DIWALI CELEBRATION -2008
By - Muriel Lucas

………..With a Touch of Class…………

On Saturday November 8th 2008, A Diwali Celebration took place at the Older Adult Centre at Square One Shopping Centre, to a packed audience. This fun-filled Diwali celebration was hosted by Peter Ganglani and his beautiful wife Rakhee Ganglani, who was in charge of overseeing the smooth running of the event from start to finish.

Diwali is one of the biggest celebrations in parts of India to date. It is also termed as the “Hindu Festival of Lights”, symbolizing the victory of righteousness and lifting of spiritual darkness. During Diwali, homes are lit with lights. All the Lights in the world cannot be compared to “even a ray” of this inner light that shines steadily in the chamber of their hearts., they give generously to the less fortunate – not just materially, but morally and spiritually as well as to humanity at large.”

Thus, the décor, ambience at every table was decorated with beautiful give away Lights and sparklers. The Hot buffet was served to perfection with tasty delights for dessert. Coffee & Tea followed, which really touched the spot.!

To inaugurate this beautiful event, the show started off with Rita Israni who performed a Diya Dance. Mr. VJ Patel called upon to share his thoughts on Diwali, which was very informative and enlightening.

No 2 - was a Bollywood dance performed by Eeshani Jethwa.

No3 - was presented by “The Pari Dance Academy” This group also performed at weddings and Mendhi! Masti! Masala! They also performed a “Dandiya” dance to 3 different kinds of music. The performing artists are: Perviz Maval-walla, Shireen Chatur-vedi, Armaity Anandasagar, Meher Panthaky, Lilly Suntoke, Aban Vazir, Kashmira Laher,Zarina Gutta,Sunita Mathur and Vanita Nagda.

No 4 - was Gauri Khandke who performed a semi-classical “Kathak” form of dance. Kathak is one of the seven forms of dances from India. Gauri is 10 years old and has been learning classical and semi-classical ‘Kathak form of dance since she was 5. She is extremely enthusiastic about dancing to both, Hollywood and Bollywood tunes.

No 5 - was a Bollywood Bhangra dance by the Navrang Academy of Performing Arts”. The participants are:
Nandita Dudhia, Jyoti Patel, Simraj Powar, Sareena Arora, Anika Sharma, and Humin Dhabar. Artistic director- Ella Devani, & Choreographer – Nandita Duhia.

No 6 - The Fashion Show presented by Mrs. Millie Correa. Most of the stunning outfits were sponsored by Mrs. Maharukh Hakim of Pinafari Design Collections that offer custom made designer wear from India and Pakistan. Visit their website at www.pinafaricollections.com   

Models:

• Claire Fonseca – as a Gujarati bride wearing a red Wedding Lengha with Dapka work border.

• Preeti Sandhu – as a Punjabi bride wearing a bright orange Salwar Kurta with blue embroidery work.

• Muriel Lucas – as a Hindu bride wearing a stunning deep red Sari with glistening rhine stones and gold shimmering edgings all around, that draped elegantly around the shoulders.

• Eliza Fernandes – as a Nepali bride wearing a pretty pink sari with sequence work.

• Rita Israni – as a Parsi bride wearing a beautiful white Parsi Sari with Resham work.

• Natasha DeSouza- as a Hyderabadi bride dressed in a Cream Silk short Kurta. The bottom part was a deep red silk flared gharara with a motif design. The veil or dupatta in a deep red chiffon with semi precious stones.

• Tamara Pereira – as a Christian Bride from Mumbai. She modeled her own stunning long white gown of satin with beautiful embroidery and crystals in a Style that represents femininity and purity. The double tulle veil and shimmering rhinestone tiara completes this beautiful outfit.

• Allison D’Souza - as a Goan bride dressed in India’s national dress. An elegant red silk sari falls in soft and flowing folds. The palo is elaborately designed with red and gold threaded tear-drop motifs and draped beautifully down the shoulder.

• Dolly Vienna - as an Indo-Canadian bride wearing a beautiful shimmering blue brocade Peacock Lengha with Stone and Dupka work.

