Ganesh idol immersed with great fanfare near Sydney

17/09/2007 0 Comments read Diaspora

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 17.09.2007 (IANS): An idol of Hindu god Ganesh, decorated in all finery, sat firm as thousands of devotees followed in a procession chanting “Ganpati Bappa Morya” to Stanwell Park beach here, as part of colourful celebrations for the Ganesh festival.

The elephant-headed god was immersed in the Pacific Ocean to the sounds of beating drums and chants Sunday as waves on low tide lashed the sandy beach, about 50 km south of Sydney’s central business district.

The three-feet-tall idol was made of biodegradable material. “We were very conscious to use only environmental friendly material like clay and papier mache,” said Murali Dharan, president of the Sri Venkateswara Temple committee that organises the annual Ganesh festival.

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Walking for the Commonwealth

26/03/2006 1 Comment read Cricket & Sports, Diaspora, Features, Poliomyelitis

Neena Bhandari carrying the 2006 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton on Elizabeth Street in Sydney. Photo credit: Brendan Read

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 26.03.2006 (The Hindu): On a balmy Sydney afternoon in November 2005, a phone call changed the way me and my family would henceforth celebrate January 26.

Throughout my growing up years, Indian Republic Day held a special significance. We would spend long hours practising national songs on the flute as our school band marched through the streets of Ajmer into the main city stadium. There was a sense of immense pride in witnessing the tricolour unfurl as we played the national anthem. The bundi laddoo we received after all the fanfare was over, continues to be my favourite.

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Talking Tough: Australia and India

28/08/2003 0 Comments read Diaspora

By Neena Bhandari

Adelaide, 28.08.2003 (PTI): Australia on Thursday said there was ‘irrefutable’ proof that Pakistan was a source of terrorism and there had been support for terrorist outfits in the country for many years.

“Pakistan has been one of the sources of terrorism and the Taliban really developed out of Pakistan during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan,” Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told PTI when asked about visiting External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha’s remarks in an Australian newspaper that ‘Pakistan is the epicentre of world terrorism’. “There has been support in Pakistan for terrorist organisations over many years. The evidence there is irrefutable,” he added.

Downer said Australia was ‘very concerned’ about boarding schools and private Islamic educational institutions being used as breeding grounds for people ‘who have gone on to become fundamentalists, extremists and in some cases terrorists’.

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