Umm, erm, we take the day off and drink lots of beer.

I stand to be corrected, but I would say that Anzac Day is one of the big days for us. However it might not be as significant for recent arrivals in Oz as those who had relatives who fought in the earlier wars.

Interestingly, over the past few years the number of children and grandchildren of war veterans are increasing in the marches, wearing their forebears medallions etc. A few years ago the numbers had dwindled significantly.

Melbourne Cup is another big one, but I will let someone else from down under talk to that one.

We had a thread about Indian home food recently. It is very different from the take away rubbish.
My favourite is fish mooli. I adore any breads, particularly pooris and stuffed parathas. I also love dal in any form. I don't think there is any Indian dish I don't enjoy. (I must admit I drew the line at brain when my husband made the curry.He makes dishes from most areas, but I couldn't face that one!)

Ahhh...home made Indian food, I can still smell the aroma of the parathas fried with ghee. Indian home made food is wonderful. I love breads like paratha, chapati, nuns ( yes, that is a bread ! ) and other different kinds. I just don't like rice and don't bear to eat it.

Another things is that, all over the world, people think that the people of West Bengal like to eat fish and rice. I would like to say no to that. Not many people here like fish. I hate fish. I think chicken and mutton are one of our favourites. Mutton especially. So do the other people here like fish ? Yuck !

Don't ask me, at least. I'm a veg, but I don't oppose the non-veg's. Everyone's free, afterall. But, tell us the reasons too, friend, for not likin' rice and fish. Is it plenty-of-available sort of reason? For others - what is your staple food and what do you eat at special ocassions like festivals or birthdays?

Its interesting to note the food chain that you people have built over here.

My cooking skills are CURRENTLY limited to boiling water in the Microwave Oven.

By the way ANgi .....Me loves Fish!!! but paranthas are not so popular.

Hey friends, has anyone played 'Kabbadi', or heard of it? I wonder how did it originate, but it's strange game. No better than American Football! Do you know of any other strange Indian sport?

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Do you know of any other strange Indian sport?

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I don't think it's fair to call them "strange", it's just that because they're played only locally, in rural areas of India, and completely unheard of abroad. They aren't even played by kids of the middle and upper-middle class in urban areas; ignorance, I feel, has a lot to do with this. (Also, quite possibly, the semi-conscious desire to be more like the "west".)

Our generation (me Included), is, sadly, guilty of completely forgetting about these sports/games, and switching to the more popular cricket, hockey, table-tennis, etc, which get a lot more media exposure. These poor Indian sports lie forgotten of.

The sports I'm referring to here are kabaddi, lagori and some other game of which I don't know the name. I've seldom played these games, I but I feel these are about as entertaining as the "popular" sports. Gulli-danda, I hear is immensely popular in rural areas; I, however, don't know much about how that's played!

well from food, we're onto games. I have played gilli-danda, kabaddi, kho-kho, lagori and marbles. That's because, I was born in a town away from Kolkata where all the games were played. Well, these games in India are slowly dieing out and I think for the better. Gillli-danda is a dangerous game. I feel the only games left are kabbadi and kho-kho which should be played. But sadly, whenever I pass villages or such, I always see the boys playing cricket, football or volleyball. India is still becoming modern. *sigh*

Angi what's the game you play with little shells, throwing them down and betting which way up they fall? That's the only one I know. Please describe those other games you mention. It sounds interesting. I think it sounds as if, like all the old games from England , they are giving way to the awful Playstation-type mind destroyers.

Ren, I don't know if I remember the game because I've never played it. But there is a other game which concerns small ball shaped marbles called "Goolis". You put one of them on the ground. Then you have to throw one of the goolis from somewhere far so accurately that it would push away the gooli lying on the ground. It was a great game and it also mproved your accuracy. I miss those games.

My OM used to fly kites in India too. He said they used to have great contests, some resorting to sticking ground glass on their strings, to cut through the opponents strings! Wish I could remember that shell thing
little tiny cowrie type shells they used... adults played it too. Later Aha ! Good old Google..

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Originally six cowrie shells were thrown and the openings on the top were counted. If none of the shells showed openings, one received 25 points: Pachisi – the Indian word for 25. Variants of the game include Parcheesi and Chessindia in America.

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This is fascinating discussion. I've always been extremely interested in other cultures, but all these concerns about food are freaking me out. I refuse to even drink after a person, including relatives! Pestacides, lead, bug legs...um, you were only talking about India, right? *gulp*
It's a shame so many traditional games are being forgotten. Oftentimes the oldest include some of the best.
Recently in America we've been playing a new game-Ultimate Frisbee, and I must say it's tons of fun. Let me know when it reaches you guys, if it hasn't already.
I am a bit confused about the social life in India though. It's obviously developed, since you guys all have computers, but the whole "cows wander around eating plastic bags" totally contradicts this. And what about the "villages" you guys mentioned? Do most people live in houses, apartments, or what? How are the schools?
As a sidenote, why do we have so many Indian members? Don't get me wrong, you guys are great, but it's a bit strange that we hardly have any other Asian members.
Just a few questions from a completely ignorant, blundering, curious person

Wow, Misty, such a lot of questions. I can't answer them all !

