Diwali Special October 2022 edition of Desi Australia Digital Magazine

Celebrating the Victory of Good Over Evil

Hello Everyone,

The biggest festival on the Indian Calendar “Diwali” is just around the corner and the celebrations have already started. From various fairs to family & friends get-together it’s all happening.

We have captured the glimpses of some of these events and we hope you enjoy the coverage. Diwali brings various multicultural communities together and spreads the message of love, peace, harmony and the victory of good over evil.

On behalf of team at Desi Australia we wish you a very Happy Diwali. On this auspicious festival of lights, May the glow of joy, prosperity, and happiness illuminate your life. Dig in for your traditional cloths, enjoy the sweets and get ready for celebrations.

DesiAustralia.com “Keeping you connected”

Arti Banga Editor-in-Chief

ONE FESTIVALMANY CELEBRATIONSMANY HOPES!

Festival wise, the months leading up from August seem to be the busiest on the Indian calendar.

By: Poornima Menon

Of all the festivals, the one that is celebrated with much gusto and lots of fanfare in North and South India is Diwali or Deepavali, the festival of lights. And though the festival is celebrated around the same time, the northern and the southern states celebrate it for very different reasons and the traditions and rituals followed are quite different too. But one thing that all who celebrate this festival hope for is that

the lights lit on Diwali dispel the darkness of fear, ignorance and hatred, and bring into their lives the light of hope, honesty and good will.

For Indians from the South, Deepavali (as it is called down there) falls on the

fifteenth day of the Hindu month Ashwin, and the celebrations last for four days.

The festival celebrates the vanquishing of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna and his consort Satyabhama. It is believed that the Gods approached Lord Krishna for help from the torture of Narakasura who had imprisoned their daughters and Lord Krishna along with his wife Saty abhama killed the demon and freed the women. The story says that after killing the demon, Lord Krishna smeared the blood on his forehead and then had a bath with scented oil. This custom is followed even today, where people smear their forehead with kumkum, symbolising the blood of the slain demon before an oil bath. The preparations begin the day before, when the stove is cleaned and smeared with lime.

Fresh traditional sweets are prepared, and the house is washed and decorated with rangoli patterns using kavi or red oxide.

The pooja room is decorated with flow ers, betel leaves and nuts, fruits, flowers, sandal paste, kumkum, incense sticks, etc.

Crackers and new clothes placed in a plate

also get a little smear of kumkum or sandal paste. On the day, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped. Some people also offer prayers to their ancestors. At dusk, the house is lit with diyas , or oil lamps and the evening is spent bursting crackers and eating sweets with family and friends. In Tamil Nadu, the first Deepavali celebrated after one gets married is called Thalai Deep avali . The newlyweds, along with the groom’s family are invited to the bride’s home for the revelry and they burst the first set of crackers to begin the celebrations. Kerala is the only state in the South that does not celebrate Deepavali as part of their tradition.

Indians from the North celebrate over a period of five days. On this day, the people commemorate the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and vanquishing the demon king, Ravana. People decorate their homes with diyas and burst crackers to mark this celebration. They don new clothes, and the air is festive and joyous. In the North too, during Diwali Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped, whose blessings are believed to bring wealth, prosperity and peace. Lord Ganesh is also worshipped alongside Goddess Lakshmi. On the day of ‘Dhanteras’, which falls two days before Diwali, people purchase gold and/or silver. And those families who can’t afford gold or silver, purchase new utensils. The day before Diwali is celebrated as ‘Choti Diwali’ . As the Hindu financial year is believed to start with Diwali, the day is an auspicious one for the members of the busi ness community. They celebrate by opening new accounting books. Gambling during Diwali is believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the year ahead. ‘Ram Lila’ , the dramatic interpretation of the story of Lord Rama is enacted in most street corners. Lit oil lamps along with rangoli made with red kumkum adorn the door ways and small feet symbolising the feet of Goddess Lakshmi are painted on the floor of individual homes, symbolising Her entry into the respective homes.

The celebrations in West Bengal differ a little from the celebrations in the rest of the states as the Bengalis worship God dess Kali instead of Goddess Lakshmi.

The lamps that are lit in temples and houses on the day, honour Goddess Kali and her power to destroy all evils. Diwali celebration in Odisha is unique in that it is marked by the calling of spirits of the family’s ancestors. This is done by the lighting up of an oil filled earthen lamp tied to a pole erected in front of the house. Rows of oil lamps, candles and lanterns adorn the thresholds of all houses. Diwali is one of the oldest rituals for Kashmiri Pundits and the day is also of great significance to the people of the Sikh community. Guru Hargobindji, the sixth Guru, arrived in Amritsar on Diwali day free from Emperor Jahangir’s imprison ment. The Golden Temple was lit with hundreds of lamps to celebrate his return. Since he also managed to free 52 Hindu kings, the day is celebrated as the ‘Bandi Chhor Divas’ (prisoner release day). As Lord Mahavira is believed to have at tained ‘moksha’ or Salvation on the day of Diwali, the Jain community in India celebrate the day as New Year’s Day. For the farming community Diwali marks the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter. Farmers thank the deities for the harvest they had and pray for a prosperous harvesting season in the upcoming year.

Diwali to Hindus is what Christmas is to Christians or Ramadan to Muslims. Diwali is a national holiday not only in India but Trinidad and Tobago, Myanmar, Nepal, Mauritius, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Fiji as well. While in Ma laysia, Diwali is celebrated as ‘Hari Di wali’ , in Nepal it is referred to as ‘Tihar’

or ‘Swanti’ . Interestingly on the fourth day of the festival, the Nepalis worship Yama, the Hindu God of Death for lon gevity. In Sydney, Diwali is celebrated throughout the month of October by various community groups. So, Diwali or Deepavali, however it is addressed gives everyone a reason to celebrate and have happy family times together—eating deli cious sweets and bursting crackers. Wish you all a happy and prosperous festival season! May the lights of this festival fill your lives with glowing happiness and fulfillment.

Happy

Festival of Lights

Explore HomeWorld display villages and see the latest in new home building.

If you haven’t visited HomeWorld before you many not realise all that it has to o er and why people love to visit. HomeWorld display villages allow you to step inside more than 350 display homes and see for yourself what living in a brand new home would be like.

The range of designs on display is huge from single storey homes to large bespoke designs, granny flats and duplex. You will also find 50 builders on site who can help answer your questions and take you through your options. With 5 locations to choose from there is more to explore than ever before.

villages are open 7 days from 10am-5pm.

May your homes be filled with prosperity and happiness in the year ahead.

Festival of lights and

By Shirley Jacob

Thelights are hung, the candles lit, the feast prepared, the New Year is almost here, families gather and the children wait to hear the dramatic re-telling of stories from the ancient past. No, it is not Christmas, nor is it Hanukkah or Kwanzaa; steeped in mythical tales, religious devotion, and socio-cultural importance, but it is the Hin du festival of Diwali, celebrated in India and throughout its diaspora spread across the world. This fabric of festivities cel ebrated across India are sewn together by a banquet of heavenly mithais. The mere thought of Diwali opens the floodgates to memories of our visits to the various Mithai stores back home, stacked, floor to

ceiling, alley to alley, with sweets of differ ent shapes, colours and tastes like Jalebi, motichoor, malpua,laddoos etc. These memories are not unique to myself; India’s obsession with Mithai spans generations and is underpinned by our deep-seated love of sugar, stemming from the days of yore.

