We all know, that Kashmir is a disputed territory in the Himalayas and one of the most beautiful parts of the world. It is divided between India (43%), Pakistan (37%) and China (20%). It is is one of the world’s most militarized zone and has seen last century three major wars between India and Pakistan. In the Indian-administered part, clashes are frequent: arrests, human right violations, disappearances. Since 1989 more than 60,000 citizen have been killed.

To overcome certain tensions in the 1950ies, an article 370 had been introduced into the Indian constitution, giving a special status to the region of Jammu and Kashmir, allowing it to have a separate constitution, a state flag and autonomy over the internal administration. That meant concretely that the state’s residents live under a separate set of laws related to citizenship, ownership of property, and fundamental rights, meaning among others that Indian citizens from other states could not purchase land or property.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Hindu nationalist party which won the national elections this year, promised in their election manifesto to abolish those Kashmiri related articles, as they are a discrimination against non-permanent residents and would be an obstacle for the development of that state.

This week, the BJP-led government proposed that they had announced during the election campaign and it was voted that all the clauses of Article 370 would be inoperative, in addition that the state should be divided into two Indian union territories to be called Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

This vote is interpreted by the the local Kashmiri as the sign that demography will be used to make them a minority in their own region (similar to what has happened in so many places in the world, not only in Tibet, Palestine and Western Sahara). Plans are on the table to give now special access to land to former Indian soldiers, to families of refugees who had to leave Pakistan in 1947 and to Hindu fundamentalists. To calm down the fears and tensions, India airlifted immediately 8,000 additional troops to Kashmir, cut internet and mobile phone and declared all demonstrations as illegal.

The UN are leading those who criticise the Indian vote – but the local players are adding additional tensions: Islamabad downgraded diplomatic relations, suspended bilateral trade, announced the partial closure of its airspace and send their Foreign Affairs Minister to Beijing. The three main actors in Pakistan, Government, military and Secret Service, seem more divided than ever how to retaliate. Islamist militant groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed seem to prepare suicide attacks like the one in Pulwama (14 February 2019, Valentine’s Day) which killed 40 Indian military and led to military aircraft confrontation. Beijing considers Ladakh as their territory and warns Delhi to give a new status to that region, Delhi tells everyone “stay out of our internal matters”.

And the European Union? No statement yet from the European External Action Service (EEAS).

If the level of violence on the Indian administered territory (or in India itself) will raise dramatically, the Indian army will follow their logic to be obliged to attack the infiltration of Islamist fighters over the Line of Control, the quasi-border. The Pakistani army will then see themselves obliged to respond, but will not have the means to resist too long. With a five time higher military budget, India has in all sections more means: from army, air and navy personnel, from tanks to artillery, from aircrafts and aircraft carriers to submarines and frigates. Only in armoured personnel carriers and in the number of nuclear warheads, the Pakistani side has an advantage.

As military analysts predict that Pakistan will not be able to resist longer than a week to their much stronger neighbour, Pakistan will then be tempted to use some of their 135 nuclear warheads, prompting a nuclear reaction from Delhi.

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Over the past century, the perception and role of women in Western countries has changed considerably – while in a country such as India, there is still a long way to go to overcome certain discriminative values and traditions, making women victims.

“Project Why” is an Indian NGO established in 2000 by Anouradha Bakshi, which challenges the awareness of the existing inequalities through the empowerment of women. Claire di Felice volunteered for two months in a vocational training centre for women from an underprivileged background in Madanpur Khadar.

Based on her experience, she described the work of the NGO in this district with some 15,000 inhabitants in the Southern part of New Delhi, inhabited mostly by first or second generation migrants from other Indians states such as West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, or Rajasthan.

Since 2007, over a thousand women have been trained in order to provide them with the means to earn a livelihood – transforming their lives by boosting their confidence and skills, enabling many to become independent business entrepreneurs. Thanks to this NGO, numerous women realised their potential in taking control of their life, while also ensuring a brighter future for their children and generations to come.

The presentation was received by the audience (some 50 participants from over 20 countries) with enthusiasm and the willingness not only to financially support the cause, but also to increase its effectiveness by offering a series of recommendations.

What resonates with this NGO’s work is that indeed when you educate a man, you educate an individual, but when you educate a woman, you educate a generation.

For more information find them on Instagram and Facebook at @projectwhydelhi.

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A week of culinary discovery
Every night you are greeted to a special Indian menu, immersing you in the different tastes and dishes of the country and enlivening your taste buds with genuine and nuanced spices.

