He is risen!

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian festival, and the one celebrated with the greatest joy.

The date of Easter changes each year, and several other Christian festivals fix their dates by reference to Easter.

Churches are filled with flowers, and there are special hymns and songs. But not all Easter customs are Christian; some, such as the Easter Bunny, are Pagan in origin.

The Easter story is at the heart of Christianity
On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was executed by crucifixion. His body was taken down from the cross, and buried in a cave.

The tomb was guarded and an enormous stone was put over the entrance, so that no-one could steal the body.

On the following Sunday, some women visited the grave and found that the stone had been moved, and that the tomb was empty.

Jesus himself was seen that day, and for days afterwards by many people. His followers realised that God had raised Jesus from the dead.

Posted in Religion, Orthodox Church | No Comments »

Good Friday: The Martyrdom of Jesus Christ

Good Friday is observed two days before Easter to honor the martyrdom of Jesus Christ. It is a day of somber ceremonies for all Christians. Originally known as ‘God’s Friday’, the present expression is believed to have emerged during the 10th or 11th century.
According to Christian belief, Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Some high authority officials however felt that he was trying to mislead the people. They hatched a plot against Christ and crucified him. A huge wooden cross was placed on his shoulders, and he carried it to the place assigned for his crucifixion.
A cross, symbolic of the one on which Jesus was crucified, is unveiled in many churches. It is believed that he rose from his grave on the following Sunday, which is celebrated as Easter Sunday.
The rituals for Good Friday commence on the preceding Thursday. A feast symbolizing the last supper of Christ is held on Thursday night. The end of this meal marks the beginning of the fast for Easter. Sermons, meditation and prayers form part of the ceremony, in memory of the suffering endured by Jesus Christ for three hours. This is followed by a general communion service at midnight. A day of prayer and penance, the bells of the churches remain silent on Good Friday.

Posted in Religion, Orthodox Church | No Comments »

Diwali : The Festival of Lights

India is a melting pot of races and religions. Every religion has its own unique style of festivals. But Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated with fervor and gaiety among all the races and religions. The festival symbolizes unity in diversity. The celebration of the four-day festival commences on Aswayuja Bahula Chaturdasi and concludes on Kartika Shudda Vijiya.

All over the world all Hindus celebrate Deepawali with great enthusiasm. This is the great festival honouring Mother Lakshmi (goddess of wealth). Diwali is a holy tradition, not to be put in the shade by the lights. Deepawali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. Celebrated joyously all over the India, it is a festival of wealth and prosperity.

Deepavali is celebrated 20 days after Dussera, on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin (Aasho) in (Oct/ Nov) every year.
(more…)

Posted in India | No Comments »

Happy Dussehra

Dussehra is celebrated in various ways in different parts of South Asia. In Bengal, the festival is celebrated as Kali Puja or Durga Puja, while in Tamil Nadu, the festival incorporates worship of the goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Shakti.

Some people feel that Dussehra and Dasara are not simply different transliterations of the same word, but two different festivals.

The Dasara celebrations in Mysore are popular with tourists, and are conducted with great pomp. Dasara is celebrated in Nepal by the name of Dashain.

Dasara is the festival marking end of Navratri and the immersion of Durga idols which are worshipped for nine days prior to Dussehra. Dussehra is also the day when many families start formal education of their kids. The practise has been so old, that in some parts of Kerala, even after conversions to Christianity, some members of the community continued this tradition. In 2004, many churches in Kerala formally adopted the same tradition of introducing young children to education on Dussehra day.

Posted in India | No Comments »

Mahatma’s Childhood days

Originally grocers, the Gandhis were bania by caste. The youngest offspring of Karamchand Gandhi alias Kaba Gandhi, Mohandas belonged to families who for three generations from his grandfather had been Prime Ministers in several Kathiawar states.

