indian weekender 16 october 2015 vol 7 issue 30

The pulse of Kiwi-Indians

16 October, 2015 • Vol. 7 Issue 30 • www.iwk.co.nzNZ’s first Kiwi-Indian weekly newspaper

16 October 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

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Navratri—time to celebrate ShaktiKumar SureSh

I vividly remember my grandmother telling me bedtime mythological stories explaining the importance

of all the festivals. Her stories of how Goddess Durga killed the demons and of Rama’s victory over Ravana were heard with apt attention by all grandchildren. For me as a kid, what struck the most was the resemblance of these characters to the real people around us.

It is said that Hinduism is a way of life. These characters and stories become just a piece of imagination with no significance if we fail to connect them to our real life instances and personalities. At a time when issues such as domestic violence and harassment of women are on an all-time high, it is important to look at these stories and rituals of our ancestors to find solutions to current day problems.

For example, Goddess Durga believed to have fought with evil during Navaratri and Seeta’s contribution towards Rama’s victory over Ravana, glorifies the contribution of women associated with these stories. The adjectives used to address these characters range from mother to the planet Earth itself. Add to the list, words such as purity, forgiver and patience, you have an ideal mix for the making of a protagonist for a blockbuster saas-bahu daily soaps. So the question here is, are we limiting women’s empowerment to just mythological stories and daily soaps? Entertainment is a social product of the society and one look at any

of the Indian daily soap today depicts the plight of women in India. The ever moist eyes of the women in these soaps reflect the inability of majority of Indian women to fight back injustice. Although few do stand up against the odds and get counted, the number raising their voice against gender inequality is inadequate. Unlike mythological stories, rarely do we see a woman taking up a fight against their oppression.

Goddess Durga herself has many hands and has multiple personalities. But, if one understands the symbolism of the depiction, it becomes clear that she is an amalgamation of many women

around us. She is a representation of working women, a housewife and a full-time mother.

It is up to us to seek blessings from the goddess to help us understand her different incarnations around us in the real world. Probably our world would be a better place to live if we start to see every woman with respect that a goddess within her deserves. Merely praying will lead us nowhere.

Wish you all HappyNavratris


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India is a top priority for our government: Tim Groser Sandeep Singh

The Minister for Trade and Climate Change Issues, Tim Groser, while

speaking in the well-attended INZBC hosted event Business Without Barriers, assuaged any anxiety in unequivocal terms about the perceived lack of focus of current government in deepening bilateral trade between New Zealand and India. The statement that “India is a top priority for our government,” and his emotional energy evident in making this statement, were enough to drive the message across the business community and other stakeholders with interests in promoting bilateral trade and overall relations between the two countries. The event organised by INZBC and hosted by their strategic partner Westpac was a success.

There were two notable observations about this event.

First, there was no belabouring by any speakers in the event that why NZ-India bilateral trade was important for everyone. Second, and in some respect probably more important than the first, was the fact that Minister Groser, who had recently returned home after signing the significant agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership, chose to speak passionately from this platform, about the perceived

concerns among some sections of New Zealand public about the outcome of this agreement. It was a clear reflection of maturing of INZBC—an organisation committed to the promotion of bilateral trade between New Zealand and India—to an extent that the need for strong bilateral trade relations has become a general acceptable common wisdom. It was also a subtle

reflection of INZBC’s proximate situation with the New Zealand government that it provided enough comfortable space to the Minister to speak about an issue (TPP) so important to all New Zealanders. In fact the question, and urgency, about promoting NZ-India bilateral trade was discussed within the broad contours of the recently signed TPP agreement,

thus making this event even more relevant for everyone.

The event was graced by few other notable speakers apart from the honourable Minister that included Sandeep Sood, His Excellency Charge de Affairs, Indian High Commission Wellington, Satish Ranchod, Senior Economist Westpac, and Paul Smith from Ernest &

Continued on page 6

Minister for Trade and Climate Change Issues Tim Groser From left to right: National MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar, Satish Ranchhod of Westpac and Valerie Taylor, Executive Director, BNZBA


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Young. The welcome address was delivered by Bhav Dhillon, Treasurer INZBC, who welcomed all guests and presented a brief overview of INZBC’s achievements in promoting business environment between New Zealand and India. His Excellency Sandeep Sood enlightened everyone in the audience about the much-talked about change, in India’s “investment-climate” under the aegis of current Prime Minister’s Make in India initiative.

He presented some impressive statistical figures about steady increase in India’s FDI inflows and an improvement in general perception about India as a favourable investment destination, thus suggesting NZ businesses that investing in India would be a smart choice in current global financial environment. Satish Ranchod, as expected from a seasoned economist, presented a comparative overview of current state of health of New Zealand and Indian economy, and advised an exercise of caution in future expectations about growth in bilateral trade. Paul Smith provided valuable inputs for prospective New Zealand exporters, especially with interest in Indian market, about day-to-day challenges experienced by exporters in both, engaging in indirect (and direct) tax regimes of target markets, and in gaining favourable tax-rebates at home

with NZ government. The fact that Minister Tim Groser was quick to seek more clarification then and there itself about a rough estimate of lost funds in such exercise by

Kiwi exporters, was an indication of Minister’s responsiveness towards our exporters, and a welcome relief for many who have some apprehensions about Minister’s intentions.

What made this event interesting was the Trade Minister’s choice to explain New Zealand government’s views on bilateral trade with India. The Minister affirmed government’s view that “in absence of international progress towards a global multilateral trade agreement, it was in best interest of New Zealand to focus on large trade blocs that provided entry to large markets.”

While agreement on TPP ensured that NZ has preferential access to a market of around 40 per cent of world GDP, India equally presented a vast opportunity. It is a market of fast growing middle class with increasing demands

for consumer goods and services. Minister asserted that the New Zealand government is fully aware of India’s huge potential and in fact “our priority never shifted on India, and it remains a top priority for NZ.”

In fact, he went on to assert that “we need not to be obsessed with FTA” in deepening our bilateral trade relations. Probably he was trying to clear the air on perceptions held in some quarters within the business community, that the delay in negotiations on FTA is creating a lull, and holding back NZ government from deepening bilateral trade. Minister expressed satisfaction in “tremendous success story on migration from India,” among other flourishing sectors such as education that were flourishing without FTA between the two countries. Although he expressed hope that two countries could do better in other sectors such as agriculture where “New Zealand was a definite super-power and has lot to offer to world.” New Zealand’s cutting edge agricultural technology and best management practices have the potential to add value to India’s vast agricultural sector.

