A Celebrate India extravaganza at Fed Square marked the culmination of 10 days of festivities

Diwali like never before, they said.
And how true they turned out to be.
Diwali at Federation Square, organised by Celebrate India, stood up wonderfully to its reputation of being the southern hemisphere’s largest Diwali celebration.

With events lined up to mark the festival across the city for ten whole days, thousands enjoyed the cultural bonanza of Indian food, music, dance and traditions.
The celebrations at Fed Square themselves were held over two days to mark the 10th anniversary of this iconic event in the Melbourne Indian community’s annual calendar.
Not only was it a gathering of the clan for the Indian community, the Diwali spirit was also shared with the wider community who participated in droves.
Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews attended the event along with Indian High Commissioner Navdeep Suri, Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Inga Peulich and Cr Beverly Pinder-Mortimer who represented the Lord Mayor of Melbourne.
Bandhani safas (turbans) on their heads, silk scarves around their shoulders and flower gardens around their necks in typical Indian tradition, they lit the ceremonial lamp for Diwali 2015.
Former premier Ted Baillieu, Consul General of India Manika Jain and Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott also graced the occasion.
“Diwali has now become a Victorian festival,” Premier Andrews announced to much cheer. “It signifies the morals that the Indian community emphasizes on.”
The giant paisley on the stage backdrop with an India map at its top curl, and the large brass lamps at the forefront, stood witness as Federation Square was enveloped in the Diwali theme of light lifting our lives.
 

Entertainment dhamaka

The pure joi de vivre on stage with the back-to-back acts also sent out the message of the occasion – khush-haali aur samriddhi, goodwill and good cheer.
Among the dances, the highlight act Kalbelia, a traditional dance troupe from Rajasthan, were a treat to watch.
The performers danced in their trademark swirling skirts, with earthen pots balancing on their heads, their feet on glasses, lamps and knives, even a bed of nails.

 

For those familiar with their art, the troupe took people back to the sand dunes, with mesmerizing folk songs. Who can dare sit still to Oh laal meri pat!
Amongst the crooners handpicked for the celebration, a major highlight was the live performance by Taz from Stereo Nation.
With his power-packed performance, especially those fire fountains, the crowd seemed to want Nachenge Sari Raat all night long! A welcome addition to this year’s festivities.

Local talent was equally impressive, with Gujarati Association, Shrishti Bengali Association, Bollywood Beats, Mai Naachungi dance company, Jhoom Bollywood Dance, the Federation of Bhangra, Punjabi Bhangra Beats, Nritya Dance Group, Manmohini, Tattva, Ignite and Shaimak Davar Group, as well as Om Group, setting the stage on fire in their particular styles.

 

In a wonderful spirit of sharing, a hallmark of the festival, mainstream performing arts company Strange Fruit presented some truly fabulous numbers on popular Bollywood songs like Rang De Basanti and Koi Kahe.
Their very visual act, with elements of theatre and acrobatics, simply wowed the crowds.
“It is absolutely delightful to see the growing interest in our festival and the increased participation from mainstream businesses as well as local community,” said Arun Sharma, the Chairman of Celebrate India Inc.
“Our aim is to facilitate better understanding of Indian culture and its diversity among the wider Australian community through this festival, and this year being our 10th anniversary we went all out to celebrate, entertain and involve everyone.”
 

Diwali competitions

In their effort to involve everyone, the activities this year involved the innovative ‘Sing For Diwali’ competition. Amateur as well as trained singers were invited to record their songs on a smart device to be uploaded to social media.
The winners were chosen based on public voting and the verdict of independent judges. The winners were provided an opportunity to sing at on the Federation Square stage in front of an enthusiastic audience of thousands of festival attendees.
Winners included Parvathy Nair, Siyona Goel, Chondryma Chakrabortti, Bharat Uniyal and Thridivya Deepak. A wonderful effort to encourage local talent.
The competition was in addition to the annual essay competition for primary school kids, which encourages youngsters to explore the connections between Australia and India.
This year, students across the city wrote essays on the significance of the date 26 January for both countries.
Year 5 student Sahana Rudresh of Rangebank Primary School took the top prize, winning two return tickets to India sponsored by Air India.
Other winners included Yasmin Sharpe (Year 6, William Ruthven Primary School), Yashvi Parmar (Year 6, VSL Blackburn), Eliza Patterson Year 6, Aspendale Gardens Primary School), and Anthony Kollatas (Year 5 Oakleigh Grammar).
Aspendale Gardens Primary School took the award for the School with Most Entries, winning a 6-week leadership program by AFL.
 

