Great news, Indian dance fans! If you’re looking for another spectacular show to check out this new year, BEYOND Bollywood and Sri Shakti Academy’s Krishnarpanam dance drama is showing in Hong Kong this month and you won’t want to miss it.
Krishnarpanam reinterprets the ancient myth of Lord Krishna through traditional and contemporary Indian dance set against a backdrop of carefully curated paintings. One of the most revered and popular Indian deities, Lord Krishna is recognized as the eight avatar of Vishnu and is considered a leader, hero, protector, philosopher, teacher and friend by millions of people. Stories about him date back thousands of years and portray him in hundreds of perspectives. In a 70 minute performance accompanied by captivating music and enchanting lighting, the dancers of Krishnarpanam will guide you through the legendary stories of Lord Krishna, seamlessly melding the ancient and modern world.
Guests will also have the exclusive opportunity to meet the artists and learn about the creation of the dance drama after the performance. Choreographed by Ms. Neesha Jhaveri (Co-founder, Sri Shakti Academy), Ms. Maanasa Sri Ganesh and Mr. Alan Wong, it takes a full team to bring this mesmerizing performance to life. The show includes over 20 Hong Kong and Indian dancers performing a mix of Kathak, Bharatnatyam and contemporary dances. The magic is in the details; each piece of costume and artwork has been carefully chosen and designed to transport the audience into a different world. More than just fabric and paint, the organizers want to convey the story and emotions to people and ensure that they have an unforgettable experience.
An art exhibition showcasing Lord Krishna’s birth story, dance, and festival will also be held. Co-organized with Kashunutz Art Studio and ISKCON Hong Kong, Dance. Trace-Origination features the work of Mrs. Kashmira Mehta Joshi–a talented Hong Kongbased visual artist with Indian origins from the Kashunutz Art Studio–and includes live dance performance, Indian Folk Art workshop, interactive installation, Indian art painting and curator-led guided tours. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and greet artists, buy paintings, and take photos in the Instagram worthy Festival area decorated in the festive style of Krishna – Janmashtami (26 August 2024), Sankranti (Kite Festival) (15 January 2024) and Holi (25 March 2024).
Dance.Trace-Origination also offers an artistic platform for independent artists and students to show their work and raise participation and public awareness in the next generation. ISKCON Hong Kong will be setting up the Juhlan Yatra (the swing festival) and the Damodara Lila (Binding of Lord Krishna and offering of lamps) for guests to experience an authentic Indian festival
Follow the source of the river, pursue the footprints of destiny, and explore the secrets behind the myth with Dance.Trace-Origination.
BEYOND Bollywood was first founded in 2015 and aims to showcase Indian culture and foster cross-sector and cross cultural social inclusion in Hong Kong through Indian dance. With the mission of “To bridge the gap, to do far BEYOND”, BEYOND Bollywood continues their efforts to bolster inclusivity and recognition of Indian culture in Hong Kong through the power of dance and partnerships with NGOs, art and social welfare service organizations, schools, and more. As its name suggests, BEYOND Bollywood seeks to increase awareness of Indian culture beyond Bollywood movies and show the diversity of Indian dance and culture to Hong Kong.
BEYOND Bollywood offers community-based dance projects and dance theatre courses to make dance accessible to all – including those with special needs/ differently-abled people – to promote recognition of diverse Indian culture. In addition, through different formats of presentation such as stage performance, dance drama, exhibitions and workshops, BEYOND Bollywood strengthens the dialogue between dance artists and the audience by educating them on the concept behind its creation and the rich underlying cultural heritage.
BEYOND Bollywood will also be performing a multicultural dance parade with over 30 Hong Kong and Indian dancers combining 5 diverse dance.forms from India at 8 pm on 10 Feb 2024 in Tsim Sha Tsui. BEYOND Bollywood is located at Studio 301, Tai Po Arts Centre, 12 On Pong Road, Tai Po, New Territories.
Sri Shakti Academy was founded in 2003 by three internationally acclaimed Indian classical dancers specialising in different Indian Classical Dance forms – Mrs. Priyadarshini Ghosh (Mohiniattam), Ms Ranjini Menon (Bharatanatyam) and Ms Neesha Jhaveri (Kathak). The Academy was set up to educate the audience in the art of appreciation of Indian Classical Dance and Music. In pursuit of achieving these goals, the academy has been imparting classes to many students, organising lecture.
demonstrations and workshops at universities, whilst providing performance opportunities to aspiring dancers and presenting large-scale original productions to the HK audience
Krishnarpanam will run on January 26th (8pm) and January 27th (3 pm) at the Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets are available online starting at $120.
Dance.Trace-Origination will be shown on January 25th (12noon-8pm) and January 26th (9am-6pm) at the Exhibition Hall, 1/F Low Block, Hong Kong City Hall. Curator-led tours are available at 1:30pm and 6pm on the 25th and 1:30pm and 5pm on the 26th with pre-registration online. Admission is free.
Follow us on Facebook or Instagram, or visit our website to learn more! Website : www.beyondbollywood.org Facebook: BEYOND Bollywood Instagram: beyond_bollywood Enquiries 5580 9233 / info@beyondbollywood.org
]]>FDWs are entitled to the same protections and benefits as local employees under the Employees Compensation Ordinance and the Employment Ordinance. The government-mandated Standard Employment Contract provides further protection for FDWs. In addition, they are also covered under the four anti-discrimination laws that are implemented by the Equal Opportunities Commission.
