Desert Traditions

06/11/2024

Be the light in the darkness.
🙏🔥🙏

28/10/2024

Eric at Galleria Ettalong Beach wears many hats - he is a hatter, hoticulturalist and happy guy! For our Diwali celebrations this weekend he is bringing in a limited number of Tulsi - Holy Basil plants. Amazingly beneficial to our wellbeing!

Get your Tulsi plant this weekend ... and while your at Galleria check out our celebration - music, dancing, food, fashion, films and fun!

About Tusli
Ocimum tenuiflorum (synonym Ocimum sanctum), commonly known as holy basil - tulsi - is an aromatic perennial native to the Indian subcontinent and widespread as a cultivated plant throughout the Southeast Asian tropics.Tulsi is one of the most sacred plants in India and is considered in Ayurveda as “The Queen of the Herbs” for its restorative and spiritual properties.

Still virtually unknown to the western world Tulsi is a complex herb with an extensive list of added benefits and is revered by Ayurveda (the ancient Indian wellbeing system) for thousands of years to promote whole body health.

Tulsi is used widely in cuisine (especially Thai), as an insect repellent and for water disinfection.

Tulsi (Tulasi) is a sacred plant for Hindus, particularly the Vaishnavite sect. It is worshipped as the avatar of Lakshmi, and is often planted in courtyards of Hindu houses or temples to Hanuman. The ritual lighting of lamps each evening during Kartik includes the worship of the tulsi plant (this month's lunar cycle). Every evening, Bengali Hindus place earthen lamps in front of tulsi plants. During the Kati Bihu festival celebrated in Assam, people light earthen lamps (diya) at the foot of the household tulsi plants and pray. In Ahmedabad it is common to see Jain priests watering the tulsi plants in their community.

26/10/2024

Not long now before Galleria Ettalong Beach bursts into the joys of Diwali!
Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity to experience the magic of Bobby Singh and Adrian McNeil live on stage.
Tickets are selling fast

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23/10/2024

Galleria at Ettalong Beach is hosting Diwali, the Indian Festival of Light, with a weekend of cultural diversity, colour, sound and fun. Bring the whole family down - there’s something on for all ages from music to dancing to food to fashion to arts activities and a movie or two.

Starting on Friday evening, November 1st, with an offering to the Lakshmi the goddess of health, wealth and wellbeing, each day is filled with entertainment, enjoyment and education.

Saturday November 2nd brings Bollywood and bling - a chance to dress up and dance along with Bollywood dancer and teacher Jita Singh and Raj and Jennifer from Universal Carnivale.

Sunday November 3rd is family day with kids' activities and more feasting, live music and fun.

The highlight of the festival is a concert by renowned Indian classical musicians Bobby Singh on tabla and Adrian McNeil on sarod. These masters of sound perform on Saturday November 2nd at Cinema Paradiso. Reserve your seats now at http://cinemaparadiso.com.au

Why not begin the evening with a Diwali Banquet at The Indian Street and for 'out of towners' stay right where the action is at Ettalong Beach Tourist Resort?

Kids are catered for with 'dress up and dance' with Jita, decorating 'hati' the elephant with Pat or creating a special Diwali decoration with artist Erin. Find some lovely and unique gifts for yourself, family and friends at our market stalls offering authentic Indian fashion, home and gift wares, henna painting, delicious treats and health and beauty treatments.

To find out more and get your daily program visit http://galleriaettalongbeach.com.au

22/10/2024

Whew just completed the daily program for the Diwali festival at Galleria. So much to-ing and fro-ing and go betweening and go getting and missing small details filed in extinct cabinets and one digit out phone numbers due to note taking on the run and cross checking and cross thoughts and uncrossed t's and undotted i's and mind changers and game changers and I almost lost my nerve ...
Pleased to announce it is in place as much as it dare to be given the organic nature of the beast.
Pleased to announce that I might get an early night tonight!

Yawn!

21/10/2024

I’ve just learned that my fellow kiwi face book friend Fay Wardrop from up north is coming down for our Diwali weekend. We will meet in realtime … how good is this?

20/10/2024

Our 'Diwali on the Coast' weekend is coming up fast ... in fact only 12 days away and much to be done between now and then ...like stringing two hundred marigold garlands (artificial of course but fresh from Mumbai) throughout Galleria ... all volunteers welcome! There is still a flyer drop or two to cover and we remain confident that everything will be alright in the end for, as Sonny Boy says in Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, 'if it's not alright then it's not the end.' (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is also screening at Cinema Paradiso). Posting the final detailed program tomorrow!

Put simply, Diwali, also called Deepavali, is India’s biggest and one of the most important holidays of the year. It is based on the story of the god Rama who returned to his kingdom after defeating the demon king Ravana. People lit special lamps to celebrate his victory.

Diwali gets its name from the row (avali) of small clay lamps (diya) that symbolise the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. It is time when people come together to share goodwill and carry it through the rest of the year.

Right across the country from rural villages to huge cities, homes, workplaces, malls and markets are lit up with diya and, these days, also LED lights, in celebration.

Lakshmi, the Indian goddess of health, wealth and happiness also features during Diwali. People clean their houses, buy new household items, shop for gold, special foods and treats and decorate in readiness for her arrival.

Special mandala like designs ‘rangoli’ are made outside the door to welcome Lakshmi into the home.

It is a magical time and we invite you to come and join the celebration - music, dancing, food, fashion, films and fun!

