super invested overseas. Just like when John Curtin in World War 2 brought the troops back to save Australia, the United Australia Party will bring back a Trillion Dollars of Australian Super back to Australia, to save Australia.

To save your home and Australia, I need you to vote 1, for your United Australia Party candidate for your electorate, in the House of Representatives and for the United Australia Party Senate team.

We can save Australia and your home.

God bless Australia.

Craig Kelly

Craig Kelly Leader United Australia Party Authorised by: Craig Kelly, Parliament House, Parliament Drive, Canberra ACT 2600 Call: (07) 3192 5188

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A vision shared by Dr Maha Sinnathamby AM at GOPIO Qld Dinner and Dialogue with Patron BRISBANE Prof. Prasad Yarlagadda OAM, President of GOPIO Queensland, and his wife Ragamayi hosted a Dinner and Dialogue on 12th March 2022 with Patron Dr. Maha Sinnathamby AM for newly elected Executive committee members of GOPIO Queensland at their residence. The dinner was attended by all EC members and their spouses and accompanied by both Dr. Maha Sinnathamby and his wonderful wife Yoga Sinnathamby and one of the senior community leaders and national president of AIBC, Mr. Jim Varghese AM, and his lovely wife, Pauline.

As Patron of GOPIO Qld, Dr. Maha addressed the EC team and shared his vision for the future of GOPIO Qld and highlighted several activities that are to be focussed on for the next two years to improve and enhance the relationship between different GOPIO chapters in Australia and rest of the Southeast Asian GOPIO chapters for the overall benefit of communities in these regions.

Dr. Sinnathamby shared his life experiences with all attendees and personally interacted with

the Youth Ambassadors present, teaching them his learnings for success, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. He informed more about the economic ties between Australia and India, highlighting the Australia-Indian Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement. Later, he even proposed ways to expand the GOPIO organization, such as holding nationwide and international conferences. This will allow the Queensland chapter to share their vision on a global level and let all others better exchange and share their best practices with all GOPIO chapters.

Along with Mr.

Sinnathamby, Mr. Jim Varghese, National Chair of Australia India Business Council, attended this dinner and participated in the discussion. Mr. Varghese also shared his experiences from his personal life, career, and best methods to succeed in educating the younger members of GOPIO. The members of the newly constituted committee of the GOPIO, along with the past presidents, Mr. Umesh Chandra OAM Business Council Chair), Mr. Rakesh Sharma (immediate past president), Ms. Usha Chandra (Women council chair), Mr. Yosuf Alikhan (GOPIO Qld Trustee), current Treasurer, Mr. Devendra

Motaparti Vice Presidents Mr. Sunil Gurram, Mr. Arpit Singh, Secretary Ms. Irene Bayldon, Assistant Secretary Ms. Rani Sharma, Assistant Ms. Shital Wakalee, PRO Dr. Jyoti Sharma, Business Youth Council ambassadors Mr. Mayuresh and Mr. Sarthak Sharma were present at this event.

A sumptuous dinner personally prepared by the hosts was followed by the speeches, allowing all to form better connections with each other and learn more about everyone’s different cultural backgrounds and heritage. This dinner was a fantastic opportunity for all the members to make quality conversations and

share their views and ideas regarding expanding this organization further.

This event indeed brought ideas regarding making GOPIO a global organization and becoming better international citizens to the surface. Something else, and something far

more critical, this dinner achieved, though, was that it successfully prompted the younger and coming generation to think about their personal choices cautiously and how to bring this group’s ideas to fruition.

Written By Dr. Jyoti Sharma

GOPIO Gold Coast Hosts Lunch with Indian High Commissioner On Sunday 20th March, GOPIO Gold Coast hosted a lunch with His Excellency Shri Manpreet Vohra, High Commissioner of India to Australia, and Hon Karen Andrews MP, Minister for Home Affairs.

The event was held at Sage Restaurant, Broadbeach, and was attended by Gold Coast’s business, cultural and community leaders and FICQ and GOPIO Queensland Committee members.

The event was an excellent opportunity for the attendees to network and build relations with the Indian High Commissioner and the Federal Minister.

8 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 9

International Women’s Day Awards for Women of Indian Origin!

During the month of March, many organisations including the United Nations, celebrate the International Woman’s Day. It is celebrated everywhere in the world as well as all around in Australia.

For past 30 years, The United Nations Organisation has been celebrating International Women’s Day. Each year they have a theme and this year it was “Changing Climates: Equality today for sustainable tomorrow.”

Many organisations that celebrate the IWD follow the theme and base their events accordingly.

Change is necessary for healthy living. The IWD is a fantastic day and event to celebrate women’s achievements, and acknowledge the change they bring to their families, friends, colleagues, workplaces, and the community they belong to.

The Indian Council of Australia, Queensland Inc., thus took it upon themselves to implement this task to recognise and celebrate the contributions Indian women have made, be it in their family, to a friend, in the workplace or in the community. We thus felt the need to invite and acknowledge these significant contributors of the changing environment.

Indian women living in Australia contribute not only to the development of their own families but also to the community, by way of their work, their passion, their interests, and hobbies. Many have thus turned entrepreneurs, social workers, entertainers, working from home and supporting the family and the economy of Australia.

It is time to acknowledge their contributions. Often, we here that if a woman is at home, it means she is a housewife. This concept has troubled many a woman of Indian backgrounds. The Pandemic changed a few things for these women.

They became the centre of focus as life turned to living 24 hrs at home. Home became the workplace, school, entertainment hall, and a hospital ward. Women became significant in this mayhem of fighting the virus. They were the carers, they were the managers, they were the teacher, they were the entertainers, they were the nurses and doctors and for once no one asked them what educational qualifications they had to fulfil the tasks. Everyone became the stay at home Mom and a stay at home dad.

The lines blurred.

We are now in the recovery stage from the Pandemic with most restrictions lifting, schools, workplaces, homes, and entertainment will all see the changing environment. Lives for women will also change.

To celebrate this changing

environment ICAQ felicitated 15 women from the community, acknowledging their contributions to empower them to share and encourage them to keep the good work they are doing going. The work may be as a health officer, A nurse, A doctor, A teacher, A social worker, A Community leader, An entrepreneur, or an entertainer.

Research and statistics have shown that it is not easy for ethnic women to sustainably keep working and contributing to the society. Some may also have trouble getting a job as their overseas degrees are not recognised. Even if they get the job, they face many hurdles. If they have young children to care for the lack of childcare support hinders their desire to work.

As a result, migrant and refugee women most likely end up working in low income, low skill, insecure jobs. Australian Bureau of Statistics data also shows that culturally and linguistically diverse women have a significantly lower rate of workforce participation compared to CALD men (47.3% and 69.5% resp.).

And yet, women of Indian origin have paved significant pathways for themselves and their peers or other women whom they can help.

Hence, ICAQ felt there was the need to recognise these women and applaud their contributions.

ICAQ PRO Amrita Deshpande said “To me, having come to Australia, for an Indian woman is an achievement in itself. Be it as mother, sister, daughter or wife, we created our paths of survival here in Australia and it has not been easy to do so. I have lived in three developed countries before and believe me it has never

10 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

been easy to live your daily life in a country culturally different from the country of your origin. You have to alter yourself right from the way you look to the way you think, and furthermore the way your conduct is in a workplace, or the society you live in. Many of the comforts those which one is used to, have to be let go of, challenging yourself to adapt the new. It is not easy. Yet, many of us have broken those barriers and risen above and beyond, standing strong surviving the everyday. Kudos to all women who dared to pave the paths for themselves and have achieved a respectable status for themselves. I am thankful to the Indian Council of Australia for having given me the opportunity to organise this event.”

Indeed, the Achievements must be celebrated and a program to recognise the efforts must be implemented by every community and organisation.

At the event ICAQ President Mr. Parminder Singh gave a speech on how religion and history has seen woman’s role in its practices.

He said “All religions describe the importance of women in our life. According to Sikhism, a man cannot feel secure and complete during his life without a woman, and a man's success is related to the love and support of the woman, who shares her life with him, and vice versa. The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, said in 1499 that "It is a woman who keeps the race going" and that we should not "consider woman cursed and condemned when from woman are born leaders and rulers".

Sikhs have had an obligation to treat women as equals, and gender

discrimination in Sikh society has not been allowed.

However, at the same time gender equality has been difficult to achieve".

Cultural Coordinator for ICAQ, Ms Neetu Singh Suhag, gave a motivating speech on women’s issues and how we can overcome them.

She soon became popular among the women present at the event by her humour and bold statements about women’s equality.

Followed by this motivating speech, Mr. James Martin MP presented the awards to all the awardees of ICAQIWD2022. In his speech he mentioned that Australia has been striving hard to achieve gender equality and women’s equal representation in the Government and today Queensland has its Governor General a Woman and its Premier also a Woman.

ICAQ was also happy to receive a message from Lord Mayor Mr. Adrian Schrinner and Lady Mayoress Ms. Nina Schrinner who could not attend the function but sent ICAQ a beautiful message which also included the following “International Woman's Day is an incredibly important occasion which encourages us to reflect on the contribution and value that women from all over the world make. We have always admired the contributions of Indian women in Brisbane.

Indian women are brave, kind, generous, smart and incredibly community minded. They are the first to put up their hand to help, no matter what that help may look like.

We and our children have been warmly welcomed

by Indian women at many community events and we have also admired the entrepreneurism, agility and business sense that we

see day in, day out in Indian Businesswomen.”

Ms. Sudha Manian who is a known Sitar player, graciously offered to co-MC with Ms Amrita Deshpande at the award ceremony.

It was a great pleasure to hear Ms. Sudha Marian’s composed piece of Sitar recital as a background score to introduce all the award Winners.

15 women of Indian origin living in Brisbane were felicitated at the IWD event by Indian Council of Australia.

Queensland. As Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress have mentioned they are brave, kind generous, smart and incredibly community minded. They are: 4Surinder Kaur nominated for Social Work 4 Charanjit Kaur nominated for Social Work 4 Gian Kaur nominated for Social Work 4 Adjiab Kaur nominated for Social Work These four women have been serving the Punjabi community day in and day out cooking the meals at the Gurudwara for past 10 years. They have never been recognised for their efforts outside of the Gurudwara.

All of them are now 80 years old and they are still cooking and serving the community.

Bina Adhikari nominated for Social Work another nightingale who has been feeding the homeless through her organisation.

She helped many to have that meal on table during the pandemic.

Anjali Ghurye nominated for Business who runs a grocery store that provides typical Maharashtrian products making it feel like home for many Maharshtrians living in Brisbane. She was significant in donating meal packets to those International Students

who were going through hardship during COVID. She has donated money and products to organisations to smoothly carry out the community functions they organise.

Nishi Saran nominated for Community work runs the Art of Living Foundation.

Through the courses she teaches people to stay strong and be resilient. During the pandemic times, teaching others the art of living, she healed many, gave them the hope to live, and be strong, resilient against the virus.

Similarly, Seema Lathker nominated for Social Work a yoga instructor and wellness professional who when Omicorn was at its peak Seema conducted various Immunity Enhancement Programs for kids, and recently conducted prayers for relief for people affected by floods in Qld. She has started Free Yoga Classes for women.

Kavitha Chitti nominated for Community work is working with South Indian communities since 8 years.

Presently, she is serving BTA as a president. She is always a part of the committee in many Telangana cultural events organised by BTA. Manju Jehu nominated for Social Work and Community, she is an outstanding Indian woman who has always taken care of migrants and refugees without discriminating if they are from her own country of origin. She has meritoriously served as Vice President of the Queensland Migrant Resource Centre.

She has contributed to many women's causes that are commendable. She also had her own local Indian cooking television show which was very popular at its time.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 11

Meeting with His excellency Mr Manpreet Singh Vohra On March 19th, the Indian Council of Australia, Queensland Inc. organised a breakfast meeting at the Corner Store Café in Toowong, with His excellency High Commissioner of India Mr Manpreet Singh Vohra, and Hon. Consulate General of India, in Brisbane Mrs Archana Singh.

His Excellency Mr Manpreet Vohra arrived in Canberra on 25 April 2021 to assume his assignment as High Commissioner of India to Australia. This was his second visit to Brisbane and ICAQ was fortunate to have had the opportunity to interact with him on matters that have a significant impact on the Indian diaspora in Queensland.

His excellency Mr Manpreet Vohra was very keen to know about the Indian Council of Australia (ICAQ), its activities, vision, strategic plan and engagement in the community sector; especially in the context of ICAQ being a newly formed organisation in Queensland. He was very appreciative of the efforts taken by the ICAQ team in responding to the community needs in Queensland, and Brisbane in particular. ICAQ President Mr Parminder Singh provided an overview of the organisation and also highlighted certain issues that are currently affecting the Indian community in Brisbane.

Some of the issues are • Full counsellor service in

Brisbane • Streamlining and making services easy • Direct Flights from Brisbane to India • Domestic Violence Issues The highlights of the response of His excellency Mr Manpreet Vohra are: • Regards to Full Counsellor Service in Brisbane, it is currently not possible as Hon. Mrs Archana Singh is not a member of the Indian Foreign Services, hence all issues have to be dealt with by the Canberra office under His excellency Mr Manpreet Vohra. There have always been issues with VFS, and he is aware of it, however, there cannot be a quick fix. COVID also caused many other issues and resolving them meant increased costs to the customers. The high volume of the Indian population entering Australia and wanting to go to India has impacted the services of VFS. If it is an emergency those cases are dealt with immediately.

• As a High Commission of India in Australia, he has recommended for more destination flights to be started in Australia including a direct flight from Brisbane being the top priority.

Air India is no more the National carrier, hence it is a commercial decision now.

• Domestic violence issues cannot be handled by or interfered with by the Indian High Commission they have to be dealt with by the local commissions.

However, the Indian population in

Australia is steadily growing.

The numbers are critical and are almost reaching 750000.

He urged that with this large population, we can definitely influence policies and create a strong and positive impact.

Organisations such as yours can make that difference and please approach the appropriate local services for help and appropriate intervention.

Executive committee members of Indian Council of Australia, Queensland present at the meeting had the opportunity to interact with His excellency and many of them shared their thoughts on various matters such as various international student arrival, Australia -India

Institute engagement with the community sector, the impact of recent floods on communities, Visa/passport processing for people affected by floods, and the progress on India club etc.

Members who attended this session were so delighted with the engagement with the High Commissioner ICAQ President Mr. Parminder Singh said, “We found His Excellency Mr Manpreet Vohra Indian High Commissioner in Australia down to earth person, having a compassionate ear to listen to problems and providing solutions to problems. We are grateful that His excellency made time to meet us even on short notice from his

busy schedule.

The High Commissioner is playing an important role while the social, economic, defence, education, trade, cultural, sports ties between Australia and India are ever-increasing.

At the same time, looking after the welfare of the Indian Diaspora is also his priority.”

ICAQ PRO, Mrs Amrita Deshpande said, “It is important to have the direct connection with the high commission office for organisations such as ICAQ so that we can better serve the Indian community in resolving various emergency issues. The connection is also important in understanding and taking proper steps in resolving those emergency issues.

Many pressing questions were clarified and resolved for us by his excellency Mr Manpreet Vohra and also by Hon. Consul Mrs Archana Singh through this open dialogue with the ICAQ committee”.

The meeting was very empowering and offered an opportunity to engage with many community leaders, His excellency Mr Manpreet Vohra and Hon. Consul Mrs Archana Singh. These meaningful conversations and sharing of ideas and thoughts encouraged us to progress with the agenda for making a difference in the lives of people and communities. The meeting certainly echoed a spirit of collaborative partnership, commitment to community service and an environment of positivity. I think this

unique outcome is something that we have felt and I am sure this will uplift the spirit of ICAQ. ICAQ Secretary Mr. Ganesh Deshpande said “ICAQ has a space for everyone, and the Executive Committee comprises of members from various regions of India. ICAQ is not a traditional NFP community organisation but with a differentiator having a clear vision and objective towards social wellbeing. Collectively, ICAQ members have a rich experience and knowledge to serve the Indian diaspora in a better manner. During the next visit by His Excellency in Brisbane, recommended to have a meeting with ICAQ member organisations and community leaders/members to discuss on how ICAQ and HCI can work together towards the empowerment of Indian diaspora.”

Overall, the meeting was excellent, informative with open dialogue and we wish we had more time with His excellency Mr Manpreet Vohra so that we could have included leaders of our member organisations to be part of this meeting. Thank you for being with us for sharing your thoughts, and for the kind words of appreciation and acknowledgement. Your presence has touched us and will stay with us.

Article written by ICAQPROAmrita Deshpande. Please send inquiries or comments to pro@icaq.com.au

Flood Relief and Festival of Holi - Gayatri Mandir, Boondall

By Dharmesh Prasad Vice President Jai Shree Ram As the month of Phaagun continued relentless rain kept on falling, it was a sad sight to behold as suburb after suburb was inundated. As dawn broke on 27th February residents of greater Brisbane woke to flood water levels beyond imagination, not many people had experienced this 1 in a hundred-year weather event. Ferocity and magnitude of the floods was colossal, it impacted so many residents and business small and large.

Outpouring of compassion, empathy, and desire to help the flood victims by committee members and devotees was clearly apparent. A decision was made to provide flood relief, vegetarian lunch pack and bottled water to the affected residents. On 6th of March, we collaborated with one of our devotees Mr Soumit Rao and his family, they provided a distribution point

at Newmarket to distribute the lunch packs.

The day started in the early hours of the morning, it was great to see the spirit of oneness and kindness to help the vulnerable. Sadly, it takes a tragedy to provoke humanity in all beings and arouse the spirit within which show the true colours of humanity, altruism, and the power of sharing the same vision and goal.

We recognised the need was still there as such the committee decided to do a second round of lunch drops

on 11th March in our local area – Deagon. Committee members and volunteers went house to house delivering lunch and bottled water. Flood victims were so grateful they hugged and thanked us for the generosity, one of the victims said, “in time of tragedy and ordeal, true human values emerge”.

Phaagun month culminated in 2 days of event at the Gayatri Mandir with Holika dahan, hawan and phaag gayan (Chautal) on Friday, Holi was celebrated on Saturday which concluded

with yummy lunch.

Pujanye Pt Brijesh Maharaj conducted both days event, he prayed for universal peace and harmony especially the horrible conflict and the atrocities committed

by Russia on the people of Ukraine. Punditji reminded us that on the occasion of Holi we need to offer our ego, hatred, bitterness, animosity, and impurities as oblation in the sacrificial fire of Holika dahan. It is a time of renewal, change and introspection.

Bal Vikash students, teachers and parents also

celebrated Holi on Sunday; it was wonderful to see the kids immersing in the true spirit of Holi Holi, festival of colour, colour enriches our soul, on a deeper level whatever is taking place outside is also happening inside, it’s an inward journey and we need take inspiration. On the day of Holika dahan, Holika is burnt to symbolise the need to transform anger into sympathy, impatience to patience, resentment into love, not perfectly, not always, but we need to learn how

to do it and know it can be done. What could be more exhilarating then mastering these qualities in ourselves, when real change begins to occur within, thus true Holi.

Hindu Society of Queensland has embarked on a database project, we are updating membership details like mobile phone numbers, email address etc. This would assist us to communicate better and update members on latest developments at the mandir, please contact Secretary Mrs Nirmala Shandil on mobile 0466 436 964 or Asst Secretary Mrs Neelima Chand on 0405 409 156 or alternatively email us at gayatrimandirqld@gmail. com. Many Thanks for your support.

Please visit our new website www. hindusocietyqld.org. au, our email address is gayatrimandirqld@gmail. com. We have a feedback and contact us page, feel free to provide us feedback and we will be happy to oblige.

Upcoming Events

• Ramayan Recital every Tuesday: 7.00pm to 8.30pm • 2 April to 10 April - Ram Naumi • 16 April Hanuman Jayanti program starts at 9.30am and finishes around midday • 26 April – Sundarkand programs begins 6.30pm followed by Prasad and Mahaprasad Sundarkand and Triodashi is held every month at the mandir, for details and sponsorship please kindly visit our website and Facebook page. Regular updates will be sent to all 12 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

devotees via Facebook and text messages.

Stay Connected with Hindu Society of Queensland

W: www.hindusocietyqld.org.au F: Hindu Society of Qld’s Gayatri Mandir and email us on gayatrimandirqld@gmail.com Phone: (07) 3865 3164 Address: 178 Lyndhurst Rd, Boondall QLD

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Tenant sub letting: what property managers should know When done correctly, a sub letting arrangement between owners, property managers and tenants can result in a successful tenancy for all parties. However, when it goes wrong – and it can, just ask any property manager with experience in managing them – the results can range from unfavourable to catastrophic.

With many tenants feeling the pinch in the current market and with the recent flooding crisis, the allure of renting out a spare bedroom to a friend or acquaintance may be all too appealing.

As a property manager, it’s important that you’re across all the rules and regulations surrounding sub letting in order to achieve a successful outcome as well as your clients and your tenants.

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS SUB LETTING? In a typical sub letting arrangement, someone rents the property (often referred to as the head-tenant) and then rents out some or all of the property to another tenant or tenants. Sub letting is stereotypically popular in high-density metro areas close to universities. That said, you’ll also find other tenants in regional areas of Queensland wanting to sub let for a variety of reasons as well.

Prior to sub letting a property, the tenant should seek approval from their property manager or landlord as they may have conditions for their approval.

As outlined on the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) website, a head-tenant has similar responsibilities as a property manager/owner.

That includes providing a sub tenant(s) with the following resources: 4a written tenancy agreement; 4 an Entry condition report (Form 1a/b); 4 The RTA’s Pocket guide to tenants – houses and units (Form 17a); and,

4 receipt for bond money paid.

Once the property is sub let, anyone living at the rental property must be approved by the property manager/owner as a permitted occupant and the special terms section of the tenancy agreement may be amended. The RTA states that “any agreement between a head-tenant and sub tenant should be in writing, and it’s recommended to include arrangements for sharing bills (e.g. gas, electricity or internet).”1

THE DOWNFALLS OF SUB LETTING Litsa Kallos, senior property manager at Leo Tsimpikas Real Estate has experienced her fair share of sub-letting stories – some good, others not so. One of the main problems she’s experienced is not being informed by the head tenant that other occupants are sub letting some or all of the property.

Of course, it’s vital for the property manager and owner to be aware of all occupants – if there are more occupants living in the property than the approved number stated in the tenancy agreement, the tenants are potentially in breach of their agreement.

Moreover, having unapproved occupants living in a rental property can spark major safety concerns for the property manager and tenants alike. For instance, in the event of a building emergency, the property manager would only be able to pass on the details of known tenants and occupants to emergency services. Another major issue that may arise is fire compliance.

Kallos says it’s important for property managers to be diligent during routine inspections and look out for signs that may suggest an unapproved occupant is residing in the property.

“A second functional fridge or washing machine in a

three-bedroom home is often a telltale sign that a tenant has unapproved occupants in the home,” explains Kallos.

There are also other obvious hints that unapproved occupants may be living in the property, warns Kallos, such as mattresses on the floor or extra cars or motorbikes out the front of the house that don’t match the number of tenants.

Where possible, you may wish to consider assessing their water usage – sudden spikes may mean one or more unapproved occupants have moved in since the last quarter or routine inspection.

KEEPING UP WHEN TENANTS CHANGE While most head-tenants are honest and inform the property manager and owner that other occupants will be living there, something they may fail to do is report when circumstances change.

“Early on, they’ll let us know for example that it’s just them and their friend looking to sub let other parts of the house, and they may do the right thing in the first instance…but we need to know when someone has moved out and another person has moved in,” says Kallos.

When there’s a change in people sub letting, the same process must apply as it did in the beginning – written permission must be sought from the owner and property manager.

Property managers and owners also have the right to ask occupants for an application and references before they agree to allowing a new person or people to sub let from the head-tenant.