Mandalas exhibitions by Christina Jekey and vernacular paintings of Warlis and Madhubani
A mandala (literally « circle ») is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the universe and is characterised by any diagram, chart or geometric pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically; a microcosm of the universe.

Yoga sessions on the terrace of the hotel Châtelain
Set on the terrace that overlooks a beautiful skyline of the city, practice indian yoga and a mediative mindset to find tranquility and exercise. Nathalie Geetha Babourai, a deeply experienced yoga tutor, will also be present to lead a class of guests

Indian Cocktails & Indian Fingers Food
Everyone knows Indian food, but what about their cocktails? get set for a whole new sensation as you try drinks like The Ananda brew – which features a masala teabag!

Saturday, June 23, a conference will be held by Nathalie Geetha Babouraj on Ayurvedic food and June 24, end this special Indian week with Yoga Day at Bois de la Cambre.

Enjoy the delicious dishes, vibrant cultures and beautiful arts of India together with your friends and family this India week.

The post Indian Week in Brussels appeared first on Brussels Express.

Less than six months after he opened it, people are flocking to his own restaurant in Waterloo. The place is able to take advantage of the near total absence of Indian restaurants in the area. But there’s rather more to its success than its mere location.

The food served here is both genuinely good and authentic. One reason why, even on a normally quiet Sunday evening, it is packed to the rafters. It must all make a pleasant change  for the affable Amardeep who used to traipse round the area to cook Indian food in front of people in the comfort of their own home.

It was a way of indulging his own passion for Indian food and sharing it with the local community. His day job at the time was working in  the kitchens a local Italian and French restaurant. It was, he says, a good way of honing his craft which first started at the tender age of eight watching his parents cook back in his native India

The unusual experience of cooking in private homes for people gave him, he says, an insight into the passion felt locally in Waterloo for Indian cuisine. There was just one big, gaping problem: the absence of a single Indian restaurant in the town!

That could, according to Amardeep, have something to do with the fact that he believes there are just four Indian families living in the area. Generally, though, there are relatively very few Indian restaurants in Belgium itself. And what few there are possibly serve something that is more akin to Pakistani or Bangladeshi cuisine.

Step forward Amardeep and his new business venture. Located on a busy road in this affluent Brabant Walloon town, Parf’Inde Epices now occupies the site of what, down the years, has been everything from a Greek to Italian restaurant.

The interior has been totally changed and now boasts a nice blend of relaxing colours. Seating up to 50 people, it also boasts ample free parking.

Though it only opened last October, word  has spread fast about the quality of the food served here. The card is not massive but contains a great selection of traditional Indian dishes.

Starters, for example, include chicken tikka (chicken marinated in yogurt and coriander) and samosas (stuffed puff pastry). Mains feature Karahi (a combination of turmeric, ginger, tomatoes and onion peppers) and that perennial favourite, Korma (cooked in a thick sauce with cashew nuts, almonds and coconut cream with authentic taste peppers). For the more adventurous there is, of course, vindaloo and Madras.

The card also includes a good choice of other options, including Kerala Fish (served with a fine mixture of garlic, shallots, ginger, mustard, seeds and curry leaves) and, for vegetarians, dishes like Bhindi Bajee (which comes with sweet and mildly spices).

There is a selection of naan bread (Indian home made bread, baked in a “Tandoor” oven) and tasty deserts, including Gulab Jammun (flavored with caramum in syrup and vanilla ice cream).

Amardeep’s personal favourite is “Suraj”, a traditional Indian yellow curry but, in truth, you could choose anything here and would not be disaappointed.

Waterloo is known for its British community but Amardeep estimates that as much as 80percent of his clientelle are native French-speakers. Many may be unfamiliar with Indian food, thinking (mistakenly, of course) that it amounts to not much more than Madras and Vindaloo. But this terrific restaurant is just the place to discover (or re-discover) what it is really all about. The fact that the head chef (who used to work in the world-famous Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai and learned his craft at catering school in his native land) and his staff all hail from India gives an added touch of authenticity to the cooking.

An added plus is that the menu is also available in English and Amardeep is fluent in both French and English.As one guest has said, “Finally an Indian restaurant in Waterloo and authentic flavours that remind you of a trip to India.” A fitting tribute indeed.

Good to know:

• Parf’Inde Epices
• Chaussée de Bruxelles 415, Waterloo
• 02 361 1319
• www.parfindeepices.be

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