Celebrating the splendour of Sydney Opera House

19/03/2023 1 Comment read Arts, Entertainment & Lifestyle, Travel

Sydney Opera House at Bennelong Point. Photo Credit: ©Neena Bhandari

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 19.03.2023 (Khaleej Times): Sydney conjures images of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi beach and the world-renowned Sydney Opera House. This year, the Opera House celebrates its 50^th anniversary, offering visitors an array of events to witness its splendour up close. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage listed site, the Opera House is regarded as “one of the indisputable masterpieces of human creativity, not only in the 20th century but in the history of humankind.”

Aglow in the mellow morning sunrays, the Opera House sails are an unforgettable sight for the thousands of visitors who visit this harbour city each year and the daily commuters on Sydney ferries. Describing the luminous effect, Louis Kahn, one of the most influential American architects of the mid-20th century once said, “The sun did not know how beautiful its light was, until it was reflected off this building.”

The Opera House precinct provides a fusion of art, culture and nature for everybody to enjoy — whether it is for a stroll or a jog around the building, taking one of the many guided tours tailored to one’s interest, viewing one of the performances or simply savouring the breathtaking views of the harbour and the city skyline from the forecourt.

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Asian food warms hearts on Australian MasterChef

10/07/2021 0 Comments read Arts, Entertainment & Lifestyle, Diaspora, Features

Kishwar Chowdhury. Photo Credit: ©MasterChef Australia

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 10.07.2021 (Khaleej Times): As COVID-19 lockdowns confined people to their homes, many sought comfort in home cooking. The 13^th season of MasterChef Australia showcased contestants from varied professions, inspired by their culture and heritage, improvising traditional recipes to incorporate local Australian produce and ingredients. They created dishes that attracted a huge following, including from second and third generation migrants from around the world.

The Australian food landscape, today, is a cultural melting pot. The penchant is growing to discover and savour the culinary diversity immigration has brought to this country. In recent years, it has been the subtleties and complexities of Asian flavours that is gaining popularity.

Four contestants with Indian, Bengali, Sri Lankan and Vietnamese heritage speak about what makes them passionate about food; when did they transition to cooking good food from enjoying eating it? Would they have been as passionate about their heritage and cuisine, if they hadn’t migrated; the importance of reducing food waste; their connection to the Middle East; and the doors that this competition has opened for them. Continue reading →

COVID-19: Beaches, bouncers and quarantine bouquets

27/03/2020 1 Comment read Arts, Entertainment & Lifestyle, Features, Health & Science

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 27.03.2020 (Live Mint): Autumn (March – May) is one of my favourite seasons in Sydney, my home for two decades. Bright blue skies, gentle sea breeze and the mellow warmth of the sun provide a perfect setting for outdoor barbecues, picnics, music and theatre events. But as new shoots were just appearing on the charred landscape after a prolonged spring-summer of bushfires, droughts and floods, which had devastated communities and the economy, the novel Coronavirus (COVID 19) put a full stop to life as we know it.

`Social distancing’ is the diktat we must all abide by, if the spread of current contagion has to be halted. All non-citizens and non-residents have been banned from arriving in the country and Australians have been advised not to travel overseas. This big island continent is fortified. Friends far afield from Nepal to the UK are trying to get a flight home. But with the country’s flagship carrier, Qantas, slashing 90 percent international flights, these are trying times.

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