Under the Employment Ordinance, FDWs are entitled to:
Under the Employees Compensation Ordinance, FDWs are entitled to:
Under the Anti-Discrimination Ordinances, FDWs are protected against:
Let’s look at an example of a complaint of disability discrimination against an FDW received by the Equal Opportunities Commission. The Disability Discrimination Ordinance makes it unlawful to discriminate against someone on the grounds of their disability, which includes chronic or temporary sickness, physical or mental conditions, presumed or confirmed.
Case:
Lucy* was employed as a domestic worker. Soon after she was diagnosed with an ovarian tumor, Lucy informed her employer. She continued to work while waiting for the surgery. However, she alleged that her employer started to nitpick her performance during this time. Around six months later and shortly before her surgery, she was dismissed. Lucy alleged the dismissal was on the ground of her disability.
Lucy lodged a complaint of disability discrimination with the Equal Opportunities Commission against the employer. The case was settled through fast-track conciliation after the employer agreed to give Lucy a monetary payment of about nine months salary.
Remarks:
It is unlawful under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance to discriminate against an employee by dismissing him/her on the ground of his/her disability.
*Not her real name
What can you do as an employer?
Treat your domestic helper with the respect and consideration that any employee would expect from their employer.
—————–
If you need information regarding your rights under Hong Kong’s anti-discrimination ordinances and the complaint-handling procedures of the EOC, please contact:
Equal Opportunities Commission
16/F 41 Heung Yip Road,
Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
Hotline: 25118211 Email: eoc@eoc.org.hk Website: www.eoc.org.hk
Office hours: Monday to Friday from 8:45 am to 5:45 pm
Article By:
Huma Zile
Ethnic Minorities Unit
Equal Opportunities Commission
]]>
Do You Want to Invest in Properties in India?
If the answer is YES, read on and find out more interesting facts in this interview.
In a candid conversation with the founders of NRI ONE
Recently, the editor of A-Desiflava magazine, Mr. Gaurav Pardeshi had a candid Zoom call with Mr. Shekhar Bhardwaj and Mr. Gaurav Sharma – the founders of NRI ONE.
In this interview, we will try to understand the Indian property market situation in 2023. And how and why Indians living in Hong Kong must consider Indian real estate as an investment opportunity.
Earlier, Gaurav asked many of his friends and readers of A-Desiflava magazine to share their questions regarding investment opportunities in real estate in India. He has compiled all the questions in this interview to get the expert view and right guidance from Mr. Bhardwaj & Mr.Sharma on this subject.
Gaurav Pardeshi: Thank you Mr. Bhardwaj and Mr. Sharma for your time. I understand that NRI ONE is hosting their largest Indian Property Investment Festival in Hong Kong on the 3rd and 4th of June at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. On behalf of the Indian diaspora, I would like to ask you some questions about this event.
Shekhar Bhardwaj: Sure, please go ahead. Together at NRI ONE we will address all the concerns and questions of NRIs living in HK with regards to property investments in India.
GP: In 2023, if someone wants to invest in the real estate market in India, which city in India will give the highest ROI and why?
SB/GS: India has always been a land of opportunity. India being a progressive nation has great infrastructure and connectivity. This itself proves that whichever city you decide to invest is going to offer you a good valuation. Metro cities like Mumbai/Thane, Pune Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai have always been the first choice for property investments and have given the highest ROI. Alternatively, cities such as Goa, Jaipur, Hyderabad, and Kochi being very premium locations are also seeing huge investments in terms of holiday homes.
GP: Which prominent developers do you recommend for property investment in Mumbai and Delhi/NCR?
SB/GS: Every developer that we have at the NRI ONE event is the best in their own way. So it would really be unfair to name anyone in particular. Its entirely upto the consumers to make a choice based on their requirements and the offers provided by these developers.
We have top developers from Mumbai like L&T, Godrej Properties, Raymond, Chandak and many more. Along with Anantraj, Vatika, Emaar India, Silverglades, Tarc, etc. from Delhi who have a plethora of offerings customized to the requirements of the NRI home buyers.
GP: What is the exact role of NRI ONE in terms of Indian Property Investments for NRIs based in HK?
SB/GS: NRI ONE is like a bridge connecting the Indian developers to the Indians living in HK and across the globe. These NRIs are looking to connect back to their roots in India. Indian Property Investment Festival (IPIF) is the platform that is curated by NRI ONE to help NRIs invest in real estate in India.
GP: Can I purchase a property in India if I hold a Hong Kong Passport, but I am originally from India?
SB/GS: Yes, NRIs can invest and have been investing in their homeland since a long time.
GP: Do you advise to invest in properties which are ‘ready possession’ or are ‘under construction’?
SB/GS: It depends on the requirement of the home buyer; if the buyer is looking for an investment or a home for the future, then investing in under construction property is a better option. Since the buyer can get a better deal from the developer at the beginning of the project’s construction. However, there are multiple options available from all the developers in ready to move in home segment as well.
GP: Which developers from the South, such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai, will be participating in the Indian Property Investment Festival?
SB/GS: IPIF is bringing together numerous well-known and top developers, including Prestige, Brigade, Godrej, Purvankara, BCD India, Total Environment, Maa Homes, and many more. They have huge variety of property selections in the South at a very attractive pricing.
GP: Are there any properties below the investment bracket of 50Lacs rupees?
SB/GS: Yes. The price range starts from 30 Lacs onwards with investment opportunities across India.
GP: Tell me more about the Indian Property Investment Festival Event that will take place in Hong Kong on June 3–4, 2023. How will it differ from other property events that have taken place in HK?