While this process can be time consuming (and often frustrating if arguments between the head-tenant and sub-tenant keep occurring, resulting in a ‘revolving door’ of occupants), it’s crucial that these steps and procedures are taken.

A Change of Bond Contributors (Form 6) must be filled out and sent to the RTA when tenants and the rental bond arrangements change.

The head-tenant is responsible for keeping an accurate record of who contributed to the bond, especially when there’s a change in approved occupants. This will assist in a smoother process when tenants and approved occupants request their bond to be refunded once the tenancy comes to an end.

TOP TIPS FOR SMOOTHER SUB LETTING 4 If your tenant has informed you they’d like to sub let some or all of the property, direct them to the RTA website and provide them with as much information as possible.

If they’ve found a person/ people to sub-let the property,

they must seek permission in writing from your client (the owner).

4 You must consider insurance in the instance of sub letting. Can your professional indemnity insurance cover you if something were to go wrong?

Most importantly, property owners should consult with their insurer before allowing a sub letting agreement to take place in their property, in case their landlord insurance policy includes a clause that does not allow sub letting.

4 Maintain an open dialogue with the headtenant and check in regularly.

This may prompt them to inform you that an approved occupant is soon moving out, and they’d like to replace them with someone else.

4 Does the property comply with Queensland

Fire and Emergency Services legislation?

4 Ensure that you as the property manager have correctly identified that the agreement is in fact a sub letting agreement and not a Rooming Accommodation or Residential Service.

4 If you have reason to believe a property has unapproved occupants sub letting from the headtenant, arrange to speak to the head-tenant and calmly explain the importance of needing to know who is living in the property – for their own protection and for the protection of the property manager and the owner.

4 Finally, and arguably most importantly, remember as a property manager it’s your responsibility to protect the asset, owner, yourself and the tenant.

CoreLogic: Australia's smallest cities drive growth in national housing values as Sydney and Melbourne decline CoreLogic’s national Home Value Index (HVI) was up 0.7% in March, a subtle increase on the 0.6% lift recorded in February.

The uptick in the monthly rate of growth was primarily driven by stronger conditions in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and the ACT, along with several regional areas, offsetting a slip in values across Sydney and Melbourne.

The first quarter of the year has seen Australian dwelling values rise by 2.4%, adding approximately $17,000 to the value of an Australian dwelling.

A year ago, values were rising at more than double the current pace, up 5.8% over the three months to March 2021 before the quarterly rate of growth peaked at 7.0% over the three months ending May 2021.

Sydney’s growth rate is

showing the most significant slowdown, falling from a peak of 9.3% in the three months to May 2021, to 0.3% in the first quarter of 2022. Melbourne’s housing market has seen the quarterly rate of growth slow from 5.8% in April last year to just 0.1% over the past three months.

CoreLogic’s research director, Tim Lawless, says while the monthly rate of growth was up among some cities and regions,

14 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

there is mounting evidence that housing growth rates are losing momentum.

“Virtually every capital city and major rest-of-state region has moved through a peak in the trend rate of growth some time last year or earlier this year,” Mr Lawless said. “The sharpest slowdown has been in Sydney, where housing prices are the most unaffordable, advertised supply is trending higher and

sales activity is down over the year.”

“There are a few exceptions to the slowdown, with regional South Australia recording a new cyclical high over the March quarter and some momentum is returning to the Perth market where the rate of growth is once again trending higher since WA re-opened its borders.”

With the softening in market conditions, the national annual growth rate (18.2%) has fallen below the 20% mark for the first time since August last year, after reaching a cyclical high of 22.4% in January 2021.

Mr Lawless said the annual growth trend will fall sharply in the coming months, as the strong gains recorded in early 2021 drop out of the 12-month calculation.

National housing turnover

is also easing, with preliminary transaction estimates for the March quarter tracking 14.3% lower than the same period in 2021, but still 12.2% above the previous five-year average.

“Nationally, the volume of housing sales is coming off record highs but there is some diversity across the capital cities in these figures as well.

Our estimate of sales activity through the March quarter is 39% lower than a year ago in Sydney and 27% lower in Melbourne, while stronger markets like Brisbane and Adelaide have recorded a rise in sales over the same period.”

Regional Australia continues to show some resilience to a slowdown with housing values across the combined regional areas rising at more than three times the pace of the

combined capital cities through the March quarter. Regional dwelling values increased 5.1% in the three months to March, compared with the 1.5% increase recorded across the combined capital cities. The rolling quarterly growth rate in regional dwelling values has consistently held above the 5% mark since February 2021.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) regional population growth figures for FY202021 help explain the strong housing conditions outside of the capitals. The number of people living in regional areas of Australia increased by almost 71,000 residents, while residents living in the capitals fell by approximately 26,000 (mostly due to a sharp drop in Melbourne and, to a lesser extent, Sydney).

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Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Queensland Holi (Vasantīya Nava-Sasyeshti) Holi is spring harvest celebrations in India, and known as Vasantiya NavaSasyeshti. Holi is Holi, in fact, derives its name from Holaka, roasted grains of the spring (vasant) harvest of new crops (nava sasya).

Farmers perform yajnas (ishti) by lighting bonfires of the stalk and offering some of the new grains … thanksgiving – humility and gratitude to bounteous Mother Nature. It’s also time when we share some time, food, sweets, presents, etc. with relatives, friends & neighbors; time to unfold our human nature practice compassion helping the needy, and add colors to their life.

Holi, the bonfire as Yajna.

Fire purifies.

Grains of the new harvest, herbs, sweet, odoriferous substances mixed with ghee are offered to the Holi bonfire. Fire breaks these as micro particles (e.g. the aroma from spices added to heated oil) and spreading the essential oils therein as medicated vapors to enliven life. The Holi bonfire reminds us to burn the evil (thoughts, speech & physical actions) out of our life and make way to add the flourishing mosaic to our life, righteous living (Dharma).

The flames of the bonfire, the vibrant celebrations and scenery of nature offer a spectrum of colors. Each color prompts us to explore our own nature: RED: hard work, enthusiasm (physical, mental-

Acharya Bramdeo Mokoonlall Hindu Center of Atlanta moral-spiritual & social immersion); ORANGE: determination, liveliness’ YELLOW: wisdom, bounteous, sunshine, hope (look at the brighter side); GREEN: vitality, faith, serenity, creativity (outside the box approach); BLUE: peace, harmony, simplicity, consistency, selfmanagement (the larger picture - sky & horizon).

Let’s …embellish life with lots of colors (the rainbow of the universal living values) …create an aura of hope, faith, serenity, creativity, enthusiasm, determination, liveliness, peace, harmony, and simplicity ...for a harmonious physical, mental-moral-spiritual & social immersion … add real spiritual colors to life ...NOT for a day but Spirituality as Spiritual Reality in daily life, expand goodness in life and realize the values underlining the celebrations.

May every day would be as colorful as Holi and every night brightly lit as Divali.

HOLI ABHINANDAN. HAPPY HOLI

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY This year International Women’s Day was on Tuesday 8.03.2022. It was day to reflect on the progress made, to call for change and to celebrate the enormous contribution by the women and girls everyday everywhere and various acts of courage and determination by women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. It is extremely important that we shine a spotlight on activities encouraging and uplifting all women and girls to pursue goals without bias or barriers VEDAS and related texts sing about the status of womanhood in a very glorifying and respectful way.

It will be no exaggeration and with great respect to say to say that among all philosophies in the world VEDAS considers women as superior. Women’s full and effective participation

Samaj Havan Yajna Satsang at Queensland Vedic Cultural Centre

and leadership in of all areas of life drives progress for everyone. Women are also at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19, as front-line and health sector workers, as scientists, doctors and caregivers etc We have noticed strong discussions for recognising and celebrating the achievements of women and girls and to create communities that respect women, embrace gender equality and promote and protect the rights, interests and wellbeing of all women and girls.

Women of the world deserve an equal future free from stigma, stereotypes and violence; a future that’s sustainable, peaceful, with equal rights and opportunities for all. To get us there, the world needs women at every table where decisions are being made.

20 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

For further information on Havan Satsang program at Queensland Vedic Cultural Centre 198 Learoyd Road Willawong QLD 4110 please contact Vice President Mrs. Sushila Pathik 33146059. ओ३म ्

Holi Celebrations at Queensland Vedic Cultural Centre ओ३म ् APSQ members with multicultural community representatives celebrated Holi at QVCC on Saturday 12.03.2021.The afternoon commenced with Prayers Havan Yajna followed by Holi Enlightenment ,Holi compliments speeches from Members of Parliament, City Councillors and other dignitaries , Cultural events, delightful entertainment , yummy refreshments and delicious scrumptious mouthwatering dinner for all.

The audience were fascinated/captivated by the amusing bollywood dancing, kathak fusion, bhangra entertainment from several groups, Yoga poses and laughter session,.

The vibrancy of colors and spirit of Holi brought in lot of positivity in the huge Holi crowd who came in their nicest and most colourful attire costume. Holi being the festival of colours it is was actually a day worth huge rejoicing showing love and respect to all. The spirit of the festivities at the centre knew no bounds with all seniors ,young, teenagers ,kids and everybody absolutely enjoying and appreciating the Holi celebrations with outstanding feedback received from the participants.

The spirit of superb

teamwork ,magnificent cooperation was on display from all APSQ members and members of the public which is very deeply

appreciated,Holi Festival of Colors event was jointly held (APSQ Inc &Queensland Government) was supported

by Queensland Government

मर्यादा परु ु षोत्तम श्रीरामचंद्र जी महाराज के जन्मदिवस पर, आप सबको श्री रामनवमी पर्व की बहुत बहुत शभ ु कामनाएं। धन्यवाद नमस्ते जी ओ३म ्

under Celebrating Multicultural Queensland program Multicultural Events. Thank you very much to each and everyone

Call: (07) 3192 5188

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 21

THE FIJI TIMES 152nd ANNIVERSARY – CONCLUDING PART 4 of 4

THE FALL OF CHAUDHRY GOVERNMENT IN 2000 AND THE ROLE OF FT IN THAT

Thakur Ranjit Singh, FIJI PUNDIT

PROLOGUE - PART 4 This is the CONCLUDING PART of the four-part series on the history of the Fiji Times (FT).

In May 1999, Mahendra Pal Chaudhry was sworn in as the first Fiji Indian Prime Minister of Fiji. A year later, an unruly protest march opposing his leadership climaxed in a renegade soldier-led attempted coup. The rebel Counter-Revolutionary Warfare soldiers led by a failed businessman, George Speight, took the elected Fiji government hostage. As was the case with the original coup d’état in May 1987, the Labour-led Fiji Indian dominated coalition government’s term in office was cut short by Speight and his ethno-nationalist forces.

The May 2000 attempted coup, the dissolution of Chaudhry government and the lack of popular uprising to support democracy have been partially attributed to an alleged irresponsible journalism which put considerable pressure on the fledgling first Fiji Indian-led government. Claims have been made that the media, particularly The Fiji Times, played a critical role in this event through the way it portrayed Chaudhry and his government. Such reporting has been challenged as having contributed to racial animosity, leading to political disorder.

Fiji Times is now a locally-owned company, owned by the Motibhai Group. Analysis in the articles reported about the Australian-Owned newspaper and does not reflect on the current Fiji Times which is perhaps the only credible daily newspaper in Fiji today.

The author, Thakur Ranjit Singh conducted a post - graduate research on Pacific Islands Media Association (PIMA) scholarship at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) for Masters in Communication (MCS) studies in 2009. [One thing to note is that both PIMA and AUT treated me as a Pacifica Fijian and NOT as and an ‘INDIAN” which would have disqualified me from this scholarship. Unfortunately this is the battle we Fiji Indians are still having with NZ authorities for our Pacifika identity.]

The analysis of Fiji Times articles between May 1999 leading to political disturbances a year later were conducted. Some of the conclusion of findings from my research were covered in PART 3 of the article. Here is the concluding part.

DISCLAIMER: All reference to FT is to the foreign-owned paper before localisation in 2010. All materials and string of comments are from already published articles and my research on Master’s Thesis in 2011. [Link provided at the end of article] INTRODUCTION In PART 3, I covered the major conclusions of my research.

These, among others showed inconsistencies in messages from newsrooms where the White Management and Itaukei “gatekeepers” had conflicting coverage, new tinpot nationalists were given more space than the government, disrespect for the office of PM and President, lack of balance in the paper without fair opportunity for both the parties, and apparent ignorance of paper on proper management, ignorance about racial balance requirement of Fiji Constitution and having a newsroom with 95% paper content in a flammable racial situation by Itaukei reporters.

Just reiterating, the topics covered in the research analysis covered the following: Election Victory & Politics , Media Issues, Racial Agitation/ Protests, Land, Rajen Chaudhry, Tea Lady Affair, Baba & Chaudhry Tensions, Clark-Hunter Work Permits, Constitutional Amendments, Fiji Hardwood and Speight, Industrial Issues, Ganesh and Chaudhry Houses, Housing Authority, Margaret Wise, Daily Post and Radio Fiji Ban, Socialism and Sharing Wealth, Punja and Companies, Political Personalities

Mahendra Chaudhrythe Prime Minister who was removed. They say, Chaudhry’s biggest enemy is Chaudhry himself. He lacked expediency, and my analysis shows that he lost the opportunity by scoring own goals and falling on his own sword. He cannot entirely blame outsiders for his plight. and Zimbabwe Land Problems.

The conclusion continues: THE FIJI TIMES – CONCLUDING PART 4 OF 4 PART SERIES: 1) Double Standards: There appeared to be double standards of scrutiny and criticism of different governments by FT. Its zeal and so-called investigative prowess in unearthing scandals and indulging in muckraking were seen to be inversely comparable when reporting on Chaudhry’s “Indian” government, compared to Qarase’s “Fijian” government respectively. While the objective of this paper was not to determine this question, the difference was so obvious that I was forced to look at some examples of them where FT showed favourable stance to a “Fijian” government, bringing into question its media ethics and claims of being a neutral, independent, and free media. Some of the topics so treated form part of my subject analysis like Rajendra Chaudhry,

Housing Authority, tea - lady affair, among others. Readers will know more major issues and scandals in Qarase’s (and Rabuka’s) government occurred on favouritism, nepotism, abuse of office, personal relationships, and other governance matters.

However, they never got as much microscopic media scrutiny from FT as they did in Peoples Coalition Government. Such media charges were led by Itaukei journalists, including Margaret Wise, and others having direct and indirect links with former politicians who lost their power and livelihood through loss to Peoples Coalition Government.

One such issue directly concerns your truly, me when I went on Fiji TVs Close Up with SDL Assistant Minister, Simione Kaitani, in 2003, when he accused Chaudhry of committing sedition.

On a visit to India in 2003, Chaudhry complained about his treatment in Fiji by authorities. I challenged Kaitani on his hypocritic stance, and hence went on TV 1’s Close up programme. In it, he admitted to committing sedition on National TV. (Watch it, links given). Instead of reprimand, Qarase promoted him to a fully-fledged Minister.

There was no issue from FT, which, in case of Chaudhry government, charged like hungry Pitbull dogs and went on witch hunt for even small cases. There were other scandals in Rabuka and Qarase regimes which were overlooked but became big issues and raised storms in Chaudhry government and detailed in my research.

Here is link to that Close Up TV 1 programme, that was anchored

by Riaz Sayed Khaiyum, brother of Fiji’s Attorney General and the CEO of government-owned Fiji Broadcasting Commission (FBC): https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=hM481jp0Ddc 2) Margaret Wise: The question of ethics arises from the role played by the star FT

By The Word…

Jesus said “Arise and Shine…”

Key Scripture:

Pic. source: kingjamesbibleonline.org Key Scriptures: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) Dear Reader, Today in this world, peace has been uprooted for many people.

We need to go to the source of true peace to understand the reasons for this chaos. Through the Scriptures we find answers to renewed hope and peace.

We have to go to the Word of God that existed before the time began. That means even before the uni-verse was created.

Our peace may be disturbed by natural disasters such as floods and storms. Also due to the human greed and pride that leads to war between nations.

The peace has been hijacked by evil forces in our world. The Holy Bible reveals how God has overcome these forces. Through

faith in Jesus Christ anyone can experience this amazing peace.

When you find the secret about abiding peace by His Word, then you are blessed.

John the apostle opens the Gospel with an unique understanding of Creator and glorious God. John states, “In the beginning was the Word…before the time and life began the Word was always existed”. The Word is a person. This person is the Truth, the Way and Life. The Word is not a concept or imagination of John the apostle. But the Word is the revelation of Jesus Christ to humanity.

By the Word of God heavens were created and by His breath all the starry host (Psalm 33:6). When

22 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

God said “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:1). The Word, Jesus Christ went into action to create the Sun and the other stars in the universe.

This is the power of God. His intention and idea to create the universe was exe-cuted by the Word, that is Jesus Christ. When we understand the purpose and power God, we encounter His glory and grace.

We must learn to turn our hearts to a compassionate God. The world is weeping. The Bible states that Jesus weeps with the suffering world of humanity. He can save us from all our problems and pain.

But we have to recognise our sins. We need to repent for our sins. The Bible says everyone (all humanity) has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standards of living (Romans 3:23).

When fear, anxiety troubles surround us, then we need to raise our faith God. Faith is like an anchor. This anchor in God is strong and unbreakable; no power in this world has has capacity to break this.

Putting complete trust in Christ produces such a security in our mind and spirit. This trust and faith is the result of having a personal relationship with God Almighty. God has given invitation to all humanity to come and be reconciled through Jesus Christ.

Jesus is gracious and

compassionate and full of mercy.

He alone has defeated the death and raised to everlasting life.

Therefore, to all who call on to Him will re-ceive the comfort, peace assurance of salvation.

This salvation produces a transformed life in us to overcome all kinds of floods and fires.

We hope this message will bring you Good News of a Great comfort in these troubled times. Our theme is simple and clear. It is to make God real and person-al. And to present God as a Living and Loving Person;

so you may understand His true character, nature and relate to Him personally.

God is not an object or an image or an imagination of human mind. God is a liv-ing and loving person. We find this amazing revelation in the pages of Holy Bi-ble. Keep reading His Words with an open heart and humble spirit. You will en-counter His awesome forgiveness, mercy and unfailing love.

I am a recipient of many miracles in my life. And I know that many of my friends and

reporter Margaret Wise whose romance and affair and a child out of wedlock with Sitiveni Rabuka was already covered in PART 2 of the article, and this was a common knowledge. The person who placed very sharp scrutiny on others, especially Chaudhry and his government was unfortunately spared similar treatment by her employers FT who allowed and apparently encouraged undeserving and unbridled frenzied attacks on the government in general and Fiji Indians in particular where she penned many racially divisive stories. The fact that FT allowed, in fact encouraged such a journalist speaks volumes about ethics and journalistic standards, or lack of it, in their organisation. Response on PART 3 of my article has perturbed many readers on Facebook as to how come a foreign-owned, and supposedly respectable media allowed this to happen, under guardianship of White men. I still am unable to answer this.

3) Propaganda Model of Media: In simple language, this model in media explains how people are manipulated and influenced, and how approval for economic, social, and political policies, both foreign and domestic, is "manufactured" in the public mind due to this propaganda. In simple language this means how media dupes and fools public. The theory says that media is a mere business and does not give two hoots about justice, fair journalism, support for democracy or acting as a watchdog. It is a business to earn and grow profits through advertising, wide ownership and having government favours, among others. Thus, there is a conflict of interest, and therefore media works as a propaganda for anti-democratic elements.

CONTD. ON NEXT MONTH

family also have encountered the supernatural favour. This is purely as the result of relationship that we have been developing through the Holy Scriptures. It has nothing to do with our great service to our job or community, it is simply knowing who we are as God’s children. Therefore the greatest miracle that hap-pened to me was the changing of my heart and mind. When we learn to humble and accept the free gift of God’s love and mercy to touch your hearts, you quali-fy for a miracle.

When you say a prayer with childlike faith and sincere heart, God send a miracle power your way. No amount of good works or million dollars can buy or create a miracle. Miracle is simply learning to know and say YES to our Creator and Lord Jesus and letting His love flood our hearts. Therefore the greatest miracle is when you know you have been forgiven and made a new creation.

If you need a miracle today, why not say YES to the Miracle Maker Jesus Christ. Say this prayer with sincere hearts; “Father God, I need your help, forgive me, heal me, I believe that Jesus died for my sins and rose again to give me a life of miracles. Bless me with your unlimited grace and mercy.

Thank you God in Jesus name I pray, Amen”. Friends if you said this prayer for the first time, write to us, so we can help you to grow in the life of supernatural miracles that are waiting for you.

Our email is: navig8grace@ gmail.com

AICC QLD DIVISION LAUNCH The Hon. Peter Dutton, speaking through a video recorded message at the launch of the Australia India Chamber of Commerce (AICC) Queensland Division, applauded the expansion of the AICC into Queensland and emphasised that the AICC must play an important role in developing collaborations in key areas through its National Working Group in Defence & Security.

In particular he stressed the importance of Technology & Innovation via defence cooperation in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Critical Minerals, Biotech, Cyber and Space capabilities.

The strong Defence relationships between Australia and India, going back to the days of Gallipoli, has been further strengthened during the recent QUAD leadership Summit held in Melbourne and last year’s 2+2 Dialogue between both countries, Defence Minister Peter Dutton said.

This was reenforced in a planned visit to Australia of the Indian Navy’s P8i Poseidon aircraft having ASW capabilities, announced during the Virtual Summit held on 22 March 2022 between the Prime Ministers of both countries. Minister Dutton further reiterated that the role of the Chamber takes on greater significance following

the PM Leaders Virtual Summit announcement of the Interim Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement between both countries Australia should expand coal and gas exports to India to keep the nation “connected to free and liberal democracies” and not turn to Russia for help, Queensland LNP Senator Matt Canavan said. Speaking in person at the AICC launch event in Brisbane on Friday, Senator Canavan said there was an “immediate and strategic need” to expand exports to India, which is currently dependent on Middle East countries.

India’s Hon Consul General, Archana Singh congratulated the AICC for its Queensland launch and highlighted the growing

opportunities between India and Queensland.

Queensland Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli MP speaking at the event welcomed the establishment of the Chamber’s QLD Division.

Mr Crisafulli emphasised that QLD as the highest value trading partner with India has the potential to significantly increase Tourism and Education from India into QLD. Harish Rao, Executive Director of AICC said that the establishment of the AICC in Queensland was another step in creating a national organisation that was totally focussed on driving tangible business outcomes for its members with a focus on “How India, not Why India”?. He thanked two of AICC’s Queensland

corporate members Adani Australia and Ovolo Hotels for sponsoring the launch.

Chris Mooney, Chairman of AICC conducted an entertaining Q&A with Senator Canavan highlighting the meteoric rise in the profile of the Chamber to become the pre-eminent body driving the bilateral relationship.

This was underscored by the AICC being called upon to host the recent CEO Roundtable with visiting External Affairs Minister of India, H.E Subramanyam Jaishankar.

In his role as the Chamber’s National Convenor of the Defence & Security National Working Group (DSNWG), Mahadevan Shankar introduced his team of highly accomplished

Veterans, Former Diplomats and Industry leaders.

Mahadevan highlighted the significant opportunities for Australian companies to engage into India where Foreign Direct Investment limits have been increased from 49% to 74%. This enables Australian companies to set up their base in India to participate in the Indian Government’s

Bangladesh Association in Brisbane Inc. (BAB) celebrated the Independence Day of Bangladesh and the 50th anniversary of the Australia-Bangladesh friendship BRISBANE has celebrated the 51st anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence with great enthusiasm, organized BAB. This year, 26th March carried another significance which is the golden jubilee of BangladeshAustralia diplomatic relations as Australia recognises Bangladesh as an independent sovereign country since 1972. With this memorable moment in mind and with a view of taking this ongoing friendly relationship between Bangladesh and Australia to a new height, all arrangements for this year's Independence Day celebrations in Brisbane have been completed under the direct auspices of the Brisbane City Council.

