Hills Shire Councillor Reena Jethi has an action-packed day on 26th January. She begins her day at 5.00AM and rings in the Australia Day with the traditional smoking ceremony at Cherrybrook. As the day progresses, there are honorary ceremonies to attend, people to be greeted, children to be entertained and dishes to be tasted at the food-stalls of the Australia Day celebration fair.
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26th January: A day to celebrate Australian and Indian similarities
SBS Hindi
26/01/202109:49
She says, "The Indian community, in general, adapts very quickly to its surroundings".
Key Highlights
- 26th January is a National day for both Australia and India
- The day holds a double significance for Australia and India
- Both the countries celebrate their rich cultural diversity on this day
“The one special thing about Indian-Australians is that we adapt easily to our surroundings. We make a place our own, and also belong to the land. Indian-Australians are (one of) the highest contributing communities of Australia in every shape and form, whether it be financial, social or cultural.”
She says, "It is a day of double celebration for me as the Indian in me rejoices on the Republic Day and the Australian in me pays her respects to the multicultural fabric of Australian society and revels in the achievements of Australians being honoured on this day."
Participants take part in the Australia Day parade celebrations in Melbourne (File Photo) Source: AAP Image/James Ross
A tableau of the Indian state of Assam rolls past Rajpath during the 71st Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India (File Photo) Source: AAP Image/EPA/HARISH TYAGI READ LESS
Eti Agarwal has been living in Australia for the past 10 years. She likes the similarities between Indian and Australian celebrations.
“I remember watching the republic day parade on television when we were kids. I was fascinated by the air shows. When I came to Australia, I went to the air shows held in Canberra. I especially love the evening fireworks.”
Eti says she now watches the Indian republic day parade online and spends the evening with friends.
“I do miss India sometimes on the republic day, but the celebrations here make up for most of it,” she says.
Manjit Thakur has been a journalist in India for the past 16 years. He opines, "The kind of cohesive pluralism and diversity that India and Australia have, and the way these countries have managed their multiplicity, is an example that is rare to find in the world."
"The cultural vastness is not the only thing that we share," he says. A shared love of cricket and Indian food spices up the friendly relations the two countries share. He concludes, "The power of the people, the democracy in both countries is the strongest link that the countries can share."
Participants take part in the Australia Day parade celebrations in Melbourne (File Photo) Source: AAP Image/James Ross
Air Force soldiers rehearsing for Republic Day Parade 2021 near the Presidential House of India in New Delhi Source: AAP Image/Manish Rajput/SOPA Images/Sipa USA
" a selection of dedicated programming, special events and news highlights with a focus on encouraging greater understanding of Indigenous Australian perspectives on 26 January. Join the conversation #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe"