Sugarcane originated in India thousands of years ago before our predecessors discovered how to crystallize sugar during the Gupta dynasty, around 350 AD. Sugar was highly valued for thousands of years, first being offered to deities as Jaggery before being a highly coveted spice during the spice trade – even today India is one of the leading exporters and producers of

sugar in the world. This predilection to sugar naturally evolved into the creation of a new genre of food, Mithai.

Mithai is often characterised as a com plex art form prepared best by the artist who adorns the whimsical moustache with hands scarred by the searing heat of a jalebi pot, but it didn’t always start that way. India’s oldest mithai Malpua, first mentioned in Rig Veda thousands of years ago is essentially a simple pancake doused in sugar syrup. The genesis of modern (and more complex) sweets was birthed by the introduction of milk. Milk was constantly innovated and experimented with for generations to produce the smorgasbord of

Photo Credit: by Arpita

Photo Credit: by Reethiha Singh

and sweet delights

Mithai we enjoy today such as Payasam and Gulab Jamun.

Much like Diwali’s history, Mithai’s taste was heavily enriched by the cultural diffusion and introduction of various belief systems over the last millenia. The intercultural movement of tribes and Persian and Mughal invaders introduced saffron, nuts, dried fruits, and rose water – even modern favour ites such as Jalebi derived from the Middle East, not India.

Fundamentally, food is culture, and the exchange of ingredients and recipes reflects a global cultural exchange which is intrinsically important for not only spreading our cultural influence but also creating new dishes representative of the culture and society which we embody. As we celebrate Diwali this year with our families we should begin to embrace the next evolution of sweets created and focus on sharing our heritage and recipes with younger generations and other cultures to ensure our tradition is never lost. Reflecting on my younger days, I reminisce so fondly as the Mithai was always the perfect accompaniment to those happy moments during festival season, it made me feel warm and jubilant in the happiest moments – the proverbial cherry on top.

This Diwali, perhaps you can try a sweet, “ Parwal Ki Mithai” - a popular Bihari sweet which I used to crave for as a child. Give it a go and Happy Diwali!

Ingredients:

15 parwal

Sugar as required

1 cup water

For Filling

250 grams of Khoya

50 grams of sugar (powdered)

30 almonds

1 tsp pistachios

8 cardamoms pods (ground)

Method:

4Peel the pointed gourds and cut them from the center lengthwise. Do not cut them completely into two pieces.

4Take out the seeds

4Boil some water in a saucepan, add the cleaned parwals and boil for about four minutes, then turn off the heat

4Cover the pan and set it aside for half an hour, then drain the water completely from the parwals.

4Add water and sugar in another sauce pan, boil until it forms a syrup. Stir it continuously so that the sugar dissolves properly.

4 Put all the parwals in this syrup and let it boil until the colour change. Cover the vessel and leave it in for one hour in the syrup.

4Meanwhile, put khoya in a wide pan

and roast it on a medium flame till it turns light pink, then let it cool down.

4Add ground almonds, cardamom, pista chios, and sugar to the roasted khoya.

4Take out the parwal from the syrup and place them on a plate and stuff each parwal with the filling.

4 Press the filling with light hands so it settles down inside the parwal.

4Sprinkle chopped pistachios on the top and garnish them with rose petals before serving.

Photo Credit: by Patna beats

Photo Credit: by Tanushree

Our Spotlight Series shines a light on the exceptional work our team do spreading the word of health and nutrition across NSW communities. This month we chat with our passionate and driven NANSW President Barbara Ward to understand what drives her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself & why you are passionate about Nutrition.

I’m enthusiastic about serving my local com munity to help people live their best life. This has been possible by working across several organisations and various roles, including local council and charity positions. It became clear to me several years ago the need to work with my wider community, and NSW, educating and inspiring Australians to make healthier food

choices. This stemmed from the fact that my Mum was diagnosed with diabetes late in life and we lost her to this illness quite prematurely. Diet related health concerns, such as obesity, chronic illness, and food insecurity are increasing, how ever nutrition makes a significant difference in improving the health of Australians, not only for today but for future generations.

What brought you to Nutrition Australia NSW?

NANSW contributes to minimising economic, social and health impacts of nutrition-related dis eases through the design and implementation of nutrition education programs, presentations, pub lications, resources and awareness campaigns.

Our programs are evidence-based, offering guidance from qualified health professionals providing robust tips, tools and advice positively impacting people lives. NANSW also supports several NSW Government Health initiatives offering free programs for communities, schools, families, and individuals.

I am proud of the adaptability NANSW has de livering our programs and messaging of healthy eating to schools, aged care, corporates and workplaces, and large community-based projects. All NANSW programs can be adapted across NSW metro, regional and rural regions, enabling huge scope to impact people across multiple communities.

What do you enjoy most about leading NANSW team?

I’m blessed to be living and breathing my pas sion of health and well-being every day. I enjoy seeing the difference we have on people’s lives, across all sectors of the community. I also love working with our volunteers. It’s a great feeling to provide opportunities to students and com munity members who are also driven to make a difference in their community.

NANSW provides a platform for them to gain practical experience not only in the field of nutrition, but all round office, marketing and community engagement, which are important. What gives me the great joy is when I’m able to find them work or provide reference for them to be employed, and many of us have become good friends.

Nutrition is a rapidly evolving field & it’s difficult to stay current on the latest nutrition information. What do you do to keep abreast of the current issues and how do you upskill?

I’m a member of, and subscribe to, several leading industry organisations who provide re search findings, and medical and research studies on relevant and topical issues across nutrition, dietetics, and public health. Reputable, evidence based, scientific research and information is vital.

As a Special Advisor to United Nations Aus

tralia I work closely to ensure we are working towards our Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

How do you eat healthy with choice, miscom munication on social platforms and junk food in media?

Try for 5 every day by adopting and maintain ing a healthy, sustainable eating pattern. This is often difficult when there’s not many healthy choices to go with my cup of tea. However, at NANSW we provide tips, tools and advice and dietitian-made recipes so people can feel empow ered and take control of their eating habits and dietary intake.

I believe this is key to living a healthy and happy life. We work closely with the food indus try, companies, and educators keeping abreast of the latest nutritional information, keeping up to date with food and health trends. Where have you found mentors and advisers, to pursue and navigate your career, plus achieve personal goals.

I’ve a number of wonderful people who mentor me, plus have a diverse range of people I can go to for sound advice, ranging from CEO’s and Senior Executives, to my church community and family. Whilst many people have helped me with my career, I’m also conscientious, diligent and continually striving to be my best. Being a migrant from Fiji has been particularly challenging at times,

however I am proud of what I have accom plished. I’ve never set goals for myself rather if I saw an opportunity and thought I could positively contribute to the community - I go for it! The most important achievement for me is my family whom I’m very close to.

What do you think the future looks like for health & nutrition?

As I write I’m watching another food shortage and displaced people crisis in Sudan. Food secu rity is critical and an area I’m deeply passionate. In 2011, whilst working at AustCare, I raised $500k for Darfur, Sudan. Seeing this again is heart breaking, particularly with so much food wastage in 1st world countries. I believe food insecurity will be a growing issue for the health of the future, but we can work together to make a difference.