India shall survive. India may be a dirty country, stupid country, rural country, selfish country but it will stay. Indians are very patriotic however much they despise their country and they always stay that way. That is why there are always some Indians at sports events.

Next up, the division between the rich and poor. The distinction between the rich and poor are great. In the cities, not everybody has computers and all. The cows eating plastic packets only happen at the outskirts of the city.

I'm not saying anything else !

I agree Ankur, it is just not possible to explain what India is to non Indians.
I was looking for the song from where your quote comes and found a translation of sorts.It will maybe help some to see it a bit:
National Song of India

The best in the world
our India!
In its gardens of delight
we are the nightingales.
Although in far-off lands,
driven by our desire
we reach you in spirit.
The world's highest mountain
is our sentinel, our protector, heaven's confidante.
And prancing on your lap
a thousand rivers
make you a garden-country, outrivalling heaven.
o flowing waters of the river Ganges!
Do you recall the times
when our caravan pitched its tents
upon your banks?
religion does not teach
mutual discord.
strung on a single strand
we are one
we are Indians.
Rome, Greece, Egypt have become reduced to relics
of dead civilizations;
only India remains.
threatened for centuries
by world powers
our civilization still flourishes.
Iqbal! you have no kindred soul.
Who will understand the pain concealed within your heart?

The position of cows in the country is very confusing, and raises a quagmire of questions ( ) in many people's minds.

While cows are considered sacred to Hindus, which are in a majority in India, it is strange, and sad, that we do find them abandoned by their owners, eating rubbish (non bio-degradable mass included) from municipal garbage-dumps. The extremist Hindu organisations, while being very vocal about "protecting the cow", don't seem to be doing any thing much to improve their living-conditions.

In 1919, when Gandhi started the non-co-operation movement (in the Indian freedom struggle), he clubbed the issue of Khilafat (long story; regarding the Caliph, a Muslim leader) with the protection of the cow. By September 1920, the Indian National Congress (the party spearheading the Freedom Struggle) supported the non-co-operation movement. As a result of this, the Muslim League got the impression that the Congress was associated with the protection of the cow, which supported their claim that the Congress was a Hindu organisation. This further sowed the seeds of Partition, and was possibly one of Gandhi's biggest blunders.

Of, course, for some of us, me and other atheists, and non-Hindus, especially those in the west, this whole "cow being sacred" business is a big joke! Strange, isn't it?

Umm.. could we talk about something else that cows ?

I just finished a very good novel about Bombay, called the Silver Castle, by Clive James. The background research would seem to be very good indeed. It gives an insight into life there. Very readable.

Let's talk about the literature of India.

Ren mentioned about Silver Castle .
Friends, which book do you love of an Indian writer? Do you know any foriegn writer writin' books set in India, like Ren told...

When I was redaing Harry Potter V, it came to my mind that somewhat the story matches with the Mahabharat. In the sense.... that from Voldemort and HP, only one would survive; same with Lord Krishna and Kansa. What do you think?

Yes and I think JKR mentions somewhere the influence it had on her work
I cannot think of any English writers writing books set in India, except Kipling, of course. We read Indian authors, in translation:
Salman Rushdie, Vikram Seth, Arundhati Roy, Amitav Ghosh, I am sure they lose a lot. But I did enjoy "A Suitable Boy"
This is a very interesting site about Indian writers. I am still dipping into there. It is very informative
Indian writers

Well, I don't read too much of the writings of the Indian authors. By the way, let's hope we don't mention any spoilers of Book 5 !

I may be wrong but does anyone think the Roald Dahil did portray a bit of Indian in his books ?

Thanks for the explanations, it does make a bit more sense now. Harish, though I forgot to mention it I was a bit confused about the poor cows, since there are so many Hindus over there, so thanks for clearing that up for me
Please carry on, I'd love to hear more about this Roald Dahl idea, even though I know absolutely nothing!

Hello. While we're developing the literature idea, I'd like to ask whether any of you have read R K Narayan? I simply love his books, especially 'The Guide'. Also, has anyone read E M Forster's 'A Passage to India'? It was considered great, and secular, and "a true reflection of India", I believe, but I found it full of prejudices and narrow-mindedness. Apology to fans.

I did try to read Arundhati Roy's 'The God of Small Things', but I couldn't stick it after about 11 pages. Am I impatient and intolerant or is she not a good as made out to be? I vote for the former.

I must say, I'm surprised to find so many Indians and people of Indian origin - should I say NRIs? When I joined, back in 2000, I was the only one around here.