From the Publisher

WELCOME to our December Issue, yes Christmas is around the corner; it just seems to have come very soon; let's first talk about Christmas, we grew up with the festival, as we much looked forward to the end-of-year event when we were growing up, we celebrated all festivals, Vaishaki, EID, Diwali, Christmas etc, there was so much goodness and understanding, as kids of many faiths we grew up together with love and respect for all, man those were the days.

I am a Hindu and began my schooling at Sangam (Tamil school) then went to DAV (Arya Samaj) High School and further education Khalsa College and Punjab University Chandigarh. Our immediate neighbours were Muslims, and seriously, we thought they were part of our family. They were at our place all the time, and we went to their house all the time. They joined us with our prayers, and we joined in theirs, and the whole community celebrated Christmas.

So here are some interesting facts: Nearly all Christians (96%) celebrate Christmas. No big surprise there. But a new survey also finds that 81% of non-Christians worldwide celebrate Christmas, testifying to the holiday’s wide acceptance – or, at least, its unavoidability – in wider society.

Non-Christians are a diverse group. They include people who are religiously unaffiliated (atheists, agnostics and people who describe themselves religiously as “nothing in particular”), of whom 87% celebrate Christmas.

They also include people of other faiths. The survey found that roughly three-quarters of Buddhists (76%) and Hindus (73%) celebrate Christmas. In addition, a recent survey of Jews found that about a third (32%) had a Christmas tree in their home last year. And some Muslims celebrate both the religious and cultural aspects of Christmas, according to news reports.

Although Christians and nonChristians celebrate Christmas, the survey shows differing views. Two-thirds of Christians (65%) say Christmas is primarily a religious holiday, while most non-Christians see the holiday as more of a “cultural” event than a religious occasion.

Overall, the religious landscape has become more diverse in recent years. Christians have dropped from 78% of adults to 73%. Over the five years, the proportion of adults who identify with non-Christian faiths has increased by about half, and the ranks of the unaffiliated (sometimes called the “nones”) have increased by a third (from 15% to 20% of all adults).

Some interesting points to ponder: we have a similar situation with Diwali, which is now universally accepted as a celebration; many countries have public holidays for Diwali, and proposals have been put to many others. I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, whether you celebrate it religiously or otherwise.

Lately, you would have noticed Brisbane Indian Times and Australian Indian are recognised as media partners for some major events, such as the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Awards and dinner; Brisbane has stars - an event by David Wu of Sunlit Group of companies, Raang by Infusion, Empowerment without borders to name a few; we were supporting media partners for many more. The point is that when it comes to the broader Indian community, we have that covered; our reach is far more than many others. We have often been quoted as part of others, which is not valid, and our name has been used to get their foot in the door.

Nevertheless, we can proudly say that we have remained true to our values and remain a quality, proper newspaper. Check out the layout; we don’t just print a few copies now and then. We have always had the hard copy and the online version, look at the page layout and news content, etc.; we pride ourselves in maintaining that quality; our publication is not put together by the guy in Chandigarh who keeps reaching out to many in the community luring them, why do people even bother, I wonder?

Our format, quality and name have remained the same over the last twenty years: a traditional tabloid in every aspect.

• Gagan deep Tandon

• Brian Sullivan (Photography)

• Rajesh Chand

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 / correspondents 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.

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From the Editor:

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Well, let's talk about some events. I was supposed to have attended the World Hindu Conference in Bangkok, but unfortunately, I could not. It was good to see Madhu Naiker from Brisbane Attending that function, but I had to choose between Malaysia and Bangkok, Malaysia being a GOPIO event I have to go to; the full report will be provided in the next edition.

Congratulations to many Diwali organisers; all went very well, some bigger than others. I must point out Paul Sinh’s PRET awards night at the Royal Convention Centre; what a fantastic event that raised over two hundred thousand dollars for charities.

There are many more that I would like to talk about. Unfortunately, time does not permit; one thing I must mention is that please remain safe this holiday, especially around the water. If you are going swimming, remember to swim between the flags and in patrolled areas only; many people from our community, especially from North India, have fallen victim to the rifts, etc., as they are not used to the sea; our community from South India is more accustomed to the sea conditions. Secondly, take extra care on the roads, allow enough time to drive as traffic will be heavy, rest and survive, and don’t push on if you feel drowsy.

I must pen off until next year. It's goodbye from us. Be good and happy reading.

—Umesh Chandra OAM Publisher