Nutrition Australia NSW is built on Barbara Ward’s vision and passion of inspiring healthy eating through the delivery of robust education programs, information and consultation services.

To learn more about our programs, reach out project@nutritionaustraliansw.org.au

BANSW Durga Pujo 2022

By: Sourav Mukherjee

TheBengali Association of New South Wales (BANSW) or gansied a marathon of a Durga Puja this time to compensate for an absence over the last two years.

The ceremony and festivities for the BANSW Durga Puja were held at the Concord High School for three days starting on Friday 30 September 2022. Although the weather was gloomy, the mood and atmosphere in the venue was joyous and enthusiastic.

The evening before the puja, a food festival was organised. Thirteen stalls were present and catered to a large gathering of foodies with a wide variety of food - fish fry, fish chops, paani-puri, biryani, loochi and aloo dum, egg roll, chicken and mutton dishes, and delicious sweets.

A special mention must be made for the organisers as they brought a dhaki (drummer) from Bengal to uplift the ceremonies.

The BANSW members and volunteers did an amazing job in organising this huge event and made this year’s Puja a fantastic experience.

Gandhi Jayanti celebrations

By: Harmohan Walia

Peace Centre Australia organised Gandhi Jayanti with the help of Clr. Sameer Pandey, Dy Lord Mayor, Par ramatta and the Indian Consulate office, Sydney on 2nd October 2022 at Jubilee Park, Parramatta. Prayers and religious songs were sung and Mahatma was re membered. Mr Manish Gupta, Consulate General of India, Sydney and Clr. Sameer Pandey wished everyone on the Birth

Gandhi

Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, whose teachings will always be relevant. Ma hatma promoted the culture of non-vio

weakest in our communities are looked after and no one is left behind. The 2nd

Cr Donna Davis Lord Mayor City of Parramatta

Photo Credit : Harmohan Walia

‘U’ Creations organises first ever Dussehra exhibition in Western Sydney

“It was made possible because of all the wonder women in business and those who are passionate to promote ethnic wear here in Australia.” said Urmi Taluk dar the founder of ‘U’ creations.

From her childhood, Urmi was passion ate about music, dance, art, culture & de sign. She was a classical dancer and was involved with theatre. Classical dancing has taught her to keep learning, improv ing and remain motivated. She came to Australia in 2004 and worked with National Australia Bank During.COVID time Urmi started re-inventing her career and enrolled in Graduate certificate in Marketing & Digital strategy at UTS & became a Graduate. ‘Finally, I can do what I love to do’ says Urmi.

Our Hindu festival all starts in spring - Janmashtami, Ganesh Chatur thi, Navratri, Dussehra & then Diwali. Colourful clothes & authentic food are a part of these festivals. We all want to buy clothes, so we look good and go to different shops, check on-line and have different experiences. On the other side, many everyday moms & young entrepre neur are running small boutiques from home. Urmi tried to use my experience & expertise to bring them under one roof to promote ethnic wear & support women in Business. Her aim is to give unique

experience to the shoppers.

Dussehra Exhibition took place on 18th Sep at the Granville . There were 35 stall holders who are showcasing traditional women’s wear, men’s wear, kids wear, Jewellery, shoes, gift items, puja decora tions and authentic food. Shoppers could buy directly from the vendors or online. The exhibition gave an opportunity to Sydneysiders or shoppers to complete their festival shopping under one roof.

There was a ‘Fashion at Dussehra’ by models where they will showcase traditional wear from the vendors for promotion in the evening. The event was attended by local community member, parliamentarians and councillors

Photo Credit: 18 Carat Pictures

YOU CAN BRAVE THE ‘C’

By: Poornima Menon

Adetermined

woman can do amazing things and when a group of determined women get together, they can rock the world!!

The letter ‘C’ has touched many lives. I first heard of Cancer as a killer disease more than 40 years ago in the Hindi blockbuster, Anand. To me, then, it seemed nothing more than a figment of the writer’s imagination. But it moved from the celluloid to the real world when my classmate lost her 15-year-old brother to Cancer. I was in year 8. And since then, I have met a number of peo ple who have been touched by Cancer in very intimate ways. This is one disease that continues to strike terror and wreck the lives of individuals and families. Ad vancement in science and research has provided hope as there are more cancer

survivors today than there were then.

I have been fortunate that the Big C has not touched any of my family mem bers. But I have had colleagues who have suffered and survived the disease. One that sticks out in my memory is from my teaching days. A year 7 student was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It was difficult to comprehend how someone so young could get the disease. She lost all her hair as a result of the intensive treatment. In a very warm and caring gesture, all her classmates got together and raised funds to purchase her a beautiful wig that she could wear

on her return to school.

Sunday, 9th October marked the tenth anniversary of the Pink Ribbon Break fast, a fund-raising initiative that was started by 2 cancer survivors in Sydney, Rekha Rajvanshi and Sue Advani. The event started on a very sombre note with survival stories shared by the some of the ladies present at the event. And as we hear the amazing stories of these resilient individuals, they just have one thing to say, “Early detection is the Key.” One of the stories was recounted by a mum on behalf of her daughter. One can’t fathom the pain she must have gone through. Another story revealed that you may not always detect a lump. This particular survivor experienced extreme pain in her armpit. Though shrugged off by the doctors as muscular pain, the lady was insistent and ensured she got the breast screening done on time. The mammogram revealed three deeply embedded tumours, one of which was malignant. Due to the timely inter vention, she was able to brave the ‘C’. The event also had some entertainment pieces and items donated by altruis tic members of the community were auctioned. The generous bidding by the ladies helped raise the much-required funds for the cause.

For the past 10 years, the Pink Ribbon Breakfast has always focussed on aware ness building and fund raising. This year too, the take-away message was that, we must be conscious about our body and any changes noticed are not to be taken

lightly. Don’t shrug away any kind of pain in your body or make an excuse for it. It is important to see a doctor and get ourselves checked regularly. Leading

a healthy lifestyle can also minimise the risk of the disease. I have both my breast and cervical screening done. Have you?

Photo Credit : Harmohan Walia

Behind every money transfer, there’s a dream.

T20 World CupThe Excitement begins

Sport, is by far, much bigger than what happens on the field. It ignites passion, the desire to succeed and the will to keep fighting till the end.

By Zoran Saher

Andthrough the ability to keep you glued to the edge of your seats, it makes you want to be a part of its grand spectacle. Speaking of the power of Sport, this is what Cricket stands for in every sense.

With the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup about to get on the way in the land Down Under as Australia play host, the excitement and frenzy is unstoppable. It commences on 16 th October with the grand Final that will be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on 13 th No vember. It is a packed schedule of hard fought, nail biting and an exciting brand of Cricket with 8 teams which include – Afghanistan, Bangla desh, England, India, Ireland, Namibia, Nether lands and Australia being the host nation for this prestigious Cricketing event.

Fans of the game from across the globe will be flying down to Australia to get a glimpse of the action on the field. While every team will be divided into pools of playing their opposition, it is no surprise that one game which every fan is eagerly waiting for is the India vs Pakistan encounter, where both the teams go head to head against each other on 23 rd October, at MCG. With Virat Kohli recently finding some amount of form in the Asia Cup that took place last month, Indian fans are waiting for a Kohli storm in Australia throughout the T20 World Cup. The Indian Cricket team landed in Australia a week back and are currently training in Perth for their warm up matches, leading towards the biggest

and their first game of the tournament against Pakistan.

