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We are looking for a wife

To be our son’s joy.

But we have criteria

For marriage with our beloved boy.

She must be smart

From educated kin

But putting career before family

That is an unholy sin.

So she must resign immediately

From her occupation

To care for husband and house

- A wife’s true vocation.

She must be adept

In every culinary skill

But also accept her spouse’s judgement

On all cooked meals.

We don’t want a timid bird

In our family tree

Nor a boisterous lout

- That’d shame our ancestry.

She must bear many a child

And treat each as king

But never forget that

Husband is god in all things.

If you can tick every box,

And match our fit,

Then yours is our world

And every freedom in it!

Kanya London

Sahani Gunasekara, 20, is a

Year 2 Economics student at UEA. 

So, tell me about Kanyä London.

Kanyä London is a contemporary saree brand, the designs are quite westernised and simple.

What made you start up the company?

Since I was 16 I knew I wanted to go into designing and have my own brand. However I ended up doing an economics degree because of my parents so when I started first year of Economics, I realised how I didn't want to end up doing something I didn't have a passion for, so that's why I decided to start Kanyä London.

What problems did you face at the beginning?

The problems I faced were finding the right resources for my sarees; materials, sewing machines, dummies and being able to keep track of finances.

How did you overcome these obstacles? 

Doing a lot of research, asking for samples from different companies and splitting the work with other people. Since I found it hard to keep track of finances, I got someone else to do it for me. Team work helps a lot!

What did you enjoy most about the company? 

The thing that I enjoy most about the company is the creativity, having my designs come to real life and then getting a positive reaction from customers.

What are your future plans? 

I hope to expand the brand and have a men's line as well. 

What advice can you give to prospective entrepreneurs?

The best advice I can give is that you can't do everything yourself. Sometimes it's alright to split up the work, having someone else handle things you're not good at. Plan and research, trial and error are the key words to starting your business. Last but not least, everything takes time, so be patient!

You can find Kanyä London's new Spring Collection at www.kanyalondon.com.

Instagram: @kanyalondon

UEA Global

Japanese Society stall

The UEA Global event was an opportunity for cultures to showcase their talent, cuisine and traditions. A variety of students represented their country of origin and performed dances, poetry, made their countries’ signature dish and set out activities for people to try. Below are just a few pictures of what featured in this colourful event:

Japanese Society calligraphy

The Japanese Society let visitors wear their beautifully vibrant kimonos, taught them how to craft an assortment of origami objects, sold their handmade Japanese themed notebooks and set out a range of fish and vegetable sushi for visitors to taste and enjoy. They also performed an upbeat soranbushi dance. 

The hypnotic Korean dance

The Korean Society also prepared some yummy snacks, including sesame snaps, and rice puff cakes. They allowed visitors to try on their traditional Korean garb, the Hanbok, and learn to write their name in Korean. 
They followed up with an absolutely mesmerizing traditional Korean fan dance, it definitely captivated the audience as everyone stared in awe at the elegance and beauty of their coordinated fan dance.

The Norwegian Society made visitors hearty traditional waffles with strawberry jam, cream and handed out visitors some of their traditional Norwegian candy- yummy! 

There were plenty of amazing performances including the Latin American traditional dance and salsa dance, the American cheer leading dance, a sweet solo performance from the Hong Kong society and of course, the Bengali society ended the event with thought provoking poetry by Eureka and Rahul, (both pictured below), as well as Afia and Aya, and a dance performance.

Bengali Poetry

Bengali Dance

Overall it was an amazing performance and effort by everyone involved. UEA Global was a fun-filled, culturally enriching event.

Brief History and Culture of West Bengal

Brief history and culture of West Bengal,

Along the east bank of the Hooghly River lies a city that was once the former capital of India until 1911, a British-controlled battleground that was subject to frequent Japanese bombings during WWII, a pioneer in the Indian renaissance, and a centre for revolution in the Independence Movement. With approximately 5 million inhabitants, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) now forms the capital of one of the smallest Indian states by size, but one of the largest by population: West Bengal.

Samudra Gupta was renowned for his 

military prowess. It is said that 

Alexander the Great chose to 

withdraw from the Indian subcontinent

rather than face Gupta and his allies' 

wrath.

Historically, the state has undergone frequent power struggles. It was the 3rd century BC when it formed part of the extensive Mauryan Empire inherited by the Emperor Ashoka, which - post-decline of Mauryan power - caused anarchy to once more supervene. In the 4th century, the region was absorbed into the Gupta Empire of Samudra Gupta, but later came under control of the Pala dynasty. The beginning of the 13th to the 18th century, was when the British gained ascendancy. However, Britain wasn’t the only European presence in West Bengal. The state has seen Portuguese, Dutch and Danish trading posts, as well as French occupation of certain towns. It is clear that the state has endured centuries of restlessness, with constant fluctuations throughout its history that has seen it house one of the world’s busiest landing strips in Dum Dum Airport at one point, to the present where it is regarded as one of India’s least economically developed states. It is thought that its population density (that far exceeds the national average) is one of the main contributing factors to this, among other deep-seated issues. As a result, the state is lagging behind the rest of India’s financial standpoint. Despite a current socio-economic situation that gives the rest of the country the impression of a now poor and backwards state, there is one thing that it can’t diminish - its cultural heritage.

