Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Astrology 31
Fashion 32
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Japan nuclear crisis: Global fears mount International, page 34
Dr Didar Singh, Secretary in MOIA, with Consul General Prabhu Dayal addressing a meeting at the consulate . capacities in various Indian ministries. He is an IAS Officer of the 1976 batch, same as the Consul Generals. Amb. Dayal and Dr Didar Singh addressed the meeting at the Consulate which was well attended by community leaders and the press. The two also took questions from the audience. Continued on page 6...
Protesters celebrate in Tobruk after a UN resolution authorizing a 'no-fly' zone and military attacks on Gaddafi's forces. two key conditions the NATO asked for before it would enter the fray against Muammar Gaddafi's forces. In an unusual action, the council authorized not only organizations but also indi Continued on page 6...
New Delhi: Prime one from the Congress Minister Manmohan party or the government Singh Friday went on the indulged in any unlawoffensive against allegaful act during the trust tions that MPs had been vote during July 2008,' bribed to win the 2008 he said in the Lok parliamentary trust vote Sabha, a day after the and denied any wrongopposition demanded doing as stated in the his immediate resigna'unverified and unverifition over the alleged Manmohan Singh 2008 cash-for-votes able' WikiLeaks cables. Stoutly defending his govern- scam that resurfaced with a newsment, he spoke at the India Today paper publishing the WikiLeaks Conclave and then made identical cables. statements in the two houses of 'The government rejects that alleparliament. gation absolutely and firmly,' he 'I wish to make it clear that no Continued on page 6...
Riots in Pak after PM denies WikiLeaks on Davis buys cash-for-MP-votes scam Lahore: Riots broke out freedom
on the streets of Pakistan following release of double murder-accused CIA contractor Raymond Davis after a 'bloodmoney' deal, and hundreds of protesters attempted to attack the US Consulate building in Lahore on Wednesday. Police wielded batons, fired warning shots and resorted to tear-gas shelling to control the mob at the consulate, The Nation reported. Davis' release sparked
Raymond Davis was accused in double murder countrywide angry protests, and a large number of protesters mostly belonging to reli Continued on page 6...
Mukesh Ambani Charles O. Holliday, Jr said in a press statement Wednesday. "It is a privilege and a great honor for me, as the Continued on page 6...
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano called on NIFA to use their power to stop automatic pay increases Mangano. These cuts will affect every area of the County and the services we provide. Thats unfortunate, yet necessary in the face of
Vinod Jain (left) and his wife Poonam Jain with the poets Surendra Sharma and Arun Gemini.
Taped call suggests Rajat Gupta told Rajaratnam about Goldman plans
New York: Rajat Gupta , a former Indian American Goldman Sachs director, told hedge fund tycoon Raj Rajaratnam the investment bank was considering buying a commercial bank, according to a wiretapped telephone conversation played in court. In a July 29, 2008 conversation played Tuesday in a New York court, where Rajaratnam, co-founder of the hedge fund Galleon Group, is on trial, Gupta told him Goldman was weighing an acquisition of either Wachovia or American International Group (AIG). Rajaratnam, working from his Greenwich, Connecticut, home that day, told Gupta that he was meeting with Gary D. Cohn, the president of Goldman, later in the week. He asked Gupta about a rumor that Goldman might look to buy a commercial "This was a big discussion at a board meeting," Gupta said on the taped call. "And, you know, it was, uh, a divided discussion in the board." Goldman was bearish on commercial banks, he said, but the board was "opportunistic" and if Wachovia "was a good deal they'd go and buy Wachovia." Gupta also said that the board was weighing the acquisition of an insurance business, including AIG. "Yes, AIG was in the discussion mix," he said. Ultimately, Gupta concluded, "I would be extremely surprised" if there was "anything imminent." The detailed discussion of Goldman's board meeting is the first time the government has disclosed specific comments made by Gupta to Rajaratnam about the bank's internal dealings. Rajaratnam and Gupta are also heard discussing former Indian American McKinsey & Co. partner Anil Kumar, prosecution's star witness in the biggest US insider-dealing trial in decades.
Internationally acclaimed Violin maestro Dr. L Subramaniam (inset) along with his son Ambi Subramaniam presented a 90-minute Carnatic music concert at the UN ECOSOC chamber on behalf of the Permanent Mission of India to the U.N. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, UN First Lady, Indian Ambassador to the United Nations Hardeep Singh Puri, his deputy Manjeev Singh Puri and an array of diplomats from many nations and sat through the entire concert and gave a standing ovation at the end to the violin virtuoso.
Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info
it is, he said. Evacuation of Indians from Japan has not been required, he said. He also pointed to the creation of a welfare fund for Indians living abroad for any contingency, for which provision has been made in 120 Indian missions. Stating that many initiatives of his ministry have been the outcome of discussions at PBDs, Dr Didar Singh mentioned the merging of the PIO-OCI card and clarified how NRIs (not those who have taken foreign citizenship) can exercise their restored voting rights by self-registering back home in a PM Manmohan Singh story from page 3 said, adding: 'It is unfortunate that the opposition continues to raise old charges that have been debated, discussed and rejected by the people of India.' The prime minister later read out the same statement in the Rajya Sabha. But the opposition was far from satisfied and both houses had to be adjourned over the clamor for clarifications on the statement. Hitting out at the opposition for giving 'dignity' to an 'unverified communication', he referred to Congress victory in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and said: 'Upon Raymond davis story from page 3 gious and opposition political parties - converged outside the Lahore Press Club soon after the local media flashed the news. Tehrik-e-Insaaf and Jamaat-iIslami activists were leading the protests as they blocked the busy road by setting tyres on fire, creating a traffic mess in the highly sensitive and busy location of the city. As the angry protesters tried to constituency in which the address on their passports falls. Officially the Toronto conclave is called PBDCanada2011 and its theme is Building Bridges: Positioning Strategies for the Indian Diaspora. It is co-sponsored by FICCI and ASSOCHAM. MOIA has appointed the IndoCanada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) as the nodal agency for it. Those wishing to attend can register at ICCC.org . Mini PBDs have been held in the past in New York (2007), Singapore (2008), The Hague (2009) and Durban (2010). PBDCanada2011s the conclusion of the term of the 14th Lok Sabha, there was a general election. In that general election, the opposition parties repeated their allegations of bribery in the trust vote.' Both BJP and Left parties suffered losses, but Congress improved its tally. As per WikiLeaks cables payoffs had been made to MPs to ensure a majority for the Congress-led government in the confidence vote following differences over the IndiaUS nuclear deal in 2008. A US diplomat was told Rs.50-60 crore was kept aside by the Congress party to get some opposition members of the Lok Sabha on board attack the US consulate, dozens of them sustained injuries as the police resorted to baton-charge to disperse the mob. The surrounding of the press club turned into battlefield as the protesters - who were chanting full-throat slogans against the Pakistan government and US authorities, terming the release as an attack on the country's sovereignty - pelted stones and water bottles at the policemen.
Happy Holi
Libya story from page 3 vidual countries working together to use "all necessary means" to take action to end Gaddafi's military crackdown on civilian protesters. India abstained from the UNSC vote (passed 10:0 with 5 abstentions)) out of a concern that the measures may not worsen the Libyan people's woes. The announcement of a Libyan ceasefire came after the international community Friday began discussing all measures, including military action, against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces to enforce a no-fly zone. The US and European officials said air attacks against Gaddafi's forces were possible "within hours", according to the Wall Street Journal.
SoS members playing with colors, celebrating Holi with Fun & Food at the Science of Spirituality (SoS) Center, Amityville, NY. Celebrations on Wednesday included a message from Sant Rajendra Singh Maharaj on spiritual awareness, meditation, as well as a cultural program by young members and ghazal recital.
Kalpana Patel (middle), President-CEO of Unique Comp Inc., Long Island City, NY, received 2011 Enterprising Women of the Year Award instituted by Enterprising Women magazine. The award she received last week at Boca Raton, Florida was in the category of $5-10 million sales in 2010. Unique Comp Inc offers IT and engineering services. Mukesh Ambani story from page 3 first non-American citizen to join the board of one of the world's largest financial institutions" said Ambani. Ambani, who figured among the top 10 on the Forbes billionaire list in 2011, owns RIL, India's largest private business enterprise with $44.6 billion in annual revenues and over $70 billion in market capitalization. RIL recently announced that it was entering into a joint venture with British Petroleum that operate various oil refineries and has assets in India.