“I recently met with & interviewed Australia’s Test & ODI captain Pat Cummins. along with the modern-day batting legend David Warner at the SCG, regarding the Australian team’s preparation for the mega ICC tournament. Cum mins expressed his excitement saying “Only 12 months ago we won the World Cup in the UAE and now we’ve got to do it all over again in front of our home crowd. So I can’t wait to get going.” Speaking about the unpredictability of the T20 style of Cricket, Cummins said “T20 is such a format that any team on the day can win a game. I’d obviously love for us to be there on the day of the Finals but teams like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka have so much of support out here in Australia, that I’m expecting nothing less than a thriller on 13 th November at MCG.” David

Warner spoke about the strong line ups that teams are preparing for prior to the tournament. He said “India’s got a phenomenal death bowling group but I think this World Cup is going to be about fast bowling and just how well bowlers use the dimensions of the ground to their advantage.”

The host nation Australia begin their World Cup campaign on 22 nd October, against New Zealand, who’ve always emerged as favorites in ICC tournaments. This month promises to bring about some of the best action on the field you will ever see. This will also mark the first ever major ICC tournament to have stadiums com pletely packed without any Covid restrictions in terms of spectators.

So, well, start your countdown. Because the biggest and the best in world Cricket are ready to entertain you with their brilliance on the field.

Drama, rivalries and rising stars: Season 2 preview

The history

To the uninitiated: this is Australian hockey’s State of Origin. An elite do mestic league in which the nation’s best players grind out interstate rivalries dating back to their junior club days.

By Kate Allman

It has been three long years between drinks but finally the Sultana Bran Hockey One League is back.

Season 2 commenced on Thursday 29 September, with women’s and men’s double headers being played weekly on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday nights.

Who are the players to watch, and which teams will claim the men’s and women’s trophies?

Current Kookaburras and Hockey roos leave camp to play seven rounds, followed by a finals series, alongside Australia’s best developing talent in the battle for Hockey One League glory.

NSW Pride won the Men’s competi tion in the inaugural season, and Bris bane Blaze claimed the top gong for the Women’s competition. The in-between Covid-induced hiatus has undoubtedly lit a fire in the bellies of rival fran chises.

The drama

Arguably the most thrilling element of the Sultana Bran Hockey One League is the ‘conversion’ rule.

This is unique to the league – a rule that allows players to double down on points after scoring a field goal by going one on one with the opposition goalkeeper in a shootout situation. The attacking player has just eight seconds to carry the ball into the circle and score against the keeper.

Every match that is tied at full time will also be decided by a shootout. It’s high stakes, high reward hockey that promises plenty of drama.

The favourites

Brisbane Blaze Women won the trophy in Season 1 and have enough Hock

eyroos paired with emerging talent to potentially go back-to-back. Dynamic young players like Claire Colwill and Hannah Cullum-Sanders are on a rapid ascent, while more experienced Hockey roos Rosie Malone, Savannah Fitzpat rick and Ashlea Fey will steady the ship.

Hockey Club Melbourne looks to be the other strong contender on the women’s side, led from the back by Australia’s most capped goalkeeper Ra chael Lynch. At the front, they’ll hit the scoreboard with in-form Ash Utri who was the highest goal scorer in this year’s Victorian Premier League.

The Season 1 Men’s champions NSW Pride may have the best team on paper –with the largest flock of Kookaburras in Tim Brand, Tom Craig, Matthew Daw son, Lachlan Sharp and Dylan Martin, plus goal machine and legendary drag flicker Blake Govers. However, some of the stars are currently playing in Europe and may miss crucial matches. That will leave space for last season’s runnersup Brisbane Blaze to burn a hole in the NSW scorecard. Legends donning the

orange Blaze uniform include local Bris bane boy and dual-Olympian Jake Whet ton, plus Daniel Beale, Jacob Anderson and Tim Howard.

Stars to watch

Melbourne midfielder Amy Lawton was recently named a finalist for the rising star of the year in the FIH Hockey Stars Awards. She debuted for the Hock eyroos at 17 and has been on an upwards trajectory since then, culminating in a silver medal at the Birmingham Com monwealth Games.

Perth Thundersticks’ Brodee Foster has been electric this year – winning a gold medal, player of the tournament, and top goal scorer in the men’s national under 21s competition.

Also out west, 23-year-old defender Karri Somerville has been finding extraor dinarily good form in the Perth women’s league. She was in Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games and can punish op positions with her deadly drag flick.

Australia’s most-capped Kookaburra Ed

die Ockenden won the season Hockey One League Men’s MVP in 2019. This year he returns in a dual role as a player and as sistant coach for his team, the Tassie Tigers.

South Australian Gabi Nance will come out of retirement to play for Ad elaide Fire’s Women’s Team. She left the Hockeyroos camp in 2020 in disappoint ing circumstances when Covid scuttled international matches and no doubt has plenty left to prove.

Veteran Kookaburra Andrew Char ter promises to freeze out opponents in goals for Canberra Chill. The dual Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist famously conceded only three goals during the Kookaburras’ gold medal-winning campaign at the 2014 World Cup, and could be a defensive gamechanger up against conversion goal opportunities.

Tickets for all Sultana Bran Hockey One League matches are available now through Ticketek. Every double header will also be LIVE on Kayo.

Deepavali Fair Organised by

Hindu Council of Australia

Rumi

Happy

Diwali

Michelle

Diwali Mela Organised by Council

Council of Indian Australians Inc

Daniel Stow Fiji Consulate General & Trade Commission

Diwali Celebrations Organised Council, managed by

Organised by Parramatta Opera Events

Photo Credit: Jindeep Photography

HAPPY

Diwali

May the Festival of Lights fill your home with happiness and joy.

Mayor Ned Mannoun

Blacktown Diwali Mela organised

organised by Star Party Hire

Around Australia in 28 days – the importance of driving under speed limit

By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra

Meet

Mandar ‘Guru’ Tam hankar, owner of Guru Driving School who has recently completed a remarkable journey around the country on a motorbike to mark the 75th anniversary of Indian independence from Britain. His motivation is two fold - to spread the mes sage of road safety by driving under road speed limits and to raise funds to donate to the PM Fund of Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.

Guru has been operating his driv ing school since 2011 and for the past decade, he has been conducting an an nual tour of Sydney for senior citizens for the cost of a dollar and has been recognised for his commitment to serv ing the community with the ‘Outstand ing Community Work Award NSW’ in 2017. Guru embarked upon this journey with the blessings of 100 senior citizens and concluded with a special event to celebrate the completion of this ambi tious mission. Speaking at the event that marked the successful completion of

Guru’s mission, former local federal MP Mark Latham commended Guru for the massive journey around our country, call ing it inspiring.

Guru completed a journey of 20,000kms in 28 days, starting from Syd ney, to Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Northern Territory, Bris bane, Coffs Harbour, Hornsby and end ing at Minto Temple in Campbeltown. Despite a few hitches along the way and running out of blood pressure medication towards the last 1000kms of his journey, Guru remained unfazed and has seen his mission through to the end.

He has raised $6,000 towards the fund besides the admiration of the community for being the first Australian of India origin to have completed a tour of the country on a motorbike.

