Hi Friends,
Today I have completed my seven days fasting as a part of famous Indian festival, Navaratari. Nav means nine and ratari means days so its a nine days festival worshipping nine goddesses which are as follows:
1. Durga Shailputri - daughter of the mountain
2. Brahmacharini - goddess of penanace
3. Chandraghanta - goddess of bravery
4. Kushmanada - creator of solar system
5. Skanda Mata - diety of fire
6. Katayani - goddess having eight hands and holding eight weapons.
7. Kalratari - Means dark night
8. Maha Gauri -
9. Siddhidatri - having spiritual powers.
This festival is celeberated all over India. My family has always taught me the importance of this festival and I have been fasting these fasts since childhood and now I am emotionally attached to this festival and I cant think of my life without it. Now I feel myself spiritually attached to it and I believe god listens to me and I always feel some kind of revolution inside me during these nine days.
We do not eat wheat and vegies during navratari. And usually feed ourselves with fruits. In India, I used to go twice to temple in a day. But now its been year that I have not been to temple. And I have learnt that life is all about gaining and loosing. And its our duty to maintain balance between them.
Hi friends,
Today I am going to share one secret with all of you. Following link is not just a link but also link to many needy hands.
www.worldvision.com
Children, the most beautiful gift given to earth by god. And some people do not even think of the importance of child and how much difference they make in this world. Children are future of this world and we all should realize this truth.
And this is our reaponsibility to make this world better place for them. I am from country where still difference exists between female and male child. Moreover sexual abuse with children is not a secret anymore.
http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Study-3A-Most-female-child-molesters-were-victims-of-sexual-abuse-19182-1/
I am thankful to god that he has made me realize about this duty and I have taken my first step by sponsoring one child from world vision and i will encourage you all to go for this as these little things make you realize that you are human being and these are your duties. 
In today’s world where everyone is busy in making her\his life comfortable. No one thinks about making their life comfortable. Children need to be loved and lets promise ourself to make this world better place for everyone.
Hi friends, dream weddings are no more part of your dreams as you can turn into reality. You just have to go to www.masterpieceweddings.net and you can make your dream wedding come true.
Being from India i was always crazy about English weddings and I came across this wonderful north america based website. It was started by Melissa Margarita-Distefano in1994 with the aim to help brides’s create the ultimate experience for life’s grandest celebration with a guarantee of stress- free wedding. SO far they have coorrdianted more than 200 weddings and twice it has been nominated as North America’s No 1 wedding consultant.
This website has eight section in all. I think they have provided users with efficient information. This site has simple design but content is well managed. In other words it doesnt leave you with any question.
It has one section named portfolio having picture of some of the weddings arranged by them. I would say thah i like every section of the website. One of them is links section where they have provided links to Venues, caterers, photography, videography, D.J or band, cake bakers, Fashion and flowers and decoration.
This website not only provide the services for the weddings but also provide customers with planning guide.
Have a look at their philosophy- “Our Philosophy is that you should enjoy every moment of your engagement. The appointments and attention to details that are part of planning a wedding should not detract from time you spend with each other, family, and friends. Allow us to take away the worry, the stress and the chores ~ Permit your self to relish this once-in-a-lifetime event!”
Sweetest section of the site include testimonials from their former customers. Website has link to Melissa’s blog which is full of discussions about weddings.
These are some of the wacky weddings arranged by them.
They have changed the scenario of wedding system.Now you can dream about any type of wedding and can turn it into reality.
Woman
Woman, an adult female human being (wikipedia), has different definition in my mind. She is symbol of love, kindness, joy, life and sacrifice. She is the best thing you can get in your life. Your life is incomplete without her at different stages of life, as a child without mother, as a teenage without girlfriend, as husband without wife. women has different status in different countries. We can say she is representing herself in different ways at different places.
I think picturers speaks louder than my words. Australia has given wings to my vision. Now I can think more wider and sensible. It has cleared the picture of woman in my mind. As a result of that now I have more respect for my mother in fact for every woman. I feel lucky to be born as girl. There has always been two role models of my life : Mother Teresa, founder of missionaries of charity in India and Kiran bedi, India’s first IPS officer.
I think being a girl, I have special powers of tolerance, sacrifice, love. I am proud to be a girl.
Style of living
Style of living is another aspect that attaracts Indians towards Australia. Every one comes here to earn money and to improve their lifestyle. I think thats a basic nature of human but sometimes they are unable to make choice that which way will lead them to their destination.
I have seen many people struggling here who were living more comfortable life in India. Everyone comes here in search of better living. But I think living with your family and friends is the best life you can live. Lots of International students living here hopes to get better life after getting permanent residency. Untill then he has to undergo various difficulties. But i think there is no end of difficulties when you are away from home. Every international student has to support herself\himself in all aspects. Most of them are living in miserable conditions as you can easily find 10 international students living in one unit. I have gone through that stage as well and I have learnt a lot from that.
Living with friends is totally different experience and I have experienced it for first time and I am learning different things everyday. I India, I had no responsibilities on my shoulders but now here i have to manage everything most important I have to take care of myself. And I am thankful to sydney who has taught me so much about life. Taking things positively should be mantra of life. I have sacrificed many things to come to Australia but in return I have got priceless experience of life.
Australia has given me strength, increased my tolerance power, has taught me to choose between right and wrong.