This completed the fashion show event for the evening.

No 7 - was 3 songs accompanied by tabla and harmonium presented by Michael Nandlal, Christopher Nandial and Michelle SeeCharan.

No 8 - was a triple treat i.e. Hip Hop, Bollywood and Bhangra. The Hip-hop and Bhangra dances are performed by Shreena Amin, Priyanka Patel, Ronish Amin and Nayven Patel and the Bollywood dance was performed by Shreena Amin and Priyanka Patel.

No 9 - was the candle dance to end the celebration of the “Festival of Lights” Belly dancing style, presented by Sahara Silks – their very Own Older Adult Centre Belly Dance group. The artists were: Mary MonArdo, Phyllis Harvey, Violetta Tomic, Tran Phuong, Lavinia Law and Dunny Wong.

There were numerous door prizes given out.

The sponsors for this event are : The Older Adult Centre, ABC Cash & Carry, Cora’s restaurant, Meadowvale, Pinafari Design Collections, and Sanju Ganglani.

Many thanks also goes out to Mr. Uvy Lopes, for the photography and videographing the event, Rogers Cable and Uthayan Selvaratnam. DVDs for this event can be obtained at a cost through Peter Gaglani.

A vote of thanks goes out to Laura Surman & Kundan.

Last but not least, we would like to thank Peter and Rakhee Gaglani for availing us the opportunity to model the fashion show outfits at this memorable event. As the first time participants for this Diwali celebration, it was gratifying to be a part of this heritage bringing shared traditions of rich cultural patterns evolved from Indian to Goan influences enraptured by the strains of the music to suit each performance.

It was equally heartwarming to be a part of this enjoyable, great memorable, Diwali – “Festival of Lights” celebration, with a difference! .... A real “Touch of Class”!!

Christianity's Changing Face
Friday, 10 October 2008
http://www.catholicregister.org/content/view/2333/842/
Excerpts from Book Review:
Written by Robert Campbell, Catholic Register Special,

Christianity and Ethnicity in Canada.
edited by Paul Bramadat and David Seljak
(University of Toronto Press, softcover, 448 pages, $49.95).

Canada’s churches no longer look or talk the way they once did. The once predominantly Anglo-Celtic membership of the United Church, an organization that viewed itself as a potential national church for Canada when it was established in 1925, is now complemented by large Taiwanese and Hungarian congregations. Many Catholic parishes in major cities now have a significant Filipino presence. The face of Canadian Christianity is changing. Scholars and churchgoers are finding it more and more difficult to articulate exactly how ethnic origin and religious affiliation are related.

In this companion volume to Religion and Ethnicity in Canada (2005), Paul Bramadat, the director of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Victoria, and David Seljak, who teaches religious studies at St. Jerome’s University at the University of Waterloo, explore the relationship between ethnic and religious identity among Canada’s Christians. The premise is that as the ethnic diversity increases, not only are various non-Christian religious communities growing and contributing to the social mix of the nation, but Christian communities themselves are no longer merely reflective of their founding ethnic heritage.

Along with an introduction and conclusion by the editors, there are nine chapters devoted to the study of one particular form of Christianity, with two on Catholicism. The expert authors are, for the most part, members of these distinct Christian communities.

In a statistical appendix prepared by Peter Beyer, we learn, among other things, that in 2001, 13.7 per cent of Canada’s 12.8 million Catholics had not been born in Canada, and of those about 61 per cent had arrived after 1971.

Historian Mark McGowan, principal of Toronto’s University of St. Michael’s College, begins his coverage of English-speaking and other non-French Catholics with a reflection on a visit to the historically German Church of the Immaculate Conception in Formosa, Ont., where his grandfather was baptized. He points out that, even though the Catholic Church represented the diverse heritage of the country’s early settlement groups, there was a unity among Catholics based on institutional and liturgical homogeneity, as well as in the face of the mainly English-speaking, and politically more powerful, Protestant population.

