header
October 29, 2013

Editorial

Welcome to another edition of MyBindi's 
Ottawa Highlights newsletter which now also serves the South Asian community in
Montreal!

The South Asian scene has really taken off in Ottawa and Montreal with residents being spoiled with so many arts and cultural events on offer.

This Wednesday, Centre Kabir presents the great tabla artist Pt. Yogesh Samsi accompanied by Tanmay Deochak on the harmonium.  Check them out at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal.  See below for details.
 
 
The Indo-Canada Ottawa Business Chamber of Commerce (ICOBC) invites you to its Networking and Dinner Event.on Wednesday, November 13, 2013. See below for details.
 
 
If you would like to receive weekly updates of events in Toronto, simply update your subscription preferences here or send me an email with "Subscribe me" in the subject line.  

  

If you are a business or an organization in Ottawa that would like to do outreach with the South Asian community in Ottawa or Montreal, please send me an email at syerah@mybindi.com.   

Regards,

Syerah
Editor-in-Chief & CEO
MyBindi.com

  Find us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to never miss out on breaking news, offers and free giveaways from MyBindi!   
Centre Kabir Collaboration - Pandit Yogesh Samsi Tabla Solo
Pt Yogesh Samsi

Centre Kabir is pleased to support Ziya Tabassian in the presentation of  a great tabla artist Pt. Yogesh Samsi accompanied by Tanmay Deochak on the harmonium.

"Must be close to being the best Tablachi of our age" - Historian Ramachandra Guha

When: Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Where: Conservatoire de musique de Montréal
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: $15 - $40 | Kabir Members get 20% discount

To purchase tickets please call 514.573.7674.

Cilck HERE for more information.

This event is proudly supported by MyBindi.com.
MyBindi Sponsored by
Nestlé Canada's Quality Street Chocolates Help to Create Brighter Celebrations
Nestle Quality Street Diwali 2013

To celebrate Diwali, the South Asian 'festival of lights' Nestlé Canada is proud to announce that the special Quality Street Diwali gift tin will be available for a second consecutive year. A popular assortment of imported chocolates and caramel, Quality Street is an excellent gift choice for celebrations and events.

 

"There is an intrinsic fit between Quality Street and Diwali," said Ryan Denys, Marketing Leader, of Nestlé Canada Confectionery Marketing. "Following the success of last year's program and the great demand from the South Asian community in Canada, we are excited to bring the Quality Street Diwali gift tin once again to nearly 1.5 million Indo-Canadians".  

 

The Quality Street Diwali 725g gift tin is available at select stores with a high concentration of South Asian consumers in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec.

 

Click HERE for further details and the list of participating stores. 

Raising a dowry for Dowry
Dowry

If you had to pay a man to marry you, would you?

Feature Film, Dowry:

 

A fight over one dowry divides two sisters from an underprivileged, South Asian family.

 

The thought-provoking comments, the intrigued listeners and the excitement!  All before we even have a final cut!  Your next step is to take your anticipation of seeing this movie, to the kickstarter campaign!

 

If we don't raise our full amount of $19,000 we won't get any of the funds. Get this film from post production to coming soon!  

 

Click HERE to check out the great incentives for supporting the Kickstarter campaign -
Raising a dowry for Dowry
.  

 

Click HERE for more information.

Click  HERE to help Kickstart this feature film.

This initiative is proudly sponsored by MyBindi.com.

MyBindi Sponsored by  

Composer's Day celebration in Montreal
Annual Composers Day

BSS Montreal announces their Annual Composer's Day celebration.

This year, we will pay tribute the violin legend Lalgudi Jayaraman, one of the most prolific composers and performers of modern Carnatic music.

We will end the day with a vocal concert in remembrance of the late Meena Srinivasan, a 'fallen leaf' of the BSS Montreal fraternity.

This concert will be presented by Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath, a talented vocalist from Bangalore who is also the proud recipient of this year's Meena Srinivasan Memorial Award-a prestigious award supported by the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute.

When: Saturday, November 2, 2013
Where: de Sève Cinema, Concordia University

Click HERE for more information.