This rare achievement of celebrating a National Day of Bangladesh with the full cooperation of the local government of another country on foreign soil was possible due to the tireless work of all the members of the current executive Call: (07) 3192 5188

committee of BAB and the assiduous efforts of some active members of the Bangladeshi community in Brisbane.

One of the highlights of the celebration was a colourful & vibrant cultural event at the iconic Queen Street Mall Stage in Brisbane

CBD in the presence of the various multicultural community in Brisbane.

At the same time, two of Brisbane's most significant

www.indiantimes.com.au

establishments, the Brisbane City Hall, and the iconic Story Bridge, were lit up in red & green, the colour of every Bangladeshi’s heart.

Defence industry import substitution of almost US$53bn. This includes key sectors of Robotics, Drones, Artificial Intelligence, Maritime security, Space collaboration. Mahadevan shared examples of the Chamber’s members already benefiting from introductions to such usiness opportunities and key networks in India.

We were joined by several Ministers, MPs, Councillors and other leading public figures from the Australian Federal Government, Queensland State Government and the Queensland Local Government.

Many of these important delegates and organisations have sent Independence Day greetings to the Bangladeshi community through the mediation of BAB. Notable among these are Minister for Australian Immigration, Hon Alex Hawke MP; Queensland's Minister for Multiculturalism, Hon Leanne Linard MP; Minister for Community and Digital Economy, Hon leeanne Enoche MP; Queensland Government Opposition Leader, Mr David Crisafulli MP; Brisbane City Lord Mayor, Adrian Schreiner; Consul General Hon Mr. Khandaker Masudul Alam (Consulate General Office, Sydney); and many more.

The BAB EC expresses the heartiest gratitude to all the subcommittee members, performers and volunteers of the Bangladesh Independence Day Celebration 2022. Without their amazing dedication, effort and support, this remarkable achievement would not be possible.

We also thank the whole Bangladeshi community members for their undivided support to BAB and for being part of this huge memorable achievement.

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 23

Guru Dronacharya Dronacharya is one of the main characters of the epic Mahabharat. He was the martial arts teacher of the Kuru princes Pandav and Kaurav. During the Mahabharat war, he was appointed the commander in chief of the Kaurav’s army and led it for five days until his death.

Birth and early life –Drona had a mythological origin. He was a partial incarnation of Brihaspati, the preceptor of deities and was born as a son of sage Bharadwaj.

During a visit to the river for bathing, the sage saw the Apsara Ghritachi emerging from the water. His desire was stirred and he released his bodily fluid into a vessel, or Drona. Later, a baby boy was found in the vessel. He was brought to the sage’s Ashram. The baby was named Drona relating him to his birth in a container.

Drona lived with his father.

He started his education at the Ashram. He was a brilliant student and soon he mastered different disciplines including Veds and Vedangs.

Bharadwaj had a friendship with king Prishat of Panchal. The king had a son named Drupad who was of a similar age to Drona.

Drupad also studied at Bharadwaj’s Ashram. Drona and Drupad developed a mutual liking.

After completing the Ashram’s education, Drona went to sage Agnivesh, to whom Bharadwaj had imparted all his knowledge of firearms. Drupad followed him. Agnivesh taught them the knowledge of weaponry. Drona and Drupad developed a close friendship. After completing their education, they returned to their respective homes. Before leaving, Drupad assured Drona of his intent to maintaining the friendship throughout their lives.

After the death of his father, Drupad became the king of Panchal. Bharadwaj also died and Drona stayed alone at his father’s Ashram. He married Kripi, the sister of Kripa. Kripa was a council member of Kuru kingdom.

A son was born to Drona and Kripi after years of penance for a child. The baby was born neighing like a horse instead of crying. He was named Ashwatthama or the voice of a horse. The child kept the parents happy and entertained.

One day, Drona heard of sage Parashuram donating the wealth he had accumulated over a long period of penance and adventures.

He went to him with expectations of getting some valuables.

Unfortunately, all the riches were disbursed by the time Drona arrived there. Only weapons and his body were left. Drona requested the sage to grant him his weapons along with Mantras for their use.

Parashuram complied, making him the utmost in the skill of arms.

Drona returned home with great knowledge, however, the family remained poor.

Once Ashwatthama was playing with children of the neighbourhood.

In the interval, other children drank milk. Ashwatthama had not tasted milk so far, and asked them to share some with him. They mixed powdered rice with water and gave it to Ashwatthama. He drank heartily and was overjoyed.

Other children laughed at him.

Drona noticed their treatment of his son and became ashamed of his situation.

He remembered his friend king Drupad and his promise of a lifelong friendship. After consulting with his wife, he along with her and their son went to see Drupad.

Drona explained his insult by Drupad and his intention for revenge.

Bhishma was looking for a suitable teacher of martial arts for the Kuru princes. Bhishma asked Drona to teach martial arts to his grandchildren, and Drona agreed. As a teacher, he became known as Dronacharya and attained a senior position in the royal court.

He expected to share his martial arts knowledge with the king, and be gifted cows and other materials for his family’s nourishment. In the king’s court, Drona appeared with his family, introduced himself and reminded Drupad of his friendship and his promise.

Drupad behaved arrogantly and derisively. He said that friendship was possible only between equals.

Their friendship was logical during their student life, but now he was a king and Drona was an indigent. A king cannot be a friend of a beggar Brahmin. He denied remembering the promise made earlier, but was willing to feed Drona’s family for a day or two.

Drona felt utterly humiliated with Drupad’s insult and became angry. He declared that he would avenge this indignity and would show him how friendship was maintained.

Kripi consoled and advised him to move the family close to his brother Kripa, who would help him. They relocated to Hastinapur.

Preceptor of Kuru Princes Once Kuru princes were playing a ball in an open field outside the city. During the game, the ball fell down in a deep well. The princes gathered around the well but were unable to extract the ball that was floating inside it. Drona was passing by and noticed the commotion. He came to the well and observed the princes and the ball.

He rebuked them of their princely might and skills in arms.

He dropped his own ring into the well and assured them he would recover both the ball and ring using long grass blades. He pierced the ball with a sharp reed blade, and then the previous blade with other blade and so on, making a long chain, from the ball to the mouth of the well, and gently pulled the ball out.

Similarly, he passed a reed blade into the middle of the ring.

Its tip expanded, and using a similar technique as for recovering the ball, he withdrew the ring from the well.

The Princes were amazed and asked for an introduction. Drona advised them to recount the

24 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

event to Bhishma, as he would be recognised without divulging his name or background.

The princes rushed to Bhishma and narrated what had happened.

Bhishma informed them he could not be other than Drona. He invited Drona, and asked about his reason for visiting Hastinapur.

Drona explained his insult

by Drupad and his intention for revenge. Bhishma was looking for a suitable teacher of martial arts for the Kuru princes. Bhishma asked Drona to teach martial arts to his grandchildren, and Drona agreed.

As a teacher, he became known as Dronacharya and attained a senior position in the royal court.

During a test, Drona asked his students to focus on the eye of a bird sitting in a tree. Only Arjun could see the bird’s eye. Among all his pupils, Arjun was the most brilliant. Drona loved him and decided to make him the greatest archer in the world.

Dronacharya become renowned for his teaching and many other students came to learn archery from him.

A Nishad youth named Ekalavya came to him to become his student and learn archery from him. Dronacharya declined to accept him as his pupil. Ekalavya returned home disappointed. He built an idol of Drona, worshipped it and practice archery. One day during his practice, a dog’s barking distracted him. He fired arrows that filled the dog’s mouth, disabling it’s barking. It was Pandav’s dog and they were amazed by the archer’s skill. They located Ekalavya who told them that his teacher was Dronacharya.

Arjun was enraged and complained to Drona. Drona summoned Ekalavya who told him about his practice in front of Drona’s statue, believing him to be his Guru. Drona asked him to pay Guru Dakshina and demanded his right thumb. Ekalavya immediately cut off his thumb and offered it to Drona. Without the thumb he could not surpass Arjun.

A display competition was organised for Drona’s students.

Arjun excelled in the contest.

At Guru Dakshina time, Drona

demanded that the princes should capture king Drupad alive and present him as payment. Initially the Kauravs attempted to capture Drupad, but did not succeed. Then the Pandavs went to arrest him.

Arjun accomplished this feat and presented bound Drupad to Drona.

Drona reminded Drupad of the mistreatment he suffered at his court and appropriated half of his kingdom to become equal to him.

He then released the humiliated Drupad who returned to his kingdom planning to avenge Drona. Drupad performed penance and sacrifice to beget a son who would kill Drona. As a result of his efforts, a son Dhrishdhyumna and daughter Draupadi were born.

Dhrishdhyumna later became the Commander in Chief of the Pandav’s army. Draupadi became a shared wife of Pandavs.

Councillor and warrior Dronacharya remained a court councillor of the Kuru kingdom.

He agreed with the advice given by Bhishma and Vidur to Dhritarastra and Duryodhan. Kuru elders discouraged Kauravs from inflicting injustice on the Pandavs, but Duryodhan was never willing to return their share of the kingdom.

Like other elders of the Kuru court, Drona sympathised with Pandav, but on the battleground he fought from the Kaurav side.

During Draupadi’s disrobing, he remained passive and enabled the horror committed by Kaurav.

After the expiry of Pandav’s exile term, the Kaurav army attacked Matsya kingdom. Drona fought for Kaurav but was defeated

by Arjun.

Drona was present in the assembly hall when Krishna presented the peace proposal to Dhritarastra, and witnessed the transcendental form of Krishna.

In the Mahabharat war, Drona agreed to fight for Kaurav on condition that he would not kill any of the Pandavs. After Bhishma’s death, Drona was appointed the head of the Kaurav army on the eleventh day of war. He fought valiantly for five days. During his term, the rules established at the start for conduct of war were violated. Fighting continued during the nights. Multiple fighters attacked single combatants.

On the thirteenth day, Drona formed a Chakravyuh strategy to trap Yudhishthir. Only Arjun knew how to break this formation, but he was busy fighting elsewhere.

He had told his wife Subhadra

about it when she was pregnant with Abhimanyu. She was awake while listening to Arjun and later fell asleep. Abhimanyu had heard the story while in his mother’s womb. He had understood the initial description when Subhadra was awake. He did not learn the remaining portion, which was told when Subhadra was asleep.

Abhimanyu, the young son of Arjun fought bravely, broke the Chakravyuh and entered into it.

He fought alone against great warriors of the Kaurav Army in the Chakravyuh. No one from the Pandav army could enter into it to help him. King Jayadrath was a major obstructer of Pandav’s entry into the Chakravyuh. Many warriors of the Kaurav army jointly attacked and finally killed Abhimanyu. This episode is one of the most gruesome events of the Mahabharat.

Numerous other warriors including Drupad and Jayadrath were killed during Drona’s leadership.

On the fifth day of Drona’s leadership, ancient sages including Gautam and Vashishth, and Krishna realised that the Pandav’s army was unable to overcome Drona. Sages tried to convince Drona to abandon his destructive actions and suggested he retire to the celestial region. They noted his destruction of Kshatriyas was inconsistent with Dharma.

At the same time, Krishna devised a trick to kill him. He knew that Drona loved his son immensely. He would cope poorly with the news of Ashwatthama’s death.

Krishna asked Bhim to declare that Ashwatthama had been killed.

Bhim killed the elephant named Ashwatthama and declared that Ashwatthama was dead. When Drona heard Bhim’s declaration, he could not believe his son had perished. He decided to check the accuracy of the statement. He asked Yudhishthir who was nearby, trusting that Yudhishthir would never speak a lie. Yudhishthir confirmed Ashwatthama, the elephant’s death. He pronounced the word elephant inaudibly.

Drona did not hear that critical component.

Hearing of Ashwatthama’s death from Yudhishthir, Drona believed that his son had died. In his ensuing grief, he lost his desire for life. He descended from his chariot and laid down his arms. He sat down on the ground in the pose of meditation, to release his life from worldly existence.

Drupad’s son Dhrishtadhyumna, on the lookout to avenge his father’s death and humiliation, saw Drona sitting distressed in a meditating position. He rushed towards him, and with his sword, severed his head ending Drona’s life. It is believed that Drona was already dead through his Yogic power before his head was detached.

Drona remained renowned for his knowledge of arms. He could avenge a powerful opponent and became the owner of a kingdom.

His treatment of Ekalavya is considered prejudiced. It is assumed that in those times, a royal guru was not permitted to train a commoner to the level of a royal, for the safety of the kingdom’s heirs. However, similar practices continued and subsequently contributed to conversion of numerous Hindus from the Sanatan Dharma to other religions.

—Awadhesh Sharma, web: hinduguru.com.au

The Order of Australia Association Queensland Branch holds its 42nd Annual General Meeting CHERMSIDE The order of Australia Association Queensland Branch held its Annual General Meeting and Dinner on Monday 21st March at Kedron Wavell Services Club in Chermside.

The forty-second annual general meeting of OAAQ was held in VC Suite at Kedron Wavell Services Club, Chermside, from 5:30 pm. The chairperson, Dr. Gary Bacon AM, presented a very well-documented annual report. The report as presented was received as a true and accurate recording of the activities for the reporting period.

Queensland branch financial report for the year ending 31st December 2021 was introduced by the treasurer, Ronda Nix OAM. Following the AGM, members and guests proceeded to the Black-Tie Annual Dinner. This was held in the Blue Pacific Ballroom, also on level 1, at Kedron Wavell Services Club, with pre-dinner drinks and nibbles from 6:45 pm.

The sit-down gala dinner commenced at 7:30 pm with the service of a well-selected menu and wines The guest speaker at this year’s Dinner was Mark Knowles OAM, a highly respected Australian sportsman who has served his country with great

distinction in the sport of hockey both as a player and team captain. Mark is an Olympic Gold Medallist, a four-time Olympian, a quadruple Commonwealth

Games gold medallist, and was the flag bearer of the 2018 Australian Commonwealth Games Team on the Gold Coast. Overall, a very wellorganized AGM and dinner.

#TheKashmirFiles – Our Truth, Our Pain, Our Genocide

By Ash Raina, Kashmiri Pandits Australia (KPA), https://www.facebook.com/ozkpaustralia With a heavy, but strong, heart, I am writing this to tell the world about the emotions going through after watching the latest Hindi blockbuster, “The Kashmir Files – Right to Justice”, or TKF for the gen X audience.

Kashyapa reclaimed the land now comprising Kashmir from a vast lake and that land came to be known as Kashyapamar and, later, Kashmir. Having achieved considerable prominence as a centre of Hindu culture, a succession of Hindu dynasties ruled Kashmir until 1346, when it came under Muslim rule. The Muslim period lasted nearly five centuries, which also resulted in 6 genocides and exodus from the valley, before Kashmir was annexed to the Sikh kingdom of the Punjab in 1819 and then to the Dogra kingdom of Jammu in 1846. Jammu and Kashmir Accession Day is celebrated annually in the union territory to commemorate the day when Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession in 1947, making Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India.

Fast forward to 1990, 19th January, genocide number 7 was put in place where temples were desecrated, selective killings of well-known Kashmiri Pandits was put in action, to create fear psychosis within the community, to such an extent that they had to leave Call: (07) 3192 5188

their homeland in the dead of night for the fear of being killed or raped.

After hard work, research, interviewing and documenting the true events of Kashmiri Pandits for 3 years plus, finally on 11th March 2022, “The Kashmir Files” was released in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, in multiple theatres, alongside its worldwide launch. Vivek R Agnihotri (Director) and Pallavi Joshi (Producer & Actress) have been instrumental in getting those true stories to life on the screen and letting the world know about the genocide which nobody dared to tell for the last 32 years. After watching TKF, the response of audience has been overwhelming and unbelievable tears and sorrow being shown.

Some excerpts of TKF review can be found at: https://www.facebook.

com/109507131668528/ posts/118345997451308/ I was 14 when one night my mom asked us to pack our school bags and some clothes for a month, for a sojourn to Jammu (300 kms away from our home). Education, nonviolence and empathy for all is what was taught to all of us. She like all other parents knew that the situation will get better in a month and we will resume our daily routines thereafter. Little did we all know that it will

lengthen to 32 years with no return plan still in sight. And it didn’t all happen on that night of 19th January 1990.

Started with killings of known community faces like Shri A.K. Ganjoo (1987), followed by Shri Tika Lal Taploo & Nila Kant Ganjoo (1989), the action was a dire threat to all other community members to either follow the jihad movement or get killed.

Infact “Raliv, Chaliv ya Galiv”, meaning “Convert,

www.indiantimes.com.au

Leave or Die” was given as an option on a daily basis over loudspeakers and protest rallies attended by thousands of majority members, who happened to be the same neighbors and friends we lived and played with. This has been very effectively displayed in TKF with gory details of the massacres in which the entire village was exterminated based on the religion and love/loyalty for India.

Terrorists and their sympathisers would run a parallel system, with covert support from the state administration, whose Chief Minister (Farooq Abdullah) ran away to London, leaving the citizens on their own. There was complete apathy from the state and central governments.

For reference, definition of Genocide, as per UN, covers the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: • Killing members of the group; • Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; • Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; • Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; • Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

In the land that was once the seat of knowledge and learning, its aborginals – the Kashmiri Pandits – want the government and the world to acknowledge their genocide, provide justice to victims by putting terrorists and their supporters behind bars, and long for their return to their homeland.

To connect with KPA team, please follow https://www. facebook.com/ozkpaustralia

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 25

Who, What, Where, When...

Umesh Chandra OAM in the studios of Radio 4EB Interviewing Senator Zed Seselja, Minister for International Development and the Pacific

The first meeting of Lord Mayor’s multicultural roundtable for 2022

Harish Rao Executive Director AICC, Senator Matt Canavan, Umesh Chandra OAM, David Crisafulli – leader of the opposition, Ross Vasta Federal MP

Umesh Chandra OAM, Usha Chandra, and Praveen Gauravaram at the launch of AICC – Queensland Chapter

Holi Celebration by Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Queensland guests entertained by delightful dancers

Brazucas festival held at RNA showgrounds celebration Brazilian culture 26 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

Who, What, Where, When...

GOPIO Qld President Prof Prasad Yarlagadda and team with John-Paul Langbroek and Senator Paul Scarr at Councillor Kim Marx’s tenth anniversary being a councillor

Councillor Kim Marx addresses guests at her sold-out anniversary function

GOPIO Qld team at the screening of The Kashmir Files

Lady Mayoress – patron of GOPIO Qld’s women’s council with team

Networking reception by IGABA innovative German Australian Business Alliance held at AUDI Brisbane

Indian Senior Citizens Association and Ekta women’s club recognises Usha Chandra and Rose Chand at their International Women’s Day celebration

Members of the community focus group meeting held at Radio 4EB, missing Manjit Boparai Call: (07) 3192 5188

International women’s day celebrated at Simple Bliss Cafe with Aishwarya Somal as a guest speaker www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 27

Renunciation alone stands for fearlessness

The content of this article is based on the teachings of H.H. Sant Shri Asaram ji Bapu.

Pujya Bapu ji had addressed the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in September 1993, that was 100 years after Swami Vivekananda addressed the same parliament in September 1893. To save the youth who are being ruined due to the lustful festivals like valentine’s day, in 2007 Pujya Bapu ji-initiated celebrations of Matri-Pitri Pujan Diwas (Parents worship day) on 14th February. Pujya Bapu ji felt that, due to the blind imitation of Western culture there has been a steep rise in the incidences of alcoholism, suicide, and other immoral activities, especially among the youth during the last week of December. To rescue the youth from this debauchery and denigration, Pujya Bapu ji came up with the idea of worshipping a sacred Tulsi plant (holy basil). So, with a view to awaken the cultural pride of the India and to save the countrymen from mental slavery, in 2014, he initiated celebration of Tulsi poojan on 25th December.

"In the enjoyment of pleasure, there is always the fear of disease. Membership in a high family is accompanied by the fear of the latter's

downfall. Wealth is ever haunted by the fear of kings.

Silence is associated with the fear of neglect and dishonour.

In strength there is the fear of enemies. A handsome appearance is always in fear of being disfigured in old age. Learning and science have the fear of antagonistic discussions. Good qualities suffer from the fear of evil minded persons, who will do their best to lower the value of a man possessed of them, by slander etc. The body is beset with the fear of death.

Thus everything in this world pertaining to man is associated with fear. Renunciation alone is free from such associations.

If man enjoys sense pleasures, he has fear of disease. If cooling substances like sandalwood paste are smeared repeatedly or excessively it causes vata disorders. If a person belongs to a high family, he has the fear of downfall or having some defect. If any member of a family becomes immoral or licentious there is the fear of bringing disgrace to the family. Thus, accumulation of abundant wealth is fraught with the fear of the king, lest the wealth is seized by the king. Silence is associated with the fear of dishonour and neglect. Many people consider the person observing

silence to be poor and downtrodden. In strength there is the fear of enemies (during combat). If one has a handsome appearance there is fear of disfigurement. All beauty and fairness of skin are destroyed in old age without fail. Scholars of the scriptures are always fearful of their opponents who want to disparage and humiliate them. Merits or good qualities suffer from the fear of evilminded persons who try to find faults with even the best works and misinterpret them.

They will do their best to lower the value of a man possessed of them by slander, censure, etc. The body is beset with the fear of death. The death of the body is inevitable. One who is embodied, who has put on the garment of this body must leave it.

Thus, on deep thinking it is proved that everything in this world pertaining to man Is associated with fear. What is fearless then? Renunciation alone stands for fearlessness.

Bhagavan Shri Ramachandraji says to his Guru Sage Vasishtha in Shri Yoga Vasishtha Maharamayana: "All enjoyments are the great discase of samsara. Just as discase cannot be destroyed by taking unwholesome food, the disease of samsara continues by enjoyment.

Ah! How uncertain is the sensual life in this world! If you constantly think of the transitory nature of sensual pleasures and its concomitant evil viz ., misery, worry trouble, and death, you will never get attached to them and develop dispassion. The dispassion that comes momentarily is due to the loss of relation or wealth. What is really wanted is the dispassion born of

constant reflection on the transitoriness of the world or self-inquiry or discrimination (viveka). It is lasting and steady.

How to develop Vairagya?

Pujya shri elucidates on this topic in his satsang. There are many ways to kindle or develop vairagya. One is when a quarrel takes place in the family, or someone dies, or the desired thing could not be obtained, and one gets frustrated and thinks: "This is what the world is like. Leave it." Or one gets the company of satsangi people and develops discrimination (viveka): "Brother, all are so transitory and perishable. Many eminent persons left this world. Who are we to stay here forever?"

Discrimination dawned in him. Vairagya dawns by doing japa and some discrimination: "There is no essence except God." One may get sense pleasures as one chooses, but it is worthless as compared to divine joy. One enjoys sexual pleasures and then thinks what did one actually gain?

The mind is so elevated and blissful after hearing satsang and doing meditation, but after sex indulgence there is nothing but utter ruin. Such discrimination also develops Vairagya. You fed your sons and daughters by earning money through hard work, bathed them; washed their clothes and when they behave impudently with you think it over. It will develop Vairagya.

Kindle discrimination while looking at the body during sickness or its transitory and perishable nature or go to a crematorium and tell your mind: "This is the fate of the bodies."

Think about birth, death, old age and sickness, "What will happen to my sons? What

will become of my family?

Come out of this confusion.

We have come into this world with our Prarabdha (destiny).

You were someone's son in your past life. Neither that body nor those relatives accompanied you in this life.

