justforwards

By Nichole Marcillac
It's been said that we don't remember days; we remember moments. And there's a moment I won't ever forget. It happened at the peak of a mountain. It happened on a bike. I'd been training for months to prepare for the Downieville Classic - a seventeen-mile, downhill mountain bike race. Before the race, I had high hopes, but my training and state of mind had felt off-kilter for the last few weeks before the event. I was losing my focus, losing my edge, losing hope of a podium finish, crashing in sections of the trail I'd once mastered; every workout seemed laborious, uninspired, drudgery. I was burned out.
Still, I was committed to doing the best I could. Then, as I was packing for the trip, I glanced at my cluttered bookshelf for a book to read before the race. I grabbed one I'd been meaning to read - Body Mind Mastery. It was written by a friend of mine named Dan Millman. I tossed the book into my bag between the biking shorts and downhill pants, hoping it might give a little insight into my slump.
The race was scheduled for Sunday, and like any dedicated athlete, I scheduled a practice run on the course for Friday to reacquaint myself with the terrain. I'd ridden the course late in the spring, but I had been told that heavy traffic during the busy summer months had left the course rough and rocky.
Gearing up for the practice run, I felt jittery. I expected a lot of myself and knew that this run would likely mirror my performance on Sunday. With that thought in mind, I lined up on the top and set off. My legs and lungs burned with the elevation, and every pedal stroke took effort. As I dropped into the most challenging part, the technical section, I suddenly felt like a pogo stick. Taking the wrong line down sections and bouncing all over the place, I even had to put my foot down a couple of times to save myself from crashing. I felt like a novice - as though I had no skill - and the more irritated I got, the worse my riding became. I crashed twice, and used more swear words than I had in the last year. I had lost my rhythm, my breathing and my focus. When I was done with the run, which took well over an hour, I was disappointed with my body and my mind.
I returned to camp, bathed in the river, then sat down in a gloomy state. With only a few hours of daylight left to read, I pulled out my book and began. In the first twenty-five pages, I found the exact reminders I needed. It's amazing how that can happen. It was as if Dan had written this book for me, then and there, for this downhill bike race.
Phrases appeared like long-lost friends: "Flow like water over rocks . . . pull when pushed and push when pulled . . . use the forces you encounter . . . relaxation, breathing, and awareness are the keys . . ." After reading each section I stopped, closed my eyes, envisioned a relaxed blend of bike and rider, body and soul, flowing like water over dust and rocks. I repeated lines from the book to myself, while applying them to my present actions - focusing and flowing.
The next morning I awoke with a newfound sense of clarity. During a long wait for my turn, I chatted with other riders to take my focus off the butterfly convention in my belly as the time passed until I was poised at the start line. Then, "Three . . . two . . . one . . . GO!"
I lunged off the start line with laughter in my heart. I floated over the course relaxed as a wet noodle, light as a feather, mindless as an infant, my mind open yet focused, letting my bike do all the work. I saw each line clearly and took it. Before I realized it, I was in the technical section, and I imagined myself to be water flowing; now I was a supple willow, bending in the wind.
Then, at one uphill section, I dismounted; as I began to run uphill, the heel of my shoe came off. For an instant I snapped back into a state of shallow-breathing panic - I was about to lose it, in every sense of the word.
Then I heard Dan's voice in my mind, and I remembered to take a deep breath and relax. I slipped the shoe right back on, remounted my bike and started pedaling again. I flew over the rest of the course and crossed the finish line in 59:27 - under the one-hour mark.
In that moment I understood the meaning of "body-mind mastery." I felt a joyous, peaceful sense of body-mind connection - call it flow, balance or the zone. To me it felt like pure joy. Even if I had come in with the worst time of the day, it wouldn't have mattered. I had won a personal victory.
It turned out I came in third - only one minute behind the leader. As I stood on the podium I felt like a champion. My award was a bike-stem, the piece that connects the handlebars to the frame. It could have been a rubber duck or a gumball machine - the prize wasn't the point.
Every time I look at it, I think of that race, and it brings my focus back: relax, breathe and flow. And I remember how it felt crossing the finish line. On that day I didn't just get in touch with my body. I touched my soul, I touched the sky.

Well, then, consider this...

