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Volume 14, Number 6 Saturday, March 11, 2017
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Brisbane Punjabi Mela 2017, a grand success
Report page 4.
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From the Publisher WELCOME to Autumn edition, Autumn in Australia begins on March 1. This is actually some 20 days before the March equinox when day and night are finely balanced at 12 hours each and the day begins to shorten as it cools towards winter. In the northern hemisphere, March 20 or 21 is actually the spring equinox and marks the start of spring. In the southern hemisphere, this is the vernal equinox and should be the de facto start of autumn. Day light saving time ends on the first Sunday in April in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. The Northern Territory and the state of Queensland and Western Australia do not observe daylight saving time. It has been a period of spiritual awaking since our last publication; there have been many events that have contributed to that, first we had the prayer meeting for Andre Das at Laxmi Narayan Temple, the notable community support for this unfortunate incident has been commendable. Maha Shiv Ratri this year has been celebrated with much zeal and all major temples; Gayatri Mandir Boondall, Ganesha Temple, Vishnu Maya Mandir and Laxmi Narayan Mandir Burbank have all reported record attendance which is really good to see. Further to the prayer meeting a community consultation was organised at Indooroopilly library facilitated by Swami Atemananda ji. I was honoured to have been invited as chief guest at UCMAS convocation; I was really impressed to see the young students solve mathematical problems mentally; this is one activity that I would highly recommend to all youngsters, it not to be mistaken as mathematical tuition only, it is program designed for brain development utilising both sided of the brain. Usha and I were fortunate to listen to Swami Sadyojathah the Director of International Affairs, The Art of Living Foundation who has dedicated his life to the service of humanity. It is rare to meet a man who in his twenties was both a Royal Prince and a Communist – and who left both behind to become an internationally renowned Yogi. By his forties he had helped revive the world’s oldest medical system, married it to Western medicine – and founded a world class teaching hospital for Ayurvedic and Allopathic medicine. As a peace activist he organised the International Conference on World Peace and is a sought after speaker on global peace platforms. Once again we had the “toli” a group of three
Inside • Letters to the Editor........................2 • Migration Matters............................4 • Local News..................................5-27
Indian Times Brisbane
Published Monthly OWNERS / PUBLISHERS: Umesh & Usha Chandra ADVERTISING: Sugandh Chaturvedi sales@indiantimes.com.au EDITOR:
Trudi Tarres
• Who, What, Where, When.....28 & 30 • Health & Well Being................34-38 • Real Estate................................39-41 • Business Directory/Classified.......42-43 • Astrology...........................................44 • What’s On................................44-51 • Bollywood & Entertainment...52-53 • Sport............................................54-55 2 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
JOURNALIST/ CORRESPONDENTS Ram Jattan (UK) Thakur Ranjit Singh (NZ) Thilliar Varnakulasingham (NZ) Shalendra Prasad (Fiji) Dhaval Vyas (India) Rama Gaind (Canberra) ML. M. Nawaaz Ashrafi Imam Muhammad Aslam Sundar Gopal Das Yadavendra Das Pastor Joseph Dass
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saints from All World Gayatri Pariwar visited Brisbane, amongst many functions for them, we organised two nights program at Gayatri Mandir in Boondall, and the accompanying musicians were very talented and main preacher highly educated and professional. We have had a long association with members of Sant Nirankari Mission, they have assisted with GOPIO Qld India Day Fair as volunteers, but I have never had the opportunity of actually visiting them until Sunday 26th February during the birthday celebration of their Guru, Baba Hardev Singh, what a noble way of marking this day by community cleanup campaign worldwide. In India members went out to many public platforms such as train station etc to clean up. We were honoured to have been asked to plant a tree on this occasion at their property in Keppera. The service itself was an eye opener as it involved everyone contributing their little bit, a very successful model indeed. May I take this opportunity to invite everyone to the upcoming celebration of Bharatiya Navwars organised by DJJS, Sanjeev Sharma and his team have been really working hard to organise this event, please spare some time and come to this annual cultural extravaganza. (Details page 46) There have been many other functions within the multicultural community, and amongst all of this I had to attend to my health and fitness regime, hopefully the surgeons will have me sorted out soon. Congratulations are in order for Sarawati Ramayan Mandali for reaching their Silver Jubilee, thanks for having me over as chief guest. I was a key note speaker at the Demonetization seminar organised by OMS Corporate, Viden and IAEF, a very successful business networking seminar. Congratulations to Trudi for completing thirteen years with us, really appreciates the professionalism and the dedication. In conclusion I would like put in a good word for international students, all of the international students that I have met or dealt with have been just wonderful, we have a few Indian students as interns, I would not praise them enough, they are fast learners with a very positive mindset, so if your business is approached to host or train an intern give them a fair go you will be amazed. Until next month, happy reading! Umesh Chandra
Brisbane Indian Times is a monthly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Brisbane Indian Times, may be reproduced in part or who without the written consent of the manager. Opinions carried in Brisbane Indian Times are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Brisbane Indian Times. Brisbane Indian Times will not be held liable for any advertising / editorial content - Advertisers supply/approve content therefore should any content be deemed inappropriate it is the advertisers responsibility. While every effort has been made to capture the true likeness to colour printing is an art and therefore we cannot guarantee an exact matching of product to image. Refund / Credit is not given as a result of the previous mentioned. All correspondence should be addressed to: Brisbane Indian Times, PO Box 197, Taigum Qld 4018. PH: (07) 3865 6533 Fax: 3865 5864 prod@indiantimes.com.au
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 3
Brisbane Punjabi Mela 2017, a grand success BRISBANE veteran event organisers Kamar Bal, Rocky Bhullar and Sun E Arora, the team that delivered Diwali Mela organised another very successful event, Punjabi Mela on Sunday 5th March 2017 at Rocklea showgrounds. It has been reported that over ten thousand people attended the full day family event. The event began at eleven in the morning and went on till ten in the night. The event presenters were New England College and Immediate Response • Event organisers. Security Services. The stars of the show were brought by Blue Moon Production and Nach Baliye Events and they were; Nimrat Khaira, Ninja, Garry Sandhu. The family event was incident free and finished off with grand finale fireworks. Entry fee was ten dollars and secure parking was ten dollars as well. The number of people attending functions is growing
every day and despite the entry fee people still attend the events, these kind of melas were traditional free entry. Event organiser told Brisbane Indian Times that there were forty eight stalls at the Mela that is quite a good number. Fun rides for children and a variety of food stalls greeted festival goers. The weather held good for the function and added to the charm of the event. Apart from the international artists many local talents also featured at Punjabji Mela 2017. A strong presence of AAP supporters was noted
at the event. The organising team has a collective experience of many functions and are well known to Brisbane community as professional and credible event organisers. A meet and greet function was organised on Monday 6th March at Punjabi Palace South Brisbane.
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Havan Yaj by Jyoti Women’s Club – APSQ
Courtesy APSQ THE Havan Yaj Satsangh was held on Sunday 19 February at the Queensland Vedic Cultural Centre. Members of Jyoti Women’s Club performed the Yaj and the programme was very well attended. The gesture shown by the Jyoti Women’s Club is commendable and the club also presented the cheque of $2000 towards Hall project (main image). The President of Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Qld Jitendra Deo thanked the members of Jyoti Women’s Club wholeheartedly for their kind donation. Jitendra Deo also briefed all about the project and the first stage of construction works will begin in a few months. He also highlighted the importance of the Hall as there are limited ones available and due to the location of this project it will be very widely used by the community. President requested all the organisations to get together and help in this project, and once its completed it will benefit all. President of Jyoti Women’s Club Mrs Kala Wati Kumar addressed the audience at the Satsangh, and thanked Sabha of taking this initiative of the hall project. She briefly spoke about the club, and suggested we all work together and make this project a success.
Festival celebrates our diversity and national identity THE Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs, Senator Zed Seselja, joined thousands of people at one of Australia’s largest multicultural festivals in Canberra on 18 February. Assistant Minister Seselja said the National Multicultural Festival has become a recognised celebration of the nation’s cultural diversity, attracting more than a quarter of a million people over a weekend. “Our multicultural character is central to Australia’s story,” Assistant Minister Zed Seselja said. “More than 7.5 million people have come from all corners of the earth to make their home here, including my own parents, both of whom came from Croatia. “Today we are one of the most diverse, prosperous and harmonious nations with about 45 per cent of us either born overseas or with at least one parent who was. “It is this great variety of backgrounds and cultures that have forged our unique Aus-
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tralian identity. “Our cultural diversity is a source of great social and economic strength and makes Australia a great place to live.” Assistant Minister Seselja also took the opportunity to remind Australians everywhere to take part in Harmony Day events around 21 March. “Harmony Day is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone,” he said. “The Harmony Day message is ‘everyone belongs’ – a message that can be lived by each of us, every day.” For more information about Harmony Day or to register a Harmony Day event, please visit harmony.gov.au For more information on the Australian Government’s work in multicultural affairs and settlement services, go to www.dss.gov.au/settlement-andmulticultural-affairs
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Saraswati Ramayan Mandali celebrates Silver Jubilee DECLARED as the first formal Ramayan Mandali of Brisbane, Sarawati Ramayan Mandali has come of age and marked its silver anniversary of Friday 3rd March. The idea of a fully fledged Ramayan Mandali was mooted at a gathering that took place at founder Lekh Ram Sukhs residence. There had been a death within the community and the grieving family did not get any community support and the wider community came to their help, this highlighted a need for a Mandali to cater for these situations, not only for death ceremonies etc but for furthering the objectives of Sanatan Dharma. Sarawati Ramayan Mandli was officially formed in 1991, a very significant year as this was the formation year of Hindu Society of Queensland. Under the skilful guidance of Lekh Ram ji, Sarawati Ramayan Mandali progressed and flourished. It was his and his family’s passion and dedication that saw Sarawati Ramayan Mandali survive the ups
and downs in facing the challenges of a community based organisation. Mr Lekh Ram Sukh acknowledged the support of his wife and children and dedicated the achievements
to them. Lekh Ram Sukh highlighted many notable achievements of Sarawati Ramayan Mandali, which included significant assistance to Hindu Society of Queensland and Sanatan Dharam Hindu Association of Queensland. Chief Guest Umesh Chandra congratulated Sarawati Ramayan Mandali on reaching this milestone despite challenges. He described Lekh Ram Sukh as and dedicated personality who has great passion for cultural aspects of Sanatan Dharma. Guests of honour included Mrs Usha Chandra President of GOPIO Qld and Mr Prem Chand, Vice President of Hindu Society of Queensland. Mr Prem Chand, recalled first meeting Lekh Ram Sukh, and he was impressed with his vision for community service, especially when he had just migrated to this country with the responsibility of four teenagers. Raj Gopal, honorary secretary congratulated
Sarawati Ramayan Mandali and highlighted many noble causes, such as Mr Lekh Ram Sukh, giving up his personal time to attend to community welfare in time of need. Once when a family needed Geeta recital for their dying father, and no pundits were available Mr Lekh Ram Sukh rose to the occasion and after he had recited Geeta at the hospital, the soul peacefully departed the body. At the end of the meeting Mr Lekh Ram Sukh, announced the new team to take Sarawati Ramayan Mandali to the next level, and in doing so he handed over the reins to his son Sachindra Ram as the incoming president. Sarawati Ramayan Mandali actively participates in many religious and cultural events. Activities include regular Ramayana recital at member’s residence and conducting Ramayana and bhajans at various temples in Brisbane
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Visa options for Parents of Australian Citizens & Permanent Residents ON 21 June 2016 the Government made an election commitment to enhance existing visa arrangements to enable parents to visit family in Australia for a continuous period of up to five years. Parents currently have a temporary and permanent visa options to visit Australia to spend time with their children. Visitor visas (subclass 600) allow parents to visit their children for a stay of up to 12 months. Visitor visas which allow for multiple entries for up to five years can be granted to parents who have also lodged a permanent Parent visa application. Parent (non-contributory) visas and Contributory Parent visas are the two permanent visa streams for parents who seek to live in Australia permanently. In both cases, the parents will need to be supported by an eligible sponsor, require an Assurance of Support and meet the balance of family test which requires at least half of the parents’ children to live in Australia as either a permanent resident or citizen. The contributory parent visas require a higher Visa Application Charge (VAC) of approximately $47,000 for the main applicant but has a far shorter processing time of approximately 2 years. The VAC is not a visa service fee but contributes to Australia’s taxation revenue – it is designed to offset the potential costs parents may impose on the community as they have not made contributions throughout their working life. The proposed new temporary parent visa can be granted for stays up to five years, depending on the capacity of the sponsoring child to support their stay, the health and age of the parents and their previous immigration history. To be eligible, parents will not need to have already applied for a permanent parent
visa. Under the new proposed changes, parents will require private health and to show financial support from their children to access this new visa. These new requirements aim to limit the burden on the health care system from extra costs. This visa will be available to parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents and eligible NZ citizens. Although the visa fees have not yet been revealed, it has been suggested that they will be more affordable than the current arrangements. The new temporary parent visa will come into effect on 1 July 2017. If you would like to apply for a parent visa and are unsure if you can meet the requirements, please visit us in our offices to obtain further information. Migration Guru has assisted a vast number of clients for more than 13 years. We have more than 50 years of collective experience in the industry and a team of Migration Agents / Solicitors. With our vast experience and skills, we are able to provide accurate migration or legal advice based on our clients’ personal circumstances. Our team may be contacted by via email or call 07 3036 3800. Follow us on facebook for all the updates to Migration Law https://www.facebook.com/migrationguru/ Migration Guru Pty Ltd, Level 18 & 22, 127 Creek Street, Brisbane, QLD. Phone: 07 3036 3800 MARN 0324607, 1384452, 1175591, 1382609, 1467661, 1466522 & 1683052
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 9
UCMAS Convocation
Harvesting great ideas in Greater Springfield SAMIR Bhana knows a thing or two about good ideas. According to this young professional who moved to Greater Springfield with his wife and two children in 2012, not only has he had a few good ideas himself, he works in the place that specialises in them. You see Samir is a community manager at Little Tokyo Two, the cutting-edge organisation that has taken south east Queensland by storm by providing work spaces and a collaborative working environment for start-ups and aspiring small businesses. In 2016, LT2, as it is often abbreviated fondly, opened to great fanfare in Greater Springfield’s Education City precinct and immediately began attracting people with good ideas wanting a space to grow them. “Working with Little Tokyo Two gives me the opportunity to help grow a new business within Greater Springfield and also to meet many passionate people from a wide range of business areas,” said Samir, who regards his move to Queensland’s fastest emerging new city as a great and rewarding idea in itself. As LT2’s community manager Samir spends a lot of time getting to know as much of the local 34,000 people who live across Greater Springfield’s six rapidly expanding suburbs. As a master planned and world renowned en-
vironment that is built upon interconnected pillars of health, education and information technology, Greater Springfield is regarded as not just a jobs generator but a producer of people with good ideas. That was fertile ground for LT2 as a place to grow their business support an environment that is a quality place to harvest new ideas. “To be able to work and live within the Greater Springfield community is terrific and also means I’m just 5 minutes from home and my family”. Samir also owns and operates a consultancy as an enterprise architect and assists businesses with their systems and business operations. He originally rented in Springfield Lakes before finding his dream home in Augustine Heights which neighbours the Brookwater residential community and the much lauded facilities and prestige of Brookwater Golf and Country Club, Queensland’s number one public access golf course. In 2017, Greater Springfield celebrates 25 years since inception and a quarter of a century of growing great ideas. Samir says that fostering innovation and new ideas is a formula for continued prosperity for the local region as an established epicentre for the knowledge economy.
UCMAS Brisbane held its first annual convocation at Calamvale College on 19 February. UCMAS is a child development program based on Mental Math and the Abacus that boosts brainpower in children aged 4-13. Along with strengthening math skills, the UCMAS approach promotes whole brain development and establishes foundational building blocks like memory, concentration, creativity and problem solving – core skills that inspire greater confidence and success in all subject areas and in life. The program equips them with the skills they need to improve overall academic achievement and to confidently meet life’s challenges and achieve greatness. Umesh Chandra was honoured to be the chief guest; he addressed the audience and presented awards to the students. Mrs Usha Chandra president of GOPIO Queensland was also asked to present awards to the bidding students. To the amazement of the audience, the students demonstrated mental calculation on stage. The program is not to be mistaken for a maths tuition only, UCMAS applies innovative pedagogical techniques developed by program specialists that include child development experts and child psychologists to leverage educational trends and maintain a world class quality pro-
gram that deliver the maximum benefits to our students. UCMAS promotes whole brain development by stimulating both sides of the brain using an innovative mental math program utilizing the Abacus as a teaching tool. By learning to perform mental calculations quickly and accurately, students aged 4-13 expand their mental capacity and develop skills such as multitasking, time management, memory concentration, memory retention and problem solving – skills that are crucial to success in all areas of study and daily life. For further information visit www.ucmasaustralia.com.au
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Why call Australia home?
YOU love India - the beauty, the culture, the history and of course the food. So why do so many Indians leave the country of their birth and make Australia their new permanent home? India is a nation of huge numbers and although that means that makes it a great place of diversity, a billion people can be a bit crowded. Australia is only 10% inhabited with loads of room to spare and spread out. It’s 32 times bigger than the UK and twice the size of Europe. Australia is diverse and a culturally rich country – 20% of the population are immigrants – so whether you’re Sikh, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Dalit or Brahmin, you will blend beautifully with all the many other nations of the world that have chosen to call Australia home. Australia invests a lot of money into its infrastructure and development of roads, sanitation, buildings and cities make it one of the world’s fastest growing nations. There is no corruption and there is an increasing emphasis on a good work/life balance and compared to the US, our minimum wage rate is high. Australia is one of the top countries in the world for economic opportunity and welcomes innovation and development. Australia is way out in front when it comes to empowerment, women have decent access to education, equal pay, childcare and anti-discrimination policies. According to the International Youth Foundation, Aus-
tralia has come out on top of the world for our youth having the highest levels of wellbeing and quality of life. And right now, Australia is experiencing a skills drought in areas such as Engineering, Construction Nursing, ICT and Communications, with chefs, cooks, accountants and carpenters to name a few -being in strong demand. Many Indians choose Australia as their place to study and universities are ready to welcome them with open arms and there are many resources and support networks to get a student all set up for their new study journey. So there are many ways and many reasons to come and settle in Australia and if you want to know more about migrating to Australia, visit www.emergico.com and complete our famous free questionnaire or please call our friendly team on 3861 0726 to make an appointment for a complimentary appointment with one of our experienced migration experts. We have over 60 years combined experience and are looking forward to helping your dreams of living in Australia to become a reality.
12 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
You need to exercise! BIT correspondent Pete Lane Rai will be 71 years old in March. To celebrate this he will run the Twilight Half Marathon (21km) at Queensland University on Sunday March 19th. Dot his wife aged 77, will walk the 10km. If all goes well Pete expects to finish in around 2.15 hrs and Dot around 90 minutes. While these times are a bit slow have you considered how long would it take you to run 21 km or walk 10 km? This is all part of their active healthy Seniors Lifestyle! They are no strangers to exercise having walked the Camino de Santiago 780km in Spain over two trips. As well, they walked the English Coast to Coast (309 km), from St Bees Bay on the Irish Sea to Robin Hood’s Bay on the North Sea, in two weeks. India is their other interest and passion where they have walked to a source of the mighty, holy river Ganges in Uttar Ranchel State. The Twilight Race is organised by In Training Running Club (ITRC) Brisbane who each year donate running singlets and t shirts for Pete and Dot to take to India. There Pete and Dot • Margot Manning, wife of Steve hold family seminars in Manning, founder of In Training Churches or for students in resRunning Center, Milton presenting idential facilities. If students exPete Lane Rai with one of the many ercise with Pete and Dot in their shirts they will donate to India. free time they will receive a t shirt which is a great motivation to exercise! Over the years In Training shirts have made their way, via Pete and Dot to India, Nepal, Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG). Recently several hundred pairs of old running shoes, donated by ITRC club members, were sent to PNG by a friend of Pete and Dot doing community development work there, to encourage people to exercise. So get exercising!
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 13
“Domestic violence is not part of my culture”
Lord Mayor's Multicultural Business Dinner & Awards 2017 THE Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner and Awards celebrates Brisbane as Australia’s New World City that embraces diversity, innovation and economic prosperity. As a fundraising event, it attracts a strong following from Brisbane’s multicultural community and business sector. Hundreds of people attend the event each year to raise funds for the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Development Program, while enjoying the many networking opportunities. This year the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural
Business Scholarship Program and Mentoring Scheme will have supported almost 300 recipients since the program began in 2008. Join Lord Mayor Graham Quirk in celebrating the outstanding contribution of the multicultural business community to Brisbane at the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner on Saturday 27 May at City Hall. Bookings can be made online at www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/multicultural from mid-March until Wednesday 17 May 2017.