SB/GS: The biggest USP of this event compared to other expos is its authenticity. When SONY Networks, India’s largest media company, is presenting an event, along with the support of ICICI bank and other Indian associations it speaks volumes about the caliber and authenticity of the event. All the properties here are RERA approved. A trust we put in our homebuyers.
We have successfully completed events in the past in nations including Bahrain, Singapore, and the UAE. In the upcoming fall season, we are planning events in the US and the UK.
GP: What is the best way to register for the Indian Property Investment festival happening in HK?
SB/GS: All Indians are welcome to attend this two-day event on June 3rd and 4th at the Holiday Inn, Golden Mile. Entry is FREE for this grand event. You can also pre-register through https://ipif.in/hong-kong/.
GP: This sounds absolutely amazing.
Once again, thank you so much for your time Mr. Bhardwaj and Mr. Sharma. This interview will definitely clear all queries or questions about investing in the real estate market in India.
]]>This extravagant of an event features one of Bollywood’s biggest and versatile dynamic duos, Salman Khan Niazi and Zaman Khan, who are recipient of the prestigious Radio City Icon of the Year Award. As an icing on the cake, the event shall commence with opening acts from profoundly talented HK artists, Siddhi Jain and Qihbad, with a special set in between by the young star of Hong Kong, Mehdi Hasan Niazi.
From being the composers of the “Official Delhi Anthem” to colossal hits such as “Dil Banjara”, “Gumshuda”, and their latest hit “Khwaabon Ke Mele”, Salman-Zaman’s journey of delivering independent hits and performing all over the world has been nothing but remarkable and this year, the city of Hong Kong will get to see their magic.
The event is being organised by OVO Events, which is a thriving entertainment and artist management company that aims to promote and facilitate music of all genres and give platform to eminent as well as innominate artists in Hong Kong.
Make sure to mark your calendars for this evening full of dance, frenzy, and absolute madness!
The tickets are on sale at cityline.com
https://venue.cityline.com/utsvInternet/internet/eventDetail?event=39039&actionType=5&lang=en
Prizes – $650, $450, $350
Telephone Booking Hotline: 2111 5333
Programme Enquiry: 64964714, 64730217
Adesiflava Magazine is honored to be the official magazine partner for this event in Hong Kong.
]]>As a first step, I pulled out the contact number of Incham Vietnam office from Google. Ms.Thanh from the Incham office very politely answered my call, and patiently heard me out. Upon my request to meet someone top level at the Incham Vietnam office, she requested to send an email and assured me she would get back to me within the same day. As promised by Ms.Thanh, she reverted back to me early in the morning the next day, wanting to confirm my meeting with Mr.Alok Bharti from the Incham Vietnam office. This clearly shows how efficiently the Incham Vietnam office operates.
11 November, 10.30am I was at Incham Vietnam office located in a very posh and high end commercial complex in Binh Tanh District .I was very well received and greeted by the Incham Vietnam office team. Ms.Thanh was also present, I first went straight to her and thanked her for being so humble, kind and prompt in arranging my meeting with the top office bearer of Incham Vietnam.
Around 11am, I met Mr.Alok Bharti in the main conference room of the Incham Vietnam office. Mr.Bharti walked in with a big smile and a very graceful personality. Alok Bharti is currently serving as BOG- Industry in incham Vietnam. His professional techno commercial career in Textile Industry is more than 25 Years. Serving as Business Head for Sudima Vietnam, a multi-national company covering a range from Raw material, yarns, and Pre Owned machinery sales in the Textile industry. Alok has vast experience in Production, Marketing and Management with a global network covering Asia , Europe, Central & South American markets.
1) There are approx 8000-10,000 Indians living in HCMC and more in Hanoi Vietnam.
I was very delighted and happy to get so many inputs and information from Mr.Bharti about Vietnam in general and about Indians living here. We chatted for a good 1 hour. I thanked Mr.Bharti for his valuable time given to me.
If you happen to visit Ho Chi Minh City, and need any information, contacts and networking with the Indian community living in Vietnam, please feel free to get in touch with the Incham Vietnam office as per below :
A few tips in general for a good Ho Chi Minh City business or leisure trip :
4) If you are a pure vegetarian don’t forget to visit Chay 365, www.chay365.vn
Hong Kong is considered as one of the largest financial centres in the world. The situation in Hong Kong has developed ever since the colonial era. The government of Hong Kong have brought out different initiatives for investors in Hong Kong, Entrepreneurs and investors want to invest in Hong Kong due to the different schemes and benefits offered by the government of Hong Kong.
Owing to its reputation as the third largest financial centres in the world, different companies from USA, UK and India want to establish their business centres in Hong Kong. Companies that register themselves in Hong Kong get different benefits such as world-class technology, digitisation, government support, development of entrepreneurial initiatives. Hence foreign companies want to invest in Hong Kong.
It is well known that the government of Hong Kong offer different incentives for production, development and growth for businesses. Seeing the number of vibrant opportunities offered by the government, foreign companies want to set up their business hubs and carry out business from Hong Kong.
Different form of Incentives offered by the Government- Government support is one of the main reasons for the development of any country. Going by the thumb rule, where there is more amount of liberalisation, there will be more amount of investment. This is one of the main reasons why companies and entrepreneurs prefer to invest in Hong Kong.
