India Republic Day Celebrations

Republic Day is one of the most important national festivals, celebrated with great pomp and show. India became a republic on the 26th of January, 1950. It is considered to be a remarkable day in the history of India. The nation celebrates it with great enthusiasm. From parades, accolades and various other programs to speeches by national leaders, Indian Republic Day celebrations have it all.

Republic Day in India:

You must be wondering how India celebrates its Republic Day. The dreams of several national leaders like Gandhiji and Pandit Nehru came to light on the 26th of January, 1950.

A memorable day in the Indian history, citizens celebrate Republic Day with great gusto. Delhi however, is the home of the best Republic Day celebration in the country. The martyrs of the struggle for Indian freedom, and other wars, are given respect at the Amar Jyoti. Parades, colorful state processions, and programs by school children take place at the Rajghat. The Army, Navy and Air Force also play a major role in the Republic Day celebrations by performing air jet shows, acrobats and artillery shows.

Parades however are the star attraction of the celebration. A colorful display of puppets, and men and women dressed in traditional attire, highlights the Republic Day parades in Delhi. Other parts of India also participate with great zeal. Various musical, dance, sports and theatrical programs are held in different parts of the country, like in Maharashtra, Bihar, Punjab and Chennai.

Every corner of the country gets into the patriotic mood and rejoices on this day of national importance by watching parades on television, and visiting historical places and Republic Day special fairs.

Since it a national holiday, you can plan your day well and visit government monuments and important places that are decorated grandly for the occasion. Republic Day is not only for the dreamers who lost their lives for the country’s freedom and honor, but also for the future builders, who can dream greater things for their free and democratic country: India.

About Pongal

Come January, North Indians gear up for “Lohri" celebration, Assamese get busy enjoying the “Bhogali Bihu”, Telegus of Andhra Pradesh rejoice “Makar Sankranti" festival, Gujaratis keenly await for the  festival to fly kites “Uttarayan”, and religious Tamilians get in the festive mood of “Pongal”. As per the Gregorian calendar, Pongal is celebrated on 15th January each year. It is the “harvest festival” exclusively celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, parts of Andhra Pradesh and Pondicherry. The Pongal celebration coincides with the traditional epiphany celebrations of the Tamil Catholics.

What is the history of Pongal?

Historical Evidences: The first celebration of Pongal dates back to the Sangam Age which lasted from 200 B.C. to 300 A.D. In Sanskrit Puranas, Pongal has been clearly mentioned as the Dravidian Harvest festival. During the rule of the Pallavas between 4th to 8th Century AD, people celebrated 'Pavai Nonbu' at the time of Thai Niradal. Young girls offered prayer for rain and prosperity of the country. Throughout the month of Margazhi (from December to January), they observed penance by avoiding milk and milk based products, refrained from oiling their hair and using harsh words while communicating. Womenfolk worshipped the idol of Goddess Katyayani made of wet sand. They ended their ritual on the first day of the month of Thai (January-February). It was believed that their penance brought abundant rains necessary to flourish the paddy fields. These ancient rituals and traditions gave birth to the Pongal celebration.

Mythological Stories: According to Puranas, Lord Shiva requested his bull, Nandi, to visit the earth-dwellers and request humans to take bath each day and eat only once every month. Unintentionally, Nandi made a mistake and declared that mortals should consume food daily and perform oil bath only one time in a month. This blunder angered Lord Shiva. He banished Basava from Kailash and cursed him to survive on the earth forever as a ploughing bull that would toil hard in the fields and assist people to produce more crops. Thus, Pongal celebration is associated with cattle. Another legend says that, Lord Krishna in his childhood angered Lord Indra (king of all deities). Mischievous Krishna prevented all his cowherds from worshipping Lord Indra. As a consequence, Lord Indra sent thunderstorms and clouds. It rained continuously for 3 days. Lord Krishna lifted the gigantic Govardhan Parvat with his little finger to protect innocent humans and animals from the devastating storm and flood. Lord Indra realized his mistake and begged for Lord Krishna’s forgiveness. Krishna decided to honor Indra. Thus, this day gave the birth to the Pongal celebration.

How is Pongal celebrated?

The word Pongal means “boiling over". It is the time to celebrate prosperity and offer thanksgiving to the rain and sun gods, earth, nature, animals and all those things that helped to achieve that good harvest. The Tamil harvest festival lasts for four days and each day has a special significance. 