IACS organizes meet with Homeland Nayan Parikh is new SIAEA president Security and Preparedness
New Jersey: Prominent South Asian community members met up with the officers of Homeland Security and Preparedness in Edison here organized by the Indo American Cultural Society Inc. Anne Kriegner working as Assistant Deputy Director, Operation told the guests, The training of law enforcement and other individuals tasked with homeland security and emergency preparedness will be shared in temples, church, Gurudwaras, schools or colleges in conjunction with multiple partners in state and local government. The Task Force issued several recommendations to improve the security at the states colleges and universities also. John Paige, an investigator in special tasks said, Federal and state local homeland security, law enforcement and emergency management maintain a
Newly sworn in SIAEA president Nayan Parikh (5th from left) with CG Prabhu Dayal (6th from left) with other dignitaries present on the occasion South Asian community leaders with OHSP members close working relationship with the Newark and Philadelphia FBI Offices. If you observe suspicious behavior, or someone asking for suspicious chemicals, weapons or someone having killing thoughts must be brought to our knowledge for proper handling of the person or situation. Leaders from audience asked many tough questions related to Homeland Security and Preparedness and mistreatment of South Asian community at airports in particular and many places in different part of the country and stressed the need of sensitivity training to Law Enforcement Officials and majority community. Any suspicious activity can be reported on toll free number and 24-hour terrorism tip line 1-866-4SAFE-NJ and a newly established email address tips@njhomelandsecurity.gov. Edison, NJ: Leading professionals, public officials and community leaders cheered and applauded as youthful and energetic Nayan Parikh took oath of office as the newly elected president of Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects (SIAEA), the representative body of engineers and architects of Indian origin. The swearing in ceremony was organized at Miraj Banquet hall in Edison, NJ. Ambassador Prabhu Dayal, Consul-General of India in New York, administered the oath of office to Parikh who took over as president for a two year term. Parikhs entire team of executive committee comprising of president-elect Mihir Patel, vice president Ketan Shah, secretary Samir Shah and Treasurer Shishir Agarwal also took oath of their offices. Ambassador Dayal congratulated Parikh for taking over as the president of the society. He expressed his compliments to the society for its accomplishment as a uniting force in the Indian American community. You have played an important role in strengthening relations between the people of India and the USA, he said. He expressed his confidence in the leadership of Parikh. Mayor John E. McCormac of Woodbridge Township and Mayor Antonia "Toni" Ricigliano, of Edison Township attended the event to express their support to Parikh on his election as president of the society. Special awards were presented to three society members at the ceremony. They were Rajiv Bhagat, for his excellent work in producing newsletters, Vinod Devgan, for successfully and efficiently running several key committees, such as, Jugaad Exhibition, Election and Scholarship and Yatish Sharma, for being a very proactive Secretary with innovative ideas.
Niki and Viren Bhatt perform main pooja "Gayatri Mantra Lekhan Sadhana" and invited all temples and spiritual organizations in USA and Canada to participate. Special announcement was made for starting of Sunday Bal Sanshkar Shaal at this Gayatri Chetana Center from March 6, 2011. Mohan Gupta is facilitating the curriculum and planning of this program. Mohan introduced the teachers for the Bal Sanskar Shaala Neha Vaidhya, Niki Bhatt, Pragya Sharma, Rohita Bhatt, Bhumika Dave and Sashank Patil.
DIASPORA
Tosha Thakkar large, black, cloth suitcase. The case was mentioned briefly in the Burwood Local Court Monday. Stani-Reginald is alleged to have murdered Thakkar last Wednesday. He was arrested Friday night and charged for Thakkar's murder, the media report said. About 20 friends and family members of Thakkar, who had been living in Australia to study accounting,
BJP MPs show the wads of cash they had allegedly been bribed on July 22, 2008, the day the Manmohan Singh government faced the trust vote. "Kapur showed the embassy employee two chests containing cash and said that around Rs.50-60 crore (about $25 million) was lying around the house for use as pay-offs," according to the leaked cable. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said the issue had "shamed Indian democracy". She mocked the government saying "all this has taken place right under the nose of a so-called honest prime minister". This has come to light now, she said, recalling that three BJP MPs had brought cash to the house in 2008 during the trust vote. But then speaker Somnath Chatterjee had ordered an inquiry against them instead of taking cog-
Sadiq Batcha, a close aide of disgraced former communication minister A. Raja. CBI officials visited Batcha's house and carried out investigations. Police officers said Batcha hanged himself with a rope on a hook used to tie a baby cradle. According to police, Batcha left behind a suicide note asking his wife S. Reha Banu to forgive him. He also requested his brother-inlaw to take care of his family. Batcha's wife has said her husband was under pressure because of the CBI's investigation into the spectrum scandal and the media spotlight on him.
CIA security contractor Raymond Davis was let off after paying 'blood money' to the kin of two people he had allegedly shot. law, and requested the court to invalidate the decision and direct the authorities to initi-
10
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
By Parveen Chopra
T
Holi is unabashedly paganistic and can only be celebrated in a group, bigger the better.
Bonfires, originating from the Holika myth, commemorate the victory of good over evil, like Diwali, the other biggest Indian festival besides Holi.
here is no other country in the world other than India with a calendar so choc-a-bloc with festivals and celebrations. Some are pan-Indian, and some regional or hyperlocal. They run the entire gamut of lifereligious, cultural, social, seasonal, pagan. A common element is the communitys coming together and boisterous participation, the other is a respite from routine life and tedium of work. Diwali and Holi remain the two biggest Indian festivals. But while Diwali has a more pious, religious tinge, and could be observed in quiet in the confines of home, Holi is unabashedly paganistic and can only be celebrated in a group, bigger the better. The idea is to make merry eating, drinking, singing, dancing. Intoxicants are no taboo. Smearing others with gulal, dousing them in colored waterare all meant to break down boundaries: physical,
tips to prevent damage to skin, eyes and hair due to chemicals. This festival was traditionally celebrated using natural colored extracts from seasonal herbs. However gradually, synthetic colors and dyes, most of which contain a cocktail of dangerous chemicals, came in vogue. Now again organic or natural colors are available, choose them.
Hair care
-If possible, cover your hair. Make use of a hat or cap as a protection against hard-to-rinse dyes. -Use hair gel so colors do not stick on your hair and can be washed off easily later. Rinse your hair with a mild shampoo as early as possible but dont keep on washing them again and again.
Skin Care
- Use natural/skin friendly and herbal colors or the ones made by reputed companies using natural products. -Wear clothes that cover the maximum part of your body. -Apply waterproof sunscreen on all exposed body parts. - Trim your nails properly .Use a thick coat of nail paint on the nails and put Vaseline under the nail edges. - After Holi, use warm water and moisturizing soap to scrub the colors off. Use a baby oil to gently massage off the leftover color. Follow this up with lots of moisturiser, especially one that is meant for sensitive skin to correct dryness.
General Tips
- Avoid running and jumping on wet floors, you can slip and injure yourself. Your bones are especially vulnerable. - Avoid too much indulgence in bhang, alcohol or food to avoid a bad day ahead. - Do not drive if you are high on alcohol or bhang for your and other road users safety.
Eye Care
Eyes are extremely vulnerable to harmful chemicals in colors. Water balloons can also injure eyeballs, especially in children. -Make sure that colors do not get inside your eyes. If they do, immedi ately
earing old white clothes on Holi is passe. With people becoming increasingly fashion conscious, hot pants, backless blouses and offshoulder tops in vibrant colors have taken a front seat this Holi. Yes, there has been a drastic change in the peoples perception towards Holi, especially the younger generation. They want to have fun but not at the cost of losing the glamour quotient, Delhi-based designer Riddhima Chauhan said. Bollywood plays a major role in inspiring these youngsters to go for the trendy way and what could be a better option than showing the sexy curves in figure-hugging dresses, she added. Holi songs in movies like Mohabbatein, Waqt - Race Against Time and Action Replayy started this trend where Kim Sharma-Shamita Shetty, Priyanka Chopra and Neha Dhupia respectively brought a revolution in the dress code for Holi. Style divas are constantly spotted in body-hugging short dresses to skin hugging tights and transparent fabrics at Holi parties and adding glamour to the celebration of colors. Light colored tunics matched with multi-colored pajamis or ankle length trousers, with chiffon dupattas, are some of the trends in vogue. Not only young girls but
also married women are trying to get away from their traditional look; so the demand for saris with halter neck and backless blouses has increased, Delhi-based designer Meera Gupta said. Mumbai-based designer Digvijay Singh, said: Skin show is something not too many mind on this occasion. No matter what you wear, eventually you will get drenched, he said. For Deeksha Aggarwal, a young girl pursuing her B. Com (H) from Delhi University, its all about how you mix both the cultures together. With the changing times, skinrevealing garments are no longer
the point of discussion. And this is the reason why I am going to wear a Rajasthani lehenga that I will team with a stylish and sexy choli. I will not only manage to keep my parents happy but will also set a trend, she said. So what should trendy people wear this Holi? Holi means a splash of colors, so why stick to the basic white? Colors like raspberry, bubblegum pink, coral, mauve, and electric blue are surely going to make you feel special this Holi. Side cowl, trapeze and tulip can be the best accessories this time, said Divya Gupta, owner of clubwear brand Yell, which offers a special Holi collection.
11
As the brief spring warms the landscape, India cuts loose for a day of boisterous celebration and general hilarity. The festival of Holi is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year. And its not just the northern part of the country which is dunked in colors. The festivity is spread across the country with Holi taking many regional forms. Heres how the festival is celebrated throughout the length and breadth of the country in different forms.
Sikh Nihangs perform a traditional Sikh martial art called Gatka in Anandpur Sahib as part of the Hola Mohalla festivities.
Lathmar Holi of Barsana is the most popular and colorful form of the festival. The Braj ki holi, also known as the famous Lathmar Holi, is played in the sprawling compound of the Radha Rani temple in Barsana near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. Thousands gather to witness the Lath Mar holi when women beat up men with sticks as those on the sidelines become hysterical, sing Holi Songs and shout Sri Radhey or Sri Krishna.
