Breaking

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

October 16, 2019

Albuquerque International Balloon festival





















Albuquerque International Balloon festival is a hot festival that is organized in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Being the largest balloon festival in the world, this festival organizes around 500 hot air balloons each year. This festival begun in 1972 at Mexico. People and pilots from every corner of the world come to Mexico to witness this grand air party which continues for 9 days on the month of October. 


  

History/Traditions

 During the 50th celebrations of 770 KOB radio- a famous Mexican radio, about 13 balloons from England arrived at KOB, in New Mexico. More than 20000 spectators took part in the festivities of KOB, arriving from different parts of the United States and Mexico, along with some other countries, including England. The festival incorporated a Balloon "Roadrunner-coyote" race. In that race, Don Piccard, the winner of that 1972 race, landed nearest to the roadrunner. This way the balloon festival became famous, with the city of Albuquerque hosting the championship of "Balloon Roadrunner-Coyote" the succeeding years. Last year, a rally of balloons was organized to maintain the interests of people. A variety of people gathered at different locations of the city of view the parade of balloons.

Activities

Many artists get spectacular sightings for their paintings as a subject matter. Many group photographers, along with artists, gather and secure their corners at the park(s) of gathering of balloons. 
One of the biggest events of the festival is the Mass fiesta, where hundreds of balloons are launched into the sky at once.These balloons make different shapes in the sky, such as milk, soda cans and animals. Families that couldn't come to the spots watch these sightings from their backyards or rooftops.
Glowing balloons can also be observed at night by their propane burners. These balloons, however cannot move and remain static on the grounds.
Various challenges such as Fiesta challenge, America's gas balloon race, the flight of Nation's mass ascension, piloting skills etc. are organized, making the competition a fun filled and thrilling adventure. There is also a challenge in which hot air balloons have to land on a spot near the spectators.

This conventional festival has became a local showcase of the culture of Mexico, featuring numerous cultural exhibitions and increasing New Mexico's local business. Many camera companies also sponsored the festival, owing to the numerous pictures that are taken during the festival. These companies include Kodak and Canon.





Friday, October 11, 2019

October 11, 2019

Everything you need to know about La tomatina

This festival is celebrated every year on the last Wednesday of August from 10 am to 11 am. About one and a half million tomatoes are consumed in the midst of this beautiful tomato war. These tomatoes are sourced from a nearby town of Actrimadura, where they are cheap as well and do not taste as good. 

Everything you need to know about La tomatina
Festivities of La Tomatina

The festival began in 1945, when some youths sat in the Spanish city for a sit-in. When the police proceeded to stop them, the youth attacked the policemen by picking vegetables and fruits from the nearby vegetable shops.

Since then this festival has been celebrated and 2019 was the 70th anniversary of the festival. The rules of this tomato (tomato) war are very simple. When someone kills a tomato by throwing it at them, they have to first break the tomato and then kill it. Tearing each other's T-shirt or clothes during this time is prohibited and when someone says stop, the tomato thrower has to stop.


Spain's Tomatina Festival is very famous. Every year 20 thousand people take part in it and paint each other in tomato color. Tourists arrive from all over the world to participate in it. But due to the recession, this festival is also no longer untouched and the organizers have decided to collect at least ten euros i.e. about 910 rupees from the tourists participating in it. This decision also reinforces the fear that this event may go into private hands. Australia, Japan, Britain, Spain and USA have the highest number of people attending the La Tomatina Festival.

Since 1945, this festival is being held on last wednesday of August, during a week of festivities in Bunol.

October 11, 2019

Maha Shivratri: Origin, Tradition and Activities


Mahashivaratri is a religious festival of Hindus, which is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Shiva, the principal deity of Hinduism. Chaturdashi of Krishna Paksha is celebrated in the month of Falgun, the festival of Maha Shivaratri. In georgian calendar, the month of "Falgun" marks the arrival of spring. "Falgun" ususlly falls on 13th february according to Georgian calendar. On this day, Shiva devotees and those who have faith in Shiva keep fasting and especially worship Lord Shiva.

