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Tag Archives: Festivals
Of Chacha Nehru and Chacha Deepak
Jawaharlal Nehru, whose fondness for children earned him the affectionate title of Chacha Nehru, did not distinguish between children of different classes, religions or nationalities. Once, while visiting an exhibition of pictures and cartoons, Nehru was delighted at the performance of the children. He expressed his delight thus: "As I looked at the pictures I thought of the vast army of children all over the world, outwardly different in many ways, speaking different languages wearing different kinds of clothes and …
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Tagged Events, Festivals, Marginal Sections, Rituals, Schools and Teaching
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Dancing to ancient tunes
Residents of Thane are known for their enthusiasm for festivals. And from August to November, there is a string of festivals, one after the other, which Thaneites celebrate with fervour. The ten-day Navratri festival, culminating in Dassera, is one of the big celebrations, with several mini-events gilding the main event. One such mini event is called the Bhondla dance. In the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada, when the sun moves to the thirteenth constellation of the zodiac called "Hasta" (Elephant), …
Discovering your talent
"Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade," said the great American statesman and inventor, Benjamin Franklin. Talent, if rearranged, spells "latent". It is said that that each of us possess some talent, which is often latent until discovered. And the best time to discover your talents is during childhood, because then you have a lifetime opportunity to hone and employ your talent. Last week, students of Sulochana Devi Singhania High School participated …
Eco Designs on Ganesha
In Maharashtra, creative expression is at its peak during Ganpati festival. Such is the enthusiasm that surrounds the Big G’s arrival that year after year, devotees get transformed into artists as they decorate Ganpati’s ten-day habitat in the most beautiful and innovative manner with socially relevant themes. So we have had themes like modern medicine and AIDS awareness, evolution of humankind and the beginning of the Universe and evolution of religion. Pokhran Blasts, Kargil War, KBC, cricket match-fixing and 9/11 …
Heal and hearty
Every year, at this time of the year, devotees numbering in hundreds of thousands, participate in a procession called Ashadi Ekadashi yatra, which is one of the oldest and also among the single largest processions in the world. Also called the Wari procession, it starts at Alandi and culminates with the darshan of Lord Vithal and Rukmini in Pandharpur on the Ashadhi Ekadashi day, which fell on June 29 this year. The procession lasts for 21 days and covers a …
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Tagged Events, Festivals, Health & Well Being, Rituals, Social/Community Issues
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Hungry Kya?
The success of Gurinder Chadda’s "Bend it like Beckham" made Aloo Gobi one of the most popular Indian dishes around the world. A friend who is in the US reveals that ever since the release of the film, she is asked for an Aloo Gobi recipe more than any other recipe. On a more serious note, the last decade or so has seen Indian cuisine gaining prominence around the world. I am told that regular US grocery stores have started …
A Celebration of Unity in Diversity
With most Hindu new years falling in the months of March/April, it is only appropriate that we celebrate it together. For the third consecutive year, the city residents, regardless of their cast and creed, will come together to celebrate the Indian New Year by participating in the Bharatiya Nava Varsha Swagat Yatra, an apolitical procession organised by Shri Kopaneshwar Mandir Trust and supported by city-based educational institutes, social and religious trusts, and NGO’s. The celebrations will begin this evening at …
Sowing the Seeds of Peace
Mahatma Gandhi said, "An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind." But if the recent turn of events is any indication, the Mahatma’s words of wisdom have been long forgotten. Violence in the name of religion is perhaps the biggest threat to our world today. The origins of most acts of terrorism can be traced to religious affiliations. The strategy to combat terrorism on a global scale requires a commitment of a different kind than has …
Ganpati for Peace and Harmony
While for most people Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival to be celebrated with vigour, for the Pitale family, it is an opportunity to educate, enlighten and send a forceful and socially relevant message to the community. Every year during Ganpati, the living room of the Pitale residence at Cherai gets transformed into a mini theatre which exhibits a special show with an unusual theme. In the past they’ve had themes like the secret behind the rainbow, the solar eclipse phenomenon …
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Tagged Events, Feature, Festivals, Rituals, Social/Community Issues
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Bridging the Gap
Urbanisation, modernisation, computerisation and globalisation – the results of advancement in standards of living have both good sides and bad. One of negative manifestations of modern day living is that it is causing a downfall in the popularity of many customs and rituals that have been adhered to for centuries. While some of these rituals have their basis in myths, some others have meaningful motives behind them. Thankfully, there are some among us who do all they can to keep …