Raising awareness about Poverty - We are The Voice

By: Anya Malhotra

Anti-Poverty Week (16th – 22nd of October) is a national campaign across Australia to raise awareness of the finan cial struggles impacting many Austral ians and to take action collectively to end poverty. Alarmingly, in 8 Australians live below the poverty line.

Did you know:

4In 2020, research by the Australian Council for Social Services ACOSS found that nearly 3 million Australians live in poverty1

4Of that, nearly 774,000 are children.

4In Australia, the poverty line is defined as 50% of the median household income which is about AUD 457 per week for a single adult and AUD 960 for a couple with two children in 2017182

How you can get involved: Poverty exists and it is real, but we can all help in our own way to fight poverty. If you would like to get involved, here are some websites you can go to and choose one of the many ways in which you can contribute towards the fight to eradicate poverty.

4https://antipovertyweek.org.au

4https://www.actcoss.org.au/anti-pover ty-week-2022

4https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/getinvolved/anti-poverty-week/

References:

1 Poverty in Australia, 2020, ACOSS/ UNSW Report

2 https://antipovertyweek.org.au

YouGo with Rajni-Let’s Be Mindful Series Mental Health begins with an honest inner dialogue

By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra

It’s

October, National Mental Health month - the perfect time to check in with yourself, tune in to how you feel about your mental health and what you could do for yourself and others. Read on for tips on keeping your wellbeing quotient in balance.

YOUR INNER DIALOGUE

An honest inner dialogue will help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings which is a big step towards creating a state of wellbeing and good health for yourself.

if you haven’t already, now is a good time to ask yourself some important questions:

4How am I feeling?

4Do I feel happy with my current lifestyle?

4Do I have more anxieties and fears than usual?

4Am I overly tired by the end of the day or week?

4Do I make time for self-care and exercise every week?

4How can I make this moment, this day simple?

4What is it that I need to do to feel calm?

This self-check list can be as exhaustive as you would like it to be, to delve into your being and understanding yourself better. Record your answers in a journal. Revisit your journal in a few months and see if the responses have changed. This will help you acquire a longrange perspective on how you have been feeling and whether you need to do things differently or seek help.

BREATHE

The power of a single mindful breath is more than one can imagine. Learn to use the power of

breath to counter your body’s natural response to stress. When anxious or stressed, our breath ing tends to become shallow and short. The key to stopping your body and mind from slipping into ‘stress’ mode is to find your breath and use it well. Here is an exercise on mindful breath ing, which can be practised anytime, anywhere, on-the-go.

MIndful breathing exercise:

4Close your eyes and place your hands on your abdomen.

4Inhale deeply and slowly - feel your breath travelling downward and your belly rising as you inhale deeply.

4Exhale – follow the sensation of your breath travelling up through your belly and out through your nostrils as you exhale fully and completely.

4Visualise any tension or stress leaving your body with your breath.

4Repeat steps 2,3 and 4 ten times.

4With every breath try and repeat the affirma tion below.

Affirmation: “Breath is the power behind all things. I breathe in and know that good

things will happen” – Tao Porchon-Lynch

FEEL THE MOMENT

To be able to feel every moment is a valu able technique in keeping your mental health in check. Here’s how you can be present in the moment and make each moment more meaningful. Look out the window, notice the colour of the sky. Feel the warmth of the tea as you take a sip and let it flow into your body. Take a walk, look around you and feel the warm sun on your skin, the cool air on your face. If you are listening to music, notice how the song makes you feel. If you are reading a book, pay attention to the words and how they impact you.

There YouGo! Thus begins your journey towards keeping your wellbeing quotient in bal ance with the help of an honest inner dialogue and mindful breathing.

Image by pch.vector on Freepik.com

Yours mindfully, Rajni Follow Rajni on Facebook @YogaWithRajni

Active Super lights up Diwali with Indian Australian diaspora

Active Super wishes the Indian Australian dias pora a happy and prosperous Diwali. Many Indians will often traditionally start a new business venture, grow their investments, and make substantial purchases during this festive season.

Chantal Walker, Chief Member Experi ence & Growth Officer of Active Super, one of Australia’s leading ethical and responsible super fund, said: “We would like to wish the Indian diaspora a bright and prosperous Diwali filled with light and happiness. Active Super recognises the contribution of the Indian Australian community in shaping the harmonious social and economic tapestry of Aus tralia’s multicultural society.”

Diwali is becoming an increasingly popular festival in Australia, especially with the growing presence of the Indian diaspora. According to the 2021 Census, there are over 710,000 people of India-

born origin in Australia, and they are the second largest group of overseas-born migrants behind England-born migrants.

Active Super works closely with mul ticultural marketing agency MultiCon nexions in celebrating cultural diversity

and driving inclusive communications for multicultural Australians.

Learn more about how you can brighten up your future with Active Super: https://www.activesuper.com.au/ join-active-super-saa/

LIGHT UP YOUR DIWALI WITH ACTIVE SUPER

This Diwali, get active with your

and

a

fund that’s one of Canstar’s top-performers1. Visit activesuper.com.au/sa to find out more.

“ Be the change you want to see”

An event of the Indian Crescent Society of Australia on Multiculturalism and Social Cohesion in Australia

By Rajanikhil Malaramuthan

IndianCrescent Society of Australia (ICSOA) is a society dedicated not just to Indian Muslims but to people from all ethnicities, speaking all languages, creeds, races and religions. It dedicates itself to the betterment of Indian Muslims, religious, ethnic, linguistic and other minorities, and recent migrants and supporting them. It has a duty to ensure good relations between Austral ians and people of all ethnicities with Indian Muslims and Muslims in general. The most important dynamics that ICSOA works on are peace, harmony, inclusiveness, diversity and social cohesion. This event is a trademark in bringing all of these dynamics together under one platform in the Jubilee Room of the NSW Parliament. This is not the first time that ICSOA is doing it, in fact, the 5th time that it has done. The last 2 years were online due to the pandemic and this year was a grand success, offline.

The event had a very good set of speakers

lined up. There were over 10 speakers from different arms of the government, both federal and state; while also included the wise ones from all faiths not to say the least started with acknowledging the first nations people and their toils in becoming first-class citizens in their own country. Susan Moylan-Coombs from the Indigenous community spoke about how important it is for ‘Truth telling’, Social cohesion in the current times and how the colonisers have erased the past to build a new society over the various Countries in Aus tralia. The next speaker was Russell Davies, a leader from the Christian faith and he spoke extensively about his learnings from the Bud dhists in Marrickville, where he lives. Jeremy Jones from the Jewish community spoke

about the importance of interfaith and social cohesion with a brief example from his own interpretation of the Jewish symbols. Pandit Jatin Kumar Bhatt who is a priest in the first Hindu temple in Australia and New Zealand gave personal experiences as examples that held him spiritually towards all human be ings. Maulana Nazeerul Hasan Thanvi from the Muslim faith started by reciting the 49th chapter of the Quran and spoke about how im portant it is to see everyone equally, as broth ers and sisters, and stressed looking at God as one, a common entity and not be divided over it. The esteemed set of speakers was continued by a list of Parliamentarians and the first being a federal senator - Hon David Shoebridge. The Greens senator simply asked for a commit ment at a political, religious and community level for any kind of intolerance in the form of religion, faith, language, nationality, ethnicity, race, sexuality or gender, to be called out. Jodi Mckay spoke next as a Chair of AIBC (Australia India Business Council) and then an ex-opposition leader of the NSW parliament. Not to forget that she was also the shadow minister of Multiculturalism. She spoke about being strong, while people are united. She believes that there is yet more unaccomplished in the Australia-India relationship. She also mentioned the visit of Dr S. Jaishankar (Indian Minister for external affairs) and the upcom ing visit of Nitin Gadkari to Australia. While Jodi was speaking, the current minister for