This event is proudly supported by MyBindi.com.
MyBindi Sponsored by
Rumi Remembered: An Evening of Music of the Heart, Poetry and Whirling Dervishes
Rumi Remembered

Music and poetry. No other human creative expression touches the awareness of our higher selves that we call spiritual than these two. Even our prayers are written in one form or another in some poetic format and often turned into music which gives fluidity and adds rhythm and movement to the words.

Poetry is a direct, often spontaneous and concise expression of emotions and thoughts. When it inspires us towards the divine it helps us to become the music that we are.

When: Saturday, November 9, 2013
Time: 7pm
Where: Kailash Mital Theatre, Carleton University
Tickets: $20

Click HERE to purchase tickets.

Click HERE for more information.

This event is proudly supported by MyBindi.com.
MyBindi Sponsored by
Lowest Airfares from Nanak Flights
Nanak Flights

  

Nanak Flights has now launched a new online flights booking engine at  NanakFlights.com where you can find the lowest price on airfares in Canada and worldwide.

Nanak Flights offers unbeatable prices to India and all destinations in the world. If you are planning to visit India during festival season, please book your seats with Nanak flights.

In addition to unbeatable prices and our price drop guarantee that grants you up to $100 credit if the cost of your ticket drops after you purchase it from us, members of mybindi.com will also receive a $10 gas card reward for every ticket booked on the site

The $10 gas card promotion is exclusive to mybindi members only. Please send an email after the booking is done with a promo code MyBindi10. 

Nanak Flights' excellent customer service will inform you regarding any change in your flight schedule or gate changes in a timely fashion.

 

Click HERE for more information.
Expressions of Muslim Women: Hope Eternal
Hope Eternal

Expressions of Muslim Women presents Hope Eternal.

This is the 6th annual women-only event showcasing the talents of local Muslim women
in visual arts, dramatic arts, poetry, song and more. Proceeds go to local charities including the Sadaqa Food Bank.

The performance includes poetry, drama, songs, and comedy. The show revolves around the theme of hope.

Please bring non-perishable food items that evening for the Sadaqa Food Bank.

When: Saturday, November 9, 2013
Time: 7pm
Where: Centrepointe Studio Theatre
Tickets: $12

Tickets available at Aladdin Bakery on Carling Ave. and St. Laurent Blvd.

Expressions of Muslim Women (EMW) is a local group of Muslim women dedicated to exhibiting the creative capacities of Muslim women. EMW events set out to inspire women of all faith and cultural backgrounds, by seeing Muslim women express themselves in a positive and constructive way within a comfortable environment.

Click HERE for more information.

This event is proudly supported by MyBindi.com.

MyBindi Sponsored by  

ICOBC Networking and Dinner Event
ICOBC 2013 Gala and Awards of Excellence

The Indo-Canada Ottawa Business Chamber (ICOBC) invites you to its Networking and Dinner Event.

When: Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Time: 6pm - 9pm
Where: East India Company, 210 Somerset St W

Click HERE to register for this event.

About ICOBC:

The Indo Canada Ottawa Business Chamber is a registered not-for-profit corporation under Canadian Federal laws. The objects of the Corporation are to fund and carry our activities and programs that are beneficial to the Indo-Canadian business and professional community and the community as a whole, in a way which the law regards as charitable.

Click HERE for more information.

This event is proudly supported by MyBindi.com.
MyBindi Sponsored by
TATA Tea Now Available in Canada!
TATA Tea

Shahrukh Khan's favorite tea has arrived in Canada!  India's #1 Tea is now available in Canada from coast to coast.

You can brew Tata's bold malty flavor at home for an authentic taste of India. Welcome India's #1 tea by helping us brew some magic in Canada. Tata Tea, now available at major retailers.

SUPER STAR KI PASAND - TATA TEA.
AB CANADA KI PASAND BHI!
Keeping Tradition Alive with Alam Khan (Sarod)
Alam Khan

Kabir Cultural Centre is pleased to present Keeping Tradition Alive with Alam Khan (Sarod) and Hindole Majumdar (Tabla)

Alam Khan is the son of the greatest Indian sarod artist late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and the grandson of the guru of gurus Allauddin Khan. Alam's sarod is a youthful tribute to the age-old Maihar music lineage.

