Baisakhi Festival 2010

Festival Date: 13^th April, 2010

Location: Punjab

Baisakhi is round the corner. So, how's the preparation going on? Sikh Communities residing in different parts of the world are all set to fill the aura with fun and frolic. This year, make a plan to celebrated the auspicious April 13 in Punjab, situated in the northwest part of India. Enthusiasts have already started to decorate their surroundings and folks have started to prepare best to welcome you in the playful Bhangra dance.

Baisakhi festival signifies the commencement of a new 'Rabi Crop' season. The festival depicts the historic saga of Guru Teg Bahadur, the 9^th Sikh Guru. Legend has it that, Guru sacrificed his life to achieve religious rights of Hindus and Sikh. In order to fulfill Guru's lingered dream, Baisakhi Day was declared by his son, Guru Gobind Singh at Keshgarh Sahib 1699.

On the festival day, devotees follow the tradition of taking holy bath and visiting divine Gurudwaras. They read the religious hymns mentioned in 'Guru Granth Sahib and express gratitude to Guru for their successful cropping. Baisakhi commemorates the birth anniversary of Khalsa Panth. Accordingly, Sikhs are ordered to wear five K's- Kesh (long Hair), Kanga (comb), Kripan (dagger), Kachha (shorts) and Kara (bracelet). In order to celebrate the occasion, a traditional 'Karah Prasad' is prepared and grand feast is organized in Langar style.

Besides, rituals and delicious Punjabi festival cuisines, you will find the fun-filled shopping extravaganza in the colorful 'Baisakhi Mela'. The fair ground carries a number of make-shift food stalls and shopping outlets. Cuisines like Makki Ki Rotti, Sarso Ki Saang, Halwa etc are best menus to pamper your taste-buds; while durries, wood work and hand-woven shawls are must buy ones'

So, what are you waiting for? Pack your luggage......'Yaaro Aai Baisakhi'.....

Good Friday Celebration in Goa

Festival Date: 2nd April, 2010.
Location: Goa

The holy Good Friday reflects the crucifixion and death of Lord Jesus Christ. Its a triumph in tragedy, which Catholics has been observing since time immemorial. The Christan festival act as a sense of inspiration to human beings on the Earth. The revered date fall annually on the March/April (according to religious Christian Calendar). Believers, all over the globe takes an opportunity to participate in religious activities, followed by offering services toward mankind.

Goans heartily welcomes Good Friday with gala occasions. The divine Churches in Old Goa are decorated and rituals mark the aura, early on Thursday. Grand feast commemorating the last supper are organized.

On the festival day, devout Christians participate in reading holy lines from the Old and New Testament. Renditions of the passion and suffering of Lord Jesus are sang by the priests. The prayers have deep significance and touch the core of followers heart.

After completion of the first session, the crucifix is uncovered and people in queue, come forward to venerate it. Lastly, 'holy Communion' is distributed to the congregation and the big image of Christ nailed to the cross, is unveiled. Enthusiasts take pride to carry sober procession on open street. The life-size statue of Lord Christ is placed in a casket and are taken out of the churches. Some people dress themselves in old Jewish costumes and take active participation in singing mournful hymns through the streets. Devotees also shoulder a statue of Mother Marry and holy cross, on the procession.

After long hours of procession, followers return to the church and perform the sermon of ' Soledade (solitude). It deals with the saying of Mother Marry, who was standing alone at the foot of the cross and was helplessly watching her son's crucifixion.

Holi Celebration With Rangoli & Party

Unlike past years, Holi celebration, this 2010 followed an uncommon theme. Delhi'ites left no chance to soak in the colors of joy and so did I. I have no strong desire to play with colors, but this time, I could not stop myself from celebrating this popular festival of India

The excitement was announced a few days prior to the festival, when Rangoli competition was conducted by the management team of the company, I'm working with. Though, I was never done with making rangoli with colors, yet it took no time for me to participate in the occasion. Like me, a handsome number of employees took part in the festivity. The intra-competition took place on 26th Feb'10, following playing with gulal on the next day. Imagine! We had celebration carrying the concept of 'chhoti Holi'. Isn't it extra-ordinary?.