McGowan emphasizes that, particularly with reference to declining numbers, Catholicism is still feeling the effects of Vatican II and more recent doctrinal reform, as well as sexual and physical abuse scandals. In concluding, he points out that one of the key struggles today is among newer immigrant members that want to maintain a distinct ethnic identity, while at the same time integrating into the larger family of Canadian Catholics.

At more than 400 pages, this book presents a detailed and thorough coverage of the subject in a slightly formal but quite readable style. Each of the case study chapters can be read separately and in any order, depending on the interests and stamina of the individual reader.

In their conclusion, Bramadat and Seljak suggest that today’s Canadian Christian communities are characterized by a tension between generations and a tension between long established members of European origin and newer members arriving from non-European nations. Readers will learn a great deal about how Christian churches in Canada got to where they are today, but, consistent with the sentiments expressed by the editors and contributors of this volume, they will be left wondering where the churches are going in the years to come.

(Campbell teaches at Cape Breton University.)

TEGSA Mass for the Deceased

Over 200 persons were present as TEGSA celebrated a mass for the Deceased members and their families on Friday, November 7th. 2008. A candle light procession was led by our President, Charles Fernandes, as he carried a beautiful wreath in memoriam for our departed members.

Paul Soares played the Saxophone to the tune of Amazing Grace. We are very fortunate that we have the Canorient Choral Group, to sing for us on important occasions.. They were all dressed up in their signature outfits, as they sang some heart wrenching hymns.

The celebrant of the Mass was Rev. Fr. Martin Pereira who took time off his busy schedule to be with us. Thank you, Fr. Martin.

A delicious snack plate was served to all present followed by tea and coffee and cookies. A great evening would not be complete without bingo. 2 rounds of bingo were played and generous cash prizes were given out. October 7th. was sure a warm and wonderful night. Our thanks to the Organizing Committee led by Mavis Pecus.

Navelim Union 33rd Feast Celebration in Toronto

The descendents of the village of Navelim in Salcete, Goa, scattered all over the world rigorously hold on to the tradition of celebrating the fest of Our Lady of Rosary. In Goa this takes place on the 3rd Wednesday of November.

In Toronto, the Navelim Union will be holding the 33rd Feast celebration with a Mass and Social on November 22nd, 2008 at the Claireport Convention Centre in Etobicoke. This continuous celebration of the feast, started in 1975 by the late Jules Gomes and Ornellas Vaz, is probably a record for any Goan village association in the world. The President for the feast for the second year is Melissa Rodrigues, a 3rd generation “Navelkar” in Toronto.

The Goa Amgios with DJ Smartsound will provide the entertainment for the evening with a special performance by top Peruvian Artist, Kathy Adrianzen.
(See flyer in Events Section)

In Navelim itself, the largest parish in Goa, the celebrations extend over ten days with concerts, fireworks, dances, ad family visits as described below.

Celebration of Navelim Feast in Navelim – Goa

The celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Rosary begins every third Wednesday in November. This devotion of Our Lady comprises of an extensive celebration which begins with traditional processions and novenas.

Each year the family selected to celebrate the feast paints the church on the outside fifteen days before the feast. The inside of the church is also beautifully decorated and the outside is covered with fairy lights. Most of the houses and streets in the village are lit up with colourful lights during the celebrations.

Every four years, the statue of Our Lady of Rosary is brought down from the altar and a procession takes Her to Holy Rosary School where mass is held in the playground. During this one-day consecration of Our Lady, children from the school act out scenes from the Bible and the playground is filled with crowds of villagers.

On the third Wednesday in November at 3:00 a.m., a candlelight procession carries a beautifully decorated statue of Our Lady towards the church. Everyday for the following nine days, the Novena prayers begin between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. On the tenth day masses begin at 5:00 a.m. and the celebration of the feast continues for the next three days.

In the evenings, the family selected to celebrate the feast that year sponsors a grand fireworks display. Throughout the day and night there are Konkani concerts. In addition there are dances held in the evenings which are well attended. The Navelim villagers invite families and friends for a celebration at their homes and they usually visit each other’s homes carrying trays of traditional Goan sweets.