When: Saturday, December 7, 2013
Time: 7.30pm
Where: Auditorium - Grande Bibliotheque
Tickets: $22 - $52

Click HERE to purchase tickets or for more information.

This event is proudly supported by MyBindi.com.
MyBindi Sponsored by
The Hall of Shame
The Hall of Shame

It is recorded in Mahabharatha an Hindu epic, that once the royal Kaurava princes invited their Pandava cousins to a game of dice. The Pandavas lose everything they owned, including their own selves. Finally Yudhisthir the oldest Pandava puts Draupadi, his own brother's wife on stake and loses.

The Hall of Shame, is a new dance production that portrays the humiliation of Draupadi, her pain and her her anger as she stands alone against the world.

Using dance and documentary video, Deepali recounts this story that is still highly prevalent in our present times.

Deepali is a Montreal based professional Bollywood and Bhangra dancer. Trained in Kathak, an Indian classical dance, she is also an Actor and a Choreographer.

When: Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Time: 1.30pm
Where: Women's Arts Society de Montréal
Tickets: $10

Click HERE for more information.

This event is proudly supported by MyBindi.com.

MyBindi Sponsored by  

In This Bulletin
Centre Kabir Collaboration - Pandit. Yogesh Samsi Tabla Solo
Nestlé Canada's Quality Street Chocolates Help to Create Brighter Celebrations
Raising a dowry for Dowry
Composer's Day celebration in Montreal
Rumi Remembered: An Evening of Music of the Heart, Poetry and Whirling Dervishes
Lowest Airfares from Nanak Flights
Expressions of Muslim Women: Hope Eternal
ICOBC Networking and Dinner Event
TATA Tea Now Available in Canada!
Keeping Tradition Alive with Alam Khan (Sarod)
The Hall of Shame
Featured Article :: estern Union teams up with World Vision Canada on #sendforbetter Campaign
Featured Article :: Blending Your Life with a New Partner
What's New on MyBindi
Nestle Canada's Quality Street Chocolates Help to Create Brighter Celebrations!

Anoushka Shankar Returns to The Royal Conservatory in November

Fifth Annual 'A Night of Miracles' Gala Raises $369,000!

 Blending Your Life with a New Partner

Western Union teams up with World Vision Canada on #sendforbetter Campaign

 Reel Asian 2013: South Asian Highlights


 Together we can make Canadian film 'Dowry' happen!

 TAJ Kicks Off 12-City Tour In Mississauga

 Menaka Thakkar is a major figure in the Canadian dance landscape

The Scarborough Hospital Foundation Makes Strides in Getting Community Moving

 Interview :: Tazeen Qayyum on her latest art installation 'A Holding Pattern'

 MALLaMALL US Premiere

Suhaag Fall Show presented by Chevrolet a Hit with Brides & Grooms!

If You Had to Pay a Man to Marry You...Would You?

 Interview :: Lata Pada & Lisa Ray on the dance-drama TAJ

 'Dowry' Filmmaker Jag Parmar says "It's all about the story"

 Writer & Director Jag Parmar on the Making of 'Dowry'

FUSIA Fall Edition Hitting Chapters-Indigo stores in October

Interview :: Author Gagan Suri on his book '65 West 55th Street'

Interview :: Author Shashi Bhat on her debut novel 'The Family Took Shape'

DIANA starring Naomi Watts & Naveen Andrews Opens Nov 1st

The Dating Game: Take Control & Learn When To Move On!

Finding Your Comfort Zone in a Relationship

Tears of Mehndi: Book Review

MyBindi CEO inspires women at the ICCC International Women's Day Event


Our Sponsors

NewBindian 170


BindiDates

Join Our Mailing List 
 What's New on BindiBlogs

  Salimah My Body My Temple 

Travel Tips from the Yogis 

 

Just back from Italy. First trip abroad with the beloved. We bent time and space and faced all of the required demons and angels masquerading as pizza.  Here's what we learned:

1. Set your intention as you plan
Is this a time for personal reflection? Developing a relationship? Writing? Health?  Make it clear in your heart and mind why you are going and be clear who you want to be along the way. And if the Plan changes as a result so be it.