Maha Shivratri: Origin, Tradition and Activities, Everything you need to know about Maha Shivratri
Lord Shiva

There are some beliefs related to Lord Shiva regarding Maha Shivaratri. It is believed that Lord Shiva was descended on this special day in the midnight form of "Rudra of Brahma". At the same time, it is also believed that on this day Lord Shiva opened his third eye by doing Tandava- his most ferocious dance and ended the universe with the flame of this eye. Apart from this, in many places this day is also associated with the marriage of Lord Shiva and it is believed that Lord Shiva and mother Parvati were married on this holy day.

Though there is a Shivaratri in every month, but this Shivaratri which falls on the month of Phalgun, after 13th February has a great significance, hence it is called as Maha Shivaratri. In fact, Maha Shivaratri is the festival of worship of Lord Shiva, when the religious people worship Shiva with rituals and receive his blessings. On this day a large number of devotees throng the Shiva temples, who consider themselves fortunate to worship Shiva.

On the day of Mahashivaratri, Lord Shiva is worshiped and anointed with various holy things . Lord Shiva loves cannabis so many people also offer cannabis to them. Fasting is done throughout the day and after worshiping it is done in the evening.

Legend behind Maha Shivratri


Once upon a time there lived a Bhil in the forest of Varanasi. His name was Gurudruh. He used to hunt wild animals and raise his family.  Once on Shivaratri, he went to the forest to hunt. That day he did not get any hunting all day and it became night. Then he climbed the tree by the lake thinking that if any animal comes to drink water, I will hunt. It was a wood apple tree and a "Shivling" was installed beneath it.  A deer came there. When the hunter shot an arrow at the bow to kill him, the leaves of the tree tree and the water fell on the Shivling. Thus, in the first hour of the night, she was unwittingly worshiped by her. Deer also ran away.  A little later another deer came near the lake. The hunter, seeing him, again shot an arrow at his bow. This time also in the second half of the night, the leaves and water of wood apple tree fell on the Shivling and the Shivling was worshiped. She also ran away like the deer.  After this, a deer of the same family came there, this time the same thing happened and Shivling was worshiped in the third hour. That deer also escaped. 

                                                                                                   Then the deer came to drink water there with his flock and the hunter was very happy to see everyone together and he again put an arrow on his bow, which led to the worship of Shivling again in the fourth stroke. In this way, the hunter remained hungry and thirsty throughout the day and kept awake throughout the night and the four poets inadvertently worshiped Shiva by him, thus completing the fast of Shivaratri. The effects of this fast consumed his sins and he abandoned the idea of ​​killing the deer as soon as the virtues rose. 
Then Lord Shankar appeared from the Shivling and gave a boon to the hunter. That time, during the ear of Lord Rama would come to your house and befriend you. You will also get salvation. Thus, Lord Shiva gave salvation to the hunter due to the unknowingly fasted during Shivaratri.
October 11, 2019

The significance of Good Friday


According to Christianity, Jesus Christ was the son of God. Jesus is also called Jesus. He was hanged on the cross on the day of "Good Friday". On this day, the Lord Jesus, who instills love and faith in people throughout his life, is remembered and his teachings are recited. On Good Friday, devotees pledge to walk on the path of love, truth and faith. Many people mourn on this day by wearing black clothes.

The significance of Good friday, Everything you need to know about good friday
The significance of Good friday


Good Friday


The date of Good Friday changes every year on both Julian and Georgian calendars.  On Good Friday, Christ was hung on the cross. He was accused of hypocrisy and calling himself the son of God. Good Friday is a hobby day, but because Jesus Christ died on this day, it is called "Good" Friday.

Good Friday has special significance for Christians. On this day Jesus sacrificed his life on the cross. Although he was innocent, he was hanged on the cross. Before he was being crucified, he quoted "He did not accuse those who punished, rather he pardoned them, because they do not know what they are doing."

Why Jesus was Crucified? 