Minister was also hopeful that the recent signing of agreement on TPP by some of the major trading nations in the Asia-Pacific region would expedite India’s own push for liberalisation of its economy and surge to participate in regional trade-

bocks. On being asked to explain the basis of such hope, he pointed towards the “logic of comparative liberalisation” that drives modern day governments. He further asserted that “politics is a mixture of emotion and precision,” thus implying that no responsible government these days can afford “to keep their nation’s businesses out of fast moving business (of maturing regional trading blocs).”

The event was attended by leading business leaders and also by members of Parliament Dr Parmjit Parmar and Kanwaljit Bakshi. The evening concluded with an announcement by Mr Anthony Wenceslaus, former Chair INZBC, of collaboration between INZBC and British New Zealand Business Association (BNZBA). Valerie Taylor, Executive Director, BNZBA was present on the occasion to sign a MOU between the two organisations. There was an agreement to mutually share the benefits enjoyed by members within their respective councils and association.

It was another achievement in the long list of successes by INZBC in creating favourable business opportunities for its members and larger business community in New Zealand. An impressive array of drinks and nibbles aided by the nice spring weather were a perfect setting for post event networking on the Westpac terrace.

The event was graced by few other notable speakers apart from the honourable Minister that included Sandeep Sood, His Excellency Charge de Affairs, Indian High Commission Wellington, Satish Ranchod, Senior Economist Westpac, and Paul Smith from Ernest & Young. The welcome address was delivered by Bhav Dhillon, Treasurer INZBC

Continued from page 4

Left: Bhav Dhillon, Treasurer INZBC; Right: Sandeep Sood, Acting High Commissioner of India to New Zealand


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Search continues for missing Indian studentiWK Bureau

Auckland police are searching for an Indian student who went missing after a night out on Sunday.

Police is appealing for help in the search of Mandeep Singh, 20, who did not return after he went out with friends in the wee hours of Sunday, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Mandeep left with his three flatmates for Bungalow8 club in Viaduct Harbour, Auckland. His friends lost contact with him at about 3:20 a.m.

His flatmate Gurjeed Singh, who was the last person to see him, said he and Mandeep stayed at Bungalow8 while their other two flatmates left for another nightclub.

“He told me to go to the other side and enjoy myself, to go to the dance floor,” Gurjeed said, adding, “I was dancing and enjoying myself. After 20 or 25 minutes I looked for him and he was not there.”

Mandeep did not turn up for his work and his culinary arts course at the Cornell Institute of Business and Technology on Monday.

His best friend Jatin Kalia, 19, said Mandeep called him and told him that he was at home.

“The background was all quiet when he called. It was not noisy like the club, so we thought he must have been outside the club and roaming the streets,” Kalia said. When

the other flatmates got home, they did not find Mandeep.

“Mandeep told a lie and after that he did not pick up his phone. It is now on voicemail,” Kalia added.

Auckland City Police said Mandeep “was wearing a blue collared shirt, blue jeans and black and white shoes and is described as slim built, with brown hair and brown eyes and around 5’8” tall.”

Mandeep arrived in Auckland on a student visa in February.

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Have you booked your Xmas Party Yet? IRES 2015 goes bigger and betterrizWan mohammad

The India Real Estate Expo 2015 at Mangere last

weekend got a massive response. The two-day exhibition of residential and commercial properties in India housed six real estate giants from India.

The exhibition held at Holiday Inn in Mangere was inaugurated by New Zealand First List MP Mahesh Bindra on Saturday, 11 October, followed by a brief chat with the exhibitors.

“More than 300 people showed up in the two-day exhibition as we had anticipated. The response has been overwhelming and I believe this expo is going to be much bigger next year,” said Prashant Shenoy, the local resident organiser and event manager.

Mantri Developers, Ansar Housing, Duville Estates, World Trade Centre and Godrej Properties were the exhibitors at the show. The properties exhibited are located in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune,

Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and few other locations in the North India.

“There are huge opportunities in the real estate market back in India, both commercial and residential,” added an exhibitor at the event.

Investment in real estate has boomed in India in the past couple of years and many NRIs have shown interest in buying properties. If there are any further enquiries Prashant can be reached on 021326442 or [email protected].

Top: First List MP Mahesh Bindra inaugrating the exhibitionAbove: Visitors at the India Real Estate Expo 2015


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The success continues... SWati Sharma

In a dazzling black tie event—Westpac Auckland Business Awards-South— Nauhria Precast casted their success

by winning the Supreme Award along with awards in two more categories.

Apart from Supreme Business Excellence Award, Nauhria Precast was also the winner in Business Excellence in Innovation category while Nauhria’s General Manager Rakesh Nauhria received the award for Excellence in Business Leadership. It was also one of the finalists in the Strategy and Planning Category.

Held at Vodafone Events Centre on October 8, the event was a hosted by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) and Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

It was an evidently proud moment for a father, when Mr Roshan Nauhria heard his son’s name announced as the winner and started jumping on the stage.

Nauhria Precast was the finalist in two categories in last year’s event. While in itself an achievement of its own right,

for Nauhria, they say that “this ignited their spirit to be the best”.

Through business reflection and a comprehensive review of their business plan, they have executed significant expansion plans across both their precast and reinforcing steel businesses resulting in significant growth, development and a refinement across all aspects of their business while catering to the rapidly increasing demand of Auckland’s construction industry.

Wishing everyone

Happy Diwali


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10 NEW ZEALAND

Winning accolades by putting customers firstIn the recently held Westpac

Auckland Business Awards 2015, GFS won the award for

Excellence in Customer Service from Westpac Auckland Business Awards (South) 2015, making it the first Indian Financial Adviser to have earned the title.

The awards are presented by Auckland Chambers of Commerce and ATEED and are across industries.

GFS competed with other South Auckland-based business that included financial advisers, manufacturers, consumer businesses, hotels and educational institutions.

Winning the award highlights the quality of GFS’s service that it has been delivering to its customers for years. Their financial advice process was independently verified by a panel of judges for one of the most prestigious business excellence awards in Auckland.

While presenting the award, Michael Barnett, Chief Executive of the Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said, “This award recognizes a business that succeeds through showing consistent dedication to superlative service, demonstrates its commitment to customers through its policy and staff training.

“Excellence in customer services” has always been the

core value of GFS. The company would like to thanks its customers for supporting them through this journey of more than 16 years. GFS takes this opportunity to thank the 4,000+ families who inspired them to be attentive to their needs, their homes, mortgages and insurances. GFS appreciates and are grateful to banks and insurance companies for their support.

Customers have appreciated GFS for assisting them at the time of insurance claims. Many times they have assisted people who were not even their customers. GFS focuses on arranging insurance cover based on individual needs so that it is affordable and protects their families sufficiently. So far, its claim settlement ratio in respect of life insurance is 100%.