Even your present body is not yours. It would obey your wish if it were yours. It becomes sick against your wish. Then how can it be yours? It is nothing but attachment and mineness that makes you think "This is my son; so and so is mine. " Only one Atman is ours, all the rest is a dream.

Cultivate a taste for dispassion and be established in Bhakti (devotion to God) .

First science of God Eminent scholar Bankimchandra Chatterji had come to have darshan of Shri Ramakrishna. Ramakrishnaji said to him while instructing the devotees: "Some people think it isn't possible to realise God without reading books or studying scriptures. They think you should first know the world and the living beings and study science. They say that without understanding God's creation, God can't be known. What do you say? God first or science?""

Bankimchandra: "Yes, a person has to have adequate knowledge of the world first.

How can God be known without some knowledge of the world? You should educate yourself first and then acquire knowledge of Him.” Shri Ramakrishna "You people say this. But one must know God first, and then His creation. After attaining God, you will know everything you need to know. But then you don't care to know ordinary things. The Vedas say this; Until you see a person you

can talk about his virtues, but when he is face to face with you, this talk stops. You become engrossed talking to him and don't need to talk about anything else.

The way to attain God is yearning and faith like a child's. Pray to God with yearning. If you are sincere, He will surely listen. You have to have faith in the words of the Guru. The Guru himself is Sat-Chit-Ananda, Sat ChitAnanda alone is the Guru.

By having faith in his words, by believing like a child, a person attains God. God can't be realized by cleverness or by a calculating or reasoning mind. You have to have faith and a simple mind - hypocrisy cannot help you, He is very near a guileless person and very far from an insincere one.

To listen 24X7 live divine Satsang of Pujya Bapu Ji, please search “Mangalmay live” on google, visit http:// www.ashram.org/live or search “THE SBM STUDIO” on you Tube. By the Divine Inspiration of Bapu ji, the weekly sessions of Bal Sanskar and yoga are held in Brisbane. To know more about His Divine Holiness Bapu Ji, please watch this video. https://bit.ly/2uZvJuN For more info about Bal Sanskar and yoga sessions, to get a free copy of monthly spiritual magazine RishiPrasad in your mailbox in Australia or to get free online subscription of Rishi -Prasad, please contact by email at bskamd@gmail. com or by WhatsApp/phone to Ashok Attri and Anu Attri at +61 426 834 434 & +61 405 277 802. Please read more about our Vedic culture in the next issue of The Brisbane Indian Times.

International Women’s Day Awards...

CONTD. FROM PG 10 She has been actively involved with the Multicultural Ethnic Radio Station for the past 21 years and was convenor of the Indian Group Radio 4 EB/ FM. Pinky Singh nominated for Social Work and Government, she represents Indian women in Australian politics and community work. In one of her memorable acts of generosity she had given unconditional support to the family of the Brisbane bus driver Manmeet Alisher who was murdered in 2016.

Seema Chauhan nominated for Community and Business, is also the co-founder of Abode Australia Migration. She is the President of Gopio Gold Coast. With a strong belief in the value of all members of society, men, women and children alike, within a thriving community, Seema actively supports causes to help connect the community.

Ketaki Apte nominated for Business, launched Vishwa Events

Entertainment company to cater to the Maharashtrian community's entertainment needs. It is because of her efforts that Marathi people in QLD are able to maintain a connection with Marathi Cinema, dramas and Marathi Musical programs and pass it on to the next generation growing here.

Pallavi Bandiwadekar nominated for Business, launched the Noopur Dance Studio, she is a kathak, Indian folk and bollywood dance performer.

She has helped many women heal during the pandemic through her dance classes and community

28 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

performances.

Amanpreet Kaur nominated for Entertainment has organised many women only events in which more than 1000 women participate.

She is also associated to sports clubs and helps them in their annual functions.

Pragya Sharma nominated for Entertainment and Social Work, is a young budding radio presenter who is promoting our Indian culture to our community by showcasing well known personalities who are contributing to community wellbeing through art, music

& culture. Through her talk shows and interview she has connected the Indian community to the politicians.

She is also in constant effort to connect people of Indian origin living in Australia to their Indian roots.

Shelly Ahuja nominated for Social Work is the Director of Wings Education and has been teaching for 25 years. She believes in women’s empowerment through empowering others on team. One of her nominators said “she has empowered me and all the other women around her in any possible way, be it work, accomodation, startup or

emotional support. I have been sponsored by her for many up-skill courses, knowing my potential and financial constraints. She also supported us in starting Folk Blasters” ICAQ congratulates all the women mentioned above for their awards and hopes they continue to do the work they are so passionate about.

The IWD event was organised in the Indian Brother’s Restaurant in Taringa. The sumptuous meal they served definitely made all guests smile and be happy. ICAQ thanks Indian Brothers Restaurants for readily accepting to have the event at their restaurant.

Indian Council of Australia, Queensland Inc is a newly formed organisation registered in October 2021.

It is an organisation of and for all people of Indian origins living in Queensland.

Both organisations and individuals can become member.

We have received great support from community so far with 15 organisations and 50 individual members obtaining membership.

ICAQ is committed to support people who are disadvantaged. Some of the objectives of ICAQ are to • Undertake specific social services in the field of child, women, and youth welfare as well as in the field of ageing.

• Undertake specific public education campaigns in areas such as mental health, wellbeing, zero tolerance to violence in families, and protecting children • Encourage and initiate integration and assistance programmes to help new citizen-entrants from Indian origin with the assistance of member organisations and groups Please visit our website https://www.icaq.org.au/ membership to know more about ICAQ and if interested in joining our organisation as members.

Article written by Amrita Deshpande Public Relation Officer ICAQ She is a media and communication consultant, performance Artist, Graphic Artist, Watercolour, Arcylic and Henna Artist.

Women Empowerment and Leadership at the International Women's Day event 2022 BRISBANE the successful launch of the movie “The Dark Future, “a short film produced and directed by Ali Baba Movie Productions about the real-life story of an Afghan woman residing in Australia took place on 29th March at Queensland conservatorium.

The organizers were pleased with the outcome and said, “Huge thank you to everyone who attended and supported; huge thank you to Shahri Rafi for being MC of this event.”

Women Empowerment and Leadership is proudly working with a team of brave volunteers in Afghanistan in a critical time to hold the hand of the vulnerable who still live in Afghanistan under the leadership of the founder President Rita Anwari Sultani.

A special thanks to Sayed Nazim Khelwaty for managing the volunteer team as a volunteer.

The management team in Australia appreciates his work and will continually support his hard work.

We wish peace, stability, security, and excellent education for Afghan women and children.

Rita Anwari Sultani was one of the guest speakers at the International women's Day at GCMAGIC as President and founder of

Women Empowerment and Leadership, invited by Nasrin Vaziri to raise the voice of Afghan women.

Every year, GCMAGIC commemorates International Women's Day (8th of March) with an event that celebrates everything about women.

On 6 March 2022, GCMAGIC celebrated with the launch of

the Women in Conversation Exhibit, featuring local women artists. The exhibit was held from the 6th to the 23rd of March at One Arts Gallery in Surfers Paradise.

EGCMAGIC Multicultural Arts & Creative Hub • NETNOREME E

CRANNIES IN SR IMITATE Inspirational women guest speakers were invited to share their stories of strength.

These women contribute their wisdom to the communities they work with and have also become leaders and mentors of many women and men working towards a diverse, equitable, and inclusive

society.

The program began with the introduction of the artists at the event.

The exhibiting artists were Gayle Reichelt, Inessa Ivascanin, Helen Holmes, Nafiseh Ebrahiminedad, and Nasrin Vaziri. Their artwork represented the diversity of the stories that everyone

shares in this space we call home.

Ms. Rita Anwari Sultani gave a heartbreaking story about the current crisis in Afghanistan that brought about a massive setback to the work they have been doing to assist Afghan women in having access to education and being freed from the tyranny of the Taliban rule.

Ms. Leila Loci inspired everyone with her story about how being a woman is enough and how society must support this by raising young children to respect everyone regardless of gender. Ms. Helen Saba shared her story of growth in her various careers that brought her to Australia, building a solid business with hard work and dedication.

Ravishing Fashionistas Gold Coast Casting Call a huge success RAVISHING FASHIONISTAS has concluded the hunt for models for the BRISBANE RAVISHING FASHIONISTAS FASHION SHOW 2022.

This weekend, the RF team hit the Gold Coast for their second casting call for the year, seeking models of all shapes, sizes, ages and ethnicities to join the mega fashion on August 6th at Old Government House in Brisbane.

Founder and concept creator Upma Kite said she was overjoyed at the turn out, with over 60 Gold Coast models applying to walk for our judges with the hopes of joining the RF family. It was fantastic to see such a wonderfully diverse range of models attend the casting call who were all such a delight to work with.

The hard job begins now for the judging panel to select successful applicants to join the Brisbane models as the team begins preparations for their first promotional shoot overlooking the Brisbane River at Customs House, Brisbane.

The Brisbane casting call saw over 130 hopeful models apply, making this year an absolute record turnout for Ravishing Fashionistas casting calls.

It’s all hands-on deck Call: (07) 3192 5188

for the RF team as they get to work on a multitude of activities in the lead up to the main show including model workshops, promo shoots and rehearsals.

Although model applications have closed,

the team is avidly seeking designers to join the show, along with sponsors, suppliers, collaborators and volunteers who are passionate about breaking stereotypes within the fashion industry.

Info for the show can be found on the Ravishing Fashionistas Facebook event page where you will find a link where tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite.

Tickets are selling fast!

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 29

Arya Samaj Queensland

Who am I ?

Jitendra Deo President ASQ

I am a soul I am not the body, my soul is the conscious force which directs the mind what to

think to speak and what action to do , the soul is immortal never born and will never die, my body dies but, not me, the soul, I am born again and again in different bodies according to the karma or action I do in different species bodies I take.

Is the soul different from God? Yes, there are countless numbers of souls, but there is only one God, imagine there are countless numbers of souls perched on a tree eating and enjoying the fruits of this tree, God looks upon the birds what they do how they eat the fruits of this tree,

the tree is this Cosmos the individual souls are us, who occupy the humans animals birds insects bodies etc. God being Omnipotent Omniscient Omnipresent looks and supply all the needs for souls to exist in their respective bodies, He God dispenses justice flawlessly accurate to all the souls which occupy bodies.

The Souls of humans, animals and birds etc. are different from each other?

No .There are three Elements Coexist with each other, God Soul and Matter from eternity to eternity they were never born will never change, they

are the cause of this Cosmos, God is maker and designer of this Cosmos. Matter is the material with which God took and made this Cosmos and the Individual Souls are purpose for this Cosmos.

Why souls are born in the bodies of brutes? Because the souls which did wrong Karma in the previous human bodies they occupied, they are born in brutes bodies to repay the consequences of their evil actions, brute’s whole life is programmed they act with instinct and not with reason, since they were created at the time of creation they behave

the same way until dissolution of the Cosmos, when they will finish serving the consequences of their action in the animal body then they will be born again in human forms.

There is one Universal Soul, without a beginning or ending, that Soul is called Aum it is pronounced Om also called Paramaatmaa, there are countless numbers of individual Souls which are called Jeeva Aatmaa , the Jeevaatmaa has limited power in comparison with Paramaatmaa, the individual Soul is given a body to do

karma in order to get Mukti or liberation from being born in this Cosmos, the souls which occupy body or bodies is immortal the bodies die and not the Souls .

The materials with which the Cosmos is made of, is called Prakriti or Matter, God Soul and Matter coexist together, they are the cause of this massive Creation, they never born or will cease to exist from eternity to eternity, Om or God took matter and create and fashion this Cosmos for the benefit of the individual Souls Adapted from a article by Pt Hardeo Gopie.

Yog and Meditation- Healing through knowledge Pramukh Swami Maharaj: Transformer of Lives Butterflies have a beauty that draws us to look and admire. To become a butterfly, the caterpillar must undergo internal change. A caterpillar gorges on food to facilitate this. Similarly, to facilitate our inner transformation, we require food in the form of true knowledge. We get this from a person who is perfect in mind and heart.

In ancient India, it was believed that all forms of knowledge were derived from a series of texts called the Vedas, from the Sanskrit word Veda for "knowledge." There are four Vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva. They are thought to be divinely inspired, not of human origin.

Traditionally, the Vedas were communicated orally. It is believed they were originally revealed to holy seers (Rishi), who shared them by chanting in Sanskrit. Later, the chants were written down in books.

The word Sanskrit (Sanskrit), which means "refined," comes from two words: sam ("well") and krt ("made" or "prepared").

Sanskrit has been the language of religion, philosophy, science, and art in India for many centuries.

The Yoga Sutras is written in Classical Sanskrit, a later, more systematized form of Vedic Sanskrit.

The Vedas are a body of hymns chiefly concerned with how people should interact with the world, with one another, and with the divine.

All later spiritual literature in India pays respect to, and is influenced by, the Vedas.

Some of the salient works that evolved from the Vedas include the following parts.

The Vedangas, the six limbs of the Vedas, are Phonetics (Shiksha), Grammar (Vyakarana), Etymology (Nirukta), Poetic rhythm (Chandas), Rituals and Duties (kalpa), and Mathematics, which includes astronomy (Jyotisa), algebra, trigonom¬etry, and so on.

These six limbs are essential to understanding the Vedas.

The Upavedas, the four "sub-Vedas," consist

of Medicine (Ayurveda), Musicology (Gandharvaveda), the science of warfare (Dhanurveda), and Economics and Com¬merce (Arthaveda).

The Brahmanas and Aranyakas are multiple bodies of texts that explain Vedic hymns. Some are lost to history, while others remain available today.

The Upanisads contain explanations of specific topics that occur in the Vedas. These were written to be easily understood by everyone.

The Darshanas are the six spiritual sciences, as explained earlier.

Unity and Coexistence of the Six Darshanas-the traditional Indian culture is deeply invested in the concepts of unity and mutual en¬dorsement.

Strong evidence for this is found in Mahabharta and Bhagavat Gita. The different causes of creation mentioned in the six Darshanas the pioneering Vedic scholar Maharishi Swami Dayananda Saraswati said, just as multiple different causes take part in the formation of a pot e.g. an ap¬plication, time, clay, intellect, labour (required for mixing or separating different materials), the properties of matter, and the potter himself likewise, the six different causes of the world have been discussed by the six Darshanas .

Thus, elements and the gradual formation of the different substances of the world from them by the Sankhya, and the efficient cause of God by the Vedanta.

(Continued in next issue) Please contact Jitendra Deo on 3273 3029 or visit www. yogguru.com.au for more information and articles.

30 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921-2016), Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s fifth spiritual successor had the ability to transform people in this way. A rare soul who always lived for others and simultaneously remained totally absorbed in God. He had a unique aptitude to

understand youth and liberated countless What for many years had seemed youths from the harrowing issues of life. impossible happened by the association of a pious saint like Pramukh Swami Mohanbhai Patel, a devotee from Bolton Maharaj. Mohanbhai said that after giving in England, used to smoke 80 cigarettes up his addictions he began to experience and drink 16 pints of beer a day. In 1994, true inner peace. in Ashton, England, Mohanbhai came into contact with Pramukh Swami Maharaj for Jayesh Kedariya, a BAPS devotee in Surat, the very first time when he was invited by India approached his cousin brother a friend to attend the murti-pratishtha Anand, who was addicted to alcohol. ceremony at the BAPS mandir. Pramukh The addiction was ruining Anand’s life.

Swami Maharaj learnt about Mohanbhai’s After a lengthy chat to persuade him, chain smoking and beer drinking habits, Jayesh offered prayers for Anand to and encouraged him to give up these vices. Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Pramukh He lovingly blessed, “God will give you Swami Maharaj. Anand observed all this. strength to give up these addictions.” He Some months passed, but his cousin had firmly decided to give up his addictions. still not given up his addiction. Several times, Jayesh wrote to Pramukh Swami Maharaj for blessings that his cousin gives up his addiction to alcohol. Each time, Swamishri replied with words of blessings and encouragement.

Eventually, after many months of persistent effort by Jayesh, Anand gave up his addiction, and this had a knock-on effect. Anand’s wife was very pleased. She and other women were inspired to make efforts to free their village of alcohol. They achieved resounding success! In turn, women from over 50 other nearby villages were inspired to free their villages of rampant alcohol addiction.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj counseling a youth

A Great Teacher

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a distinguished Indian aerospace scientist who served as the President of India from 2002 to 2007. Dr. Kalam and Pramukh Swami Maharaj first met on 30 June 2001 in New Delhi, India forming a lasting friendship and spiritual rapport. Thereafter, they met in person or by phone on numerous occasions.

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam meeting Pramukh Swami Maharaj

These interactions left a deep impression on Dr. Kalam. He was touched by Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s profound spirituality and divinity. Explaining the reason for writing his book, ‘Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji,’ Dr. Kalam said, “On the day I in-

augurated Akshardham in Delhi, I found a teacher in Pramukh Swamiji. A great teacher. That day I decided I must write a book with my friend Arun Tiwari. It’s not a book. It’s a tribute. To a great leader.”

In 2015, when Dr. Kalam made the journey from Delhi to Sarangpur to present the book, he was 84 years old. Dr. Kalam presented the first copy of Transcendence to Pramukh Swami Maharaj in Sarangpur on 20 June 2015, their last personal meeting. While presenting the book, Dr. Kalam said, “You are a great teacher. I learnt to remove I, remove mine. That’s a great lesson I have learnt. I learnt from you.”

Pramukh Swami Maharaj said, “To rise above I and mine is only possible by God’s grace. It is the best principle by which to remain happy in life.”

Transformation is achieved by seeking the refuge of a great teacher, for only then do his compassion and words affect us and Pramukh Swami Maharaj Spiritual Head of BAPS (1971 - 2016) help us to change. Such changes benefit not just the individual, but also their fam- the present spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan continues that legacy. ily and friends.

Through his association people have been This year marks Pramukh Swami Matransformed to experience inner peace. haraj’s centennial birth celebration year; May we transform from a caterpillar into therefore, we aim to pay a tribute to his a butterfly so that we may fly high in the centennial birth celebration year, through sky of spiritual joy and bring joy to others. this article series.

To learn more about Pramukh Swami MaJust like Pramukh Swami Maharaj, today, haraj’s life and work, please visit: His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, www.pramukhswami.org

Call: (07) 3192 5188

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 31

Ramadan the month of spiritual purification All praise is due to Allah(SWT), peace and blessings upon our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad(SAW). The month of fasting is approaching and Muslims around the world are preparing and about to welcome this holy month.

Prepared by Imam Aslam The preceding month is Sha’ban and our beloved prophet Muhammad (SAW) placed great importance on this month. In this month he would prepare himself for Ramadan especially by increasing fasting and performing extra voluntary worship. This stands as a lesson for the Ummah to also increase worship and prepare for Ramadan accordingly in this holy month.

Human being has been gifted with special qualities.

The most important gift of Allah (SWT) is the spiritual faculty of human being. He is required to develop this side of his personality so that the persons of strong character can be developed and social order based on spiritual and moral principles can be established. Allah (SWT) has not left human being alone in this regard. Along with his inner ability, He has provided external guidance in the form of His revealed message and His Messengers. Islam, being the last divine message, and the Prophet of Islam (SAW), being the last Prophet in the chain of Prophets, provided complete guidance for the spiritual purification and refinement. One aspect of this guidance is the fasting in the month of Ramadan.

This is a methodology for the strengthening of the inner dimensions of human personality. The followers of the Prophet of Islam (SAW) have been specially commanded to observe fasting to achieve piety and righteousness. If a person observes this practice with diligence, sincerity and determination, he will definitely find his reward in this world and in the life hereafter. The Qur’an says; “O you who believe, Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn selfrestraint”.

The month of Ramadan is approaching with His mercy; it is the month that is the best of all months in the estimation of Allah. Its days are the best among the days; its nights are the best among the nights. Its hours are the best among the hours. We have been invited and selected in this month as the recipients of the honours and blessings of Allah. (SWT).

It provides an environment of piety and righteousness. It creates a spiritual environment which encourages a Muslim to be a part of it. If a person fasts for the sake of Allah (SWT) and observe self-restraint

and control, he is able to over-haul his personality completely. It is not only to restrain oneself from eating and drinking but help a Muslim to refresh himself into a balanced personality in which the physical, intellectual and spiritual aspects of personality are developed simultaneously and our good deeds are accepted in this month.

So are our invocations.

Therefore, we must invoke our Lord, in right earnest, with hearts that are free from sins and evils and at the end of Ramadan a spiritual person is born again.

It was narrated by Salman the Persian (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) delivered a khutba on the last day of Sha’ban. The Prophet said: “O you people!

A great and a blessed month have arrived for you, therein a Night which is better than one thousand months. The fasting during this month is an obligation (fareedh), and the extra prayers during its nights are voluntary.

Anyone who comes closer to Allah through a good deed during this month is as if he performed on obligatory duty during times other than Ramdan, and he who fulfils an obligatory duty in it will be like one who fulfils seventy obligatory duties in another month.

It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Paradise. It is the month of visiting of the poor, the sick and the needy so as to share their sorrows. It is the month where the nourishment, the sustenance and the income of the believing Muslim increase and they are blessed”.

“Anyone who invites

32 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

others to break their fast or iftar will be provided with forgiveness of his sins be saved from hell, and will receive reward equal to the fasting without reducing his own reward in any respect.

Some of the followers of the prophet said: “Not all of us may find food to share with one so that he could break his fast.” The Prophet said: ‘Allah will reward you even if you help the fasting Muslim to break his fast with a date, a sip of water or a drink of milk”...

“It is a month: its beginning is Mercy, and its last part is freedom from hellfire. Anyone who helps a slave to be freed, Allah will forgive him and free him from Hell”.

“Verily! The person who may not receive the mercy and benevolence of Allah in this month must be very unfortunate having an end as bad (in the Hereafter).

While fasting, remember the hunger and thirst of tomorrow. Give alms to the poor and the needy”.

“O People! You have made your conscience the slave of your desires; make it free by invoking Him for Istighfar (repentance/forgiveness).

Our backs are breaking under the heavy load of our sins, so prostrate before Him for long intervals and make it lighter”.

Increase in yourselves four characteristics: two by which you will please your Lord, and two others by which you cannot live without. The first two qualities to please Allah are to bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah, and to ask forgiveness from Allah… However, the other two things that you cannot live without are: to ask Allah for Paradise and to ask

Him to protect you from Hell and fire…

Pay respects to your elders. Have pity on those younger than you and be kind towards your relatives and kinsmen. Guard your tongues against unworthy words, and your eyes from such scenes that are not worth seeing (forbidden) and your ears from such sounds that should not be heard by you.

Be kind to orphans so that when your children become orphans they also may be treated with kindness. Do invoke that Allah may forgive our sins. Do raise your hands at the time of Salat (Prayers), as it is the best time for asking His mercy. When we invoke at such times, we are answered by Him, when we call Him, He responds, and when we ask for anything, it is accepted by Him. Anybody who in this month may take light work from his servants (male or female), Allah will make easy his accounting on the Day of Judgment. Anybody who does not tease others in this month, Allah will keep him safe from His wrath at the Day of Judgment. Anybody, who respects and treats an orphan with kindness in this month, Allah shall look at him with dignity at the Day of Judgment. Anybody who treats well his kinsmen, in this month, Allah will bestow His mercy on him at the day of resurrection.

Whosoever recites in this month only one 'Ayat' (verse of the Holy Qur'an), he will be rewarded in a manner as if he had recited the full Qur'an in the other months.

“O People! The Gates of Paradise remain opened in this month. Do invoke that the gates may not be closed

on you, while the Gates of Hell are closed. Do invoke that these gates may never be opened. During this month Devil (Shaytan) is imprisoned so ask your Lord not to let him have power over you”.

Blessings of the month of Ramadaanul-Mubarak Fasting is the fourth pillar of Islam. The word "Sawm " (meaning to stop or abstain) is used in Arabic for fasting.