Professional Services– Different types of professionals are engaged in providing services in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is considered as a one-stop-shop for all the professional services. For example, consider the legal sector. Hong Kong was under the British rule, and British common law would be applicable and followed in the courts of Hong Kong. Multi-national laws firms from the US, the UK and Australia have set up offices in Hong Kong to carry out legal services for clients in Hong Kong. Not only the legal sector is regulated in Hong Kong, but professional services from accountants, chartered surveyors, pension experts and other businesses are regulated. Hence different businesses can carry out their services with consistent quality. Therefore companies want to invest in Hong Kong.
Development of Creative Sectors such as Art and Drama– The government of Hong Kong has invested more than HKD 900 million for the development of different art sectors. Such sectors will include creative arts such as drama. All such investment opportunities are to sponsor other programs for the development of culture and drama arts in Hong Kong. This would be another reason to invest in Hong Kong.
Opportunity for Talent– Owing to the number of individuals in Hong Kong, the talent received in Hong Kong would be opportunistic. Institutions in Hong Kong attract some of the brightest minds to carry out work in Hong Kong. Due to these different forms of professional opportunities can develop in Hong Kong. All these provide reasons to invest in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is one of the largest financial centres in the world. Being on the list of financial centres in the world, companies and international firms would want to invest in Hong Kong. The government of Hong Kong offers different initiatives for the development of the economy. Due to these reasons, investors are encouraged to invest in Hong Kong.
The financial minister estimated that the government’s fiscal reserves could plunge to the edge of HK$800 billion.If the city were to record a deficit of HK$100 billion for the 2022-2023 financial year, it would be around double the original forecast of HK53.6 billion stated in the annual budget, which Chan delivered in February.
It would also mark Hong Kong’s second-worst fiscal shortfall, after a deficit of HK$232.5 billion was recorded in 2020. Chan said the deficit would have been even more severe if he had not taken into account the HK$35 million the government is set to earn from green bonds to be issued this year. The financial chief attributed the deficit to the government’s income being “worse than expected,” while expenditure “increased significantly.” The local economy had also continued to be hit hard by the pandemic, as well as tightened monetary policies imposed by central banks.
“The decline in income and the increase in expenditure, coupled with the complicated and volatile external political and economic environment, Hong Kong’s future economic prospects are still full of challenges,” Chan’s blogpost read. One of the government’s primary goals in the short run was to “make good use of public funds” to support citizens and people’s livelihoods, Chan said. When rolling out financial assistance, the authorities must take into account the “soundness of public finances” and the appropriate use of public funds, the minister said, and hence isn’t the most ideal place to invest as of 2022.
Hong Kong is set to end the year in the midst of a full-blown recession, the city’s finance chief warned Thursday, as Covid-19 controls and spiralling interest rates hammer the economy.
The Chinese city’s monetary policy moves with the Federal Reserve because its currency, one of the cornerstones of its business hub reputation, is pegged to the US dollar. The Fed’s hawkish rate hikes, aimed at curbing inflation, come at an especially difficult time for Hong Kong because it will further dampen sentiment at a time when the economy is already struggling. The city is currently in a technical recession recording two consecutive quarters of negative growth this year.
For more than two and a half years Hong Kong’s government has adhered to a version of China’s zero-Covid policy, enforcing strict coronavirus controls and mandatory quarantine for international arrivals. Quarantine, once as long as three weeks, has now been reduced to three days and the government has signalled it may soon join the rest of the world in scrapping travel curbs. “The public should be prepared for the Hong Kong dollar interbank rates to rise further,“ HKMA Chief Executive Eddie Yue said.
Content sources : ani.com , bloomberg.com, theconversation.com , budget.gov.hk , chinadaily.com
]]>Tung Chung, a town in Hong Kong, which is densely populated by Indians, celebrated five days of Ganpati Utsav with the same zest and zeal as anyone would celebrate in India, especially in Maharashtra.
Thanks to Gaurav Pardeshi and his wife Neha Pathak who decided to make their home based Ganpati Bappa a public offering to their several friends living in Tung Chung.
It all started with Gaurav Pardeshi, who handmade the Ganpati Bappa’s sculpture spending 23 days and spent 2 to 3 hours everyday after work.
Gaurav mentioned “I bought red mud clay from a place called Hearty Ceramics https://heartyceramic.com/ in Tai Kok Sui and acrylic colors, beads and decoration items from Prince Edward. It took me approx. 23 kgs of red mud clay to build an approx 2 feet height Ganpati Bappa statue.”
We had a chance to ask Gaurav a couple of questions regarding the creation of his handmade Bappa sculpture and how different his way of celebrating the festival is versus the rest. Followed below is the questions we asked him.
What’s the difference between Mumbai style ganpati celebration and Hong Kong’s style of celebrating?
Everything is the same except the nation. Hong Kong has a fairly decent population of Indians and majority of these Indians live in Tung Chung. It’s also considered mini India for several reasons considering the bigger houses, top-class residential towers and complexes and but obvious, the huge Indian community staying here. Among the Indians living in HK, the energy, devotion and dedication towards Bappa is the same in Hong Kong as compared to India. In Tung Chung itself there must be over 100 houses that brought Ganpati Bappa home this year.
What’s the average cost of making the Ganesh idol at home vs buying it from local shops in Hong Kong and approximate Cost of raw materials required?
Red Mud Clay will cost HK$100 for a 10kg bag, Acrylic colours and decoration beads would cost approx. HK$200. To build a 2 feet tall Ganpati Bappa sculpture it took me approx. HK$500 for the entire thing. In local Indian shops of HK, readymade Ganpati Bappa Murti’s range from HK$500 to HK$3000 depending on the size and decoration. All Ganpati Bappa Murti’s in HK are sold by major Indian grocery stores and it takes them a lot of efforts to bring the Murti’s from India to Hong Kong.