GFS helps customers not just to get a mortgage but also advises

them on how to pay it faster and save in interest cost over the entire life of the mortgage. The interest rate savings and cashback that customers receive at the time of taking the mortgage is a small part of this total saving.

For more updates on the property market, mortgage market and insurance, check out GFS’ Facebook page (www.facebook.com/GFSNZ)

I would like to thank all our customers and well-wishers for motivating the team.

GFS has always put customers first.We got this award because at GFS we keep the customers’ best interests first.We are able to provide the best customer service because GFS is a team of 18 people, with the best management systems and processes with the help of latest technology.We used the cutting edge technology that allows us to be proactive in identifying opportunities for saving interest cost for the customers. GFS has won 23 awards so far in the last 7 years. To our knowledge, there is no other mortgage and insurance adviser in the country who has won so many awards—and I thank our customers from the bottom of my heart for this achievement.

—Ajay Kumar (Director, GFS)

“Congratulations to Ajay Kumar and his team for winning the well-deserved award.”

—Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, National List MP

“Congratulations Ajay and the GFS team. Well deserved.”—Westpac Bank manager Scot Bailey

“Happy customers equal happy staff—GFS is no. 1… excellent customer service. Time for party with loyal customers like us.”

—Vinny Rajput, GFS customer

“Very reliable and trustworthy team. Congrats! You all deserved this award.”

—Reshma Sharma, GFS customer

File No. 1

Mr Giri Gupta, publisher and Managing Editor of Indian Weekender, was the first customer of Global Financial Services. The company still keeps the first file under his name.


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Learning that suits the needs of Kiwi kids

The final school term of the year is starting, and we want our kids to be engaged in their

learning environments.While they are at school, we want to

make sure they’re getting the best education they can.

National is working hard to ensure all our kids have the opportunity to engage in learning that best meets their needs.

Trades Academies provide a different learning choice for students—vocational learning directly related to the workforce and skill needs of industry.

They deliver trades and technology programmes to secondary students based on partnerships between schools, tertiary institutions, industry training organisations, and employers.

The programmes are all about offering students more choice about how and what they will learn. They are becoming an increasingly popular choice for more young people.

Students like learning that is directly relevant to their career aspirations and is a starting point for them to go on to higher studies in their chosen area.

So National is shifting more funding to Trades Academy places to meet the demand from our young students. From 2016, there will be 600 extra Trades Academy places per year, on top of the 340 extra places already announced in Budget 2015— totalling 940 more a year.

The extra places will be prioritised to areas where there are more young people at risk of not achieving NCEA Level 2 and would benefit from having the additional learning choices, such as Northland, South Auckland, Bay of Plenty, and Gisborne.

The recent Education Review Office report on Trades Academies noted that the learning in Trades Academies motivated and engaged students, and helped them change their attitude to learning. It also found students developed a clear learning pathway into careers.

Trade Academies play a key role in ensuring more young people achieve the qualifications they need to successfully participate in the modern economy, and New Zealand employers get workers with the skills industries need.

A skilled workforce is the engine-room of a thriving economy.

Chance to push Australia to give Kiwis a fair go

This week, new Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, visits New Zealand for the first

time as PM. He will meet with both New Zealand’s Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition.

It needs to be the occasion for more than the usual backslapping and saying what a great relationship we have. There needs to be some honest and hard talking about the reciprocal treatment given to Australians in NZ and New Zealanders in Australia.

For 150 years people could move freely between the two countries, enjoying the same rights in either.

That came to a grinding halt when former Prime Minister John Howard in 2000 decided unilaterally that Kiwis in Australia who arrived after 26 February, 2001 would not have access to some key benefits paid for out of taxes from Kiwis working there. They also would not have voting rights or a ready path to citizenship.

Aussis coming to live in New Zealand by contrast can vote after one year, get all of the benefits available to other New Zealanders after two years, and apply for citizenship after five years. It’s a very unequal relationship. As a result Kiwis living in Australia and paying taxes to the Australian Government for up to 14 years are in real trouble if they fall on

hard times. If they are sick there is now no sickness benefit and, if made redundant, no unemployment benefit.

There is no support for single parents whose relationship ends.

It’s got worse. Since Australia introduced a National Disability Insurance Scheme in 2013, all Kiwis have had to pay a compulsory levy of half a percent of their income as a premium. But if they become disabled they are not entitled to claim benefits despite having paid into the scheme. That’s grossly unfair and it’s not the way you expect to be treated by a mate.

Now, under tougher deportation laws, kids born in Australia to parents who are Kiwis by descent but not birth are being threatened with deportation. People who went to Australia as toddlers and grew up as Australians are also being sent to detention camps such as Christmas Island.

They are deprived of normal rights and readied for deportation back to New Zealand if they have been sentenced to more than a year in prison. One woman who is aged 40, has lived in Australia for 37 years with her family, and has Aussi kids is being deported for shoplifting back to a country she does not know. Surely, she is Australia’s responsibility.

We are not asking the Australians for anything that’s unreasonable. Kiwis living long-term in Australia have lower unemployment rates and higher participation in the workforce (78% compared to 68% for the general population).

They pay literally billions of dollars in tax each year to the Australian Government. Australia and New Zealand are meant to be a Single Economic Market which means reciprocal rights. All we are asking is for Australia to treat Kiwis living in Australia the same way as we treat Aussis living here.

Phil GoffLabour MP

Kanwaljit BakshiNational List MP


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New Sikh shrine to be built in HamiltoniWK Bureau

A new gurudwara will soon be constructed near Hamilton city to inform people about the Sikh

religion in an interactive way.Sant Kapoor Singh, a Sikh high priest

from India, visited New Zealand for the opening of ‘Babe Ke’-Huntly chapter, the Sikh shrine project.

A decade ago, Sant Nahar Singh wanted to build Babe Ke Bhagat’s shrine and was searching for a holy plot for it.

He chose a 42-acre farmland in Waikato near Hamilton city and decided to build

the Kiwi chapter of the international ‘Babe Ke’ programme.

Two local residents—Joginder Singh and Hardeep Singh—have been working with the Ashtan Babe Ke Bhagat’s Charitable Trust for the programme’s setup.

“The spot is away from the hustle and bustle and an ideal location. I guess it is the location, surrounding and ambience. It is a peaceful site,” Hardeep was quoted as reported by Stuff.co.nz.

The project will have a landscaped park showcasing the historical and religious journey of the 15 Bhagats (Sikh saints).

The landscape will showcase the holy journey with narration in multiple languages.

Currently, there are 15 huts on the land teaching about the Bhagats who contributed to the holy book Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

The trust has arranged for podcasts that visitors will listen to as they walk around the site.

“This is to promote religion and educate the younger generation in a three-dimensional way, rather than just reading from books,” the trust said.