NAVELIM FAIR
According to legend, in earliest times, this fair consisted mainly of three or four sheds and lasted only for a day, because there was superstition that on the same night of the feast day, there was a gathering of devils in the area in front of the church.

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Warning to Goan Tipplers -Whiskey Crisis Hits Canada

Johnnie Walker Green Label, Black & White Blended Scotch Whisky and Bell's Scotch Whisky will no longer be available in Liquor Control Board Ontario

Global demand forces LCBO to scratch scotches from liquor list

The insatiable demand for scotch whisky in China, India and Russia has tipped three popular brands from the shelves of Ontario liquor stores, and will drive up the prices of several popular single-malts.

Johnnie Walker Green Label, Black & White Blended Scotch Whisky and Bell's Scotch Whisky will no longer be available in LCBO outlets once current supplies are gone, probably by year end, a spokesman confirmed yesterday.

The sobering news comes after liquor distributor Diageo Canada, a branch of the world's largest alcohol group, told the LCBO that if it wanted to continue to sell many of its products it would have to pay more to compete with growing markets abroad.

The LCBO agreed to meet Diageo's demands in some cases, but apparently balked when it came to the three brands to be discontinued. That also means the Diageo-distributed products the LCBO will continue to sell are likely to go up in price by amounts that will vary depending on the brand. Some of those brands include high-end single malt scotches such as Glenkinchie, Dalwhinnie, Oban, Talisker, Lagavulin, Gragganmore and Brora, as well as Johnnie Walker's Red, Blue, Gold and Black labels. Some of the more expensive brands are made by small distilleries that can only produce limited quantities, which drives up demand and prices.

"Essentially it was out of our control," LCBO spokesman Chris Layton said yesterday. "Diageo came to us and said the demand from places like China, India and Russia was outstripping its ability to supply them."

He said Diageo is simply selling to the buyers willing to pay the most. It could be worse. In several other provinces, including New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, even more brands will no longer be available. New Brunwick is losing 11 brands, for instance.

The move comes as burgeoning middle classes in China, India, Russia, South Korea and Vietnam look for new ways to spend their money. According to a British economic analysis published in March, China's spirits market alone is expected to be worth $50 billion U.S. by 2011. India's market is growing by more than 15 per cent a year, and could exceed $35 billion by the end of next year. The sheer size of those markets can make it difficult for Canadian liquor buyers and sellers - even those as large as the LCBO, whose total alcohol sales are worth more than $3.5 billion annually - to stay in the game.

"It's the bad side of success," Frank Scott, owner of an award-winning whisky bar in Fredericton, told the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. "Scotch has always been seen as a success product and with incomes growing, people want the American dream.";

Mr. Scott believes that London-based Diageo, which has been focusing on Asia-Pacific markets for the past few years, will eventually re-offer some of its products in Canada. But he thinks drinkers might have moved along to new brands.

Mr. Layton said that even with the cuts, the LCBO will continue to sell more than 200 varieties of scotch, the largest selection in Canada.

Article Courtesy of canada.com

Canadian Sets Distance Record In Solar Car
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/10/31/tech-solarcar.htm

Toronto native Marcelo Da Luz has set a new world distance record by zig-zagging across Canada in his solar-powered car.

Da Luz arrived in Victoria on Thursday, completing a 15,150-kilometre trek that took 140 days to complete. His journey beat out the previous Guiness record of 15,070 kilometres set in 2004 by a team from the University of Waterloo, who themselves beat a mark set by Australians in January 2002 in their native country.

His record has not yet been recognized by Guiness, but da Luz also says he's not done. He is planning to travel down to Seattle and then California and will keep going for as long as he can afford to. Da Luz is funding his journey independently, without any corporate backing.

"I can only go for as long as I have support," he says. "It's a mix between Forrest Gump and Field of Dreams — if you build it they will come and life is like a box chocolates.";

The trip started in Toronto and took da Luz to 44 cities and across Canada twice. His car, called the "Power of One" or Xof1, is a single-seat vehicle that looks more like a UFO on the road. The vehicle cost about half a million dollars to build, can travel 200 kilometres on a single charge and has a top speed of about 120 kilometres an hour.

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