14 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
By Ms Jatinder Kaur, Clinical Social Worker ON the 16 March 2016, Gordonvale (far north Queensland) a small farming community witnessed a horrific double murder tragedy which involved two Punjabi Indian being killed in a domestic violent situation. This was not the first tragedy to occur within
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Indian community, from 2009 to 2016, there had been 11 Indian women victims who have been killed by their husband or family members. However most of those victims were never able to get justice or ‘change’ the mindset of Indian community in ‘tackling this hidden epidemic’ of domestic violence against Indian women. “As Social worker from Sikh Punjabi background I could no longer remain silent”. The double murder tragedy made me angry and upset as I had also worked and lived in Cairns region in 2015 and came to know vibrant Sikh community living in Gordonvale and Cairns. As I am on Board of Advisors for Sikh Helpline Australia (Australian registered charity) we decided to travel to Gordonvale that week on 19 March and met with bereaved family and community members who were in shock over tragedy. On behalf of Sikh Helpline Australia, we provided counselling and support to the community and family. We approached the Queensland government Minister Shannon Fentiman for funding for Sikh Helpline Australia and we were successful in securing funding to deliver community education forum to Sikh community held in May. In June 2016, a Professional development workshop for the sector on: ‘Understanding domestic and family violence across migrant and refugee communities’ was held. Both workshops were well attended and the professional workshop had over 80 participants. In 2016, from the period June to November total of 6 workshops have been held across Queensland in Logan (twice), Gold Coast, Ipswich, Toowoomba and South Brisbane, with total of 300 professionals attending from Police, corrective services, health, social workers, teachers, DV support workers and volunteers. These workshops have also been delivered interstate in: Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Feedback from participants included: “very useful workshop” “gained great deal of information”, “very informative and useful workshop”; “Understanding different aspects of domestic violence and how people from different religion and cultural understanding meaning of domestic violence”. Ms Jatinder Kaur – Social worker and director of JK Diversity Consultants and Board advisor to Sikh Helpline Australia, is committed to ‘being change maker’ and ensuring that a ‘cultural shift’ occur through this community domestic violence education campaign. Ms Kaur does not receive any government funding for these workshops and the revenue from registrations are used to cover the costs related to organising these workshops. Ms Kaur has also supported numerous Indian DV victims through counselling, crisis support, preparing social assessment reports to the Immigration department and advocacy with DVO applications and safety planning. In 2017, Ms Kaur has already planned more DV workshops with first being held on 21 March 2017 in partnership with Sandgate Community centre on north side of Brisbane and other DV workshops to be held in various regions across Qld and Interstate. If you are interested and keen for your organisation to attend these half day workshops or have them delivered at your organisation, please contact Ms Kaur on: support@jkdiversityconsultants.com.au If you require urgent assistance contact DV Connect on: 1800 811 811 Sikh Helpline Australia: 0401 401 040, E: info@sikhhelpline.com.au, Web: www.sikhhelpline.com.au Call 07 3865 6533
Call 07 3865 6533
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 15
Our story, our future’, the New approaches to Queensland Government’s new help more young Multicultural Policy and Action Plan people into work THE Honourable Grace Grace MP, Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, Minister for Racing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs launched ‘Our story, our future’, the Queensland Government’s new Multicultural Policy and Action Plan at 10.30am-12pm, on Wednesday 15 February 2017 at Premier’s Hall, Parliamentary Annexe, Alice Street, Brisbane The launch reception was attended by diverse community leaders and politicians. Queensland's multicultural policy framework is administered by Multicultural Affairs Queensland (MAQ), which sits within the Department of Communities. Queensland introduced its first multicultural policy in 1993, with subsequent policies being introduced by different State governments in 1996, 1998 and 2004. One of the purposes of the Multicultural Recognition Act 2016 is to promote Queensland as a unified, harmonious and inclusive community by establishing the Multicultural Queensland Charter. The Multicultural Queensland Charter • honours the Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the First Australians, whose lands, winds and waters we all now share, and their ancient and enduring cultures • acknowledges the achievements of our forebears, coming from many backgrounds, and that a bringing together of the cultures of people from many backgrounds forms an integral part of Queensland’s identity • recognises that diversity deepens and enriches our community and provides an invaluable asset for Queens-
land’s future The Act establishes the following Multicultural Queensland Charter: 1. A shared commitment to Queensland and Australia, and a free and democratic society governed by the rule of law, fosters a strong and unified community. 2. The people of Queensland come from many diverse backgrounds and have worked, and continue to work, together to build a prosperous, fair and harmonious Queensland. 3. The people of Queensland should be able to express and celebrate, in a lawful way, their cultural, linguistic and religious diversity. 4. Equal rights and responsibilities under the law and equitable access to the services provided or funded by the government for all people of Queensland helps build a fair community. 5. A shared commitment, among members of the Queensland commu-
16 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
nity, to mutual respect, fair treatment and valuing the diversity of peoples in the community fosters a caring, safe and inclusive community. 6. The creation of opportunities that encourage the full participation of people from diverse backgrounds in the cultural, economic, political and social life of Queensland helps build a prosperous state. 7. Sustained, respectful and inclusive engagements between all individuals, groups and the government are a basis for mutual understanding. 8. A unified and harmonious community promotes a sense of belonging among its people and builds community confidence and resilience. MAQ is developing strategies to promote the Multicultural Queensland Charter broadly throughout the community and across Queensland to turn the charter’s principles into reality.
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THE Turnbull Government has announced (7 March) the latest round of successful organisations that will provide assistance to young people to overcome barriers to unemployment. The Empowering YOUth Initiative seeks to empower young people who are disengaged from the workforce or school and who face complex issues that affect their future. Minister for Employment, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, was today hosted by Anglicare WA to announce the additional 21 organisations that will be offered the opportunity to deliver new approaches to assist young people into work. “Anglicare WA’s success in the latest application round means they are able to design, test and implement new intervention methods to meet the needs of homeless young people and place them into employment,” Minister Cash said. “The Turnbull Government is determined to break the cycle of unemployment and welfare dependency and to do so it is critical to focus on young Australians.” “We are committed to implementing new and innovative approaches to help young people into jobs and that is exactly what the Empowering YOUth Initiative delivers,” Minister Cash said. “Tackling youth unemployment will require Government contemplate new ideas and to think outside the box. By ex-
ploring, developing and refining new concepts we will boost employment outcomes for young Australians.” Applicants in the second round of Empowering YOUth Initiatives were invited to apply for grant funding of up to $5 million to deliver initiatives over two years to young people aged 15 to 24 get into work. The Department of Employment will partner with the successful organisations to support the evaluation of each initiative, which will inform new policies and programs targeted at young people. “The Turnbull Government’s allocation of $50 million to the Empowering YOUth Initiatives demonstrates our commitment to assisting young people into the workplace,” Minister Cash said. “Early intervention can mean the difference between a young person taking their first steps into a productive and happy working life or entering a life of welfare dependency.” Empowering YOUth Initiatives is part of the Government’s Youth Employment Strategy announced in the Growing Jobs and Small Business Package in the 2015–16 Budget. For more information on Empowering YOUth Initiatives and other support available for young people under the Government’s Youth Employment Strategy visit: www.employment.gov.au/ youth
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 17
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• Professor Sheena Reilly, Pro Vice Chancellor (Health) presenting award to Mr Saneil Chand.
Saneil Sangeet Chand receives Outstanding Alumni Award THE Griffith University Outstanding Alumni Award recognises the remarkable achievements and successes of alumni who have gained Australia and International recognition. The recipients were honoured at a function in Gold Coast. Saneil Sangeet Chand received Outstanding Health School Alumni Award. Saneil graduated from the Master of Pharmacy program in 2007. He bought his own pharmacy at the age of 25 and worked every
18 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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day for two years to establish a highly regarded business and quality service to the people of Buranda, purchasing three more pharmacies by the age of 26. Saneil is the recipient of the 2015 Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Multi-Cultural Business Award for diversity, determination and innovation and the Manager and Pharmacy of the Year for the Tomeo/Laslett Pharmacy Group. He has presented papers in Australia and Fiji.
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 19
Mahashivratri Festival.... MAHASHIVRATRI Festival or the ‘The Night of Shiva’ is celebrated with devotion and religious fervour in honour of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity. Shivaratri falls on the moonless 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun, which corresponds to the month of February - March in English Calendar. Celebrating the festival of Shivaratri devotees observe day and night fast and perform ritual worship of Shiva Lingam to appease Lord Shiva. Legends of Mahashivratri There are various interesting legends related to the festival of Maha Shivaratri. According to one of the most popular legends, Shivaratri marks the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Some believe that it was on the auspicious night of Shivaratri that Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction. Another popular Shivratri legend stated in Linga Purana states that it was on Shivaratri that Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of a Linga. Hence the day is considered to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and they celebrate it as Mahashivratri - the grand night of Shiva. Traditions and Customs of Shivaratri Various traditions and customs related to Shivaratri Festival are dutifully followed by the worshippers of Lord Shiva. Devotees observe strict fast in honour of Shiva, though many go on a diet of fruits and milk some do not consume even a drop of water. Devotees
strongly believe that sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivaratri, absolves a person of sins and liberates him from the cycle of birth and death. Shivaratri is considered especially auspicious for women. While married women pray for the well being of their husbands’ unmarried women pray for a husband like Lord Shiva, who is regarded as the ideal husband.3.22 To mark the Shivratri festival, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, preferably in river Ganga. After wearing fresh new clothes devotees visit the nearest Shiva temple to give ritual bath to the Shiva Lingum with milk, honey, water etc. On Shivaratri, worship of Lord Shiva continues all through the day and night. Every three hours priests perform ritual pooja of Shivalingam by bathing it with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water amidst
the chanting of Om Namah Shivaya’ and ringing of temple bells. Nightlong vigil or jaagran is also observed in Shiva temples where large numbers of devotees spend the night singing hymns and devotional songs in praise of Lord Shiva. It is only on the following morning that devotee break their fast by
partaking prasad offered to the deity. In Brisbane Maha Shivratri was celebrated at various temples, Hindu Society of Queensland held a five night katha prabachan on this occasion by Acharya Pt Ajay Tiwari of Auckland New Zealand (pictured left) starting from Tuesday 21st till Saturday 25th. A large number of devotees attended the function on all nights, many devotes sponsored food on various nights. Prem Chand, Vice president and public relations officer had made the arrangements for Acharya Pt Ajay Tiwari to be here in Brisbane, he had sponsored his airfare. Acharya Pt Ajay Tiwari with his Bihari background connected well with Fiji Indian community. Management committee of Gayatri Mandir completed the new Shiv Ling area in front of the temple in time for Mahashivratri. Shree Laxmi Narayan temple held Shiv Puram Katha from 16th till 24th February; the katha was recited by Sant Acharya Akhilesh from Haridwar India. Maha Shivratri was observed on 24th February. Reports of good attendance on all days have come through. Vishnu Maya Mandir celebrated Mahashivratri on 24th February, at the new temple premises situated at Scott Lane North Mclean. The popular and pious celebration attracted a large number of devotees. Mahashivratri is considered a very holy time within Hindu religious calendar. Apart from the major temples celebration were also held by many groups and at private residences as well.
Welcome festival for international students LORD Mayor Graham Quirk welcomed thousands of international students as sons and daughters of Brisbane at the City Welcome Festival, the largest city orientation event of its kind in Australia, in the City Botanic Gardens on Saturday 4th March. Students from around the world got their first taste of life in Brisbane and received information about Australia’s New World City. There was food from around the globe, live music, sporting demonstrations, Aboriginal dancers, boomerang painting and many other activities. The 2016 Brisbane International Student Ambassadors were on hand to relay their experiences of studying in Brisbane over the past year. Members of Lord Mayor’s multicultural round table were also present to welcome 20 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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the students. Harshitha Srinivas – India was the student ambassador guest speaker. Harshitha (Ash) Srinivas grew up in Bangalore and is now pursuing a Bachelor of Business at QUT. As a lover of travel and diversity, Harshitha adores meeting new people from different cultures, and Brisbane is the perfect city for that. She says Brisbane is the place for her with its nature, nightlife, arts and adventure. Call 07 3865 6533
Call 07 3865 6533
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 21
Community concerned over intergenerational communication gaps A COMMUNITY meeting convened by Swami Atmeshananda of Vedanta Centre of Sydney - Brisbane Chapter expressed concerns over intergenerational gaps. Heads of various organisations, other community leaders and youth representatives participated in the meeting. Recent tragic passing away of Andre Das, Son of Shyam and Anna Das prompted the meeting; Swami Atmeshananda thanked Shyam Das for being there at the meeting. Following is a report on key points discussed; Objectives of meeting outlined by Swamiji: • To identify the main challenges and issues facing our parents in dealing with their children • Challenges and problems encountered by our youth • To work out an action plan which the community leaders can take it back and implement in their own respective communities What are some of the main challenges and problems faced by our parents? • There is a gulf between parents’ expectations and the teenage and adult children • Parents not fully aware of the challenges and problems the children are confronted with living here; Children are expected to conform with the cultural values at home and a different set of value system in school and at the workplace
• Reluctance of parents to accept that we live in a different country and have to be more open and cannot expect children to completely live by our ways • Pace of technological changes have posed additional challenges • Lack of communication with our neighbours and people outside our community • Difficulty in getting the children to attend community functions which offer excellent opportunities for meeting other youths from the community. Children generally willing to attend until the age of about 13/14, but after this age, it is a real challenge to get them to participate • Reluctance by our parents to discuss and share their problems with others • Many parents face time pressures in spending sufficient quality time and also finding the right balance between work and family • Lack of knowledge in knowing what professional assistance is available and to seek What are some of the main challenges and problems faced by our youths? • Identity crisis – many are confused as they are confronted with a different value system at home in comparison to at school and work • Finding a balance between adhering to the cultural/religious values and the mainstream value system • Difficulty in speaking and discussing with parents personal issues and matters
• Parents are not open and flexible • Find attending cultural/religious functions too time consuming, boring and not knowing the meaning of the rituals and practices • Our youths are subjected to bullying • Too much pressure on academic achievement What help is available: • There are many organisations and professional help available, particularly for mental health such as Beyond Blue • Within the community we have plenty of expertise in mental health and related areas • Funding might be available from the government to support the community in these areas Suggestions on what can be done to assist both youths and parents • Take advantage of the professional expertise within the community but care should be ensured that the youths have confidence that their privacy is not compromised • Create a blog which will provide a platform for youths to discuss and exchange ideas. The blog to be moderated by a youth. Some youths from the Vedanta family are already in the process of creating such a blog • Organise short workshops, half a day or about two hours. It should not be too long. The presenters should be professionals from areas that the youths will find helpful, such as dealing with stress, career guidance, rela-
tionship counselling • Separate workshops for parents and youths • Could have bonding activities prior to the workshops or after. Sports is a great way to break the ice and bond people • Design activities that promote giving, that is “doing things for others” which are not spiritual/religious based, example cleaning up • Form youth groups which are open to all youths, that are not religious/spiritual or linguistic based • Set up programmes to assist youths to cope with the “real world” once they complete their studies, for example relationship counselling • Publication (handbook) for parents which focuses on topics to bring greater awareness on these issues • Get the youths who were present for the meeting to take the initiative to form a youth group and organise activities which will appeal to the youths Conclusion Overwhelming view that everyone who attended the meeting should reflect and also return to their respective communities and discuss the points that were raised in the meeting and there should be another meeting to identify the priorities before an action plan is worked out.
‘A Festival to Colour Everyone Equal’ Kavita Chandwani
Tune in To AIR every Tues & Sun (8pm AEST & 3pm IST) to listen to Bhule Bisre Geet with Kavita 22 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
WHEN some of the world leaders are working towards creating divided and polarised communities, the Indian Cultural & Sports Club Inc. (ICSC) is starting a new, colourful tradition in Brisbane to create more harmonious relationship among the communities. India’s Holi Festival, where people play with coloured powders to celebrate spring, is one of the most colourful and distinctive festivals in India. The club is very excited to bring the inaugural event to the Springfield area on Sunday the 12th of March at The Circle, Robelle Domain. The rich cultural value that migrant communities bring with them is something that needs to be celebrated. With this in mind, Indian Cultural & Sports Club Inc. (ICSC) was founded. The club’s mission is to promote harmonious relationships between different communities through cultural and sports events. Club President, Jagdeep Singh, has been living in Brisbane for many years and put his passion into creating an inclusive, not-for-profit organisation solely dedicated to giving back to the wider community. Brisbane Holi: Festival of Colours is a unique festival where people dance to the music, throw coloured powders at each other and forget their differences. “When we are covered in colours, everyone is equal. Skin colour, age, background, all of our ‘differences’ no longer matter’, states Andrea Lam, director of Bollywood Dance Company, Dance Masala & Entertainment Coordinator of the event. Holi is an incredible and visually awe-inspiring festival and promises to be a lot of fun for families and kids; young and old; absolutely everyone! The ICSC’s vision is to create an annual event for the wider
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communities of Brisbane to come to a single platform, throw colours, dance and have fun together. The event which will be celebrated by thousands who are expected at the Circle, Robelle Domain on 12th March, will kick off at 12pm and will finish at 6pm. The sheer excitement of the event is evident from the number of people joining the event on the Facebook; and it is just wonderful to see so many people from all different communities lending their support. The festival’s volunteer list is already full with passionate volunteers lending their time and energy to make the day an incredible success! Indian’s Holi Festival which perhaps was started, many hundreds of years ago, to colour everyone equal. This festival is being celebrated all over the world with certain variations maintaining the same essence. A live DJ, Dholi (Punjabi Drum), live multicultural performances including Bollywood, Bhangra, Cuban Salsa, VHUB’s kid’s hip hop crew and many more will ignite the stage! Imagine a world full of colours, dance, music and performances at a gorgeous outdoor venue? Really it promises to be an incredible day out! This is an Alcohol Free and Drug Free event and organisers are expecting a good turnout on the day. The Club is determined to make it an annual event which is bound to happen with the experienced and hard working team behind event management. Event Manager, Paviter Kumar Noori and his whole team is very excited with the support from the community and looking forward to a colourful Sunday. Call 07 3865 6533
Call 07 3865 6533
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 23
Shining example of selfless community service
SANT Nirankari Mission (Universal Brotherhood) - Brisbane displayed its commitment again, this time on its own Bhawan @ 17, Rolleston St. Keperra Qld, Australia, towards welfare of local community and environment by enthusiastically participating in the Clean Up Australia Day – 2017. Members of the mission celebrated their Gurujis birthday by promoting eco friendly environment by planting trees and the day is also celebrated as a cleanup day, in Indian many members of the mission undertook public clean up campaigns in places like train stations etc. Local residents and drivers passing by thanked and praised the volunteers for helping & contributing in this activity of clean up. GOPIO (Global Organization of People of Indian Origin) President Mrs Usha Chandra & Mr Umesh Chandra joined the
local congregation, they also participated in Cleaning drive and Tree Plantation. Local community members as well also appreciated the extra-ordinary zeal of SNM volunteers in rendering the selfless service towards the local community. Speaking to the assembly Umesh Chandra expressed his gratitude to SKN for their foresight and the community spirit. He said he was particularly pleased with the manner in which the service was conducted in the Bhawan. SNM encourages all members to contribute to the service, young ones recited poems while the elderly spoke words of wisdom, quite an inclusive community. Community minded members of SNM have volunteered at India Day Fair the signature event of GOPIO Queensland. The members have contributed to the renovation of the Bhawan, financially and in kind.
‘Way to Happiness’ The Art of Living Foundation FOUNDED by his Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, The Art of Living Foundation is the world’s largest volunteer based NGO with 370 million people in 155 Countries inspired to work for the betterment of humanity. Its’ sister organisation - The International Association for Human Values, Enjoys consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. For the past 35 years Art of Living has provided global community upliftment. Programs on a large scale in its quest to create violence free, stress free world. Working across society with children, youth, adults, educators, companies, NGO’s and government agencies – the Foundation’s reach includes indigenous Peoples, migrants in detention, offenders in the prison system and the rehabilitation of terrorists. Art of Living offers practical medical, logistical and trauma relief help in global hotspots, working with police, peace keeping forces, refugees and victims of natural and man-made disasters. On Saturday 18 February from 6:30pm to 8:30pm Swami Sadyojathah director of International delivered a lecture on” Way to happiness” at,: QUT Kelvin Grove Campus - 20 Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane. Swami Sadyojathah is the Director of International Affairs, The Art of Living Foundation and has dedicated his life to the service of humanity. It is rare to meet a man who in his twenties was both a Royal Prince and a Communist – and who left both behind to become an internationally renowned Yogi. By his forties he had helped revive the world’s oldest medical system, married it to Western medicine – and founded a world class teaching hospital for Ayurvedic and Allopathic medicine. As a peace activist he organised the International Conference on World Peace and is a sought after speaker on global peace platforms.
His ability to inspire and connect with people globally has resulted in tens of thousands of people in 40 countries learning the art of meditation from him. His interest in Reconciliation and Harmony in Diversity has led thousands of cultural custodians, musicians and dancers to participate in two World Culture Festivals which he helped orchestrate. Born into the Royal Family of Kerala, India – Swamiji devotes his life to the service of humanity as directed by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Swami is a Sanskrit term and denotes one who has attained a high level of universal yogic knowledge and is dedicated to uplifting society. In the past 20 years, Swamiji has taught tens of thousands of people in over 40 countries to meditate and he continuously travels internationally to help create a violence free, stress free world. Swamiji has toured Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the Middle East, Japan, Korea, Russia, the USA, Thailand, Indonesia and Africa. Guests of honour at the lecture included Umesh Chandra President Queensland Multicultural Council, Mrs Usha Chandra President GOPIO Qld and Palani Thevar President FICQ.