Swami Vivekananda

West Bengal shares this heritage as it shares its border with neighbouring Bangladesh; thus, reinforcing the common idea that Bengalis have long fostered art, literature, music, and drama. The modern period has produced (among others), the Nobel Prize-winning poet Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941). As composer of both India and Bangladesh’s national anthem, and first non-European winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913; Tagore’s literary and music contributions still dominates the Indian scene. Moreover, Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899 - 1976) - the national poet of Bangladesh - is equally commemorated in West Bengal for his literature (including his works for children), as well as West Bengal’s North Indian classical music tradition. Another key figure was Swami Vivekananda, who introduced Vedanta and Yoga in Europe and USA. This in turn, raised interfaith awareness and helped make Hinduism a world religion. The state is also the home of Tollywood; (named after Tollygunj in Kolkata), the hub for the Bengali film industry well known for its art films. It has produced acclaimed directors such as Satyajit Ray, and the veteran Buddhadev Dasgupta. Bengal has been essential to modernism in fine arts as well, where notable figures such as Abanindranath Tagore, (also known as ‘father of Modern Indian Art’), have helped create styles outside of the European realist tradition, which ultimately led to formation of important groups like ‘The Calcutta Group’ and ‘The Society of Contemporary Artists after Indian Independence’, which dominated the art industry. Overall, some of the key figures in both Indian and Bangladeshi arts originate from this small state, and collectively are responsible for creating a culture-rich history in West Bengal.

Amartya Sen

Kolkata’s more recent decline has even been considered as India’s gain, where a host of Bengalis have since populated Indian media, Bollywood and beyond. This includes Nobel Prize laureate and Harvard economics professor Amartya Sen, filmmaker Aparna Sen, author Amitav Ghosh, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Jhumpa Lahiri. Despite being the largest minority in India, Bengalis have made their presence known in India with their cultural history. With this being forgotten in more recent times, and the introduction of a new generation of modern media, it is important to recognise and remember what the state is renowned for. Bangladesh and West Bengal may have its differences, but the historical and cultural heritage they share is one that unites both sides through pride.

Chennai

What is it about Chennai that makes it so extraordinary? Is it the ancient temples hosting exquisite sculptures? Or the state-of-the-art malls housing international brands? Or the whirring sounds of a typical auto-rickshaw, in the early hours of the morning?

Situated in the south of India, Chennai’s architecture wows its visitors. Its beach clubs and five star hotels are luxury resorts, with magnificent marble columns and slick, glistening floors. The tycoons’ farmhouses span acres of land, with stupendous canvases and tranquil lakes accommodating gliding silvery-orange fish, which shimmer in the faint glow of sunset. Twinkling lights emanate a warm welcome to gaping visitors who cannot help but be fascinated by the remarkable yet peculiar furniture that decorates the interior. For art-lovers, clearly Chennai is the place to be. In fact, on the other side of town, we find ‘Satguru’s’, a boutique displaying the new upcoming artists, exhibiting both modern art as well as traditional statues of Hindu deities. The fashion industry is equally impressive, with designs ranging from embroidered bridal saris to flowing sequinned skirts with exciting colour combinations, unheard of in the West.

On the other hand, life in the streets is just as interesting to the eye. Exotic sights and smells radiate from the roadside sellers displaying fresh fruits and bright flowers. Your heart breaks a little as a small boy tugs at your trousers asking for food, but your smile returns as he runs off laughing with the other street boys, content with your small donation, which actually means the world to him. In fact, empathy dominates this city, as citizens are always ready to support those in need, such as by handing out packets of biscuits to the old beggars, with scrawny bodies, wrinkled skin and toothy smiles.

Being home to the third largest beach in the world, Chennai flaunts her Marina Beach, complete with a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, which instils a sense of pride in the locals. Everyday, hundreds flock to the bay, to watch the waves crash in, or stroll along the coast, or treat themselves to a snack from one of the several stalls. In my opinion, nothing can compare to the local street food, whether it is crispy ‘poppadums’ or buttery corn, or ‘butta’ as the locals call it, whose mouth-watering smell wafts through the crowds, tempting almost every soul it touches.

All in all, Chennai is an incredibly happening city, presenting a wide array of opportunities, and blending the past with the present whilst linking several cultures together. It is truly what I would call ‘a feast for your senses’.

Welcome!

Namaste! Assalaam-o-Alaikum! Vanakkam! 

Welcome to the UEA South Asian Newsletter! Born out of excited conversations and idealism, we are proud to present a collaboration between PakSoc, IndianSoc, HinduSoc, BengaliSoc, and TamilSoc.

It is a well-known fact that the societies mentioned above enjoy a close relationship. Not only are we neighbours in national origin, but also neighbours in spirit. We study, eat, laugh, and celebrate together. However, with our busy lives, it is hard to keep abreast of events and stories shared amongst out shared community. Facebook is only helpful if you can find the right post amongst a overflowing News Feed. This is why we decided that we needed an accessible, free means of finding out what has happened, is happening, and will happen during term-time in the Desi community..

Our content will not just be limited to news. We will be displaying recipes, opinion pieces, and creative writing, and much more as time goes on. If you feel like you would like to contribute to the blog, feel free to contact any of the people listed below, either on Facebook or by email:

Tamanna Rahman (BengaliSoc)

Muhammad Azhar (PakSoc)

Muhammad Mubashir Ehsan (PakSoc)

Mayura Uthayakumaran (HinduSoc)

Rahul Mehta (IndianSoc)

Anu Annarasa (TamilSoc)

We look forward to getting feedback and submissions from you now that deadlines are (mostly) over!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Love,

SAN Editorial Team