In a hospital's Intensive Care Unit, patients always died in the same bed, on Sunday morning, at about 11:00 a.m., regardless of their medical condition. This puzzled the doctors and some even thought it had something to do with the supernatural. No one could solve the mystery as to why the deaths occurred around 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, so a worldwide team of experts was assembled to investigate the cause of the incidents. The next Sunday morning, a few minutes before 11:00 a.m., all of the doctors and nurses nervously waited outside the ward to see for themselves what the terrible phenomenon was all about. Some were holding wooden crosses, prayer books, and other holy objects to ward off the evil spirits.

Just when the clock struck 11:00, Pookie Johnson, the part-time Sunday sweeper, entered the ward and unplugged the life support system so he could use the vacuum cleaner.

Having a Bad Day?

The average cost of rehabilitating a seal after the Exxon Valdez Oil spill in Alaska was $ 80,000.00. At a special ceremony, two of the most expensively saved animals were being released back into the wild amid cheers and applause from onlookers. A minute later, in full view, a killer whale ate them both.

A woman came home to find her husband in the kitchen shaking frantically, almost in a dancing frenzy, with some kind of wire running from his waist towards the electric kettle. Intending to jolt him away from the deadly current, she whacked him with a handy plank of wood, breaking his arm in two places. Up to that moment, he had been happily listening to his Walkman.

STILL think you're having a Bad Day?

Two animal rights defenders were protesting the cruelty of sending pigs to a slaughterhouse in Bonn, Germany. Suddenly, all two thousand pigs broke loose and escaped through a broken fence, stampeding madly. The two helpless protesters were trampled to death.

Iraqi terrorist Khay Rahnajet didn't pay enough postage on a letter bomb. It came back with "Return to Sender" stamped on it. Forgetting it was the bomb, he opened it and was blown to bits.



There now, feeling better?

The Indian armpit is by and large, a docile creature. It spends most of its life in captivity, robbed as it is in some confining garment or other. On hot summer days, it's presence is often unmistakable but apart from appearing as a damp patch, it's demeanour continues to be modest. Civilised society has not been built by giving too much prominence to this part of our body and the Indian armpit clearly understands this and is content to stay in its allotted place.

All this changes however when the DJ, having tried hard to kick-start a party with some latest international house music, disgustedly puts on Mahi Ve and the party erupts. Scores of repressed armpits come out of their shell and the room thickens with the velvet aroma of Indian sweat.

The armpits bound joyously, exchange notes with their neighbours, turn frequently to make sure that the exchange of vapours is complete. The rest of the body follows their lead and frenetic fun is had by all, till the DJ tries his luck again and everyone retires to refill their glasses
and unsuccessfully stab onion pieces in their plates of chilli Paneer with wooden toothpicks.

Odd as it might seem, to my mind, The Great Indian Armpit Shuffle is the strongest evidence we have that India has changed irrevocably and in a fundamental way. Nothing gives away a culture as much as it's dancing.

You cannot fake the way you dance- either you have the rhythm or you don't. The Latinos have it, the Africans have it, the African-Americans have it, and now it appears so do we. Of course, unlike other cultures which are driven by the lower body, with the groin being the centre of all action, we seem to revel in the armpit. This preference for armpit raising over groin grinding would suggest that if the deepest desire of Latin cultures is to exchange bodily fluids with an attractive member of the other sex, our deepest desire is to push a cot up a flight of stairs.
The truth is that there is a joyous exuberance, a giddy over-the-top spirit of exhilaration in all our armpit waving. It is an expression of something in our spirit having been unlocked; it is as if we have suddenly been granted a licence to see our lives as an arena of pleasure and not of duty alone. Some anxiety about the future, about the need to hold tight and not rock today's boat seems to have lifted and we are able to flow with the rhythms of today with a silliness that is inspired.

Think back a few years, dancing in India, except when steeped in the folk tradition was usually stilted, awkward and tentative. Dancing was something alien, a skill that needed to be learnt. We did not see it as a natural expression of our selves, but something we did diffidently or with sweaty foreheads and clenched jaws. It is interesting that most of those Hindi film actors who were labelled good dancers were in fact people who acted out dancing. Think of Jeetendra dancing and you get my point. Jumping Jack Jeetu was considered a good dancer in spite of a gauche gracelessness that is hard to overlook. For a man who will go down in history as one who single-handedly destroyed the good reputation that P.T. drills used to enjoy, Jeetendra's reputation as a good dancer says a lot about what we thought dancing was all about. The more complex, discrete and arithmetical the dance steps, the better the dance. Mithun Chakraborty, who danced as if he was constantly grinding something between his thighs, is another example of the acting-out-dancing school of thought.

