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March 21, 2018 Events and Festivals

Celebrate Navroz

Festivals and holy days play a significant role in every community. The total number of sacred days adds up to 138, comprising feasts, fasts and prayers. An interesting feature of these holy days is that there are a ‘new years’ all the year around! Although 1^st January has become the de facto global New Year date, yet many religious communities and faith-based traditions follow other calendar systems and celebrate New Year during different months.

The new year of the Baha’i Faith coincides with the vernal or spring equinox and is preceded by 19 days of fasting-abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset each day. This fast, the Baha’i teachings say, purifies the body and the spirit.

This year, Navroz will be celebrated on March 21. The occasion will also bring down curtains on the year-long bicentenary celebrations of the birth of Baha’u’llah (1817-1892) which was commemorated around the world by his followers and their friends. The biggest gathering was at New Delhi’s Lotus Temple. Baha’u’llah calls out to humanity for good deeds, kind words, and upright conduct; service to others and collaborative action for constructing a world civilisation; and urges every member of the human race to walk the mystical path.

Navroz has its origins as a Zoroastrian observance in ancient Iran and to this day, it is celebrated as a cultural festival by Iranians of all religious backgrounds. In addition of being celebrated by Iranians and members of the Iranian diaspora, the observance of Navroz also spread to many other parts of the world; it is being celebrated as cultural holiday in India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Iraqi Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Navroz is typified with common forms of celebrations, but at its most basic, the holiday is seen as a period to firm up ties with family, friends and loved ones. Therefore, cards are sent to associates and friends and families sit in groups to have communal meals.

At the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel and in many other countries around the world, besides the community celebrations, special receptions are hosted for governmental, societal and community leaders that open a space for people of diverse backgrounds to celebrate our common heritage as a human family.

You may also like to read Nowruz- An Ancient Persian-Iranian Celebration

Navroz celebrations are held in a number of countries of Central Asia, particularly in Iran, where it is national festival. Traditionally, the celebrations last for 13 days- to mark the advent of spring and renewal of seasonal time. “Religion or dharma should unite all hearts and cause wars and disputes to vanish from the face of the earth; it should give birth to spirituality, and bring light and life to every soul’, Baha’i writings affirm. For the Baha’i is, Navroz is not just a calendar event, rather it is an opportunity to reinvigorate the powers of the spirit and re-examine matters of the heart and conscience. It begins with the idea that renewal in the world of nature is in fact a symbol of spiritual renewal and occasion for the individual to explore how to contribute to the material and spiritual welfare of others. To this end, the first of the Baha’i new year is yet one more occasion for sacred contemplation on our plight and to take resolute action for the betterment of our world.

A K Merchant is a national trustee, Lotus temple. The article on the significance of Navroz for the Baha’i community has been published in Speaking Tree

March 19, 2018 Travel, Within India

Jim Corbett National Park

Jim Corbett National Park is one of the few national parks in India which allows night halts in the heart of the forest. For this, tourist complexes at Dhikala, Gairal and Bijrani are to be booked in advance. Jim Corbett Park, mainland Asia’s ﬁrst National Park, spans over 1318.54 sq. kms, of which 520 sq. kms is the main area and the remaining is the buffer area. In 1936, the Park was named Hailey National Park but later renamed Corbett National Park (after James Edward Corbett, the famous hunter turned conservationist). Subsequently, the Park came under Project Tiger in 1971 for its population of the Royal Bengal Tiger and has also been declared as an ‘lmportant Bird Area’ (IBA) by Birdlife International for its many bird varieties.

Comprising mainly marshy, riverine belts, grasslands and a large lake, the Park can be viewed in an open wheeler jeep or on elephant back. It shelters a healthy population of tigers, known to kill much larger animals like buffalos and even elephants for food! The call of the sambar is believed to be a good indicator of the presence of the predator! The Park has leopards in the hilly areas and a sizable population of jungle cats, ﬁshing cats and leopard cats.

The Park is also home to rare species of fauna like otters, four to ﬁve species of deer, the ﬁsh eating crocodile, Indian elephants, the Indian python, local crocodiles and gharials, the Asiatic black bear, hog deer, walking deer, sambar, sloth bear and yellow-throated marten, among many others. It also hosts aqua fauna and birdlife with approximately 650 species including the great pied hornbill, white-backed vulture, Hodgson’s bushchat, orange breasted green pigeon, Pallas ﬁsh eagle, golden oriole, tawny ﬁsh owl and Indian Pitta.