When Jesus was young, he wandered around and gave the message of humanity and peace to the people. He called people who spread superstition in the name of religion an enemy of mankind. Distraught with his messages, the piety sentenced him to death by accusing him of contempt of religion. Two thousand years ago, Jesus was given the death penalty because Jesus was teaching people to remove the darkness of injustice and gross luxury and ignorance. 
At that time, rabbinic rabbis (religious leaders) of the Jews strongly opposed Jesus. He did not find anything special in Jesus like the Messiah. He loved his rituals. It was a huge sin for him to call himself the son of God. So he complained to the then Roman governor Pilate. The Romans always feared the Jewish Revolution, so to please the hardliners, Pilate gave Jesus cruel punishment on the cross.
Jesus was tortured in many ways. A crown of thorns was placed on Jesus' head. After this, Jesus lifted the cross on his shoulder and took it to a place called Golgotha or Calvary, where he was crucified. The day Jesus was crucified was Friday. Jesus called out to God in a loud voice - 'Father, I hand over my soul to you.' He gave up his life after uttering such words. Jesus was in favor of change. He did not tie the limits of human love, but by his sacrifice he described him as autistic and beyond selfishness.

What happens on Good Friday?

On Good Friday, followers of Christianity go to church and remember the Lord Jesus. The devotees remember the suffering suffered by the Lord Jesus on the cross for three hours. Wearing black clothes at night time, the devotees take the footsteps, mourning while taking the image of Jesus with them.
Good Friday is a day of atonement and prayer, so bells are not played in the churches on this day, but instead a wooden knock is made. People remember God by kissing the cross symbolizing Jesus Christ. On Good Friday, Christians around the world donating to charity and promoting social work in the church.
October 11, 2019

Ganesh Chaturthi: Origin, Tradition and Activities

Ganesha Chaturthi, celebrated every year during the months of August/September,  is of the biggest festivals of Hindu religion, According to the stories mentioned in the "Ganesha Purana", on this day, Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, who was able to remove all obstacles, was born.

Ganesh Chaturthi: Origin, Tradition and Activities, Everything you need to know about Ganesha Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi: Origin, Tradition and Activities


Ganesha Chaturthi Festival


This mega-festival, celebrated on the birthday of Lord Vinayaka, is celebrated in a grand manner in all the states of India including Maharashtra. It is unknown when did the festival started. However, the festival became a major one after the Mughal-Maratha wars in South-west India during 1600 C.E.

Ganesha Chaturthi Celebrations

Two to three months before the festival, skilled craftsmen start making beautiful clay idols of Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is depicted in various positions in these sculptures. On Ganesha Chaturthi, these idols are brought home with great enthusiasm and are kept and worshiped at home for the next 10 days. Beautiful temporary sheds are also made with huge idols of Ganesha at many places. 

Priest in each circle performs the four main sacred rituals - In the first phase, the utterance of the souls in the idols is done by the chanting of sacred mantras. There are 16 ways of paying homage to Lord Ganesha after this ritual. Then prayers  is done so that the idol can be sent from one place to another. The last ritual is that of Ganapati immersion, which occurs on the last day of the festival. People submerge the Ganpati idols in the water bodies, praying Lord Ganesha to come again next year.

The legends behind Ganesha Chaturthi

According to the legends, before taking bath, Maa Parvati produced a beautiful child from her scum and named it Ganesha. Then, making him his gatekeeper, went to bathe, ordering him to guard the door. After a while Lord Shiva came and wanted to enter the door, then Ganesha stopped him from going inside. Lord Shiva got angry on this and cut off Ganesha's head with his trident and went inside the door. When mother Parvati saw the severed head of son Ganesha, she became very angry. Then all the gods including Brahma, Vishnu, praised him and pacified them and requested Lord Shiva to bring the child Ganesha alive. Lard Shiva, accepting his request, revived him by attaching an elephant's head to Shri Ganesh's torso. 

Why watching moon is prohibited in Ganesh Chaturthi?

According to the Purana, a person who sees the moon on Ganesha Chaturthi becomes a victim of "Mithya Dosham" or Illusion stigma. According to mythological beliefs, Lord Krishna had to bear the false charge of stealing the precious jewel Syamantaka to see the moon on the day of Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. Lord Narada told Lord Krishna that Lord Ganesha cursed Chandra (Moon) that whoever would see the Moon on this day would be cursed with illusion stigma and humiliated in society.