Well, this time, festival lovers enjoyed Holi for two consecutive days- Sunday & Monday. In many parts of the India, the auspicious occasion was started from the morning hours of Sunday. Both children and adults took active part to drench themselves and others with the colorful water. Even, quite many times, I was targeted with water-balloons and pichkaris.


As always, festivals in India calls for great galas. People warm up the aura with beating drums and nagadas and sway with the high-pitch tunes. I and close friends of mine arranged a mini-party on the eve of the festival. We had cooked yummy delicacies such as Khujiya, Payasam, Puri, Kachori and Chips and off-course 'Dhandai' (Bhang). The sound- system in my home add to the festival spirit. We had great time tapping feet with the rhythm of 'Rang Barse'. The celebration wind up in the evening hours on Monday.

Noida Organizes Vasant Utsav 2010

Fast Facts

Festival Date: 26th Feb-28th Feb'2010
Significance: National Flower Show
Venue: Noida Stadium, Delhi NCR

Bid adieu to wintry days and get set to welcome the rejuvenating spring season in India. Vasant Utsav 2010 has already started to fuse the fragrance of flower, early on 26^th February and will soon wind up on 28^th February. The auspicious occasion is being organized by the Floriculture Society of Noida in association with Noida Authority.

Vasant Utsav presents the brilliant amalgamation of socio-cultural aspects with modern-day science. Participants from Corporates Schools, Colleges, Residential Societies, Clubs, Factories, Community Centre parks et al, situated in Delhi and NCR region have engage themselves to showcase their skills.

Scheduled Programmes in Vasant Utsav 2010

Events: Circuit Design (9: 30 AM to 11: 30 AM)

Electronic Puzzle ( 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM)

Date: 26^th February

Events: Robotics (9:30 AM to 11:30 AM)

1 Min Game (2:00 PM to 3:15 PM)

Workshop (3:30 PM to 5:30 PM)

Date: 27^th February

Events: Poster Presentation (9:30 AM to 1:30 PM)

Date: 28^th February

Besides the technical programmes, an array of cultural activities are expected to blow magic in the festival ground. Presentation of song, dance, music and dramas will depict the vibrancy of Indian society. The festival will also unfurl the color of Holi in the form of Rangoli, Painting and Mehendi competitions. Further, Vasant Utsav, this year, may enlist the programme of tree plantation.

Valentine's Day....Celebrate Love and Care

Date: February 14. (forget about the year)
Time: 6 pm.
Venue: An over crowded coffee joint.

A boy and a girl (both in their early 20s) are seen in one of the corner tables. The air was filled with glee, giggles and soft cozy music. Our couple seemed to be having a superb time with each other. The clock stroke 7 and they come out of the cafe to enjoy a walk down the outskirts of the town. After a brief but warm stroll, the guy drops the the girl home. As they part, the girl just smiled and said to the boy- “Thank you”. The guy couldn't make out why all of a sudden she thanked him, but her smile was enough to make his day a pearl to preserve. On the other hand, the girl was pleased about the fact that it was the same day a year ago when the boy quit smoking on her insistence....

The festival of love and intimacy is zooming forward and the celebrations have pushed the accelerator peddle. The immortal story of St. Valentine and how he sacrificed his life for only love's sake is said to be the origin of this wonderful day. Like love knows no bounds, Valentine day also is observed all across the globe. Isn't it sublime to have a day like this in today's world of chaos and calamity?

In India, skeptics always find fault with everything, they relate it to the so-called invasion of the foreign culture. Some even argue over the commercial side of Valentine's Day. Fine, it seems to carry a hidden commercial agenda, but it is propagated by a certain class of people who sees business everywhere. But why to minimize the significance of the day? It is a time to celebrate the feeling of loving and being loved. The truth is, these hypocrites are afraid of anything that unites people, spreads love and care.