For convenience, Corbett has been divided into different zones – The Bijrani Safari Zone, popular for its abundant natural beauty and open grasslands; the Jhirna Safari Zone, open for tourists round the year; the Dhela Safari Zone, a new ecotourism zone in tiger reserve zone popular for its wealthy ﬂora and fauna; the Dhikala Zone, the largest and most varied zone and is famous for its abundant natural beauty and a night stay here is not to be missed; and the Durga Devi Zone, a bird watchers’ paradise. The Sitabani Buffer Zone, although doesn’t fall under the Corbett Tiger Reserve area, is visited for its serene ambiance.

Rivers are the lifeline of wildlife and Corbett is fed by 3 of them — the Ramganga, the Kosi, and the Sonanadi. The Park remains open from the mid-November to mid-June with some parts like the Jhirna Zone open round the year. Also, the Birjani zone is open from mid-October to mid-June; and the Dhikala Zone from November 15 to mid-June. Interestingly, during monsoons the road of Dhikala and Birjani gets completely washed away. Do visit the Kaladhungi Museum which used to be the house of the legendary Jim Corbett, as also the museum at the Dhangarhi Gate, where you can get to see some of the preserved tiger, leopard and other wild animals. All visitors to Corbett National Park have to obtain permits.

Want to enjoy a game of cricket? A little away but surrounded by deep forest Jim Corbett Park, matches are played on the ‘Turf’ pitch. For this please check on coaching camps who offer a facility of net practice on ‘Turf’ and cemented pitches.

March 13, 2018 Food

World Pie Day

The World Pie Day observed on the 14th of March every year, is an annual celebration of the mathematical number Pi (π). In many places, the entire month of March is observed as the ‘Pi Month’. Although nothing to do with food, the most common way to celebrate the occasion is by having lots and lots of pie.

The day is also the birthday of Albert Einstein, hence at places people apart from eating pies also remember the famous scientist in numerous ways. Some of the unique ways of celebrating Pie Day are throwing pies at each other, organizing pie-eating contests, eating and sharing slices of pie, and distributing pies made at home among people.

Chicken Pie, World Pie Day — Chicken Pie
Image credit- Oddbodz

Pies have been an important part of our civilization, since the ancient Egyptians. The first pies were baked by the Romans, who learned them from the Greeks. The early pies were basically meat pies and appeared in England as early as the 12th century. The story of fruit pies started in the 1500s. The first cherry pie was made for Queen Elizabeth I. Pie traveled to America with the early settlers, with modifications made with locally available ingredients and techniques.

Over the years pie has evolved into what it is today, and for Americans, it is ‘the most traditional American dessert’. Here are some interesting facts about the all-popular pie that will certainly make you fall in love with it:

The Historical Facts:

Sweet, savory, hot or cold, and pies are considered comfort food. In Britain around 1 billion pounds are spent on pies, with pork pies accounting for nearly 145 million pounds.
In England, the crust of the pie was referred to as ‘coffyn’ with more crust and less filling.
The Romans are believed to have brought pies to Europe, with not just meat as its filling, but oysters, mussels, and fish also.
In England, the pie crust was used to bake meat dishes, where people used to enjoy the meat, and the crust was given to servants and beggars.

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Shakespeare and his pies:

Shakespeare in his tragic novel ‘Titus Andronicus’, used pie, where the protagonist Titus Andronicus, avenges Queen Tamara and her family for their evil deeds by baking her sons into a pie and serving it to her.
In his novel “A Winter’s Tale”, Shakespeare bakes warden pie, made of mace, ginger, prunes, nutmeg, raisins, and saffron. Wardens are a type of hard pear that lasts long but has to be cooked before eating.

Apple Pie, World Pie Day — Apple pie
Image credit- Dan Parsons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dan90266/42759561/

Some healthy facts about Apple Pie – one of the most preferred and popular pies, mostly in America:

Regulates body temperature – Iron being a rich source in apples is responsible for the regulation of body temperatures. It also assists in metabolic and enzymatic functions in the body.
Improves digestion – Thiamine in apples assists the secretion of hydrochloric acid vital for digestion.
Enhances memory power – Thiamine also known as a moral vitamin is effective due to its positive impact on the nervous system and mental attitude.
Helps in the treatment of diabetes – Vitamin B3 in apple tarts is a treatment for diabetes and high level of blood sugar.