In Haryana, bhabhi's get a social sanction to beat their devars on Holi. Holi receives this name in the state of Haryana. Here, bhabhi - the brothers wife gets an upper hand on the day of holi. And, devar's - husband's younger brothers need to watch out. The bhabhi's on this day get a social sanction on Holi to beat their devars and make them pay the price of all the pranks they played on them for the entire year. Besides, there is also a tradition of breaking the pot of buttermilk hung high in the street by forming a human pyramid.
The Dol Purnima festival begins early morning with people wearing garlands of fragrant flowers. Holi by the name of Dol Purnima is celebrated with fervor in the state of West Bengal. The festival begins early morning with students dressing up in saffron-colored clothes and wearing garlands of fragrant flowers. They sing and dance to the accompaniment of musical instruments like ektara, dubri, veena, etc. Holi is known by the name of 'Dol Jatra', 'Dol Purnima' or the 'Swing Festival'.
The Holi celebrations at politician Lalu Prasad Yadavs home are the most famous in Bihar. The festival is known as Phagwa in the state.
Holika Dahan is referred to Kama-Dahanam in South India.
The Kumaoni Holi is characterized by its musical nature. The uniqueness of the Kumaoni Holi of the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand lies in its being a musical affair, whichever may be its form, be it the Baithki Holi, the Khari Holi and the Mahila Holi which starts from Basant Panchmi. The Baithki Holi and Khari Holi are unique in that the songs on which they are based have touch of melody, fun and spiritualism.
In the state of Tamil Nadu, people worship Kaamadeva for his supreme sacrifice on the occasion of Holi. People know Holi by three different names Kaman Pandigai, Kamavilas and Kama-Dahanam.
Phagu Purnima is another name for Holi where Phagu means the sacred red powder and Purnima or Pune is the full moon day, on which the festival ends. At some places like Bihar, Holi is also known as Phagwa as it is celebrated in the later part of the month of Phalgun and the early part of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar. This corresponds to the English months of March-April.
In Mathura-Vrindavan area, the playground of Krishna, Holi is celebrated with a special fervor and uniqueness.
According to the Bhagwat Purana, Krishna and the gopis had danced the Raas on the banks of the Yamuna at Vrindavan. When the gopis felt conceited about Lord Krishna dancing with them, he disappeared from their midst. In the agony of separation from their beloved Krishna, the gopis enacted his lilas (divine episodes of his life) which in course of time came to be known as the Raaslilas. The Raaslila in its present form is ascribed to Swami Haridas and Shri Narayan Bhatt. Only young Brahmin boys of 13 to 14 years of age can perform the Raaslila. The charming childhood pranks of Shri Krishna constitute the main them of these dramas.
By Swathi A.K.
oli is celebrated all over India the why and how may vary. Its Krishna connection, however, prevails far and wide. More so in MathuraVrindavan area or Braj Bhoomi, associated with him. Holi therefore has a special fervor and uniqueness there. We all know the immortal, divine love of Radha and Krishna. The tradition of playing with colors on Holi is said to have originated from the leela of Radha and Krishna. As per the story told in song and scripture, the young Krishna was always jealous of Radha's fair complexion and would constantly complain to his mother Yashoda as to why she was so fair and he so dark. To console him, Yashoda would ask Krishna to smear Radhas face with colors. Taking his mothers advice he would teasingly apply multiple hues to Radha's fair face. In mock anger, Radha would try to run away to avoid him. In the legend of Krishna, he is depicted as a mischievous boy playing all sorts of pranks on the gopikas or cowgirls. One prank was to throw colored powder all over them. So on the day of Holi, images of Lord Krishna and his consort Radha are carried through the streets and colors fly. According to mythology, Vrindavan is the place where he spent his childhood and left behind tales of playfulness as well as mysticism and divinity. This explains the enigma of MathuraVrindavan, where one can still feel divine presence of the Lord. Thousands of devotees come here every year on a pilgrimage to find peace and feel divine love.
The Holi celebrations offer another excuse for the admirers of the Lord to throng Mathura and Vrindavan. They come to be a part of the colorful festivities, to rejoice in the love and devotion of the Supreme Being. The festivities begin with celebrations at the Dwarkadheesh temple in Mathura. The priests mostly use natural color made from mixing Tesu flower with lukewarm water, so that the little Krishna doesn't catch cold. This is followed by a special ritual and the customary worship of Lord Krishna at the temple. The festival lasts for 16 days. The tradition of playing with colors as part of Holi celebrations is steeped at BankeBihari temple of Vrindhavan. This temple is also an important tourist destination and attracts people from all over the world. Dance performances and singing recitals are held here an delicacies served in feasts. Barsana, in Mathura district, is said to be the birthplace of Radha. It is now known for the Lath Mar Holi played in the sprawling compound of the Radha Rani temple. Thousands gather to witness the distinct Lath Mar Holi,
Barsana, in Mathura district, is said to be the birthplace of Radha. It is now known for the Lath Mar Holi played in the sprawling compound of the Radha Rani temple. where women beat up men with law feed their daughters-in-law sticks even as those on the side- rich food to be able to participate lines become hysterical, sing Holi and show their prowess on the songs and shout Sri Radhey or battlefield of Holi. It is a show of Sri Krishna. The Holi songs of love, fun and equality, one that Braj mandal are sung in pure even the gods descend to witness. Braj Bhasha. Men also sing Traditionally, it is believed that provocative songs in a bid to Lord Krishna, accompanied by his invite the attention of women. friend gopis from Nandgaon town Women then go on the offensive in Mathura district, went to his and use long staves called lathis to beloved Radha's village in beat men folk who protect them- Barsana and played Holi. selves with shields. A dance style associated with The Barsana Huriyarins Krishna's childhood is Raaslila. (women) start preparations a month in advance. The mothers-in-
Artists dressed as Krishna and Radha are showered with rose petals during Holi celebrations in Mathura.
Shri Banke Bihari Mandir in the holy land of Vrindavan is the most revered temple in the entire Braj region of northern India.
Complexion complex
cast a spell of love on you. Hence your complexion is dark. To get over his complexion complex, Yashoda goes on to advise Krishna to smear Radhas fair face with color. Here are the lyrics of this popular, playful song. Yashomati maiya se bole Nandalala: Radha kyun gori, Main kyun kala? Boli musakati maiya, lalan ko bataya: (2X) Kali andhiyari adhi-rata me tu aya. Ladla Kanhaiya mera, ho...o...o, Ladla Kanhaiya mera kali kamaliwala, isi lie kala. Boli musakati maiya, sun, mere pyare, Gori-gori Radhika ke naina kajara re. Kale nainovali ne, ho...o...o, kale nainovali ne aisa jadu dala, isi lie kala.
A Madhubani painting depicting Radha-Krishan playing Holi in Vrindavan. ittle Krishna asks his mother Yashodha why his beloved Radha is fair in color and He dark complexioned? Mother Yashoda smiles and replies with immense love that He was born in the dark midnight thats why He is dark skinned. Oh my love, the black kajal of beautiful and fair skinned Radha's eyes has
14
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
People in the desert state of Rajasthan use every way to make their life colorful. Holi is a godsend.
of preoccupation or because of reasons beyond their control. Elephant Festival and crowds from all over the region pour the previous evening into Jaipurs Chaugan Stadium set against the background of the majestic Nahargarh fort. Its a celebration where a large number of tourists come as it is heavily promoted by the tourism department. The decorated elephants with a mosaic of colors adorning the trunk and ears of the elephants provides a good photo op to the tourists. Dancers and musicians join the festival and the tourists throng the ground to take photographs of the elephants playing polo. But this elephant festival for the past couple of decades has not seen any innovations or new features. However, note that this festival affords free entrance. Some hotels and resorts organize their own Holi festivities for the tourists who are often asked to stay indoors to avoid the hooligans on the streets and the rowdy elements who often misbehave with the tourists. But the brave among the tourists go out of their hotel rooms, face often drunken revelers who shoot water-guns and buckets of water on them and smear their faces with fast colors that take a few days remove. But that is the spirit of this festival.
In Jaipur
Revelers sing and dance and consume Thandai-Bhang and make merry to celebrate Holi in the state .
By Prakash Bhandari
ajasthan is itself a colorful state and is known as a province of festivals. Holi has special significance here and is the most awaited of festivals. Celebrated at the onset of spring, this festival is regarded as the harbinger of the season. In the Hindu calendar Holi is one of the major festivals. Amid colorful Holi festivities, all disputes are left behind amity prevails. Holi also succeeds in breaking all barriers of caste and class. According to Hindu mythology, Phalgun Purnima is marked for the celebration of Holi. In Rajasthan, a bonfire begins the festival. The second day involves applying colored powder on each other-- this day of the festival is known as Dhulandi. People of Rajasthan also enjoy a special drink during the festivities, known as Thandai or Bhaang. Men and women, young and old, rich and poor, all are touched by the joyous spirit of this festival. Boisterous revelers spare no one during Holi and delight in splashing. color on everyone around. Various regions of Rajasthan celebrate Holi in their own different ways. In eastern Rajasthan which is influenced by Brij culture and in the region of Bharatpur, Alwar, Dholpur and Sawai Madhopur, revelers could be seen singing and performing the Raaslila dance, originating from the immortal love-story of Radha-Krishna.