24 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
All World Gayatri Pariwar “Toli” visits Brisbane
THREE members (Toli) of All World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP) visited Brisbane, they came to Brisbane after visiting Fiji, where the next Ashwamedha Gayatri Mahayug will take place in June 2019. Their visit also acts as a promotion for the upcoming Ashwamedha Gayatri Mahayug. The last Ashwamedha Gayatri Mahayug took place in Brisbane. The members of the “Toli” are very experienced in their fields; one is a singer, one on tabla and one as the main preacher. AWGP has a branch in Brisbane
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and they were instrumental in organising the last Ashwamedha Gayatri Mahayug. Programs by AWGP “Toli” were held at various locations in Brisbane including Gayati Mandir Boondall, Queensland Vedic Centre and at residences of AWGP Brisbane chapter members. The two night’s program at Gayatri Mandir was organised by Umesh and Usha Chandra, the overall tour was arranged by Brahma Deo a staunch member of AWGP Brisbane. Brahma Deo has visited Shantikunj Haridwar, the headquarters of AWGP. AWGP Brisbane thanked the management of Gayatri Mandir Boondall and management of Queensland Vedic Centre for making available their premises for this program. AWGPs devotional radio programs can be heard on Australian Indian Radio every Saturday and Sunday morning from 6am till 7 am. Call 07 3865 6533
Call 07 3865 6533
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 25
Book Review: A Fiji Diary: Reminiscences and Reflections of a Newsman
By Dr Shailendra Singh A FIJI DIARY: Reminiscences and Reflections of a Newsman, is a selection of revised and updated writings by Mr Vijendra Kumar, the former editor of The Fiji Times, compiled into an engaging and highly readable book. The 13 sections and 100-odd pages combine Kumar’s personal experiences and journalistic views to provide unique insights into some major events that shook Fiji, and shaped its future. The portrayal is enriched by anecdotes of Kumar’s encounters with some important personalities who, for better or worse, influenced the country’s destiny. Fiji’s founding Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara features quite heavily. Competing with him for space is Sitiveni Rabuka of the 1987 coup notoriety. At the narrative’s heart are the vivid accounts of Kumar’s remarkable life story while growing up in Nadi. What emerges is a fascinating portrait of the simplicities as well as the complexities of a life lived in Fiji — a depiction many Fijians would readily identify with. Kumar started in journalism humbly enough: as a self-taught, underpaid, and sometimes unpaid proofreader cum reporter/editor of the National Federation Party (NFP) mouthpiece, the weekly Pacific Review. Duties included errands to collect editorial copy from party leader, the late AD Patel’s home. In the book, the prominent Nadi lawyer comes across as somewhat snooty — a pukka sahib in Kumar’s words — and rather tardy with deadlines, often giving Kumar the runaround. When he plucked the courage to ask for his pay, Kumar was shown the empty office till. On a lucky week, he received $25. This saw Kumar take up high school teaching, a job he stuck with for 12 years, before returning to his true calling as a reporter, but this time at The Fiji Times, in 1969. Within six years, Kumar had become the first local editor at the iconic national daily, up till then largely an expatriate stronghold. His resignation in 1991 and subsequent migration to Australia was a consequence of Fiji’s first coup in 1987. Kumar dwells on the coup at length, which is hardly surprising, since the coup’s impact was not just stunning, but also enduring. The trauma was felt deeply, both at the national and personal levels. During his time in Australia, Kumar served as a subeditor at the Courier Mail in Brisbane, before retiring in 2001. It was a remarkable journey for a descendent of Indian indentured labourers; one who left home at the tender age of six to live with his aunt to gain access to better education. Kumar’s insights matter: As the editor of The Fiji Times, he was at the vantage of major developments in the country’s history, observing them unfold, interpreting them, and reporting their impacts nationally. In the first chapter, ‘Goodbye to Paradise’, it’s apparent that even a newspaperman like him was taken in by Fiji’s relative post-independence calm. The mirage was shattered by the 1987 Sitiveni Rabuka nationalist coup. In Kumar’s view, the coup turned Fiji into a “purgatory for half its people”. The post-coup media crackdown created a precarious envi-
• Book launch November 2016 in Brisbane.
ronment for journalists. Kumar writes that the editorship was always a “hot seat” but after the coup the “heat became almost unbearable”. After four years of “harassment, intimidation and outright threats, he felt that he could no longer discharge his professional duties with “honestly and without fear”. Kumar expresses disappointments and regrets without rancour. His measured analysis demonstrates an astute knowledge of Fiji politics and a deep respect for Fijian culture. ‘The Fall of a Titan’ was his tribute to Ratu Mara after his death in April 2004. Kumar notes that the Rabuka coups not only signalled the death of democracy, but also the fall of a titan in Ratu Mara, who hastened his own demise by failing first to condemn the coup, and then, by leading the post-coup regime. Coups are by nature replete with irony. Mara was accused of being behind the very coup that, in the eyes of many, tarnished his record. The suspicions were fuelled by none other than a brooding Rabuka, who said he felt used and betrayed by the coup’s unseen power-brokers. In Kumar’s view, Ratu Mara “dedicated his life to his country” and will be “kindly judged by history. The Pacific Island states have produced no greater son,” he writes. But Ratu Mara critics, who accuse him of a litany of sins — ranging from racism to corruption, and crony capitalism to political opportunism — would strongly disagree with Kumar. Like many a leader, Ratu Mara was a controversial figure. The team of reporters that Kumar headed did not spare Mara, even though Kumar had gotten to know him personally. If Kumar’s portrayal in the book sounds more forgiving, it’s probably because of hindsight and reflection. His evaluation possibly stems from a more holistic analysis of Ratu Mara’s record, and a healthier appreciation of human frailties. Even Gandhi is reported to have had skeletons in his closet. Ratu Mara tried to be a political centrist, and if he failed, the fault wasn’t his alone. The middle ground in an ethnicallydivided country like Fiji is a precariously fine line. It’s a slippery slope that has claimed quite a few political scalps, such as the doomed multi-racial coalition headed by opposition leader Jai Ram Reddy and Prime Minister Rabuka in 1999. Rabuka’s fall in particular added to the ironies of the 1987 coup. Kumar highlights a number of such political absurdities. His soft side surfaces in his tribute to the late Irene Jai Narayan. The fiery Narayan was shunned by her National Federation Party electorate after she crossed the floor to join Ratu Mara’s Alliance Party in 1987.
Kumar not only dissects Narayan’s defection, but he also highlights her distinguished service to the country. “She lit a spark among women,” he states. Fiji academic, Professor Satendra Nandan pins down Kumar’s style best in the book’s foreword: Kumar “provides a balanced picture with a rare generosity of mind, but often with sharp and discriminating insights.” This attitude explains why Kumar was a highly-regarded newspaper editor, even in the face of growing skepticism about the ethics of a market-driven media, increasingly locked in fierce ratings and circulation wars. Academics like McNair and Fallow have drawn attention to the emergence of an increasingly aggressive form of journalism that has given rise to a “decline of deference”, with political leaders considered prized targets. This trend marks a wide paradigm shift in political reporting — from “healthy skepticism” and an “independent, adversarial relationship with politics”, to a “corrosively cynical and hyper-adversarial” posture. Media researcher Spiess calls it “attack dog journalism” — an aggressive reporting strain that goes beyond the watchdog role and harms “fledgling democracies” by “nurturing intolerance and diminishing faith” in leaders. Some media analysts partly attribute the fall of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry’s Government in 2000 to media hyper-adversarialism. Others see media hyperadversarialism as just a theory. But even as a theory, media hyper-adversarialism is pertinent for a vulnerable, multi-ethnic democracy such as Fiji. In Fiji, sound and mature editorial judgments are crucial for public trust and confidence, especially in crisis situations. In this respect, it’s likely that Kumar’s clear-thinking and foresightedness helped steer The Fiji Times through the dangerous 1987 coup waters without sinking into oblivion. The second coup in September 1987 forced the paper’s closure for seven weeks. It reopened after direct representations to Rabuka, who only asked that the paper not publish inflammatory material. Regrettably, Fiji’s second national newspaper, the Fiji Sun, which had also bravely criticized Rabuka’s actions, closed for good after the first coup. While forced out of Fiji by circumstances, Kumar, like many exiles, is still emotionally attached to the country. His multicultural outlook is reflected in his qualified support for Voreqe Bainimarama’s 2006 coup. In ‘The Rise of a Reformer’, first published in 2012, Kumar sees Bainimarama’s mission as reforming a flawed, racially-based political system and building a stronger democracy. Overall, Kumar’s disdain of a coup culture is evident. He writes: “Although coup-makers’ corpses eventually end up rotting on the dung heap of history, the countries experiencing such dislocation continue to wallow in a social, economic and political quagmire for a long time.” Kumar then poses a poignant question: ‘Can Fiji go against the tide of history?’ That is no doubt the silent prayer of many a coup-jaded Fijian. *A Fiji Diary: Reminiscences and Reflections of a Newsman, is available at, and can be ordered through, the USP Bookshop, Laucala Campus, Suva. Dr Shailendra Singh is the Senior Lecturer and head of Journalism at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. His views are not necessarily shared by his employer. Feedback: shailendra.singh@usp.ac.fj
MultiConnexions launches MCX Talent at Melbourne Lunar New Year ‘Roostail’ event “Multiculturalism is the unstoppable global trend that Australia is leading” MELBOURNE, Australia: MultiConnexions, Australia’s largest independent multicultural marketing agency, has launched MCX Talent, the company’s new cultural talent arm on the sidelines of the company’s ‘Roostail’ Lunar New Year Asian insights evening held at Melbourne’s Chinese Museum. Sheba Nandkeolyar, CEO, MultiConnexions announced the launch of MCX Talent, which will help marketers and agencies fill the gap existing in the market for culturally diverse talent. Multicultural audiences make up 27 per cent of Australia, according to ABS Data, and a new audience arrives in Australia every minute. These new audiences are the fastest growing market segments in Australia, controlling close to $100 billion of all household expenditure. Nandkeolyar said, “Multiculturalism is the unstoppable global trend Australia is leading. The cultural landscape of Australia is changing, and some new audiences are a must-have for marketers in the marketing 26 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
mix - Indian, and Chinese audiences, among others.” MultiConnexions Director of Strategy and Insights, Kaiyu Li, highlighted how cultural insights can connect brands more meaningfully with these new audiences. He also discussed the enormous potential for brands in tapping into the feelings of fondness and
nostalgia that many new audiences and multicultural Australians have for their country of origin. MCX Talent, part of MultiConnexions Group, will help brands, organisations and events showcase Australia’s cultural diversity in a more authentic way. The new arm will be headed by Georgina Lionatos, Direc-
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tor of Client Services at MultiConnexions. Lionatos said, “The face of Australia is changing and marketers need to avoid tokenistic use of talent but rather focus on being authentic and using talent that will resonate with the audiences being portrayed.” The MCX Talent cast of talent reflects Australia’s cultural diversity, and includes talent for stills and photography; talent for video, television commercials and films; voice over talent in a range of languages; promotional staff fluent in languages other than English; cultural performers for events; event MCs and hosts; and community ambassadors to represent brands or organisations among other talent. The Roostail evening gave guests a sample of MCX Talent with an authentic Chinese experience wherein they enjoyed listening to the Chao Feng Orchestra, had their fortune told by a Chinese Feng Shui fortune teller, and tried their hand at mah-jong, led by two masters. Call 07 3865 6533
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 27
Who, What, Where, When
• Devotees at All World Gayatri Pariwar “Toli” program held at Gayatri Mandir, Boondall. Full report page 24.
• Reunion of one of the original committee members of Gayatri Mandir Boondall.
• Dharam Guru Acharya Pt Ram Harsh Tripathi Jee giving Ashirvaad to the four hardworking volunteers of Shree Vishnu Maya Mandir. (Ravi,Sonal, Rajneel and Sharneel) Photo courtesy Devika Maharaj.
• Kerry Xynias with her Mum and Usha Chandra at the Griffith University Asia Perspective “Disappearing Railways of India” at GOMA.
• Devotees offering puja on the Shiv Ling during MahaShiv Ratri at Shree Vishnu Maya Mandir with Mantras and prayers recited by Bharat Solanki.Photo Devika Maharaj.
• Devotees at Shree Vishnu Maya Mandir during MahaShivratri Celebration. Photo courtesy Devika Maharaj.
• The New Zealand Thirumurugan Temple, located at 145 Church Steet, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand celebrated Mahotsavam-2017 from 2nd February to 15th February. Photo’s courtesy Thilliar Varnakulasingham. 28 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 29
Who, What, Where, When
• Above & Left: Ram Khata at Nirbhay Nand residence in Ooah Circuit, Buccan. The khata was for three days 26th- 28th of January 2017. The Parchark for the Khata was Mr Sajna Nand of Sydney and on Tabla was our brother Mr Joseph Abhay Nand. I would like to thank all the family and friends who have supported my family in this special program to make this a very successful. Special thanks to my parents who came all the way from USA and the families who have travelled from overseas, Melbourne and Sydney.
• Complete houseful of devotees at Mahashivratri at Gayatri Mandir, Boondall.
• Lord Mayor Graham Quirk welcomed thousands of international students in Brisbane at the City Welcome Festival on 4 March at City Botanic Gardens. Full report page 20 .
• Left & Above: Sant Nirankari Mission (Universal Brotherhood), Brisbane participated in the Clean Up Australia Day. Umesh & Usha Chandra participated in cleaning drive and tree plantation. Umesh Chandra is pictured above addressing the congregation. Full report page 24. 30 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 31
The mysterious immortals Sojourns flourish because ‘good people of the Himalayas make good places’ From Dhaval Vyas Ahmedabad. India Part 2
• Pratik Vashisht, front office manager, at the Leela Palace in Bengaluru (Bangalore). Photo: Rama Gaind
By Rama Gaind Part 1
It was in this magnificent property that front office manager Pratik Vashisht displayed the essence of the AWARD winning Indian novelist ultimate in customer service: no reAnita Desai was so right when she quest was impossible. Respect and said, “wherever you go becomes a part prompt and courteous service was alof your somehow”. ways forthcoming. Travelling can do that to you. Of What’s more, his staff — Neha Bhatcourse, at first, some experiences may tacharjee who made us feel welcome astound before turning you into a sto- on arrival by escorting us to our room, ryteller. The people you meet, the F&B manager Abhishek Kar and night friendships that prevail, memories that duty manager Hitender Rathore — linger and iconic visual images that were the quintessence of affability. evoke feelings of awe can sometimes Leela Palace New Delhi leave you speechless. New Delhi, India’s capital, stands as a As the wanderlust gets you, travel ex- fine example of heritage co-existing poses you not only to new cultures, with urban aspirations. Sightseeing gives you a chance to visit quintessen- should include visits to the Red Fort, tial tourist destinations, but above all India Gate, Jama Masjid, Humayun’s provides an opportunity to Tomb and Qutub Minar. meet some amazing At the end of the day, people. comfort is compleSome of the mented by impecmost interestcable service ing encounfrom staff at ters are the Leela fellow travPalace in ellers, and New Delhi. the people Such was the you meet at case where hotels which consideration is your tempowas uppermost rary abode where from sous chef comfort is of Ashmeet Singh the essence. Jolly and assisSous chef Ashmeet Singh Jolly ensures appetisContentment in •ing breakfast treats are laid out at the Leela tant restaurant luxurious sur- Palace hotel in New Delhi. Photo: Rama Gaind manager Neeraj rounds is univerSharma at The sally appreciated. After all, people will Qube as we particularly enjoyed new forget what you say and do, but they dishes for breakfast, and Shilpi Varshwill never forget how you made them ney, assistant manager of PR & Marfeel. keting Communications, who ensured Guests need to savour their ‘home that our stay went without a fault. away from home’ experience. JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu Discovering that elusive, special feel- Boasting an unparalleled location ing is a perennial quest. A thought that overlooking the sparkling Arabian Sea reverberates comes from Anna is the JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu. Sewell’s Black Beauty: “It is good peo- Make yourself comfortable here with ple who make good places”. some incredible views to the sprawling Here are revelations from my stay at Juhu Beach. six hotels in India during 2016 … in Serving us in the executive lounge upthe order of the visits. I reflect on three stairs, Prashant agreed with our comLeela Palace hotels, two JW Marriott ments about the crisp, positive quality complexes and the Country Inn and of the Jacob’s Creek chardonnay, Suites in Katra. The impressions are while Priyesh was attentive, ensuring second-to-none, and beyond all expec- the masala chai met the ordered retations! quirements. Here is the first of a two-part series: Feast on an international fare and inLeela Palace Bengaluru (Bangalore) dulge in views to the sea while dining This is garden city’s only modern at the Lotus Café. After a scrumptious palace hotel that stands out as a sym- meal, from the lavish buffet spread, an bol of exemplary luxury. The IT hub ice cream is a must from the London of the country, Bengaluru is India’s Dairy. third-largest city. Travel far enough so that life does not Architecturally-inspired by the re- escape us and you are “bound to meet splendent Royal Palace of Mysore, the yourself!” Leela Palace hotel stands majestically among acres of lush green gardens in Rama Gaind travelled at her own exBengaluru. pense. 32 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
MR Farrel returned to the camp. Indeed, people had been searching for him. Mr. Farrel narrated the incident to the king. They then left that place and pitched the camp some 200 yards away. By the evening of that day a young man did indeed come searching for that place. After satisfying himself in all respects, he sat down there. In the meantime, Mr. Farrel also reached there. His curiosity was getting more and more intense as the time passed. In a short while sadhu too reached there. Mr. Farrel and the young man touched his feet and stood waiting for his instructions. That place was in the centre of a grove of trees.. After lighting the fire sadhu did some puja, recited some mantras and told us to sit down in a meditating posture. A ray of light emanated from his forehead and a circular spot of light appeared on the trunk of a thick tree. Then whatever was seen in the spot was just like a cinema where they saw the characters actually walking and talking. Like a movie, they saw the events of the previous birth of that youth with their own naked eyes. In between that youth used to get excited and would say – ‘Yesyes I had done that’. At the end, that youth touched the feet of that sadhu and said “Lord! Now my attachment with the mundane world is broken. I am ready to take up the unfinished sadhana of my previous life. Please guide me so that I can complete the unfinished task.” The Sadhu said – “My son! Today you take rest here. In the morning, you return to your home. At an appropriate time, I will call you.” After that Mr Farrel did not know when that youth was called again? What he became later and with what name he became popular? But he became a staunch devotee of Indian religion and spirituality. This incident has been narrated by Mr. Farrel himself in an article in the May 17, 1959 issue of Saptahik Hindustan (a weekly Hindi magazine). A similar incident is narrated to have happened in the life of a famous Indian yogi Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri, popularly known as Lahiri Mahashay, in the book “An autobiography of a Yogi”, by Swami Yogananda. Lahiri Mahashay happened to be Yoganand’s Dada Guru. He too was called by Babaji, an immortal siddha of Himalayas, who taught him the science of kriya yoga so that this knowledge does not become extinct. Indian scriptures are filled with descriptions of immortal souls like Shiva, Bhairav, Hanuman, Ashwatthama and many siddhas. There is a story in Kalki Purana, which goes like this. When Lord Kalki saw that the entire world has sunk neck-deep in perversities like sex indulgence, anger, greed, attachment, ego, laziness, etc. and the light of the souls had been extinguished, he decided to guide the masses groping in the darkness of ignorance. The darkness was dense. The entire world was badly trapped in the materialistic pursuits and the pleasures of the senses. Lord Kalki felt www.indiantimes.com.au
that he lacked the power required for this awakening of the masses. Then his spiritual mentor Parashuram called him to the Himalayas and made him undertake a penance at a place where he (Parashuram) had himself done it. This penance awakened the enormous power, which was needed for the transformation of the era, within Kalki. Lord Parshuram was born in Vedic Yuga, which came much earlier than the Kaliyuga. His presence in Kaliyuga too is an indication of his immortality and a testimony of the fact that immortal souls like him are still present in the Himalayas. Dr. Hari Dutta Bhatta, Shailesh has given an interesting description of his mountaineering experience of Janwali (Garhwal) hill, which is 22000 feet above the sea level, in Dharmayuga (Hindi weekly, 22nd August 1964 issue). He was convinced that some supernormal power saved him and his group from getting buried under a landslide. All these incidents prove the fact that immortal souls possessing fierce supernatural power are still present in the Himalayas and they will remain there for an infinite time. Modern scientists are also actively engaged in the research for finding the elixir of life. Zoologists of Russia, France, Britain, Germany, USA, etc. have been investigating for a long time the process of aging and death. On the basis of the results obtained so far, they have concluded that death is not an inevitable phenomenon. Aging is a kind of disease. If it be possible to find a cure for it, a person could live for a thousand years. The modes and methods of kayakalpa (rejuvenation) mentioned in Ayurveda also prove this fact. In fact death is the result of collapse of life sustaining mechanism in the body. The gradual reduction in the efficiency of the body organs is the cause of senility, leading to death. If the life sustaining mechanisms are kept healthy and if the process of cell renewal is kept intact, a human being could be kept alive for an infinite time. Genes are immortal so there is no inevitability of bodily death. After studying Ayurveda, one can easily conclude that ancient seers and scholars had identified several herbs, fruits and chemicals, which help in the rejuvenation of the body. There is a popular phrase. “A person does not eat food; it is the food that eats up a person.” Our physical body is nourished by blood. The latter provides oxygen to the entire body. Oxygen and other nerve fluids sustain consciousness in the body. All this is accomplished through emotions. It is the thoughts and emotions that give rise to secretions of hormones. These hormones control the metabolic processes within the body. Therefore, it appears that the responsibility of keeping the body healthy rests with our emotions and thoughts which are the real essence of life. There is a bird called ‘Salyon’, which gets sick after laying eggs. After investigation it has been found that after laying the eggs, her pituitary gland (which is centre of thoughts and emotions), gets excited and it starts secreting a hormone called A.C.T.H in huge quantities, which leads to her
sickness. This has been found in the case of some other creatures as well. This shows that, if a person makes his thought process robustly positive and keeps his food light, he can keep himself alive and active for a long time. Modern science has no knowledge of the thought control mechanism. Is there any power in the sentiments, which can catch in its purest form the life (genes) floating in the sky? This vidya (knowledge) is known only to Indian yogis. But now scientists too are agreeing with this. For example in 1975 some zoologists of Strasberg carried out an experiment for changing the genes of a duck. Two ducks, one of Campbell variety and the other of Pekish variety, were chosen. The DNA of the first were injected in the second and that of the second one were injected in the first. This gave rise to change in the color of both. Within a few days the dust colour of Campbell started appearing in the Pekish variety and the neck of Campbell variety started getting white. Science can perform only a few experiments of this type. Changing one or two chromosomes is the first step towards success. The reproductive cells of a human being contain about 10 billions pairs of nucleotides and every pair has 46 chromosomes. It is difficult to change the behavior of a person without changing them. Then there are several cells in the body, which after being formed never change. The question of keeping them healthy is much a more daunting task. It will take a long time for science to search the solution for this. But that knowledge already exists in the science of yoga and Indian chemical methods. This needs unbiased scientific research of a different type. This depends on appropriate environment in addition to difficult sadhanas. For this purpose scientists have suggested that atmospheric temperature should be subzero. Mr Clark in his book ‘Space Odyssey’ has written that in order to undertake space voyage lasting for 200 to 400 yrs, it will be essential to keep the space voyager in the sleeping state at sub zero temperatures. Looked at from this scientific finding, the existence of immortal beings in the perennially frozen regions of the Himalayas cannot be considered as a myth. In fact, Himalayan region has been a special haven of true Yogis and Mahatmas from times immemorial. The likes of great yogis who have lived in this sacred region cannot be found elsewhere. It is said that there is Gyangaj Yogashram in Tibet, which is a training institute for yogis. Hundreds of such yogis are reported to be living and researching into the mysteries of the inner realms. This Siddhashram isolate in the subtlephysical realm is not accessible or visible to ordinary persons. Only psychically awakened and gifted Sadhaks have the privilege of entry into this Siddhashram. Editor note: Part 1 was published in January 2017 issue, error from BIT saw the delay in publishing of Part 2. To read the article in its entirety please email prod@indiantimes.com.a, we apologise for any inconvenience. Call 07 3865 6533
Hindu Cultural Hub at Clayfield News….