The Great Indian Armpit wave probably began with Amitabh Bachchan who showed us that dancing was about moving to the music and one needn't know complicated steps in order to dance. He underlined this by dancing in precisely one way all his life but in doing so helped us to open up to his new world.

Over a period of time, the dancing discourse has changed; it is not that dances are not being performed any more in today's cinema, but that the performance are no longer as painstakingly constructed. Unlike the past, today's Govinda and Hrithik dance as if they mean it. The change is much more marked off screen. Dancing is the new sport in India- any excuse is good enough for our armpits to be unfurled. We dance at weddings as many times as we can, in parties, in sales conferences, at amusement parks, in front of the mirror. Children, housewives, men of stature, women of weight - all of them dance - and do it with abandon and armpits that yawn wide. It helps of course that the armpit does not have a mind- it is wired directly to our spirit. It follows the call of our hearts- so the moment the right music comes on, so does the Indian armpit. Balle Balle!

IF you were born on the :
1st, 10th, 19th, 28th of any month you are number 1.
2nd, 11th, 20th, 29th of any month then you are number 2.
3rd, 12th, 21st, 30th of any month then you are number 3.
4th, 13th, 22nd, 31st of any month then you are Number 4.
5th, 14th, 23rd of any month then you are number 5.
6th, 15th, 24th of any month then you are number 6.
7th, 16th, 25th of any month then you are number 7.
8th, 17th, 26th of any month then you are number 8.
9th, 18th, 27th of any month then you are number 9.

Number 1
You are smart, a straight talker, funny, stubborn, hardworking, honest, jealous on a competitive basis, kind hearted, temperamental, friendly, and popular. You always want to be on the top and most likely to be independent. You are most likely to fall in love at a young age, but will marry once you mature! You are likely to have problems with people who have opposite views and you are most likely to take revenge over your enemies in a long time basis. You are a spender, but you will have a good profession in the future. If you are guy you will be very popular. You can go anywhere from the local shop to the heart of the parliament because you are positive and talented in numerous areas. But in your life you will always have some people who will work hard to bring you & your name down. Because of your intelligence, some might hate you. You are a pioneer, independent & original your best match is 4,6,8 while a good match would be with 3,5,7

Number 2
No matter what, every one will love you because you are ruled by the Moon. You day dream a lot, you have a very low-self esteem, you need to have a back up for every move in your life, you are very unpredictable. You tend to change according to time and circumstances, selfish, have a very strong sense of musical and artistic talent and powerful verbal communication. You can be sweet as an angel and can be ruthless when double-crossed. Some might say you have a sixth sense. You will become a poet, writer, an artist or a businessperson. You are not strong in love, so your relationship will be in disarray until you settle down. If you are a girl, you will be responsible for your family. If you are a man, you tend to get involve in fights & arguments in the family. You will sacrifice your life for your family. You are gentle, intuitive with a broad vision. You make a well-balanced person. Your best match is 2, 7,5, and 9 no other people can put up with you!!!

Number 3
You are hardhearted and selfish most of the time. You always tend to have lots of problems within your family in the early stages but you will be able to cope with everything. You seem to have your way in everything. And from birth you would always have to work hard to achieve anything you want. You always make a point to set examples on others, especially the younger ones. Generally you are not a cool person. It's not easy dealing with you. A tough player you are! But once you are comfortable with someone, it will be a lasting friendship. You always earn respect from others. Your Ilk seems to have lots of worries and problems but they won't be for long. You will have brilliant kids! You love money a bit too much so temptation will push you to try endlessly. You will look after your family and help friends, so you will spend a life time just being generous and kind (except for men born on the 21st). You love your freedom, creative and ambitious, a person who brings beauty, hope & joy to this world!!! Your best match 6 and 9. Good match 1, 3, and 5

Number 4
You are very stubborn, very hard working but unlucky in important matters in life, very cool and helpful. You might repel people away from you, you may cause nuisance to others if you area man, as you gifted are with understanding other people's problems. If you are a girl, you excel in your studies and arts. If you are a guy you spend most of your time with girl friends and you tend to have too much fun with your mates & girls. Your friends will spend your time & money and get on with their life and you will be left empty handed. So be careful! You love to spend. Your positive side is that you are always around to help family and friends. You always fall in love with those younger than you. You often live with disappointments but you will take good care of your family. You need to be careful of people who will take advantage of your kind heart. And beware of your relationships too. You are radical, patient, persistent, and a hit old-fashioned; you live with foundation & order. Your best match 1, 8. Good match 5, 6, and 7

Number 5
You are very popular and you can get things done only by talking. Even to your enemies! You are business-minded and like to do things spontaneously. You will be famous if you get involved in any business. Your friends and families will always ask for your help, and you are the one actually with the money to help your friends. You will have more than one relationship, but when you settle down you tend to be selfish. You tend to go for other relationships - even if you are married at times because of your popularity. You tend to get along easily with anyone because the numbers is a middle number. You love freedom and changes. You learn your life through your personal experiences. Your best match 1, 2, Good match 6, 8.