Children’s film festival comes to the City of Sails

The Screenies International Film and Media Festival—a four-day film festival for children—will be

held from October 22 to 25 at The Auckland Performing Arts Centre (TAPAC) in Motions Road, Western Springs.

It is the first time the event is being staged and is for children between 3 and 15 years of age. The festival is the brainchild of Titirangi resident and Festival Director Janette Howe. Howe says she came up with the idea for the event about two years ago when she was setting up Kidsonscreen, an organisation that advocates for quality on screen content for children.

She says the annual event has been an ongoing success for a number of years and she is keen to see the Auckland-based event make similar roads in New Zealand.

The festival’s programme includes the 2014 Academy Award movie Mr Hublot, animated Dutch film Pim and Pom—The Big Adventure, German feature My Friend Raffi and Canadian film Shana: The Wolf’s Music.

Five films based on books by the late great author Margaret Mahy will also be shown at the festival. The Great White Man-Eating Shark, Keeping House, The Boy With Two Shadows, The Three Legged Cat and The Witch in the Cherry Tree were uncovered in the New Zealand Film Commission’s archives in Wellington and have since been digitised.

Howe says getting the films in time for the fledgling event in October is great, but she says it also illustrates the lack of locally produced movies for kids.


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New Zealand’s rendezvous with Sidharth MalhotraradhiKa Bhirani

The moment he said “Kia Ora” —an informal way of saying “Hi” in

Maori language—and drew its comparison with the Punjabi “Ki ho riya hai (what’s up?)”, Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra managed to establish a closer connect with around 35 students at the University of Auckland Business School in Auckland on Sunday.

The newly-appointed Indian ambassador of Tourism New Zealand shared titbits about his journey in filmdom, his love and concern for rugby, and even imparted some pearls of wisdom about life. Students from different disciplines had gathered to chat with the actor, who made a place in Bollywood only three years ago after his big debut with Student Of The Year, and with films like Hasee Toh Phasee, Ek Villain and Brothers. And he was impressed to see the swish campus!

While he’s a widely followed Indian actor of his generation, his popularity could especially be gauged with the welcome he received at Auckland Airport, where some of his “desi” fans cheered for him and expressed eagerness for selfies galore.

On Monday, Sidharth met Richard Taylor, New Zealand’s

creative genius and five-time Oscar winning talent, in Wellington. He says exploring the filmmaking hub of this Pacific nation was a revelation. Sidharth also sampled what went behind the scenes of Hollywood trilogies like The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit, apart from having

a chat with Taylor, who has won five Oscars and multiple BAFTA trophies for his work in visual effects, costume and make-up. The actor was mesmerised by the world-famous Weta Workshop tour.

“It is amazingly planned and very work-friendly. It was great to see what goes behin d the scene and what goes into making a particular film. Also, it was wonderful to see how Sir Richard Taylor is about his work and how connected and involved he is with his crew,” the actor said.

Later in the day the actor met the Prime Minister John Key who appointed him as the country’s tourism ambassador in India. They met at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Beehive in Wellington. He also received a rugby jersey of the country’s All Blacks national team, from the prime minister. They has an hour-long interesting conversation around Bollywood, education, sports and food for the actor. Sidharth, who is himself an avid rugby player, expressed his love for All Blacks, the New Zealand national rugby team. He also rued the fact that India is not doing

enough to push rugby as a sport. For Sidharth, it was

“refreshing” to meet such a welcoming political leader.

They even deliberated over getting more Bollywood films to shoot in the picturesque landscapes that The Pacific nation offers.

“They (New Zealand) shoot way bigger and larger films, but they are quite open to getting Bollywood here.

As tourism ambassador of New Zealand, Sidharth is here on an eight-day trip to understand the country’s culture and the myriad experiences it follows.

Above: Prime Minister John Key presents an All Black jersey to Sidharth MalhotraLeft: Sidharth Malhotra at the Sky Tower National List MP meets with

New Zealand’s first Tourism Ambassador to India

National List MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar met Sidharth Malhotra

after he was appointed as New Zealand’s Tourism Ambassador to India.

“It was great to see how excited Sidharth is to take on this new role,” Dr Parmar says.

“Sidharth’s star quality will provide the ‘glamour’ element to attract the growing number of travellers from India who are looking for exciting tourist destinations,” says Dr Parmar.

NEW ZEALAND


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Fiji and UNDP expand regional co-operation

F iji and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are exploring ways to facilitate

UNDP operations so that the UNDP can provide further assistance and support for development projects in Fiji and the South Pacific region.

Acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum met with UNDP deputy regional director for Asia and the Pacific and Director of Bangkok Regional Hub, Nicholas Rosellini on Wednesday to discuss specific policies that will help make UNDP operations in Fiji more efficient.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said that the UNDP recognised Fiji as the regional hub for development projects and was looking to consolidate its regional development assistance programmes through the UNDP office in Suva.

“Fiji, in time, will provide the right environment and legal framework to assist UNDP, and other similar multi-lateral organisations, to operate out of Fiji. Fiji is the regional hub for development in the Pacific and the UNDP is keen to work with us on development projects throughout the region,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

Advertise with Indian WeekenderCall 022-325 1630 / 021-150 7950

Acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum (third from left), with UNDP deputy assistant administrator and deputy regional director for Asia and the Pacific, Nicholas Rosellini (second from left), and Osnat Lubrani (left). Photo: DEPTFO News

FIJI


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Editorial— Napoleon Hill

Thought of the weekWhatever the mind can conceive and

believe, it can achieve.

From the desk of the Managing Editor

The biggest festival of the year, the Auckland Diwali Festival is upon us. We are proud to be a part of this festival, and we had a great experience working towards it as everyone prepares for the festival this weekend. Our

current issue has all the information that you need for this weekend—including the detailed programme, the map and the details of all performances and attractions. Also included in is the details on the Kiwi Indian Thought Series.

Indians have excelled in different fields in New Zealand. With the Kiwi Indian Thought Series, we want to showcase the talent pool that is constantly contributing to the growth and success of New Zealand. Whether it is an anecdote, a personal experience that changed your life, interesting ideas or innovative thoughts that you would like to share, we give you a platform to showcase what you have brought “From India to New Zealand.” This year we have an exciting line-up of speakers. So I am hoping that our readers will support us at the event that takes place in the Limelight Room on Level 3 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on both, 17 and 18 October. The sessions are expected to not only be informative but also interactive. Everyone who attends is definite to leave with something from the series.

Indian Weekender will also be giving away exciting giveaways at the festival, so please make sure that you find us at the festival and go in to win these fabulous draws and prizes.