Maha Shivarathri – History and Significance Courtesy: Mrs. Sujatha Vasudevan MAHA Shivarathri is an important festival for the Shivites (those who worship Lord Shiva as their main deity). This festival is observed in the Tamil month of Maasi (Phalguna or Maagha) during mid-February. Maha Shivaratri, which literally means the ‘The Great Night of Shiva’ is celebrated on the 13th day or the 14th night of this month in the dark fortnight or Krishna Paksha. This is a very important festival for Shivites as Vaikunta Ekadashi is for devotees of Lord Vishnu and Navarathri is celebrated to worship Durga-Lakshmi and Sarawathi. The astrologers say that on this day the positions of the planets are such that they automatically raise the spiritual ability of a person. During Maha Shivarathri the devotees observe fast during the day and chant the names of Lord Shiva. In the evening they visit the Shivalayam (temple) to get the darshan of Lord Shiva. Abishekams are performed to Lord Shiva amidst chanting of vedic mantras like Rudram and Chamakam, four times during the night corresponding to the four jamas. Bajans and songs in praise of Lord Shiva or Bholenath as he is fondly called are sung throughout the night to keep the devotees en-
could not find it but Lord Brahma lied and took the support of a flower (Ketaki Flower). Lord Shiva was very angry at this and cursed Lord Brahma that no one will pray him and there will be no temples for him. From that day onwards Ketaki flowers are also not offered to any deities. At midnight on this auspicious night, Abishekam is performed to Lingothbhavar. (The Lord without the Beginning or the End). This year Indian Prime Minister Modi unveiled a 112 ft statue of Lord Shiva in Coimbatore constructed by The Isha Foundation. Visit www.ishafoundation.org/?global for more details.
gaged. The prayer concludes after the last pooja in the early hours of the following day. There are several stories to explain the importance of this night in the internet and other sources. One such story is narrated below: Once Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma were arguing as to who was superior and went to Lord Shiva for judging. Lord Shiva appeared as a huge pillar of light and told them to find the head and the toe (Adhi and Antham). After a while, Lord Vishnu accepted that he
The Hindu Cultural Hub The Hindu Cultural Hub at Clayfield is a centre to congregate and promote spiritual, cultural and educational needs of local community and wider Hindu society in Brisbane. Devotees and friends assemble at the Bar-Jai Community Hall (178, Alexandra Road, Clayfield) last Friday of each month between 6.30pm to 9pm. Mahashivarathri was celebrated on Friday 24th at the Hub where Rudram and Chamakam were recited by Dr Naren Kumar and Sri Vasudevan followed by Siva Pooja.
Dr Naren Kumar explained the oldest Vedic Mantra Rudram to the devotees followed by my explanation of different narratives of this important day in the Hindu calendar. The devotees chanted Shivapuranam and this was flowed by Aaarthi and annadhanam prepared by the devotees. Stay Connected Our next cultural congregation falls on 31st of March 2017. As a standard practice, we have the following program at the Bar-Jai Hall: Pooja by Hindu Priest Bajan and Kirtan by devotees Monthly religious updates / guest speakers on spiritual (or) on yoga techniques Prasatham with vegetarian dinner served Session conclude with relevant social justice updates and public notices. We are currently interested in building our networks and relations with different communities around local and Brisbane area. If you are interested to get involved, please contact us on 0469 016 416 or 0423 114 365 or alternatively contact Sathiya: sathiya.ramakrishnan@gmail.com. More details can be found at our web site: http://www.hinduculturalhub.org/
Vairagya – Detachment VAIRAGYA is a Sanskrit term that translates as detachment, dispassion or renunciation. It relates to detachment from the torments and pleasures of the material world. Hindu scriptures acknowledge Vairagya as a means of attaining Moksha, salvation from the cycle of birth, death and associated consequences. Vairagya has been described in detail in Patanjali Yogasutra’s Dhyana or Concentration section. According to the Yogasutra, Yoga is the restraint of mind from wandering around. Sutra 1.12 states that Abhayasa or Practice and Vairagya can help control the mind. Sutra 1.15 defines Vairagya as the effect that comes to those who give up their desire for objects, either seen or heard, and the craving to control them. Consequently, Vairagya is an essential element in achieving concentration of the mind that will lead a person to achieve his/her objectives in current life and union with the Divine after death. Similar views have been expressed in the Bhagavad Gita. Lord Krishna recognizes the restlessness and fickleness of the mind, which confuse a person during the decision making process. These weaknesses of the mind can be overcome by Practice and Vairagya (verse 6.35). Verse 13.8 of the Gita lists Detachment from sense objects as one of the main constituents of true knowledge that a spiritually knowledgeable person possesses. Yoga Vashishtha, another ancient text, has described in detail the role of Vairagya in overcoming worldly pains and achieving salvation. The book contains teachings of sage Vashishtha who enlightens Rama with spiritual knowledge before his departure from Ayodhya with sage Vishwamitra to help save the latter’s fire sacrifice. An important book on Vairagya is Vairagya Shatakam, a collection of one hundred verses written by Bhartrihari, a brother of the famous Indian king Vikramaditya. Bhartrihari was a Sanskrit poet who wrote a number of books including Subhashita Trishati. Even now many Sadhus, holy men, sing Vairagya poems credited to Bhartrihari in vernacular languages of the regions they visit while wandering around villages and populated centers. Scholars describe four stages in achieving Vairagya. The first stage is an attempt not to allow the mind to wander into worldly attractions. In the second stage, one identifies the objects of attraction and endeavors to cut off that attachment. During the third stage, senses are subdued from attachments but the mind has likes and dislikes. In the fourth stage, objects no longer tempt the person and the mind is free from likes and dislikes. Vairagya is classified in a number of categories by followers of different religious traditions. According to one classification, Vairagya is of three types known as Manda or dull, Tivra or intense and Tivratara or very intense. Manda Vairagya is compared to the feeling of detachment felt during cremation Call 07 3865 6533
of a dead person. This feeling disappears soon as people return to their normal lives. The other two types have lasting effect depending upon the personality of the person observing Vairagya. Vairagya is one of the most influential motivations to help a person to disconnect from worldly attractions. It inspires hundreds of thousand of Hindus all over the world to become a Sadhu. Almost all denominations of Hinduism and other Indian origin religions commend Vairagya. This is physically evident from the multiple types of Sadhus that can be seen in Indian villages, towns, holy places and elsewhere throughout the community. Sadhus have been an integral part of Hindu society since earliest recorded history. Their influence has also been detailed in ancient Greek writings. It is a common understanding that to become detached, one has to leave his/her family, relatives and friends. This understanding has been used as a way to escape individual’s undesirable situations. Some people, mostly men, leave their family and dependent children and become a Sadhu in the name of Vairagya, causing immense hardship to their family. They justify their action through misinterpretation of the spirit behind the concept of Vairagya. Such actions of individuals have not gone unnoticed by religious scholars and poets. Verses from Doha 97 to 100 of Uttarkand Ramcharit Manas vividly explain their behavior and actions that distort the concept of Vairagya. Their actions are misguided; serve their self-interest and cause unbearable hardship to their families and society in general. Hindu Scriptures often quote the example of king Janak, the ancient ruler of the kingdom of Mithila. He is described in religious texts as a perfect Vairagi or the most detached person. He had full knowledge of religion, duties and spiritual disciplines. Despite being mentally detached from worldly temptations he was a family man. He performed all his obligations of a king and family person as a sacred duty. Other texts referenced earlier stressed the importance of performing Karma or Action without attachment to achieve one’s objectives, whether it is to become a Yogi or to attain victory in a battle or to achieve spiritual enlightenment. The essence of Vairagya is not in renouncing duties of one’s stage in life and status in society but to perform them without a sense of attachment to them. Vairagya has been described in these influential texts as a means to help achieve Purushartha or the Objects of Existence in this life, and Moksha after that. More information on Hinduism will follow in the next edition of BIT. Awadhesh Sharma
Sushi secrets for a long life QUT Health ELOISE Adsett’s ambition to foster good nutrition on a global level will get a boost when she travels to Japan later this year to delve into the diet secrets of a long life. The QUT nutrition and dietetics student was among eight QUT students presented with highly competitive New Colombo Plan Scholarships by the Australian Government in Canberra in November. Eloise will spend a year abroad including a semester at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, where she will gain insights into why Japanese people have one of the world’s longest life expectancies. She will also do a language course and spend six months interning. “Japan is one of Australia’s closest partners and we share a similar demographic profile of an advanced industrialised country with an ageing population,” Eloise said. “We can learn a lot from Japan about health and nutrition. The country has the highest life expectancy in the world and an interesting traditional diet and culture. “Diet alone cannot explain Japanese longevity, but it is considered to be a key contributor. The traditional diet is rich in fish and soybean products, vegetables, and grain foods like rice and noodles, is low in saturated fat, and processed foods are rare. “Hopefully, after spending an extended period of time in Japan, I will better know how the Japanese prepare, cook and consume their food, and how this is linked to their health.” Eloise’s exchange won’t be her first trip to Asia. She spent two weeks getting a taste of Japan in January and also spent two weeks of her holidays doing a summer program in biodiversity and culture at Taylor’s University in Malaysia with 15 other QUT students. Eloise graduated from Grace Lutheran College with an OP1 and entered QUT as a Vice-Chancellor’s Scholar.
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She said she chose to study nutrition and dietetics because of its impact on all humans. “I am passionate about good nutrition and food security for all, as well as sustainable food systems,” she said. “Food is more than just a source of fuel – it is something that brings people together, something consumed when celebrating and to show love, and it is integral component of culture. “Food can alter our mood and certainly impacts our health in a myriad of ways. More broadly, the production of food influences peoples’ livelihood, the economy and the environment. “After graduating, it would be my dream to work for an NGO, such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), and help drive positive change in food security and food sustainability.” In addition to her QUT studies, Eloise has worked part-time with an optometrist, a northside hospital, and as a tutor. She has also volunteered to help the young and the old with organisations including Youth Food Movement Australia, Kids Dig Food and Meals on Wheels. Eloise said her exchange to Japan would be another step toward becoming ‘a wellrounded, globally aware, and culturally competent health professional’. And, of course, it will also be a chance to sample some amazing food. “One of my favourite things about travel is trying the local cuisine, and I cannot wait to try all the culinary delights that Japan has to offer!” she said. “It was one of the deciding factors as to why I chose to apply for Japan over other IndoPacific countries. I love the intricacy, artistry and simplicity of many Japanese foods. I would be hard-pressed to choose a favourite, but a bento box is always a memorable meal - a beautifully presented selection of tasty morsels, albeit of largely unknown ingredients!”
THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 33
Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Queensland Inc
AUM PRANAYAM FOR PERFECT PEACE
Jitendra Deo President APSQ
THE Vedic Rishis, sages and saints had paved a perfect path of peace and prosperity for mankind. Among them Patanjali Rishi in his thought and practice of YOGA led us to Ashtanga Yoga or the eight-fold path to be walked on with ease. In the present age, Swami Satyapati Parivrajak has enlightened the common man on Yoga Darshan by his discourses and treatises. His book titled "Saral Yoga Se Ishwar Sakshatkar "(Simplified Yoga for God Realization) helps us achieve our aim of Peace: internal and external both. Pranayam, which leads to perfect peace, is a part of the Ashtanga Yoga. This eightfold path of Yoga comprises eight steps to realization of God. These are given hereunder: Yama or social ethics, Niyam or personal ethics, Asana or correct postures, Pranayam or control of breath, Pratyahara or drawing sensory organs back from sensuous pleasures,Dharana or intense concentration, Dhyana or meditation and Samadhi or communion with the Almighty. Pranayam cleanses a man or a woman of sins and ills. It gives a tremendous power of concentration, patience, perseverance and perfect health to a practitioner. A practitioner's personality achieves an all round development. Peace prevails thereafter. One moves a step closer towards realization of God and attainment of Moksha, that is, emancipation from the bondage of birth, death and rebirth. As per the Vedic philosophy of life, Moksha is the ultimate goal of a soul or the Jeevatma. Pran is our life-giving breath and Ayam means control. In other words Pranayam is control of the speed and sequence of inhalation and exhalation. In this sequence, the air that a person breathes in is called Shvasa and that which is breathed out is Prashvasa. A practitioner of Pranayam controls the process of Shvasa or inhalation and Prashvasa or ex-
halation as per his or her capacity. With a gradual practice, one may suspend the process of breathing-in and breathing-out for a period of one's own choosing without causing discomfort. There are certain pre-requisites to embarkation on a practice session. One should go by rules of personal and social ethics called Yama and Niyama. Yama comprises: Love and non-violence, Truth , Shunning-Urge to Steal, Celibacy and Non-possessiveness. Niyam comprises points of personal ethics like cleanliness, contentment (not to be mixed up with lack of initiative), austerity or absence from ostentation, continuous selfstudy and unflinching faith in the Almighty. Of course, a practitioner should learn to sit in the correct posture or Asana in a clean place and in a peaceful environment as far as possible. One should prepare one's self physically and mentally before starting a practice session of Pranayam. Let not the stomach be loaded with undigested food or drinks and let the bowels be empty. Ego, jealousy, avarice, greed, jealousy and other negative thoughts should be kept out of a practitioner's mind. Under the guidance of a Guru, make a beginning with a chant of AUM. Please exhale gradually and stop the air from making an entry until you feel uncomfortable. When stoppage of air outside the body makes you uncomfortable, breathein . One may do it thrice at the beginning. In the second phase, take the breath in and stop it inside. When you feel uncomfortable, take more air in. Then exhale slowly. At the beginning, practice thrice in the morning and thrice in the evening. One may do it many more times later depending on the stamina, will power and perseverance. Of course, intake of a balanced diet which promotes health plays a vital role in successful practices of Pranayam. There may be many variations in the method of practice but the ultimate goal remains the same as enunciated earlier. Let us pass on to the Bhramari Pranayam. Let the air go out of both the nostrils making a bee-like nasal sound rhythmically. It clears the respiratory passage and generates energy too. A practitioner may be able to keep common cold at arm's length. After a little gap of
time,one may practice Kapal Bhati. You may throw out with force through both the nostrils as much air as possible. Let the air come in again effortlessly and repeat the first action. If unbearable, please stop immediately. We may pass on to Bhasrika Pranayam. You may start doing Kapal Bhati in quick time, commencing with exhaling. One may call it internal jogging. Bhasrika tones up the breathing system tremendously and a practitioner will always earn a "Lungs Clear" certificate from his physician. Last but not the least in the present sequence is Nadi-shodhan. Let us start it by exhaling air from the left nostril while keeping the right one closed with the thumb, stopping the air outside till its absence becomes unbearable, inhaling and stopping the air in the lungs until it is time to release through the right nostril. Let this go on with a rhythm till you have completed the beginners' number, viz. - three in a session. One may go on and on with other variations in process but let us now say : period. One may ask what the mental activity will be while the process of Pranayam is going on. Well meditate on AUM or say silently the Pranayam mantra. It
Pastor Joseph Dass
34 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
Please contact Jitendra Deo 3273 3029 or Hari Chand 33454716 for information on activities of Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Queensland or visit: www.aryasamajqueensland.com or Facebook page for photos and updates.
Sound of rain...
Kavita Chandwani
Tune in To AIR every Tues & Sun (8pm AEST & 3pm IST) to listen to Bhule Bisre Geet with Kavita
is this: Aum Bhuh, Aum Bhuvah, Aum Swah, Aum Janah, Aum Tapah, Aum Satyam. The meditation or the silent chant will prevent the mind from aimless wandering and distraction. Further, it will enhance a Pranayam practitioner's capacity of concentration of mind tremendously. Let us not be oblivious of the cleansing of mind and bad Sanskara that is going on simultaneously. It is indeed benefit plus. Please remember, dear practitioner, Pranayam is for bodily, mental and spiritual enjoyment of a higher plane and a practitioner should never allow it to degenerate into a burden that may not be easy to carry and difficult to shake off. Wishing you all a happy and healthy Pranayam session for experiencing a spiritual pleasure or VEDIC ANAND. Adopted from Arya Samaj America By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
DEAR reader, it is our joy to bring to you the word of God. In the beginning when God put the first man on earth, His plan was that mankind would be blessed and fruitful. That through His blessings we would be drawn closer to Him. The good news is God’s plan has not changed. Scriptures remind us how God has restored all things through Jesus Christ. You cannot go about thinking thoughts of not enough and lack and expect to live a life of abundance. It is important to remember that God wants you to be blessed so you can be a blessing to others. Sometimes when you have been in the same situation for a long time it is easy to develop a mindset if things are ever going to change or get better in your life. In the scriptures we read that during the rule of King Ahab in Israel, there was a severe famine in the land (1Kings 18). It’s effect was being felt throughout the region. Poverty, lack and struggle was sweeping everywhere. The king himself went looking for water. The most important thing for them was rain. But after having no rain for more than 2 years, it almost felt like if there was ever going to be any rain. In the meantime he had lost 450 of his false prophets. About this time Elijah the prophet came up to the king and announced that rain was coming and he could hear the sound of abundance of rain. On his part the king had to obey what he heard. He went up to eat and drink. Once the king obeyed Elijah and waited on what was coming, he received abundance of rain soon after. The Kings lack was rain. Your lack could be in the area of faith, relationship or finances.
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Here are 3 things you can do this season to break away from a lack mindset and keep moving towards the abundance of God. - Stop focusing on what and who has left you and start focusing on what is coming. Hanging on to someone who is always speaking of lack and poverty can stop you from moving towards your blessings. The business did not work out, the company you worked for years suddenly wrapped up and went abroad, or the people who left you. Then know something that they did not stop or leave you, but you left them so you can move closer to your new season of abundance and blessing. Elijah heard the sound of abundance of rain. The king heard it through Elijah. He kept moving. - Do not neglect where God has called you to prepare. The king was told to go up eat and drink. This was a sign for him to get ready. It looked small but he had to be ready for the rain that was about to fill his dams, creeks and rivers. One of the best things you can do today is being faithful where you are and with what you have. In the scriptures we read of a master who put his servant in charge of many things once he proved to be faithful in a few things. Your day of preparation could be where you work, minister, attend church etc. So keep being faithful. - Walk with someone who has an abundance mindset. The bible says you walk with the wise and you will become wise. Elijah sent his servant to look towards the sea. On the seventh time the servant reported back that he saw a cloud the size of a hand. The servant only saw the small cloud, but Elijah went further and saw the bigger cloud being pulled behind the small cloud, with abundance of rain in it. Elijah understood the principle of being abundantly blessed. He had testimony of Gods provision and faithfulness. The king agreed with Elijah. Scripture says if two of you on earth agree about anything and ask for it, then God will do it for you. The King and his kingdom received in abundance what was missing. And so can you. God bless you. Ps Joseph Dass josephdass@optusnet.com.au Call 07 3865 6533
FATEHA AND ESAALE SAWAAB IS PERMISSIBLE IN ISLAM By Ml. M.Nawaaz Asfrafi WHAT does Ulema say about permissibility of Fateha of Imam Jafar Sadiq RA on 22 RAJAB which is termed as KOONDE? A) It is definitely permissible to do this Fatehah of Imam Jafar Sadiq RA in the holy month of Rajab. Faqih e Azam e Hind, Khalifa e Alahazrat, Hazrat Sadr us Sharia RA wrote: "MAH E RAJAB ME HAZRAT IMAM JAFAR SADIQ RA KO EESAL E SAWAB KELIE POORIO KE KOONDE BHARE JAATE HAIN OR FATEHA DILA KAR KHILATE HAIN , YE JAAIZ HAI " (Bahar e Shariat) Which means: In Holy month of Rajab it is permissible to this specific Fateha Shareef. But it can be done on the 15th because Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq RA demised on 15 Rajab. 1. All the Ulama-e-Haq and the Buzrugaan-e-Deen hold the belief that to send Esaale Sawaab to the souls of the deceased is permissible. 2. It is permissible for a Muslim to send the Sawaab of his deeds, such a Salaah, Saum, Zakaah, Hajj, Sadaqa, etc. to others. (Hidaya) 3. If a person kept Fast, performed his or her Salaah, or gave Sadaqa and then sent this Sawaab to another person, either living or deceased, then to do so is permissible, and that Sawaab reaches the said person. (Bahrur Raa'iq) 4. Hazrat Anas (radi Allahu anhu) asked the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam): "If we send Sawaab to the deceased, give Sadaqa and Khayraat and ask Du'a for them, does this reach them?" The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Verily it reaches them. Read Salaah for them as you read for yourself and fast for them as you fast for yourself. In other words, make Esaale Sawaab of Salaah and Saum for them." The meaning of this Hadith Shareef is that we should send the Sawaab of our actions to the deceased, since in reality one cannot perform Salaah and keep fast for another person or on his behalf, but we can send the Sawaab of our actions to them. 5. Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) has stated: "On the Days of Eid, the 10th of Muharram, the first Friday of Rajab, on Shabbe Baraat, and on Thursday nights, the souls of the deceased are left free to go to their homes, wherein they go and ask for Sadaqa and Khayraat. If they do not receive any Du'a or Fateha, then they return to their graves saddened and disappointed and they say, 'O Allah! They have deprived us, You deprive them'". 6. The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) as said: "When a person passes away and the family of the deceased gives Sadaqa, Khayraat and makes Du'a for him, then Sayyiduna Jibraeel (alaihis salaam) takes it to them in their graves on a tray that is beautifully decorated. When they receive this, they become so pleased as if someone in the world becomes pleased on receiving a gift, and his neighbour who has not received any Sawaab becomes sad". 7. Hazrat Sa'ad ibn Ubaadah (radi Allahu anhu) once came to the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) and said: "Ya Rasoolallah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)! My mother has passed away. What can I do for Esaale Sawaab?" The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Prepare a well for water". When the well was prepared, Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) went close to the well and made Du'a: "This is for the Esaale Sawaab for the mother of Saad". While making this Du'a, he raised his hands high, and after Du'a, he turned his hands over his blessed face. 8. For those who object to Fateha and Du'a, the following is for their perusal:8.1 It is allowed to make Du'a in front of the Niyaz (offering), as this is what the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) did by coming close to the well to make Du'a. 8.2 It is allowed to lift up the hands for Du'a and to end the Du'a by turning the hands over the face. 8.3 It is preferable to call a pious person to make the Du'a. 8.4 To make Fateha on Niyaz is allowed. If it were not, then the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) would not have made Du'a near the water, but would have said that the intention was sufficient. 8.5 For the person to obtain the Sawaab, it is not necessary to feed the Niyaz first, but Du'a can be made before this since the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) made Du'a even before any person drank out of the well. 9. Whosoever makes Khatam of the Holy Quran and then makes Du'a, 4 000 Angels say Aameen on his Du'a. They then continue making Du'a for him and they continue asking blessings for him until the morning or afternoon. (Tafseer Roohul Bayaan) 10. At the time of Khatam Shareef, there is a flow of mercy and to make Du'a after completing the Quran is Mustahab. 11. When Hazrat Anas (radi Allahu anhu) used to complete the Holy Quran, then he would call all his family and friends and make Du'a. (Jila'ul Afhaam) 12. When making Fateha, one should follow the procedure of the pious Saints. When making the Fateha, send the Sawaab to the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), the pious servants, the Companions, and then through their blessing, ask for it to be sent to the soul of the deceased. This is the prescribed method, and this is the method that the Ahle Sunnah has always followed. 13. By making Esaale Sawaab, it gives comfort to the deceased, pleases them, saves them from the torment of the grave, elevates their status and causes benefit to the sender as well as the receiver. Isra & Miraj - The Night Journey with Optional Prayers After the Prophet S performed the Evening Prayer (^Isha'), Jibril came to him with a white animal, slightly larger than a donkey yet smaller than a mule.