A fast then means that one refrains from eating, drinking and other physical things (all those things that are otherwise allowed) from dawn to sunset. This month comes every year to spread the blessings and mercy of Allah. We are thankful to Allah for providing physical forms of divine worship such as prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage to improve our moral and spiritual condition.

Welcoming the Month of Ramadhan: The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said: "The month of Ramadhan comes to you.

This is a blessed month" (Kitab-ul-Saum). The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has declared this month as the "month of Allah" because one abandons all otherwise "lawful" things in the way of Allah. He has also declared this month as the "Chief of the months." Worship during this month gains more blessings so one should fast with sincere intentions and worship should be performed to win Allah's pleasure.

Ramadhan - Anniversary of the Holy Quran: Ramadhan is that blessed month in which the Holy

Quran was first revealed to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). In this regard this month celebrates the birthday of the Holy Quran.

To render our dues we should recite the Holy Quran as much as possible. During this month, at night, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) use to recite the Holy Quran in its entirety with the Angel Gabriel (Jibraeel).

Opening the doors to heaven: Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) has narrated that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When the month of Ramadhan starts, the doors of heaven are opened, the doors of the hell are closed, and Satan is put into chains" (Sahih Muslim KitabulSaum). In this saying the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has promised a high place in heaven for one who observess the fast because a believer is enjoined to perform such deeds that please Allah and stay away from bad things.

Ramadhan's Special relationship with Tahajjud Prayers: Hazrat Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "A person who gets up at night for Prayer and fulfills all requirements of his faith with an intention of receiving blessing during the Month of Ramadhan, is forgiven all his past sins."

Charity during Ramadhan: Ibn Abbas relates that the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, was the most generous of men and he was at his most bountiful during Ramadhan when Gabriel visited him every night and recited the Quran to him. During this period the bounty of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, waxed faster than the rainbearing breeze (Bokhari and Muslim).

Prayers: Allah forgives all previous sins of a person who sincerely worships Allah during the month of Ramadhan. During this month Allah's mercy and blessings are at their peak.

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said that during Ramadhan: "Allah says: 'Is there anyone who calls on me so that I can accept his prayers? Is there anyone who asks for anything so that I can fulfill his desires?

Is there anyone who asks for forgiveness so that I can forgive" (Sahih Bukhafi Kitab-ul-Tauheed).

CONTD. ON PG 33

Ramadan the month...

CONTD. FROM PG 32 Fasting is another unique moral and spiritual characteristic of Islam. Literally defined, fasting means to abstain "completely" from foods, drinks, intimate intercourse and smoking, before the break of the dawn till sunset, during the entire month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year. But if we restrict the meaning of the Islamic Fasting to this literal sense, we would be sadly mistaken.

When Islam introduced this matchless institution, it planted an evergrowing tree of infinite virtue and invaluable products. Here is an explanation of the spiritual meaning of the Islamic Fasting: 1. It teaches man the principle of sincere Love: because when he observes Fasting he does it out of deep love for God. And the man who loves God truly is a man who really knows what love is.

2. It equips man with a creative sense of hope and an optimistic outlook on life; because when he fasts he is hoping to please God and is seeking His Grace.

3. It imbues in man the genuine virtue of effective devotion, honest dedication and closeness to God; because when he fasts he does so for God and for His sake alone.

4. It cultivates in man a vigilant and sound conscience; because the fasting person keeps his fast in secret as well as in public.

In fasting, especially, there is no mundane authority to check man's behavior or compel him to observe fasting. He keeps it to please God and satisfy his own conscience by being faithful in secret and in public. There is no better way to cultivate a sound conscience in man.

5. It indoctrinates man in patience and selflessness, as through fasting, he feels the pains of deprivation but he endures them patiently.

6. It is an effective lesson in applied moderation and willpower.

7. Fasting also provides man with a transparent soul, a clear mind and a light body.

8. It shows man a new way of wise savings and sound budgeting.

9. It enables man to master the art of Mature Adaptability. We can easily understand the point once we realize that fasting makes man change the entire course of his daily life.

10. It grounds man in discipline and healthy survival.

11. It originates in man the real spirit of social belonging, unity and Call: (07) 3192 5188

brotherhood, of equality before God as well as before the law.

12. It is a Godly prescription for selfreassurance and selfcontrol.

Now, someone may be tempted to raise the objection: If this is the case with the Islamic institution of fasting, and if this is the picture of Islam in this aspect, why are the Muslims not living in a utopia? To such an objection we can only say that Muslims have lived in and enjoyed a utopia in a certain epoch of their history. The realization of that utopia was a phenomenon of a unique achievement in the history of man. We say unique, because no religion or social system other than Islam has ever been able to realize its ideals in reality.

The reason why the Islamic utopia is not being established nowadays is manifold and easily explicable. But to restrict our discussion to the institution of fasting we may say that some Muslims, unfortunately for them, do not observe the fast or, at best, adopt the attitude of indifference. On the other hand, some of those who observe it do not realize its true meaning and, as a result, derive very little benefit out of it or, in fact, no benefit at all. That is why some Muslims today, do not enjoy the real privileges of fasting.

It has already been indicated that the period of obligatory fasting is the month of Ramadan. The daily period of observance starts before the break of the dawn ant ends immediately after sunset. Normally there are accurate calendars to toll the exact time, but in the absence of such facilities one should consult one's watch and the sun's positions, together with the local newspapers, weather bureau, etc.

Fasting Ramadan is obligatory on every responsible and fit Muslim.

But there are other times when it is recommended to make voluntary fasting, after the Traditions of Prophet Muhammad. Among these times are Mondays and Thursdays of every week, a few days of each month in the two months heralding the coming of Ramadan, i.e., Rajab and Sha'ban, six days after Ramadan following the 'Eid-ul-Fitr Day. Besides, it is always compensating to fast any day of any month of the year, except the 'Eid Days and Fridays when no Muslim should fast.

However, we may repeat that the only obligatory fasting is that of Ramadan - which may be 29 or 30 days, depending on the moon's positions. This is a pillar of Islam, and any failure to observe it without reasonable excuses is a grave sin in the sight of God.

َ ُ َ َ َ ْ ‫سيدنا ُمحمد‬ ‫َوعىل ذ ِّري ِة‬

Who Must Fast?

Fasting Ramadan is compulsory upon every Muslim, male or female, who has these qualifications: 1. To be mentally and physically fit, which means to be sane and able.

2. To be of full age, the age of puberty and discretion, which is normally about fourteen.

Children under this age should be encouraged to start this good practice on easy levels, so when they reach the age of puberty they will be mentally and physically prepared to observe fasting.

3. To be present at one's permanent settlement, your home town, one's farm, and one's business premises, etc.

This means not to be on a journey of about fifty miles or more.

4. To be fairly certain that fasting is unlikely to cause you any harm, physical or mental, other than the normal reactions to hunger, thirst, etc.

Exemption From Fasting: These said qualifications exclude the following categories: 1. Children under the age of puberty and discretion.

2. Insane people who are unaccountable for their deeds. People of these two categories are exempted from the duty of fist, and no compensation or any other substitute is enjoined on them.

3. Men and women who are too old and feeble to undertake the obligation of fast and bear its hardships.

Such people are exempted from this duty, but they must offer, at least, one needy poor Muslim an average full meal or its value per person per day.

4. Sick people whose health is likely to be severely affected by the observance of fast. They may postpone the fast, as long as they are sick, to a later date and make up for it, a day for a day.

5. Travelers may break the fast temporarily during their travel only and make up for it in later days, a day for a day 6.

Pregnant women and women breastfeeding their children may also break the fast, if its observance is likely to endanger their own health or that of their infants. But they must make up for the fast at a delayed time, a day for a day. Women in the -period of menstruation (of a maximum of ten days or of confinement (of a maximum of forty days).; They must postpone the fast till recovery and then make up for it, a day for Fasting Ramadan is compulsory upon every Muslim, male or female, who has these qualifications: 1. To be mentally and

wa ala dhurreyatie sayyedna Muhammad and on the progeny of our Prophet Muhammad َ ّ َّ َ ‫َو َسلم ت ْس ِليما كث ي�ا‬ wa sallim katheera and Bestow much peace

physically fit, which means to be sane and able.

2. To be of full age, the age of puberty and discretion, which is normally about fourteen.

Children under this age should be encouraged to start this good practice on easy levels, so when they reach the age of puberty they will be mentally and physically prepared to observe fasting.

3. To be present at one's permanent settlement, your home town, one's farm, and one's business premises, etc.

This means not to be on a journey of about fifty miles or more.

4. To be fairly certain that fasting is unlikely to cause you any harm, physical or mental, other than the normal reactions to hunger, thirst, etc.

Eid Takbeers Takbir of Id ُّ ُّ �‫أك‬ ‫أك� الل ب‬ ‫الل ب‬ Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Allah is Great, Allah is Great ُّ �‫أك‬ ‫الل ب‬

َ َ َ ‫َصدق َوعده‬ sadaqa wa'dah He has fulfilled His Promise َ َ ‫َو َن‬ ‫ص عبده‬ wa nasara abda and made Victorious His servant َ ُ َ ‫وأعز جنده‬ wa a'azza jundahu and made Mighty soldiers

His

َ ْ َ َ ْ ‫َوهزم األحزاب وحده‬ wa hazamal-ahzaaba wahdah and defeated the confederates ّ َ َ ‫ال إله اال الل‬ La illaha il Allah there is no God, But Allah ُ ‫َوال َن‬ ‫عبد اال أياه‬ wa laa na'budu illa iyyah He alone we worship َ ّ ُ َ َ‫ِّ ن‬ ُ ‫� له الد ِين‬ ‫خلص ي‬ ِ ‫م‬

Allahu Akbar Allah is Great

mukhlessena lahud-deena with sincere and exclusive devotion

ّ َ َ ‫ال إله اال الل‬

َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ‫الكاف‬ ‫رون‬ ِ ‫ولو ك ِره‬

La illaha il Allah there is no God, but Allah

walaw karehal-Kafeeroon even though the idolaters hate it

ُّ ُّ �‫اك‬ ‫أك� الل ب‬ ‫الل ب‬ Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Allah is Great, Allah is Great

ّ َ َ ْ َ ‫الل‬ ‫سيدنا ُمحمد‬ ‫هم َص ِّل عىل‬

َ ّ ‫و ِل الحمد‬

Allahumma salli ala sayyedna Muhammad O Allah, have Mercy on our Prophet Muhammad

walilahil Hamd to Him belongs all Praise

َ َ َ َ ْ ‫سيدنا ُمحمد‬ ‫آل‬ ِ ‫وعىل‬

ُّ َ ‫أك� َك ي‬ ُ ‫الل ب‬ ‫ب�ا‬ ِ Allahu Akbaru Kabeera Allah is the Greatest

wa ala aalie sayyedna Muhammad and on the family of our Prophet Muhammad

َ ّ ُ َ َ ‫ل ك ِث ي�ا‬ ِ ِ ‫والحمد‬

َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ‫سيدنا ُمحمد‬ ‫اب‬ ِ ‫وعىل اصح‬

wal-Hamdulilahi katheera And all Praise is due to Him

wa ala as-haabie sayyedna Muhammad and on the companions of our Prophet Muhammad

ّ َ ُ َ ‫الل‬ ِ ‫و سبحان‬ wa Subhan allahi And Glory to Allah ْ ‫كر ًة َو‬ َ ‫ُب‬ ‫أص ِيال‬ bukratan wa aseila eventide and in the morning ّ َ َ ‫ال إله اال الل‬ La illaha il Allah there is no God, but Allah the Unique

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َ َ ْ َ ‫َو َعىل‬ ‫سيدنا ُمحمد‬ ‫أنص ِار‬ wa ala ansari sayyedna Muhammad and on the helpers of our Prophet Muhammad َ َ َ َ ْ َ ‫سيدنا ُمحمد‬ ‫اج‬ ِ ‫وعىل أزو‬ wa ala azwajie sayyedna Muhammad and on the wives of our Prophet Muhammad

tasleeman upon

them

Hanafi Fiqh for the method of Salatul Eid The Eid prayer has two raka’at performed in the normal way, with the only addition of six Takbirs, three of them in the beginning of the first raka’ah, and three of them just before ruku’ in the second raka’ah. The detailed way of performing the Eid prayer is as follows: 1. The Imam will begin the prayer without Adhan or iqamah. He will begin the prayer by reciting Takbir of Tahrimah (Allahu Akbar).

2. You should raise your hands up to the ears, and after reciting the Takbir, you should set your hands on your navel.

3. The Imam will give a little pause during which you should recite Thana’ (Subhanakallahumma .:.).

4. After the completion of Thana’, the Imam will recite Takbir (Allahu Akbar) three times. At the first two calls of Takbir you should raise your hands up to the ears, and after reciting Takbir (Allahu Akbar) in a low voice, should bring your hands down and leave them earthwards.

5. But, after the third Takbir, you should set them on your navel as you do in the normal prayers.

After these three Takbirs, the Imam will recite the Holy Qur’an, which you should listen calmly and quietly.

The rest of the raka’ah will be performed in the normal way.

After rising for the second raka’ah, the Imam will begin the recitations from the Holy Qur’an during which you should remain calm and quiet.

1. When the Imam finishes his recitation, he will recite three Takbirs once again, but this time it will be just before bowing down for ruku’.

2. At each Takbir you should raise your hands up to the ears, and after saying ‘Allahu Akbar’, bring them down and leave them earthwards.

3. After these three takbirs have been called and completed, the Imam will say another takbir for bowing down into the ruku’ position. At this takbir you need not raise your hands.

You just bow down for your ruku’ saying, ‘Allahu Akbar’.

The rest of the salah will be performed in its usual way.

Islamic Society of Algester wishes Ramadan Mubarak to everyone - 1443

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 33

March 19th, 1940 A Black Day in the History of the Indian Subcontinent

By Nasim Yousaf March 19th, 1940 was a black day in the history of the India subcontinent; on this day, a large number of Khaksars were killed in cold blood. These Khaksar martyrs laid the foundation for the end of British rule in the sub-continent and seven years later, the long British Raj came to an end. This piece is written to remember Allama Mashriqi’s son and Khaksar followers, who were merci-lessly killed or injured on March 19th, and to show how the Khaksar Tehrik’s role was suppressed in the freedom movement.

By the late 1930s, the British had become increasingly aware that Allama Mashriqi - along with his private army known as the Khaksar Tehrik - were planning to overturn British rule by June 1940. In order to protect their own rule, the British decided to arrest Mashriqi and crush the Tehrik; accordingly, the British rulers signaled to Punjab Premier Sir Sikander Hayat Khan (also a member of the Working Committee of the All-India Muslim League) to take drastic measures to suppress Mashriqi’s Khaksar Tehrik.

On February 28, 1940, Sir Sikander imposed restrictions on the party.

On March 19, 1940, 313 Khaksars marched in Lahore in protest of the restrictions on the Tehrik. The police, under the command of British officers, arrived on the scene and acted arrogantly to-wards the Khaksars, ordering them to stop the protest. The Khaksars brushed aside the order and continued marching.

This was an unprecedented action under British rule - a group of Indians dared to ignore the order of senior British officers.

The Khaksars’ courage came from Mashriqi, who taught them to always maintain their self-respect, courage, and pride. British Senior Superin-tendent of Police, Donald Gainsford, was shocked by the Khaksars’ defiance and could not ac-cept the insult, so he slapped Khaksar Inayat Shah. This resulted in a “serious clash” between the two sides.

The Deputy Superintendent of Police P.C.D. Beaty ordered the police to open fire and they began indiscriminately shooting at the Khaksars. According to the district police register main-tained by the moharir (record keeper), 1,620 rounds had been issued to the police at the start of the day

and only 1,213 were returned, meaning 407 bullets were fired.

A large number of Khaksars were injured and over 200 killed (though officially reported figures were lower). The cruelty was no less than that seen at the infamous Jallianwala Bagh tragedy in April of 1919.

On the same day as the Khaksar massacre, police and the military raided the Khaksar Headquar-ters and Mashriqi’s house (adjacent to the headquarters) in Icchra, Lahore. The police arrested the Khaksars and Mashriqi’s two sons.

Mashriqi’s third son, Ehsanullah Khan Aslam, was badly in-jured by police and later died on May 31, 1940 (Aslam’s funeral was among the largest in the Indian sub-continent’s history, with over 50,000 mourners attending). In the evening, Mashriqi, who was in Delhi at the time, was also arrested (please see my other published works for addi-tional details on this tragedy).

In the aftermath of the massacre, “Lahore was placed virtually under emergency laws.”

The army began patrolling the streets and a curfew along with Section 144 (prohibiting gatherings of more than 5 people) were imposed. Processions and protests were banned and the telephones of Khaksar leaders were disconnected. The public's anger was also censored - nothing could be pub-lished without the consent of the authorities. For example, the Khaksars were not reported as martyrs. News about the incident on radio and print media in India and across many countries largely followed the British Government’s propaganda and attempted to justify the Govern-ment's actions.

In India, the entire nation was shaken by the merciless killing of the Khaksars, who had done nothing wrong. In fact, a key tenet of the Khaksar Tehrik’s ideology was social service to people from all faiths (Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Parsis, Jews, Sikhs, etc.). As such the public re-spected and loved the Khaksars. Journalist Muhammad Saeed wrote in his book A Lahore Mem-oir, “Lahore lay under a pall of gloom owing to a colossal tragedy that had occurred two days earlier.”

It was under this backdrop that the All-India Muslim League held a Session from March 22-24, 1940. The purpose of the Session was to pass the Lahore Resolution (later known

34 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

as the Pakistan Resolution). This resolution was supported behind the scenes by the British; one example of this support is the fact that the Government lifted Section 144 (imposed a few days prior) to allow the Session to proceed. Tens of thousands of people, including aggrieved and angry Khaksars, showed up to the Session to protest and voice their anger at the Government. The people demanded an independent inquiry into the Khaksar tragedy, the release of Mashriqi, his sons and the Khaksars, the removal of the ban on the Khaksar Tehrik, compensation for the families of the martyred and injured Khaksars (many of whom were extremely poor), and the ejection of Sir Si-kander from the Muslim League. The venue was filled with pro-Khaksar banners and echoed with chants and slogans such as Allama Mashriqi Zindabad, Khaksar Zindabad, and Sikander Murdabad (death to Sikander). Sensing the emotions of the charged crowd and fearing the dis-ruption of the session, the Muslim League passed a Khaksar Resolution (moved by M.A. Jinnah) along with the Pakistan Resolution.

The Khaksar tragedy on March 19th left behind remarkable stories of Khaksar bravery and hero-ism, which reflect the training Mashriqi inculcated. For example, Khaksar Sher Zaman recounted a story in his book (Khaksar Tehrik Ki Jiddo Juhad Volume 2) of Khaksar Mansoor Zaigham. Zaigham was hit by bullets on March 19th, but he did not let the Khaksar Tehrik’s flag fall to the ground. As he was taking his last breaths, another Khaksar came forward to take over the flag and kept it upright.

Journalist, Muhammad Saeed, also wrote in his book A Lahore Memoir: “There was a fruit shop at the corner of the street opening upon Naugaza’s grave. A middle-aged man managed it. He had fled during the slaughter and what made the tragedy unbearably poign-ant for him was that on return, he noticed a one-anna coin on his seat. A wounded Khaksar had dragged himself up to the shop and lifted an orange in order to quench his thirst. But his end came too soon and he died before he could strip the peel from it. Nevertheless, he had managed to pull the coin out of his blood-drenched pocket and leave it for the vendor to collect.”

Despite these stories of heroism, there is still no monument in Lahore to the Khaksar tragedy on March 19th. The Minar-e-Pakistan also only references the Pakistan Resolution, but does not mention the Khaksar Resolution that was passed alongside it. The Khaksars who laid their lives for the freedom of the Indian subcontinent (now Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan) deserve to be honored and remembered. Monuments alone are not enough, the subject also needs to be includ-ed in the educational curriculum, as the history books remain distorted.

Museums should include the Khaksar Resolution and information about Allama Mashriqi and the Khaksars, along with Mashriqi’s murdered son, Ehsanullah Khan Aslam. Throughout the course of the freedom move-ment, hundreds of Khaksars were killed or injured in different cities of India and thousands were arrested or brutally tortured and harassed. Freedom of the Indian sub-continent would not have been possible without the sacrifices of Mashriqi, his family, and the Khaksars.

To close, I received a touching message last year from a grandson of Senior Superintendent Gainsford (one of the police officers responsible for the firing on the Khaksars on March 19th).

I am grateful to the grandson for sending such a nice note and am reproducing it here (with con-sent): “Dear Sir, I am emailing you because I read an article that you wrote in which I discovered something I didn’t not know, and that fills me with shame.

My grandfather was Superintendent D Gainsford who was responsible for the massacre on March 19th.

I don’t know what I expect to get from this reaching out, except to offer my deepest sorrow and shame that my grandfather played such a part in this awful piece of history.

I remember him as a kindly man, with extensive injuries to his face I believe from being struck by a spade carried by one of the protesters.

From one grandchild to another, from one side of history to the other, I send my brotherly love.”

Gestures of goodwill such as this one should hopefully bring some relief to the families of the March 19th Khaksar martyrs along with their supporters and sympathizers.

Previously, British Royals, Prime Ministers, and others had acknowledged another historical massacre known as the Jallianwala Bagh (Amritsar) incident, which took place in 1919. I request the Government of U.K. to do the same for the Khaksar massacre.

Nasim Yousaf, a grandson and biographer of Allama Mashriqi, is a researcher based in the USA. His books are available in worldfamous libraries across many countries, including at Cambridge, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Library of Congress, McGill, National Library of Australia, Oxford, Princeton, and Yale.

Copyright © 2022 Nasim Yousaf

Indian Senior Citizens Association Celebrates Womens' Week Indian Senior Citizens Association together with Ektaa Women's Group celebrated the International Women’s Week on Sunday 13th March. Chief guests Magistrate Veena Goverdhan and Member for Stratton Mr. James Martin acknowledged the contribution and success of Women in the community and around the world.