The auspicious Navratri festival is upon us and this is a time to celebrate Shakti or Prakriti. While we dedicate these nine days to praying to the goddess, it is important that we continue to do it even after Navratri is over. How do we do this? The best offering we can make to the goddess is to respect, treasure and cherish the women in our lives. There is no doubt about the role that women in play our lives. The love, support, nurturing, strength and so much more that they offer us day after day as mothers, sisters, partners, friends and daughters is unparalleled. Let us continue to show the women the love and respect that is due to them 24x7x365.

There are numerous celebrations, big and small that are being organised all around the country, and it is heartening to see the community participating in each of these very enthusiastically.

Amidst all the festivity, we also had the Indian hockey team visiting and while they were in Christchurch, Indian Weekender caught up with them, and we bring you a report and some great conversations with the heroes of hockey. We also bring you a report on the newest rendezvous that is making waves around New Zealand at the moment—Sidharth Malhotra who has been appointed as the first brand ambassador for Tourism New Zealand in India.

We hope you enjoy reading our current special issue with 16 extra pages than our normal editions all put together for your reading pleasure. We look forward to seeing you all at the Auckland Diwali Festival.

Until next time.

Giri Gupta

Posted on Facebook by the Sher Institute, the image of a baby asleep in the middle of hundreds of syringes illustrates the physical and emotional turmoil experienced by people who go through IVF.

Pick of the week

Courtesy : Satish Acharya

Indian Weekender : Volume 7 Issue 30

Publisher: Kiwi Media Group Limited Managing Editor: Giri Gupta | [email protected] Editor: Annu Sharma | [email protected] Chief Reporter: Swati Sharma | [email protected] Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | [email protected]: Esha Chanda | [email protected]: Kumar Suresh | [email protected] Technical Officer: Rohan Desouza | [email protected] Graphic & Layout Designer: Mahesh Kumar | [email protected] Designer: Yashmin Chand | [email protected] Accounts and Admin.: Farah Khan | [email protected] Sales & Marketing: 022 3251630 / 021 1507950 / 09-2137335 | [email protected]

Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher is not responsible for advertisers’ claims as appearing in the publication

Views expressed in the articles are solely of the authors and do not in any way represent the views of the team at the Indian Weekender

Indian Weekender is published by Kiwi Media Group, 98 Great South Road, AucklandPrinted at Horton Media, Auckland

Copyright 2015. Kiwi Media Group. All Rights Reserved.

Hosing DownPronounced: Hozing down

Usage: Get your umbrella with you, it will be hosing down in the evening


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0008

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17-18 OCTAOTEA SQUARE

CELEBRATEINDIAN MUSIC,DANCE, FASHION& FOOD

17-18 OCT17-18 OCTAOTEA SQUAREAOTEA SQUARE

CELEBRATEINDIAN MUSIC,INDIAN MUSIC,DANCE, FASHIONDANCE, FASHION& FOOD& FOOD

#AklDiwali What’s on in AKL

aucklandnz.com/diwali

PRESENTED BY SPONSORED BY

J000080_Diwali15_IW_255x355 4pAd_NP_PAGES_FA.indd 1 30/09/2015 4:30:09 p.m.


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This weekend from noon to 9pm, Aotea Square will come to life with the sights, sounds and flavours of traditional and contemporary India.

Enjoy live music, spectacular dance performances, and more than 60 stalls of authentic vegetarian Indian food, crafts, jewellery, clothing, henna and art. The glamourous wedding expo is also back, plus interactive workshops, competitions, kid-friendly activities, and the Kiwi Indian Thought Series brought to you by the Indian Weekender.

There’s an exciting line-up of both traditional and modern dance on the main stage, including the fast and fabulous Radio Tarana Bollywood Dance

competition, a hugely popular festival highlight. This year’s international guests include Mahipat Kavi, one of India’s foremost puppeteers and master storyteller, and Mudra Creation, the Lavani dance group from Maharashtra state. The festival finishes with a bang on Sunday night with the Barfoot & Thompson Fireworks Finale.

Aucklanders of all ethnicities and ages have embraced the Auckland Diwali Festival as a celebration of our Indian communities and with nearly 30,000 people attending last year it has become one of the city’s biggest cultural events.

Auckland Diwali Festival is organised and delivered by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development, in partnership with Asia New Zealand Foundation.

Find out more at aucklandnz.com/diwali


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NamasteThe Auckland Diwali Festival gives all Aucklanders the opportunity to connect and celebrate with our significant Indian community in a joyous, family-friendly, free festival which showcases traditional and contemporary Indian culture.

I love this festival, and welcome everyone who has supported and been a part of it for many years - and those experiencing it for the first time.

This year, as well as all the wonderful elements of this colourful, high-energy festival, we are also fortunate to have The Story of Rama, just metres from the festival at the Auckland Art Gallery, illustrating the great Sanskrit epic.

Happy Diwali!

Len Brown Mayor of Auckland

Namaste.

The Asia New Zealand Foundation is proud to have been involved in the Auckland Diwali Festival since the first major public Diwali Mela event in 2002.

We’re delighted to be hosting fantastic international guests at this year’s festival, including Mudra Creation, a Lavani dance group from Maharashtra State, and award-winning puppeteer Mahipat Kavi. Asia New Zealand Foundation is grateful to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, which has supported the Diwali Festival since its inception.

The Asia New Zealand Foundation is committed to helping all New Zealanders gain a better understanding of Asia and its diverse peoples and cultures. Diwali Festival of Lights is a great opportunity for you to experience that right here in Auckland.

John Luxton Asia New Zealand Foundation Chairman


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Festival ProgrammeThis year’s Auckland Diwali Festival brings a spectacular line-up of performances.

Head along to the main stage in Aotea Square to see traditional and contemporary dance, including the popular Radio Tarana Bollywood Dance competition and international guests, Mudra Creation, the Lavani dance group. Queen Street will also come to life with vibrant street performances throughout the day, as well as the new Queen Street Stage where you can enjoy music from some of Auckland’s top DJs. On the puppet stage, on the corner of Queen and Wakefield St, will be Mahipat Kavi, master storyteller and puppeteer, direct from India.

The festival programme is bursting with activities for the kids too. Get creative at the Rangoli kids’ art workshop in the Aotea Centre or take the kids along to the Cricket Zone on Queen Street where you can test out your skills in the cricket nets.

Check out the full festival programme below and start planning your weekend at the Auckland Diwali Festival.