Mohandas, the future MAHATAMA, was born on Oct 2,1869. When Mohan was seven years old his parents moved 120 miles East to Rajkot. Rajkot became the Gandhis’ second home though the family link with Porbander remained.
(more…)

Posted in Mahatma Gandhiji | No Comments »

Teacher’s Day

As India celebrates Teacher’s Day on 5th September, try walking down memory lane reminiscing about teachers who remain everygreen in your minds, even today.

Though her weirdly oiled hair and bespectacled look would give you goosebumps, she had a unique knack of making learning experience. Though her squeaky tone wasn’t exactly music to ears, she would still take delight in your childish pranks.

Though a staunch disciplinarian, she had the unique ability of infusing life whenever she conducted lecture.

Why do you remember her fondly even after so many years?
Probably because, she was the one who taught you to strive for excellence, brought out your real potential, and made you believe that learning never stops.

Salute to our Teachers!

Posted in India, SICES School | No Comments »

Change your Thinking

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. T hey spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
(more…)

Posted in World, Timepass | 1 Comment »

Guess, what God will ask you?

1 …God won’t ask what kind of car you drove;
He’ll ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

2…God won’t ask the square footage of your house,
He’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

3…God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet,
He’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4…God won’t ask what your highest salary was,
He’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5…God won’t ask what your job title was,
He’ll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

6…God won’t ask how many friends you had,
He’ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

7… God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived,
He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8…God won’t ask about the color of your skin,
He’ll ask about the content of your character.

9… God won’t ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation,
He’ll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

Epilogue::

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

Posted in Religion | No Comments »

Eid-ul-Fitr:Festival of the Breaking of the Fast

Eid-ul-Fitr, popularly known as the “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast”, occurs as soon as the new moon is sighted at the end of the month of fasting, namely Ramadan. The festival is intended to be a festive and joyous occasion. Special foods and delicacies are prepared for the day and are distributed to neighbours and friends.

This festival celebrates the end of Ramzan, the Muslim month of fasting. It is an occasion of feasting and rejoicing.

The faithful gather in the mosques to pray, friends and relatives meet and exchange greetings. Prayers, family get-togethers and feasts are the major highlights of the festival.
Legend
During the holy month of Ramadan was when Allah gave Prophet Muhammad the Holy Qur’an. One day, Muhammad had a vision in which the angel Jibril told him how Allah wanted people to live. The Allah’s words were revealed to Muhammad through the angel over a period of 23 years, and the words were written down to form the Qur’an. Ramadan is celebrated to remember this very special month.

Posted in World | 1 Comment »

“Gandhigiri ” : Influence of Gandhiji’s values in Present Age

Born back in 1869, you migh be forgiven for thinking that Mahatma Gandhi has lost all relevance in Today’s Day and Age. But Gandhigiri- the new addition to youngster’s vocabulary- is fast proving that opposite may be true. “Gandhigiri ” has influenced me immensely.

‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ marks the return of Gandhi to mass consciousness. We loved the movie because, as average Indians, we still believe in honesty and positivity. Watching the movies was fun but deep down, it set me thinking about the way we deal with situations everyday. We have lost our patience and want returns immediately. We want our way even at the cost of other’s inconvenience. Munna and Circuit’s dadagiri is symbolic of our lost innocence.

Gandhiji’s ideals and principles may not be very practical today but I think it can be considered an option to deal with things in a system where nothing seems to work. My outlook has changed so much that even when I lose my cool, I think twice before reacting. After all, what harm does it do to stall a sudden outburst?
Infact, I believe that even if ten percent of people practise Gandhigiri, it will be a better world to live in.

Posted in Mahatma Gandhiji | No Comments »

Dussehra

Navratri, or ‘The Festival of Nine Nights’, is celebrated during the first nine days of the Hindu month of Ashvin (September-October). The festival is dedicated to the worship of Mother Goddess or Shakti and her nine forms. This season is considered to be an auspicious one as it is generally associated with the sowing of seeds. People sow seeds on the first day, consecrate the planets, watch the sprouting and worship Goddess Durga during this festival. The last three days are especially considered most important. The nine-day is equally divided in worshiping three goddesses. The first three days are dedicated to Goddess Durga. The next three days are spent in worshipping goddess Lakshmi and the last three days are dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. The day after Navratri the festival of Dussehra is celebrated.
(more…)

Posted in India | No Comments »

Onam: The Festival of Harvest ‘n Joy

Onam is the biggest and the most important festival of the state of Kerala. It is a harvest festival and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm all over the state by people of all communities. According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam.

