The Kabir Festival, Mumbai
The Kabir Festival, Mumbai
January 25, 2012 – 6:11 am | No Comment
Inspired by the Kabir Project, the Kabir Festival in Mumbai is spearheaded by a documentary film maker Shabnam Virmani who has traveled a great deal with folk singers who sing the great poet and Saint Kabir's composition. After traveling with such legendary folk singers for six years, there were four documentary films that were made by him. There are many other renditions of other musicians who have shown the works of Kabir with the help of music, art and other forms. The Kabir Festival is a festival that is held across Indian cities and also internationally. The festivals are held with a common link of screening of the documentary films made by this erstwhile famous director. There are talks, discussions, and debates by many important speakers across the country. Live music concerts and  [...]

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Kolkata celebrates Chinese New Year
January 23, 2012 | Festivals | No Comment
Kolkata celebrates Chinese New Year Kolkata is the city of Joy and an absolute treat for a tourist. Kolkata the land of the Bengali culture and sweets that your palate would cherish forever. This is the only place where you would see a blend of culture and tradition across the world. The Chinese culture is very prevalent in Kolkata and it is interesting to note the amalgamation of various cultures in this part of the world. There have been lot of celebrations in the city of Kolkata during the month of January over the past few years. While in Kolkata there is lot of pomp and glory here as Indian and Chinese students interact with each other and celebrate  the Chinese New Year with a lot of fanfare. So get to see the Chinese  students humming a popular Indian tune, and the Indian students humming a Chinese tune as the two cultures join and showcase the resultant effect of a beautiful tradition. Meet the Chinese Consul General in Kolkata and wish all a very happy new year. Relations between the two countries are very strong today and such occasions strengthen the existing relations. 2012 is the Chinese New Year and is the year of the dragon. The mythology of Chinese says that this year is represented by the Dragon. The Chinese communities celebrate the New Year in various ways. The Chinese Consul General said that with the year being the year of the Dragon, the ties between the two countries is strengthened further. Students have plans of singing the "Real Heroes" sung by the superstar Jackie Chan and it was interesting to see the Indian students rendering the song so well. India is a land of culture  [...]

Mahalaxmi SARAS Mela 2012
January 20, 2012 | Festivals | No Comment
Mahalaxmi SARAS Mela 2012
Do you want to enjoy the beauty of the Indian handicrafts and the pleasures of seeing the best crafts? India is a land which produces great interesting objects of arts and handicrafts and if there is a festival specially to showcase these works of intricate designs then there is nothing like it. The Mahalaxmi SARAS Mela is a fair that is organized by the Maharashtra Government and is normally held between the months of December to February. Normally the festival is a reason why the people from all the Indian states come with their handicrafts and art objects. So more than 35 stalls are sponsored and more than 85 artisans come from all parts of India. So get to see the best of handiwork from States like Bihar, Assam, Gujarat, AP, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, HP, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Maharashtra,  [...]


The Jaipur Literature Festival 2012
January 18, 2012 | Festivals | No Comment
The Jaipur Literature Festival 2012
Come January and get ready to take out the literary interest within you and enjoy the pleasures of literary work here in Jaipur at the Jaipur Literature Festival. Started since the year 2006, this pink  city in India, is home to the best literary festival not only in India but across the Asian continent. The main venue of this immensely interesting festival is the Diggi Palace Hotel which showcases a plethora of literary activity. Held every year in the state of Rajasthan in India in the city of Jaipur, the Jaipur Literature Festival  is held in the month of January. This year in 2012, it starts on January 20 and goes on till January 24. The Hall of Audience is witness to this unique festival and the Diggi gardens opens the doors to the best kind of literary work in this part of the world.  [...]


Pattadakal Dance Festival
January 13, 2012 | Festivals | No Comment
Pattadakal Dance Festival
Dance festivals are a very common affair in the land of culture and art, India which is the hub of such talent and creativity that is so much a part of Indian tradition. Dance and music festivals are ways of endorsing the latent talent and of encouraging new talent to come to the fore. Find such dance festivals in the district of Bagalkot in the Pattadakal town in  the Mallikarjuna and the Virupaksha temple which are full of activity and energy in the months of January and February every year. Situated around 22 kilometers from Badami, Pattadakal has around ten important temples and this is inclusive of a Jain temple. Four of these temples are in the Nagara style and the remaining are in Dravidian architecture. Today UNESCO has recognized Pattadakal as a World Heritage Site. Pattadakal  [...]


Goa Sand Art Festival
January 11, 2012 | Festivals | No Comment
Goa Sand Art Festival
In India, the main reason why the travel experience gets interesting is because of its innumerable festivals and its myriad occasions. The entire country is involved in celebrating some festival or the other throughout the year. Visit Goa in December this year and you would find the most unique festival being celebrated - The Goa Sand Art Festival. Yes come December 16, the Goa Sand Art Festival is a great event that is going to be witnessed by all those interested in art and art forms. A very attractive tourist hub, Goa is a great hit amongst the tourists across the world. So if there is going to be something as special as a sand art festival then it is but obvious that the land of beaches, Goa is the ideal place to be in. With the warmth of the locals and the beauty of the surroundings,  [...]