The first day is known as 'Bhogi Pongal'. This day is observed to honor “Lord Indram - the Deity of Clouds and Rains". All houses are cleaned and whitewashed. Doorways are decorated with “Kolam". A special religious ceremony is performed before paddy harvesting. Crop growers worship the deities by smothering their sickles and ploughs with sandalwood and turmeric paste. These worshipped tools are used to cut newly harvested crops. In the evening, a special ritual called Bhogi Mantalu is performed. All the old clothes and agricultural wastes are discarded and burnt in a bonfire, marking the "start of a new life". Young girls sing and dance praising the harvest and spring gods. .

The second day 'Surya Pongal' is celebrated to honour the Sun deity. Women wake up early in the morning to draw elaborate 'Kolam (decoration done with coloured rice powder)' on the grounds of their courtyards and doorways.

About Lohri

India is the "Land of Celebration and Festivities". According to the Hindu mythology, there are 3.3 million gods and goddesses. Lohri is one of the most important Hindu festivals celebrated to honour Agni (the Vedic god of fire) at the beginning of the year. Every year, on 13th of January (as per the Gregorian calender), Lohri is celebrated with great pomp and grandeur mainly in Punjab, Haryana, parts of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu. Amidst the freezing temperature accompanied by dense fog and icy winds, North Indians seem to be getting busy with preparations for enjoying the long awaited bonfire festival “Lohri” with traditional folk songs and dances.

What is the history of Lohri? 

Religious Fact:  As per the Hindu calendar, in the mid-January, the earth starts its journey towards the sun bringing end to Paush, the coldest month of the year. According to the Shrimad Bhagawad Gita, Lord Krishna manifests his full divinity during the period of Lohri. A day later, the auspicious Makara Sankranthi helds which marks the end of the winter season. Thousands of Hindus bath in the Ganges to nullify their sins.

Social Fact: Wheat is the main winter crop in the northern parts of India. This winter (rabi) crop is sown in the months of October and harvested in March or April. Farmers and their families celebrate Lohri during January (rest period) before the cutting of crops. Thus, Punjabis and Haryanavis celebrate Lohri as the "harvest festival". Most farmers from rural Punjab consider the day after Lohri as the starting of new financial year. The Sindhi community popularly call Lohri as "Lal loee". On the festive day, children request their grandparents and aunties for wood sticks which are burnt in the bonfire.

How is Lohri celebrated?
o    Lohri Loot: On the morning of Lohri, enthusiastic children dressed in new clothes arrive at the neighbourhood doors singing praise songs on Dulha Bhatti (a legendary Punjabi rebellion alike Robin Hood who led protests against the powerful Mughal emperor Akbar) and asking for generous Lohri 'loot' in the form of money and delicacies such as sesame seeds (til) ladoos, peanuts, jaggery, and traditional sweetmeats like rewri,  gajak etc.
o    Bonfire Ritual: Lohri marks the end of the chilly winter. In the evening, after the sunset, huge logs of woods are gathered and lit in the harvested fields. True-spirited, fun-loving men and women circle around the rising flames, do parikrama (rotate around the bonfire) thrice and toss puffed rice, peanuts, and sweets into the fire, uttering  "Aadar aye dilather jaye (May prosperity arrive and poverty fade away!)". After praying to the fire god (Agni), people meet their relatives and friends to exchange greetings and prasad (offerings made to the fire god).  Hindus pour milk and water around the bonfire. This ritual is performed to honor the Sun God for his warm protection. Traditionally, the offering comprises of five main eateries: roasted sesame seeds, jaggery, gajak, popcorn, and peanuts. Then, sturdy, hearty men beat the dhol (traditional drum) announcing the starting of the festivity. Both energetic men and women dressed in colourful ethnic attire perform Giddha and Bhangra (popular folk dances) circling the bonfire.
o    Welcoming Party: Many wealthy families arrange for  private Lohri celebrations in their houses. Several  rituals are performed to rejoice the birth of a baby or arrival of a new bride. 
o    Dining Feast: Lohri harvest ceremony ends with scrumptious dinner. After merry-making throughout the day, everyone looked forward to the traditional banquet comprising of makki di roti (hand rolled bread made of millet), sarson da saag (cooked mustard greens), and rau di kheer (dessert made of rice and sugarcane juice).

What is Japanese New Year?