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This animal was the buraq,--one of the animals of Paradise. Jibril held the buraqby his ear and told the Prophet to mount it. When the buraq was mounted, the Prophet set forth. The buraq is a very fast animal; the length of the buraq's stride is the farthest distance its eye can see. The Prophet S and Jibril arrived to a land with palm trees. Jibril told the Prophet S to dismount and pray, so the Prophet dismounted the buraq and prayed two rak^as. Jibril asked him, "Do you know where you prayed?" and the Prophet S answered, "Allah knows best." Jibril told him, "This is Yathrib; this is Taybah. "." (These are two names for the city of al-Madinah.) Before the Prophet emigrated to al-Madinah, it was called Taybah and Yathrib. It earned the name alMadinah after the Prophet emigrated to it. The buraq continued with the Prophet and Jibril until they reached another place. Again Jibril told the Prophet to get down and pray. The Prophet dismounted there and prayed two rak^as. Jibril informed the Prophet of the name of that place; it was Tur Sina'. (This is where Allah SWT addressed Musa AS) Once again the buraq took off with the Prophet S and Jibril. Once again it stopped, and the Prophet dismounted and prayed two rak^as. This was in Bayt Lahm, where Prophet ^Isa (Jesus) was born. The scholars have used the above hadith as evidence that it is permissible to pray in places of religious significance, as Nabi SAW prayed at the place of Isa AS birth. Then the buraq continued with the Messenger of Allah until they entered the city of Jerusalem. There the Prophet went to Masjid al-Aqsa. Outside was a ring used by the Messengers of Allah to tie their animals. The Prophet tied his buraq to this ring. Then the Prophet entered the masjid where Allah assembled for him all the Prophets--from Adam to ^Isa. Prophet Muhammad moved forward and led them all in prayer. This is an indication the Prophet is higher in status than all the rest of the prophets and messengers. 1- On Prophet Muhammad's journey from Masjid alHaram to Masjid al-Aqsa, Allah enabled him to see some of His wondrous creations. Allah enabled the Prophet to see the world (dunya) like an old woman. However, this old woman was wearing a great deal of jewellery, and in this there is an indication signifying the reality of the world. 2- Allah enabled the Prophet S to see Iblis. The Prophet saw something on the side of the road which did not dare to stand in his way or speak to him. What the Prophet saw was Iblis. Originally, Iblis was a believer and lived with the angels in Paradise. When Allah ordered the angels to prostrate (sujud) to Prophet Adam, Iblis was ordered to prostrate to him as well. The angels prostrated to Adam in obedience to Allah, because angels do not disobey Allah. However, Iblis did not obey, and he objected to the order of Allah. He said, "You created me out of fire, and You created him out of clay. How do You order me to prostrate to him?" So this objection by Iblis to the order of Allah was the first blasphemy he committed. 3- On his journey, the Prophet smelled a very nice fragrance. He asked Jibril A about this pleasant scent and Jibril A informed him this good smell was coming from the grave of the woman whose duty used to be to comb Pharaoh's daughter's hair. This woman was a good, pious believer. One day, as she was combing Pharaoh's daughter's hair, the comb fell from her hand. At this she said, ""Bismillah.”Pharaoh's daughter asked her, "Do you have a god other than my father?" The woman said, "Yes. My Lord and the Lord of your father is Allah." Pharaoh's daughter told her father what had happened. Pharaoh demanded this woman blaspheme and leave Islam, but she refused. At that, Pharaoh threatened to kill her children. He brought a great pot of water and built a great fire under it. When the water boiled, Pharaoh brought her children and started to drop them into that pot one after the other. Throughout all this, the woman remained steadfast to Islam, even when Pharaoh reached her youngest child--a little boy still breast feeding--but she felt pity for him. At that, Allah enabled this child to speak. He said to his mother, "O Mother, be patient. The torture of the Hereafter is far more severe than the torture of this life, and do not be reluctant, because you are right." At this the woman requested Pharaoh collect her bones and the bones of her children and bury them in the same grave. Pharaoh promised her that-then dropped her into that boiling water. She died as a martyr. The good odor the Prophet smelled coming from her grave is an indication of her high status. 4- During his trip, the Prophet saw people who were planting and reaping in two days. Jibril told the Prophet, "These were the people who fight for the sake of Allah (mujahidun). ")." 5- The Prophet also saw people whose lips and tongues were clipped with scissors made of fire. Jibril told the Prophet, "These are the speakers of sedition (fitna) who call people to misguidance." 6- He also saw a bull which exited a very small outlet, then was trying in vain to return through that small outlet. Jibril told the Prophet, "This is the example of the bad word--once spoken, it cannot be returned." 7- The Prophet saw people grazing like animals, with very little clothing on their private parts. Jibril told the Prophet, "These are the ones who refused to pay zakat. "." 8- The Prophet saw angels smashing some people's heads with rocks. These heads would return to the shape they had been, and then the angels would smash their heads again--and so on. Jibril told the Prophet, "These are the ones whose heads felt too heavy to perform prayer--the ones who used to sleep without praying." 9- On his journey the Prophet saw people who were competing to eat some rotten meat--ignoring meat
that was sliced and unspoiled. Jibril told the Prophet, "These are people from your nation who leave out that which is permissible (halal), and consume that which is forbidden ((haram). "This reference was to the fornicators, that is, the ones who left out the permissible (marriage) and committed sins (fornication). 10- Also, the Prophet saw people who were drinking from the fluid coming from the bodies of the fornicators, (water mixed with blood). Jibril indicated to the Prophet these were the ones who were drinking the alcohol which is prohibited in this world. 11- The Prophet saw people scratching their faces and chests with brass finger nails. Jibril said, "These are the examples of those who commit gossip ((ghibah). ")." NAWAAFIL NAMAZ To pray on the night of 27th Rajab AFTER ISHA 12 raka’at Nafl (2 at a time) In every raka’at after ‘Al-ham-du’ Sura Ikhlas’ 5 times. After Namaaz, recite 100 times Darood Sharif for fulfillmant of desires. 6 raka’at Nafl namaz (2 at a time). In each raka’at recite ‘Al-ham-du’ once and ‘Qul-huwal-lah’ 7 times. After salaam 50 times darood Sharif. 100 Nafl namaz, (2 at a time) In each raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’ recite ‘Qul-hu-wallah’. Hastily recite 100 Darood Sharif. Go in Sajdah and appeal to Allah. Insha Allah, He will no let you go empty hand. 2 raka’at Nafl Namaaz with intention of presenting it to Allah’s Messenger (Blessing of Allah and Peace be on him). In each raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’ recite ‘Qul-hu-wal-lah’ 27 times and in the Tashahud, after ‘At-tah-hi-yaat’ recite Darood-e-Ibrahim 27 times. 12 raka’at nafl namaz (2 at a time) The 1st four raka’ats: In each raka’at recite ‘Al-hamdu’ once and Sura Qadr 3 times. After salaam recite 70 times ‘LAA I-LAA-HA IL-LAL-LAA-HUL MALI-KUL HAQ-QUL MU-BEEN’. In the 2nd four raka’ats: in each raka’at recite ‘Alham-du’ once and Sura Nasr (I-zaa-ja-a nas-rul-lah) 3 times. After salaam recite 70 times ‘IN-NA-KA KAV WAA-HI-DI-YUN DA-LI-LUN BI-HAQ-QI IY-YAA-KA NA’-BU-DU WA IY-YAA-KA NASTA-EEN’ . In the 3rd four raka’at : In each raka’at recite ‘Alham-du’ once and ‘Qul-hu-wal-lah’ 3 times. After salaam recite 70 times Sura ‘A-lam Nash-rah’. Pray for your desires to be fulfilled. 2 raka’at Nafl namaz. In the first raka’at after’Alham-du’ recite Sura ‘A-lam-nash-rah’ once. In the second raka’at after ‘Al-ham-du’ recite Sura Li-I-laafi Qu-raish’. This prayer will enable you to the reward of praying with the Aulias.
NAWAAFIL NAMAZ To pray on the day of 27th Rajab AFTER ZOHAR 1. After Zuhr Namaaz, 4 raka’at with one sa-laam. In the first raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’ recite ‘Sura Qadr’ 3 times. In the second raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’ham-du’ recite ‘Qul-hu-wal-lah’-hu-wal-lah’ 3 times. In the third raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’ recite Sura Falq 3 times. In the fourth raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’ recite Sura Naas 3 times. After salaam, recite Darood Sharif 100 times. All your desires will be fulfilled. 2. Keep fast of this day. It is worth 1 year fast and prevents the punishment of the grave and Hellfire. You will also receive a drink from the Rajab river in Paradise.
THE EXCELLENCE OF DUROOD SHAREEF AS EXPLAINED IN THE AHADITH
"Hadith" is an Arabic word which means "Holy Sayings". It is the narration of all the affectionate words of advice uttered by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) from time to time. These sayings (Ahadith) are instructions offered for the guidance of mankind, and to follow them is as important as daily prayers. The famous books of Hadith are the following: Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Muwatta, Nisaai', Ibn-Majah, Darmi, Baihaqi and Miskhaat Shareef. Imam Bukhari (radi Allahu anhu), the compiler of Bukhari Shareef, took the greatest and painstaking precautions in making his collections of Ahadith and exerted to his utmost to achieve all accuracy and reliability as possible. Hence, Ahadith quoted by Imam Bukhari (radi Allahu anhu) and his work on Ahadith stands as one of the wonders of intellectual achievement in Islamic History. He wrote all Ahadith in the sacred Haram of Madina Munawwarah. It is, therefore, that most of the Ahadith have been taken from the book of Bukhari Shareef. Important Ahadith of the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) have been included here for the betterment, benefit guidance and gain of the readers of this book. If followed, the reader of these sayings will receive a permit to Paradise even in this world. Every saying opens door to Divine favour and sure success. 1. For every Durood Shareef that you recite, ten sins are forgiven, ten good deeds are entered into your sheet of actions and ten position are upgraded. 2. Allah showers ten blessings on the man who recites a Durood. 3. The first man who will meet the Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) on the Day of Judgement will be that person who had recited the Durood maximum number of times in his life time. 4. Those who recite Durood in maximum number will be nearest and dearest to the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) in the next world. 5. If anyone is involved in a difficulty then he must
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recite countless number of Durood Shareefs. 6. Reciting Durood Shareef eradicates poverty and hunger. 7. If the Sawaab of the Durood Shareef is dedicated to another person, then that person will receive the Sawaab, while the Sawaab of the reciter will not be lessened. 8. Reciting excessive Durood Shareef brings purity. 9. Reciting maximum number of Durood Shareef is full compensation of all sins. 10. Anyone who recites excessive Durood Shareef in this world will be safe and sound in the next world. 11. When a prayer is made to Allah it is never accepted unless praise of Allah Ta'ala and Durood Shareef on the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) is first of all recited. 12. Those who recite Durood quite often will see Divine Light on the dark Day of Judgement. 13. Three persons will be under the cool shade and the favours of Allah Ta'ala on the Doom's Day. One who kept the Holy Prophet's (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) Sunnah alive, one who removed difficulty of a fellow being and one who recited maximum number of Durood Shareef in his life time. 14. When you forget anything and your memory fails to recollect it, then recite Durood, you will remember the forgotten thing. 15. Reciting Durood in this world is rewarding in the next. 16. The reciter of 10 Duroods in the morning and 10 in the evening will receive the help of the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) on the Day of Judgement. 17. One who recites Durood Shareef near the shrine of the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) is heard by him there and then alone. 18. Anyone who recites Durood is just as one who purchased a slave and freed him. 19. If a Durood is written in a book by someone Angels of Allah shower blessings on him till the Durood remains in that book. 20. The Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) said that he himself recites blessings on one who recites Durood on him. 21. Anyone who wants to meet his Allah with a happy face must recite countless number of Durood Shareef. 22. Reward equivalent to a big mountain (Uhud) is given to one who recites one Durood. 23. All people will be presented to the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) with their habits, natures and distinct manner, so it is obligatory for a man to recite maximum number of Durood. 24. Allah is Great and Almighty to forgive all sins of the reciter during the day and night when he recites Durood Shareef. 25. If anyone meets in a tragedy, he should recite Durood Shareef in countless numbers. 26. Reciting Durood is like giving something in charity. 27. Reciting maximum number of Durood kills all hardships. 28. Recite Durood Shareef in countless number on Friday, as it is presented to me (the Holy Prophet). 29. Bad deeds of 200 years (equivalent) are obliterated if a man recites 100 Durood on Friday. 30. Anyone who recites Durood will overcome all their troubles. 31. If the name of the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) is mentioned and one who hears it but does not recite Durood Shareef, understand that he has forgotten the path to Paradise. 32. "I pray for all those who recite Durood on me", said the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim). 33. If anyone recites Durood Shareef from any place, any part of the world from any distance, it actually reaches the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) immediately. Allah Ta'ala has appointed several Angels who are given exclusive duty to collect all Durood Shareef and present the same before the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) immediately. 34. Angels of Allah shower 70 blessings on a man who recites Durood once. 35. Whenever you hear the call of prayers (Azaan) you should recite Durood. 36. Wherever you are, from any quarter of the world, you must recite Durood as it reaches the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim). 37. Ablution is not complete if Durood is not recited on it. 38. The Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) said to his wife that anyone who hears the name of the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) and does not recite Durood on him will not see the beautiful face of Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) on the Day of the Judgement. 39. Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu) reports that Rasoolullah (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) said, "The real miser is he in whose presence I am mentioned and then he fails to recite Salat on me". 40. If a person recites 1 000 Durood Shareef daily, he will never die unless he himself sees his place in Heaven with his own eyes. 41. The Durood Shareef that is recited by the person is written with a Golden Pen on a Silver tablet by the Angels. The Angels then present this Durood Shareef to Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) and proclaim, "O Habeeb of Allah! The son of such and such a person has presented this gift in your majestic court".
THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 35
Chronic Hepatitis B Management...... Key messages for people diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B
By Fungisai Siggins MOST people with chronic hepatitis B (infection longer than 6 months) feel well and don’t have any symptoms. Chronic hepatitis B can damage their liver without them feeling anything. Regular check-ups All people with chronic hepatitis B need regular check-ups throughout their life. Regular check-ups are the only way to find out if their liver has changed. This can prevent liver cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer. Most people need a check-up every 6 months, but some people need a check-up every 3 months
or 12 months depending on the their situation. Medicine Not everyone with chronic hepatitis B needs medicine. The need for medicine depends on the results of their regular check-ups. Hepatitis B medicine can reduce the amount of hepatitis B virus in the body. The medicine works in their body even though they don’t feel anything. Once on medicine, most people need to continue medicine for life. Undetectable viral load Undetectable hepatitis B viral load means the virus in the body is very low and it doesn't show in their blood. This doesn’t mean their body has cleared the virus. Can people living with hepatitis B transmit the virus? Yes people living with chronic hepatitis B can still transmit the virus. How do they protect their loved ones? Family members and sexual partners should get tested and vaccinated (if not –immune). Newborns of hepatitis B infected mothers
should receive hepatitis B vaccine at delivery and complete the recommended vaccination series. Hepatitis B vaccine is for prevention, not for treatment. If you already have chronic hepatitis B, the vaccine can’t help you. Effects of alcohol on the liver Alcohol will quicken disease development so there is a higher risk of developing liver disease including cirrhosis. If you are on medicines, alcohol makes treatment less effective as it lowers the immune system. People living with hepatitis B are advised to reduce alcohol or should consider stopping altogether. Complementary therapy and living with hepatitis B Quality of life can be improved by relieving symptoms with complementary medicines. There are some liver friendly complimentary medicines. There are also some liver toxic complimentary medicines that can damage your liver or affect your treatment. Please let your doctor know before or if you are taking any complementary medicines.
Do I need regular liver cancer screening? The following people living with chronic hepatitis B should have regular liver cancer screening: • African men and women aged over 20 years • Asian men aged over 40 years and women over 50 years • Anyone with liver cirrhosis • Anyone with a family history of liver cancer • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 50 years For more information and referral contact: ECCQ on (07) 3255 1540 Email: health@eccq.com.au / Website: www.eccq.com.au/health
Natural remedy for Bile
By Mazhar Sayeed BILE or gall is a bitter-tasting, dark green to yellowish brown fluid, produced by the liver of most vertebrates that aids the digestion of lipids in the small intestine. In many species, bile is stored in the gallbladder and, when the organism eats, is discharged into the duodenum. Bile is 85% water, 10% bile salts, 3% mucus and pigments, 1% fats, and 0.7% inorganic salts. Causes: Bile is a greenish-yellow fluid that is essential for digesting fats and for eliminating worn-out red blood cells and certain toxins from your body. Bile is produced in our liver and stored in our gallbladder. Eating a meal that contains even a small amount of fat signals our gallbladder to release bile, which flows through two small tubes into the upper part of our small intestine. Symptoms: Abdominal pain in the upper right side - Dark urine – Fever – Itching and Jaundice. Diagnosis: Bile is suspected, the exam will focus mostly on the abdomen to check for any masses, tenderness, or build up of fluid. The skin and the white part of the eyes will be checked for jaundice. The physical examination suggests bile might be present more involved tests will likely be done. These may include lab tests, imaging tests, and other procedures. Ingredients: Guava Fruit - Lemon Juice and Pepper. Natural Remedies: Guava fruit flavor is unique, attractive and smelling yellow or pink, is a favorite in the diet to heal our body. It is used to treat Cholera, Colds and Bronchial problems. Other applications of this in treating Skin problems, Infections, Cavities, Bloating, Bile stored, Scarlet fever, Wounds, Vaginal bleeding, Low fever and Cure Dehydration. Freshly squeezed lemon juice can be used for dislodging the gall stones that have blocked the bile ducts. Squeeze lemon juice to form 1/4th of a cup. This has to be consumed first thing in the morning empty stomach without adding water. Pepper has the highest levels of vitamin C compared to other vegetables. One pepper contains as much as 95 milligrams of Vitamin C, 35 milligrams more than what is recommended for adults. So if you need a jolt of vitamin C and there are no fruits nearby, grab a Pepper. If you eat the Ripe Guava Fruit, mix with Lemon juice and Pepper, it will subside the Bile.
We have a wide range of quality Ayurvedic herbal products and medicines from India's most renowned manufacturers Our team of highly qualified, experienced Ayurvedic doctors provide extremely effective holistic therapies to treat any health problem Our experienced therapists provide authentic Ayurvedic treatments such as Panchakarma, therapeutic massage, Shirodhara etc.
