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.
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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.

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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!

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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.
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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!!!

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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.
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In Lord Rama merges the Mahatma

Barrister, servant of society, relentless toiler for the freedom of his people, non-violent crusader for amity and peace, and pillar of the Indian National Congress, Gandhiji had been working on a draft revised Constitution for the party almost ceaselessly. The work left the frail man of 107 pounds (with indomitable will and energy of a Titan) severely exhausted. On the January 29, 1948 he had told his associates, I am very tired. Yet I must finish this task.

He dictated, wrote carefully and precisely, and corrected meticulously his ideas on what the Congress should do. The major points he made for the party’’s programme in the post-Independence phase were,The Congress as a propaganda vehicle and parliamentary machine has outlived its use. India has to attain social, economic, and moral independence, in terms of its seven hundred thousand villages. The Congress must keep out of unhealthy competition with political parties and communal bodies. The AICC therefore resolves to disband the existing Congress organisation and to make it flower into a Lok Sevak Sangh with rules, and power to alter them as occasion may demand.
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The Great Monk of Modern India

How many of us Indians remember Swami Vivekanda? He was born this day in 1863 in Calcutta.

The valiant monk who proclaimed in America the greatness of Hinduism and of Indian culture at a time when the West regarded India as a land of barbarians. The beloved disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.He was the living embodiment of sacrifice and dedicated his life to the country and yearned for the progress of the poor, the helpless and the downtrodden. He was the great thinker and mighty man of action whose ringing words galvanized the slumbering Indians. For ages to come he will be a source of inspiration.

Biography

He came to be known as Swami Vivekanda only when he became a sannyasi or monk. His parents called him Narendra. His father was Vishwantha Datta and his mother Bhuvaneshwari Devi. As a child he was very lively and naughty.
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Indian Orthodox Church

India is one of the earliest of centres of Christainity in the world. The Christain religion in India is as old as the Christain religion itself. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was preached in India in the first century itself. Tradition traces the origin of Christianity in India to the missionary enterprises of St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. This tradition, most dearly cherished by a large of Christians known as the Saint Thomas Christians.

The name, Malankara Orthodox Church, refers to the section of the St.Thomas Christians of India, that Canonically came under Catholicate of the East whose Supreme Head is His Holiness The Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan,with head quarters at Devalokam, Kottayam,Kerala, India. St.Thomas Christians at present belongs to ten different churches and denominations. The Malankara Orthodox Church is one among them and it is the second largest.

St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, is the founder of the ancient church in India. Christian writers and historians from the 4th century refer to the evangelistic work of Apostle Thomas in India, and the Indian Christians ascribe the origin of their church to the labours of the apostle in the 1stcentury.
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Enroll with IndianBloodDonors.com

There are many patients needing blood everyday in various hospitals in your city, some patients are from your own city and some are from another city. At times a patient dies because he does not get a unit of blood and at times a needy patient is exploited by people or institutions who have stooped low enough to make quick and easy money by providing unhealthy blood.

Indianblooddonors.com is a Wireless (SMS) and Email based alert System for voluntary blood donors. It directly alerts registered blood donors in “real time” via SMS and Emails according to their blood donation calender.

Though text messaging is not a new technology, the idea of utilizing it to communicate quickly with potential donors is. The website gives Blood Donors complete privacy. A registered voluntary donor would not like to be disturbed regularly . Donors may want to donate blood at their own pace and time.

Indianblooddonors.com ensure that our donors donate blood at the Blood Bank / Hospital of their choice preferably which is closest to their place of work / residence. The authenticity of each Request posted on the site is preserved.

So please enroll with Indianblooddonors.com as fast as possible. You can save Lives!

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Winter Might Turn Out to be a Bigger Killer than the Earthquake

You are aware of the catastrophic earthquake in South Asia. Hundreds of villages in Jammu and Kashmir were destroyed. Many remote areas still await help. Casualty figures run into thousands of dead and wounded. With the advent of the bitter Himalayan winter many thousands will die if we do not help.

ACTIONS REQUESTED

1) Donate generously.

2) Make a few phone calls every day
Call the President and Prime Minister of India to increase aid efforts and to get the Indian business and relief organizations to help the earthquake victims as robustly as they helped the Gujarat earthquake victims.

3) Involve your neighbors, colleagues and local civic organizations and charities in this campaign.

CONTACT INDIAN LEADERS
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Onam : The Festival of Joy

Onam

Onam is one of the most important festival of Kerala. It is a bright and colorful festival that celebrates the bounties of nature and a year of good harvest. The festival stretches on for ten days - days filled with feasting, boat racing, singing and dancing. Rituals along with new clothes, traditional cuisine, dance, and music mark this harvest festival.

Legends

According to the legends, Kerala was ruled by the Demon King Mahabali. The Gods feared that he might become too powerful, so they approached Lord Vishnu, to curb Mahabali’s power. Lord Vishnu took the form of Vaamana, the dwarf and approached Mahabali. He asked the good King for three paces of land. King Mahabali granted three paces of land to Vaamana. At that, the dwarf grew in height till he almost touched the sky. With his first step, he measured the heavens, with his second, the nether world.
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