The final countdown has begun…
Only few more days to “Osho Gatsu 2013" or “Japanese New Year 2013." This national holiday is the biggest and most important event on the Japanese almanac of annual festivities. From 1873 onwards, 1st January has been adopted as the “Japanese New Year”. Earlier, it was celebrated at the beginning of spring as per Chinese calendar. For winter holidays, schools and universities remain close two weeks before and after the New Year's celebration. Most business-houses, organizations, and establishments remain close from the 30th December through 3rd January. During holidays, many Japanese families travel to their native places to be with their extended families and friends.
How is Japanese New Year celebrated?
Japanese people nurture highly proactive approach in both personal and professional spheres of their life. Hence, it is quite obvious for them to start preparation for the shōgatsu holidays at-least one month ahead. Traditionally, they perform o-souji (cleaning of households or establishments) to welcome New Year in a new, fresh state. Entrance gates of the homes and offices are ornamented with flower wreaths along with bamboo, pine, and plum trees.

Omisoka Ritual: On 31st December eve, a bowl full of long toshikoshi-soba (made from a mixture of buckwheat and wheat flour) is served to the members of the family. This ancient ritual is called Omisoka. The long soba noodles symbolizes longevity. Hence, most Japanese families believe that finishing all toshikoshi-soba would bring a long, rich life. Even today, Japanese people preach that bad luck will follow in the coming year, if you fail to finish all your toshikoshi-soba.
 
Pre New Year Parties: On the last day of the previous year, bonenkai parties ("forget-the-last-year gatherings") are organized with the purpose to leave behind the past year's anxieties, tensions, and troubles. Japanese people view each New Year as an opportunity for a fresh start. In present-day Japan, generation X loves to spend the evening watching popular music shows or television program such as "kohaku uta gassen", featuring some of the Japan's most famous pop singers in spectacular performances.
 
Hatsu-mode Ceremony: January 1 morning (called gantan) is considered to be a very auspicious day. From the dawn, Japanese people dressed in brightly colored kimonos start flocking to Buddhist shrines and Shinto temples to pray for a healthy, prosperous and happy year ahead. This is one of the most important rituals of the year and is known as hatsu-mode. Families, friends and acquaintances greet each other "Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu (wishing you a happy new year ahead full of hope and good health). At the Shinto shrines, worshippers write their wishes/ prayers on wooden placards called ema, or draw paper strips of paper called omikuji from a large wooden box to know prediction of one's fortune for the upcoming year. If a person is lucky to pull out a good omikuji, he or she would safely retain the strip of paper. However, bad omikujis are tied or pinned to a pine tree, with the believe that the bad fortune will be left behind. As a part of New Year celebration, large temple bells are rung at midnight.

Otoshidama Custom: Kids get really busy on Japanese New Year’s morning. They get engaged with traditional games such as kite flying, spinning tops (koma), Japanese card playing (iroha karuta), Japanese badminton (hanetsuki) etc. Sadly, with passing of time, most urban children no longer feel attracted to these  once-popular past-time games. One particular ritual is still continuing with pomp and grandeur. It is called “otoshidama” where kids receive money as gift from parents, relatives, and other adults whom they meet during New Year.

Greeting Card Exchange: Japanese are particularly respectful towards their culture and traditions. Even today, irrespective of Internet boom, Japanese people have preserved their culture of sending New Year’s Postcards (nengajo) to friends and family whom they don’t often meet but eager to exchange news on their well-being. Interestingly, the Japanese postal service is so prompt that the New Year’s Greeting Cards are guaranteed to reach on the 1st of January. Most nengajo features paintings or pictures of Chinese Zodiacal animals.

Gourmet Foods and Wines: Most Japanese are connoisseurs of good foods and rice wines (Sake). In most families, a traditional meal, osechi-ryori is served. Wide array of preserved vegetables and grilled fish packed in lacquer boxes (known as jubako) are served to be eaten over the 3-day holiday period. Authentic osechi-ryori meals comprise of Tai (sea bream) with uni (sea urchin), Kuromame (sweetened and simmered soybeans), Iridori(chicken), Kurikinton(candied sweet potato and chestnuts), Tataki Gobo( burdock's deep roots), Kohaku namasu (carrot and radish salad  with vinegar), Tazukuri (dried sardines), Renkon ( lotus roots) and Kazunoko (herring ovary with eggs). These marvellous super-gourmet boxed meals are accompanied with ozoni (chicken-stock soup with veggies), omochi (fluffy rice cakes) and otoso (sweetened rice wine seasoned with Chinese medicinal herbs).

