A bit (actually too much) of rain, festivals galore, food and a good movie to watch...all in August :)
August has always been a fun month, with lots of colors and festivities around and to add to that this time we saw good amount of rain.
Its been raining continously in Delhi for the last few days! But what a perfect weather to enjoy the hot pakoras (onions/potatos/aubergine/cauliflower etc deep fried in a spicy batter) and chai (masala tea). On such a day, one feels like doing nothing...I did the same thing- which is actually did nothing, sat in my balcony with a hot cup of tea, listened to the birds chirp, saw a squirrel drying herself up after the rains, watched the dogs jump on the parked cars :), just enjoyed everything around..thinking about the celebrations!
The Teej
To kick off the festival season, the first famous festival was Teej. The Teej is an important festival for women, it welcomes monsoon. It also commemorates the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, married women pray to Lord Shiva and Parvati to bless them with happy and long married life like theirs. The swings are decked with flowers and hung from trees, women dressed in green clothes make merry and sing songs. Women apply henna to their hands and feet, get dressed up, and parade around. Women perform traditional folk dance dressed in green colored clothes and sing beautiful Teej songs while enjoying their sway on swings bedecked with flowers. Artists such as folk singers and dancers follow the procession.
Teej is not only about the visual feast, but one gets to relish the food specially cooked during Teej like Ghevar and dal baati churma etc..
Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan
Raksha bandhan has been celebrated in the same way with the same traditions for many years. Only the means have changed with the changing lifestyle to make the celebration more elaborate and lively. This day has an inherent power that pulls the siblings together. The increasing distances evoke the desire to be together even more. The joyous meeting, the rare family get-together, that erstwhile feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood calls for a massive celebration.
Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan is another important Hindu festival, sisters tie a Rakhi (a beautifully crafted and decorated thread) on the right wrist of their brothers as a reminder of love and protection. The brother vows to take care of his sister and in return offers her gifts and sweets. The festival is a wonderful way of bringing the family closer together.
The entire family gets together on this day and all the cousins sisters also tie rakhi to their cousin brothers. Girls are dressed in beautiful, colorful dresses.
India's independence day
Independence Day is a day when people in India pay homage to their leaders and those who fought for India's freedom in the past. The period leading up to Independence Day is a time when major government buildings are illuminated with strings of lights and the tricolor flutters from homes and other buildings. Broadcast, print and online media may have special contests, programs, and articles to promote the day. Movies about India's freedom fighters are also shown on television.
Many people spend the day with family members or close friends. They may eat a picnic in a park or private garden, go to a film or eat lunch or dinner at home or in a restaurant. Other people go kite flying or sing or listen to patriotic songs.
Krishna Janmashtami
The festival of Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Govinda, commemorates the birthday of Lord Krishna. An extremely fun part of the festival involves people climbing on each other and forming a human pyramid to try and reach and break open clay pots filled with curd, which have been strung up high from buildings.
Movie to watch out this season http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY3qfhYPJSI
BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG telling the true story of the "Flying Sikh" - world champion runner and Olympian Milkha Singh. Played by acclaimed actor Farhan Akhtar, Singh overcame the bloody massacre of his family, civil war during the India-Pakistan partition, and homelessness to become one of India's most iconic athletes. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is an engaging, engrossing, inspirational biopic based on the life of the Flying Sikh, Milkha Singh. Every moment of this 3 hour long movie is a tribute to what great heights a man can reach with determination and a fierce inner desire to excel.
Destination of the month: Jaipur, Rajasthan
Jaipur- the city of victory - a fantasy in pink stone and the capital of Rajasthan state. Jaipur (known as the Pink City), was the stronghold of a clan of rulers whose three hill forts and series of palaces in the city are important attractions. Known as the Pink City because of the colour of the stone used exclusively in the walled city, Jaipur's bazaars sell embroidered leather shoes, blue pottery, tie and dye scarves and other exotic wares. Western Rajasthan itself forms a convenient circuit, in the heart of the Thar desert which has shaped its history, lifestyles and architecture
http://jaipur.nic.in/Tourist.htm
August has always been a fun month, with lots of colors and festivities around and to add to that this time we saw good amount of rain.