And a white ribbon too

Celebrate India also take very seriously their social responsibilities. What better occasion than Diwali to raise awareness about the scourge of domestic violence in our community.
As a supporter of White Ribbon Australia’s campaign against domestic violence, throughout the day oaths were pledged by many as a commitment to lead by example, be a role model and intervene safely when needed.
 

But wait there’s more!

Federation Square was abuzz with activities during the day as people milled around in large crowds enjoying the variety on offer at the festival.
Food stalls proved quite popular, along with henna applications and stalls selling Indian handicrafts.

Sponsors and stall holders promoted multiple brands and products and vied for attention. RACV, Richmond Football club, Melbourne Airport, Vodafone and Melbourne Renegades were among many that participated in the Diwali festivities.
Instrumental music, lec-dems, workshops, film shows and kids’ activities kept special interest groups engaged.
A fashion show seems to have become mandatory at most Indian community events as we showcase our couture besides our food, music and dance. On this occasion though, the choice of a khadi designer line was a refreshing change.
The Melbourne-based Khadiyarn, created by Nildhara Gadani and Linda Marrett, sent models down the catwalk clad in some lovely natural material.
Their modern take on a traditional hand-woven/hand-spun fabric found many fans, especially among the mainstream attendees. Hurrah for more sustainable initiatives!
Earlier on, commuters at Flinders St Station and travellers at Melbourne Airport got a taste of the festival with live performances, mithai and Diwali announcements.
A Diwali-decorated carriage played Indian music as its ambled across the CBD. And Coles Supermarket provided special discounts to those who attended the Diwali extravaganza at Fed Square.
The ancient Hindu festival had truly found a new home in Melbourne this year, as the magic of its light spread across the city!

Pyrotechnic finish

The evening concluded with an electrifying laser show to the tune of Baar Baar Ho from Bollywood blockbuster Lagaan, followed by spectacular fireworks at the banks of Yarra.
Months of voluntary hard-work came to fruition over one weekend and the overall feedback received by the organisers was most encouraging.
For those who enjoy the pageantry associated with a massive public celebration including fun, food, information and entertainment with a heavy dose of culture the Fed Square Diwali is a ‘must attend’ event.
 
With Gaurav Masand, Simmi Singh, Ashish Chawla
More photos visit www.facebook.com/IndianLinkAustralia

A much-loved young man, Rishi Chaubal-Menon is farewelled by friends and family

When someone you love becomes a memory, then memories become a treasure.
In what can be termed as a beautiful celebration of his young life, friends and family came together to bid a fond farewell to 18-year-old Rishi Chaubal-Menon recently.
The touching ceremony was held at the Memorial Hall of Scotch College, Hawthorn, Rishi’s alma mater.
Rishi completed Year 12 here in 2014 and was studying to become a filmmaker at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles.
The teenager was found dead in a mysterious incident on the freeway near Studio City, Hollywood, shortly after Halloween Saturday.
According to the Los Angeles coroners’ report, Rishi was a victim of a hit-and-run though it is not clear as to the circumstances that led to his untimely demise.
Rishi’s parents Prakash Menon and Manisha Chaubal-Menon are well known within Melbourne’s Indian community and the outpouring of grief from family and friends has been tremendous.
The memorial service hall was packed to capacity as Rishi’s closest friends delivered eulogies remembering him as wonderfully talented, very popular and a much loved person who touched many hearts in his short life.

There was laugher among the tears and very few dry eyes as people reminisced about Rishi’s life through several heart-warming speeches. A friend also sang a moving song created in memory of the young spirit.
From his Kumon teacher to his dance instructors from Shiamak Dance Academy, everyone had stories to share that reflected on Rishi’s inspirational ability to connect with people at every stage of his life.
A couple of videos showing clips from Rishi’s life were also played with some shots taken just a few days before his sad demise.