All of Bharatpur comes alive to the sound of folk melodies on Holi. There was a time during the heyday of the princes, when the raja-maharajas and thakurs (nobles) would mingle with the commoners and play with colours.
In Ajmer region
Mali Holi: The mali or gardener community of Ajmer region has a unique style where the men splay the women with colored water and women retaliate by hitting them with sticks or long pieces of cloth.. Gair at Godaji: Men from 12 villages collect at Godaji village near Ajmer to play Gair, a traditional dance a few days after Holi. Each village brings his own drummer and Gair troupes. The picturesque location for it is a valley surrounded by hills on all sides. Thousands of onlookers and close to a hundred players make a wonderful sight and a fond memory. In Pali also people assemble and dance wearing the traditional attire. In Bikaner members of the Bramhin community particularly Harsh and Vyas communities have been celebrating Holi by throwing water at one another with force for the past more than 300 years. A specially designed vessel called dolchi made from camel skin is used for the purpose. But the water is thrown only at the back of an individual. In Shekhawati region, the region of wealth creators which gave to the country Birlas, Bajajs, Khetans, Goenkas, Morarkas,
Dalmiyas, Modis and Singhanias, Holi holds special significance. There was a time when the male folk would go to bigger cities to earn their livelihood or soldiers would be serving the army in various parts of the world.But they would make it a point to return home to celebrate Holi. The festival of Holi is also celebrated as the return of the natives. A few days before Holi, the revelers start assembling and play dhol and sing and dance. Usually a good looking male is dressed as a female and is made to dance with the men folk to the beating of the dhol. The dhol is made of animal skin and a good player of the dhol could mesmerize the people with drum beat. Poets have penned innumerable songs for Holi and there is one song expressing the joy of returning home after toiling in the big city for earning money and how happy one feels after meeting ones own friends after a long time. Holi also brings lovers close and there are happy numbers sung by women to celebrate the arrival of their beloveds. But in the midst of the fun and frolic, some women cannot but sing sad songs as their husband or loved ones fail to visit home because
In Jaipur, Holi is celebrated with much fun and gaiety. In the famous Govinddeoji Mandir, the Phagotsav is celebrated and dance troupes comprising numerous males and females dance before the idol of Govinddeoji. During one such dance recital the women softly hit others with a stick in what is called Latthmar Holi. The Pink City on Holi day witnesses processions in which some eligible bachelor perched on the back of an elephant is taken around the walled city, announcing that this eligible bachelor is on a bride hunt. Much before the Holi all over the city ratri jagrans are organized where religious bhajans are sung. In Jaipur for the past 40 years a Hasya kavi sammelan (humorous poetry session) called Mahamurkh Sammelan is organized and Hindi and Urdu poets recite their poetry before a large crowd of 50,000. The poetry session is presided by a donor who is conferred the title of Mahamurkh (Biggest fool) by the organizers. There is great demand to become the chief guest of the evening and people pay handsome amounts for the honor. The money thus raised is paid to the invited poets. In Jaipur, the state tour ism department organizes an elephant festival certainl to mark the Holi festival, which is y the most colorful elephant event! On Holi, Jaipur sees processions in which a man The pulse of energy perched on the back of a decorated elephant is taken around the walled city, announcing shoots like an electrithat this eligible bachelor is on a bride hunt. cal current through the
A few days before Holi, people start assembling and play dhol and sing and dance.
16
Birbal dancing and requesting Bherubaba to give him strength to dance all day long
ndia, despite its cultural diversities and regional differences celebrates its religious festivals with gaiety and enthusiasm. Two major festivals, Deepawali and Holi coincide with encashment of crops and end of hard work of the previous 5-6 months. Although both the festivals are based on the theme of good defeating evil, the celebrations have entirely different tone. Where Deepawali is a sober and to an extent serious festival invoking gods for well being and prosperity, Holi is a festival of gaiety, exuberance, dancing and with passage of time has acquired rowdy overtones. Based on narrations and religious facts, celebrations during Holi are also associated with Lord Krishna.
received Todarmal and Birbal. The same sequence of events is reenacted and practiced in Rajasthan by the Agarwal community with religious fervor on Holi. Beawar, about 55 km from Ajmer, was established by Colonel Dixon. ln 1851, he started the celebrations of having a fair dedicated to this event to maintain communal harmony. The Badshah is from the Agarwal community, dressed by the members of Maheswari community. The Thandai (a drink made with several ingredients including cannabis) is prepared by the members of Jain community. Birbal is from the Brahmin community. The Badshah is selected in the morning. About two and a half quintals of Thandai is distributed free of cost in the city. The citizens accept it as Prasad
The entire town witnessing the gulal throwing by Birbal (Photos: Shreya Sarda) India has a number of religions, communities, social groups with subsets, different cultural backgrounds, religious practices and regional differences. Often dictated by geographic compulsions, the same festival is celebrated in different ways. In Beawar, a small town in Rajasthan, Holi celebrations happen at a scale involving the entire town. Two particular events mark the celebration-KODA MAR HOLI and BADSHAH KI SAWARI. These also make it unique to this town. Thus Holi, a festival of colors, has predominant theme of male-female interaction, where playfulness has surfaced. Permissive relationships are explicitly demonstrated. The practice of this behavior is also based on the female acquiring an aggressive role in shooing away
Badshah Ki Sawari
King Akbar the Great had his ways to maintain communal harmony and preserve the rich cultural roots. Pleased by the presence of mind, resourcefulness, and managerial capabilities of Raja Todarmal (a Vaish by community, and one of his Navratans), the great emperor permitted him to be the king for two and a half days, to demonstrate his happiness. Raja Todarmal, in turn, went about in a ceremonial procession and distributed all the treasures among the citizens. Pleased and infatuated by his friends indulgence, Raja Birbal (Mahesh Dutt), danced ahead of the kings (Todarmals) procession. On reaching the palace, a pleased and happy Emperor, Akbar himself,
and get inebriated and participate with fervor in the procession. They demand pocket money, which the king gladly throws, now in the form of Gulal from the truck-top (earlier elephant top). To gain the mental and physical strength for the same, Birbal prays to BHAIRONJI and in a nearly intoxicated state (effect of thandai) he starts dancing to the deafening beats of drums, and playing of Holi songs. The procession ends at the local administrators (district magistrate) reminiscent of AKBAR office late in the evening. On reaching, first they exchange a lot of Gulal, followed by frenzied dancing and then at the end, the two-day Badshah gives instructions to the local administrator how to maintain communal harmony.
Visiting Gujarat in March is a pleasure to behold the vibrant beats of tribal music as the tribal communities in the state enjoy their traditional entertainments following the Holi harvest.
he names sounded poetically enchanting when Kr Harendrapal Sinh (Sinh is in use in Gujarat, the land of lions; in other states it is Singh for tiger!), the owner of Darbargadh Poshina heritage hotel, told us about the tribal fair that occurs a fortnight after Holi near his village in the northern districts of Gujarat. The fair is called Chitra
Vichitra and is at the site of a Shiva temple associated with Chitraveer-Vichitraveer of the Mahabharata, overlooking the confluence of the Aakar and Vaakar rivers with the Sabarmati river, he explained. And this is one of the best sites to experience tribal culture at its colorful best in Gujarat. We set off in the morning from Ahmedabad and drove four hours past Himmatnagar, Idar and
Ferris wheels and other amusements are the order of the day at the fairs. (Photos: Dinesh Shukla ) Khedbrahma after which came the turn for Poshina. The narrow road to Poshina led past fields and hills. The village is a fairly busy one, being the centre of about 90 smaller villages, tribal hamlets and settlements of pastoral groups like the Rabaris, with a crowded bus station and a colorful marketplace where brightly-dressed tribal girls were walking around, turbaned men were unloading their produce, and shoppers galore. Walking into the village, we saw pottery workshops where the famous votive terracottas are made. A man was dexterously shaping clay into pots on the potters wheel while women painted the utensils with white on earthy tones. At the workshop, we saw the terracotta horses and a few elephants that tribal groups of the region revere. The horse is especially sacred to the Garasias as their local deity, Bakar Bhavsingh, is said to ride a horse in the Aravalli foothills called Bakar. After buying the terracotta from the potter, the horses and other animistic figures are placed in a shrine usually located under a sacred tree or on open land near a water-source, and hundreds can be seen together, some of them decades old. After being worshipped, the horses are said to give away their holy powers to the spirits who are given these as offerings with requests to ward off evil spirits and give a good harvest. They are then left at the site. Sometimes, these terracotta horses and wall-paintings like the pithoras and warlis adorn tribal homes as a means of deflecting evil spirits. After breakfast, we drove to the Chitra Vichitra site and found vehicles jam-packed on the way carrying tribal groups to the fair. Some men were walking with their musical instruments. Strains of tribal music filled the air when you approached the site. The fair starts at night at the confluence of the rivers, which is holy to the Bhil and Garasia tribal groups. Chitraveer and Vichitraveer are said to have repented for their sins here. Ancestors are worshiped, followed by the tribal groups from nearby villages coming together to make offering to the flowing rivers for their ancestors. As the morning progressed, mourning gave way to rejoicing with the turbaned men and brightly attired women dancing at the fairgrounds, singing and playing local instruments. Ferris wheels and other amusements were the order of the day, and a bazaar sprung up with freshly harvested produce, utensils and jewelry, local snacks, and objects like mirrors, talc powders and cosmetics commonplace to us but attractive to dwellers of these remote hilly areas. Eloping (in public view) ritual prevails among the Garasia community and it is quite common to see men running with women towards the hills.