multiculturalism - Hon Mark Coure entered the hall and he spoke as a representative of the NSW government in curbing intolerance against people of all faiths in the state. He spoke about how his family was multicultural, with a very sweet anecdote. He also went on to say that the NSW government will never tolerate Islamophobia in any way. The other speakers Violet Roumeliotis (CEO - SSI), Peter Doukas (Chair - ECC - NSW), Dr Jan Fizzell (Senior Medical Advisor for NSW) and Lorraine Finlay (Human Rights Commis sioner) paraphrased social cohesion, integrity and unity in various words with different examples from their own fields and spaces. The Keynote was delivered by Craig Foster, who is an Australian Soccer Player and since he is a human rights activist as well, he gave some motivational, yet hard-to-digest truths in his speech. He spoke about how social cohe sion should be in the bones of every Austral ian and that we have to live up to its promise. He also spoke against intolerance with these lines - “Australia is a secular democracy and it accepts every human belief. But in return expects your acceptance of the same in every

other human being.” While the speakers added multicultural flavour to the event, an award ceremony was also featured. Mr Jack Passaris, founder of the Ethnic Community Council of NSW received the Lifetime ICSOA award for the year 2022 and it was indeed presented by the Hon Minister Mark Coure. The event was

also attended by the retired secretary of the Indian ministry of external affairs, Hon Vijay Kumar who had also served as the Consul General of India in Sydney during the Sydney Olympics.

This event was perfectly planned on the day of the 20th year since the Bali bomb ings that killed more than 200 people, including close to 90 Australians. This as well was pointed out by one of the speakers. This was a perfect execution by ICSOA headed by the President Mr Abbas Raza Alvi, Treasurer - Mr Abbas Chelat, Legal - Mr Siddiq Panwala, IT - Mr Syed Jafar and was well MC-ed by Mr Fasih Uddin Khan, who is also the secretary of the society. The others who supported the execution were the ICSOA women’s team - Iram Rasheed, Amrin Khan, Sarwat Zahra & Farida Alvi and the ICSOA youth team - Ms Alina Jafar, Ms Nabeela Rasheed, Ms Rida Khan, Ms Tahira Bur ney, Husain Jafar, Rayyan Khan & Zohaib Khan.

Photo Credit; Harmohan Walia

Tamil Arts and Culture Association celebrate 10 years of service

Association (TACA) service to community

Photo Credit : Harmohan Walia and Manoj Kumar Kutti

In the Spirit of Madira

By Guneeta Khanna

Lookingfor a unique Diwali gift with an Indian twist, Madira Spirits got my attention. I caught up with Ash and Amarjit, the duo behind the company. And this is what they had to share. Ash, “Both Amarjit and I always held a passion for finer spirits. The inspiration behind Madira Spirits arose from the void that seemed to be staring us in our faces. In multicultural Australia, there was no authentic Indian spirit created from traditional recipes that have existed for times immemorial. With due respect to a handful of whiskies and rums being exported from India, we were motivated to produce fine spirits that exemplify Indian culture, just like Tequila does for Mexico and Vodka for Russia”.

Amartjit, “I had been distilling for over a decade as a hobby, however it was during the peak COVID period post tasting a few batches, that Ash proposed launching ‘Madira Spirits’ commercially. Ash, “The journey so far has been an exhilarating one with far more success compared to the few bumps along the way. The focus for Madira Spirits has been to create quality products with natural ingredi ents whilst paying attention to the feedback from our customers”.

Amarjit, “At the moment our hot selling spirits are Madira Platinium- premium spiced cane spirit. 40% alc v/v. Made with traditional Indian recipes. Best served over ice. Madira Select- mildly spiced clear cane spirit. 40% alc v/v. Best for making cocktails or with lime and soda/tonic water. Madira Paan Liqueurbest tasting meetha paan liqueur made with pure paan ingredients. 25% alc by volume. To be served chilled”.

“For the convenience of our ever-growing clientele, we have been shipping our products in Australia. A select few bottle shops across the country are proudly stocking thus making

the range widely available. Soon, Madira Spirits will be moving to our new production facility, most likely in Rouse Hill. We are also opening up a couple of export markets, with new partnerships along the way and releasing new products in the market for our clientele to savour”, Ash.

Madira Spirits have launched a special dual bottle gift packs for Diwali. These premium packs contain a bottle each of Madira Plati num and Madira Paan liqueur and are a great gift for your family and friends. We also have a lot of Diwali special discounts available on the website https://www.madiraspirits.com.au/

Pramukh Swami Maharaj Centenary

By: Daljeet Bakshi

BAPSAdelaide celebrated His Ho liness Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s birth centenary at the Adelaide Convention Centre on 16 October 2022. The celebration at the Adelaide Con vention Centre was a tribute to His Holiness for dedicating his life to fostering peace, harmony and spiritual upliftment for families and communities across the world.

His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921-2016), Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s fifth spiritual successor was revered throughout the world. His Holiness ignited spirituality and culture by forming mandirs (temples) across the world including multiple cities in Australia. The magnificence of Indian spiritu ality and culture is proudly exhibited by these mandirs and its devotees.

Throughout his entire life, His Holiness exemplified the perfect qualities of a true spiritual leader. With his unique and loving style, he inspired countless people to lead pure and pious lives, to work on improving themselves and their inner nature, to lead

Centenary Celebration Adelaide, Australia

healthy lifestyles, giving up addictions, and to keep God and spirituality at the centre of all activities.

Furthermore, Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s selfless contribution to society has inspired generations of volunteers to follow in his footsteps by selflessly serving the community.

Globally, through its worldwide network of 3,850 centres, BAPS organises and coordinates various medical, educational, environmental, cultural, and social activities. Analogously, BAPS Australia has contributed to this great nation through annual blood donation camps, tree plantation drives, edu cational seminars, participation in community clean-up days, serving and fundraising for disaster-relief activities such as the COV ID–19 pandemic as well as natural disasters,

and hosting a variety of children and youth activities to invest in a brighter future.

Furthermore, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s centennial celebrations finale will be held in Ahmedabad, India from December 15, 2022, to January 15, 2023. The celebra

tions held in India throughout the aforemen tioned days are expected to draw thousands of locals and tourists from across the world each day. The messages from Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life will be depicted through vari ous mediums for people of all ages to learn and idealise.

Commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Gandhi Jayanti’ hosted for the first

Sydney, 1st October, 2022

– The MAHATMA Peace Symposium 2022, the flag ship initiative by Saroni Roy Foundation (SRf), a tribute to the global peace hero Mahatma Gandhi and the commemoration of his 153rd Birth An niversary or ‘Gandhi Jayanti’ was hosted for the first time, at the Parliament of NSW on the 28th of September 2022.