प्राचीन आश्रमों की आज से तल ु ना

दोस्तों भारत वर्ष की सभ्यता संस्कृ ति सबसे प्राचीन है , इसलिये उसके नियम ऋषि मुनियों ने सोच विचार कर बनाये थे। हाँ समय के साथ इनमें बदलाव लाये गये हैं फिर भी उन प्राचीन रीतियाँ की अच्छाईयों पर ग़ौर कर, उन में आज के युग के अनुसार बदलाव लाकर हम उन्हे अपना सकते हैं । प्राचीन भारत के हर सिद्धांत, प्राचीन संतों द्वारा नक्काशीदार, वैज्ञानिक और तर्क संगत तर्क पर आधारित है । एक भारतीय का औसत जीवन 100 वर्ष माना जाता था। इसके आधार पर वैदिक जीवन के चार आश्रम थे- ब्रह्मचर्य, गृहस्थ, वानप्रस्थ और संन्यास। प्रत्येक चरण या आश्रम का लक्ष्य उन आदर्शों को पूरा करना था जिन पर ये चरण विभाजित थे। आश्रम जीवन के चरणों का अर्थ है कि व्यक्ति अपनी आयु के आधार पर जीवन के सभी चार चरणों में आश्रय लेता है । ये अवस्थाएँ उन कर्तव्यों का स्तरीकरण करती हैं जिन्हें मनुष्य को अपने जीवनकाल में अभ्यास करना होता है । ये चार विभाग प्राचीन मनु की लिपियों में स्पष्ट हैं । ऐसी कार्यप्रणाली के साथ तत्कालीन समाज ने सामाजिक संस्थाओं को एक साथ रखने का भी लक्ष्य रखा। कम उम्र से ही आदमी को नैतिकता, आत्म-संयम, बुद्धिमत्ता, व्यावहारिकता, प्रेम, करुणा और अनुशासन के मार्ग दिखाए गए थे। उन्हें लालच, क्रूरता, सुस्ती, घमंड और कई अन्य दोषों से दरू रहने के लिए निर्दे शित किया गया था। यह व्यवस्था बड़े पैमाने पर समाज के लिए भी फायदे मंद थी। जीवन के चार आश्रमों के अनुसार एक आदमी को 4 चरणों में अपने जीवन का नेततृ ्व करने की उम्मीद थी: ब्रह्मचर्य आश्रम। २५ वर्ष की आयू तक ब्रह्मचर्य का पालन करना होता था । ६ वर्ष की आयू से २५ वर्ष की आयू तक बच्चे गुरूकुल मे पढ़ने जाते थे। गुरू उन्हे उनकी क्षमता के अनुसार विज्ञान से लेकर वेद पुराण, युध्द मे निपुण करना व अन्य कई प्रकार की शिक्षा दे ते थे।गुरू इसके लिये उनसे कोई फ़ीस नही लेते थे। राजा का पुत्र हो या कोई ग़रीब ब्राह्मण सब को निःशुल्क शिक्षा दी जाती थी। पढ़ाई पूरी करने के बाद वे अपनी है सियत के अनुसार गुरू दक्षिणा दे ते थे। सभी बच्चे गुरू के आश्रम में एक साथ रहते थे, सभी गुरू आश्रम की साफ़ सफ़ाई , जंगल से लकड़ियाँ तोड़ लाना, हर कार्य मिलझुलकर कर करते थे, न कोई राजा था न कोई ग़रीब। सभी एक समान थे । बचपन से ही गुरूकुल में साथ रहकर है सियतों का भेद मिट जाता था । इसी कारण सुदामा और कृ ष्ण की दोस्ती की मिसाल आज भी दी जाती है । बचपन ऊर्जा से भरा होता है , उस ऊर्जा का सही उपयोग होता था। सुबह ५ बजे से रात तक वे कड़ा परिश्रम करते थे।गुरू के यहाँ पढ़ाई के साथ नैतिकता, आत्म-संयम, बुद्धिमत्ता, व्यावहारिकता, प्रेम, करुणा और अनुशासन के मार्ग दिखाए जाते थे। उन्हें लालच, क्रूरता, सुस्ती, घमंड और कई अन्य दोषों से दरू रहने के लिए निर्दे शित किया जाता था। गुरूकुल मे बच्चे गुरू के हर आदे श का पालन करते थे क्यो कि

गुरू। अपने सारे कर्तव्य पूरे कर सन्यास आश्रम में निस्वार्थता से सेवा करता था। उसके पास न सिर्फ़ पुस्तकों का ज्ञान था बल्कि वह जीवन के सच्चे अनुभवों से भी गुज़र चुका था। वह जो सिखाता था वे सारे गुण उसके व्यवहार से भी झलकते थे । इसलिये उसकी बातों का सही प्रभाव बच्चों पर पड़ता था।आजकल बच्चे अपने गुरू की इज्जत तक नही करते क्यों कि आज शिक्षा व्यपार का माध्यम बन चुकी है । टीचर के पास केवल पुस्तकों का ज्ञान है । उनके व्यवहार और सीख का उनके जीवन की सच्चाई से दरू दरू तक का कोई वास्ता नही है । आज नये ज़माने ने बच्चों को इतनी सुविधायें मयस्सर कर दी है कि उनकी ऊर्जा वय नही हो पाती इसलिये उनका ध्यान ग़लत दिशाओं में भटकने लग गया है । मोबाईल गेम्स, सोक्शल मीडिया, ड्रग्स और अन्य नशों में अपनी ऊर्जा बेकार गँवा रहे है ।इतना ही नही विदे शों में नया फ़ैशन हो गया है , अठारह व्रष की आयू मे बच्चों को बालिग़ घोषित करके घर छोड़कर अपना जीवन अपने ढं ग से जीने की आजादी मिल गयी है । जो बच्चे माता पिता को छोड़कर अकेले या दोस्तो के साथ रहने का निर्णय लेते है , गवर्नमेंन्ट हर महीने उन्हे पैसों से मदद करती है ।भले ही इस उम्र मे बच्चे समझदार हो फिर भी सही मार्ग दर्शन की जरूरत रहती है । हम अुमर दोस्त कभी भी सही राह नही दिखा सकते। इसी लिये इस युग के बच्चे डिप्रेशन जैसी मानसिक बीमारियों का शिकार हो रहे है । दोस्तों आज विध्यार्थी स्कूलों कालेजों मे तोड़ फोड़ करते है ,अपने गुरू के बारे मे क्या सोचता है , मेरी कविता ने उसे बयान किया है । सुधारक बच्चों से विनती कर रहा है , सुनिये क्या कहता है । सुधारक। इज्जत करो ये तो मंदिर हैं सारे , गुरू तुम्हारे ये तो पण्डित हैं सारे । पूजा के उस घर को ना तुम तोड़ो, झुक जाओ सजदे में, इनको न मारो। छात्र। मंदिर नही ये तो धन्धे के हैं अड्डे, गुरू नही ये तो दक ु ानदार हैं सारे । कैसे करें सजदा हम इन चोरों का, जानते हैं कि ये तो बिकते हैं सारे । सबक़ ईमानदारी का हमको हैं पढ़ाते , पर डोनेशन के नाम से रिश्वत हैं लेते। पैसों से मार्क्स बढ सकती हैं अब तो, बिना पढ़े ही सर्टिफ़िकेट है अब मिलते। फिर क्यों करें सजदा हम अैसे घर का, जिस घर में बिकाऊ भगवान है बसते सुधारक। सुनो बच्चों धूल अुडकर गर अंदर है आयी, तो मंदिर क्या मंदिर नही रहे गा मेरे भाई ।

हटाना है गर कुछ तो इस धूल को हटाओ, विद्या के इस घर को गुरूकुल तुम बनाओ, पूजा के ये क़ाबिल थे पूजा के क़ाबिल हैं । थाली पूजा की फिर से तुम सजाओ, इज्जत करो ये तो मंदिर हैं सारे । गह ृ स्थ: – पढ़ाई खत्म करते ही अब वे गृहस्थ आश्रम में प्रवेश करते हैं । इस समय मनुष्य को अपने सामाजिक और पारिवारिक जीवन पर ध्यान दे ने की आवश्यकता है । यह चरण 25 से शुरू होता है और 50 साल तक रहता है । गृहस्थ आश्रम व्यक्ति के जीवन का एक महत्वपूर्ण पड़ाव है जहाँ मनुष्य को अपने पारिवारिक और सामाजिक कर्तव्यों दोनों को संतलु ित करना होता है । वह विवाहित है और अपने घर का प्रबंधन करता है और साथ ही साथ बाहर की दनिय ा की जरूरतों को भी दे खता है । उसे एक बेटे, भाई, पति, पिता ु और समुदाय के सदस्य के कर्तव्यों का निर्वहन करना होगा।आज गृहस्थ आश्रम की मर्यादा ख़तरे मे है । अब लिव इन रिलेशनशिप के कारण पति पत्नी कब तक साथ रहें गे उसका ही भरोसा नही है ,बच्चे एक पैरेन्ट के प्यार से वंचित हो जायेंगे।बड़ों की दे खभाल करने का या फिर दस ू रे रिश्ते निभाने का सवाल ही नही उठता। समाज के लिये यह एक विषम परिस्थिति होगी। वानप्रस्थ: – यह अवस्था 50 वर्ष की आयु में मनुष्य के जीवन में प्रवेश करती है और 75 वर्ष की आयु तक रहती है । उसके बच्चे बड़े हो जाते हैं , बच्चे गृहस्थ आश्रम में क़दम रख रहे हैं , वे गुरूकुल से पढ़कर लौट आये हैं ।बच्चे अपनी गृहस्थी सम्भाल रहे है । पर अभी जीवन के असली अनुभवों से झूँझे नही हैं । जीवन की दार्शनिकता को समझ कर तो आये है ,पर जीवन मे आने वाले उतार चढ़ाव मे जो समस्याअें आती है , उस समय उन्हे माँ के प्रोस्ताहन व पिता की सलाह की जरूरत होती है । इस लिये जीवन के तीसरे वानप्रस्थ आश्रम में उन्हे बच्चों के साथ रहना ज़रूरी हो जाता है ।वह धीरे -धीरे भौतिक संबंधों से दरू हो जाता है । यह सेवानिवृत्ति के लिए उसकी उम्र है और एक ऐसे रास्ते पर चलना शुरू करता है जो उसे दिव्य की ओर ले जाता है । संन्यास: जीवन का अंतिम चरण तब आता है जब मनुष्य अपने सांसारिक संबंधों को पूरी तरह से बंद कर दे ते हैं । यह चरण 75 से शुरू होता है और मर जाने तक रहता है । वह भावनात्मक जुड़ावों से पूरी तरह मुक्त है । वह एक तपस्वी का जीवन जीता है । एक सच्चा भक्त वह है जो अपने कर्तव्यों को जानता है और उन्हें पूरा करता है । समाज को दोनों तरह के लोगों की जरूरत है -वह जो प्रभू को पाने लिए सभी को छोड़ दे ता है और वह जो एक सामाजिक संस्था के भीतर रहता है और कर्म और धर्म के बीच संतल ु न बनाता है ।वह मोह माया से तो दरू रहता है पर फिर भी प्रेम सब से करता है । हर अेक के दख ु सुख में मदद को तत्पर रहता है । —कविता चाँदवानी

Kavita ji

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 35

Basanta Utsab Brisbane 2022

SPRINGFIELD Dol Purnima - Dol Jatra - Dol Utsav Basanta Utsab (Holi) is a major festival in North Indian states, mainly West Bengal, Odisha, and Assam.

This festival is dedicated to Sri Krishna and Radha.

The majestic festival is celebrated by throwing ‘Aabir’ or “Gulaal” on others and singing and dancing in cultural programs.

Basanta Utsab or Holi is celebrated across India and is rightfully known as the festival of Spring, colors, and love. The festival signifies the end of winter and the arrival of blooming spring.

The festival also celebrates the beginning of the harvest season. According to Bengali Calendar, it is celebrated on the first Full Moon of Phalgun month. The festival is spread across two days;

the first day is known and celebrated as Nera Pora or Holika Dahan or Chotti Holi, and most of the rituals take place on this day. The second day is known as Dol Jatra or Holi or Dhulandi, and it is the day most of the festivities take place. People come to the streets and apply colors to each other.

Kids play with water and stains. It is the day everyone comes together to celebrate the auspicious occasion.

In households and communities, music and dance occur in states like West Bengal and Assam.

Everyone dresses up in yellow and white clothes to mark and enjoy this festival.

Famous Indian poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore introduced the festival of Basanta Utsab at

Santiniketan, Birbhum, West Bengal. The Basanta Utsab means Spring festival in the local tongue. The festival is filled with a vibrant and lively feel that spreads with the air. Aside from the usual festivities with colors, Basanta Utsava has its take on Holi with

many cultural events. It is the only place in India where you can witness both Holi and Bengali culture simultaneously. The fusion of these mysterious forces creates magic not seen anywhere else apart from Bengal.

Festivals add colors to life,

and if it is Holi, the fiesta of colors, one may well imagine how it smudges every soul with happiness. The joyous festival is now an integral part of the Bengali culture.

Bengalese worldwide celebrate Dol Jatra – Basanta Utsab, and the Bengalis in Brisbane did the same this year, too, like in previous years. The Basanta Utsab was held in Terry Slaughter Park, Springfield, where the BrisBengali enjoyed the day with Colours-Food and Cultural program.

Having started with TeaDrinks and mouth-watering Jhal Muri, the attendees began playing Holi by throwing colors at each other, and the kids enjoyed it the most. Special lunch with Biriyani-Raita and Misti was served after that. The cultural program

presented by the kids was simply superb. They recited and played their own written and composed songs and traditional songs, playing guitar and other musical instruments, revealing their talents. The function becomes enjoyable.

Beautiful pieces appear euphonious to the ears, and mesmerizing dance performances are a visual retreat. They are tapping to the tunes of Rabindra Sangeet and Adhunik Bangla Gaan in groups; the audience welcomes the spring season wholeheartedly. It fuses the vibrancy of Basanta Utsab with the elegance and sensuality of Bengali culture and presents itself as an experience that the BrisBengali will remember until next year’s celebration.

Report: Tapas Mandal

Spirituality is extraordinary Greed - Sadhguru, Isha Foundation Suppose you give up your ambition for money and take on an ambition for God, that means, earlier you desired a piece of creation, now you start desiring the Creator himself! Has your ambition come down? No, it has grown to an extraordinary greed!

The point always is this: as a human being, wherever you are, you want to be a little more than what you are. When that happens, then a little more, and a little more. . .

Fundamentally, what you are seeking is expansion, whatever your currency may be. For one person it may be money, for another person it might be knowledge, or love, or pleasure or whatever.

Everyone is constantly seeking expansion through the currency that he knows best. So if expansion is what you are seeking, how much expansion do you think you will settle for? Generally, it will be boundless expansion. That means your goal is infinite.

But you are seeking the infinite through the physical. Can the physical ever become infinite? The physical is finite, always within a finite boundary, it can never be infinite. It is like, you are riding a bullock cart but your destination is

the moon and somebody says, "Buy yourself a new whip!" If your destination is the moon, you need an appropriate vehicle.

So through the physical, if you are seeking the infinite, there will only be frustration.

If there is an unfulfilled desire, you will be unhappy,

36 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

and the very nature of desire you have is such that you will always have one desire unfulfilled: "I want to give up desire" is also a desire, isn’t it? So you are into a no-win situation.

There was a time when everybody thought a competitor means kill him.

Now they are saying let's

collaborate. That means the mindset is changing.

What I am saying is that the mindset is not just about the outside, but also the business of life. Life is inter-dependence; it is constant collaboration with everything around you. So if you collaborate willingly, you will go through the process of life

joyfully. If you collaborate unwillingly, you think life is being taken away from you. I don't intend to change the content of anybody's life; we just want to change the context of their life.

Ranked amongst the fifty most influential people in India, Sadhguru is a yogi,

There was a time when everybody thought a competitor means kill him. Now they are saying let's collaborate. That means the mindset is changing. What I am saying is that the mindset is not just about the outside, but also the business of life. Life is inter-dependence; it is constant collaboration with everything around you. So if you collaborate willingly, you will go through the process of life joyfully. If you collaborate unwillingly, you think life is being taken away from you. mystic, visionary and a New York Times bestselling author Sadhguru has been conferred the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India in 2017, the highest annual civilian award, accorded for exceptional and distinguished service.

Australian IndiaN Radio Interviews

Australian Indian Radio Interviews

Australian Indian Radio studios have been abuzz with activities, production of Music Junction, and many essential interviews, including a discussion with Sanjiv Sharma of Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan AustraliaBrisbane Branch, the upcoming Navwarsh was discussed. Sanjiv highlighted the day’s proceedings for the Bharatiya Navwarsh celebration, to be held on 8th April in King George Square.

Secondly, we would like to thank Dr. Cyril Fernandez,

secretary of the Indian Medical Association of Queensland, for interviewing Umesh Chandra OAM on his program of Aap Ki Sehat; this month’s episode featured Dr. Alka Kothari with glimpses of her presentation at the Queensland parliament house during International Women’s Day. Also joining us was Sudesh Kumar, CEO, and founder of Kapalya –a cyber security startup; he spoke about the threats of cyberattacks and ransomware

to businesses. He further revealed the investment opportunity in his company – investments can be made via a simple online process without a detailed prospectus, etc.

Australian Indian Radio and Brisbane Indian Times have always supported many musical concerts; this time around, we are proud to be supporting another historical show, Pankaj Udhas, live in concert at Sydney Opera House. Promoter Akash

March Episode of Music Junction, Lata Ji is remembered, featuring Usha Chivukula and presented by R J Savi

BRISBANE, March episode of music junction “A Tribute to Lata Ji” featured Usha Chivukula, fondly known as Brisbane’s nightingale; Usha is a renowned singer and appeared in previous music junction episodes.

Ever-popular RJ Savi presented the tribute, and she did an excellent job with a well-researched and presented show; the show is presented live from the studios of Australian Indian Radio, live shows do have their technical challenges, but despite the challenges, the show was a huge success and very well received.

Many favorable comments encourage the team to do more. Plans for the April episode are underway, and most likely, it will be a variety of concerts with different artists, including the instrumentals segment.

The audio, effects, titling, background scenes, and streaming is all handled by Australian Indian Radio. The team had a tough job trying to condense the show into one hour fifteen minutes; Lata Ji has sung so many songs,

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Many favorable comments encourage the team to do more.

Plans for the April episode are underway, and most likely, it will be a variety of concerts with different artists, including the instrumentals segment.

The audio, effects, titling, background scenes, and streaming is all handled by Australian Indian Radio. and for so many heroines and so fitting, a show for an hour is next to impossible and does not do justice to the legendary artists.

Music Junction was launched as a platform for local seasoned and upcoming

artists to showcase their talents; if you or anyone you know would like to be featured on the show, please get in touch with our team for an audition; inquiries can be sent to air@indianradio. net.au

Lodhia spoke to Umesh Chandra about the concerts and ticket sales; at the time of printing, the show was ninety percent sold, so if you would like to be at this historic show, be very, very quick as tickets will soon be all gone.

Plans are underway for the April installment of Music Junction “Sitaroon ki Mehfil” featuring an array of Bris-Vegas talents; the variety concert will include instrumentals. More than ten artists have shown

interest in being on the show, so don’t miss out on the April edition of Music

Junction “Sitaroon ki Mehfil “on the 24th at 6:00 pm Brisbane Australia Time.

Domestic violence is just the tip of the iceberg, says Dr. Alka Kothari in the April episode of Aap ki Sehat

BRISBANE Dr. Alka Kothari was featured in the April episode of Aap ki Sehat; in her keynote speech, Associate Professor Alka Kothari, Senior Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Redcliffe Hospital and the University of Queensland, presented staggering nationwide statistics and stated that what we see in our practice is only the tip of the iceberg. One in six women and one in sixteen men have experienced physical or sexual violence for 15 years. On average, one woman per week is murdered by their current or former partner, and intimate partner violence remains the most common form of homicide in Australia.

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her insights from her Ph.D. work on ‘Forgotten fathers,’ Prof Kothari said that pregnancy offers a unique opportunity for positive engagement of men and women, allowing research into the complex dynamics and the cumulative trauma of domestic violence.

In opening the show,

Dr. Cyril Fernandez interviewed Umesh Chandra OAM. He highlighted some of Umesh Chandra OAM’s achievements, showing IMAQ’s appreciation for Australian Indian Radio, Facebook live, and online radio for their support and contribution to the community.

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 37

Mann Calls for Immediate Transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab, Says Centre Must Honour Principles of Federalism The Bhagwant Mannled government moved a resolution in the one-day Punjab assembly session on Friday, seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab, requesting the Centre to honour the principles of federalism enshrined in the Constitution.

It further said that the Centre should not take any step, which may disturb the balance in the Chandigarh administration and other common assets such as the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

Chief Minister Bhagwant

Mann said Punjab was reorganised through the Punjab Reorganisation Act,1966, wherein, the State of Punjab was reorganised into State of Haryana, Union Territory of Chandigarh, and some parts of Punjab were given to then Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh.

Since then, a balance has been maintained in the administration of common assets like BBMB, by way of giving management positions in some proportion to the nominees of the State of Punjab and State of Haryana, Mann said.

The resolution further stated that through many of its recent actions, the Central government has been trying to upset the balance. Most

recently, the Centre had advertised the BBMB posts for all states and Central government, however, the jobs are traditionally filled up by

954 MP govt staff with more than 2 kids served notices The action has been taken as per a circular of the General Administration Department issued in 2000, district education officer Atul Mudgal explained.

A show-cause notice has been issued to 954 employees of the school education department in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh for violating a service rule that bars them from having more than two children, district education officer Atul Mudgal said on Saturday.

“According to a circular of General Administration Department issued in 2000, if any employee has a third child born after January 26, 2001, then that employee will not be eligible to continue in the government job. Every appointment letter postJanuary 26, 2001, specified the rule,” he said.

While some of the teachers stated that they were unaware of the rule, others said action should be taken against only those whose appointment letters mentioned the rule.

The notice was served a month ago after the department sought information on the number of employees who have more than two children.

A senior officer of the

state’s school education department, who didn’t want to be named, said, “The school education department sought information regarding employees who have more than two children and a third child born after January 26, 2001. The information was sought based on the question of an MLA during the budget session.

However, many districts are still gathering the information.”

Mudgal said he had received information that 954 employees and teachers in his district have more than two children. “After gathering information, I served showcause notices to all of them.

As many as 154 employees replied, while others are yet to. In the reply, teachers are giving unsatisfactory explanations stating they were unaware of the rule. I will send their replies to the state government to take action,” he added.

“A showcase notice was issued to us. We’ve intimated to the authorities that there’s no mention of the rule in our appointment letter. We’re scared and paranoid. Action should be taken only against those whose appointment letter had the rule mentioned in it,” said Mohan Singh Kushwaha, one of the teachers who got the notice.

Patient bitten by rodents at hospital dies in Telangana Kadarla Srinivas, who had been admitted to the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU) of the MGM with serious lung, kidney and liver ailments on March 26, was shifted to the NIMS Hyderabad on Friday morning as his condition deteriorated.

A 42-year-old patient, who was reportedly bitten by rodents while undergoing treatment in the staterun Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) hospital in Telangana’s Warangal district six days ago, died at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad around midnight on Friday, doctors said.

Kadarla Srinivas, who had been admitted to the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU) of the MGM with serious lung, kidney and liver ailments on March 26, was shifted to the NIMS Hyderabad on Friday morning as his condition deteriorated.

“He had been in a comatose state when he was brought to the NIMS and his condition was critical. He breathed his last around midnight on Friday,” a senior doctor at the NIMS said.

Srinivas, a goldsmith from Bhimaram village on the outskirts of Hanamkonda town, had been in the news when the local media reported about rodents nibbling his fingers and toes when he was lying in an unconscious state on the hospital bed in the RICU ward at the MGM. His younger brother

38 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

Srikanth, who visited him on March 27, found the patient bleeding from his feet and fingers and rats were moving around the bed. “I immediately brought it to the notice of the hospital staff, who applied a bandage to the injured parts. They tried to hush up the incident saying my brother was in critical condition,” Srinivas told the reporters on Thursday.

On March 31 morning when Srikanth went to the RICU to see his brother, he found the rats on the bed and his fingers were bleeding.

Immediately, Srikanth informed his relatives, who staged a dharna in the hospital demanding action against the negligent staff.

When the local media questioned MGM Hospital superintendent, Dr B Srinivasa Rao, he admitted that there was a menace of rodents in the RICU block, and assured that steps would be taken to get rid of the rodents.

Warangal district Additional Collector K Sreevatsa visited the hospital on Thursday and pulled up the hospital staff. He ordered an inquiry into the incident and directed that such incidents should not recur.

On the same day, state health minister T Harish Rao ordered the transfer of the MGM hospital superintendent and suspended two other doctors, “holding them responsible for the incident”.

Later, the government directed that Srinivas be shifted to NIMS in Hyderabad for better treatment on Friday.

the officers from Punjab.

Similarly, the Chandigarh administration has always been managed by the officers of Punjab and Haryana in the ratio of 60:40. However, recently, the Central government had posted outside officers to Chandigarh, and had introduced the Central Civil Service Rules for the employees of the Chandigarh administration, which goes against the understanding in the past, the resolution stated.