Kawant fair held during the Holi festivities near Chhota Udepur is certainly the most striking. Driving towards Kvant, it is possi-
Jeeps, buses and trucks are jam-packed with peopleheading towards the site of the fair.
ble to see large groups of women in colorful clothes wearing eye-catching jewelry, walking to attend the fair. Most of the men are also vibrantly dressed for the occasion. Some men play the flute and women play cymbals (manjeera). Jeeps, buses and trucks filled with people head towards the site. At the site of the fair, the atmosphere is festive. Men with painted bodies, peacock feathers adorning their turbans, and sometimes masks to suit the dance, play musical instruments and form human pyramids. The dances are effervescent and enlivened by music, with gourds hung on the belts of the dancers rattling to enhance the rhythm of the dance. A variety of rituals can be witnessed during the fair. Continued on page 19...
19
he fort of Jaisalmer rises from a rocky hilltop in the heart of desert plains like a vision from the Arabian Nights. This is one of the few forts that are a living heritage, with people residing within its walls. A very colorful Holi celebration can be seen in the old quarters within the fort walls. Its very first sight at dawn, which gives its yellow sandstone a golden hue, began my love affair with this medieval citadel which is defined by its many carved havelis, ornate palaces, crumbling sandstone buildings and bazaars. Founded in the 12th century by Jaisal, a Bhatti Rajput ruler, Jaisalmer thrived on business from the trade caravans traveling into India from the northwest. After the coming of modern ports in the 19th century, Jaisalmer began to lose its importance. Tourism rescued the city from becoming derelict, together with the presence of armed forces because of its proximity to the border with Paksitan. Jaisalmer today is a popular place for tourists attracted by its medieval flavor and the mystery of the desert surrounding it. We started our exploration of Jaisalmer at the fort, which loomed up impressively in front of us with its 99 bastions and rugged walls. A paved road took us through huge gateways while winding up to the chowk, a large square dominated
A cloud of gulal gathers in the main square of the fort as Holi is celebrated. (Photos by: Dinesh Shukla) Haveli which has a lavish pavilion like upper storey with overhanging balconies and blue cupolas. Built around 1815 the haveli has taken some knocks during earthquakes. From the havelis, we headed to Gadisar lake which is a tank approached through a finely carved historical gateway. In the afternoon, we set out for the Sam sand dunes for a camel ride. Back at Jaisalmer, there were many Holi fires burning. We were warned the next morning would be boisterous but the owner of a guesthouse in the fort invited us to witness it from his balcony in the early morning when the crowds had not gathered. Hundreds of people gathered in a square where they started painting each others faces and throwing gulal at each other. Within no time pink powder created a cloud all around the square. The whole atmosphere was of gaiety and it was one of the most colorful scenes we could ever hope to see. We were off to an auspicious start a desert fox skulking among the scrub with its white-tipped tail visible over the bushes. The grasslands trilled with birdcalls. I took out my binoculars and started scanning the grass and bushes for birds. Within a few minutes, I had spotted a good number a desert wheatear feeding on insects among the grasses, short-toed larks running around the grassfields in jerky spurts, a sparrow lark flying up on rapid wing beats before nosediving in a spectacular display, flocks of bush larks flitting around the bushes, a pipit perched on a rock. This is also a good site for birds of prey pallid harrier, light bodied hawks, were flying low over the grasslands searching for prey, a magnificent dark-brown tawny eagle was perched on a low acacia tree, a buzzard was soaring overhead, and a kestrel was eating a rodent on the ground. Presently, we saw the star attraction of the Indian desert the endangered Great Indian bustard, as much a flagship of Indias bird conservation movement as the tiger is for forest conservation. As we continued on the camel trek through the enclosed grassland, we saw chinkara, the graceful Indian gazelle, four more Indian bustards at a distance, and the migratory Macqueens bustard. We returned to the rest house in time to see sandgrouse flying to a water trough calling cattr, cattr, loudly on their way. I relaxed at the rest house, watching larks, chats and other birds around it, and opened the packed lunch I had carried from Jaisalmer which I shared with the forest department staff who in turn gave me their local food. (Author and freelance writer Anil Mulchandani has written extensively about India including TRAVELLERS KERALA & SOUTHERN INDIA, a travel guidebook published by Thomas Cook Publishing, UK.)
The fine stone masonry can be seen on facades of palaces and havelis. Continued from page 18
Dangs Durbar
abolished. This is the time for great festivity at Ahwa, the district headquarters, and at the hill resort of Saputara. For visitors, it is a great opportunity to see tribal communities like Bhils, Kunbis, Warlis and Gamits in their traditional attires. Tribal dances are spectacular to watch as the dancers move in concentric circles to the beat of percussion and wind instruments.
angs Durbar, held in March-April, honors a tradition that began in British times when the rulers and other leaders of villages got together for gatherings called durbars or audiences. The tradition continues today in the Dangs, a tribal district, as many of the former Rajas and Naiks are still accorded the status unlike the princely families whose titles and privy purses were
22
By Hiral Dholakia-Dave
is name needs no introduction. Especially for those, who have their origins from the Hindi speaking states of India. A very well poet whose witty, humorous jokes which he presents with his trademark straight face have enthralled generations of people who appreciate clean comedy. Little wonder then that the stalwart has also won the title of Hasya Samrat. Surender Sharma will be in New York for the Hasya Kavi Sammelan organized by the Rajasthan Association of North American as a part of its annual Holi celebration on April 2. SATimes caught up with this popular gem of Hindi literary circles from India, whos all set to unleash a laugh riot in the US. Of course it goes without saying that when you are interviewing someone who has a way with his words, that too a hilarious one, your job becomes all the more joyful. Ask him why he chose this unconventional career option and his reponse without blinking an eyelid that is, is since I was doing nothing after college, thought might as well do this. Orginially from village Nangal Chaudhary, district Mahendergarh in Haryana, Sharma grew up in Delhi for most part of his childhood. Despite studying with English as medium of instruction all through out his school and college, his strong grip over Hindi, Haryanvi and Marwadi languages helped him reach audiences far and wide. Mein hamesha kehta hoon, English k dwara car milegi, Hindi k zariye sanskar milta hai aur zindagi jeene k liye dono hi chahiye, he says. (Learning English can lead to owning a car but it is through your mother tongue that you imbibe culture). He adds, People say if you dont learn English youll be left behind, I say if you dont learn your mother tongue youll be cut off from your own culture and people. His straight face and glum expression while dishing out his jokes became his USP as he left his viewers of the good ol Doordarshan days and audiences at ticketed shows in splits. It all started during college days with a jovial set of friends. I was a shy guy in first year of my college, besides I always had a serious face. My friends used to get amused a lot when I shared
Hasya kavi Surender Sharma is known to regale audiences with his dead pan sense of humor
jokes without changing the glum expression. At that time there was no such realization, tab toh galiya padti thi (I was scolded then). I even failed in my second year. Didnt inform my father for six months till a friend did the favor. But my father was easy going, he says. Parents have become a lot more focused about their childrens progress now, he goes on to add. KG 2 ka baccha aur 2 kg ka baxa, (A kid of kindergarten ends up carrying a school bag weighting two kilos). The depth of his thinking reflects in every oneliner he comes up with. Emphasizing importance of education with ethics he says, Anpadh ne pau chhuye aur education k saath hath milana shuru kara. Agar juk nahi payenge toh uth nahi payenge, (An illiterate son used to bow down to his elders but with education sans ethics he
prefers shaking hands instead. If one cant bow down to elders, one wont be able to rise high as a person). He adds, However much a successful person you become in life you need to see to it that you dont lose your humble nature. (kisi bhi height par pahunch k aap k pairo ne zameen toh nahi chhodi na). Only a rooted tree grows tall, a kite flying in the sky can come crashing any moment. While his father was a manufacturer of ayurvedic medicines back home in a Haryana village followed by another factory in Delhi, Sharma realized he didnt have it in him to run a business. I ventured into 50-60 businesses but lost money on each. My father was not keen on expanding. He was happy with what he had achieved. His idea was to lead a satisfied life with what he had on hand and not lose sleep over its
23
By Hiral Dholakia-Dave eing son of a respected name in Hindi literature came with its own set of expectations but Arun Gemini took to it like a fish takes to water. In the process also evolved his own style and fan following which makes him one of the most sought after hasya kavis of our generation. With his innate talent of keeping audiences glued to their seats for hours together, Gemini has been able to strike the right chord with his satirical presentations. Gemini started writing poems at a very young age and he candidly confesses that since he couldnt find a proper job after his graduation he took to independent writing. Of course hailing from a well established family in the field did make his job easier. Earning respect was definitely not tough given the lineage but after that it was solely on me to prove my talent. Apna hi khel hai phir toh, he says. Thirty years into the field and it has been a pleasant journey all the way. I met so many people at numerous
In his inimitable style he shares the details of the situation. My motherin-law though had a hard time. When people used to ask her what does her son-in-law do, on learning that he was a poet, they used share their sympathies with her (weh sahanubhuti ki drashti se dekhte the). Having catered to a variety of audiences all over, Gemini does agree that when it comes to presenting in front of NRIs it does require a lot of thinking of issues which they could connect with. Being Indians they
are aware of the ground realities in our country. Besides they are not keen on satirical takes on the negatives. One has to bear in mind that they dont get too many occasions to socialize with fellow Indians and when they do they devote utmost attention and hence relish the time spent to the core. Social values and family situations generally make up for the most preferred topics of audience interest followed by politics. However, Gemini agrees that people are bored of lis-
By Anil Mulchandani
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Outside Rabindra Bhavan, a museum with photographs and memorabilia, were girls selling earrings made of seeds. Driving around, we saw institutes for sciences, arts, humanities, Indology and Japanese studies. While the buildings are not as well-kept as we imagined and there are those who feel Visva-Bharati is not as idyllic as Tagore dreams of Santiniketan, the Kala Bhavan is a topclass arts institute attracting foreign students. We drove from here to Sriniketan, which has the Institute of Rural Reconstruction founded in 1922 at Surul, about 3 km from Santiniketan, with Leonard Elmhirst as its first Director. It is a campus extension of Visva-Bharati. We stopped on the way at Amar Kutir. We watched artisans at work on kantha, batik, leatherwork, pottery and other crafts. Much of the route has the red laterite soil that Tagore called `Rangamati and has not been surfaced in his honor.