10 Japanese New Year Messages
•    Time has arrived to say adieu to old pains, tears and worries; Here comes the new beginning that will bring peace, happiness and cheer. Let us welcome the Osho Gatsu 2013!
•    A New Year has just begun...May All Mornings be full of SMILE, All Afternoons be full of  HOPE, All Evenings be full of LOVE, and all Nights be full of PEACE. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013!
•    I prayed to God in highest heaven, To make your heart a permanent place for love, health, peace and joy. Wish you a Happy and Colorful Shogatsu!
•    Just new blooming Sakura blossoms spread blissful and radiant fragrance around…..May the New Year bring a new beauty and freshness in your life. Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu!
•    A New Year has arrived to gift us another chance to get everything right. Cheers, Happy New Year!
•    Let's make resolution not to repeat last year's mistakes and make some new ones. Happy New Year, cutie pie!
•    This New Year, stay away from planning “resolutions” for your life. Enjoy go-with-the-flow days with blasting parties!
•    Let's make a New Year resolution to make-up quickly after a fight. Happy New Year, my loving sweet heart!
•    Honey, Thanks for not laughing at my absurdly irritating behaviours all through 2012. I am feeling extremely optimistic about 2013. Happy New Year, dearie!
•    My simple New Year resolution is to make you loose weight. Akemashite Omedeto, buddy!

Kwanzaa- commemorating African values

Kwanzaa is an elaborate seven-day long harvest festival most popularly celebrated among the African-American communities. Interestingly, this grand festival is commemorated just a day following the Christmas Eve, on December 26. The festivities of this grand day continue till January 1. Essentially, the festival renders an opportunity to the peasants and others to enjoy a plentiful of harvest and at the same time offer their sincerest thanks to the almighty for bestowing their kindness in form of sufficing harvest to the mankind. The name, Kwanzaa, has drawn inspiration from a very popular Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza” which basically means the first and the finest fruit of the harvest taken during the harvest season.

Looking at the historical aspect, the festival came into existence, in the year 1966, with the unrelenting efforts of Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga, a great learned professor with unmatched expertise in black studies. This time of the year was historically popular for some of the most drastic changes taking place in the lives of the suppressed African-Americans. Karenga, during this time, got inspired to honor these changes and pay respect to the efforts of certain blacks for bringing changes in their existence. Ever since then, these historical days are well celebrated and commemorated, every year, in form of this grand Kwanzaa festival.
Each day out of the seven days long celebrations is dedicated to a different principle, which holds tremendous significance among the community people. The principles, briefly include, umoja meaning unity, kujichagulia meaning self-determination, ujima signifying collective responsibility and duties, ujamaa signifying cooperative economics, kuumba significant of creativity, nia giving a sense of living and purpose and imani meaning faith.

Like every other festival, Kwanzaa too is celebrated in its true spirit with family get-together and unity. The celebrations of the grand day take place in church, community center and at home. During the celebrations, the streets, homes and churches are decorated with the auspicious green, black and red colors. These colors were treated as important symbols of the ancient Africa that was reeling under social changes. In particular, the color green is representative of the fertile land, red is significant of the blood that was shed in abundance during the struggle for freedom and the color black is the representative color of the Africans.

Decorations in the houses and the streets are commonly observed during the celebrations of this festival. Apart from these, the women don their traditional kaftans and clothing made of fresh fruits to groove into the spirit of this festival. The above mentioned principles are elaborately discussed by an elderly at home as well as by the father in the church. Further, candle light processions, performances by special artists in churches and community centers are also observed as part of festivities of the day.

Food is yet another attraction of the grand celebrations. Traditional ingredients, especially, sesame seeds, collard greens, peanuts, sweet potato and spicy sauces of sorts are must inclusions in the Kwanzaa dishes. The food is cooked and savored together by families and friends.

Send Beautiful Kwanzaa Cards to your family and loved ones.

Merry Christmas - It's a Celebration Time

We are yet again approaching towards the celebration of one of the biggest festivities of the decade, The Christmas Eve. This year’s Christmas again revives hopes and desires among the Christian followers for a peaceful and blissful new year, 2013. The Christmas celebrations of the year 2012 brings a new wave and passion for the commemoration and celebration of the inimitable lord Jesus’s birth and the advent of his preaching and path all over the world. This day is widely observed as a civil holiday all over the world and is celebrated with much fanfare among both Christians and non-Christians. Taking a quick peek at our historical records, the day December 25 had been chosen to celebrate the auspicious birth event of Lord Jesus, as it corresponded with the day falling exactly nine months after the conception of the lord in his mother’s womb.

