Anglo Indians of the world unite........!

And every three years they do, in a different part of the world each time. This time it's Sydney's turn. Or at least, Blacktown's - Quakers Hill to be  precise. Funny though that the publicity material all showed pictures of Harbour Bridges and Opera Houses!

Your fearless reporter got himself an invite to this amazing cultural event, and enjoyed it a lot. The Anglo Indians used to run an empire after all, so they ought to be able to organise a good party. And indeed that's what they do best. It's all on a homely, low-cost basis though, hence suburban Quakers Hill, I guess.

The food was nice though, and the people were universally friendly and decent folk. They were all members of the Anglo Indian diaspora, and many had come from North America and the British Isles.

The Blacktown dignitaries welcomed the visitors and organised a welcome too from the local traditional landowners, a representative of whom performed a smoking ceremony and played a didgeridoo.

Then the serious business began, of finding one's old schoolmates from their Indian childhoods of 50 years ago, and doing hearty renditions of the old school anthems. They sounded all out of tune, but then maybe it's always like that. Here's a recent rendition from La Martiniere Kolkata school itself, with band and choir and full hierarchy in full regalia. Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RobDErH4KK0