Holi at Santiniketan
When Dol Poornima day dawns, the students of Visva-Bharati University dress up in yellow and orange clothes and wear garlands of fragrant flowers. They sing and dance to the accompaniment of stringed musical instruments like the Veena and Ektara. Throughout West Bengal, on Dol Poornima, idols of Krishna and Radha are placed in a palanquin, which is taken round the main streets. The devotees take turns to swing them while women dance around the swing and sing devotional songs. During these activities, the men keep spraying colored water and colored powder at the women. In West Bengal homes, the head of the family observes fast and prays to Lord Krishna and Agnidev. He smears Krishnas idol with gulal and offers bhog to both the deities. This is a good day to try the classic Bengali sweets like Sandesh and Payash.
Baul singers at Santiniketan. After he received the Nobel Prize for Literature, the experimental school was expanded into Visva-Bharati in 1921. Among its illustrious students have been Indira Gandhi, Satyajit Ray and Amartya Sen. We walked around the Uttrayan complex where Tagore lived with buildings in different styles: a temple with European stained glass windows but without an idol as the Tagores believed in Raja Ram Mohan Roys Brahmo Samaj, which believes in one God, who is the creator and sustainer of the world and infinite in power, wisdom, love and holiness. There are also Nandlal Boses paintings, abstract structures, and classrooms, which in keeping with Tagores vision are still alfresco. After shopping, we drove to Ballavpur which has been developed into a natural sanctuary for deer. Walking around, we saw a herd of spotted deer coming for water at a trough. Further ahead, we saw a large male spotted deer with velvety antlers. The trees trilled with bird calls. We saw a maroon-headed oriole on a branch, a tree pie in a tree, a flameback woodpecker climbing up a tree, a fantail flycatcher whistling loudly. Presently, we came to a lake where we saw pintail and shoveler ducks. To watch more ducks, we drove to another side of the wetland area which is now a fenced-off bird sanctuary. Walking along the fence, we could watch huge rafts of duck floating on the water, herons fishing on the waterfront, and waterhen among the aquatic grasses.
25
In picturesque Puri
Jagannath temple is the center of the Dhol Jatra or Dolo Utsav, as Holi is called in Orissa.
By Anil Mulchandani ith the hordes of pilgrims that visit Puri each day, we weaved our way from the parking area on Grand Road to the Jagannath Temple, which soared some 65 meter high in front of us with the wheel of Vishnu and a flag rising above the pinnacle. As at other religious places in India, around the temple is a cluster of shops selling rudraksha malas, idols, pictures of Lord Jagannath with or without his siblings, prayer offerings, textiles and handicrafts for tourists, and souvenirs. The temple is the center of the Dhol Jatra or Dolo Utsav, as Holi is called in Orissa. On this day, idols of Jagannath are taken around the streets of Orissa in palanquins, and in Puri the deity coming out from the main temple is eagerly awaited by devotees. Amid loud bhajans and brilliant colors, the Lord is brought out in a grand and colorful procession along with idols of goddesses. Once they reach the pavilion called the mandap, the three deities are then placed on a jhulla or a swing. Puri is one of the four dhams or divine abodes, like Dwarka in western India, Badri-Kedar in the north and Rameswaram in the south, which makes it a major pilgrimage for Hindus, one of the most visited temples. The temple has four entrances - the southern gate has equestrian figures, the northern gate has elephant figures, the western gate has tiger figures. With other yatris we entered from the eastern gate with huge mustachioed lions flanking the gate, and walked past a 10m high monolithic Aruna Stambha pillar brought here from Konark in the 18th century. The temple has a 55m high
shikhara and four shrines in a row. Like all temples of Orissa, this one too has an assembly hall called Jagamohan, a hall for offerings called the Bhoga Mandapa, a dance theater for ceremonial performances, and the central hallway. The panda shows that 30 subsidiary shrines and a yatra is complete when you visit three or more of them, and take a holy dip in one of the four sacred tanks. But we avoided the crowds there and after booking our Prasad for the offerings, we filed towards the main shrine and saw the idols of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. The temple employs about 20,000 people including 6,000 pandas and more than10,000 others like craftspeople who produce all the materials required for the daily round of rituals and `servants who keep the idols clean. A panda explained to us, Puri came into the limelight as a Vaishnavite center after the Hindu reformer Shankaracharya made Puri one of his four mathas, attracting holy men from all over India for discussions, a practise continued till this date. The Ganga dynasty reign enhanced its religious importance further, especially after 1135 when Anantavarman Chodaganga founded the Purushottama temple, which was renamed Jagannath (Vishnu as the Lord of the Universe) by the Gajjapathi dynasty in the 15th century. Puri has remarkably molded itself to its variety of visitors. Grand Road, the main thoroughfare with banks, shops and office buildings, leads to the temple and around the Jagannath Temple are the dharamshalas and guest-houses for pilgrims. Marine Parade is the hot-spot for most domestic tourists with affordable hotels,
Festive atmosphere in Puri (Photos by Dinesh Shukla ) Bengali, Punjabi and South Indian restaurants, ATMs and a pretty beachside stretch with recreational facilities and playing areas for children. Between Marine Parade and CT Road, a splash of starrated hotels and resorts like Mayfair and Hans Coco Palms caters to upmarket tourists and those looking for a splurge in a great seaside holiday. CT Road is where the budget holiday seeking foreign tourists stays in low-key hotels and guest-houses. This is the place to enjoy the travelers scene of peaceful garden cafes, restaurants done-up with handicrafts of eastern India playing Indian meditation and classical music, barrestaurants paying techno tapes and loud music, bakeries, internationalstyle roadside eateries and seafacing outdoor dining places where tourists gather to swap travel guides and paperbacks, exchange travel tips and relate their experiences of travel in India. And with them are the attendant services like handicraft and souvenir shops, curio vendors, money changers and internet centers. This is a good lane to look for Japanese, Tibetan, Italian and every other kind of food. Earlier Puri was, like Goa, something of a hang-out for hippies. I remember these psychedelic chillum-smoking foreign youth on the beach in front of the BNR, but this scene was brought to an end by a clean-up act by the 1980s. A few of colorful junkies can still be seen at the cafes along the CT Road.
26
The Banjaras: The Banjaras of Andhra Pradesh, locally known as Lambadi tribe, celebrate Holi in their own way with a great sense of communal harmony. They perform the Lambadi dance, play pranks and stage mock-fights. A remarkable ceremony is the dhund ritual for all male off-springs born in that year which comprises honoring the god of love Kama and the Holika deity.
Bhils of Madhya Pradesh: Marriages do not take place in the Holi season but the Bhils spend the entire week before the festival matchmaking. Just preceding the festival is the week-long event of Bhagoria Haat, a country fair where young men and women look for soulmates. During the festival, men and women interact freely, dancing to the beats of dhols (drums) and thalis (plates).
Tribals of Jharkhand: The tribal State of Jharkhand has its own unique rituals for the festival. On the day of Agja (Holika Dahan), the tribal women of Bundu, about 45kms from Ranchi, carry broken cane baskets on their head, stuffed with flowers and pieces of non-usable items from their houses, and dump it on the outskirts of the village to ward off evil spirits haunting the village.
Banswara tribe of Rajasthan: Holi is the main festival of the tribals in the Banswara district of Rajasthan. They wear their traditional dresses, carry swords and sticks, and perform the Gair dance a typical tribal dance of the region.