36 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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Health Beauty Wellbeing
Naturally soothing sunburn... Nimisha Modi Hetvi Hair & Beauty 0412 350 013
Continued from last issue
HEY girls, we will continue to look at natural remedies to sooth the dreaded sunburn. 7. Season with vinegar Vinegar has been part of family lore for literally hundreds of years. While there is no official research done on how it helps sunburns in particular, there are a vast amount of people out there who swear up and down that vinegar helps heal sunburn, or mildly burned tissue in general. Pure unfiltered apple cider vinegar seems to work the best, and often times proponents of this method say is most effective after a cool or tepid shower. You will need…1 cup roughly apple cider vinegar, a spray bottle (optional), Cotton balls or something similar for application Directions Try this after taking a water only shower if possible. Fill a spray bottle with pure unfiltered apple cider vinegar, and spritz it onto your burn, or soak cotton balls and apply. Let it dry. 8. Wash it with witch hazel Witch hazel is a staple when it comes to healing a number of ailments and maladies. Witch hazel is a plant, but only the leaves bark, and twigs, are used medicinally. They contain chemicals called “tannins” which, when applied to directly to the skin, can help
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reduce swelling, repair damaged skin, and ward off nasty bacteria. You’ll most likely find witch hazel in a distilled liquid extract form, which simply distilled from the dried leaves, bark, and twigs of the plant. It may also be called witch hazel water. You will need…3 tablespoons of witch hazel, approximately, Cotton balls or a clean soft cloth Directions The amount of witch hazel you will need will depend on the area of the burn you want to cover. Pour the necessary amount into a bowl, and soak cotton balls or a clean cloth in the liquid. Dab on just enough to cover the burn-it doesn’t need to be dripping off. Reapply as needed for pain. 9. Take a bath with the Quaker guy I should specify that I mean add oatmeal to a bath, and the one with the nice looking fellow wearing a hat tends to be the one most people have. That being said, any plain rolled oats will do. The polysaccharides in oatmeal will coat and heal your skin, while the water cools you down and keeps your skin hydrated and moist. Make sure your bath is tepid, or slightly on the cooler side. Cold water will seal off pores and your body will want to trap heat. The burn is hot enough that tepid water will still soothe it. You will need…Roughly 2 cups of rolled oats, uncooked, a clean tube sock Directions Fill a clean cotton tube sock with uncooked oatmeal and tie off the top. Make sure the top is really cinched off; otherwise the oatmeal will leak out and float around. Run a bath full of tepid water, only a little on the cool side if you feel even tepid is too warm. Toss in the sock and let it soak for a few minutes before
getting in the tub. Squeeze the out the sock to get all the healing goodness, and repeat every few minutes. The water will get cloudy, and your skin may feel somewhat slick-which is a good thing. Let yourself air dry, or pat dry gently with a clean soft towel when you’re finished. Note: Don’t linger for hours, as a super long soak may dry out your skin more in the end. 10. DIY burn cream Whipping up a cream to soothe your sunburn at home can be easy, provided you have the right ingredients. Not surprisingly, this cream contains water, witch hazel, aloe vera gel, mint leaves, and baking soda, all of which relieve sunburn for various reasons. You can experiment by adding or subtracting other helpful ingredients to find out what works best for you. You will need…1 tablespoon of witch hazel, 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel, 2-4 teaspoons of baking soda or cornstarch, 1-2 cups of fresh mint leaves, or 1 teaspoon of peppermint oil, 2 tablespoons fresh, clean, water Directions Put 2 tablespoons of fresh water, 1 tablespoon of witch hazel, and 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel, in a small mixing bowl. Stir together and then cover, letting the mixture blend and infuse for 2 hours. After 2 hours, add 2-4 teaspoons of baking soda or cornstarch, and 1-2 cups of roughly chopped fresh mint leaves. If it seems too runny add more baking soda or cornstarch slowly, or if it’s too thick, add small amounts of water slowly until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a jar or similar container with a tight fitting lid, and store in a cool dark place for 24 hours to let the cream fully infuse. You can than apply as needed. Making some
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ahead of time and keeping it in the refrigerator ensures you always have a handy cream to heal any sunburn you get during the hot summer months. 11. Don’t get burned This had to be listed at some point-the best way to treat a burn is to not get burned in the first place. Forget about getting a ridiculous tan a.s.a.p. and apply some sunscreen. You’ll darken your skin gradually, and in a much healthier way. 12. Use plain yogurt Live cultured plain yogurt contains an abundance of probiotics and enzymes that help heal our skin. When you find yourself red and sunburned, it can help you recover faster. Make sure it’s truly plain yogurt, not vanilla, and that it has probiotics. You will need… -1/2 cup or so of plain live cultured yogurt A half cup of plain yogurt should be sufficient to treat facial burns at least, but feel free to use more if you want to cover more area. Wash your hands and apply cool yogurt directly to your burn, and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. When the pain has subsided, gently rinse it off with cool or tepid water. 13. Avoid suds Do not soak your burn in soapy water, or take a bubble bath. Soap can dry out and irritate your already irritated skin. If you want to soak or submerge it, do so in a cool or tepid bath. When you’re done, pat yourself gently dry with a clean soft towel (be sure not to rub.) If your skin feels tight or dry afterwards, apply aloe vera gel or a similar moisturizer. Hope you will get benefit from this, see you next month. Nimisha
THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 37
How I lost 8kg in 2 weeks without counting a single calorie and while my gym membership was on hold! By Shivanthie Mendis AT age 38, I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 (T2) diabetes. I thought this was inevitable as I had gestational diabetes during both of my pregnancies - but managed to avoid insulin and remained diet controlled. My father had developed T2 diabetes at the same age and his mother in her early 30’s. I had been diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome in my early 20’s which also increases the risk for diabetes. Given the history - I was actually a little relieved to finally have the diagnosis when I took the Fasting Glucose Tolerance Test back in November. Prior to that, I was always on the pre-diabetic/ insulin resistance subgroup. After diagnosis my GP gave me the standard first line of treatment - Metformin and routine advice about diet and exercise. I thought with Metformin, I was on the mend as it should help to reduce the weight as research stated and I would regain some energy to become a healthier me. Unfortunately, two months past and my weight started to increase even though I was eating the same foods but making the effort to go to the gym 3-4 times a week. Initially, I thought it must be muscle weight but I was not feeling any better. In fact, I felt exhausted and one night I felt very desperate as I felt there was something seriously wrong with me. I was 71kg – a weight I had never been and with a height of 5’2” – I was heading to the ‘obese’ end of the BMI. I had been a stable (over weight) 67-68kg for the past 7 years, without any success in shifting it. I understood that Metformin may take several more months to have a beneficial effect, but that night I felt real panic that I had lost control of my body and could not stand it any longer. All night, I searched the internet for weight loss programs and looked at over 20 detox programmes offered throughout Australia, Indonesia, India and Thailand. All the while wondering how my husband would cope with our 6 and 3 year old sons on his own while I went to magically ‘cure’ my body with a juice or fasting detox. I was willing to spend anything, go anywhere to regain my health – some health! After falling asleep past 3am - I woke up and went to work the next morning. During my lunch break I looked for a cure again on the internet. Like a God send, a detox program offered through an Ayurveda clinic only 5 minute drive from my work came up on my search. The receptionist that answered my phone call was so informative and helpful that I decided to leave work early that day to attend the clinic before it closed its doors. Ayurveda was not alien to me as I am originally from Sri Lanka and it is a system of medicine and healing used there. However, Western medicines had become the first choice for many people and they resorted to Ayurveda when these medicines had failed to cure the last stages of some form of cancer.
By that point, Ayurveda was also not in a position to heal, therefore it was gaining a reputation as an ineffective and outdated treatment option. When I met with Dr Pradeep Neupane at Vibrant Ayurveda in West End, Brisbane late January, I was practically on my knees begging for help. I explained how tired I felt, my recent T2 diabetes diagnosis, how my weight was out of control even with regular gym sessions and Metformin. I explained the constant sluggishness, heaviness and the feeling of a cloud over my head that was preventing me from thinking clearly. I work as a senior audiologist at the leading paediatric hospital and I perform my job well. However, by the time I get home, I have no energy for my children and felt like I was running at 30% capacity. I explained that no matter how long I slept for, I always woke up tired and groggy and my feet were stiff and my back hurt and had constant bloating. A recent CT scan I had for back pain had noted indications of arthritis. These were not illnesses that I thought would start to cripple me at the age of 38! My list of ailments was many, yet Dr Pradeep listened carefully and pointed out that I also had swollen ankles which I was surprised to see. He then asked me about my usual diet. I was very proud to list my healthy green Nutribullet smoothie I had each morning. It contained raw kale, frozen blueberries, cucumber, almonds, chia seeds, whey protein and coconut water. He unfortunately did not look as pleased as I had expected. This was my ‘good deed’ for my body I had been doing most days for years. Even though the rest of the day would be less healthy with a sandwich, a small nachos or rice and curries…not to mention my sugartooth always finding its way to a biscuit or a piece of cake around 2-3pm – I had blessed my body with the super-food micronutrient smoothie in the morning. Amen! From his analysis of my tongue, eyes and pulse, he advised that my pancreas and liver function was not optimal. Dr Pradeep went on to explain that my ‘good deed smoothie’ was not right for me. He explained that currently my digestive system was so weak that I was not able to derive nourishment from the raw foods I was eating, causing me to feel tired. I argued that the Nutribullet was able to breakdown the raw food into minute particles, enabling easy absorption. He disagreed and stated the size of the particle was not the issue but the form the food was in. He explained that when the digestive ‘fire’ is poor, cooked food made it easy for the body to absorb and use for energy. He went on to explain that the undigested food can remain in the system, causing toxicity and symptoms like weight gain, bloating and water retention. He advised me to undertake a two week ‘Panchakarma’ / Detoxification treatment offered at the clinic. I did not need to take time off work but needed to attend the clinic for
approximately 2 hours on 9 of the days for massages and steams (and several enemas… mmmm)! The price was much more reasonable than those I had contemplated about the night before in Bali, Sydney and Byron Bay. The tough part for me was that the detox involved vegetarian food for the duration of the two weeks. Light porridge for breakfast, lentils-rice-vegies for lunch and dinner. By this point in my desperate search for better health, if he had told me that I could only eat Brussels sprouts for two weeks, I would have agreed. I went home armed with a tongue scraper, sesame oil and some herbs which he asked me to start taking and written information about what was ahead. I admit the herbs were not pleasant in taste and the GP given Metformin was a pill to take in comparison! But I was determined to get better health and to complete this treatment properly. I also started to drink warm / hot water and detox teas. I was advised to rest as much as possible during the detox and avoid any unnecessary activities (so I gladly put my gym membership on hold). I understood it was a time to rest my body and digestion in order to heal it. I decided to stop taking Metformin but monitored my blood sugar closely even though Dr Pradeep had said it was fine to take. I ate the vegetarian diet and avoided dairy. I never felt starved as I was eating 3 meals a day but much smaller quantities than what I would normally. After about 4 days into the detox, I realised that I never experienced sugar lows and I never got the light headedness or the shaky hands if a meal was delayed. My husband informed me that I was no longer snoring when sleeping on my back. After a week, I was pleasantly surprised to see a 6kg drop. The heavy cloud that had been over my head had began to lift. I did not have my energy back but I am not quite sure if I remember what it’s like to have energy to get through the day. I felt weak yet clear headed and sharp. I knew there was a change in me. My Dad had to travel to Darwin for work for 5 days and was surprised at how well I looked when he returned. It was a real treat to get ready for work and put on clothes and not have that feeling of being ‘stuffed’ into them and clinging everywhere. My skin was clear and I could touch my face and feel my cheek bones. The change I was seeing motivated me to keep going and the massage treatments were pure bliss. The therapists were very professional and had a good understanding of the detox process and principles of Ayurveda. During the detox, I began to read a lot about Ayurveda and what foods were going to help me long term and what would unbalance me. I started to understand about different body types (vata, pitta and kapaha) and realised I was a poster girl for a Kapha dosa body type and how unbalanced I had become. The different foods that are appropriate for the different body types became clear. My husband had the same smoothie as I in the morning
but had strong digestive power and never suffered from weight gain no matter what or how much he ate. During my learning, I listened to many Youtube lectures and talks on Ayurveda and about Ayurveda cooking. I was arming myself with the knowledge to empower myself to regain my health. Ayurveda is a system of medicine and healing that has been practiced in many countries surrounding India for over 5,000 years. Even though it is steeped in history it is relevant to us today. Yoga and Ayurveda go hand-inhand, yet somewhere along the way when yoga made its journey to the West – it let go of sister Ayurvedas hand and rose to stardom on her own. Who doesn’t take a yoga class these days and no one disputes the health benefits of yoga. It is when yoga is combined with Ayurveda that the full system of mental and physical healing can be practiced and achieved. Weighing 63kg, I no longer feel groggy when waking up in the morning and no stiff feet, heaviness or bloating. Rapid weight loss was not the focus of this detox but I feel it is my body’s response for allowing rest, healing and being treated with respect. I am now in my final days of the Panchakarma detoxification and although the massages have been a treat, the enemas have been more of an embarrassment rather than a real discomfort...I look forward to what is ahead. Before the detox, my fasting blood sugar levels were close to 7mmol/L (on Metformin) and now it is 4.9mmol/L (without Metformin). I believe that I have reversed my T2 diabetes completely. I understand that I cannot continue to eat this mono-diet for much longer but if I go back to my old eating habits, my detox will be in vein. Armed with my newfound knowledge about Ayurveda and about ME…I know I am on a path to better health. I am finally starting to feel like the person I am meant to be. I am not writing this article for any recognition or achievement but in hope that it may open the eyes of someone else who is struggling with diabetes, weight loss or other health condition and to think twice before committing to the easy to swallow pill – but search for the root of the health issue and find healing. There are Ayurveda clinics all over Australia and I hope you will find a path to better health in these clinics. There is much information on the internet and books at local libraries to help you gain some understanding of Ayurveda and how it may help you. I can sum up Ayurveda quite simply from a very early conversation I had with Mahesh, one of the massage therapists at the clinic. I asked him – “Is there some herbs the doctor can give me to get rid of my sugar carvings?” He simply replied “No – but he will find out why you get those cravings and treat that.”
Question: Would you like to get rid of fat soluble toxins? Answer: Ayurvedic detox! IF you google the word ‘detox’ just look at what comes up. There are literally thousands of entries! The advice on how to detox your body is prolific and it has become very fashionable to ‘go on a detox’. So why detox? Our environments and lifestyles commonly lead to the accumulation of toxins in our system. Even though our body is continuously and naturally detoxifying, we also need the support of special treatments to keep us in vibrant health. Different types of toxins: The toxins in our body are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. The water-soluble toxins are generally flushed out of our system via the blood and kidneys. Fat-soluble toxins are harder to expel because they are stored. It takes more effort by our body to release and expel them. Heavy metals, pesticides, preservatives, food additives, pollutants, and environmental chemicals can all end up stored in our fat where they can stay for years and lead to physical and mental chronic ailments. So will any of thousands of detoxes do? The short answer is no! Authentic ayurvedic detox, or panchakarma, is an ancient technique of cellular cleansing. Developed over centuries by traditional ayurvedic doctors, its tried and tested combination 38 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
of treatments, medication and lifestyle, is a proven method for releasing toxins and cleansing the body. It reaches those hard-to-access fat-soluble toxins and moves them out so your body feels lighter and brighter. Panchakarma is a holistic treatment for not just the body but also the mind, senses, emotions and spirit. So how does it work? The preparatory stage of ayurvedic detox is called oleation, which refers to the use of oil internally and externally. To start your detox, you drink medicated ghee. It flushes the bile, starts to release the toxins from fat cells, liver and brain, and resets digestion and elimination. You also receive therapeutic massage using medicated oils. While the massage may be relaxing, it also stimulates the tissues to release the toxins. Vasti Vasti (medicated enema) is an important part of ayurvedic detox. Compared to any other form of colon therapy, ayurvedic enemas are unique. They use special formulations of herbs and medications in either oil (oil enema) or water (herbal decoction) to eliminate, via the colon, the toxins that the body has released from the tissues. Shirodhara Shirodhara is an ancient technique of pouring a stream of www.indiantimes.com.au
warm medicated oil very slowly onto the centre of the forehead in the location of the ‘third eye’. This powerful method is deeply relaxing and assists in our emotional and emotional rebalancing. Shirodhara relaxes the nervous system and lowers the metabolism. It creates brain wave coherence, induces an alpha state, and ultimately integrates brain function. Its healing potential is profound! Our customised approach When you come for a consultation, our experienced doctors personalise your detox program according to your individual needs and the types of prevailing toxins. You can expect the most beneficial program designed exactly for you! If you are tired of the thousands of different detox programs on the internet, and want a proven and powerful method that will eliminate all your toxins and especially those fat-soluble ones, contact us for a consultation. Dr Pradeep Neupane (Brisbane) or Dr Ram Mani Bhandari (Gold Coast) will look after you. We are located at 43 Vulture Street, West End, QLD and 1863 Gold Coast Highway Gold Coast. Phone 07 3846 2272; 045 250 6389; www.vibrantayurveda.com.au Call 07 3865 6533
Real Estate News How to pay off your home loan faster and save big bucks!!
By Gagan Tandon - 0425 158 280 Smartline Personal Mortgage Advisors
REDUCING the life of your loan isn’t difficult; there are many simple things you can do to cut years off your mortgage. Here are some tips that will help you be mortgage-free sooner than planned. Small extra repayments One of the most obvious ways to pay off your home loan quicker is to make extra repayments. Depositing lump sums, such as a tax return or work bonus, will always be beneficial, however it doesn’t always take large amounts or windfalls to make a substantial difference – planning for regular, small cash injections can have a great impact over the life of a loan. “Let’s say we give an extra $50 a fortnight on a $500,000 loan, that saves you $32,000 of interest over the life of the loan which in turn will save you just over two years�. “That’s only $25 a week.� Switch your payment intervals If you find that you don’t have the discipline to make extra repayments, then simply
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switching your payment structure can also help save years off your mortgage, as well as simplifying your finances if you are paid fortnightly. “Because there are 12 months in a year but 13 four-week cycles, by switching your payment intervals from monthly to fortnightly, you are essentially paying off an extra month per year.� Make sure you have the right type of loan Ensuring your loan allows extra repayments without penalty will let you to make the most of bonuses or funnel small extra payments to reduce the loan principle more quickly, saving on interest immediately, while an offset account will use your savings or living expenses to reduce your principle, while still allowing you to access these funds from a transaction account. “If you set the mortgage on your investment as interest-only but you make the principle and interest payment equivalent by putting surplus rental income into an offset account,� “Because interest is calculated daily but charged monthly, any money sitting in the account will help reduce the loan.� Although you may have to pay extra fees for the offset or redraw account, these may well be lower amounts than the interest saved. Talking to a finance broker is the easiest way to work out whether this option is financially sound. Paying off your home loan faster isn’t difficult, however it does require financial discipline and expertise in ensuring the right loan features are in place. For any further information contact us on 0425 158 280 or email gtandon@smartline.com.au
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 39
Real Estate News The best Brisbane suburbs for public transport – and the price buyers pay to get in Jim Malo domain.com.au • Photo: Jack Tran
Data shows Brisbane is on the rise Kieran Clair realestate.com.au BRISBANE’S market continues to strengthen based on the latest data release from data analyst Corelogic. The most recent Corelogic Property Indicator Survey reveals Brisbane home values rose 0.1 per cent during the past week, a figure in line with the 3.6 per cent gain measured over the past 12 months. With a median price of $495,000, Brisbane housing is 44 per cent cheaper than Sydney ($890,000) and 26 per cent less expensive than Melbourne ($665,000). Despite a slight drop in the weekly auction clearance rate to 59.8 per cent, the measure is almost nine points higher than the same result last year. The number of house listings is also rising — up two percentage points on last year’s figures. Managing partner of buyers’ agency Property Searchers, Scott McGeever, said Brisbane’s market continues to perform most strongly close to the CBD. “Generally we’re seeing the market, certainly within that twelve kilometre radius, really strong. “Some of the stuff, certainly within the six or seven kilometre radius, they’re getting multiple offers … some things are getting eight, nine, ten offers on them competing,” Mr McGeever said. “It’s basically directed at the lack of quality stock on the market so when something does come up it’s certainly hotly contested.”
WHEN it comes to public transport, not all suburbs are created equal. The closest to the city have the best access, but they come at a price premium. Public transport advocate Robert Dow said through property prices, public transport could become a major economic driver. His lobby group, RAIL Back On Track, is frequently consulted by state and local governments. “Public transport is gold for real estate,” he said. “It definitely has a very significant impact on housing value and we’re seeing a lot of transit-oriented development.” Mr Dow said rail and tram lines were the most “valuable” form of public transport, but Brisbane’s buses were utilised the most. The thing about light rail and heavy rail is it’s permanent. A bus route can change overnight and developers don’t like that,” he said. Domain Group chief economist Andrew Wilson said West End was a good spot to buy, but the prices would be prohibitive. “The high prices there are because it’s a highly established area,” he said. “It’s becoming a high-rise community, the houses that are sold there reflect the market.” High-frequency bus routes kept the suburb connected to the city and train stations located in South Bank, which Mr Dow said made the suburb highly desirable. Residents had the option of walking into the Brisbane CBD, which added to the acces-
sibility of the suburb. Next best were Taringa and Indooroopilly, suburbs with access to buses and train lines headed to the city and local amenities like shopping centres and cafes. Professionals Toowong agent Vern Gilbert said the suburbs of Taringa and Toowong also offered access to ferries and bikeways, which Indooroopilly lacked. “They have train, bus, and ferry,” he said. “It’s really easy to walk to the Toowong village and train stations, bus stops, and the CityCat at the Regatta Hotel and there’s a great flat bicycle track along the river straight into the city.” Mr Gilbert said the inner-west suburbs in general were a good pick for connectivity to the public transport network. Coorparoo was another suburb high on Mr Dow’s list. He said the train line running through the suburb’s north wasn’t easily accessible to all residents but high-frequency bus routes made travelling the four kilometres to the city a breeze. Darra was a well-connected suburb that was often overlooked because it’s 14 kilometres from the CBD, Mr Dow said. The well-established suburb offers good train services and bus routes. Harcourts Graceville principal David Gowdie said the suburb has a history of good public transport. “It’s the age,” he said. “It’s been there a very long time, the original train line that went out to Ipswich went through Darra.” Mr Gowdie said Brisbane locals would be surprised to hear it was also serviced by a rela-
tively high-frequency bus route too. The median house price was $405,000 but Mr Gowdie said it was earmarked for growth following the success of neighbouring suburbs. “Three or four years ago people didn’t want to live in Oxley, but now it’s the flavour of the month,” he said. “It’s only a matter of time.” Dr Dow’s final recommendation was the suburb of Ferny Grove. He said until Queensland Rail’s recent issues, the suburb had high-frequency services into the city, 11 kilometres away. Mr Dow said he hoped the timetable would return to normal when the issues within QR were ironed out. Dr Dow said public transport was one of the key drivers of property prices: the closer to a reliable service a house was, the higher the price, regardless of the suburb. Domain Group data showed buyers in the Redland council area have a 27 per cent discount when comparing to the median house price to that in the Brisbane City Council area. In the Moreton Bay region it’s 47 per cent cheaper, 64 per cent in Logan, and 85 per cent in Ipswich. Brisbane’s public transport network was still well suited for use by the population base, Dr Wilson said. “It has a reasonably favourable environment for commuting,” he said. Other commentators said the Brisbane region needed to focus on improving transport infrastructure, which could in turn lead to fiercer market competi-
tion in the best serviced suburbs. SGS Economics and Planning principal Terry Rawnsley said if Brisbane was to remain competitive with other major Australian cities, it would have to better utilise its public transport networks, rail in particular. “If you look at cities that are bigger than Brisbane at the moment more and more of their population growth is occurring along rail lines,” he said. Mr Rawnsley said in those markets, connectivity to the city was particularly desirable. “People are willing to pay a premium to have those options,” he said.