Rishi’s younger brother Hrithik and mother Manisha spoke about how blessed they were to have him in their lives and how during his ‘short assignment on earth’ he gave them unconditional love and joy.
“Yes, I have my moments and we have our moments when we question why you and why us, but you are a higher force, a divine intervention, and you cannot be held down in one body form for too long! We feel so blessed that we were the ‘chosen ones’, not you, to have spent 18+ years with us,” wrote his mother Manisha.
Rishi was cremated earlier in a funeral in Los Angeles. His ashes travelled back with his parents to his much loved home in Melbourne.
People queued to pay their respects to his remains and offer condolences to the family who conducted themselves with remarkable dignity despite their unimaginable grief.
In lieu of flowers, people who wished to pay tributes were requested to donate to Yatra Foundation Australia, where Rishi had visited last year.
This tragedy has shocked many people and even those who did not know the family were affected by the untimely loss. Many have expressed their sympathies through social media, and hundreds attended Rishi’s memorial. The messages of strength for the family, along with condolences, continue to pour in.

Tell us what you thought of ISWA’s Diwali event! 

Diwali is indeed the most vivid festival celebrated by the Indian community here in Perth. After a series of successful events hosted by ISWA, the last yet the most glorious event was held on 14th November at the HBF Arena, Joondalup.
Fetching gigantic crowds to the enormous grounds isn’t an easy task. Thanks to the remarkable work done and efforts collaborated from all the Indian communities dwelling in Perth, this one definitely looked to be a grand success.
There were stalls galore as expected. The popular ones, of course, were the extensive food stalls serving all kinds of yummies at nominal price, ranging from all possible Indian cuisines to Indian sweets that you could think of. Henna and mehendi artists, art exhibits, as well as rangoli art attracted the creatively minded, while other stalls captured the focus on banking, mortgages, and the spiritual sciences. Many new and upcoming Indian entrepreneurs got a chance to reach out to the community.

The management of the area by volunteers, from parking to seating arrangements, was immaculate. People found it to be a great event for meeting their friends and just chilling.
A different treat for sport lovers in the afternoon was to watch a kabaddi game – that definitely took you back!


For the little buddies, there were horse rides, camel rides, bouncy castles, merry go round and tractor trains which gave them the ride of the whole stadium.

Meanwhile, the synchronous stage performances kept going all the day long. Hopefully that kept the visitors busy later in the day as the queues got longer and longer at the food stalls…

The star-studded night showcased some spectacular performances from stand-up comedian Gaurav Sharma, Kalbelia Dance group from Rajasthan, and renowned musicians like Rimi Dhar, Amit Mishra and Saaveri Verma from Bollywood, all of who made their mark in their own particular styles.
And to top it all off, the spectacular fireworks came on to wow us all – hey, what’s a Diwali without the patakas?!
Hope to see this charm and Diwali dhoom all over again in 2016.

… and Garba too! It’s the Swan Festival of Lights

The annual Swan Festival of Lights to celebrate Deepavali was held at the Supreme Court Gardens in Perth over the weekend of 6-8 November. The event attracted a multitude of people from all walks of life. They were treated to many multicultural dance and music performances, great food, camel rides and free workshops.

An abridged contemporary version of the timeless Ramayana was presented in dance drama form by the Temple of Fine Arts. An open air Garba dance (mentioned as Perth’s biggest outdoor Garba) was held in the evening which people enjoyed immensely. Various workshops highlighting Indian art and culture were held during the event. There were fireworks every evening of the event capping off the entertainment.
Sukhi Krishnan, Festival Artistic Director at the Temple of Fine Arts, says, “We decided we would feature one state each year as a ‘host state’. This year we featured Gujarat and invited the Gujarati community to be part of the festival.”

The Gujarati theme resonated through the event in the décor, the attire worn by the staff, the parade in traditional attire and the “Garba under the Stars” open air dance.
A new element this year was the idea of showing the interconnectedness of humanity. This idea was represented by the “Tree of Light and Life” in the festival. In Sukhi Krishnan’s words “(When we) light a candle, the light of which represents our individuality, and place it under the Tree of Light and Life, we do so with an understanding that we are all sparks of a humanity that wants peace and understanding. It is this unity of love of light that is celebrated in Deepavali.”

A major satisfaction for her was the flow of the program ending with the Ramayana each evening. Despite the challenges of performing the Ramayana outdoors, “without the technical support of an indoor auditorium”, audiences were left enthralled.