Friday November 1st 6.30 pm - Lakshmi Puja (ritual) in the food court at the rear of Galleria. All welcome.

Saturday November 2nd 9am until ....
A day of Bollywood - live demonstrations, dancing and dress up
Evening - Bobby Singh and Adrian McNeil live in concert
Market stalls
Kids activities

Sunday November 2nd 9am until ....
Live Indian fusion music
Market stalls
Kids activities

See you there! 🙏🪔🙏🪔🙏🪔🙏

14/10/2024

It’s coming closer … Neelam Khatri’s huge parcel arrived from India and we test hung the first garland.
Diwali on the Coast
Sat 2nd and Sun 3rd November at Galleria Ettalong Beach

11/10/2024

All’s kind of well in Duckdom. I fretted for three nights having left Empire Bay and the ducklings all alone on the road side. I did know though that the ‘man up the drive’ would have kept an eye on them. Today I returned and drove straight to their homing place and there was Blondie with not one but two new mandrakes in tow. Eight ducklings remain and I’ll swear they’ve doubled in size. Then an altercation broke out and the two mandrakes attacked Blondie and forced her away from her brood. Very bizarre - so I and two girls on bikes intervened - broke up the squabble and Blondie was last seen waddling happily up the man’s driveway with her family and one mandrake in tow. There they will be watered and fed. So you see life goes on whether I’m here or not.
Such is life in Duckdom.
Thank you Mel and your friend for caring and I couldn’t really act that day as I had to get away. As you see it’s working out!
🙏 🦆 🙏🦆🙏🦆🙏🦆🙏🦆🙏🦆🙏🦆🙏

04/10/2024

Jackets to take you into summer. Cotton canvas, Kala cotton. hand printed (kalamkari), natural colour - indigo, iron, madder. Ethical, sustainable and built to last. Slow clothing for a slow planet. Free size - cropped, boxy, easy fit (12ish to 16 ish). Limited edition and limited numbers available. Message me for details.

02/10/2024

Some kind person in Booker Bay is collecting unused bras to send to women in need and I’ve lost the link. I have a few - can anyone let me know where they are to be dropped off?

29/09/2024

Nothing like a rain dropped leaf to stop me in my tracks.

26/09/2024

The quirky, funny, kind and clever (and handsome) Mike Sloane was born this day in 1950 and I was privileged to share 35 years with him. We shared in each others' lives, work and play and yet remained independent and true to our own beliefs. I was the artist to the engineer and he the engineer to the artist - a perfect fit!

Mike came to India with me twice and immediately fitted in with his open warmth and endless curiosity. On the tour in 2008 he was an asset to the adventures that unfolded and rolled with the unexpected as it always happens. My friends in Kutch loved him. His water engineering prowess came to the fore as he and Ismail Khatri walked the water lines of Ajrakhpur and they plotted simple water quality solutions. And in Hodko, where this photo was taken, he was quick to become a 'local' and wore his turban with great pride throughout the journey!

Mike it is six endless years since you left this mortal plane yet you are so close to me today. I sense your presence as I sit in silence filled with great peace and love - the rain falls gently and a breeze ruffles the trees beyond the windows echoing my being today. I am sad. It will pass.

There is no replacement for the love of one's life.

Mike Sloane 17/09/1950 - 23/03/2017.
Always in our hearts.

24/09/2024

My good friend Neelam went garland shopping for me in crowded Mangaldas market in the heart of south Mumbai. It’s hot and she is pregnant and I wanted to do it another way but nothing is ever too much trouble. I dearly honour my Indian friends. And here I am lying in bed while what’s app connects me live to the throb of Mangaldas. Gotta love technology - this is online shopping livestream…

I’m buying enough garlands to make a statement at the centre for Diwali and it’s more economical to do it this way and Temu is not the way … If we’re going to celebrate Diwali then let’s make it a great one.

Last year I bought garlands from the same shop and later gave them to a Bollywood style wedding. What goes around. Anyway I think you’ll agree these are just the right degree of bling!

24/09/2024

BOOK NOW ... Adrian MacNeil and Bobby Singh live concert.
Tickets on sale at Cinema Paradiso.
www.cinemaparadiso.com.au

It's time to get your seats for the BIG EVENT .... yes, tabla master Bobby Singh and sarod master Adrian McNeil are coming to Galleria Ettalong Beach to share their special magic during Diwali.

It has been almost 25 years (2001) since Bobby played for our fundraiser 'Art to 'Art Beat in Manly for the Kutch earthquake and I am thrilled to be introducing him and Adrian to the Central Coast. It's a rare and wonderful opportunity to absorb the melody and rhythms of Indian Classical Music in an intimate theatre setting.

Please watch this space as our Diwali program (November 1st to 3rd) unfolds.

18/09/2024

The lunar eclipse begins … how magical this is and will be. I love the night sky from whence I began - so many mysteries, myths and memories of starry nights and eternity.

17/09/2024

Take a stroll down to Galleria Ettalong Beach this weekend. I’ve new stock on the racks and great specials as I clear the decks. Ludo tops are in along with Nisha jackets in indigo and iron black plus a swing tunic in organic handwoven cotton decorated with beeswax batik also in indigo and iron black - the most stable of natural dyes.

My aim is to reduce landfill one garment at a time and you can help! Slow clothing fit for people and the planet.

17/09/2024

I’ll swear it was only yesterday that the moon was new - mistaken again moon you are phasing too fast …