MAHATMA Peace Symposium aims to increase public awareness and under standing of Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of sustainability, real-development & Ahimsa (non-violence) as a non-violent approach to foster lasting peace within and across diverse & vulnerable com munities, thereby accelerating inclusive, networked multilateralism with vision, ambition and impact, integral for a sus tainable world.

“In 2022 with the world enduring the ebbs and flows of the pandemic, MPS 2022 focussed on the Gandhian philoso phy/concept of Ahimsa (non-violence) addressing ‘multi-dimensional poverty’ as the worst form of violence, and its articulation in the UN-SDGs. We at SRf believe that Inclusive & peaceful socie ties lead to prosperous economies.” said, Saroni Roy, Founder & Director, Saroni Roy Foundation, and Creator & Produc er of MAHATMA Peace Symposium.

The Gandhian values of Ahimsa — social action, justice and peace through non-violence — have universal rel evance today, inform this Peace Sym posium and perfectly align with Saroni Roy Foundation (SRf) & SRf Creatists’s

peaceful, more inclusive ‘One World’ to live and love.

The MPS 2022 also highlights and showcases ‘Australia Celebrating India’s 75 Years of Independence’ – Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, in backdrop of the AI-ECTA, celebrating and strengthening Australia-India friendship/dosti.

These ethos were also articulated by The Hon. Julian Leeser MP, Federal Member for Berowra, through his video message screened at the event.

The event featured the recital of the poem ‘The Call’ – a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy, written by the prolific writer & poet, Hon. Mrs Nimeesha Gupta followed by a live concert by ac

core principles of ‘Diversity, Sustain ability & Social Justice’ to create a more

tor & artist Saroni Roy, powered by SRf Creatists. Saroni moved and mesmerised

The one-of-a-kind MAHATMA Peace Symposium 2022, a Saroni Roy Foundation initiative, pioneers of peacebuilding, to perpetuate &

Gandhi’s 153rd Birth Anniversaryfirst time at the Parliament of NSW

the audience by her performance of a medley of Mahatma Gandhi’s favour ite songs in three languages, namely, ‘Vaishnav Jan To’, ‘Raghupati Raghav’, ‘Ekla Cholo Re’, showcasing CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) artists from India and Australia, as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and to all creatives and artists creating a peaceful, inclusive world through art, capturing the essence of SRf Creatists. Adapting to the pandemic restrictions, Saroni remotely worked with musicians/artists based in India to curate this authentic and exquisite piece of art, ensconced in the Gandhian values of Ahimsa, cour age, determination, solidarity, harmony and peace.

“As an actor, singer, dancer and con noisseur of the arts, I truly believe that art is a platform that showcases and also weaves together diverse cultures. It transcends all barriers, and doesn’t conform to the limitations of language, faith, geography, race or nationality. If we look at some of the diverse eth nicities that have come together today, many of us, have experienced loss, war and conflict in our homeland. Art & artists, are therefore an integral catalyst in uniting people, celebrating our rich cultural heritage, and perpetuating a cul ture of peace and harmony.” said, Saroni Roy, Director, SRf Creatists.

2022, a panel discussion & global multicultural community forum, a call-for-action to peacebuilders, artists, government leaders, advocacy, media and academia worldwide, for a global partnership, to create a shared blueprint to achieve a better, peaceful and more sustainable future for all.

The panel featured pioneers of peace building like Steve Killelea AM, Founder, Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), Nobel Peace Prize Nominee & Author, Peace in the Age of Chaos, Tim Ford AO, Vice President (Operations) United Nations Association of Australia NSW Division - UNAA NSW and former UN Peacekeeper, Nola Turner-Jensen, Direc tor, The 5 Bats Company, Lead - CultuRe code Project, Saroni Roy, & Moderator, Kartik Mohandas, and focussed on apply ing the Gandhian principles of sarvodaya, social inclusion, prosperity, solidarity and partnership to address ‘multidimensional poverty’ and the ‘5-P’s of Peacebuild ing’: People: ‘Leave no one behind’, inclusive societies; Peace: Ahimsa/nonviolence & giving people agency; Planet: Our relationship with the Planet. Mindful consumption, protecting the environment; Prosperity: Economy, Multidimensional poverty; Partnership: Significance of col laboration, networked multilateralism, in times of crisis. Shared responsibility and global solidarity.

The event proceedings concluded with a formal vote of thanks to dignitaries, sponsors, media partners, volunteers, and supporting community-organisa tions, followed by a community-net working over refreshments.

The Global Peacebuilders Forum

initiative, brought together luminaries, government leaders, multicultural community leaders, celebrate Gandhian principles and values.

Photo Credit; Harmohan Walia

FILMY FESTA

By: Gagan Jassal

Filmy Fiesta Chapter 1, an event celebrating the films and creativity took place on 25th Sept’ 22 at the Grand venue of Guildford leagues club. The event was organised by KH broth ers films and co-presented by Euphony films and Waaci group. The event was attended by the Sydney community and the Parliamen tarians who came together to support this wonderful initiative of celebrating creativity in form of films. It was a one of kind event hosted by talented hosts Opinderjit “Addy” singh and Saloni sareen guiding the event to success.

Filmy fiesta had everything ranging from melodious musical performances by Sydney’s well established and well known musicians (Sadiq Rahmani, Raman hiroo, Jazib khan and Gagan Jassal), energetic dance performances (Seeret Kaur Thandi , Nirali Oza of Dhunki dancers and United Bhangra Champions), kids entertainment ( Kids entertainer Monty) combined with deli cious food accentuating the whole experi ence for the night.

KH Brothers Films premiered their latest production “Rabb” an emotional drama and “Greed” a suspense thriller. Both films were very engaging and kept the audience glued to their seats. Both these films are directed by Australia’s well known director and actor Harjot Singh and showcased a very talented and mature star cast of Harjot singh, Munish Arora, Gagan Jassal, Saloni Sareen, Aman Preet , Harmanpreet kaur, Roopak Jain and Bal Purewal, making it a must watch film of this year. Do watch it by visiting KH Brothers Films facebook page https://www. facebook.com/khbrothersfilms

On the other hand Euphony films show

cased their much watched short film of this year “Bhram”, directed by another of Sydney’s well established film maker and owner of Euphony films, Pankaj Upad hayay. This film is a suspense thriller starring Munish Arora & Kamal khajuria . Another of Euphony films presentation “Kashmakash”, a mesmerising music video collaboration with jamroom sydney group. This will for sure take you to another world. Last but not the least to mention was a much talked about song and music video of this year “Khwab kaisa bhi ho” by WAACI group in collaboration with KH Brothers Films. This video has won many accolades within Australia and worldwide for its wonderful message “Creativity & Art brings unity in diversity”. This song

was penned by legend Late Rahat sahab, musically composed by living legend Abbas Raza Alvi, directed by very Talented Tau feeq Ahmed and stars Gagan Jassal, Mehak & Sankalp Bhatnagar. You can watch it on youtube . The only thing left to say is that the atmosphere created by Filmy Fiesta was electric & sublime. It got each and everyone involved including our honourable MPs and councilors mesmerised and made them stay through. till the end of night. My heartiest congratulations and thanks to the whole Filmy Fiesta team including the organis ers, sponsors and volunteers for making this event happen and setting a benchmark for all future Film festivals to come. I look forward to bigger and better chapter 2 of Filmy Fiesta by KH Brothers Films.