Its been raining continously in Delhi for the last few days! But what a perfect weather to enjoy the hot pakoras (onions/potatos/aubergine/cauliflower etc deep fried in a spicy batter) and chai (masala tea). On such a day, one feels like doing nothing...I did the same thing- which is actually did nothing, sat in my balcony with a hot cup of tea, listened to the birds chirp, saw a squirrel drying herself up after the rains, watched the dogs jump on the parked cars :), just enjoyed everything around..thinking about the celebrations!
The Teej
To kick off the festival season, the first famous festival was Teej. The Teej is an important festival for women, it welcomes monsoon. It also commemorates the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, married women pray to Lord Shiva and Parvati to bless them with happy and long married life like theirs. The swings are decked with flowers and hung from trees, women dressed in green clothes make merry and sing songs. Women apply henna to their hands and feet, get dressed up, and parade around. Women perform traditional folk dance dressed in green colored clothes and sing beautiful Teej songs while enjoying their sway on swings bedecked with flowers. Artists such as folk singers and dancers follow the procession.
Teej is not only about the visual feast, but one gets to relish the food specially cooked during Teej like Ghevar and dal baati churma etc..
Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan
Raksha bandhan has been celebrated in the same way with the same traditions for many years. Only the means have changed with the changing lifestyle to make the celebration more elaborate and lively. This day has an inherent power that pulls the siblings together. The increasing distances evoke the desire to be together even more. The joyous meeting, the rare family get-together, that erstwhile feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood calls for a massive celebration.
Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan is another important Hindu festival, sisters tie a Rakhi (a beautifully crafted and decorated thread) on the right wrist of their brothers as a reminder of love and protection. The brother vows to take care of his sister and in return offers her gifts and sweets. The festival is a wonderful way of bringing the family closer together.
The entire family gets together on this day and all the cousins sisters also tie rakhi to their cousin brothers. Girls are dressed in beautiful, colorful dresses.
India's independence day
Independence Day is a day when people in India pay homage to their leaders and those who fought for India's freedom in the past. The period leading up to Independence Day is a time when major government buildings are illuminated with strings of lights and the tricolor flutters from homes and other buildings. Broadcast, print and online media may have special contests, programs, and articles to promote the day. Movies about India's freedom fighters are also shown on television.
Many people spend the day with family members or close friends. They may eat a picnic in a park or private garden, go to a film or eat lunch or dinner at home or in a restaurant. Other people go kite flying or sing or listen to patriotic songs.
Krishna Janmashtami
The festival of Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Govinda, commemorates the birthday of Lord Krishna. An extremely fun part of the festival involves people climbing on each other and forming a human pyramid to try and reach and break open clay pots filled with curd, which have been strung up high from buildings.
Movie to watch out this season http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY3qfhYPJSI
BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG telling the true story of the "Flying Sikh" - world champion runner and Olympian Milkha Singh. Played by acclaimed actor Farhan Akhtar, Singh overcame the bloody massacre of his family, civil war during the India-Pakistan partition, and homelessness to become one of India's most iconic athletes. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is an engaging, engrossing, inspirational biopic based on the life of the Flying Sikh, Milkha Singh. Every moment of this 3 hour long movie is a tribute to what great heights a man can reach with determination and a fierce inner desire to excel.
Destination of the month: Jaipur, Rajasthan
Jaipur- the city of victory - a fantasy in pink stone and the capital of Rajasthan state. Jaipur (known as the Pink City), was the stronghold of a clan of rulers whose three hill forts and series of palaces in the city are important attractions. Known as the Pink City because of the colour of the stone used exclusively in the walled city, Jaipur's bazaars sell embroidered leather shoes, blue pottery, tie and dye scarves and other exotic wares. Western Rajasthan itself forms a convenient circuit, in the heart of the Thar desert which has shaped its history, lifestyles and architecture
http://jaipur.nic.in/Tourist.htm
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