How long does it take to make an idol if one wants to make it at home?
It depends on person to person and skill to skill. If a person is good at drawing, sketching and painting, it should not be very hard for them. According to me, it should take around 20-30 days, everyday 2-3 hours for making a good sized Bappa murti. There are many videos available on Youtube that anyone can follow and make a Bappa Murti at home. Last year also I made Ganpati Bappa’s murti with my own hands, by watching a youtube video.
There is no difference. It does not matter you do Marathi or Hindi Aarti. The main thing is worship our lord Ganesha and make him happy. Born and raised in Mumbai, for me Maharashtrian Aarti is the most authentic and genuine form of Aarti to please Ganpati Bappa. However, I always mix the Marathi Aarti’s with the Hindi Aarti’s and make sure I’m singing at least for good thrity minutes. Sukharta Dukharta is the main Aarti followed by Shankar, Durgadevi, Vithal Aarti’s and then Om Jai Jagdish, Jai Ganesh and then ending with Kapur Gauram and Marathi Prarthna.
Click the link below to see a short clip on the Aarti process.
Tell me more about your Aarti Mandli?
Its a small group of Ganpati Bappa Devotees who perform Ganpati Bappa Aarti’s at anyone’s house, wherever we get invited. We are a group of 10-15 volunteers and we do the Aarti’s for absolutely free-of-cost. The Aarti’s we perform are really authentic style Marathi cum Hindi aarti’s.
There is no specific symbolism of the hand cart but its mainly so that Ganpati Bappa can be placed on it and carried towards the sea for immersion. Its also good for all the Bappa devotees to sing and dance around the carriage. In Mumbai, we use trucks, haathgaadi’s and other similar vehicles to carry Bappa for visarjan with singing, DJ and dancing. The same thing I tried to do in Hong Kong. I borrowed the metal hand cart from our building, which is mainly used for homes relocations and moving. On top of this metal hand cart, i placed our home table and tied it up nicely with metal rods, so that the table does not slip-off. The cart was then decorated with nice flowers. I also managed to install some usb spot lights using a power bank connection.
Click the link below to see the use of the carriage
We had around 80-100 people who came on the last day of visarjan. Many of them took Bappa’s darshan and left, but around 30-40 of our closed friends living in HK joined us for the visarjan (immersion) all the way from our house to the Tung Chung ferry pier. It was a good 30-45 minutes walking with Ganpati Bappa on his carriage and all of us dancing to the music and hailing Ganpati Bappa Mourya, all the way until bappa was fully immersed.
Click the link below to see the visarjan process and final immersion.
What are you plans for Ganpati Festival next year in Hong Kong?
Next year my wife and myself, we plan to do a Sarvajanik Ganpati Utsav in Tung Chung. I will make a Bappa statue with my own hands once again.
Next year, we want to invite every HK Indian person, known or unknown does not matter, to take Darshan of Bappa and join us for the Visarjan ceremony. we’ll also make a committee to decide on how we want to make Ganesh Utsav in a Sarvajanik (public) way.
Anyone interest in joining this Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav group as a volunteer or committee member can get in touch with me directly on 95433660
For more pictures or videos of the celebrations click on the link below.
]]>Hong Kong 1st September 2022 – Plus Group International Limited announces its special edition of their Annual Kowloon Fairs 2022 to be held on Thursday, 1st September 2022 for the very first time on the Hong Kong island at the JW Marriott Ballroom from 11am to 8pm.
Adesiflava had the opportunity to interview one of the founders of Plus Group here is the transcript of the questions and answers.
1) What’s the ideal type of nationally that comes to this bazaar or is it mainly for Indians in HK?
Not only for Indians in HK the fair is for anyone who’s a shopaholic or even looking to network or meet people during the day. It started as Diwali Bazaar 16 years ago and now its glam fest, hence making it more versatile for everyone. Our crowd was 70% Indian and now that we have grown we can see a lot more nationalities like chinese people coming to shop , mainly expats. The bazaar is for anyone that wishes to have unique shopping experience for services and products that are not easily available.
2) With the venues slowly opening in HK do you suspect the crowd being less in any way?
No, we’ve done this for 16 years and the fair brings a very unique experience to all.
The vendors who make up mainly of small and medium enterprises bring in a lot of items from their home countries such as Turkey, Indonesia, India and more. That adds to the ‘all your shopping needs under one roof experience’.
Hong Kong was closed for 3 years but our fairs have been going for 16 years so no that won’t affect the crowd being less or more in any way. If anything it will be the same, We estimate 800-1000 people at any given time.
3) What measures are being taken by the team to make sure the entire event is a covid free event?
The event is being held at a ballroom in the JW Marriott. All covid measures that are supposed to be taken are being taken as per government regulations.
Everyone will need to wear masks , use their trace home app to come in and vaccination is a must. Colour codes are supposed to be followed if someone has just got out of quarantine they won’t be allowed.
Our team will be doing at antigen test to make sure we are covid free. Those are the measurements taken by us.
4) If someone is interested in getting their products featured in the venue what’s the procedure?
Contact us at bazar@printplus.com.hk and request to be put on a potential vendor list. When we open up any of our fairs for exhibitor application we will send a broadcast to all the vendors that have emailed us and they will be provided with a link to apply to us which is on the website bazzarprintplus.com.hk and they will be contacted once they apply if their space is confirmed.