Photo Credit; Harmohan Walia

Ram Setu; Promises an epic adventure like never-before

Action adventure spectacle, Ram Setu, is all set for a grand theat rical release, this Diwali. Ever since the teaser dropped, the film is being showered with immense love and appreciation and the anticipation for the trailer has been unprecedented.

With Akshay Kumar in the lead the film also stars Satyadev Kancharana, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Jacqueline Fernandez and M. Nasser in primary roles. The highly an ticipated trailer is thrilling and engaging to watch along with never-seen-before, breathtaking visuals. It promises to entertain and

also bring to the fore an amazing part of India’s historic heritage.

The story of Ram Setu revolves around an atheist archaeologist turned believer, Dr. Ar yan Kulshrestha (Akshay Kumar), who must race against time to prove the true existence of the legendary Ram Setu before evil forces destroy the pillar of India’s heritage.

Written and Directed by Abhishek Sharma (Parmanu, Tere Bin Laden), the film is a fast-paced entertainer which is best experi enced and enjoyed with the entire family in theatres this Diwali.

Ram Setu is presented by Prime Video in association with Cape of Good Films and Lyca Productions and is an Abundantia Entertainment Production. The film is produced by Aruna Bhatia (Cape of Good Films), Vikram Malhotra (Abundantia En tertainment), Subaskaran, Mahaveer Jain, and Aashish Singh (Lyca Productions) and Prime Video with Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi as the Creative Producer. Ram Setu will be distributed worldwide in thea tres by Zee Studios.

Ram Setu releases in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, only in theatres 25th October, 2022.

GIVE MEDITATION A CHANCE

meditation. Here are 2 positive thinking medita tion tips to empower you:

A) Relaxing body and calming mind when Meditating

things happening in your life.

Affirmations are statements that are used in a positive language. For example, “ I am getting better and healthier everyday .”

By: Sheetal Puri

A beautiful day begins with a positive mindset. A positive thoughts brings positive things in life.

Now the question arises how to be positive in everyday life in such a busy schedule????

Hmmm Don’t worry I have got a solution for it.

Try, Try, Try.

Before you say I can’t, try it and give your best. Hope it works as miracle to you!!!!

You have to just simply spend some time and a little bit of your efforts, staying positive every day can be easily achieved. All that is required is a fraction of your time, 15 to 20 minutes a day to recharge your body & mind and to cultivate the positive you.

Positive thinking simply means the absence of negative thoughts and emotions – in other words, inner peace and calm mind.

When you are calm within yourself, you are naturally thinking positively. You don’t have to fight off negative thoughts, or search hard for more positive thoughts. It just happens on its own.

How to practice to be positive with the help of

Meditation is a simplest and easiest technique to be practiced Nothing special arrangements or postures has to be done. It can be as simple as sitting in a comfortable chair or lying down on the bed or sitting in cross legged position ( choice is your) listening to soothing music or performing some relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises.

Meditation also helps letting go of stressful or worrisome thoughts. Isn’t it’s great! If you spend just a few minutes every day you will feel relaxed and peaceful, you automatically shift your mind into a more positive place. When you FEEL more relaxed, you naturally THINK more positively!!!

Start practicing for a short period of time, like 5 or 10 minutes a day. You can meditate first thing in the morning, during afternoon, right before you go to bed at night, or any time you are comfortable. The most important thing is to consciously let go of unproductive thoughts and feelings and bring MINDFULNESS, start practicing to be MINDFUL with your thoughts and feelings. .Let the negative thoughts go for those few minutes, and you may decide not to intervene up again at all!

B) Practice Positive Affirmations

everyday Positive affirmations can be used throughout the day anywhere and at anytime you need them. The more often you use them the positive thoughts will take over negative thoughts and you will see positive

Affirmations have to be said with belief and consistency.

Try to start your day by saying your affirma tions out loud. It wouldn’t take more than 5 min utes to repeat your affirmations; yet when done consistently, these positive affirmations will be absorbed into the subconscious mind to cultivate the new positivity in you.

Here’s an example of a “some affirmation” you can use on a daily basis:

4I am the best.

4I achieve in everything I do.

4Every task I get into returns positive to me.

4I am productive with my thoughts.

4 I respect my abilities and perform to the full potential.

4I am always heard.

4Nothing is impossible for me.

4I love myself.

When you start practicing TO BE MINDFUL believe me nothing can stop you.

Think positively you will never lose because positivity always wins.

If you like to feel the lightness, clean your mind and infuse positivity in yourself Enrol yourself for ONLINE SESSIONS to experience the Journey of Meditation by Sheetal. feel free to contact me: givemeditationachance@ gmail.com

Durga Pooja celebrations

Our journey started six years back in 2017 when few of our own families & friends were missing decided to start this adventure

By Swagata Das

We had no funds on hand, but the mission was clear and God willing we managed to have a good celebration that year.

Formed in the year 2017, Swagatam Group is a non-profit culture group funded by its own members and is a reg istered non-profit organization in NSW, Australia. Swagatam group is run by an elected Executive Committee that brings with them a rich cultural heritage as well as experience to make every event an enjoyable experience for the community. We are in the sixth year of successfully organising Durga Puja.

Swagatam group takes pride in organ izing Durga Puja & cultural programs

which brings in local artists from Greater Sydney area. It also strongly promotes the local talents in the com munity. Since its inception in 2017, Swagatam group has successfully organised Durga Puja every year. In the pandemic year of 2020, Swagatam

Group was the only non-profit organi zation to have successfully organised a Durga puja following all COVID safe protocols. Swagatam group is very much focused on promoting local talents from the community and creating a very comfortable and

celebrations by Swagatam Group

all the fun they all used to have in Durga Puja back home, so one day during a get together we adventure i.e., to host Durga Puja.

can be one team, learn from each other, enjoy and allow our next gen eration to acquire from the community different aspects to celebrate life.

SWAGATAM

4 Share = A happiness increases when shared with others.

4Worship= A blessing seeking from the almightily.

4Appreciate= an achievement deserve gratitude.

4Gather= A team that can work together.

Accept= A mistake can be overcome.

Trust= an expectation can elaborate.

Anticipate= A responsibility can begin.

Motivate= an act to inspire.

friendly environment for its members and hence has made quite a reputation for its warmth and hospitality. Several online activities (using Facebook) are organised during the year which brings in people from all walks of life to engage and this helps us to promote local talent.

This year was our 6th year Durga Pujo . We are the first Durga pujo organiser in Western Australia since 2017.

We not only try to bring our commu nity together but also allows our local talents to show their talents. After our pujo celebration where everyone get to worship Maa Durga and pray for their well being, followed by some rituals including Arti, Devi Baran, sindore khela , Dhunochi nach followed after lunch . It was a free event for all community members to gather and celebrate seeking blessings from Maa

Durga. We were fortunate that Durga owen, joined us on the day to celebrate and appreciate all the participants for the day .

We have more plan to organise more and more celebrations, where we all

Our mission

4To bring difference in the commu nity by bringing the community together providing emotional supports to the newly migrated families and celebrate Durga festival, away from home but just like the warmth of home.

May this auspicious occasion light up your life with HAPPINESS, JOY & PEACE.

W I S H I N G Y O U A V E R Y