June 29, 2012
 Welcome to another MyBindi West Newsletter!
After last month's newsletter, we've had so many event submissions that it looks like the West Coast is truly hopping this summer! On July 21 and 22nd, the Greater Vancouver Area will celebrate the Surrey Fusion Festival. Check out details below to see the action packed program over the two days. July 23 marks the 98th anniversary of the day the Komagata Maru, a chartered ship carrying mostly Sikh immigrants, was forced out to sea from Vancouver's Burrard Inlet. It had arrived two months earlier, and its passengers had not been allowed to disembark. You can commemorate this historic incident at the special unveiling on Monday (July 23) of a federally funded monument and pay homage to the memories of all the passengers of Komagata Maru. Before we know it, we'll be in August and ready to rock the scene with the Entourage Roadshow Launch Party. But before that be sure to support the 2nd Annual Rakhi Project and get your bracelets! On the horizon is the annual Vancouver Sawan Mela with its dizzying array of performances and its wildly popular Bollywood under the Stars night which features Qurbani this year! You can get a complete listing of all the events on the West Coast and in the Greater Vancouver Area on this convenient link. Alternatively, simply check in at Mybindi West to catch up on news, stories and local celebrity features. As always, if there's an event or an initiative in Vancouver that you'd like us to promote on MyBindi West - please send me an email. In the meantime, check out this list of all upcoming events on the west coast! Best Regards,
Syerah Editor-in-Chief syerah@mybindi.com
and to never miss out on breaking news, offers and free giveaways from MyBindi!
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10th Annual Vancouver Sawan Mela
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South Asian Family Association's (SAFA) 10th Annual Vancouver Sawan Meal is here and the organization has some very special surprises up its sleeves that are bound to get your feet tapping and your "lak" moving. Featuring:
P.T. Salil Bhatt, Cassius Khan and the "Sangeet" night starring Taz - StereoNation (formerly know as Johnny Zee)
Come out and celebrate cultural harmony!
Admission is FREE!
When: August 17-18, 2012
Where: Plaza of Nations, Vancouver
Time: August 17 | 6:30pm-11pm
August 18 | 2pm - Midnight
**Bollywood Under the Stars**
Don't miss the feature presentation of Qurbani at 'Bollywood Under the Stars' as part of the 10th Annual Vancouver Sawan Mela on August 18 at 7pm at the Plaza of Nations. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets!
Click HERE for more information.
This event is proudly sponsored by MyBindi.com.
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Surrey Fusion Festival
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The City of Surrey is pleased to announce the triumphant return of BC's largest multicultural celebration, Surrey Fusion Festival, which was declared the "Best Cultural Event in Canada!"
Surrey Fusion Festival will bring the City's magnificent Holland Park to life from July 21 - 22, 2012. Last year's incredibly successful event was attended by over 90,000 people and was truly a highlight of the summer. FESTIVAL DATE & HOURS:
Saturday, July 21, 2012, 11am - 10pm Sunday, July 22, 2012, 11am - 10pm SOUTH ASIAN PRESENCE AT THE FESTIVAL
Saturday, July 21 - South Asian Arts at Coast Capital Savings Celebration Stage|12pm
- Bhangra Lessons at Desjardins Financial Security Community stage|12:30pm, 1:30pm & 2:30pm
- Delhi 2 Dublin at Concord Pacific World Music Stage|6:30PM
Sunday, July 22- Nepal Cultural Presentation at Desjardins Financial Security Cultural Community Stage | 1pm
- D.P.D Bhangra Team at Desjardins Financial Security Cultural Community Stage|2pm
- BC Cultural Bhangra at Coast Capital Savings Celebration Stage| 2:30pm
- Vancity Bhangra Team at Coast Capital Savings Celebration Stage | 3:30pm
- Ranj Singh and the Discriminators at Coast Capital Savings Celebration Stage|6:30pm
- DJ A-Slam at Coast Capital Savings Celebration Stage|7:15pm
Click HERE for a complete festival schedule. Click HERE for more information. |
PICS Prom Night Fundraiser |
Don your finest dresses and suits because it's Prom Night! Join Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society on July 26th and dance the night away at an adult's only Prom Night fundraiser.
Enjoy an evening of music, dinner, dancing, and priceless photo opportunities. You may even be named Prom Queen or King. All proceeds will benefit an initiative to create a food bank in Delta.
Food is a basic necessity and a right that all people should enjoy. A food bank in North Delta will fill a much needed gap and will help feed the hungry. Hunger is real. YOU can help. When: Thursday, July 26th, 2012
Where: Paradise Banquet Hall, Delta
Time: 6:30pm onwards
Tickets: $50 pp | $80 per couple
For tickets and more information, please call Nilum Panesar at 604.596.7722. Tickets are also available at PICS Society offices in Surrey, White Rock and Vancouver.Click HERE for more information on PICS.
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Entourage Roadshow Launch Party
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HOD Productions & Crown Palace presents...
*** ENTOURAGE ROADSHOW LAUNCH PARTY
(NORTH AMERICAN EDITION)***
Summer 2012's biggest dinner & dance event featuring live performances by:
- Aman Hayer
- Angrej Ali
- Raju Johal
- Gagan Sharma
- Jup Gill
- GS Hundal
- DJ Intense
- Sukhi Walia
- RS Chauhan
Live DJ'Ing by:
- DJ Ace (Ace Roadshow)
- DJ Khanvict (Aftershock Roadshow)
- DJ Supersingh (MiB)
- DJ HDH & BIG (X-Fusion Roadshow)
- DJ Andy
When: Thursday, August 9th, 2012
Where: Crown Palace Banqut Hall, Surrey
Time: 7pm onwards
Tickets: $25 pp
To purchase tickets, visit Crown Palace (Surrey), Kamal's Video (Surrey)or Main Video (Vancouver)
For more information call 778.883.1463 or click HERE. |
Komagata Maru monument provokes no apology in Parliament by federal government |
Former Vancouver park commissioner Raj Hundal says the unveiling on Monday (July 23) of a federally funded monument commemorating the 1914 Komagata Maru incident will be a "step in the right direction".
However, Hundal also noted that an apology in Parliament for this chapter in Canada's history of dealing with immigration from Asia is "long overdue".
"It's important to note that the South Asian community has not asked for any monetary compensation," Hundal told the Straight in a phone interview. "All they want is a formal apology given in the House of Commons."
July 23 is the 98th anniversary of the day the Komagata Maru, a chartered ship carrying mostly Sikh immigrants, was forced out to sea from Vancouver's Burrard Inlet. It had arrived two months earlier, and its passengers had not been allowed to disembark. Click HERE to read more. |
Support the 2012 Rakhi Project!
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The 2nd annual Rakhi Project is underway to raise awareness about domestic violence. Show your support for by purchasing a bracelet at one of several local Surrey businesses before August 2, 2012.
The braided bracelets designed by local artist Karen Lipsett-Kidd will be sold for $5 each with proceeds going to the City of Surrey's Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (SCADA).
Purchase your bracelet at Surrey City Hall, select Save-on-Foods locations, Fruiticana, DIVERSEcity, Kwantlen bookstores, Surrey Women's Centre, and Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS).
The project is a partnership between the City of Surrey, the BC Lions, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, Fruiticana, Omni Television, The Province Newspaper, RCMP and Save On Foods.
Click HERE to read more.
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Introducing Jaan :: A Delectable Paan-flavoured Liqueur! |
If you're in the market for a something sensational with a universally appealing flavour that's unlike anything on the market, then look no further than the exotic and sensual Jaan Liqueur. This liqueur captures the flavour of sweet paan, a popular snack in South Asia that dates back thousands of years.
Introduced just last year, Jaan Liqueur is an authentic treat made in Canada from neutral grain spirits, Canadian maple syrup, and a singular blend of herbs and spices. This award-winning liqueur has a luminescent amber/gold hue, a satiny textured body and is a semisweet bouquet of cloves, menthol and flora. The palate is a spicy affair - a secret proprietary blend with notes of cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
"Jaan" is a Hindi/Urdu word loosely translated as "life" or "love." Offering paan is a symbol of respect, friendship and hospitality. Similarly, offering Jaan is symbolic of respect, friendship, and hospitality - a gesture that comes from the heart, with love. When you drink Jaan, it fills you with life! Hence the tag line, "Drink Jaan. Love Life."
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What's New on MyBindi West
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What's New on BindiBlogs |
Pancakes That are Healthy!
Hi folks! I wanted to blog this week about my absolute favourite Sunday morning recipe - Protein pancakes! I have written this recipe years ago here on Wellness Works! but I wanted to give you all a reminder of how quick, easy and absolutely delicious this recipe is!
It's as simple as:
- 1/2 cup Oatmeal (quick oats)
- 1/2 cup Cottage cheese (1%)
- 1/2 cup Egg whites
- 1 pack of Splenda or 1-2 tsp organic cane sugar
- 1/4 cup ground Flaxseed (optional for more Omega punch!)
Click HERE to read more.