West End Median house price: $1,132,500 Distance from CBD: 2 kilometres Best for: Buses
Coorparoo Median house price: $872,000 Distance from CBD: 4 kilometres Best for: Buses, but with decent train services
Taringa Median house price: $862,000 Distance from CBD: 7 kilometres Best for: Trains and buses
Indooroopilly Median house price: $784,000 Distance from CBD: 7 kilometres Best for: Trains and buses
Ferny Grove Median house price: $572,500 Distance from CBD: 11 kilometres Best for: Trains
Darra Median house price: $405,000 Distance from CBD: 14 kilometres Best for: Buses and trains
New modern apartments 165 Stafford Road, Kedron $3,500,000 for all 8 Apartments or buy individually starting from $399,000 THIS block of apartments has a combination of 6 x 2 bedrooms and 2 x 3 bedrooms, all with built-in wardrobes. The Master bedrooms all include ensuite and fully air-conditioned with split system aircons. With modern spacious kitchens, stone benchtops, dishwashers, and great breakfast bars, these apartments will be the ideal place to entertain the dinner parties amongst all your friends. All the large family bathrooms include bath, handheld showers and built-in laundry with dryers.
40 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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2 of the 8 apartments have private courtyards, plus all apartments have excellent balconies for entertaining and relaxing. There are 8 secure car parks with remote control gate, and plenty of visitor car parks. Plus loads of other inclusions! Approximately 5 kilometres from Brisbane CBD and 15 minutes to Brisbane Airport. Only a walk to Padua College, Mount Alvernia College, Stafford State School, and Stafford City Shopping Centre. Also, within a close proximity is to 2 primary schools, public transport and hospitals. For inspection or more details, contact Usha Chandra (Globenet Realty) 0419 775 416
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Nothing is more costly to an Investment Portfolio than Property Manager turnover. Our Senior Property Manager is also on theBoard of Directors
www.globenetrealty.com.au THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 41
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WHATÊS ON! DATE CLAIMER:
Sat May 20: Pt Sugato Nag (sitar - Kolkata) concert @ BEMAC
Sat Jul 8: 10th Annual Ashu Babu Memorial Tabla School Concert @ BEMAC
Sat Sep 2: Sangeet Mela 2017 @ BEMAC
11 March 2017...
Swades Foods proudly presents Rang Birangi Holi – 10am-3pm at Musgrave Park, 121 Cordelia Street South Brisbane. FREE entry – Organic Colors / Frolicsome / DJ. All are welcome to join this multicultural event. For more information Call 0426 110 945 or email rangbirangiholi@gmail.com
Kerala Assn. of Townsville – Indian Dinner Night and World’s Greatest Shave – 6pm for 6:30pm start at Holy Spirit School Hall, Hatchett Street, Cranbrook. Sponsor our team: www.kat.org.au All donations goes to Leukaemia Foundation. For more information email email@kat.org.au or SMS 0406374570 Healing and Blessing Meetings – 11 March 7pm / Sunday 12 March 9:30am / Rev. Dr. Jebaraj Samuel – Jesus Calls, praying for the world. All welcome. Venue: Elevate Christian Church, Grand Ave School, Cnr of Grand Ave & Centennial Way, Forest Lake. For further information contact Ps. Raj 0407 177 117 / Ps Mavis 0418 745 179 or email info@elevatechurch.org.au
12 March 2017...
Shree Vishnu Maya Mandir – Holika Dahan – by Dharam Guru Pundit Tripathi Ji. Refer to flyer page 49 for details.
14 - 20 March 2017..
.BAPS – Satsang Satra –7:30 – 9:30pm at 45 Clare Road, Kingston. In the presence of
Brisbane Indian Times proudly serving the Multicultural Community since 2003 - proudly sponsors this page for community organisations / non profit organisatons! To view full list of upcoming events visit www.indiantimes.com.au
Sadguru Pujya Tyagvallabh Swami One of the most senior and learned swami of BAPS, Sadguru Pujya Tyagvallabh Swami was born and raised in East Africa. He completed his graduation before being initiated as a Sadhu in 1961 by Brahmswarup Yogiji Maharaj. For more information visit www.baps.org
18 March 2017...
Saint Sri Thyagaraja Aaradhane 2017 – The event organisation is being led by Smt Susmitha Ravi. For more details, including Offer of volunteer help, participation in the Pancharatna Kriti session, individual participations, participation as accompaniment, contribution of vegetarian food, sponsorship etc please contact Susmitha Ravi by email susmitha_ravi@yahoo.com RSVP by 26 February. Pasifika Women’s Alliance - BE Bold for Change...International Women’s Day Celebration 2017 – 9am - 3pm at Woodridge State High School. $10p/p. Guest speakers, arts & craft stalls, pampering, food stalls.visit www.pasifikawomensalliance.com
21 March 2017...
Professional Development Workshop – Understanding Domestic and Family Violence across Migrant and Refugee Communities – SANDBAG Community Centre in partnership with JK Diversity Consultants are hosting this workshop to build capacity and sector development for local service providers within Brisbane North region to enhance their capacity to engage and respond to migrant and refugee families who experience domestic and family violence. 9:30am to 1pm at Sandgate Community Centre, 153 Rainbow Street, Sandgate. Cost: $40 per person / $20 student / Volunteer Free. RSVP by 16 march to admin@sandbag.org.au or phone 38693244.
25 March 2017...
DJJS Australia (Brisbane Branch) presents Bhartiya Navwarsh Utsav – 3:30-7pm at QMC Hall, 102 Main Street, Kangaroo Point Qld. A musical, cultural and devotional event. For tickets, sponsorship and inquiries contact Sanjiv 0431383002 / Harry 0430877001 or visit www.djjs.org
You begin the month on a staid note, with not much happening. The life goes on as usual. In the cosmic background, Venus turned retrograde recently. Be careful in committed relations as well as financial matters. Unless it is unavoidable, refrain from taking any decision related to a major financial involvements or buying assets. Partnership business relations as well as marital relations may remain strained. You will have to go out of your on 11th and 12th to clarify some confusions. Love needs careful handling too, on 12th. Important Dates 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 28, 29
Taurus - April 21 - May 22
Love is in the air, as the month begins. You shall have a good time on a date on 2nd or 3rd. 5th will also be a good day to dress up, and head straight to the arms of your loved one. However, if you are still unsure about this relationship, go slow. On 6th, you are still immersed in the thoughts of a loved one, or a feisty encounter. Newly married ones may be honeymooning somewhere dreamy. Take care of your health and well-being. Important Dates 10, 13, 14, 15, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26
Gemini - May 23 - Jun 21
March looks set to be a usual month, in many ways. However, there still are tons of ways you can make a difference, even amidst the mundane. You tend to focus a lot on yourself; focus on people around you, for a change. And, let these not only be the family or friends. Try reaching to a wider, more diverse circle, and be unconditional in your approach (at least, to some extent), says Ganesha. On 13th, you make headway in monetary matters. Or, a legal or inheritance related matter gets sorted to your satisfactionOn 14th or 15th, a marriage proposal awaits singles willing to get married. Well, don’t rush into anything. Important Dates 14, 15, 20, 21, 24, 27, 28
AMMA AUSTRALIA TOUR April 2017...
29 March 2017...
15 April 2017...
Shree Vishnu Maya Mandir – Ram Katha Celebration – by Dharam Guru Pundit Ram harsh Tripathi Ji, refer to flyer page 45 for details Hindu Society of Qld Inc Ram Naumi Celebration – by Pt Ashok Maharaj from Labasa, Fiji. Refer to page 47 for details.
6 - 18 April 2017...
Sri Selva Vinayakar Mahotsavam 2017 – Temple Management Committee invites all the devotees to this year’s Thiruvizha (Annual Festival 2017. Refer to page 50 for more details.
8 – 9 April 2017...
QTA Ugadi Celebrations 2017 – We would like to welcome all local artists to come forward and showcase their talent to make this a remarkable event. Please contact members and register your names to perform. Cultural Secretary Mr Srikanth Talla 0424 745 678 / Vice President Mrs Ratna Buddhavarapu 0412 112 313 / Secretary Mrs Uma Guduru 0423 499 742
8 – 12th April 2017...
Yogas of the Geeta – FREE talks based on the Bhagavad Geeta by Swami Swaroopananda – 7:30pm at BEMAC Qld Multicultural Centre, 102 Main Street, Kangaroo Point. FREE talks based on the Bhagavad Geeta by Swami Swaroopananda - Global Head Chinmaya Mission. For more information contact Anu Suresh on 0401621 977 or visit www.chinmaya.com.au/brisbane
14-16 April 2017...
Yoga Meditation Retreat Easter 2017 – Join us at Lake Moogerah (1 hour from Brisbane) for 3 days and nights of bliss. Daily workshops, yoga, meditation, kirtans and recreational activities. In the evenings, group cultural programs and gathering will be the highlight. All foods served will be pure vegetarian with lots of fresh fruits and greens. We encourage you to book early as we have limited spaces. Basic accommodation will be provided. For more information visit www.lotusashram.org or call 0412 278 808
www.ganeshaspeaks.com
Astrology Aries - March 21 - April 20
28 March 2017...
Cancer - June 22 - July 22
9th will bring you a fresh perspective. Influence of Mars over your Sign shall keep you active. On 10th and 11th, you may have to work more than usual, as you may be trying to meet a deadline. Don’t let the stress affect your health. With two major benefices in retrogression at the moment, striking big may remain a challenging task. Manage finances very carefully. Keep a good distance from fair-weather friends. Indulging hedonistic pursuits of alcoholism will go against you. Important Dates 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 28, 29
Leo - July 23 - August 22
Crafty Mercury is in its Sign of debilitation, along with your Sign ruler Sun and malefic Ketu. Things may just seem to be slipping out of your hand. Well, lie low, and don’t try to do much, for a while. 8th and 9th may be interesting from relationships’ point of view. Will you meet an ex-flame at a party? Well, who knows! Marriage brings happiness. In terms of worldly matters, steer clear of ethical and legal issues, cautions Ganesha. Around 13th, Mercury enters 9th House from your Sign. Important Dates 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21 24, 28, 29
Virgo - August 23 - October 22
Ruler of your Sign Mercury shifts into Aries to join the company of retrograde Venus. This shift will inspire you to think about a future course of action. Influence of aggressive Mars over Saturn may act as a wake-up call. 19th won’t be a good day to party hard. Rest and relaxation are very important, reminds Ganesha. 20th brings a conflict, maybe a mental one. Important Dates 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 28, 29
Libra - September 23 - October 22
Change may be on your mind, as the month begins. But, don’t let this take away your focus from the tasks at hand. An old contact may get in touch with you, on the
5th. Health remains fragile, so be careful. From 6th, planetary positions portend busier times ahead. The influence of Mars will keep you energized, pushing you to work tirelessly. Under this cosmic vibe, you may be strong in your views. Take care not to hurt the sentiments of people around you, warns Ganesha. Important Dates 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 24, 28, 29
Scorpio - October 23 - Nov 21
Melbourne / Sydney / Brisbane / Gold Coast – Please refer to flyer page 48 for information. Varnam Cultural Society Qld Inc – Multicultural New Year Celebrations!!! Held at St. John’s Anglican College, College Ave, Forest Lake To participate email varnamqld@gmail.com
30 April 2017...
Natya Bollywood – American Mapillai coming Down Under – for information refer to page 51 for details
Islamic College of Brisbane – BIG AUTUMN FETE – From 11am – 8pm at 45 Acacia Rd, Karawatha. Auction / more rides! / fireworks spectacular! / entertainment / international food. Parking $10 includes free admission. Walk in admission $2 per adult (under 16 free) All proceeds from this event go towards the New Upper Primary Playground.
19 August 2017...
GOPIO QLD – India Day Fair 2017 – Expressions of interest – sponsorship / performers / volunteers. Please contact President Usha Chandra 0419 775 416 / Secretary Pravnita Singh-Pillay 0449 067 865
13 October 2017...
IABCA – India Australia Business & Community Awards – For information refer to flyer page 49 or visit www.iabca.com.au
Weekly Events... Mondays…
Brahma Kumaris Australia – Meditation & Positive Thinking Sessions – Mondays 10.30am to 11.30am: Regular meditation should improve your ability to focus and think clearly. By practising mediations which cultivate our ability to sense and care for our natural energy we are able to live life with greater awareness and confidence. Each class includes guided meditations, discussions, short talks and the introduction and practice of techniques. Each session is a different topic. Continued page 46
member, you can only balance your own life, not others’. Try not to pressurize or preach others, as this will only add to your stress. Given Mercury’s placement in the spiritual and psychic Pisces, your mind may be full of all sorts of dreams on 6th. Use your supercharged intuition and imagination to enjoy your life – at the moment. Important Dates 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29
Aquarius - January 21 - Feb 19
There may be not much momentum, as the month begins. Keep a tight leash on your expenses, though. By 5th and 6th, things shall be better, and you would be keen about enhancing your prospects. Presence of Saturn in the 2nd House from your Sign may continue to lay challenges on the financial and family front. There may be rising expenses, which may cause tiff at the home front too. If someone close is spending your hard earned money, do speak up, but tactfully. It would be more important to work on maintenance now. Important Dates 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 24, 28, 29
Ones in jobs may wish to change their job, this month. The conditions at the work place may be a reason, or you may be looking for better prospects and salary. Well, keep trying, as planets seem to be supportive. Short terms travels will bring good gains. 4th will be a good time to connect with old friends. There will be a lot happening on the personal and social front, post 5th. Most of it will be pleasant and positive, assures Ganesha. On 11th and 12th, partying and meeting friends will keep you busy, thanks to the nicely aligned Mars and Venus. Important Dates 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 23, 24, 28, 29
You will be aware of your responsibilities, and shall work towards attaining your immediate goals, as the month begins. Love stars shine brightly, on 2nd and 3rd. Enjoy! Health needs care on 4th and 5th, though. So, don’t over indulge, says Ganesha. 6th will be all about personal matters. Married ones may remain unhappy. Instead of getting angry, sort this out maturely. Retrograding benefits may delay gains for businessmen and professionals. Keep communication channels alive, nonetheless. Make use of social media web networks. Onus of keeping your flock together shall lie on you. Important Dates 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 23, 24, 28, 29
A new job or business opportunity knocks at your doors, albeit briefly, on 1st or 2nd. Take quick action, but don’t promise anything. Finding this advice paradoxical? Well, Ganesha is sure that you will find a way. Don’t neglect your health on 4th and 5th. You need right sort of energy now, as 6th and 7th will bring some fresh insights and interesting moments. Mercury along with Sun placed in your Sign is about to supercharge your intuition and activate your imagination. Important Dates 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 24, 26
Sagittarius - November 22 - Dec 22
Pisces - February 20 - March 20
Capricorn - December 23 - Jan 30
The month of March begins on a slightly chaotic note. Carry on unperturbed, instead of trying to settle everything down. Re-
Disclaimer: This is only a guide and is not directed towards any particular individual and the writer shall not be responsible for anything to do with the article content.
44 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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WHATÊS ON! Continued from 44
Wednesdays…
Meditation sessions Tuesdays 6.30pm to 7.30 pm and Sundays 5.30pm to 6.30pm. During these sessions there will be meditation commentaries, music and periods of silence. You can come and go at any time during these sessions. Venue: 27 Bordeaux Parade, Mermaid Waters. Please phone to register – 5575 2126. Email goldcoast@au.brahmakumaris.org or visit www.brahmakumaris.org/au/whatson for more information
Brisbane Good Samaritan Prayer Fellowship (Malayam Service) – Cottage Meeting on every Wednesday from 6.30pm to 8pm at Stafford Scouts, 38 Appleby Road, Stafford, Qld 4053. For further information contact 0468 358 646 or 0411 269 322. Come and hear the message of your eternal life, GOD BLESS
Zi Za Dong Zen Association – Energy Healing to improve health and well beings – ZZDZ Assn. Inc is a not for profit charity foundation based in Brisbane. Focusing on energy healing named Qi Gong through meditation, it provides free energy healing sessions and guidance. Practicing Qi Gong will encourage you to achieve a positive outlook on life, by helping to reduce stress and calm your mind. It also increases vitality, enhances your immune system and helps to eliminate negative attitudes and behaviours. Session Times & Locations: Mondays-Thursday & Saturday 9am – 12pm at 10 Cognac Court, Calamvale. Thursday afternoon (except 1st week) 3.30pm – 6pm at Sunybank Hills Shoppingtown Library. 67 Level 2, Cnr Calam & Compton Road. Friday afternoon 2pm-5pm at Logan West Library – 69 Grand Plaza Drive, Brown Plains. For more information email zzdz.aus@gmail.com or visit www.zzdz.org.au
Thursdays…
Brisbane Good Samaritan Prayer Fellowship (Malayam Service) – Congregation on every Sunday from 10am to 12pm at Stafford Scouts, 38 Appleby Road, Stafford, Qld 4053. For further information contact 0468 358 646 or 0411 269 322. Come and hear the message of your eternal life, GOD BLESS
The Mantra Room – Live Kirtan – Spend an evening of sacred Yoga chant with Gayatri, Ishvara, Jayadharma and friends Fridays 6pm, Sundays 5pm and Wednesdays 7pm at Australian School of Meditation & Yoga, 236 Montague Road, West End. Amazing Vego Food $5. Come celebrate, meditate and let the music set you free. For more information call 3844 8441 or email brisbane@asm.org.au
Sai Baba Aarti Program – Every Thursday 7.30pm – Virginia State School, 1678 Sandgate Road, Virginia (next to Virginia Train Station) Aarti & Archana opportunity for all attendees, Prasad & Dinner provided. Enquiries call 0405 392 793 / saibababrisbane@gmail.com / Like on facebook www.facebook.com/SaiBabaBrisbane
Yoga in Daily Life – Discount Yoga Classes – every Thursday at 6pm and every Friday at 4.30pm, they are $10 for 1 hour and half, with relaxation, asanas, pranayam and meditation, at Yoga in Daily Life Brisbane Ashram. Also full moon meditation at 7.45pm – 8.30, every Purnima by Donation. Yoga in Daily Life – 46 Doggett Street, Newstead Qld 4006. www.brisbane.yogaindailylife.org.au / brisbane@yogaindailylife.org Continued page 48
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46 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 47
WHATÊS ON! Continued from 44
Sundays…
Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Qld Inc – Vedic Yaj (Havan) –The Sabha performs Havan Yaj every Sunday from 2-4pm at Queensland Vedic Cultural Centre, 198 Learoyd Rd, Willawong and the public is welcome to be part of it. The members of public now can perform Havan Yaj at the centre. The fee of $50 is required for use of centre facilities to cover operating costs. The Havan Kund, utensils are available for use as well The Havan ingredients can be supplied if you are unable to get them. Mango sticks, Ghee, Samagri, Chamfor etc is available at the centre as well for $25. The seating capacity of the Yajshalla (Havan Hall) is 100. Contact Vice President Mrs Sushila Pathik for further information and bookings on 3314 6059. Contact Jitendra Deo 3263 1914 or Hari Chand 3345 4716 or visit www.aryasamajqueensland.com for further information.
Australian Pentecostal Assembly Brisbane – Sunday Worship every Sunday 9am11.30am at 84 The Community Place, 84 Kedron Park Road, Wooloowin Qld with Pastor Prakash Jacob. Cottage Meeting every Tuesday 7.30pm-9pm / Kids Bible Study every Friday 7pm-7.45pm / Intercessory Prayer every Friday 7.45-9pm. Worship in Hindi, English, Malayalam and other Indian Languages. For more information Phone 07 3315 5597 / 0413 347 562 or email info@apabrisbane.com.au / www.apabrisbane.com.au
Brisbane Multinational Church Hindi Service – Every Sunday at 9.30am at 757 Gympie Road, Lawnton. Special service to pray for healing, deliverance and other spiritual problems. Enquiries Ps Joseph Dass 0424 180 240.