The Christmas 2012 promises to bring new excitement and fun, especially for the movie lovers, as some of the most sought-after movies are slated to get released around December 25th. The first and the most awaited one is Life of Pi, releasing on December 20. The movie is based on Yann Martel’s novel, Life of Pi, slated to be the most successful commercial novels of its time. With a credible star-cast, comprising of Irrfan Khan and Tabu, the movie promises to be an out-an-out entertainment package with special effects and sci-fi interventions. The other movie to look for this Christmas is Boxing Day, a Tolstoy adaptation.  The movie unveils an interesting plot about two men lost in the chilly and snowy winter of Colorado. The movie is all set for its release on December 21. Other interesting movies to catch up are Seven Psychopaths and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

Apart from the movies, you can try your hand at some of the most exquisite recipes of Christmas. The heavenly chocolate crackled cookies truly reflect the spirit of Christmas and are well cherished by both youngsters and adults. The recipe of the same is a simple yet delectable amalgamation of chocolate chips, butter, sugar and flour blended together in a tasteful manner! The other recipes to look for this Christmas are peanut butter cookies, gingerbread cake, and Christmas punch. Apart from these desserts, you can experiment and savour a number of Christmas appetizers, soups and salads. As there is no end to creativity, this year, you can show your creative bent in making these traditional dishes more delectable and of course, different.

Remember the trend for this Christmas 2012 is more glitz and glamour in your home decoration! Splurge into more artifacts and decorative that are shiny and glitzy. Decorate your home with sparkling candles, lights, extra-shiny Christmas tree, glamorous pine-cones, paper angels, bells, stars and more.  The idea of an icy and white Christmas décor seems to be the best for celebrating this year’s chilly Christmas. Indulge yourself more into blue and white colors to get the right feel of the wintery Christmas. However, remember to keep it subtle and elegant!

Hanukkah - Festival of Lights!

Hanukkah is one of the most popularly celebrated eight-day long festivals of the American-Jewish community. The festival is commemorated to celebrate the spirit of the re-dedication of the holy temple in Jerusalem, especially after its revolutionary desecration by some illegal Syrian-Greek forces. The festival signifies the spirit of the powerful struggle illuminating in the bosom of every Jew to live his life under the commandments and rules of the God. The festival honors the Jewish way of life and its principles which are literally treasured close to the heart by each and every member of the Jewish community presiding all over the world.

Every year, this grand festival is celebrated on the 25th day of the “Kislev” month, a Hebrew month according to the Jewish calendar. There is no one particular day for celebrating this festival as the Jewish calendar is lunar in nature. As a result, every year, the first day of the festival falls on a different day, however, between the months of November and December. Interestingly, since most of the Jewish population is well settled in Christian societies, the festivities of this grand day are more or less similar to the celebrations of Christmas.

The festival is also known as the festival of lights as the all the streets, houses and churches get enlightened with the brightness of lights and candles. In fact, one of the most unique aspects of the festival which makes it different from Christmas is the lighting of the candelabrum, a unique nine-branched Hanukiah. Since the festival is celebrated for good eight days, the Hanukiah is lit on every night of the eight-day long festival.

The festivities are not considered complete without the spinning of the traditional dreidel, a game which has four sides and Hebrew letters written on each of the sides. Essentially, as per the rules of the games, the letters need to be moved in a way that every turn culminates into a meaningful word. The game is appropriate for playing for both adults as well as children of all the age groups. It is believed that even babies are made part of the game as they utterly enjoy the moving of the spin around its axis.

For the children, Hanukkah holds special importance because of the fun element related to the festival. Apart from playing the Dreidel game, the children get an opportunity to relish the traditional latkes, also known as the potato pancakes and donuts, traditionally called the Sufganiyot. Special books, dedicated on the history and evolution of the festival are published for the children. These books are popularly called the Hanukkah books and are read among children, under the guidance of the adults.

More typically, the festival is celebrated among the family members united together. The festivities are enjoyed with near and dear ones, savouring the customary fried foods, especially the Latkes and donuts.  However, the relatives who are settled in far lands and are unreachable are popularly greeted with the Hanukkah photo cards which carry inspiring messages about the festival.