Being Elmo
Really? Muppets?
Doesn't quite go with your high tech Yogi image says a friend of mine.
I think that's the most wonderful part.
I grew up on Sesame Street, Captain Kangaroo and the Great Space Coaster. These shows were formative - I learned about the world, languages and different people from these colorful characters. Ernie and Bert were my first gay role models. 
Diplomat Vikas Swarup, the celebrity author of the novel "Q & A" adapted into the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire" has stepped into a woman's shoes to explore the changing face of 21st century middle-class India in his new book.
His new novel, "The 7 Tests Of Sapna Sinha" is a dramatic narrative about an ordinary middle-class working woman in New Delhi who is offered to run a company by an eccentric billionaire; provided she passes a series of seven tests.

Hip-Hop is flourishing in South Asian (Desi) communities globally and there is no shortage of Punjabi rappers these days, but no real attempts have been made at Gujarati rap for quite a long time - until now. iQ aka Guju Bhai says, "Kem cho Guju Bhai?" Stepping up for the state Gujarat, iQ's latest single fills the void that the Gujurati audience has been searching for.

From the dizzying heights of fame to quiet shadows behind the arclights, Rajesh Khanna's life had a theatrical sweep, almost like one of his films. Bollywood's original superstar - simply the phenomenon to some - died in Mumbai Wednesday, leaving behind memories cast in celluloid of that famous crooked smile and head tilt. He was only 69.
What is Bipolar Disorder? Leonard Cohen and Robin Williams, are some of the most famous celebrities that I can think of who have Bipolar Disorder. The outdated term to describe this disorder is "Manic Depressive." Last year, Charlie Sheen displayed the
more "manic" side of this illness.
Bipolar Disorder is a medical psychiatric term used to describe a person who is having "mood swings" to the point where it is affecting their mental health.
Click HERE to read more.
A Hidden Gem Now you should all know by now that we DFFs love a good bargain, especially for the essentials - lining, chuni's, etc. We found our hidden gem in Jagjit Textiles & Fabrics located in Brampton. From the outside it may not look like much, but step into their world and your eyes won't know where to start. Jagjit Textiles is perfect for that hard to find colour of lining or that chuni that you need to match a suit.
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