Number 6
Ooopppss.. you were born to enjoy! You don't care about others. I mean you always wanted to have a lifetime of enjoyment. You will excel in either education or business management! You are talented, kind (but with only people who you think are nice), and popular. All good things come easily to you. Your mind and body is just made perfect for love. You are loveable by any number. But if you are a number 6 men, you will be involved in more than a few relationships until you get married. If you are a girl, most of you will get married/engaged early. You are a caring person towards your family and friends. You are a person of compassion, comfort & fairness, domestic responsibility, good judgment, and after all you can heal this world's wounds to make peace for everyone because you have the great power and caring talent to take the world of love one step further.. Your best match 7, 6, and 9. Good match 4, 5

Number 7
You are realistic, confident, happy, and talented in education, music, art, singing, and most importantly in acting. You also have a bad temper! You value your family status a lot; you will be in the top rank when you reach a certain age. If you are a guy you are popular with girls. Most of the number 7s face lots of problems with their married life. Only a few are happy. You have everything in your life but with worries throughout your lifetime. You need to get ready looking for a partner rather than waiting. If you don't, then you might end-up being single. You are born to contribute to everyone's joy. Your best match is 2. Good matches are 1,4

Number 8
You have a very strong personality and people will find it hard to understand you. You are more likely to suffer in your younger years. You might be also the one responsible to look out for your family. You often suffer all the way through life. You will learn life in a very practical way. You are the one who will fight for justice and may even die in the war too. You are normally very reserved with a handful of friends and most of the time, live life alone and always prepared to help others. However, once you settle down, (which is often late), then your had lucks will disappear. You will face unexpected problems such as encountering poisonous animals, and accidents. You are highly- disciplined, persistence, and courageous, and it is your strength that will take you to success. You are a great part of a family team. You are a fighter! Your Best match 1. 4, and 8. Good match 5

Number 9
You guys are the most incompatible people in the world. You are so strong, physically and mentally. You often have big-aims. You will work hard and will think it's still hard to get there, even if you already have gotten there! Normally you suffer in the early age from family problems and generally you will have to fight in life. You are respected by others. You were however very naughty in your childhood, and often got beaten up by your parents and had been involved in fights and you seemed to have suffered lots of injuries. But when you grow older you become calm and will fall into the quiet and dignified macho type. Love is not an easy matter for you. You are however good in engineering or banking jobs because people always trust you. Your family life is very good, but you will always worry over your children. Your finer qualities are that you are humanitarian, patient, very wise & compassionate. You are born to achieve targets and serve every one equally without any prejudice. You are a role model for everyone. Your best match 3, 5,6, and 9. Good match 2

Now what chance do you have??????????

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense,
more knowledge, but less judgment, more expert, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.
We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not out prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to hold more copies
than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, over weight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom; A time when
technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.
Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to one next to you,
because that is one treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to
love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
-

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole
which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while
the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the p oor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been
made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?

That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.

Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

To all of my crackpot friends, from this crackpot, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers, on your side of the path.

This was a speech given by a Senior Anglo Indian at a dinner dance in Sydney last year.
Good Evening Ladies & Gentleman. Welcome to this special evening. I'm attempting to condense over 300 years of Anglo-Indian history in to 10 minutes.