The only aspect which detracted somewhat from the fun of the evening were the long, snaking queues at the food stalls. There was one queue to buy the “food coupons” and other queues to get the food from the various stalls. Spending up to an hour in these queues meant less time to enjoy the amazing performances. Perhaps the organisers will come up with new ideas next year to manage this better.

Sukhi believes the only constraint for the event is funding and manpower, and there is no dearth of innovative ideas for the festival in the years to come.
The Swan Festival of Lights is an annual mega event in Perth bringing Deepavali celebrations to the mainstream with support from City of Perth, Lottery West and many others.

A Parramatta Park memorial to techie Prabha Arun Kumar, who lost her life here on the night of 7 March, 2015. NISHA CHAMAN reports

 
On 22 November, Parramatta Park Trust renamed the footpath along Jubilee Avenue “Prabha Arun Kumar Walk” in honour of Indian national Mrs Kumar, a gentle soul who lost her life here in Australia.
The Hills Holroyd Parramatta Community Migrant Resource Centre also unveiled a memorial to Prabha on the occasion.
As well, it was announced, lighting upgrades and other security initiatives have been implemented in the area by Parramatta Council and local police, including four video security cameras at two locations along Jubilee Avenue.
Prabha’s bereaved family was present on the occasion, in a trip made possible by NSW Police. Her husband Arun, 11-year-old daughter Meghana, brother Shankar Shetty and parents, retraced their beloved Prabha’s last footsteps, and paid their respects.

It was clear they were still struggling with the horrific event that has turned life upside down for them. Arun could not make his prepared statement, and the Shettys broke down repeatedly.
Meghana remained stoic through it all; indeed, it was her very stoicism that touched the gathered community most of all.
In happier circumstances, the family would have gathered together a day before, to celebrate Prabha’s 42nd birthday, and enjoy the happiness of a brand new family home.
Still, there must be some comfort for them – if any can be had in the situation – that Prabha’s demise is not in vain. Just like her name, which is Sanskrit for light, she has helped bring in a measure of protection for citizens in her adopted home, as they go about their regular activities.
Parramatta Park Trust Executive Director, Suellen Fitzgerald said at the event, “The establishment of the memorial acknowledges the overwhelming public response to Prabha’s tragic death and offers the opportunity for the community to show its respect. The memorial will pay honour to the memory of Prabha and provide a location where community members can visit to pay their respects.”
The Lord Mayor of Parramatta Cr Paul Garrard said, “It is fitting that Mrs Kumar’s name will live on through this memorial here in our city, which she had adopted as her home.”
At this very location, on a fateful Saturday night just a few months ago, Prabha was speaking to her husband on phone in India. She told him she felt she was being followed. Seconds later, she was fighting off an attacker who stabbed her several times in the neck. She died shortly afterwards.

On the campaign trail in mid-March this year, as Mike Baird spoke to Pawan Luthra (March-2 edition of Indian Link), he expressed his horror at the tragic death of Prabha Arun Kumar.
The 41-year-old had been walking back home from Parramatta Station after a double shift.
“We are mourning with the community,” Mr Baird had said then, adding that he had heard the Parramatta community’s missive loud and clear that more lighting and surveillance measures were needed.
“We have proposed that the pathway between Argyle and Amos Streets in Parramatta be bestowed with the name ‘Prabha Arun Kumar Walkway’ as a tribute,” Pawan observed.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Mr Baird replied. “We want to talk to the family to make sure they’re okay with it, but that would certainly have my full support. I think that would be a wonderful tribute.”
Some eight months later, Arun Kumar continues to be plagued by the question of who did this to Prabha, and why. The community at large asks this question as well. Even those of us who did not know Prabha, understand Shankar Shetty when he says his sister was the kind of person who would not hurt a fly. The gentle Prabha, serene and beautiful in a pink sari, from that oft-used image of hers, is how we know her.
To let her soul rest in peace, to provide solace to her loved ones, and indeed to make our own lives safe on the street, we urge the police to bring the perpetrator to book as soon as possible.
The Premier may have fulfilled a promise to the community, but now we owe the grieving family some closure through justice.

Sydney’s Indian community comes out in large numbers for the Hindu Council of Australia’s Diwali Mela

It was by far the biggest Diwali Mela Sydney’s Indian community has ever seen.
People poured in on a regular basis all day, friends, family groups, kiddies, seniors, all out to have a bit of Diwali fun.