The article is authored by famous Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. She is the founder and chief mentor of Diet Clinic Health Care Pvt. Ltd. Also, she is one of the youngest successful entrepreneurs of India.

March 12, 2018 Travel, Within India

Panch Kedar – Five Chosen Abodes of Lord Shiva in Himalayas

Uttarakhand also was known as ‘Devbhumi’ or ‘Land of Gods’ is indeed one of the most sacred abodes of God on this earth. Of the many pilgrimage Yatras leading to Uttarakhand, the Panch Kedar Yatra information is a quite prominent one.

The Panch Kedars are a group of the five most revered Lord Shiva temple namely Kedarnath, Rudranath, Kalpeshwar, Tungnath, Madhyamaheshwar that dot the Garhwal region of the Himalayas. The history and legends associated with the temples of Panch Kedar date back to the epic eras of Mahabharata and thus are quite ancient temples.

Most of these temples lie on the most untouched and remote parts of the Himalayas that are inaccessible by the motorable roads. Thus, most routes to the temples require a good amount of seasoned trekking. Undertaking the trek to Panch Kedar lets you embark on a real magnificent tour across the most difficult terrains of the high Himalayas and it is indeed an experience worth cherishing all through your life. A proper pilgrimage tour of the Panch Kedar takes you nearly 15 to 16 days to be completed successfully.

Mythology

The existence of Panch Kedar can well be associated with the legendary tales dating back to the era of the Mahabharata. According to legendary tales, the Pandavas were struck by an immense sense of guilt for having killed their own kinsmen in the battle of Mahabharata. To get rid of their sinful act, they prayed to Lord Shiva who however was too very enraged with their actions on the battlefield. So, he evaded them by taking the guise of a bull and hiding at Guptakashi. Pandava brother Bhima, however, recognized Shiva hidden in the shell of a bull and tried to catch hold of the bull by the tail. But Lord Shiva in the guise of the bull slipped out of his hands and disappeared. Later, he appeared in five different parts in the five different regions of Garhwal. Hump appeared in Kedarnath, a face appeared in Rudranath, and arms appeared in Tungnath, navel appeared in Madhyamaheshwar, hair appeared in Kalpeshwar. In order to please the lord Pandavas erected temples at all these five locations that later came to be known as Panch Kedars collectively. The Panch Kedar Yatra should be carried out in the following order first Kedarnath, second Tungnath, third Rudranath, fourth Madhyamaheshwar, and fifth Kalpeshwar.

Read on to learn more

Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath temple perched at an elevation of 3584 meters above the sea level falls within Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district and is dedicated to Lord Kedarnath or Lord Shiva. Kedarnath temple is one of the highest Jyotirlingams of Lord Shiva where the lingam is shaped like a cone quite resembling the hump of a bull. One can reach Kedarnath shrine only after trekking a distance of 14kms from Gaurikund base camp.

Tungnath Temple

Tungnath temple of Lord Shiva is perched at an elevation of 3680 meters above the sea level and can be reached by a 4 km long trek from Chopta base camp. Myths say that the arms of the lord had appeared at this place. Sights embellished with high Himalayan peaks, emerald meadows, and colorful rhododendrons will greet you on your way to Tungnath.

Rudranath Temple

As per legends lord Shiva’s face had appeared at this place. A rock shrine made naturally at an elevation of 2286 meters above the sea level has been dedicated to lord Tungnath. Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of Neelkanth Mahadev at Rudranath and the lingam most uniquely resembles a face. Trek to Rudranath can be undertaken from several locations at Gopeshwar.

Madhyamaheshwar Temple

The shrine of Madhyamaheshwar is perched at an elevation of 3289m above the sea level. As per myths the middle part or navel region of Lord Shiva often called the ‘Madhya’ part fell on this place. Bartoli and Uniana are the two places from where the trek to Madhyamaheshwar can be started.

Kalpeshwar Temple

This temple of the Panch Dwarka lies in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district and in the valley of Urgam. As per myths, the matted locks of Lord Shiva had appeared at this place. Thus, Lord Shiva is referred to as Jateshwar or Jatadhari at the shrine of Kalpeshwar. The temple of Kalpeshwar stands at an elevation of 2200 meters above the sea level.

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Kedarnath Temple – The Sacred Dham to Moksha