HEALTH
If its about health, India will be South pole and Australia, North pole. I admire Australian’s attitude towards health. In other words we can say Australians are more health conscious.”Australians are generally healthy, and Australia’s health and wellbeing is likely to imporve. Individuals are gaining a better understanding of their own health and how to maintain it; the Science and practice of prevention and treatment is continually advancing; and most Australians have very good access to health services.” (http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/aus/ah04/ah04-c01-040804.pdf) 
They always try to remain fit. Their food is completely different to the Indian food. Australians take more of raw food and with less quantity of fats in it. In Australian we can find energy drinks as well which is not available in India. From here we can see that Australians are more concerned about their energy level. You can see Austrlaians working out or running their free time. Thats why Australians are good athletes and swimmers.
I salute to the healthy spirit of Australians.
In comaprison to Australia, India is still far behind. Some parts of India like metropolitan cities are stepping forward in healthy world. But still states are still in the darkness. Most of the Indian snacks are oily and frie like pakoda and samosa.
I think it will take to promote healthy conditons as India is big country in size and population.
Transportation
Transportation is different in both countries including means and its organisation. I still remember the problems which I had to face in the begining in understanding the transport as it is completely different from India’s transportation system.
I would like to confess that India stand far behind Australia in terms of this technology.
Above pictures are perfect to express condition of Indian transport.
At some level I think its responsibility of Government and people to cooperate together to make life worth living. In India, we have Autorickshaw and rickshaw at local level. If we have to go to other part of the city these two are used as primary transport, which is very different from the trains and taxis in Australia.
Trains are main mode of transport in Australia. I can’t imagine sydney without trains. Australian government is best in providing comforts to its people.
Whereas in India trains are used only to travel from one city to another except in metro cities where trend of metro rail is on rise.
With the help of metro Indian Government is trying to change the face of Indian transport but as we all know it will take years to accomplish this task.
SPORTS
Sports and Australian’s passion about sports is the thing I admire most about Austrlians. Their passion makes them different from others. If you want to learn how to be passionate about something, Ozzies are the best option.
Back in India, I used to be careless in Sports or we can say there was nothing much to encourage me for sports but after coming i have realized the importance of sports. Moreover i have noticed that Australians always encourage their children to go for their favourate sports. I think sports is in their blood and they are following it from their ancestors.
And when I compare this thing with India I really feel sad about the fact that sports is not encouraged at that level. As a result of that I always encourage my brothers on phone and I am proud of the fact that my parents are encouraging my younger brother to make his carrier in Cricket.
In India, some sports is unapproachable for middle class or lower middle class. And I think thats shameful on our part. Country with lots of potential young buds is not giving desired output. Sports like Billiards, Snooker, Lawn tennis is out of reach of them. Sponsorship has always been big drawback in Indian Sports as a result of which we stand nowhere in soccer, Golf, Billiards.
There is only one sport which is given all attention i.e CRICKET. For some people meaning of sports is Cricket. I was one of them because my parents used to talk about only one Cricket and moreover there used to be telecast of Cricket. Cricket has become another religion in India affecting other sports.
But opening of Sports channel like ESPN, Star Sports, Ten Sports are changing the vision of India. Now children are aware of all sports and parents are stepping forward to encourage children. It has just began and I hope this step will start ripening fruits very soon.
Cuisine
Coming to Australia and not missing Indian food was next to impossible. It is well known fact that India is known as a land of spices. Spices are magic ingrediants which distinguishes Indian food from others. When I came here, I used to think that I am going to miss Indian food most especially Indian traditional food. But I am happy to confess that I was wrong. Indian food act as strong bond between India and Australia. While working in Indian takeaway, I noticed that Australians are true lovers of Indian food And butter chicken is on the top of the list. I met some people on streets who make Indian dishes at home, And they know name of Indian dishes by heart. Moreover, you can get everytype of Indian spices and Indian grocery in sydney, and these little things helps in removing homesickness.
After exploring sydney, I can say that you can see two Indian restaurants in every suburb at minimum. And there is atleast one Indian takeaway in every food court. Among all restaurants, Thousand spices at Homebush is my favourate. Crazy about Indian food, but havn’t been there, is not less than a crime.
In contrast with Indian food, Australian food is not that spicy but its far more nutritious. I think that’s the reason behind Australian’s fitness. Keeping that in mind,I have turned into non-vegetarian. According to my religion, eating beef is a crime, and beef is main part of Australian cuisines. So it was hard for me to cope up with that. Fish and fries have their own importnace in Australia.
For International students, it is vey important to balance their diet chart. So I have come to the following equation:Indian food + Australian food = Indo-Astro food(taste) (Energy) (Perfect food)
One year in Australia
I have just completed my one year in Australia and It’s been remarkable and unforgettable journey so far. I am going to celebrate it by sharing my views, experience and vision with you. I come from the country having most diverse culture in the world. And the first thing I came across was CULTURAL SHOCK…..It was completely different world for me.
Culture, meaning to cultivate, refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance [Wikipedia]. India and Australia are very different in terms of patterns of acitivity and structures.
And So far, my journey has been a learning. Every day has been a new day with new lesson to teach me. People are different in every aspect. First thing I noticed was their helping nature. They are always ready to help others. Through my blog I would like to thanks everyone who helped me at every step. In my starting days it was quite difficult to survive as it was getting difficult for me to balance homesickness and studies.
As all knows that India is known for its diversity in religion and Indians are very much into spiritualism and religion, I felt as i have lost my connection with these powers but later i realised that I was wrong. These powers are not affected by any location. I started getting close to these powers which was not in India.
I think coming to Australia was my proud decision.