Tribes of Manipur: Yaosang, the Holi festival is celebrated on the full moon of Lamda (Feb/March) and lasts for six days. Tribal people construct bamboo huts, 'Yaosangs', on the roadside and place an idol of Chaitanya inside it. After offering puja, the idol is removed and the hut is set on fire. The shouts of 'Hari-Bola' and 'He Hari' are exchanged while the hut is burning. The burnt embers are considered to be very auspicious. Therefore, the ash is collected and used to mark the foreheads of the worshippers and the entrance of the houses. The main highlight of the festival is the Thabal Chongba dance.
Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi at their Holi bash in Mumbai. Actor Anil Kapoor enjoying Holi with daughter Sonam Kapoor.
s the festival of colors comes knocking, Bollywood, along with the rest of the country, is all geared up to celebrate it with a great amount of festivity and glory. The trend of Holi celebration in film industry was initiated by showman Raj Kapoor and his famous Holi bash at RK Studios in Mumbai. The tradition still continues and the RK Studios bash still remains the most star-studded and well attended Holi bash in the Btown. The true champion of filmy Holi bashes, R.K. Studios is a riot
of colors and festivity every Holi. The entire film industry and all their kith and kin arrive in spotless white to be dunked into the famous RK color tank. Living up to his cult song 'Rang Barse', Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan is all set for the festival. Holi celebration at his residence, Pratiksha in Mumbai's north-western suburb of Juhu has gained immense popularity and almost everybody who matters is personally invited. Following the Kapoor's and the Bachchan's, others like Subhash
Ghai, Yash Chopra and Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi continue to host the annual Holi bash. For Shabana the Holi spirit never dies. "It's always an open house for friends and family on the occasion of Holi at my parents' home in Janki Kutir. There's a generous flow of non-toxic colors, gaanabajaana, and khaana...a long-standing tradition in our house as part of India's ganga-jumna tehzeeb, says the actor. Here's hoping that the entire film fraternity enjoys to the hilt and has a colorful and safe Holi this year!
The chemistry crackled between Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha in this song from 'Silsila'. It's a perfect depiction of getting naughty on Holi with your 'special' friend! Rang Barase Bheege Chunarwali Rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang barase Are kaine maarii pichakaarii, torii bhiigii angiyaa O rangarasiyaa rangarasiyaa, ho Rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang barase ... Sone kii thaalii mein jonaa parosaa Are, sone kii thaalii mein, jonaa parosaa Haan, sone kii thaalii mein jonaa parosaa Are khaae gorii kaa yaar, balam tarase rang barase Holi hai! O rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang barase ... Laungaa ilaayachii kaa, are laungaa ilaayachii kaa Laungaa ilaayachii kaa? haan! Are laungaa ilaayachii kaa biidaa lagaayaa Haan laungaa ilaayachii kaa biidaa
makes you dance with the dream jodi of Hema Malini and Big B. Ang Se Ang Lagana Sajan Rajesh Khanna, in his typical style, entices Asha Parekh on the sacred day of Holi. This timeless song from 'Kati Patang' is a must on the list. Chhan Ke Mohalla Saara
This colorful number from Ramesh Sippy's 'Sholay' is one of the best Holi songs with its lyrics emphasizing on washing away enmity by splashing color on each other. Hori Khele Raghuveera Holi tracks are synonymous with Amitabh Bachchan and it is inevitable that his name figures again. This one from 'Baghban'
This playful track from 'Darr' adds zing to the hues of Holi and is a flawless depiction of showering colors of love on each other. Do Me A Favor Let's Play Holi Featuring doomed lovers Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra, this song from 'Waqt' reminds one of his salad days.
This song from 'Action Replayy' makes a spanking new entry in the category of Holi songs with Aishwarya Rai shaking a leg and splashing color!
By Swathi A.K. uge boxes of traditional Indian sweets like Kala Jamoon, Rasgullas, Ladoos and Rasmalai on the shelves of the sweet shops, and colorful posters of events and functions adorning the walls of Indian dominated streets in Jersey and New York area add to the gaiety of the bustling streets with Indian establishments as people gear up for the joyous spring festival celebrated as Holi. India is a country which has embraced diversity and fostered the growth of various religions and social traditions. Throughout the year people observe umpteen festivals and Holi Festival of colors-- is one of the most popular of them. It is celebrated with fervor and ecstasy among all age groups throughout India. Though Holi loosens peoples inhibitions to playfully splash colored water on one another and smear colored powder on the face
Drinks like Thandai, snacks like Crispy onion fritters, vegetable pakoras, and crunchy chaats and desserts Gujia and Gola Ice top the popularity list on Holi.
of anybody at an arms length, the joyous mood is incomplete without gorging on the wide assortment of scrumptious delicacies and gulping down the mouth watering drinks. Lip smacking dishes like the crispy onion fritters, vegetable pakoras, and crunchy chaats including Paapri Chaat, Dahi Bhalle and Aloo
Chaat and desserts like Gujia and Gola Ice top the popularity list on this festival. I always eagerly await Holi just to indulge myself in throwing colors at others and eating a lot of good food made at my P.G. says Nikhil, a college student living in Jersey City. The zeal to prepare these dishes is infectious, but the recipes and number of delicacies vary with different traditions and families. There are people who stick to the handed down recipes from their grandmothers and mothers and cook the most favorite dishes of the family members. My family
Bhang Lassi
1/4 tsp peppercorns 1/8 tsp ginger powder 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder 1/2-3/4 cup sugar 15 gm cannabis leaves and buds (this is banned at many places and available in limited stores, one may not use this ingredient) Preparation Clean the cannabis leaves and buds by removing any stick and seeds. Wash thoroughly. In a pot, boil the water. Add all the ingredients, except sugar and milk. Let it boil on slow flame for 10 minutes. Strain and keep aside the liquid. The solid part is grinded in stone grinder by adding 1-2 tbsp warm milk. Press through muslin with back of palms, extracting the liquid into vessel. Repeat the previous two steps till 1 cup milk is consumed and the residue becomes dry and husk like. The extracted milk should be smooth. Mix the extracted milk and boiled water which was kept aside. Add remaining milk and sugar. Chill for 2-3 hours and serve.
Ingredients 1/2 cup water 1/2 cups warm milk 1 tbsp blanched and chopped almonds 1 tbsp chopped cashewnuts 1/2 tbsp chopped pistachios 1/4 tbsp poppy seeds 1/4 tbsp melon (kharbooj) seeds 1/4 tbsp saunf 1/4 tsp cardamom powder 1/4 cup dried rose petals 1 tsp rosewater
Dahi Bhalle
Ingredients 1.Maa Ki Daal washed -250 gm 2. Water to soak daal 3. 1 Onion and Ginger - chopped 4. Green coriander - chopped 5. Green chilies - 2 chopped 6. Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp. 7. Salt - 1/2 tsp., 8. Soda-bi-carb - 1/4 tsp., Oil for frying, 9. Curd - 750 gm, 10. Raisins - 15-20. Preparation Wash and soak daal for three hours. Drain water and grind, add chopped onion, ginger, coriander-chilies-salt, cumin seed and soda. Heat oil. With moistened hands, make Bhalla with daal batter into 2" discs. Deep fry each Bhalla light brown. Drain oil, keep aside.
Soak in hot water for ten minutes. Press out water lightly. Beat curds-add- salt - 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds. Soak-raisins in water for ten minutes. Add to the curd. Lay Bhallas in a flat dish and pour curd on it, garnish with red chili powder-chopped coriander, powdered cumin seeds. Serve with Imli chutney and extra beaten curd.
In the Sant Mat tradition, the saints explain that whereas we may celebrate the outer festival of Holi, we can also play Holi with the souls Beloved within. Through meditation on the inner Light and Sound of God, we can learn to concentrate at a point known as the single or third eye, located between and behind the two eyebrows
Prahlad. His father was a king who claimed to be God. When the king realized his son was worshiping God and not himself, he became angry. His sister, Holka, had received a boon that any fire could not harm her, and so the king had Prahlad sit on Holkas lap and set fire to both of them in the expectation that his son would die but that his sister would survive. According the story, Prahlad sat in meditation and as the king watched the fire burn, he found the body of his sister deteriorate to ashes whereas his son, who was sitting in meditation, remained unharmed. The festival of Holi commemorates the young bodys escape from the fire and his triumph over evil. The night before Holi, a fire is lit and an effigy of Holka is burned to signify that good is ultimately victorious in the end. Throughout history there are many stories about the unseen hand of God protecting His devotees. Those who serve humanity selflessly and whose aim is communion with the Lord are always under Gods divine protection. Like the young boy, Prahlad, we may pass through many fires and ordeals in life because of our devotion to God, but when we put our faith in the Lord, then whatever happens is always under Gods direction, under Gods sweet will. If we have full trust, like Prahlad, then God will pull us out of the fire and lead us to our ultimate freedom, to the land of bliss, to our eternal Home. Holi has another meaning which is also of great significance. Many of the saints and mystics have spoken about the spiritual meaning of Holi. In the Sant Mat tradition, the saints explain that whereas we may celebrate the outer festival of Holi, we can also play Holi with the souls Beloved within. Through meditation on the inner Light and Sound of God, we can learn to concentrate at a point known as the single or third eye, located between and behind the two eyebrows. When we gaze into the area which lies right in front of us, our soul starts to withdraw from our physical body, and we experience a multicolored panorama which bursts forth either as a rainbow or as different colors that sparkle like fireworks. These colors are actually the true colors of Holi. Although we may play with the colored waters outside, the colored lights we see dancing in front of us are the true colors in which we want to be absorbed. During Holi, musical bands play, brothers and sisters sing songs in the street, but when we go within through meditation and discover the rose-colored spiritual waters of Naam (the Holy Word), we also hear the harmony of all Harmonies, the Celestial Music that God created. This music is also referred to in some of the scriptures as the Unstruck Music, and on this current of spiritual Music our soul can soar back to our divine Beloved within us. The colored waters that we throw on each other may color us in red, blue or green, but the inner waters of the Divine dye us with the color of Love. It is only through this transformation in our hearts, through love itself, that we can go back to God and attain our final aim in life. This color of divine love dyes us in the hue of the Beloved which is the Lord. The joy and pleasure that we experience in playing Holi outside only gives us an inkling of the gaiety and happiness that we experience in the inner realms. A spectacular show of divine Light and Sound surrounds us and permeates us as the Lord carries us through the higher realms until we reach our eternal Home which is an ocean of all bliss and Light. On this day of Holi, let us sit in meditation on the inner Light and Sound of God and enter the inner playground to enjoy the game of colors with our radiant Lord and become dyed in Gods hue of divinity. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is an internationally recognized spiritual leader and Master of meditation who affirms the transcendent oneness at the heart of all religions, emphasizing prayer and meditation as building blocks for achieving peace. www.sos.org.
