Enigmatic! Mystical! Soul stirring! The array of emotions is overwhelming and so is the list of travel destinations in India. Taj Mahal in Agra; Khajauraho Temple of the Kama Sutra fame in Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh; Thar Desert in Rajasthan; Darjeeling Hill Station in West Bengal; Red Fort in Delhi; Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras), Uttar Pradesh; Elephanta Caves, 9 km away from Mumbai; stunning beaches like Palolem in Goa; Akshar Dham in Delhi; Kingdom of Dreams in Gurgaon, Delhi; Jog Falls in Sagara, Karnataka and not to mention the back waters of Kerala. The topography is diverse starting with the snow bathed Himalayas to sun drenched beaches, serene temples to boisterous bazaars, lantern-lit villages to software-savvy hubs.

While planning your trip the absolute tip is to be mindful of the weather. Clothing is best bought India. It is cheap and suits the climate and conditions. Shopping on the first day! All you should pre-purchase are bare minimums like sunscreen, a nice pair of walking shoes and a hat. Checking on the vaccination requirements with your GP will be detrimental. Food and water borne diseases are a threat. Purified or carbonated water is a good option! What about the culinary delights? All the frying, simmering, sizzling, kneading and flipping is certainly one hell of a mouth-watering ride. Wherever possible, make sure it is straight from the pan to your plate. Fresh and hot food will assure minimal chances of food contamination. So stack on to that cash/credit card/travellers’ cheques, get your visa stamped and get ready to be shaken, stirred and jolted.

One moment you will be inspired, just to turn around and be frustrated at the heavily disorganized-depending-on-God traffic, thrilled instantaneously at the whizz of the auto rickshaw, only to be confounded at the immense poverty stricken yet smiling faces. The spectrum of encounters for the traveller is mind boggling. Even experienced travellers find India a challenge at some point, yet this is all part of the India experience. Love it or loathe it – India will ignite your imagination and stir your soul anew.

Deewali comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Deepavali’ which means a row of lights. This Hindu celebration is rightly called the Festival of Lights as it celebrates victory of Good over Evil and Light over Darkness. The goddess of happiness and good fortune, Lakshmi, roams the earth on this day and enters the house that is pure, clean, and bright. Deewali celebrations may vary in different communities but its significance and spiritual meaning is generally “the awareness of the inner light”.

Deepavali is celebrated in many countries around the world. A gigantic population of 30 million Indians residing away from India celebrate this festival in foreign lands with fervour and excitement. The largest groups of non-resident Indians live in the USA, Canada, Nepal, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi-Arabia, and South-Africa and in the United Kingdom (UK). Depending on the origin of the majority of Indians, the festival in those countries is either Diwali (most immigrants from North-India, i.e. USA/Canada/UK) or Deepavali (most immigrants from South-India such as Tamils, i.e. Malaysia/Singapore).

In Sydney, the Deewali event is a riot of fun and frolic for the whole day. The fair has

Organized firework displays.

• Food stalls with assorted Deewali sweets, savories and herbs.
• Dancing and musical performances.
• Stalls offering henna paintings.
• People burning the effigy of the demon king Ravana.

Indians love to bring out their finest wears on this special occasion. They are adorned with henna and other colourful outfits. Houses are lit with candles and lights to celebrate the festival. Christmas arrives a month before for the Indian counterpart. This year Deewali is being organized on Sunday 30 October 2011 at Parramatta Stadium, Sydney from 12 noon to 9 pm. Don’t miss out on this wonderful celebration of life, happiness and communion!
Texas State University

Are you of Hindustani ancestry, or your partner could be Hindi speaking, or you are gob smacked by the Bollywood heroes romancing the gorgeous Indian belles? How about if you want to stress bust and see traditional Yoga as the answer. What if you are a traveller and want to witness the truly rich and diverse nation of India but not as a mute bystander. These are purely interest driven reasons. What if there is a bigger picture? Like… Well……India is one of the major players in the present global scene and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Hindi is soon catching up to be the second most spoken language in the world. (And the first one is quite difficult as my experience says).

Hindi is not only spoken in the British Commonwealth countries but also in Fiji, Nepal, Yemen and Mauritius. Its familiarity with Urdu will easily get a business man to find his way through the consumer driven market of the Indian subcontinent, also Pakistan and parts of Middle East. One of the other reasons also could be that the language is elegant and expressive. Knowledge of the language could take the enthusiast into a new world of culture, poetry and ancient philosophical wisdom of its spiritual books. The language is easy and as scientific as a language can be. Whatever the reason, jump on to the band wagon before knowing the language moves from fashionable to compulsion.

Hollywood releases an average of 500 films per year for an audience of approximately 2.6 billion worldwide. And Bollywood? Naah! It could not produce 1000 movies for 3 billion crazy “Hindi Cinema buffs”. Unbelievable isn’t it? But Bollywood finally won the viewership race in 2004 and the rest they say is bollystory!

So now when you think MOVIE it is not Hollywood, California only. But the new hot spot is Bollywood, Mumbai. The Indian film industry in all its glory and panache is screaming for attention and is here to stay for a while! An average Bolly-film produced in India follows a set pattern. With lots of singing, dancing, romancing, action and drama, it is three to four hours long, but there is an intermission in between where you can hoard on the pop-corn and samosas and chai. Presently, it has become a common phenomenon to hear of Indian made films being released and shown in the international arena. Be it a small Amsterdam market or the huge US, UK or Australian market, there is one playing in a theatre near you!
The latest one playing is English-Vinglish – the story of a housewife, who does not know English. She learns the language in an absolute foreign setting withstanding all troubles. Is she able to gain the absolute admiration of her English rattling teenage daughter or her ever busy image conscious corporate husband to become the pride for her family? Does she fall for the irresistible French man learning English with her and desert her desire to master the language? See for yourself what is it that drives fourteen million Indians to go to the movies on a daily basis.