5) Why is the GlamFest being held on Hong Kong Island side this time?
For the past 15 years, we have been doing these fairs at the Kowloon side at various 5 star venues. These fairs are loved by many and we were requested to explore and also have one on the Hong Kong island, We know that our vendors and the fair is something that the island shoppers would love to experience,We bring something new every year with the fairs so this year, it’s coming to HK Island!
We started at the Kowloon Cricket Club with 5 vendors 16 years ago and now we are at 60 vendors in a ball room at a 5 star hotel. We started off with one fair a year and now we’re at 3 fairs a year. So this is all about growing and evolving.
6) Tell me more about Plus Group.
Plus Group is run by Deepa Nainani and Neerja Sujanani. Plus Group International started off as a primarily a printing company and now as time has changed, we have moved on to website/ graphic design/ social media marketing and handling corporate events.
That’s the core business as Plus Group. Having a huge network of small and medium enterprises, we came up with the idea of shopping fairs. That gives our clients a shop front to a whole network of high net worth shoppers that we bring about over our years of being in Hong Kong.
7) With Diwali around the corner , are there more events in the pipeline before Diwali ?
Yes we have been running our flagship fairs for the last 16 years so that wouldn’t change, we would definitely continue to have that. On 13th October we will have the Diwali fair at the Kowloon Shangri-La. Last year we had the Diwali fair at the same venue and it was much loved. We are sticking to the ball room and it has been out biggest one.
We will also be introducing a whole new fair which is the Christmas fair. Last year, we had Summer Sparkles and The Spring Fling, however due to covid this year, we have had restrictions so we couldn’t hold any fairs for the first half of the year, hence to make up for lost time, we will do a Christmas fair!
Here are some customer testimonies
Anna Wong- Shopper
I visited your Bazaar for the first time this year and was delighted to visit and be a part of it – I did all my gift shopping and met so many wonderful people! Thank you and see you next year!
Mandy B.- Vendor
This was my first ever shopping fair that I participated in! And I was sold out of all my stock by 6pm….
Kiran Pathak- Shopper
I visit every year, twice a year in fact and come in a budget to buy all the new and wonderful things that you get your various sellers to offer us. My family and I look forward to shopping with your fairs each time.
The Bazaar has a rich history with the first year being organised and held at the Kowloon Cricket Club with just 20 vendors – the response since its inception has been overwhelming year on year and now the fairs take place at various five-star venues thrice a year and stands at over 50+ vendors.
Besides the Island side new edition this year, Plus Group will continue their flagship fair on the Kowloon side on 13th October and for the very first time, they will be bringing a Christmas fair to Kowloon on 1st December 2022!
GlamFest displays an impressive range from couture, designer wear, household items, lifestyle products, natural skincare, organic groceries, fashion accessories to gift items and much more.
Media Contact:
Deepa Nainani
Director
Tel: +852 2333 4421
Email: deepa@printplus.com.hk www.kowloonbazaar.com
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Plus Group International Limited
11/F A3 Winner Building
36 Man Yue Street, Hung Hom Hong Kong
Photo Gallery here
Be sure to carry the following when you leave to bring Bappa:
Performing the vidhis / rituals:
Light the Aggarbatti and dhoop in the Aarti Thaali. Saying ‘Om Gan Ganpatiye Namah’ place the Paan Leaf with a Supari resting on top of it on the floor in front of the Sandli. Also, place some Dakshina for the people who have artistically created the beautiful Murti. Take Lord Ganesha’s name in your mind , and pray for the festival to be a blessed one! If you are bringing Bappa home one day earlier, cover the Murti’s face with a vastra. Only open this on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi during Staphna. Chant the Praise: GANPATI BAPPA MORIYA!
You are ready to leave. Take Bappa Home! – Ganpati Bappa Moriya!
Important :
Leave the paan, supari and dakshina at the place behind, if someone is bringing the Ganesh Murti for you from India, you can handover this supari and dakshina to the person or can also leave this at the store from where you buy the Ganesh Murti.
Do not forget to bring the Aarti Thaali back home with you.
Before entering Home with the Murti, ask a family member to bring a bowl of rice. Shower the rice (kacha rice) on Bappa before bringing Bappa inside. On the day of Chaturthi, Before placing Bappa on his Sthaan, place some kacha rice, on it rest a Supari, Haldi, KumKum, Abhil and Dakshina.
Place Bappa on His Sthaan. You are ready for the Sthapna.
How to Perform Ganesh Staphna
The following information will give you all the details on the vidhis and the procedures for Performing Ganesh Staphma on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. Before you prepare to Perform the Ganesh Staphna, ensure that you have bought all the items from the Ganesh Chaturthi
Check List for Ganesh Chaturthi
Here is an explanation of how to perform Ganesha pooja and Staphna at home as mentioned in Hindu scriptures.
Ganesha pooja on the Chaturthi day is usually performed as per the Muhurat. The pooja can be led by any one of the family members and others should join in. God worship is enjoyed by everyone. Pooja means the traditional ceremony by which God is worshipped. However, the devotion is the indispensable part of any pooja, by which, even simple gestures and poojas are like sacred rituals. Before entering the shrine room, all the attendees should take bath, dress in clean clothes and bring a small offering of flowers or fruits. Generally, fruits offered are bananas, mangoes, sweet limes, pomegranates and jackfruit.
Firstly,
Prepare the kalash: take a kalash and fill it with clean drinking water, add to the water 1 supari, Rs. 1, 25 paise coins or HK$1.25 coins, haldi and kumkum, some attar (perfume oil), place 5 paan leaves, and finally the coconut. Decorate the coconut and the paan leaves with haldi and kumkum.