2. Essential oil
Take some with you. Pack it in your suitcase and you have a fool proof way of altering and enhancing your mood. Lavender is relaxing and peppermint is invigorating for example.  Choose a scent to wear along your way to remind you of your intention.  Use your intuition when you pick your scent.  I like www.youngliving.com for organic oils.   

 

Click HERE to read more. 

 

Word Sy 

 

Book Review by Wendy Aujla

 

 

"EVERYTHING was GOOD-BYE" by Gurjinder Basran is a novel I had wanted to read for some time and finally did.

 

This is a story that takes a lot of courage to read as it captures the struggles that Indo-Canadians experience in a Western culture. Gurjinder uses the main character Meena, the youngest of six daughters raised by a widow, to portray the expectations of Indo-Canadian immigrant parents who hold on to traditional ideas, customs and traditions that tend to influence how they raise their children abroad.

  

I really enjoyed this novel as it touches on the immigrant experience, which involves settling in Canada and living in a traditional Indian household. It also examines gender differences in the South Asian culture; particularly how having daughters is not valued as highly as sons. Furthermore, the principles of the Sikh faith to some extent are addressed with an introduction into the temple and the first few line of the religious prayer that Meena recites, "Ik Onkar...".  

Click  HERE to read more. 

 

Shamira Wellness 

How many times have you been in line at the grocery store and can't help but notice what the person ahead or behind you is purchasing? As the communal conveyor belt moves along, we all take a peek now and then and see what the person beside you will be eating this week!  

 

Don't deny it, we've all done it - including myself.

Most of the time I briefly scan and the odd time I may cringe a bit (that's the nutritionist in me thinking - "Oh Goodness, if only I could tell you what amazing, healthy, tasty alternatives there are to your x, y, z") but last week while I was doing my weekly run, I literally thought I was going to have a heart attack.

 

Behind me was a family - parents and two little girls and with them was a cart full of.... absolute junk. I don't mean to be judgemental - we all deserve a treat (and believe me, during this year with baby - I treat myself at least once a day it seems!) so I am no stranger to less-than-healthy foods, but this was just beyond words. What killed me was that the nutrition of these two little ones was completely being dictated by the poor choices from their parents.

 

In their cart contained boxes of mac and cheese, crackers, cookies, gatorade, chips, white bread, a few other boxed goods, chocolate milk and oh, yes some produce: bananas. That's it. That was the only whole food in the entire cart. Bananas. Nothing green. Not one vegetable.  

I literally almost teared up.  

Click HERE to read more. 
 
Western Union teams up with World Vision Canada on #sendforbetter Campaign
Western Union #sendforbetter
Western Union announced its #sendforbetter holiday campaign supporting World Vision Canada initiatives that help end child poverty in Canada and improve education programs in global communities.

Western Union will donate funds on their customers' behalf for qualifying texts and/or Instagram posts relating to the campaign. "We're very pleased to be working with World Vision Canada to help children in poverty around the world and in our own backyards," says Don DeLair, vice president and general manager, Canada, Western Union. "Every day we see the incredible generosity of our customers, sending money to loved ones back home; their participation in this campaign, through a simple text or post, will improve kids' learning and well-being, helping them succeed in school and in life."

Anyone sending money from Canada through participating Western Union® Agent locations can participate in #sendforbetter between Oct. 15 and Dec. 31, 2013 (inclusive). Customers are encouraged to:
  • text "WU" and the last four digits of their transaction receipt's money transfer control number (MTCN) to 88898, OR
  • post a photo inspired by "What makes the world better" and tag the photo with #sendforbetter on Instagram
Click HERE to learn more.

 

Blending Your Life with a New Partner
Big Blended Family BindiDates

Your kids, career and home may all be in place but are you ready to open it all up to a serious partner?

Whether you're recently out of a relationship, separated or divorced BindiDates is a great place to start if you want to re-enter the dating life.

For many, the dream of falling in love, getting married, getting a house and having kids is picturesque. But for many life happened and things took a turn for the unexpected.

When you've already been through a marriage, kid(s), and have organized a life for yourself with home and career, and then find yourself suddenly single - there is initially some anxiety as you figure out what it is that you want from a relationship. You also realize that things aren't quite so simple anymore.

Click HERE to read more.

Sign up for BindiDates HERE.