Astrology
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
31
Free Consultation Learn about the fair value of diamonds & precious stones. To the readers of The South Asian Times by an expert gems dealer.
For appointment, please call 516 390 7847 or email consult.gems@gmail.com
32
Indias topmost designers got together once again to redefine the future of fashion and integrate the country into the global fashion world. The Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer/Resort 2011 was the highlight of Mumbai from 11th to 15th March. Held at the citys Hotel Grand Hyatt, the event not only saw breathtaking creations by established designers such as Shantanu & Nikhi, Manish Malhotra, Anamika Khanna, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Rocky S and the likes, but also witnessed a lot of new talent like Manas Dash, Timsy Kamnoj, Shivaji Dutta, Deepti Pruthi, Manas Dash, Siddhartha Mittal and even a bunch of Japanese designers. Heres a sneak peek into what the Lakme Fashion Week Summer-Resort collection looked like.
Models display creations by designer Sabyasachi Mukhrjee during LFW 2011 on March 11.
A model displays a creation by designer Anamika Khanna on the first day of the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai on March 11.
Former West Indian cricket captain Vivian Richards (R) poses with daughter designer Masaba.
Actors Juhi Chawala and Urmila Matondkar attend Indian designer Anita Dongre's fashion show on March 13. US actress and singer Jennifer Lopezs sister actress Caterina Lopez attends designer Anita Dongre's fashion show on March 13. Designer Manish Malhotra poses with actor Kareena Kapoor during the second day of LFW 2011 on March 12.
33
South Africa rode on JP Duminy's brilliant 99 in 103 balls against Ireland at Eden Gardens to become the first team from Group B to march into the quarterfinals. they may still make the quarters as they would finish with seven points.
South Africa get together after Paul Stirlings dismissal. But England could still make a first round exit if Bangladesh beat South Africa. If Bangladesh beat South Africa, both will be through with 8 points. In that case, if the West Indies lose
Bangladeshs win against the Netherlands has opened the race for top spots in Group B. Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team must win against the West Indies on March 19 here.
Dhonis strategy of seven specialist batsmen and four specialist bowlers is being questioned post their South Africa defeat. Melbourne: Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones feels that for Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, winning the World Cup will remain a dream. In his column in The Age, Jones pointed out that history is very important to cricketers. "The three main common denominators consistent with all World Cup champion teams are: Your top four batsmen must be of a high quality. They must have the technique to play the new ball, as well as have the power and stroke play during Powerplays. They also must have the fitness to bat through the whole 50 overs. Your top four bowlers must be of high quality, able to absorb pressure and bowl defensively in Powerplays. If you can't field, don't bother turning up!" he said. "All this taken into account, I do not believe India will win the World Cup with its current form. Everyone here has a huge regard for the Indian team. They have the batsmen, no doubt. Tendulkar and Sehwag can rip any attack to shreds. But that alone doesn't win the World Cup," he said.
Group A
Teams New Zealand Pakistan Sri Lanka Australia Zimbabwe Canada Kenya Mat 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 Won 4 4 3 3 1 1 0 Lost 1 1 1 0 4 4 5
Group B
Net RR +1.606 +0.768 +2.206 -0.765 +0.013 -0.881 -2.386
34
International TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Smoke billows out from Fukushima nuclear plant on the Pacific coast and (right) quake survivors search for their belongings. Minister Kevin Rudd. Britain advised its citizens to consider leaving Tokyo and northeastern Japan, though British officials said there is still "no real human health issue that people should be concerned about". France's authorities said they were assigning two government planes to assist French citizens who wanted to leave Japan. US officials warned nationals living within 50 miles of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant to evacuate or seek shelter. The Japanese government has told people living up to six miles beyond the exclusion zone around the plant to stay indoors. More than 200,000 people have already been evacuated from the zone. Germany, Italy and The Netherlands also advised their nationals to leave or refrain from traveling to the northeast. France's Nuclear Safety Authority said the disaster now equated to a six on the sevenpoint international scale for nuclear accidents, ranking the crisis second only in gravity to the level-seven Chernobyl disaster in 1986. US Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the events in Japan "actually appear to be more serious" than the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island, a partial reactor meltdown that led to small releases of radioactivity. "To what extent we don't really know now," Chu said in Washington. Gregory Jaczko, chair of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, warned there was no water left in the spent fuel pool of the plant's number-four reactor, resulting in "extremely high" radiation levels. The US military will send a spy drone to take a closer look at the reactors in the troubled plant, Kyodo News reported. UN atomic watchdog chief Yukiya Amano said the situation was "very serious" as he prepared to fly out to see the damage for himself. The official toll of the dead and missing after the quake and tsunami flattened Japan's northeast coast exceeded 13,000, police said, with the number of confirmed dead at 5,178. Millions have been left without water, electricity, fuel or enough food and hundreds of thousands more are homeless, stoically coping with heavy snowfalls, freezing cold and wet conditions in the northeast.
Japanese people undergoing radioactive checks. warrants. Global software major Infosys Technologies advised its Indian employees to send their families back to India. It has also given its staff there the choice to return if the situation warrants it, a top company official said Tuesday. Another top software major, Tata Consultancy Services also said it was ready to relocate its Indian staff and their families in Japan back to India. The three companies have an estimated 700 Indians working in Japan. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that there were an estimated 25,000 Indians living in Japan, and most them were living in areas that have not been impacted that adversely by the natural disaster that struck the island country.
ccording to Bingham Cady, a professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University, US, Iodine 131 is the worst environmental actor emitting from the four stricken nuclear facilities in Japans northeast. Its radioactive and has the potential to become airborne and travel downwind. It will also stick to soil and settle on the ground. Those in danger of exposure should evac-
uate the area, which could remain contaminated for months, even years. Iodine pills which have been used in past nuclear disasters should be distributed to prevent exposed humans from absorbing contaminated iodine. Because the emergency cooling systems failed at these four facilities, other facilities must rethink their own nuclear safety strategy and implement tighter testing requirements.
36
Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info
If you're unable to get rid of all your bed bugs, try to look on the bright side. Strangers will be reluctant to enter your home, so you won't have to worry about crime. Just ask the 40-year-old accountant in Seattle. "I got rid of my lazy, good-for-nothing dog," he said. "Instead, I put up a sign that says 'Beware of the Bed Bugs.' Everyone has been staying away, even my
mother-in-law." In some cases, bed bugs can even invigorate your love life. Just ask the 80-year-old man in the Atlanta retirement home. "Nothing was happening between my wife, Mildred, and I until last Saturday," he said. "Then, in the middle of the night, I heard her say, 'Oh Harold, it's been so long since you nibbled my ear.'"
if you connect the dots, you will see a picture of Muammar Gaddafi. (If you see a picture of Barack Obama, you do not have bed bugs. You have democ rats.) The next step is a drastic one. Take all your furniture outdoors, spread it around and put up a large sign that says "Yard Sale." Make sure you warn potential buyers about the bed bug infestation by displaying messages such as "All sales final" and "All items sold as is." If you don't attract enough buyers, you might want to put up a more enticing sign: "Moving Sale." (Just don't tell them who's moving.) The final step is to deal with any bed bugs that are still hiding in your house. The best way to do this, most experts agree, is to blast them ruthlessly with one or two Justin Bieber songs. The bed bugs will rush out of their hiding places -- and so will any teenaged girls. Smack them with an old magazine (the bugs, not the girls).
by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Tech Life
ty for Nintendo Co and in the world, not far behind the iconic "Mario Bros" games. Worldwide, the game has sold about 215 million copies, compared with Mario's 250 million, Nintendo says. But "Pokemon" did so in 15 years. Mario took a decade longer. It helps that the primary system to