Next, prepare the sthaan where Ganpati will sit. Do that by spreading a handful of kacha rice grains on the place. Over the rice grains, place one supaari and put haldi and kumkum on the supari. Over that place some dakshina. Reciting “Ganpati Bappa Moriya”, we must place the Ganpati Idol over this preparation.
The worship begins with the “Sthapana” (establishment) of the idol. Next step is to invoke Ganesha into the image. This is known as pran-prathishta. The Pran Prathista mantra in Sanskrit to be invoked is found in the Rig Veda and is part of Ganesh Suktha.
Then recite the following mantra:
ganananh tva ganapatim havamahe kavim kavinam upamashravastamam | jyeshhtharajam brahmanan.h brahmanaspata A nah shrivnvannutibhih sida sadanam ||
(Rig Veda 2.23.1)
ni shhu sida ganapate ganeshhu tvamahurvipratamam kavinam | na rite tvat.h kriyate kinchanare mahamarkam maghavan.h chitramarcha || (Rig Veda 10.112.9)
Meaning : We invoke You, O Ganapati of the ganas (Lord Shiva attendants), Who are Brahmana-spati of the brahmas (prayers), the wisest among the wise, Who abound in treasure beyond all measure, the most brilliant one. Do listen to our prayers, come with Your blessings and assurances of protection into our home, and be seated. (Rig Veda 2.23.1)
Sit down among the worshippers, O Ganapati, the best sage among the sages. Without You nothing can be done here or far. Accept with honor, O wealthy One, our great and variegated hymns of praise. (Rig Veda 10.112.9)
Once the Idol has been stapith
You are now ready for lifting the cover of Ganesh Ji. (If you bring Ganpati home one day prior, we cover him with decorative vastra). You can life the vastra now chanting Ganpati Bappa Moriya.
After lifting the vastra, you must remove the black dhaaga. Clean the Murti with a dry paint brush.
PLEASE NOTE: WASHING GOD’S HANDS AND LEGS IS SYMBOLIC. DO NOT ACTUALLY DO THE SAME. SIMILARLY FOR ABHISHEKH WITH MILK, NECTAR, CURD SHOULD NOT BE DONE ON THE MURTI (IDOL).
Offer him the shringar in form of the Mukut, Mala/ Maitri, Bracelets, Vastra For Murti. Put a garland of fresh flowers over Ganpati Bappa.
Offer and put on His forehead, haldi, pinjar, abhil, gulal, ashtagandh and sindhoor. Also offer His vahan, undhir mama, the Mouse.
Offer Ganpati Bappa and undhir mama (mouse), the prasad which is His favourite, the Modaks. The recipe for the Modaks can be found here. These can be made at home or can also be bought from out. For people residing out of India, you can find a very easy recipe on our website on the link mentioned above.
Keep a red pooja dhaga next to Ganpati Bappa, this can later be tied
on hands of all family members after the First Aarti.
Once the ‘Pranpratishtha’ is done, then you need to light the lamp and incense sticks to please the ‘God’.
After this you have to perform the ‘ Shhodashopachara ‘, which are 16 forms of paying tribute to Shree Ganesha. (This ritual is usually performed by the priests, you can skip this.)
Here you offer 21 Druva grass blades, 21 Modakas, and Flowers to Ganesha. You need to apply a Tikka of red Sandalwood paste on the forehead of the Deity and keep the coconut along with the idol.
The number 21 signifies – the five organs of perception, five organs of action, five vital airs (pranas), five elements, and the mind. Using a Diya wick, make and light the Akhand Jyot (the diya), and the aarti thaali is to be lit which can have the agarbattis, dhoop, (insense and fragrance) and camphor tablets to be lit during Aarti.
The Shahad and khadi shakar should be offered to Ganpati (One can also offer chandan), now Keep the prasad you have prepared in front of Ganesh Ji, sprinkle with ganga jal You can also recite the 108 salutations dedicated to Lord Ganesha or read the Ganesha Upanishad or just simply pray.
You are ready for the Aarti! You can sing Jai Ganesh
Jai Ganesh and Sukh Karta Dukh Harta.
After the Aarti, the family members should gather in front of Ganesh Ji, keep a coconut next to Him and say, “Dear Ganesh Ji, we welcome you to our home. In our offer of prayers, in case we have committed any mistakes, knowingly or unknowingly, kindly forgive us. We pray on behalf of all of us to make this Chaturthi a blessed one. Keep us all happy and healthy always”. You are welcome to add your prayers here. PLEASE NOTE: It is essential to ask for forgiveness at this time while placing the coconut. On the day of the visarjan, this coconut should also be immersed in the water. You can also tape-record this entire Staphna for your memory with the Mini DV cassettes.
Thereafter, all of the family members bow down to Ganesha and ask for God’s blessings to fulfill all their desire. While performing Ganesha Pooja at home, you can always be flexible. The strict rituals are meant for Vedic priests. All you need to be careful is to perform the pujas with a clean body and clean mind. What is more important is devotion not the ritual.
Try to be simple. Concentrate on your prayers not on decoration and other ritualistic details.
How to Perform Ganesh Visarjan
These are some of the common doubts that many devotees have; the concept of Ganesh Chaturthi is that Ganesha comes to the home of his devotees on Ganesh Chaturthi day. He brings auspiciousness, hope, success and happiness to all homes. His brief stay, He removes all obstacles. While returning He takes with him all problems and unhappiness.