The British Empire once held absolute power in over 52 countries. About two-fifths of the world. But there was only one jewel in the crown-India. The first European settlers in India were the Portuguese in 1498 about 100 years before the British. The Dutch, French and the British followed. They were all here for the duration. The inevitable happened and a new mixed race community emerged. Even though the British came in peacefully as merchants and traders they soon colonised the sub-continent of India. But the British needed allies to protect the jewel in the crown and so began a deliberate policy encouraging British males to marry Indian women to create the first Anglo-Indians.
The East India Company paid 15 silver rupees for each child born to an Indian mother and a European father, as family allowance. These children were amalgamated into the growing Anglo-Indian community, forming a defensive structure for the British Raj. This was a deliberate act of self preservation by the English.
This unique hybrid individual was ethnically engineered by the occupying British so much so that the Anglo-Indians were the only micro-minority community ever defined in a Constitution. Article-366 of the Indian Constitution states An Anglo-Indian means a person whose father or any of whose male ancestors in the male line is or was of European descent but who is domiciled within the territory of India and is or was born within such territory of parents habitually resident there-in and not established there for temporary purposes only.
So you can see we were intended to be a permanent micro-minority. In 1830 British Parliament described the Anglo-Indian as those who have been English educated, are entirely European in their habits and feelings, dress and language. They were more "Anglo" than "Indian".
Their mother-tongue was English, they were Catholic or Anglican and their customs and traditions were English. While most of them married within their own circle, many continued to marry expatriate Englishmen. Very few married Indians.
Without Anglo-Indian support British rule would have collapsed.

RAILWAYS
We ran the railways, post and telegraph, police and customs, education, export and import, shipping, tea, coffee and tobacco plantations, the coal and gold fields. We became teachers, nurses, priests and doctors. If it had any value the British made sure we ran it. And when it came to secretarial duties no one could touch our Anglo-Indian girls - the best stenographers in the world and with beauty to match.

Were we favoured? Yes, the English trusted us. After all we were blood related. We worked hard.
We became indispensable. We lived comfortably and were protected by the British raj. Like the British we had servants to do all our domestic work. The average Anglo-Indian home could afford at least three full time servants - a cook, a bearer and the indispensable nanny (ayah). Part time servants included a gardener, cleaner and laundry man (dhobi). Of course we learned to speak Hindi to be able to argue, give orders, bargain, accuse and terminate employment and throw in a dozen Hindi expletives.

Imagine our horror when we were later to migrate to England, Canada and Australia and we no longer had servants to do our domestic chores. Who can remember looking at our first toilet brush and asking 'what do we do with this?' We had to learn to cook, clean, garden, do the laundry and take the garbage out and look after the kids.

CHRISTMAS CAKE
The tradition of making your own Christmas cake was a sacred Anglo-Indian custom. Each family had a secret cake recipe, handed down from our grandparents. About a week before Christmas the local baker was contacted. He would turn up to your home with two very large terracotta bowls that looked more like satellite dishes. One for the egg whites and one for mixing. Mum would dish out the ingredients. This was all mixed together under her watchful eye and distributed in to about dozen or so cake tins and labelled with your name on it. This labelling was all important. We did not want him to return that evening with someone else's cake recipe. Heaven forbid.

MUSIC/DANCE
Music, movies and socialising were high on the agenda. We loved a dance. Afternoon dance jam sessions were a magnet for the teenagers where we jived, jitterbugged, tango'd or just fox trotted. Many a lasting liaison was forged on the dance floor and today many of us are celebrating 40-year plus marriages. Our mums sat around gossiping and seldom took their eyes off their darling daughters. I know I speak from experience. I met my wife at one such event and now 44 years later I still fancy her.

The Anglo-Indian railway and cantonment towns that sprung up around the major cities cultivated a unique social and industrial blend with a heartbeat. Their dances were legendary. At the drop of a hat the city cousins would jump on a train and travel for anything up to six hours to get to that up-country dance. Many of our lives revolved around the biggest and best railway system in the world. And the trains ran on time! Today the Indian Railways transports over 5 billion passengers each year employing more than 1.6 million personnel. Between 1853 and 1947 we built and managed 42 rail systems. This was a legacy we can be proud of.

CONTRIBUTIONS
During World War 1 about 8000 Anglo-Indians fought in Mesopotamia, East Africa, and in the European theatre - three Anglo-Indians were awarded Victoria Crosses. In World War II they fought at Dunkirk and flew in the battle of Britain - Guy Gibson of the Dam Busters was one such Anglo-Indian, and we were in North Africa, Malaya and the fall of Singapore. Merle Oberon and Juliet Prowse, Tony Brent, Engelbert Humperdinck, Cliff Richards are all Anglo-Indians

The Anglo-Indians took India to Olympic hockey glory. From 1928 India won five consecutive Olympic hockey gold medals. In fact, when India faced Australia in the semi-finals of the 1960 Olympics in Rome, it was a unique occasion. The captains who came face to face were both Anglo-Indians, Leslie Claudius and Kevin Carton.