“Chandigarh city was created as the capital of Punjab. In all past precedents, whenever, a state has been

divided, the capital remains with the parent state. Punjab, therefore, has been laying its claim for a complete transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. In the past, this house has passed a number of resolutions urging the Central government to transfer Chandigarh to Punjab.

For maintaining harmony and taking the sentiments of people into account, this House once again recommends to the State government to raise the matter with the Central government to immediately transfer Chandigarh to Punjab,” he said.

Arunachal: Two injured in Army firing; Naga outfit demands repeal of Afspa

According to local accounts, the two were returning from a nearby river after fishing when army personnel opened fire. The army said that it was a case of “mistaken identity”.

Two civilians were injured in a case of “mistaken” firing by the Indian Army in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh, the state police said on Sunday, adding that a case has been registered in the matter.

The alleged firing was reported from Chasa village in Tirap district on Friday evening.

Chukhu Apa, Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Arunachal Pradesh said that a case has been registered in connection with that incident. “We have received FIR from the victim’s families and a case has been registered,” the IGP said.

The injured civilians were identified as Nokphua Wangpan and Ramwang Wangsu. According to local accounts, the two were returning from a nearby river after fishing when army personnel had allegedly fired upon them.

The duo was rushed to the Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh for treatment.

The Naga Students’

Federation condemned the incident and sought strict punishment for the guilty besides complete removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (Afspa) from all Nagainhabited areas in the Northeast.

The apex Naga students’ body in Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, in a statement, said it “outrightly rejected the Centre’s ploy to please certain sections of Northeast” by removing Afspa from some pockets, while keeping it imposed in a majority of Nagainhabited areas in the region.

“Such acts of the armed forces trampling upon the dignity, existence, freedom and happiness of the Naga people without any remorse under the protection of Afspa cannot be accepted by the Federation in particular and the Naga people in general,” the outfit said.

The Army said that it was a case of “mistaken identity”.

The Centre had on Thursday announced a reduction in the number of “disturbed areas” under the purview of the contentious law in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur with effect from April 1.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 39

FOCUS ON FIJI Consumer Council NFP and People's Alliance monitoring the prices of 21 basic food items after working together to rescue its VAT removal Fiji from crisis - Rabuka

Consumer Council of Fiji CEO Seema Shandil says they are actively on the ground monitoring the prices of basic food items after the announcement of removal of VAT from 21 items.

Shandil says they are certain that the reduction in prices of 21 essential items are reflecting the removal of VAT and will address the increase in the cost of living and cushion the blow caused by the pandemic and the soaring

international prices.

She is also urging traders to ensure that the VAT removal is reflected in prices of the basic food items announced in the revised budget.

Shandil says they understand that the removal of VAT may come as a challenge for businesses to implement in a short period of time and consumers are requested to double-check their receipts for proper pricing.

The CEO says consumers should keep copies of their receipts as it would prove beneficial in asserting any claims they might have against businesses.

She adds the Council suggests that consumers directly address pricing inconsistencies with businesses however, if businesses fail to address their issues, consumers can lodge their grievances with the Council.

The demon of COVID-19 has not left us yet so we must follow COVID-safe measures when we celebrate Ram Navami from today- Prasad The President of the Shree Sanatan Dharam Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji says he wants people to celebrate Ram Navami which is starting from today, on a grand scale but he is also urging caution as the demon of COVID-19 has not left us completely.

Sarju Prasad says he is sincerely happy that the nine days of Ram Navami will be celebrated without major restrictions this year.

Ram Navami is the celebration of Lord Rama’s birth.

He is also urging Fijians to follow the teachings of Lord Rama, reach out to people struggling during these tough

times and help each other despite our differences.

Prasad further says the Sabha has spent many thousands of dollars assisting people affected by COVID and will continue to do this.

Ram Navami celebrations ends on the 10th of April.

Police yet to question anyone in relation to fatal hit and run accident in Sabeto last week

Police have yet to question or charge anyone in relation to the death of a 25-yearold man in the hit and run accident along Barara Flat in Sabeto on Thursday morning.

Investigators also continue their search for another vehicle that was allegedly involved in the incident.

Police say the 25-yearold man from Vunaniu in

Serua was a passenger in the vehicle driven by a woman in her 20s.

They say he was travelling with others who had returned from a night out and were heading towards Lautoka.

Police adds investigators have ruled out the woman’s involvement in the alleged incident as witnesses have confirmed that following the initial accident where the vehicle had landed in a drain, the victim had walked away from the scene of the accident towards Nadi.

Police further says the woman however has been charged with one count of careless driving and one count of driving without a driver’s license.

40 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

Pro Prasad proclaims NFP will come into Govt after 2022 election People's Alliance Leader Sitiveni Rabuka says the National Federation Party and the People’s Alliance have shown that they will be working together at the upcoming elections to rescue Fiji from the crisis we are in.

Speaking at the National Federation Party Annual General Meeting and National Convention at the Rishikul Sanatan College, Rabuka said his relationship with the NFP goes back to when he was Prime Minister.

He says they worked together with NFP in the formation of the 1997 constitution and are hoping to come together again to resolve the crisis that this leadership

has put Fiji in.

Rabuka says Fiji needs a change in the direction we are heading.

During the meeting, National Federation Party

Leader Professor Biman Prasad proclaimed that NFP will be coming into government after the 2022 national elections.

He says people have seen

the impact of this government with the cost of living and other public services are not being managed well.

Professor Prasad says they will return this country to a leadership voted by the people and for the people.

The NFP Leader also praised the leadership of Rabuka and says Rabuka is more of a leader than those in leadership now.

Attending the NFP AGM and Convention were the General Secretary for Fiji Teachers Union Agni Deo Singh, former Minister Krishna Dutt, former Minister for Lands Ashneel Sudhakar, businesspeople and members of the public

Fiji Water PET bottles now made from 100% recycled plastic Fiji Water PET bottles are now made from 100% recycled plastic and are also recyclable.

While speaking at the launch of Fiji Water's recycled-PET bottles in Yaqara, Minister for Economy, Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum says this initiative directly supports the Fijian Government's commitment to modernizing the economy through sustainable measures.

He says this contributes domestically and globally to

Fiji's overall commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and build climate resilience.

Fiji Water says they are

committed to improve their sustainability in three years.

They say they are seriously looking to replace

their reliability on fossil fuel with either sonar or fuel cells and are also looking at making their packing more sustainable.

The company further says the government has been helpful with logistics and trying to eliminate all the trucking they have to do to the port and try and stop all the waste of energy.

Fiji Water adds they have a lot of initiatives to address those three things and they are committed to finding the solutions.

Fiji-UAE sign MOU in the field of manpower Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport Faiyaz Koya, representing the Fijian Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of manpower with the United Arab Emirates Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar.

This MOU will provide a platform for Fijians to explore employment in the United Arab Emirates and will offer an umbrella of protection for Fijians engaged in formal employment in the UAE. Koya says Fiji is a services driven economy, with tourism and remittance from Fijians working overseas forming a large part of our revenue.

He says as Fijians explore opportunities in countries and regions, such as the UAE, the Fijian Government through such MOUs has a mechanism through which

the workers are recognised and provided adequate protection in the country of employment.

Koya adds the Ministry of Employment will establish a process of information

sharing and provide a channel of joint collaborative programmes, such as predeparture and post-arrival awareness.

While congratulating Fiji on the successful signing of

the MOU, Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar shared similar sentiments stating that Fijians in the UAE continue to make significant contributions to both the UAE and Fijian economies.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 41

Malaika Arora sustains injuries and rushed to hospital after meeting with car accident near Mumbai

Movie Release Dates

Bollywood starlet Malaika Arora on Saturday met with a car accident near Mumbai following which she was rushed to Apollo hospital. The actor-model sustained minor injuries in an accident after three vehicles rammed onto each other. The front and last vehicles were tourists cars whereas Malaika Arora was in her Range Rover when the accident took place.

Malaika Arora was reportedly attending a fashion event on Saturday and was returning home.

Police inspector Shirish Pawar from Khopoli police

07 April 2022 Dasvi [digital release only] Audience Score: 91

14 April 2022 K.G.F - Chapter 2 Audience Score: 90

14 April 2022 Jersey Audience Score: 73

22 April 2022 The Conversion Audience Score: 85

22 April 2022 Operation Romeo Audience Score: 50

29 April 2022 Heropanti 2 Audience Score: 81

22 April 2022 Runway 34 Audience Score: 74

22 April 2022 Rocket Gang Audience Score: 34

29 April 2022 Jayeshbhai Jordaar Audience Score: 73

station told Hindustan Times, "The accident happened at the 38km point on MumbaiPune expressway which is an accident-prone area. Three vehicles rammed onto each other and all three vehicles have received damages.

The motorists drove away immediately after the accident and hence what kind of injuries have been received is not clear. We are told that all have received very minor injuries."

Meanwhile, Malaika Arora was recently seen on India's Got Talent as a special guest.

Kundali Bhagya’s Dheeraj Dhoopar and Vinny Arora expecting their first child, share photos TV actors Dheeraj Dhoopar and Vinny Arora are soon to become parents. This is the first time they will be embracing parenthood.

The couple was very excited to share the news with their loved ones and the fans.

The couple had fallen in love during the shoot of their show and after

by the actor, the couple is seen beaming with joy as they shared the news with everyone. He captioned, "We’re expecting a tiny miracle in August 2022".

The duo met on the sets of their show Mata Pitah Ke Charnon Mein Swarg in 2009. The couple dated for nearly 7 years and then decided to tie the knot.

dating for several years, they tied the knot in 2016.

Dheeraj Dhoopar shared the news on social media with a beautiful post with him and Vinny kissing as she held the sonography photos of the baby in her hands. He shared that they will be embracing parenthood by August this year. In the pictures shared

Zoya Akhtar’s Archie comics adaptation starring Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor and Agastya Nanda to kick off 40day schedule in Ooty

After Runway 34, BIRTHDAY boy Ajay Devgn to begin work on his next directorial; expected to be the COSTLIEST film of Bollywood Last year, there were reports that Ajay Devgn plans to make a big-budget entertainer after the release of Runway 34. Bollywood Hungama has found out that the plan is very much. A source told Bollywood Hungama, “The pre-visualisation work has already begun, even while Ajay Devgn is giving finishing touches to Runway 34. Once the aerial thriller is out, he’ll give more prominence to this venture.”

Usually, Ajay Devgn takes a gap between his directorial projects. His debut directorial, U Me Aur Hum released in 2008 followed by Shivaay, 8 years later, in 2016. There has

been a six-year gap between the releases of Shivaay and Runway 34. This is the first time in his career that he’ll be directing almost back-toback.

Shedding more light on

this film, the source revealed, “It’s going to be very high on VFX. The budget is expected to be around Rs. 400 crore and hence, it’ll be the costliest film to come out of Bollywood.

Ajay Devgn and his team have fiercely been secretive about the plot and genre, but there are murmurs that it has a mythological touch.”

The source continued, “The pre-production work will go on for more than a year. Ajay Devgn plans to go on floors only in the second half of 2023. Meanwhile, he’ll complete all his pending acting projects like Bholaa, Drishyam 2, Singham 3 etc.”

After Runway 34, Ajay

Devgn’s next release would be the sports biopic Maidaan.

This will be followed by the social comedy Thank God, which in all probability, will be the superstar’s last film this year.

A trade expert stated, “Ajay Devgn is riding high currently and is at the best phase of his career. With the box office expected to get bigger after the pandemic, his Rs. 400 crore dream project can emerge as a huge hit, if content clicks. Moreover, it sounds like a film fit for the big screen and such films are being patronized the most in cinemas by moviegoers in the post-Covid era.”

Arjun Rampal and Purab Kohli to star in investigative thriller series London Files London Files is an investigative thriller series that follows homicide detective Om Singh, played

by Arjun Rampal, as he takes on a missing person’s case in a politically divided London city. Battling his own personal demons, Om is forced to take on the case of media mogul Amar Roy’s missing daughter.

Amar, played by Purab Kohli, is a divisive figure in London due to his support of a draconian anti-immigration bill. As Om starts to investigate the case, a

darker mystery comes to light.

One that threatens to expose buried secrets and Om’s repressed past.

Packed with edge-of-theseat drama and suspense, London Files also stars Sapna Pabbi, Medha Rana, Gopal Datt, Sagar Arya, and Eva Jane Willis among others in key roles.

Directed by Sachin Pathak and produced by Jar Pictures, the six-episode series is all set to premiere on 21st April only on Voot Select.

42 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

Back in August 2021, it was rumoured that Zoya Akhtar is planning to launch Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, and Agastya Nanda in the industry with Archie comics Indian adaptation.

The news was confirmed in November 2021 by Netflix but only the adaptation part and not about the cast.

Netflix, in collaboration with Archie comics, will bring a coming-of-age story that will introduce the teenagers of Riverdale to a new generation in India. It is a live-action musical set in 1960s India, the film will be directed by Zoya Akhtar.

The shoot for the same began in Mumbai earlier in March 2022. Khushi Kapoor, who plays Betty Cooper, was seen in a plaid sweater vest over a shirt and a mini skirt donning brunette hair with bangs whereas Suhana Khan, who will essay Veronica Lodge, was dressed in casuals. Agastya Nanda aka Archie Andrews, was donning a t-shirt with pants

and with brown-reddish hair. Now, the shoot will move to Ooty. According to a publication, the principal cast and core members of the team kicked off the schedule in Ooty last week. It will be a 40-day schedule after which an extensive schedule will begin in Mumbai in June.

Earlier, talking about this collaboration, director Zoya Akhtar said, “I am super excited to have the chance to bring The Archies to life.

It was a large part of my childhood and teenage years.

The characters are iconic and globally loved, which is also why I am a little nervous. I have to make sure the film stokes the nostalgia of a generation that grew up on the comic and yet resonates with the young adults today.”

The Archies, a feature film adaptation of the comics will be produced by Tiger Baby (Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti) and Graphic India (Sharad Devarajan) and will premiere exclusively on Netflix.

Call: (07) 3192 5188

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 43

Who can help you manage and treat your hepatitis B or hepatitis C? If you have been diagnosed with hepatitis B or hepatitis C you NEED appropriate monitoring, management and treatment to protect your health and in particular your liver health.

In Australia hepatitis B or hepatitis C can be managed with the help of the following professionals: • All GPs can diagnose hepatitis B or hepatitis C through simple specific blood tests: o They can order blood tests, ultrasounds and Fibroscans and do follow up monitoring for hepatitis B if you do not have significant health problems related to the hepatitis B or if you do not have damage to the liver. o GPs can also prescribe medications to CURE hepatitis C. • Some GPs with advanced training in hepatitis B can prescribe medications for hepatitis B – but if you have damage to (cirrhosis) of the liver or a co-infection with hepatitis C or HIV, the GP will refer you to a Specialist.

• Nurse Practitioners (NP) (with advanced training in viral hepatitis): either in hospitals or in

community clinics can care for and prescribe medications for you for hepatitis B or hepatitis C. But if you have damage to (cirrhosis) of the liver, or a co-infection with hepatitis C or HIV, the NP will refer you to A Specialist.

• For a list of GPs or Nurse Practitioners who can prescribe medications for hepatitis B go to https://www.ashm.org.au/ PrescriberListing/ If you have significant damage to your liver such as liver cirrhosis, other

significant conditions (such as an acute hepatitis B infection, are pregnant, immunocompromised, have a liver cancer or if you have hepatitis C and have received treatment in the past, or if you have a coinfection (if you are infected with another blood borne infection) you will need to be referred to a specialist for further management and care.

Once referred, it may be some time before you see the specialist. It is therefore most important

to remember that you should still see your GP for your liver health if you are awaiting an appointment to be seen. If there are any changes to your general health or if the GP is concerned about your health they will contact the Specialist to discuss appropriate management or to arrange an earlier appointment.

Specialists include: o Liver specialists, infectious diseases specialists and some

gastroenterologists provide care for patients with significant illness related to their hepatitis B or hepatitis C. o These specialists can work either in Public or Private Hospitals, or Private Practices. Many specialists work across all three settings. o When the specialist is working in Private Hospitals or Private Practices there will be fees payable at each appointment. o Care provided by a Specialist in a Public Hospital is provided at no cost to you if have a Medicare Card. If you do not have a Medicare Card, there will be fees to be paid before you are seen.

The most important thing to remember is to continue to see your GP

and if you become very unwell seek care as soon as possible either at your GP or the emergency department of your nearest hospital.

For more information about hepatitis B or hepatitis C please visit the ECCQ webpage at www.eccq.com.au/bbv for information in your language.

You can also contact ECCQ at referrals@ eccq.com.au or call (07) 38449166.

If you live in Cairns, you can also contact: HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Sexual Health Coordinator Cairns Sexual Health Service 381 Sheridan St, Cairns North, QLD, 4870 Phone: 4226 4769

Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health Program Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland (ECCQ)

How to Prevent hair-fall during winter Nimisha Modi

Hetvi Hair & Beauty 0412350013

Hey Girls, looking for a treatment that works without the side-effects of chemicals or medications?

You should try these home remedies.

According to hair experts, losing 50-100 strands of hair every day is fairly normal. It is only a cause of concern when you lose more than that. But you can stop hair fall in its tracks with these simple home remedies.

Coconut

This ingredient has several benefits for your hair. Not only does it promote hair growth, but also conditions it. It has essential fats, minerals and proteins which reduce hair breakage and is also rich in potassium and iron. You can use coconut oil or milk to prevent hair fall. Warm a bit of coconut oil and massage it from your hair root to tip.

Wash after one hour. Or, grate a coconut and squeeze out its milk by mixing in a little water. Apply it on the area where you notice thinning or balding. Let it stay overnight and wash off the next morning.

Apply it and leave it on for at least 2 hours. Rinse your hair gently using lukewarm water.

Fenugreek seeds

Henna

It is mostly used as a natural hair colour or conditioner, but henna has properties that can strengthen your hair from the root. If you combine it with other ingredients, it makes for a better hair pack.

Take 250 ml of mustard oil in a tin can and add 60g of washed and dried henna leaves. Now boil the mixture the leaves should burn and then filter the oil. Massage your scalp with it on a regular basis and store the rest in an airtight bottle. You can make another henna pack by mixing dry henna powder with curd. Apply it on scalp and hair and wash off after one hour.

Hibiscus Also called shoe flower,

44 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

Amla or Indian gooseberry

hibiscus nourishes hair, prevents premature greying, treats dandruff and also controls hair fall. Crush a few flowers and mix sesame or coconut oil to make a thin paste. Apply on the scalp and hair and leave it on for a few hours. Rinse off with cold water using a mild shampoo.

For people suffering from hair fall, amla or the Indian gooseberry is a blessing. It is packed with vitamin C and antioxidants that can reverse hair loss if it is in its initial stage. Use either amla juice or powder and mix it with lemon juice.

Use Fenugreek - the age-old remedy for hair growth. Fenugreek has been used to treat hair fall since ages in many parts of the world. Even you can use this spice for growing hair.

Soak the 2-3 tablespoons fenugreek seeds in the water for 24 hours. Strain and use the water to rinse hair. Do not immediately was hair with normal water. Let this water be there for at least 3 hours.

Then, wash your hair with lukewarm water (never use hot water on your hair) Repeat this daily for at a month to see your hair gaining strength and volume. Fenugreek can also be used to make a hair mask for growing hair faster.

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse Hair with Apple

cider vinegar has many benefits for your hair. It stimulates the hair follicles and help them grow faster.

It also cleanses scalp apart from maintaining the pH balance of hair which accelerates their growth.

You just have to use this vinegar as an after-wash rinse.

Add apple cider vinegar with water and use it as a final rinse for your hair each time you shampoo your hair. Although it has a mild smell that doesn’t bother anyone too much yet if you want your hair smell good even when they grow with apple cider vinegar, just add a couple of drops of some essential oil (such as lavender oil) to your mixture of water and vinegar.

These are easy and effective methods to help avoid hair loss. Treat your hair well now and you hopefully won’t be bald before you reach fifty. Pick a treatment that works for your hair. Have a great day.

Planting the seeds for growth- Indy’s disability support story Moving from India and becoming a disability support worker wasn’t where Indy expected he’d end up.

But after jobs in horticulture and then in the police force, he realised it was exactly where he was supposed to be.

While it might seem an unexpected career path, Indy says his previous work experience has led him to where he is now.

“In horticulture, I was working in disability residential accommodation and recovery places, which is when I realised how important it is for people to have greenery around them.

I regularly met people with disability there,” he says.

“Then, the police force.

It was a big change but something I always wanted to try. I worked there for five years, and again had many

interactions with people with disability. I wanted to try and understand and help them as much as I could, but it was hard to provide support in that role.”

It was then that Indy decided disability support was what he wanted to do. He started studying community

services through TAFE. “I was studying full time while working part time in the police force. I really enjoyed the course and started working in the care and support sector so I could get a feel for what it involved,” says Indy.

While he was studying,

Indy found work supporting a person with disability who lived nearby. He jumped at the opportunity to gain experience while studying.

“This person had had a stroke and needed support to look after their health. It was a really eye-opening time for me – that you could be supporting anyone, from any walk of life,” says Indy.

That work took Indy somewhere he didn’t imagine a role in support would – overseas.

“My client told me he was going on a trip with his family and he wanted to bring me along. We went to the Pacific Islands in Tonga – I would never have gone there on my own, it was amazing,” he says.

“When I was getting into the care and support sector, I saw job ads talking about

Launch of MHFA Integrated Wellness Hub

On Friday the 18th of March, the MHFA is proudly announced the launch of our new Integrated Mental Wellness Hub in March. This is the result of many years of work and community consultations.

The MHFA’s Wellness Hub is a comprehensive, fully integrated, multidisciplinary health service for youth, adults, carers, and families to be located at 10 Yarra Street, South Yarra, 3141.

We thank all of our guests, and speakers for making this event so special, particularly Emeritus Professor Bruce Tonge, Minister Michael Sukkar, Georgie Crozier MP, Nina Taylor MP, Dr Katie Allen MP, Andy Meddick MP and Bill Garner. We thank Minister Michael Sukkar, and Emeritus Professor Bruce Tonge for unveiling the plaque for our facility.

Call: (07) 3192 5188

We also thank the Late Lesley Patricia Farrant who made establishing the Hub possible.

Mental Health Foundation Australia’s wellbeing hub is based upon and inspired by the findings and recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

Our Hub will provide evidence-based treatment, therapy, and recovery programmes, wellbeing support, inclusive and culturally sensitive education, peer support and self-help enhancement, care planning and linkage to community services and supports as well as telehealth and digital delivery services.

Our services will be provided at a nominal cost allowing those who typically cannot afford traditional psychological services to receive the support they

A key and unique component of the Hub is the Wellness Wheel concept in which multiple service providers including access to other allied health workers, community organisations, job agencies, law firms etc. will come on board to service clients attending the hub as they need - an outcome-based service. require.

The majority of our services will be provided by placement students in their

final years of study such as Provisional Psychologists and Master of Counselling students to name a few. These students will be overseen by a Supervisory Psychologist.

A key and unique component of the Hub is the Wellness Wheel concept in which multiple service providers including access to other allied health workers, community organisations, job agencies, law firms etc. will come on board to service clients attending the hub as they need - an outcomebased service.

The Foundation is very excited to see this new venture through and to support community members assistance, requiring particularly following the challenges posed by COVID-19. We anticipate the Hub to be operational by mid-year.

www.indiantimes.com.au

how you could travel but I didn’t really think it would happen. I couldn’t believe it!”

Indy has now been working in the care and support sector for a couple of years. He’s just started in a coordinator role, which means he looks after the rostering of disability support workers to people with disability.

“Some people with disability require two support staff, some from morning to night, while others need sleepover staff – so there are lots of things you need to consider,” says Indy.

“Then if there aren’t support staff available, or if someone can’t get to a shift for whatever reason, I jump in and do the shifts so I’m still getting that face-to-face time with people with disability,” he says.