Despite this, Valentine's Day has now become a widely recognized and celebrated day with Indian people. This romantic festival is a relatively new concept in India but has caught the fancy of people to a great extent.

Fortunately for the world we live in, love doesn't seem to fed away. Lets see Valentine's Day beyond the college campuses and hip cafes and food joints. Fact is, all of us – beyond age barriers and social strata, need love to get through this tough and unfair life. No matter how strong one claims to be, deeper within he/she also craves for love and care at one point or the other. We need someone to listen to our silence, to allow us to be ourselves and the assurance that this person will always be by our side.

...Being in love doesn't always have to be a mutual feeling, If you find someone who gets stuck in your heart, you can and you should celebrate it. And what better time than Feb 14? Take a dip into your soul and ask the question and when you will find the answer, this Valentine's Day will never be the same...

Surajkund Mela, 2010....Internationally acclaimed event of India

The coveted and immensely popular Surajkund Mela is flagged off on February 1^st, 2010 at Surajkund in Haryana. The opening ceremony saw the gracious presence of the Vice-President of India, Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Governor of Haryana, Jagnnath Pahadia, Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and a a bevy of other dignitaries. Besides that, a group of 25 delegates from Sri Lanka visited the fair with a purpose to counterfeit it in Sri Lanka. This edition of the fair sees Tajikistan as the partner country and Rajasthan is decided to be the Theme State.

The origin of the fair goes back to 1981 and since then it has proven to be a significant dais for Indian craftsmen and artistes to showcase their creations to a larger audience and prospective buyers. Surajkund mela gives exposure to various forms of handicrafts from different states of India. Some of them are- Lace and crochet from Goa, Phulkari embroidery of Punjab, Kantha work of West Bengal and North Eastern states, Banjara and Bunni embroidery of Gujarat, Sandalwood and rosewood carving of South India and Chikri woodcraft of Kashmir.

Surajkund fair accommodates special arrangements for Folk dances and folk music on the open theatre providing entertainment of a different type. Gourmets love this event as varieties of delicacies are there to be tasted.

Countries like Thailand, Egypt and SAARC members will participate in the 2010 edition. Keeping in accordance with the theme, the fair accommodates abundance of stuff that are very much Rajasthani in nature and taste. Handloom, handicrafts and cuisines are not all that Surajkund Mela offers, it will also display folk dances such as Kaal Belia (Rajasthan), Siddi Goma (Gujarat) and Brij Ki Holi and Charkula (Uttar Pradesh) and not to forget the Egyptian Tannoura Dance and Thai Traditional dances. School students can take part in different competitions like essay-writing, face painting and Rangoli etc.

Feeling hungry?...Run to the Burger Fest...

Burger, the very mention of this word creates the picture of a ball like food item that has ignited the appetite of the gourmets from a long time. An import from the West, burger soon made way to the homes of Indian customers and has occupied a significant place in their minds when it comes to eating something handy and heavy (nobody cares about the calories issue when a burger is in front of them asking to be eaten up!)

New Delhi is always known for its food varieties, be it the famous street chaat or the indigenous food joints scattered around the city with fame and glory. Well, latest addition to the list of this food happy city is the ongoing Burger Fest in News Cafe Vasant Kunj. This ten day event starting from Feb 01, 2010 and ending on Feb 10, 2010 is set to allure a massive number of foodies.

Here a visitor will not only witness an extended range of burgers, but also gets the fitting accompaniment of myriad shakes, wine, beer and cocktail. Some of the noteworthy items to be displayed are Hand cut Fries, Coleslaw, South West Chilly, and Sensational Salads. If you are already feeling the cramp in your belly, hold on, more coming up- Mushroom Burger with Swiss Cheese, South West Burger with fried jalapenos and chipotle sauce, Curry Lamb Burger with spicy ketchup, California Chicken Burger with zesty salsa, Chilly Gorgonzola Chicken Burger and so on.