Orissa Music and Dance Festival
January 9, 2012 | Festivals | No Comment
Orissa Music and Dance Festival
Come to Orissa in the month of January and enjoy the beauty of music and dance here that is showcased here in the many festivals that are held here celebrated across the state. The 2012 Rajarani Music festival that is held from the 8th to the 20th January. This year in 2012 too, the festival is being celebrated and will continue to be celebrated all through the month. Orissa has been a land of culture and arts from times immemorial, and has expressed dance in the best form and the ideal ways. The Rajarani Music Festival also has been one such lovely occasion, which shows the richness and the absolute finessed Of Indian classical music. There are evening concerts held here and these have great masters of the Indian Classical Music arena regaling the audience with their talent and performances.  [...]


The Bikaner Camel Festival 2012
January 6, 2012 | Festivals | No Comment
The Bikaner Camel Festival 2012
Rajasthan in India is a land of fairs, festivals and colours. The vibrant nature of the place along with the beauty that abounds here is something that makes the place a kaleidoscope of travel pleasures. The Bikaner Camel Festival is one such occasion that gives the tourist a reason to visit this lovely land and get merged with the colours and vibrance here. Come the month of January and this place gets agog with this unique festival that is organized by the Department of tourism, Art and culture. The Government of Rajasthan proudly showcases the rich culture of the Rajasthan region and India becomes a hub of tourist activity during this season. An annual festival this fascinates tourists to no end and is held every year in the month of January. With the desert folk dances, and the related  [...]


Epiphany 2012 Feast of the Three Kings
January 4, 2012 | Festivals | No Comment
Epiphany 2012 Feast of the Three Kings
Come the time of Christmas and everyone basks in the revelry of exchanging gifts and making resolutions for the oncoming year. Post the celebrations of Christmas comes the time of Epiphany. The word Epiphany comes from the Greek word Epiphania which means revelation and has a biblical tale behind its origin. As per the Bible there was the Magi or the three kings - Caspar , Balthasar and Melchior. Caspar is also known as Kaspar or Gaspar. This Magi saw a bright star the night Jesus Christ was born and they followed it to the town of Bethlehem. At Bethlehem they are said to have found the baby Jesus Christ and they gave him lot of gifts of myrrh, frankincense and gold. This gift giving act is what is associated with giving gifts during Christmas. The act of the three kings giving a gift  [...]


Celebrating Indian festivals with the Bishnupur Festival
January 2, 2012 | Festivals | No Comment
Celebrating Indian festivals with the Bishnupur Festival
India is a land of festivals and the culture and tradition here dates back to ancient times. With such a vibrant culture and colourful tradition, India certainly showcases a lot of talent and art. All occassions pertaining to any festival is loaded with a lot of traditional values and cultural know-how. Amongst the festivals that are celebrated in the month of December and January, the Bishnupur Festival is a familiar one in the Bengali culture. This actually is an Indian festival that celebrates the true cause of being in Bengal. It has its own conventional style and is very commonly celebrated in this part of India. The Indian festival is very popular and has also been given the status of the National Fair of India. The Bishnupur or the Vishnupur festival is held in the Madanmohana temple  [...]


Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti
December 30, 2011 | Festivals | No Comment
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti
Festivals in India are a reason to get together and come out with a need to socialize. Sometimes festivals are observed to revere great heroes and leaders and spiritual heads who have made us what we are. The Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti is one such festival that is observed to revere the Sikh Guru of the same name. This day is the birthday of the tenth and the last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. There are innumerable prayer meetings and processions held on occasion of this Sikh festival. Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and the last Sikh Guru who was born at a place called Patna Sahib in the year 1666 which is regarded as the Poh Sudi Saptami amongst the Sikhs. Normally his birthday either falls in December or in the month of January. Sometimes it falls twice in a year as the date is calculated  [...]


Gaja Mela Indian festivals with a difference
December 28, 2011 | Festivals | No Comment
Gaja Mela Indian festivals with a difference
India has a lot of affiliation and bonding with elephants. Not only is it a land of elephants but also has its own elephant God – Lord Ganesha who is revered as the lord of obstacles. Visit any South Indian temple and there is sure to be one elephant in the courtyard. Most of the images of gods brought out in procession today are brought in elephants. So the elephant has a vital and significant role to play in Indian culture, religion and trends. Earlier in Kerala, most of the houses used to have an elephant and such families were considered to be very wealthy and rich. The keralites are a very dedicated and pious lot and observe elephant pageants on important days in the temple. Paripally Gajamela is a great pageant that is held annually at the Kodimootil Sree Bhadrakaali temple  [...]


Mammallapuram Dance Festival January 2012
December 26, 2011 | Festivals | No Comment
Mammallapuram Dance Festival January 2012
India is a land of festivals and a lot of traditions in India are based on festive occasions and on a kind of faith that is to be experienced to be believed. There are many events in South India that show a lot of reverence to such festive occasions and these events are a kind of awakening of our senses and all tourists who tour South India should surely make it a point to attend one of these festivals. Innumerable festivals are celebrated in South India. These include the Tourist fair, the dance festivals, the Natyanjali Dance Festival, the Tyagaraja Festival, pongal, the Puthandu, the Summer Festival and many more. All these festivals are a way of expressing art, culture, architecture, music, dance and literature. They traverse a lot of diverse heritage value and are an amalgamation of  [...]


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