It’s a varied, dynamic role.

One that offers Indy a clear path forward.

“I see myself moving up to become a client services manager, then a senior client services manager. At one point I thought it might be a good idea to start my own business in the care and support sector, but who knows?” he says.

“I’m planning on going on to do a Diploma of Community Services after my certificate to keep on learning. The organisation I’m working with really values growth and helps you with further study if you want it.”

For a career like Indy’s, where you’ll continue to grow and be supported while making a genuine difference, consider working in the care and support sector.

Participants sought for state-wide COVID-19 vaccine study Participants are now being invited to take part in a community-based COVID-19 vaccine immune response study run by a collaboration of health and university researchers.

The aim of the Queensland COVID-19 Safety and Efficacy Statewide Study (QoVAX SET Statewide Study) is to better understand the short, medium and long-term impacts of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines in Queensland.

This will include understanding how and why people’s immune system respond differently to COVID-19 vaccines in a Queensland context.

The study is open to Queensland adults who have received two or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, with the last dose received one to three months ago.

Director of the QoVAX SET Statewide Study, Professor Janet Davies, said research of this nature was a normal part of the vaccine lifecycle.

“Studying immune responses as part of the vaccine lifecycle is a very important process and is consistent with similar studies completed on other vaccines,” Professor Davies said.

“Given this has been the largest coordinated vaccination program both in Queensland and across the world – we want to record and evaluate the immune response and vaccine experience of Queenslanders aged 18 years and over.

Studying immune responses as part of the vaccine lifecycle is a very important process and is consistent with similar studies completed on other vaccines.

“The study will provide us with a clearer picture about what factors - such as our genetic makeup, lifestyle and general health and wellbeing - influence a person’s vaccine response in this real-world situation.

“This information will allow us to better understand how the vaccine may need to evolve to combat new variants and who may need more health care to stay well with COVID-19.”

To participate, eligible Queenslanders will need to complete a consent form and fill out an online questionnaire.

Once consent is given to join the study, participants will complete a survey online. If participants agree to give a blood sample, they will be emailed a pathology request form and asked to go to a participating pathology collection centre for blood samples to be collected.

Participation in the study is free. For more information, visit the QoVAX SET Statewide Study website.

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 45

APRIL - 2022

Aries ( 21st March to 20th April )

Taurus ( 21st April to 21st May )

Gemini ( 22nd May to 21st June )

In terms of personal and professional results, you are likely to have an average month. The transit of the Sun and Rahu indicates that patience and politeness can result in positive relationships with friends. You would be happy after a small celebration and function with your office colleagues. With Venus's transit, the marriage partnership would strengthen. There would be deep feelings of love between you and your partner, and you are likley to spend a lot of time having fun with someone you adore. This month, an old friend may make you a marriage proposal.

You would be effective in government-related jobs, but you must be modest and respectful because the Sun transit indicates that you can become egoistic, leading to unexpected difficulties at work.

Miscommunication can result in a problematic situation in the family business. Government assistance may be available for your business.

The transit of Jupiter and Venus indicates that you can invest in health insurance this month. A sudden increase in domestic expenses can put a strain on your finances. Students must take a constructive attitude to their study—academic success in a foreign-related field of research.

If you were thinking of enrolling in an online course, this month would be ideal for you. You would succeed in fashion and arts-related examinations. Overall, you would be in good health this month due to your daily workout and a balanced diet. Sleeping discomfort may be present this month, so stop using mobile devices excessively and don't neglect your health and diet because the transit of planets indicates that you should focus on your health.

Taurus natives would be blessed with new ideas during this month. Ideas to help you advance in your career and even make some extra money. As a result, the profits would be substantial, making you satisfied. It's in the middle of the month. The Jupiter transit is likely to clear up any doubt you have about your career as it may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Also, those of you who have been living in a foreign country should reconsider your employment contracts. Negotiate the best offer possible to stay relevant throughout your career. For natives looking to get married, the month offers several possibilities. This would be a good month for a native student looking to enrol in a foreign university. This is the time when you can quickly gain name and fame as a result of your hard work as they have the advantage of knowledge and planning. The month is ideal for travelling to a foreign country and then applying for entry.

Prepare to fly in the middle of the month for access to college and higher education. This would be a month in which a couple in love or who have been dating for a long time will plan something drastic and long-lasting. Marriage is one choice, though the timing may not be favourable in this month. However, the decisions we make now shall have a long-term effect on our lives.

You could get a good opportunity related to foreign land this month. Any of you may receive a good job or freelance proposal from a reputable foreign company. The transit of Rahu and Sun indicates that you should exercise cautiously in legal matters and when dealing with the government. There may be an unexpected dispute with a senior or government official. Some of you may be drawn to religious and spiritual work.

There may be a trip or travel associated with pastoral work or a sacred place. Those who are single will receive a sudden marriage proposal, and those who are looking for a wife would find their ideal partner, but the transit of Rahu and Sun indicates that you should be careful when committing. Before taking some more action, try to spend quality time together. This month would be crucial in terms of finances for you— chances of making a quick profit on your previous investment. Jupiter's transit can result in significant investments in land or property, but you should seek advice from a financial advisor and obtain proper legal verification. This month would be crucial from a medical standpoint, so don't skip your weekly checkups and stay away from fast food.

The Sun's transit may affect your immunity, so be cautious. Students would have to wait a little longer to achieve the desired results in the competitive test. Illusion would be present to help you decide on the best way to proceed with your treatment. Rather than being affected by others, self-analysis may provide guidance.

Cancer ( 22nd June to 22nd July )

Leo ( 23rd July to 22nd August )

Virgo ( 23rd August to 22nd September )

The monthly horoscope predictions indicate that you are likely to be effective in almost every significant area of your life. According to the career horoscope for the month, natives might also launch a project or company this month. For those looking for a love/ life partner, wedding bells may ring for them. People born under this sign who are interested in speculative activities can benefit from this field. In terms of health, natives may be in good spirits this month, with no significant concerns. The monthly Horoscope predicts that your social profile will improve due to your consistent efforts at work. Those preparing for marriage may have to postpone their wedding due to unforeseen circumstances. This month may be good to visit religious sites. Business trips can also be beneficial.

You may also get the important call you've been waiting for. Many who enjoy stock trading or gambling have the possibility to make a fortune this week. They should seize any chance they can because it would not come by often. However, exercise caution to avoid being careless. This week, students would graduate with honours. You would be in excellent health this week. All of this would work in your favour, and you would be satisfied with your efforts, which are likely to propel you well ahead. They would be very fortunate and would win whatever they bet on. This week, politicians would be more open to the media.

Their community service would put them in contact with the people.

Sportspeople may have a fantastic month.

All would appear to be in a state of disarray. You would be asking what went wrong and where it went wrong. Suddenly, much of life's balance would seem to be lost. Sit back, relax, and consider all of the events that led up to it; you would see that it isn't all that awful. Your tenacity and obsession with excellence are likley to propel you for professional success. A balancing act between improving yourself and your relationship and your responsibilities to your community associates or projects is likely to test your boundaries. As a result, your time and effort must be put to good use. Your mind would be bombarded with novel ideas. What you need now is your coworkers' help and the courage to carry it out successfully. Your feminine side, concealed beneath your masculine shell, can attract new friends because your caring and nurturing touch would give them the impression that you are very supportive.

This month is likely to be much more favourable, and you can anticipate some excellent prospects for advancement in your sector. The duration would also assist you in resolving some outstanding issues in your company, making it easier for you to carry out your plans. Creativity can take centre stage in this amount of time and eventually lead to success. You may not be able to make any progress in terms of financial gains at the start of this month. Finances can be resolved, and you can make significant progress by the middle of this month. Positive vibes would follow, and you would be able to handle your finances more effectively as a result.

This month may bring you joy as your beloved begins to develop feelings for you. Make a unique and distinct plan for your future and from the perspective of sharing a long-term relationship with your beloved. The planets are in your favour, and as a result, you and your beloved would share a lot of affection. You may have a strong interest in extracurricular activities, and as a result, your academic performance may suffer to some degree. The planets are likely to throw many challenges in the latter half of this month. Timely guidance can assist you in overcoming difficulties and sailing through successfully. Except for minor stomach-related health issues or seasonal health issues, your robust immune system can help you prevent major health issues this month.

Libra ( 23rd September to 22nd October )

Scorpio ( 23rd October to 22nd November )

Sagittarius ( 23rd November to 21st December )

Meditation may provide you with cosmic energy this month, which allows you to achieve your goals.

This month, you must balance your energies because you may recieve a heavy workload on personal and professional fronts. There may be unplanned travel related to your company, but you must be aware of any laws or terminology applicable to your business.

The transit of Rahu and Sun may cause disagreements with the government, which must be addressed. Creative art or decorationrelated company are likely to achieve success. Many of you who work as independent contractors are expected to benefit as predicted from your clients. You have a good chance of getting married, and the blessings of Jupiter and Venus would be with you. The love relationship would be effective. Many of you who are divorced or single can expect a positive marital partnership outcome. Sun transit in the first half of this month would result in anticipated savings. A get-together with relatives and in-laws would bring joy. There may be good news about your kids, or if you are planning to have children, this month would be beneficial to you. This month, you may benefit from a communication or language course. In a foreign country, the student may achieve the anticipated results. Avoid using mobile devices because the stars say that your sleeping comfort would be disrupted. Children must take good care of their teeth and eyes. Relationships with neighbours and siblings must be maintained because there would be a risk that you may argue with them, causing undue stress.

During this month, you may discover new paths to success. Jupiter becomes benevolent to you and all your endeavours, making this a convenient time for you. If you're looking for new work, there's a strong chance you would find one that suits you. However, this may necessitate a significant amount of hard work and effort on your part. This period is likely to present you with numerous opportunities in your professional life.

During this month, you may discover new paths to success. Jupiter becomes benevolent to you and all your endeavours, making this a convenient time for you. If you're looking for a new job, there's a strong chance you may find one that suits you. However, this would necessitate a significant amount of hard work and effort on your part.

This month may bring present you with numerous opportunities in your professional life. The Sun's transit through Leo would assist you in bringing your thoughts to fruition. If you're unmarried, there's a chance you would fall in love with someone older than you. There is always the chance of a fight in a marriage. It would be best if you made every effort to prevent such disputes. You shall converse with your partner and address such concerns this month.

They month may motivate you to work hard and stay on track toward your objectives. April is likely to appear to be a bright one in terms of your financial situation. This month, no major expenses are anticipated, but you would need to keep a close eye on your spending. You are likely to acquire numerous revenue chances from various sources. Students pursuing a degree in the technical or communication fields may make good progress this month. The Lord of the Sign would bless you with sincerity and perseverance. There may no severe health difficulties this month, but you must still take care of yourself. The primary threat to your physical condition would be your emotions, which might manifest as repressed rage and grudges and even develop into a mental syndrome. Because you desire constancy in your actions, you may find it easier to achieve success in the current project you are working on. The new employment may result in a complete alteration in the procedures of your day-to-day existence. It may take some time, but you will quickly acclimate to your new surroundings. This is the month when you intend to team up with colleagues and partners to establish your own business. However, this would not be a straightforward exercise because you would have to work hard to attain the desired results in your approach. The only piece of advice I can give is to avoid hanging out with friends who have a hidden agenda.

Capricorn ( 22nd December to 20th January )

Aquarius ( 21st January to 18th February )

Pisces ( 19th February to 20th March )

Don't be embarrassed if you find yourself pulled to someone who was never a person of interest to you. Hope for the best because this could result in a complete transformation in your life. You may have been thinking about changing jobs for a long time.

Give it a shot right now; more considerable prospects are on the way for you based on the current position of your sign. This week, you would be relentless and driven in your pursuit of success, guiding you and others around you insane at times.

Your mind would be bombarded with novel ideas. What you need now is the backing of your coworkers and the confidence to implement it properly. Your married life can be a constant source of delight and impression, provided you have picked the correct companion.

Unwarranted criticism, excessive worry, and fear may limit your sense of freedom and spontaneity. The aloofness of your coworkers would bore you. You require a lot of motivation and encouragement. Support from family and friends would be a blessing for you to build a solid foundation for your future. Obsessive eating and drinking for the sake of escapism can be harmful to your health. Meditation and selfcontrol would allow you to get rid of this condition. Those associated with philanthropic organisations or such businesses would eventually find that the public primarily acknowledges their efforts. Doing good would always result in a worthwhile outcome. Separation from your family would be an unfamiliar sensation for you.

You can be unwittingly attracted to someone you interact with, daily. It would be best to be wary of the person because your attraction may mislead you to the individual's genuine nature. You rarely give your mind and body a break because work is your primary source of enjoyment. And your efforts may result in the rewards you deserve promptly. You need to go back in time at work or with your lover. A severe crisis is unfolding around you, and while it is grating on your nerves, you may be the only one who appears to be calm and unbiased. A man like you requires a lot of love, affection, and warmth, and this week you may have someone to bounce ideas off of. And you would be successful. Self-indulgence and laziness may prevent you from putting your wit and intelligence to work on the initiatives you take on. Try to interact with your coworkers more and think twice before expressing anything negative about them. You are a pioneer with a mission as a natural leader. You tend to achieve your objectives in uncomplicated ways that do not cause harm to others. Your capacity to be silent, humble, and adaptable when it is not required to express yourself will earn you more respect from others. You can certainly express your philosophical ideas when they are needed. This is an excellent week to chat with your lover and express your true feelings for them. This would be advantageous.

Meditation will provide you with cosmic energy this month, allowing you to achieve your goals. This month, you must manage your energy because you are going to have a heavy workload on personal and professional fronts. There may be unanticipated travelling related to your business, but you must be aware of any restrictions or regulations that apply to your business. The transit of Rahu and Sun can cause disagreements with the government, which must be addressed. Creative art or decoration-related firm are likely to achieve success. Those of you who work as independent contractors would achieve profit as expected from your clients. You have a good chance of getting married, and the graces of Jupiter and Venus may be with you. The love relationship would be successful. Those of you who are divorced or unmarried may have an excellent marriage partnership outcome. Sun transit in the early half of this month may result in anticipated savings. A get-together with family and in-laws is going to be the reason behind your joy. There could be excellent news about your child, or if you are planning to have children, this month would be beneficial to you. This month, you may benefit from a communication or language course. In a distant country, the student would achieve the predicted success. Avoid using technological devices because the stars foretell that your sleeping comfort would be disrupted. Children must take good care of their teeth and eyes. Relationships with neighbours and siblings must be maintained because there is a possibility that you may disagree with them, causing you additional tension.

46 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 47

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2020 — 51

IPL 2022: Gujarat Titans stun Delhi Capitals after Rajasthan Royals beat Mumbai Indians IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans stunned Delhi Capitals to register their second successive win after Rajasthan Royals defeated Mumbai Indians on Saturday.

Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals made it two wins on the trot on a doubleheader Super Saturday in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Gujarat rode on Shubman Gill's 84-run knock and Lockie Ferguson's exceptional pace bowling to stun tournament favourites Delhi Capitals in the 10th match of the IPL 2022 in Pune.

Delhi were in the game throughout the run chase, but Lockie Ferguson came up with a game-changing performance as the GT pacer

took two wickets in the 15th over and finished with a fantastic four-wicket haul on Saturday.

Ferguson took four wickets for 28 runs in a stunning display of pace and accuracy after Shubman Gill's imperious 84 to help Gujarat Titans beat Delhi Capitals by 14 runs and register their second consecutive win in their maiden IPL season on Saturday.

GILL FIRES After Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant won

Women's World Cup 2022 final: England look to stop red-hot Australia from winning 7th title

After defeating South Africa by 137 runs, England will look forward to stop six-time winners Australia from winning the 7th title of the Women's World Cup (WCC) 2022. Australia will be out to underline their credentials and aim to win the title for the seventh time when it takes on England in the ultimate showdown on Sunday in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Both England and Australia have been marching towards the big day in their own way and will face off in an ICC World Cup final for the first time in 34 years. The two sides started their campaigns together almost a month ago in Hamilton.

Defending champions England are determined not to give up the trophy easily and captain Heather Knight is hoping that the experience gained from winning the WCC 2017 can help her team defeat redhot Australia for this year's title.

Four-times champions England, which have been facing a tough time since losing their first three contests, stormed into the semi-finals with a thumping victory over Bangladesh.

They defeated secondranked South Africa by 137 runs to reach the finals for

the toss and decided to put Gujarat Titans into bat, Mustafizur Rahman removed Matthew Wade.

However, that did not deter Shubman Gill, who steered the GT innings.

Shubman Gill smashed 6 fours and four sixes in an enthralling inning. He looked good for a hundred but perished to Khaleel Ahmed for a 46-ball 84. Gill was on course for his maiden IPL hundred but the innings ended in heartbreak for the young batter, best for Delhi.

On his way out, DC spinner

the sixth time.

England know that they will have to put up a stellar performance when they return to Hagley Oval on Sunday to face Australia, who they have not beaten in their last seven meetings in one-dayers.

While Danni Wyatt clocked 129 runs from 125 deliveries to help set an imposing victory target for the South Africans, and spinner Sophie Ecclestone finished the job with 6-36.

Australia's star allrounder Ellyse Perry is on track to take her place in the showpiece. She missed the team's last two matches in New Zealand with a back issue. Perry suffered back spasms in their penultimate round robin game against South Africa and underwent two crunch training sessions in Christchurch ahead of the final.

Since losing to India in the semifinals of the 2017 World Cup, Australia have only lost two ODIs, including a recordbreaking streak of 26 consecutive victories.

Spinner Jonassen, who sits behind only Ecclestone in the world bowling rankings, said, "It's the Ashes in something that's, I guess, even more prestigious. A World Cup final against England, it doesn't get much bigger."

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Kuldeep Yadav patted Gill on the back for the special innings.

IPL 2022: Full Coverage Vijay Shankar, batting at No.3, failed again but GT skipper Hardik Pandya played another cameo. His 27-ball 31 was instrumental in keeping GT on track for a competitive total. David Miller and Rahul Tewatia scored some quick runs down the order as Gujarat Titans finished on 171 for 6 off their 20 overs.

Qld Reds women celebrate history in style Ivania Wong scored three tries and prop Liz Patu managed a double as the Queensland Reds beat the Mebourne Rebels 55-5 in Super W. The Queensland Reds have celebrated a historic Super W night in style, beating the Melbourne Rebels 55-5 in front of a host of former players.

The Rebels dominated the opening exchanges and scored first, after already being denied what appeared a clear try.

But the hosts then dominated, winger Ivania Wong bagging a hat-trick and prop Liz Patu a double, her first a monumental run to the line after returning from the sin-bin.

Their bonus-point victory pushed them within a point of second-placed NSW

Waratahs, who lost for the first time in Super W history to unbeaten Fijiana Drua on Friday night.

The Waratahs will play the Reds next week before they line up again in a semifinal, the winner to take on

the Drua in the decider.

Saturday's Women in Rugby round was made special by the gathering of a host of former Reds players, who formed a guard of honour pre-game and then celebrated on full-time.

They were on hand to receive their Reds caps alongside current players, the eight-month project orchestrated by Vanessa Bradley documenting 26 years of rugby history and identifying 238 Queensland representatives since the first capped match in 1996.

"They came out to play and we were a bit spooked," Reds captain and Rio Olympic rugby sevens gold medallist Shannon Parry said.

"We toughed it out there in the breakdown ... started to set the platform, doing the grind work so the backs could get those glory tries."

Clinical Reds outclass Rebels at Suncorp Stadium The Reds ran in nine tries to one in what was a historic day for women’s Rugby in Queensland, with the 238 women who have represented Queensland since the first capped match in 1996 presented with their state cap.

Darling Downs product Briana Dascombe made her Queensland debut in the 50-point victory, with Ivania Wong scoring a hat-trick at Suncorp Stadium.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 10th minute through Willow Rowland, quickly making the most of their one-woman advantage after Patu was shown a yellow card minutes before.

It was all Queensland from there, Renae Nona responding for the Reds after piercing the line with a show and go to score under the posts. Cecilia Smith made no mistake with the conversion to put the Reds into a 7-5 lead in the 21st minute.

Patu stretched her side’s lead to 12-5 in the 28th

minute, carrying three defenders over the line to score her third try of the season.

Wong had Queensland’s third in the 35th minute, the winger steaming onto a Nona short ball after the Reds flyhalf picked up the crumbs off a loose Rebels pass. Smith slotted her second conversion of the afternoon to put the score out to 19-5.

Reds lock Aleena Greenhalgh (high tackle) and Rebels centre Hope Schuster

(batting down the ball) were yellow carded on the stroke of half-time, reducing both sides to 14-players for the opening minutes of the second forty.

Queensland made the most of the extra space, Annabelle Codey dashing through a gap before finding skipper Shannon Parry, who linked with Ellie Draper.

Draper streaked away to score and put Queensland into a 26-5 lead.

A stunning Mel Wilks solo run gifted Wong a second

try, Wilks slicing through the defence at the halfway line before linking with her winger to score Queensland’s fifth try, before Patu again found the line to make the score 38-5 with 20-minutes to play.

Debutant Dascombe sparked Queensland’s next try with a strong carry, eventually combining with Greenhalgh who outpaced the chasing defence to score.

Tries to Codey and Wong, her third of the night, put the icing on the cake for the Reds, sealing a 55-5 win.

Queensland are on the road next weekend for the final regular season round of Super W when they’ll take on the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday 9 April.

Queensland Reds Tries: Wong 3, Patu 2, Nona, Draper, Greenhalgh, Codey Conversions: Smith 5 Melbourne Rebels Tries: Rowland

'Historic' trade agreement with India...

CONTD. FROM PG 1 The "early harvest" agreement between Australia and India is a comprehensive agreement close to a full free-trade agreement Missing from the deal are some major exports, such as dairy and chickpeas.

Trade Minister Dan Tehan said future negotiations would look to expand the deal further.

"We have been successful when it comes to lentils in getting a quota, but when it comes to chickpeas and dairy they will have to wait

for a final deal, these are obviously very sensitive when it comes to India," Mr Tehan said.

Mr Morrison said he looked forward to future expansions of the deal.

"These are never all or nothing deals as far as we're concerned; we see all of these as the next step and the next step and the next step," he said.

"It sets out the road map to further and further economic cooperation into the future."

Australia and India began talks on the trade deal back in 2011, but discussions

became bogged down and were suspended in 2015.

Prime ministers Morrison and Modi agreed to "re-engage" on the deal when Australia and India upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the middle of last year.

The Morrison government has hailed the agreement as a significant step in its efforts to diversify export markets and reduce Australia's economic dependence on China.

"This is an economic agreement that has strategic might to it," Mr Tehan said.

A message from your local Police: Operation Uniform Easter (April 2 to April 18, 2022) will see police promoting road safety in Easter holiday traffic thoroughfares across the state.

Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. Please be careful and plan your trip accordingly. Take regular breaks, share the driving, ensure everyone is buckled up and drive to the conditions and speed limits.

Every decision you make behind the wheel, counts. So please help us to make sure there is no dampener during this holiday period for you or your loved ones.

A UST R A L I A N I N D I A N R A D I O PRESENTS

MUSIC JUNCTION L IV E ST R E A M E D VA R I E T Y M U S I C CONCERT

Sitaroon ki Mehfil YOUSUF ALIKHAN/ RAHIM ZULLAH / US H A C H IV U K U L A / C H A N D A N D AS / MANJU VERMA /PARMINDER SINGH/ NEHA SHAH / MITHUN AND BONDITA/ ZAISHA AND ANNESHA / SARBANI SUR

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IF IT DOESN’T FEEL RIGHT

Have you seen something that doesn’t feel right? One small observation could help stop a much larger border crime.

FLAG IT

Report anonymously at

borderwatch.gov.au Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, April, 2022 — 51

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