This category shall have posts on events and festivals from India and around the world.
On the occasion of Thanksgiving, I came across this wonderful video which I would like to share with you.
Don Moen’s ‘Thank You Lord’- A great man of God, a blessed worship leader and a gifted song writer. Don Moen performs “Thank you Lord” from his live performance.
Enjoy:)
*/This post is dedicated to Thanksgiving occasion. /*
Thanksgiving Day is this week. Here is a video you may not want to miss. Find out which traditional recipes weren’t served at the first Thanksgiving celebration.
Social Media Week (SMW) was held in Mumbai from November 16 to 20, 2015. I was invited by Blogadda to attend Day 4 sessions of #SMWMumbai. It was at IMDI. Social Media Week (SMW) was one of the hyper-social week-long festivals in the country. This event focuses on digital, social & innovation. The overarching theme for this SMW Mumbai 2015 is – ‘Upwardly Mobile: The Rise of Connected Class’. SMW was happening in three cities simultaneously – Mumbai, Chicago & Santiago.
For more: http://socialmediaweek.org/mumbai
SMW Mumbai was hosted by R SQUARE Consulting a marketing firm focusing on building Communities through Brand Properties and executing Marketing Communication strategies for Clients through Events & Activations, Digital Marketing & Technology and Creative Services. For more visit www.rsquareconsulting.net
The first session for the day was ‘Come, Plan, Go’ –travel workshop. Ansoo Gupta started off by saying that “Travel is our best teacher. It opens up your mind. The world is an oyster.”
She focussed on how you can travel the world on a limited budget (budget travel). There are many kinds of travellers one who are on a shoe-string budget and the other who travels the world in a private jet. She also differentiated between a traveller and a tourist. A tourist is one who travels a planned itinerary whereas a traveller does not have a set itinerary but makes one of his own through locals and exploring new places.
Another aspect that was spoken about was group travel vs solo travel. Solo travel makes a difference. It allows you to slow down and connect with the environment. The magic happens when you leave your comfort zone.
Planning your trip. See the tips below:
Bucket list
-Budget
-Duration
-Season
-Events
-Interests
Visa
Air travel (Resources)- The following are few mobile apps that shall help you in planning your trip
Stay–
Few other tips
-Get a railway pass eg. Eurail
– Standard Indian License works everywhere. You do not need an international license.
-Use GPS
-Don’t use SLR. Take a mobile phone as it is light to carry and improved camera features are available.
-Turn off mobile data on the smart phone as it is expensive abroad.
-Lots of places have Free WiFi access, so make use of it.
Memberships–
-Youth hostels of India
-International Student Card
-YMCA/YWCA
-Iskon
-Thorntree (Ask specific questions in relation to your travel here)
Discounts
Safety emergencies: Here are a few emergencies while travelling abroad that you should prepare yourself for:
-Lost passport
-Lost money
-Street food
-Medical
-Women travelling alone
To conclude, here are quick tips while planning your next trip
-Money available
-Time available
-Estimate your departure
-Surf
-Research
-Network
Thank you Blogadda for this amazing workshop.
Continuing from my previous posts on Navratri …….
On the days of Indian rituals and religious festivals, vegetarian food is prepared at home. There are households who do not have onions and garlic. Thus, the choice becomes limited about what to cook.
The most common dishes for Navaratri are:
Below are videos where Manjula shows how to prepare these dishes for Navratri in her kitchen
Tomorrow shall mark the tenth day of Ashwin in the Hindu lunisolar calendar. The first nine days being celebrated as Navaratri. This Hindu festival is celebrated across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Dussehra or Vijayadashami marks the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasur, the demon. Durga Puja ends on this day with the immersion of idols. People visit each other’s house and exchange gifts. The saffron-colored Marigold are particularly associated with this festival and sold in abundance during this festive period. They are used for worship and decorating workplaces and homes.
In northern India, mainly Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and western Bihar, there is a tradition to plant barley seeds in earthen pots on the first day of Navratri. The sprouts on the tenth day, Dussehra, are used as symbols of luck. Many plays and dramas based on Ramayana are performed during this period known as ‘Ramlila’. The effigies of Ravana filled with firecrackers containing phosphorus are burned on Dussehra. The ceremonial burning of effigies of Ravana celebrates the victory of Rama. Dussehra is a festival of victory of Good over Evil.