Saturday 17 October

Extended programme

Festival programme

Stage highlights

12pm - 9pm Cultural performances Aotea Square Stage

12pm - 1.30pm Carnatic music performance: Carnatic Music Society

Classical Music Stage

12.50pm - 2.30pm Radio Tarana Bollywood Dance Competition (Junior & Interme-diate groups)

Aotea Square Stage

1pm - 7pm Live street performances Queen St & Wakefield St; Queen St & Airedale St

1.30pm - 2pm Sitar Recital: Lester Silver Classical Music Stage

2pm - 2.30pm Kathak Dance: Ratna Venkat Classical Music Stage

3pm Opening Ceremony Aotea Square Stage

3.20pm Mudra Creation Lavani Dance Aotea Square Stage

5pm Mudra Creation Lavani Dance Queen St & Wakefield St

7pm - 7.30pm Bollywood Singing Stars: Talented Kiwi-Indian Vocalists

Queen Street Stage

7.30pm - 9pm Diwali Rhythms: music from some of the best DJs in Auckland

Queen Street Stage


8pm - 9pm Hit Pe Hit - finale of fast paced and high energy acts

Aotea Square Stage

Workshops, arts, culture & kids’ activities

12pm - 5pm Rangoli kids’ art workshop Level 5, Aotea Centre

12pm - 6.30pm Indian Wedding Expo presented by indianweddings.co.nz

Level 5, Aotea Centre

12pm - 9pm Kid-friendly rides, cricket and games Kids’ Zone, Queen Street

2.30pm - 4pm Tabla Workshop Classical Music Stage

4pm - 5pm Master Puppeteer Mahipat Kavi Puppet Stage

5pm - 7pm The Kiwi Indian Thought Series brought to you by Indian Weekender


Festival programme and map details were correct at the time of printing. Auckland Diwali Festival reserves the right to make changes.

Stage highlights12pm - 9pm Cultural performances Aotea Square Stage

12pm - 12.30pm Carnatic Vocal: Yamini Ramesh Classical Music Stage

12.30pm - 1pm Carnatic Violin Recital: Arushi Ramesh Classical Music Stage

1pm - 7pm Live street performances Queen St & Wakefield St; Queen St & Airedale St

1pm - 1.30pm Hindustani Vocal: Seetha M. Jandhyala


1.30pm - 2pm Hindustani Vocal: Balachander Bhatt



3.30pm - 4pm Group Instrumental: Sargam School of Indian Music


3.40pm Fashion Show: Indian Exquisite Elegance Miss India New Zealand

Aotea Square Stage

4pm - 6pm Radio Tarana Bollywood Dance Competition (Adults)

Aotea Square Stage


7pm - 7.30pm Bollywood Singing Stars: Talented Kiwi-Indian Vocalists

Queen Street Stage

7.30pm - 9pm Diwali Rhythms: music from some of the best DJs in Auckland

Queen Street Stage


8.05pm - 9pm Hit Pe Hit - finale of fast paced and high energy acts

Aotea Square Stage

9pm The Barfoot & Thompson Fireworks Finale

Aotea Square

Workshops, arts, culture & kids’ activities12pm - 5pm Rangoli kids’ art workshop Level 5, Aotea Centre

12pm - 8pm Indian Wedding Expo presented by indianweddings.co.nz

Level 5, Aotea Centre

12pm - 9pm Kid-friendly rides, cricket and games Kids’ Zone, Queen Street

2pm - 3.30pm Tabla workshop Classical Music Stage

4pm - 5pm Master Puppeteer Mahipat Kavi Puppet Stage

5pm - 7pm The Kiwi Indian Thought Series brought to you by Indian Weekender


Auckland Art Gallery exhibition5 Sep 2015 - 17 Jan 2016

The Story of Rama Indian Miniatures from the National Museum, New Delhi

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki


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Festival Map

INDIAINDIA


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The stars from IndiaThis year’s international guests include Mahipat Kavi, one of India’s foremost puppeteers and master storyteller, and Mudra Creation, the Lavani dance group from Maharashtra State.

Mahipat Kavi

Award-winning puppeteer Mahipat Kavi will bring some of India’s favourite stories to life at this year’s festival.

Mahipat Kavi established his theatre company Puppets & Plays back in 1975 in Ahmedabad. The group has since produced many puppet plays, puppet-serials for television and educational puppet films on social issues such as family planning, the environment, and health problems such as AIDS.

The group has taken part in many puppet festivals in India and abroad, as well as holding puppet workshops and exhibitions.

Mudra Creation

One of India’s most beautiful and sensuous dance traditions from Maharashtra State, Lavani is a combination of traditional song and dance, performed to the captivating beat of the dholak, or two-headed hand drum. The Mudra Creation dance company was founded in 2005.

Lavani dance draws its inspiration from topics as varied as society, religion, politics, and especially romance. Originally, it was used as a form of entertainment and a morale booster for weary soldiers in what was once a battle-torn state.

Female dancers wear nine-metre long saris and heavy jewellery including a wide belt at the waist. The songs in Lavani are mostly romantic with teasing lyrics featuring socio-political satire.

Lavani dance dates back to the 1560s, and it was not until the 1700s that it came into prominence after gaining royal patronage. Today Lavani often features in Bollywood films.

Master puppeteer Mahipat Kavi and the Mudra Creation dance group from Maharashtra State are visiting New Zealand courtesy of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, the High Commission of India and Air New Zealand.

Glitz andglamourExperience the look, feel and atmosphere of an authentic Indian wedding. Indian Weddings NZ recreate the setting and atmosphere of an Indian wedding on Level 5 of the Aotea Centre this weekend at the Auckland Diwali Festival.Soni Mudaliar, from Indian Weddings NZ, says there was an enthusiastic response at last year’s festival to the opportunity for people to try on traditional Indian wedding costumes and have their photos taken.

“We have beautiful saris for women and costumes for the men, and you can have your photo taken against our stunning wedding backdrops.”

There will also be women making traditional wedding garlands and applying mehndi or henna designs.

For those who attended the Auckland Diwali Festival last year, you might remember an exciting moment on Queen Street when performer Shinsil Puthethu dropped down to one knee and proposed to Athy Raj at the end of their Diwali street performance!

The two were good friends and neighbours back in India, and continued their friendship here in Auckland. We’re excited to say that the couple are now happily married after a beautiful wedding in India earlier this year.


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Spicy side dishesThe Auckland Diwali Festival isn’t the only place to celebrate Indian culture in Auckland this season, with a major art exhibition now on at Auckland Art Gallery and Diwali activities to enjoy at your local library.