Ganesh Visarjan Mantras:
There are no specific Ganesh Visarjan mantras. The only chant that is done is Ganapati Bappa Moriya… You can also chant this prayer :
Ganesh Visarjan Procedure:
Before taking Ganesh for Visarjan. You should perform Aarti. All the family members should be present. Usual Ganesh Mantras and Aarti prayers should be changed.
On the day of Visarjan, the day should start with the Pooja (Morning Aarti). We sing the Jai Ganesh Deva and Sukhkarta Dukhharta Aartis. After the Aarti, it is preferred to put ‘Bhog’ the Holy Prasad! which should be distributed among all the family members.
The visarjan ritual begins with the Uttarang puja which involves offering five items, namely deep (oil lamps), pushp (flowers), dhoop (incense), gandh (fragrance) and naivedya (food) to Ganpati.
When it is time for Visarjan, the family members should gather once again and perform the Visarjan Aarti before leaving the house. (the same aartis as mentioned above). After the Visarjan Aarti and distributing the prasad, one of the family members should very slowly and slightly move the Ganpati Murti, about 1 inch forward. This should be done just before leaving the house abt 5-10 mins before. This is an indication/significance to Him that the family is going to take Him for Visarjan.
You should thank Ganesha for visiting your home. Thank him for bringing prosperity and auspiciousness. Thank him for taking away all difficulties with him. Ask for his pardon for any mistakes committed. If you plan to bring Ganesh murti next year, then ask him to return by saying ‘Ganpati Bappa Mourya Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya or can just make a prayer in any language that ‘Hey God Ganesh please come to our house next year’ After this, all members of the household gather to sprinkle akshat or raw rice upon the lord. Now a spoonful of curd is poured into Ganesh’s outstretched palm because Hindus especially Maharashtrians believe that any guest who receives curd and rice is sure to visit again.
Take a red cloth, put sukha nariyal (half), stuff it with jaggery and 5 different grains, tie it in a knot and tie this around Ganesh ji’s hand. This is the food prepared for His journey. Ask for His blessings. The family then circumambulates Ganesha murti after which it is led for immersion.
Take some water and sprinkle it on the person performing the Visarjan or you can visit any nearby pond, lake, river or sea to immerse the Ganesh statue. Remember if you are immersing the statue in water and won’t be taking it back, dip and remove the Murti 3 times before letting it going inside in the third dip.
Article compiled together by Gaurav Pardeshi
Information published from Ganeshchaturthi.com with due permission from the website administrator.
Visit ganeshchaturthi.com for more information and online purchases of
Ganpati Bappa Celebration procedures, mantras, audio cd’s and other materials.
Contact Info.: 5 Prabhat Kunj, 24th Road, Khar West, Mumbai, India. Ph: +91 9821151915, harsh@ganeshchaturthi.com
August 5, 2022, Hong Kong — Shell Hong Kong Limited (“Shell”) announced today the grand opening of its new Airport (Cargo Terminal) Gas and Charging Station, the first of its kind in Hong Kong to provide both traditional fuel refilling and electric vehicle (EV) charging, along with car care and car wash services, greenery landscape and a wide range of mobility services. Shell is committed to creating an unprecedented experience for drivers and is also actively advocating sustainable development by expanding the coverage of EV charging stations and encouraging green transport, with a mission towards the goal of net zero emissions.
The Shell Airport (Cargo Terminal) Gas and Charging Station will be the largest Shell service station in Hong Kong. It covers an area of 5,000 square metres featuring 16 conventional filling positions and 4 charging points for EVs, including 2 DC fast charger and 2 AC medium charger with a charging speed of 60kW and 7 kW respectively, while fast charging can support 150-300 kilometers for most EVs in Hong Kong within 60 minutes. The station also provides car lubricants change, car care and car wash services as well as convenience retailing. Located next to Tung Chung Bay, the Shell Airport (Cargo Terminal) Gas and Charging Station offers Shell customers and drivers passing through the station a pristine coastal scenery of Lantau Island from the station’s green landscape area and a different travelling experience away from the hustle and bustle.
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Ms. Cissy Chan, Executive Director, Commercial of Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) said, “AAHK is committed to developing Hong Kong International Airport into the world’s greenest airport. That Hong Kong’s first Gas and Charging Station providing both EV charging and traditional fueling service is opened at the airport is in line with our sustainable development vision. The flow of people and cargo at the airport will increase as various Airport City projects come on stream in the next few years. This service station of Shell, equipped with a diverse range of services and facilities, will help fulfill the growing demand.
About Shell
Shell Hong Kong (Shell) is an operating company of Shell plc – a global group of energy and petrochemical companies which use advanced technologies and take an innovative approach to help build a sustainable energy future. With more than 100 years of history locally, Shell supplies Hong Kong and Macau with a wide range of oil products from its technologically advanced Tsing Yi Installation. Shell’s business activities include EV charging service and fuels refilling service, fuel and lubricants to Commercial sectors, Bitumen, Aviation fuel, Marine fuel and lubricants. As a responsible corporate citizen in Hong Kong, Shell actively contributes to the well-being of the community through its social investment programmes.
This Press Release is sent by Hill and Knowlton Strategies on behalf of Shell Hong Kong Limited. For enquiries, please contact:
Jenny Wong / Rosa Chung
Tel: (852) 6547 3315 / (852) 6643 8238
Email: jenny.wong@hkstrategies.com / rosa.chung@hkstrategies.com
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