EDUCATION
English education played a major role amongst the Anglo-Indians. Anglo-Indian schools numbered close to 300 and were prized. They stretched from Bangalore in the south to the cooler northern hill stations of Darjeeling in the foothills of the Himalayas. Each was modelled on the posh English Public school system. We ran them as teachers and principals and to this day these schools are coveted across the sub-continent.

IDENTITY DILEMMA
The Anglo-Indian has always faced an identity dilemma because of our mixed origins. Europeans said they were Indians with some European blood; Indians said they were Europeans with some Indian blood.
The world of Anglo-India vanished on August 15th 1947, when India became the largest independent democracy in the world. The British packed and went home. Over 300,000 Anglo-Indians remained. We felt apprehensive and abandoned. So we too packed our bags and began to migrate to Australia, Britain, Canada, the U.S.A. and New Zealand. Many of you will remember the dreaded Income Tax Clearance document you need to leave the country and further faced the strict Indian foreign exchange regulations that allowed you only 10 pounds each. Imagine st arting life in a new country with 10 quid in your pocket. Some had to leave behind their savings; others simply resorted to the risky black market loosing a 30% of your savings.

IDENTITY
The Anglo-Indian identity is disappearing. We have found new lives and merged into the mainstream. Our generation, sitting here tonight, who were born in India, growing up in the 40s thru to 60s, are possibly the last true Anglo-Indians. Look around you. Where is the next generation? Most of our children were born abroad and their connection to Anglo-India is very fragile. They have married Aussies, English, Canadian or other Anglo-Indians born outside India. They prefer to be regarded as English, Australian or Canadian. Our grandchildren will assimilate and forge a new identity based on their country of birth.
Putting aside history I believe we could regard ourselves as an exotic cocktail that had its origins over 300 years ago.
We have matured and become a unique aromatic spirit, generously flavoured and very stimulating.
We were a force to be reckoned with.
We were the shakers and the stirrers.
Please pick up your glasses and toast your State of Origin and New Horizons.

Saddam Hussein was sitting in his office wondering whom to invade
next when his telephone rang.

"Hallo, Mr. Hussein!" a heavily accented voice said, "This is
Gurmukh from Phagwara, District Kapurthala,Punjab. I am ringing to inform you
that we are officially declaring the war on you!"

"Well, Gurmukh," Saddam replied, "This is indeed important news!
How big is your army"
"Right now," said Gurmukh, after a moment's calculation, "there is
myself, my cousin Sukhdev, my next door neighbour Bhagat, and the entire
kabaddi team from the gurudwara. That makes eight"

Saddam paused. "I must tell you, Gurmukh that I have one million men
in my army waiting to move on my command."

"Arrey O! Main kya.. " said Gurmukh. "I'll have to ring you back!"
Sure enough, the next day, Gurmukh called again.

"Mr. Hussein, it is Gurmukh, I'm call ing from Phagwara STD, the war
is still on! We have managed to acquire some infantry equipment!"
"And what equipment would that be, Gurmukh" Saddam asked.
"Well, we have two combines, a donkey and Amrik's tractor."

Saddam sighed. "I must tell you, Gurmukh, that I have 16,000 tanks
and 14,000 armoured personnel carriers. Also, I've increased my army
to 1-1/2 million since we last spoke."

"Oh teri ...." said Gurmukh. "I'll have to get back to you."
Sure enough, Gurmukh rang again the next day.

"Mr. Hussein, the war is still on! We have managed to get ourselves
airborne...... We've modified Amrik's tractor by adding a couple of
shotguns, sticking on some wings and the pind's generator. Four
school pass boys from Malpur have joined us as well!"

Saddam was silent for a minute and then cleared his throat. "I must
tell you, Gurmukh, that I have 10,000 bombers and 20,000 fighter
planes. My military complex is surro unded by laser-guided,
surface-to-air missile sites. And since we last spoke, I've increased my
army to TWO MILLION!"

"Tera pala hove...." said Gurmuk, "I'll have to ring you back."
Sure enough, Gurmukh called again the next day.
"Kiddan, Mr. Hussein! I am sorry to tell you that we have had to call off the war."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Saddam. "Why the sudden change of heart"

"Well," said Gurmukh, "we've all had a long chat over a couple of
lassi's, and decided there's no way we can feed two million prisoners of wars!"
ForwardSourceID:NT0000319E