Star Christian Church – Clontarf Beach State School Hall. Every Sunday – Morning Service at 9.30am. Evening Service at 5pm.. Come fired up and expectant! Star Church is a great, young church located on the beautiful Redcliffe Peninsula. A Pentecostal commu-
nity connected with the Australian Christian Churches. We passionately want God’s presence in our lives, desire to be trained and knowledgeable in His Word, hungry for the supernatural, excelling in our service and hospitable at life. For more information visit www.starchurch.org.au
Monthly Events...
Hindu Cultural Hub (HCB) at Clayfield – Monthly Cultural congregation – Bar-Jai Community Hall, 178 Alexandra Road, Clayfield Qld 4011. Pooja by Hindu Priest, Bajan and Kirtan by devotees, monthly religious updates / guest speakers on spiritual (or) yoga techniques. Prasatham with vegetarian dinner served. For more details contact 0469 016 416 or visit www.hinduculturalhub.org
The John Oxley District Orchid Society – Meeting – We pride ourselves on being a friendly Society and new members and guests are always welcome at our meetings held on the second Wednesday of each month starting at 7.30pm. Venue is Oxley Bowls Club, 24-30 Englefield Road, Oxley. Please contact Sonia Addison 3277 5825 or jodos-inc@hotmail.com for more information
The Gold Coast Hindu Cultural Association - Gold Coast Bhajan - monthly Bhajans held every third Friday of the month starting at 7.15am at the Helensvale Community Centre - 31 Discovery Rd, Helensvale. Activities include Bhajan recitals, short educational presentations and free vegetarian dinner. All are cordially invited to attend. For further information please contact Director/Religious Activities, Mr S Barataraj on 0417 588 839 or gchcan@gmail.com or visit www.goldcoasthindu.org
Organization of Hindu Malayalees Queensland (OHM Queensland) – Monthly Bhajans held every first Saturday of Malayalam calendar. Activities include Bhajans, Malayalam Class, Library service, religious short educational presentations, vegetarian dinner etc. For further information please contact President Krishnan AK on 0418 727 570 or ohmqueensland@gmail.com
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48 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 49
The Sangam Association of Queensland 1 Casuarina Rd, South McLean, Brisbane, 4280, QLD
2017 MARIAMMAN THIRUNAAL
OM AADI WARA SHAKTI AMMA NUKKU OM SHAKTI MAHA SHAKTI PAARA SHAKTI
From: Monday 17th April to Sunday 23rd April
Firewalking at 5pm Saturday 22nd April Followed by
Tirikutu by QLD Sangam Cultural Group
Adrian Naidu (President): 0412 007 876
Krishna Murthi (Secretary): 0431 797 569
Sami Pillay (Vice President): 0408 277 101
Suriya Narayan (Vice President): 0415 090 275
Nilesh Parmeshwar (Treasurer): 0405 334 345
Krishna Reddy (Committee): 0403 112 737
Sunil Kumar (Committee): 0410 486 896
50 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 51
Bollywood & Entertainment I’m done with Kangana Ranaut playing the woman and victim card: Karan Johar
Shah Rukh Khan thinks this leading Bollywood actress makes him look “beautiful”
• Filmmaker Karan Johar says actor Kangana Ranaut doesn’t understand the real meaning of nepotism.
WHOEVER thought the Kangana RanautKaran Johar war of words was over, is wrong. Karan opened up about Kangana accusing him of ‘nepotism’ on his chat show, during his recent interaction at an event in the London School of Economics. On Koffee With Karan, Kangana had called Karan “a snooty, flag-bearer of nepotism, who was intolerant to outsiders in the film industry.” She also hinted that he is running a ‘movie mafia’. “She was my guest and I had to hear what she had to say. She has a right to have an opinion. When she says ‘Flag bearer of Nepotism’, I just want to say her, I am glad she knows what it all means. I don’t think she has understood the entire meaning of the term. What is nepotism… am I working with my nieces, nephews, daughters, cousins? And what about those 15 filmmakers, who are not from the film industry, who I have launched and who did the movies. That we’re not going to talk about! Tarun Mansukhani, Puneet Malhotra, Shakun Batra, Shashank Khaitan… they all come from no film background. You give these people film careers and they have a platform to stand on and that’s the reverse of nepotism,” Karan said at the LSE event. Lashing out further, the 44-year-old filmmaker added: “I’m done with Kangana playing the woman and victim card. I am done! You cannot be this victim every time and have a sad story to tell about how you’ve been terrorised by the bad world of the industry … leave it.” blockquote
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@karanjohar response to @KanganaRanaut calling him a 'Flag-bearer of nepotism' Well said! KaranJohar @KaranJoharTeam pic.twitter.com/lCD0ej1v8o — Neha Bhatt (@iAmNehaBhatt) March 5, 2017 Karan also spoke about having launched star kids Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan in his directorial venture, Student of The Year (2012). “But that’s just two of them who I have introduced. Sidharth Malhotra is also one-third of the trio, and he had nothing to do with movies, so I didn’t get what she (Kangana) meant. But when she said ‘movie mafia’, what does she mean? What does she think we are doing – sitting here and not giving her work? Is that what makes us a mafia? No, maybe that was my choice. At the end of the day, maybe I am not interested in working with her. That doesn’t make me movie mafia; that makes me a man with an opinion.” The filmmaker added that he could’ve chopped off that segment from the episode that was aired on TV, but chose to retain it. “I appreciate that she (Kangana) had a great perspective and point of view and everyone lauded her when she came on my show and ‘gave it off to Karan’ — according to what everyone said — and I am like, ‘Of course’, because I have been gracious enough to keep everything. I cut out none of it. I kept all of it, as it is. I could have edited so much out of it, as it’s my show. But I said, ‘No, let the world see this. This is her opinion, she must say it and voice it’. I gave her the platform.” HT
BOLLYWOOD actors Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma recently turned show stoppers for Mijwan Summer 2017, a fundraiser charity show presented by Shabana Azmi. The 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' stars wowed the audience as they walked the ramp in colour coordinated Manish Malhotra creations. While the Baadshah looked majestic in a white chikankari sherwani with black threadwork, Anushka walked the ramp in a sequined lehenga and a dazzling crop top with fringe details.
After the show, SRK who is in awe of his costar said, "A big thanks to Anushka for standing by me and making me look as beautiful as I look right now. It's only because of her". He quickly added, "and just for Mijwan", before proceeding to croon to his song 'Mitwa' from 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna' by replacing 'Mitwa' with 'Mijwan'. Whilst singing, he recreated his trademark arms-wide-open step. Isn't he the cutest? Shah Rukh and Anushka will be soon seen in Imtiaz Ali's upcoming film 'Rehnuma'. TOI
No problem between me and Salman, nothing wrong in being arrogant: Sanjay Dutt SANJAY Dutt, who is currently in Agra along with Shekhar Suman and Aditi Rao Hydari to shoot for Bhoomi, also spoke about the new age actors. Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan have been great buddies but there have been reports claiming all is not well between the two since the former described Salman as ‘arrogant’. The 57-year-old, who has worked with Khan in films like Saajan and Chal Mere Bhai, defended his choice of word at the press event of his upcoming film Bhoomi and said there’s “nothing wrong in being arrogant.” “There’s no problem between me and Salman. And there’s nothing wrong in being arrogant. Arrogant is not a bad word. It’s just an expression. I can be arrogant. But I can be a lovable arrogant,” Sanjay said. Dutt, who is currently in Agra for the film’s
shoot along with Shekhar Suman and Aditi Rao Hydari, also spoke about the new age actors. “I like Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh. Varun Dhawan has done some good work and even Alia Bhatt. I think they are really good. They work professionally and perform well,” he added. Sanjay’s role will be essayed by the Tamasha star in the upcoming biopic directed by Rajkumar Hirani. When asked as to whose biopic the actor would like to work in, the Haseena Maan Jaayegi star joked, “I would like to work in my own biopic but I have aged now! On a serious note, I haven’t thought about this as yet.” Sanjay Dutt’s comeback film Bhoomi is being directed by Omung Kumar and would hit the big screens on August 4. HT
First look: Neil Nitin Mukesh as Sanjay Gandhi THE Prem Ratan Dhan Payo actor will play Sanjay Gandhi in Madhur Bhandarkar’s upcoming film, Indu Sarkar. This could turn out to be the most exciting role for actor Neil Nitin Mukesh’s Bollywood career so far. There has been speculation for the past few weeks that Neil would play the role of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s younger son, the late Sanjay Gandhi, in National Award-winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar’s next film, Indu Sarkar. With this exclusive photo, HT City not only confirms the news, but shows the actor’s look in the film. “Neil has been doing a lot of reading for the film to ensure he is able to deliver what the film of this magnitude demands. Getting his on-screen look took close to six months to perfect, with prosthetic make-up experts flown in from abroad,” says a source. In a recreation of the iconic photo showing Indira Gandhi (played by Supriya Vinod) with Sanjay, Neil seems to have nailed the look. The film is based on Indira Gandhi’s declaration of Emergency in India during the 21month period from 1975 to 1977, and is likely to released by mid 2017, after being shot in New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune. HT • Actor Neil Nitin Muesh took six months to perfect Sanjay Gandhi’s role. 52 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017
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Bollywood & Entertainment
Releases 10 March 2017
Love will take over this March with MIND BLOWING FILMS releases MARCH is going to be exciting with Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya releasing on 10th March, followed by a love story of a ghost, Philauri, releasing across Australia on 24th March
Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya
both of the, recognizing the goodness in each other. Will they be able to overcome circumstances to accept their love for each other? Join them on their journey of love, laughter, emotions and madness called Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya!
Phillauri
Release Date: 10th March 2017 Starring: Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt Language: Hindi (With English Subtitles) Producer: Vijay Singh Production House: Fox Star Studios Director: Shashank Khaitan Synopsis: It is a story of Badrinath Bansal from Jhansi and Vaidehi Trivedi from Kota and what happens when the two of them meet. Even though they both belong to small towns, their mindset about gender roles in society and about life in general and diametrically opposite. This leads to a clash of ideologies, despite
Release Date: 24th March 2017 Starring: Anushka Sharma, Diljit Dosanjh, Saraj Sharma, Mehreen Pirzada Language: Hindi (With English Subtitles) Producer: Anushka Sharma Production House: Fox Star Studios Director: Anshal Rai Synopsis: Set in Punjab, Phillauri is about an NRI Punjabi boy named Kanan who returns to India to get married to his childhood sweetheart. As luck would have it, his horoscope reads that he is Mangalik and would need to marry a tree before he can marry Anu to ward off any threat to his love life.
For all the latest releases screening dates visit
www.mindblowingfilms.com
Anushka Sharma to Aamir Khan: Bollywood debates actor-turns-rapper trend
• Anushka Sharma raps in the Phillauri song, naughty Billo, crooned by Diljit Dosanjh.
VARUN Dhawan did it, and so have Aamir Khan and Anushka Sharma. We ask Bollywood’s music fraternity if actors’ stardom adds to the popularity of film’s music as well. What do Banjo, Dangal, Phillauri and Gully Boy have in common? The lead stars in these films, apart from being versatile actors, have also tried to prove their mettle in rapping. And the trend is becoming the hottest rage in Bollywood. While some in the industry say this helps generate more publicity for the film, others feel that this genre only suits professionals. Actor Anushka Sharma, the latest actorturned-rapper (for a song in Phillauri), says, “When I first heard Naughty Billo in the recording studio, it caught on with me. I rapped a portion just for kicks. And before I knew, I had turned a rapper! It’s a promotional video for the film.” Last year’s Dangal also saw Aamir Khan rapping for the song, Dhaakad. What’s the music frat’s take on it? Rapper Call 07 3865 6533
Raftaar says, “It’s a killer combination. Because actors have a strong fan following, it automatically gets the song more eyeballs.” Music director Tanishk Bagchi also says: “Even if it is (a marketing strategy), there’s no harm as long as the song sounds good.” Music director duo Sachin-Jigar, who worked with actor Varun Dhawan on two rap songs for Humpty Sharma ki Dulhania (2014) and ABCD 2 (2015), agree, but say such songs don’t necessarily enhance the musical score of the film. “Some stars are gifted and have a flair for music, while for others, it’s just about lending their name to the music for the extra hype.” However, there are some who feel the trend will fade soon. “I don’t think it’s here to stay, because it’s not what you can become in a day. I believe that in India, you need a Bollywood star to get attention, and that’s probably the reason they are using a Bollywood actor,” says rapper Hard Kaur. “But I think it’s great that they are giving attention to hip-
hop and taking note of the underground by making films like Gully Boy,” she adds. Baba Sehgal, one of the first artists who brought rap to the country, too, doesn’t endorse actors turning rappers. “I don’t call it rapping. Just singing 4-5 lines doesn’t make a rap. It’s making fun of that genre of music. I don’t really endorse that. If you want to incorporate rap, then there are plenty of good rappers around. They should take them and acknowledge them,” he says. Does this trend eat into the domain of professional rappers? “There is no serious threat to the music fraternity as stars are not making a livelihood out of this. Even if a film flops, it’s the music that can sustain a film. That’s the universal law,” say Sachin-Jigar. HT • Right: Aamir Khan rapped in December 2016 hit, Dangal.
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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, March, 2017 — 53
Sports News After successful PSL final, Pakistan to host T20 series against World XI
• The Pakistan Super League final was played in Lahore and it was conducted without any incident, raising hopes that Pakistan could host international cricket in the future.(AFP)
PAKISTAN are gearing up to host a fourmatch T20 series against World XI in Lahore in September with security plans similar to the PSL final, according to a report on The Guardian. After a successful Pakistan Super League final, the International Cricket Council is planning to send a World XI for a four-match Twenty20 series in Lahore in September. According to an exclusive report on The Guardian, the four-match series is slated to be called Independence Cup to mark the 70th year of Pakistan’s independence. The report says the overseas team will assemble in Dubai on September 17 before flying to Lahore for four matches on the 22nd, 23rd, 28th and 29th. The series will follow a security plan similar to the PSL final, the rehearsals for which were supervised by an ICC delegation that included the England and Wales Cricket Board security director Reg Dickason. The series is an attempt to build on the suc-
cessful hosting of the Pakistan Super League final in Lahore on Sunday 5 March. Test teams have refused to tour Pakistan after the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus but there has been a concerted effort to get the nation back on the international cricket map. A special ICC task force headed by ECB president Giles Clarke had visited Pakistan in January to take stock of the security situation. “The desire is to give the cricketstarved Pakistani supporters the chance to see some of the world’s finest players in live action,” Clarke was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “The world of cricket needs to help Pakistan, who cannot continue to play their home fixtures overseas. The youth need inspiring, and the national teams need far more cricket played in familiar terrain. Furthermore, the terrorists cannot win and cricket must not give up on Pakistan.” HT
Andy Murray tightens grip on World No 1 ranking PARIS: Andy Murray tightened his grip on top spot in the latest ATP world rankings released on Monday 6 March following his Dubai Tennis Championships win. Murray, 29, beat Fernando Verdasco in straight sets in the final while his rivals both suffered setbacks. Number two Novak Djokovic slipped up on the hard courts of Acapulco, where he was beaten in the quarter-finals by Nick Kyrgios, while Stan Wawrinka, in third place, fell at the first hurdle in Dubai against lowly Bosnian Damir Dzumhur. Latest rankings: 1. Andy Murray (GBR) 12,040 pts 2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 9,825 3. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 5,195 4. Milos Raonic (CAN) 5,080 5. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,730 6. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 4,415 7. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3,590 8. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 3,480 9. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3,375 10. Roger Federer (SUI) 3,305 11. Gael Monfils (FRA) 3,280 12. David Goffin (BEL) 3,245 13. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 2,925 14. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 2,835 15. Lucas Pouille (FRA) 2,421
16. Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 2,255 17. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,190 18. Jack Sock (USA) 2,060 19. Richard Gasquet (FRA) 1,920 20. Alexander Zverev (GER) 1,895 TOI
Burmester wins maiden European Tour title at Tshwane Open PRETORIA: A blistering start allowed Dean Burmester to surge away from the field at the start of the final round before surviving a late wobble to secure his maiden European Tour title when he won the Tshwane Open by three shots on Sunday 5 March. The 27-year-old South African birdied his first three holes and turned in 29 to blow away the rest of the field as overnight leaders Alexander Bjork and Scott Jamieson faltered early. Burmester was four ahead after nine holes and then six shots ahead of the pack but hit bogeys at the 16th and 17th before paring the last hole to finish with a 65 for an 18-underpar total of 266. "I knew that if I could get through unscathed on the back nine I would make it but bogeys weren't great. I was just trying to keep myself calm. I never thought I was that far ahead, it was only when I got to the 17th that my caddie said to me: 'Don't worry, we've got this'," he said at the presentation ceremony. Mikko Korhonen of Finland and Spaniard Jorge Campillo were runners-up on 269 with
American Peter Uihlein a further stroke back after he carded five birdies on the back nine of his final round to storm up the field. Swede Bjork, in his first season on the tour, finished fifth but fellow overnight leader Jamieson of Scotland had a horror round of 78, hitting three double bogeys to end well down the field tied for 22nd place at six under. TOI
Indian women’s hockey team triumph over Belarus in fourth Test
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THE Indian women’s hockey team continued with their imperious form as they defeated a spirited Belarus side 2-1 to register their fourth consecutive victory in the five-match Test series in Bhopal on Monday 5 March. Led by captain Rani, the Indian women were quick to start off the blocks as Renuka Yadav scored a field goal in the 6th minute of the match. The first quarter went on to become an eventful one for the Indians, as Gurjit Kaur successfully converted a PC in the 12th
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minute to take her side 2-0 up against the Belarus outfit. The visitors responded in the second quarter as Nastassia Syrayezhka scored a field goal in the 21st minute to bridge the deficit. However, the Indian defence held strong thereafter, as the Belarus eves were denied any opportunity to score in the two goalless quarters after half time. The match was eventually sealed in favour of India. Earlier, India won the first three Tests by 31, 5-1 and 2-1 respectively. HT Call 07 3865 6533
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India to compete in Sudirman Cup Badminton at the Gold Coast 500 million households globally set to watch broadcast of world’s second most popular sport (Thursday February 2, 2017) Minister for Tourism and Major Events Kate Jones, the Hon. Steven Ciobo MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Mayor of the City of Gold Coast Tom Tate, Consular Dignitaries and Community Leaders representing seven countries and Badminton Australia officials today came together at Southport Broadwater Parklands to announce the 32 countries that will compete for top honours at the globally-celebrated Total BWF Sudirman Cup 2017. Children in traditional dress – representing some of the biggest badminton nations globally – were also on hand to celebrate the world team championships of badminton coming to Australia for the first time in the Sudirman Cup’s 25-year history. Mr. Palanichammy O. Thevar, President of the Federation of Indian Communities Queensland (FICQ) accompanied by Abinayan Rahavan (9) and Satdhana Sureshkumar (9) and their families, Pratham Madhuchandra (13) and Reena Augustine represented the Indian communities in Queensland. India had been confirmed to compete and Mr Palanichammy O Thevar, President said, “The Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland Inc. (FICQ) is proud to support the Total BWF Sudirman Cup 2017. India is ranked one of the top 20 badminton countries in the world and we encourage Indian communities in Queensland and Australia to support Team India for this historic event.” The TV broadcast for the Sudirman Cup will see the hugely popular event watched by more than 500 million households globally, with badminton ranking as the world’s second most popular sport – just behind soccer. Minister Jones said the event would deliver a significant economic boost and international exposure for the Gold Coast. “We are looking forward to hosting Call 07 3865 6533
the Sudirman Cup 2017 and the BWF annual general meeting on the Gold Coast in May,” Ms Jones said. “Together, these two events are expected to inject around $10 million into the local economy – which is good news for Gold Coast businesses and jobs. “Hosting world-renowned events like this also allow us to showcase Queensland to a global audience, drive international and interstate visitor nights and grow the State’s economy. “With many of the world’s top badminton countries travelling to the City to compete in this championship event, it will be an excellent prelude to the upcoming Gol Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. “Through Tourism and Events Queensland, our Government is continuing to work hard to attract world-class events which deliver the best tourism outcomes and exceptional value for the people of Queensland.”
Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment and Gold Coast MP, Steven Ciobo, said the event would help drive visitors to the Gold Coast. “Thirteen of the 32 countries playing in the Sudirman Cup are Australia’s top tourism markets. These countries make up 78 per cent of total international visitor spend and 79 per cent of international arrivals to Australia. “This event will attract more than 1,500 competitors from over 30 countries and a global television audience of more than 500 million, cementing the Gold Coast’s reputation as a premier destination for hosting sporting events. “This is the first time the Sudirman Cup has been held in Australia. It’s an opportunity to showcase to the world that the Gold Coast has it all – stunning beaches, unique nature and wildlife, a vibrant food and wine scene and, of course, world class events.” Official guests had the opportunity to get an
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up-close look at the one-of-akind Sudirman Cup trophy. The replica shuttlecock gold-platted trophy stands at an impressive 80cms tall and is located on the Gold Coast as the countdown to the weeklong event swings into motion. The Sudirman Cup will be staged from May 21-28 at the Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre, the new sporting precinct for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games™ (GC2018). It will be the first major event held at the Centre before GC2018. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said he hoped locals and interstate visitors would support the event and create an exciting atmosphere at the new sports centre. “This is a unique opportunity for us to show our community spirit and our enthusiasm for sports – to a television audience of 500 million - so let’s all become badminton fans and put the Gold Coast on the map,” he said. “Tickets to the Sudirman Cup 2017 are onsale and already selling fast. And with this announcement of all the countries participating, we’re expecting another surge in ticket sales and for the finals event days to sell out quickly. The Sudirman Cup is the premier badminton team event globally and we’re very proud that Australia – which is not generally considered to be one of the world powerhouses of the sport – is set to host it. It says a lot about the calibre of our facilities and the draw of the Gold Coast as a desirable destination that we’re hosting the tournament in Australia for the first time ever,” added Geraldine Brown, President, Badminton Australia.
Tickets for the Total BWF Sudirman Cup 2017 are on-sale now and available at: http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/ show.aspx?sh=SUDIRMAN17
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