For more information about Diwali activities at Auckland Libraries across the region, go to http://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz

Library Date Event

Devonport Library Mon 9 Nov, 10am Devonport Diwali Rhymetime

Mt. Roskill Library

Sat 31 Oct, 11am Diwali Celebration – a community event of music, dance and treats

Tue 3 Nov, 3-5pm Rangoli workshop – try your hand at making Rangoli patterns using coloured powders and grains

Wed 4 Nov, 3-5pm Henna tattooing – design a henna tattoo for yourself or a friend using henna cones

Thu 5 Nov, 3-5pm Diya decorating – decorate a diya lamp for your home

Blockhouse Bay Library

Sat 31 Oct, 10.30am - 12pmGrand Annual Diwali Celebration, including popular Bollywood songs by renowned artists from Sandhya Rao Badakere’s Swar Sadhana Academy of Indian Music, Garba folk dance by Khottey Sikkey. Kesha Surti’s award-winning dance troupe back by public demand! Bollywood dance and interactive session by Ella Kumar (health and fitness instructor, Puketepapa Local Board Member) and students of Mt Roskill Grammar Community Education Bollywood Dance Class

Sun 1 Nov, 1-2pm Henna tattoo – get your hands decorated with beautiful henna designs

Thu 5 Nov, 10.30 - 11am Special Diwali story-time and songs in Hindi and English

Fri 6 Nov, 3.15 – 4.15pm Diwali craft – lantern (kandil) making (all materials provided)

Avondale Library Wed 4 Nov, 3.30-4.30pm Rangoli with Smita. Smita Upadhye will demonstrate Rangoli patterns, a folk art from India in which patterns are created on the floor. Come and have a go!

Waitākere Central Library

Thu 29 Oct – Sun 15 Nov Diwali exhibition using community Diwali images including those from the Waitakere Indian Association’s past Diwali festivals

Fri 30 Oct, 3.30pm: Diwali dance performance – Waitakere Indian Association children’s group

Thu 5 Nov, 10.30am Diwali-theme story time for preschoolers

Manurewa Library

Thu 5 Nov, 11.30am – noon Diwali Outreach story-time with craft

Fri 6 Nov, 10.30am Diwali bilingual story-time with craft

Tue 10 Nov, 1.30pm Diwali dance workshop with Ella Kumar

Wed 11 Nov, 3.30pm Henna painting

Thu 12 Nov, 3.30pm Diwali craft

Botany Library Sun 8 Nov, 3-4pm The BIG Diwali Mela: A fun-filled afternoon of activities for children and grownups, with craft stalls, henna painting on palms, rangoli and card making and food tasting to name a few along with a festive competition to bring the community together

5 Sep 2015 – 17 Jan 2016

FREE ENTRY

Guler style, Pahari The great battle between Rama and Ravana c1780opaque watercolour on paperNational Museum, New Delhi, India

Event: Between Worlds processionDate: Sat 17 & Sun 18 Oct, 1pmWhere: Assemble at the Waharoa Arch in Aotea Square at 1pmJoin the ‘Between Worlds’ procession from Aotea Square to The Story of Rama exhibition.

Event: Tour of The Story of Rama exhibitionDate: Sat 17 & Sun 18 Oct, 2pm & 3pmWhere: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki

The Story of Rama:Indian Miniatures from the National Museum, New Delhi, on now at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.This exhibition displays an exquisite collection of rare Indian miniature paintings depicting the epic Sanskrit tale of Lord Rama.

The artworks are painted in different regionalstyles dating from early 17th to 19th centuries.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the most important stories in Indian culture, the Ramayana, a tale of love, loyalty and the triumph of good over evil. Its character, Lord Rama, is admired for his honour, courage and compassion even today. This collection is an important repository of India’s rich artistic and cultural history and it is unlikely this group of paintings will ever return to New Zealand.

On until Sunday 17 January 2016 with free entry, The Story of Rama exhibition is not to be missed.

Visit aucklandartgallery.com for more information.

Celebrating Diwali at Auckland libraries


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Barfoot & Thompson

The festival finishes with a bang at 9pm on Sunday night with the Barfoot & Thompson Fireworks Finale. Barfoot & Thompson is proud to form part of the annual Auckland Diwali Festival – an event celebrating Auckland’s cultural diversity. Barfoot & Thompson has helped many new migrants establish successful real estate careers and sponsoring the festival is a great way for us to show our support for our diverse team and the wider Auckland community.

ASB Art Installation – The Colours of LightASB has commissioned installation-based artist, Tiffany Singh, to create a visual art installation celebrating Indian culture as part of the Auckland Diwali Festival. The artwork entitled The Colours of Light will be displayed inside the ASB Super Cube throughout the festival. An interactive installation, the colour field of swaying ribbons aims to stimulate thought and inspire the imagination of all those who attend. Diwali is the Indian festival of lights, and light symbolises hope - indicating the victory of good over evil; a new beginning; seeing the light at the end of tunnel. ASB and Ms Singh will be asking festival-goers to leave their messages of hope on these die-cut forms. With Indian heritage herself, Ms Singh is looking forward to displaying her art on a cultural stage filled with strong personal meaning.

ASB Kashin Photo CompetitionASB is asking Auckland Diwali Festival attendees to post a selfie with ASB’s Kashin Lantern and, from there, take their photo to the ASB Caravan in order to be verified. Once verified, festival attendees will be entered into the draw to win $1000 in an ASB account.

ASB Rickshaw serviceASB will provide a rickshaw (bike taxi) service, from Britomart to the Auckland Diwali Festival entrance on Queen Street. This service will be available to any ASB customer; simply show your ASB card and you’ll be dropped at the festival in true Indian style.

Air New Zealand

To celebrate Auckland Diwali Festival, Air New Zealand have the cockpit of a Boeing 737 in the heart of the city! Share your snap with Air New Zealand’s 737 nose on Twitter or Instagram with #PoseWithNose to be in to win great spot prizes! Find out more when you visit our Air New Zealand crew on site.

Mithai

Mithai has been satisfying kiwi taste buds with the flavours of Rajasthan for many years. We specialise in Indian ‘Rajasthani’ sweets, snacks and food and are completely vegetarian. We currently have two (recently renovated) outlets, Mithai in Mount Roskill and Mithaiwala in Manurewa. We specialise in catering for all occasions – birthdays, weddings, work functions and more – providing authentic Indian and Rajastani dishes. Our sweets are the best in the market with the finest, freshest ingredients.

Indian Tourism Sydney

India Tourism Sydney is proud to have participated in this event for the past 14 years in order to create the awareness about India, showcasing it as a tourist destination to New Zealanders. If you are interested in making India your next holiday destination, come and visit us on site. From all the team at India Tourism Sydney, happy Diwali Festival.

Radio Tarana

Radio Tarana is a proud sponsor of Auckland Diwali Festival 2015. With

more than 20 years of broadcasting experience, Radio Tarana is the heart

of the Kiwi Indian community with its trusted source of information and

entertainment. Our sponsorship of the Auckland Diwali festival is another

opportunity for us to showcase and celebrate Indian culture while

engaging with our audience.