Don't you think it is enough to fuel you up to rush to the hub of burgers and feast upon these delicious creations of modern fast food? And we all know, there is always a room for one more burger... :)

19th New Delhi World Book Fair ...a place to be

Of all the million quotes on books and readings that the thought leaders have put forward down the decades, one coming from Franz Kafka is at once simple and significant. The creator of The Metamorphosis observes “A book must be an ice-Axe to break the seas frozen inside our soul”. How correct he was!

Reading habit of the Indians has undergone a tremendous change with the passage of time. Readers are definitely growing in number and profile. Apart from all the reasons behind this development, the role of Book Fairs also can not be ignored.

New Delhi has earned a reputation of being one of the hubs for book lovers with numerous publishing houses and a bulk of readers. Adding to its name and fame, this year also New Delhi is hosting the The 19th edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF).

This mega event starting from 30 January and ending on 7 February 2010 is organized by National Book Trust, India (NBT). Held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, this fair happens to be the largest Book Fair in the Afro-Asian region.

This time the theme of the fair is decided as "Reading for Common Wealth" keeping a close association with the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi in October 2010. The theme Pavilion will be decorated with Seven hundred titles published by around 75 publishers on different genres of sports.

A joint effort by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and Federation of Indian Publishers, this fair allures millions of book-lovers from all over the country. The current edition will see participants from the US, China, UAE, Iran, Pakistan and many other countries.

Incidentally, New Delhi is presently blessed with a pleasant climate with warm sun shine and soothing breeze. So folks, you definitely know where you should plan your weekend...

Goa Wine Festival - Fly away to get flown away...

Goa has always captured the imagination of the new India with its unconventional and not quite like Bharat ways and attitude. Celebrating the glory of anything that is associated with alcohol is enough to raise the eye-brows of many who go gaga over tradition and culture in India. But breaking away from the views of these bigots comes again the Goa Grape Escapade, a wine fiesta that is celebrating its sixth anniversary this year.

Observed under the banner of The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), Goa Grape Escapade is the Indian answer to the coveted Oktoberfest (beer festival of Munich), the famous Australian Beer Festival and many other in its category.

This four day long wine extravaganza starts on January 23, 2010 and is all set to host a bevy of wine manufactures of repute and recognition. Names like Kingfisher Bohemia, Indage Vintners, Four Season wines, Zampa wines and lot more will showcase their vintage collection of liquor in this mega show.

Wine connoisseurs from all over the globe flock to Goa to be a part of this unique event. This Goa wine festival is not only confined to the showcase of the finest wine; it accommodates the hugely popular grape stomping event where guests are requested to crush grapes with their feet to mark the commencement of the celebrations.

I remember reading this quote somewhere: "Making good wine is a skill. Fine wine is an art." Artists and poets are long influenced by the intoxicating creativity of wine. Great wine may make a way through your mind and psyche to bring out the long hidden wishes and half asleep dreams.

Well, I need not spend my words more as the zealots knows it all...

Heritage Pune, 2010

SPIC MACAY and ICCR joins hand to celebrate Indian Culture

Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth, widely and popularly referred to as SPIC MACAY commands a very special and significant mention when it comes to the rich Indian culture and art forms . Since its inception, SPIC MACAY has done a tremendous job in preserving and promoting the composite and diverse cultural bequests of our country to the youth through numerous festivals, events and concerts.

This time around its Pune's turn to get classy and coveted as SPIC MACAY in collaboration with Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) has organized Heritage Pune 2010. The fifteen day extravaganza commences from January 15, 2010 and ends on January 30, 2010. Sticking to the objective of SPIC MACAY, this series will be conducted in over 20 different institutions across the city with almost 40 concerts by 25 prominent artistes from all over the country. Heritage Pune 2010 is a free to all festival without any entry fee.

The festival gets a fitting flag off with a flute recital by none other than Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia at the College of Engineering, Pune. The highlight of the festival is to have an one on one interaction between the students and the artistes on topics like folk culture and art, classical music, theatre, yoga, meditation and so on.

Another aspect related to Heritage 2010, Pune is to showcase these cultural pearls to the foreign students studying in Pune. This will definitely help the process of cultural amalgamation and would facilitate cross cultural interaction.