Onam is celebrated in the beginning of the month of Chingam, the first month of Malayalam Calendar (Kollavarsham). This corresponds with the month of August-September according to Gregorian Calendar.

Carnival of Onam lasts from four to ten days. First day, Atham and tenth day, Thiruonam are most important of all. Popularity and presentation of rich culture of the state during the carnival made Onam the National Festival of Kerala in 1961. Elaborate feasts, folk songs, elegant dances, energetic games, elephants, boats and flowers all are a part of the dynamic festival called Onam.

Wish you all a Happy and Prosperous Onam!!!

Posted in Kerala, India | No Comments »

The Response to Da Vinci Code –> by Roger Cotton

The Da Vinci Code claims to be only a novel and as such I found it to be very engaging. It fabricates a very recent search for the Holy Grail, which it proposes is really secret documents showing that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and produced a royal bloodline. The use of a narrator, who comments philosophically and theologically on life, religion, and the church — using exaggerated language — causes those assertions within the novel to sound like truths we should consider — hidden truths we need to recover to free ourselves from the lies of the church. That interests people and sells books.

However, a leading New Testament scholar, Ben Witherington III, in his book The Gospel Code, (InterVarsity, 2004), responding to The Da Vinci Code, said: “It can be quite entertaining but also misleading. We need to treat this book as what it really is—not historical fiction but almost entirely fiction, at least when it comes to its assumptions and assertions about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and early Christianity” (p. 27).
(Also Read– ENCOUNTERING THE DA VINCI CODE)

(more…)

Posted in World, Orthodox Church | No Comments »

Youth For Equality’s Stand

In the wake of the 93rd amendment to the constitution of India, it is now possible for the Central and State governments to enforce up to 49.5% reservation in public and private colleges across the country. On April 28th, 2006 the Congress-led Democratic Front government in Maharashtra has quietly approved a draft ordinance that will bring in a staggering 50% reservation in private professional institutions. It is only a matter of time before similar quotas are ENFORCED in colleges across the country and the corporate sector.

As members of the student community and the corporate sector a 49.5% quota has grave ramifications. Reservation undermines MERIT. In a nation where premier institutes have a 1% acceptance rate, a 49.5% quota will DENY meritorious candidates admission. Are we willing to sacrifice the aspirations of lakhs of students at the altar of what is nothing more than vote bank politics?

The Government of India is pursuing a policy of blatant appeasement that needs to be checked. It is time for PROACTIVE ACTION. We as the youth of India owe it to ourselves and more importantly this nation to make our voice heard. India is a democracy. It is only through a united front that we can bring about the change that the times demand.
(more…)

Posted in India | 1 Comment »

God vs Project Manager

One day a man was having a conversation with God when his whole life flashed before his eyes as a series of footsteps on the sands of time. He saw that there were two pairs of footprints, but during the most difficult periods of his life there were only one set of footprints. He asked god “You said you will be with me throughout this journey, but why have you deserted me during the most critical times of my life??” to which god answered “Son, I did not desert you, I was always with you…you see only one set of footprints because during those difficult times in your life, I was carrying you”

Another day a S/w Programmer was having a similar conversation with his PM when his whole project flashed before his eyes as a series of footsteps on the sands of time. He saw that there were two pairs of footprints, but during the most difficult times in the project there were only one set of footprints. He asked his PM “You said you will be with me throughout the project, but why have you deserted me during the most critical times of the project??” to which the PM answered “Son, I did not desert you, I was always with you…you see only one set of footprints because during those difficult times, I was sitting on your head!!”

Posted in Timepass | No Comments »