Indian Weekender

Indian Weekender—the only weekly Indian community newspaper—is proud to be associated with the Auckland Diwali Festival since 2013. Visit our stall in the square and our space at the Limelight Room on Level 3. We present the Kiwi Indian Thought Series from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on both days with an impressive line-up of speakers on our theme “From India to New Zealand”. Meet us there for great interactive sessions and exciting getaways and prizes.

iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio will be at Aotea Square over Diwali weekend with our red marquee and iHeartRadio inflatable arch. Register with iHeartRadio for our photobooth which will be inside our marquee for people to take a photo and get an instant printout. We will also have iHeartRadio balloons to hand out from our marquee for all festival goers.

Stuff.co.nz

Enter the Stuff.co.nz tent to get a shot at literally creating art in the dark. You will be given the chance to create your own art by lighting up your ‘selfie’. Inside the tent, you will be given LED glow-sticks to draw or write in the air. These actions are captured using long-exposure photography, resulting in your very own Diwali art in the dark. Share your work of art with family and friends on Facebook.

The Better Drinks Company

Since way back in 1999, when we started out as Charlie’s, we’ve been making and marketing a whole range of premium, not-from-concentrate and organic drinks. We’re still based in New Zealand, with production sites in New Zealand and Australia, and we sell our drinks all over the world! As one of New Zealand’s leading premium beverage manufacturers and marketers we are proud to be a supplier of refreshing drinks at one of Auckland’s largest multicultural festivals.

Ntec Tertiary Group

Ntec Tertiary Group (Ntec) is a New Zealand-based consortium of five education providers – National Technology Institute (NTI); Concordia Institute of Business (CIB); The College of Future Learning NZ (FutureCOL); National Institute of Education (NIE); and National Engineering Institute – all New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) approved and accredited tertiary providers. At the heart of Ntec is a group of dedicated multinational staff who share the same passion towards education. The Ntec schools have a proud record of educational excellence and innovation, and this is reflected in their NZQA External Evaluation and Review reports. We welcome all ethnic groups to the event and hope Diwali “festival of lights” bring prosperity and joy to all communities.

Mahindra Cars

Mahindra, one of the India’s largest automobile manufacturing companies, known worldwide for its tractors, 4WD and off-roader vehicles is a proud sponsor of the 2015 Auckland Diwali Festival. Mahindra’s XUV500 is one of the top-selling SUVs and very soon an automatic transmission Mahindra XUV500 will be launched in New Zealand. Team Mahindra in New Zealand wishes everyone a Happy Diwali.

Vodafone

Vodafone is excited to continue to support and be part of Auckland’s Diwali Festival. Vodafone is a leading full service telecommunications company, helping customers across the country connect to the people and things they care about. Happy Diwali and we hope to see you at the festival!

Resene

Celebrate Diwali in colour with Resene. Resene is delighted to be returning to the Auckland Diwali Festival with another opportunity for you to get creative and decorating with the Diwali colour palette. We will have large canvases with lanterns printed on them, signifying the victory of light over darkness – come and paint a lantern. With the assistance of the Asia NZ Foundation, Resene has designed a Diwali paint colour palette to help you bring the colours of Diwali into your home. Happy Diwali!

Thank you to the sponsors and supporters of the Auckland Diwali Festival 2015

Asia New Zealand Foundation (Auckland Diwali Festival delivery partner)

The Asia New Zealand Foundation is proud to have been involved in the Auckland Diwali Festival since the first major public Diwali Mela event in 2002.

We’re delighted to be hosting fantastic international guests at this year’s festival, including the Mudra Creation dance group from Maharashtra State, which will perform traditional Lavani song and dance. Award-winning puppeteer Mahipat Kavi will bring some of India’s favourite stories to life with his performances.

Asia New Zealand Foundation is very grateful to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, which has supported the Diwali Festival since its inception and Air New Zealand. Thanks to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations support, Aucklanders have been able to see a vast array of performers and visual artists from all over India over the years.

Asia New Zealand Foundation is committed to helping all New Zealanders gain a better understanding of Asia and its diverse peoples and cultures.


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When is Auckland Diwali Festival?

The Auckland Diwali Festival is happening this Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October, from noon until 9pm each day at Aotea Square.

We recommend that you allow at least 2-3 hours to enjoy the performances, sample the food or even buy a gift from the range of traditional Indian craft stalls. There are also a number of workshops and exhibitions so add more time if you want to attend one of these.

Where is the festival and how do I get there?

The festival takes place in Aotea Square, Aotea Centre and Queen St (between Wellesley St and Mayoral Drive).

Public transport is the best way to get to the festival, whether it’s a bus, train or ferry. It’s often easier and quicker – and it helps make Auckland Diwali Festival 2015 a more sustainable event. Please visit aucklandtransport.govt.nz for more information and timetables.

For people in wheelchairs or with pushchairs, the easiest place to be dropped off to get to the celebrations is via Lorne Street, Wakefield Street, Greys Ave, and Myers Street.

There is also allocated event parking for those in wheelchairs on Wakefield Street, in addition to Auckland Transport’s mobility parking on Myers Street and inside the Civic car park. For more information on accessibility and to print an accessible-friendly map, please visit www.aucklandnz.com/diwali/accessibility

What should I bring?

The Auckland Diwali Festival is an outdoor, all-weather event that takes place in rain or shine. We suggest you wear comfortable walking shoes and, depending on the weather forecast, you may need to bring sunscreen or rainproof clothing.

It is also a good idea to bring cash. Most food and craft stallholders only accept cash for purchases but there are plenty of ATM terminals located on Queen Street or on your way to the festival.

Other important information

• There will be an information and lost children tent in Aotea Square, as well as Team AKL volunteers walking around the festival who can provide you with help and information and a festival programme

• St. John will be at the festival in Aotea Square providing first aid assistance (located in Aotea Sq next to the Town Hall, please see the festival map)

• If you are in a group, it’s a good idea to agree on a meeting point should you get separated. We suggest the Waharoa – the carved Māori entranceway in Aotea Square.

• No alcohol is permitted at the event.

• The Auckland Diwali Festival is a smoke-free event, in line with Auckland Council’s drive to make the region’s public outdoor spaces smoke-free and help create a healthy city for all residents. This means there will be no smoking in the event space for the duration of the festival, to help promote a positive smoke-free message and make all our public events even more child-friendly. Thank you from the whole Diwali team for supporting this.

Helpful tipsCheck out our helpful tips to ensure you have an enjoyable weekend at the Auckland Diwali Festival.


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#AKLDiwaliTag your pics with #AKLDiwali on social media this weekend

www.aucklandnz.com/diwali Check out our website for everything you need to know about the Auckland Diwali Festival

What’s on in Auckland FacebookLike the ‘What’s On in Auckland’ Facebook page to keep up-to-date with events in Auckland, competitions and giveaways


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indian weekender 16 october 2015 vol 7 issue 30

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