The Parramatta Park Trust made available to the organisers Hindu Council of Australia a completely revamped section of the park specially earmarked for open-air events. The Diwali Mela was the inaugural event to be held in the new arena.
A record 120-plus stalls snaked around and away from the main stage, many of them food-based so that the visitors were spoiled for choice (and no one had to queue for long!).
The food stalls lay towards the back of the arena, on top of a hillock that sloped down to the stage, so that patrons could stretch out on the greens and still enjoy the goings-on on stage.
Elsewhere, rangoli, diya stalls and the temple stall joined homewares, fashion, jewellery, dress-ups, puja samagri stalls, and there was some fun shopping to be had as usual.

Not so usual, however, were the new elements that went down superbly, among them Ashraya Asmy, a kirtan band that weaves sacred mantras with indie rock. Singing their own tunes off of centrestage, they were simply outstanding, and did not stop all day!
Also attracting attention was the exquisitely designed Worli art decorated hut, which formed a great backdrop for photographs.
On stage meanwhile, the cultural presentations went on for nearly ten hours. No less than 68 items were presented, with some 600 participants moving on and off the stage in back-to-back numbers.

The Parramatta Kirtan Club kicked off the cultural presentation. The Prakash Kala Prashikshan Sansthan from Rajasthan were advertised as a drawcard, and they delivered as promised. Many of Sydney’s Indian dance schools, classical as well as folk and Bollywood style, participated.

 

No doubt the performers enjoyed the stage, which in itself was a novelty. Never before has the Indian community seen such a large stage, event coordinator Ajoy Ghosh told Indian Link later.
“Measuring 180 square metres, with a sound system of 100,000 watt output and the biggest-to-date screen measuring 18 square metres, our cultural presentation was able to reach the far corners of the vast enclosure,” Ajoy described.

Photo by Niradh Photography

Keeping it all closely coordinated on stage all day long, were a team of MCs.
All under 30 and many with professional entertainment backgrounds from India, they were handpicked for their youthful vigour, Ajoy revealed, as a change from the usual style of MCing at community events.
“It’s over to Gen Next now, and there’s quite a talent pool out there,” he observed.
Shekhar Vijayan and Manit Kumar were particularly good, and we hope to see more of them in the future.
In keeping with custom, the dignitaries were ushered on to stage after a traditional tilak welcome and flower shower, amidst the garjan of the Marathi Shivagarjana drummers.
The formal welcome was in the form of Sanskrit shlokas, chanted by young students of the Sydney Sanskrit School.

The chief guests’ messages of Diwali wishes were heart-felt and joyous, and they were able to reach out to the mases appreciably.
The invited dignitaries seemed to take in the Diwali spirit with noticeable enjoyment.
Geoff Lee wore his forehead tilak deep red and very long, posed happily with dandiya dancers like a kanhaiya among the gopis, took selfies with the Marathi drummers, and referred to Hindu Council Chairman Prof. Nihal Agar as ‘Nihal Uncle’.

Michelle Rowland brought out her pinkest salwar kameez and memorised to perfection Indian greetings in some seven different languages.
Sam Dastyari looked like a Bollywood star – or a young cousin of Rahul Gandhi’s – in his crisp white khadi churidars and black Modi-style jacket. Loved those matching jootis, Sam!
Julie Owens turned up looking like everyone’s favourite mausi as always, this time in a blue salwar suit with matching paisley jewellery. (The Indian-origin politicos, on the other hand, did their best to look as mainstream as possible: Gurdip Singh, Raj Datta, Reena Jethi, Raman Bhalla, all decided to stay safely away from ethnic wear.)
Gazing at them all unwaveringly, stood the giant Raavan effigy, awaiting his pyrotechnic end.
He looked a bit comical with his ten heads, but to the Hindus gathered there, he was symbolic of all the evil in the world.

As he came down in flames later on in the night, they cheered wildly, as good had conquered all evil, and their world was pure once again. To rejoice, the much-awaited fireworks came on.
In the end, an estimated 30,000 people had enjoyed a Diwali filled with entertainment, fun, food, friends, Raavan dehan, and to finish off, some superb pyrotechnics.
They owe their thanks to volunteers of the Hindu Council, who worked for some 12 weeks to pull off the best ever Diwali Mela we’ve ever had.
More photos on https://www.facebook.com/IndianLinkAustralia/