Karva Chauth is one of the most popular Indian festivals and is mostly observed in the northern side of the country. It is a celebration of love, marriage and the unbreakable bond shared between a husband and wife.

  

 

The word “Karva” means an earthen pot of water and the word chauth means fourth. It signifies that Karva Chauth falls on the fourth day after poornima (full moon), in the month of Kartik, according to the Hindu calendar.

Why is Karwa Chauth celebrated? 

 

Also known as Niraja Vrat, Karva Chauth is a one-day festival where married Hindu women observe fasts for the health and safety of their husbands. They begin their fasts right at sunrise, which continues throughout the day until moonrise.

  

 

Women do not eat or drink anything and offer prayers to Lord Shiva. They break their fast after making various offerings and sighting the moon, which is also one of the most important celestial bodies according to Hindu mythology.

 

 

Women pray for the long life of their husbands and ask Lord Shiva to protect them from any harm or difficulties. It is also believed that this festival brings peace, happiness and joy into their married life.

 

 

Importance of Karwa Chauth

 

  

 

According to Hindu tradition, Karwa Chauth is one of the most important festivals, especially for married women. It begins with a small early morning prayer and is usually followed by “Sargi” - a food platter containing dry fruits, parathas, curry and coconut water.

 

 

Women consume Sargi after their bath as it is believed to be a healthy meal that allows them to prepare for the day’s fasting. It keeps them energetic and allows them to stay without food or water for the entire day.

 

 

History of Karva Chauth

 

  

 

There are various ancient legends associated with the festival of Karva Chauth. These tales or stories talk about the sacrifices that women have been making for their husbands and how their love is pure and eternal.

 

 

According to one such legend, there was a beautiful queen by the name of Veervati. She had seven brothers and was married to a handsome king. During the first year of her marriage, she observed her first Karva Chauth by observing a strict fast.

  

 

As the night drew closer, she started feeling uneasy due to severe thirst and hunger. But she refused to eat or drink anything. Her brothers could not watch her suffer anymore and decided to do something about it.

 

 

They created a mirror with the pipal tree in their backyard and tricked Veervati into believing that the moon had risen. She believed them and broke her fast. Unfortunately, news arrived that her beloved husband was dead.

  

 

Veervati was completely devastated and started running towards her husband’s house. On the way, she is stopped by Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati, who explain how her brothers tricked her. Maa Parvati cuts off her own finger and gives Veervati a few drops of her own holy blood.

 

 

She instructs Veervati to be careful during her next fasts. Veervati sprinkles the holy blood on the dead body of her husband, who is then miraculously brought back to life. In this way, Veervati was reunited with her husband due to her immense love, sacrifice and devotion.

 

 

Significance of Karwa Chauth

 

  

 

Apart from observing fasts, women also pray for a prosperous and happy married life. Later in the evening, they perform puja for their husbands before the moon sighting.

 

After this, the women try to see the moon through a sieve and then catch a glimpse of their husbands through the same sieve. It is also believed that when a wife looks at her husband through a sieve, all negative emotions are filtered through it.

 

Once this is done, the women eat something and their fast is completed. The festival has also been made popular by its depiction in various movies and TV shows.

 

During recent times, a lot of men have also started observing fasts for their wives. This has made the festival even more special as it signifies love, compassion and understanding.

 

 

New York, Oct 12 (IANS) Six Indian-American Malayalees will be honored in New York for their outstanding achievements in their field of specialization and for their service to the society by a community organisation, which represents the Kerala diaspora.

The Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center will present its 30th Annual Awards Banquet on October 22 in Elmont, which will be attended by India's Consul General Randhir Jaiswal and New York Senators Kevin Thomas and Anna Kaplan.

Javad Hassan, Chairman of NeST Group, will be awarded for corporate leadership. He has been striving to bring premier US universities to the Indian shores, so that Indian companies could gain from a global standard of education.

Thomas Joy, Suffolk County police officer will be awarded for Public Service. Joy was honored in 2020 by the India Association of Long Island for his service to the community during Covid-19 pandemic.

In the Performing Arts category, Bindiya Sabarinath, founder of Mayura School of Arts, has been named.

Sabarinath, trained in Bharatnatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi, is an alumni of Kalakshetra Chennai, and has been making principal styles of Indian Dance accessible to US residents.

She received a Presidential Award for representing Mohiniyattam from Kerala on Republic Day in 1998, and has dedicated herself to teaching and performing Indian Classical Dance for the past twenty years.

Bindiya established the Mayura school of Arts in 2000 in the US. She has over 1,000 students and many branches in the New York and New Jersey area, according to her website.

Silvester Noronha, who will be awarded under the Applied Science category, hails from Kollam district in Kerala. He is currently a visiting faculty of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

He was among a team of scientists from MIT who jointly invented a large high-temperature superconducting electromagnet, a step towards realizing the dream of the much-awaited nuclear power fusion meant for revolutionizing the world's energy sector.

P.T. Paulose has been recognised for contributions to Pravasi Malayalam Literature, and Jose Kaniyaly, Executive Editor and Partner of Kerala Express weekly newspaper, for his contributions to Malayalam Media and Journalism.

"Kerala Center has been honoring outstanding achievers since 1991. Every year we invite nominations and the committee has to make a unanimous choice for a candidate in a category to receive the award and this year is no different from previous years in terms of their achievements," Thomas Abraham, Kerala Center's Trustee Board Chairman and Award Committee Member, said in a press release.

Though the exact number of Keralites in the US is unknown, Thiruvananthapuram-based International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMD) reckons that there are at least 40 lakh Keralites abroad, of which at least 20 per cent or even higher number are now settled in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.

Kerala is officially preparing a data bank of Keralites, a move that will help the state find the number of Malayalis working abroad, especially in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

This pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s physical and mental well-being. People have been feeling trapped in their houses. All the festivals have been very lukewarm and excitement in people has fizzled out. With the reopening of several tourist places, this is the perfect opportunity to step out, with all safety measures in place, of course. To get in touch with one’s spiritual self, Ayodhya is a must-visit and has lots to offer. Take an Ayodhya trip to get in touch with the divine energy and explore the sacred land that was once home to Lord Ram. 

The place Ayodhya is synonymous with Ram Janmabhoomi but it is much more than that. There are many lesser-known historical and religious places that tourists can explore. Places that are soaked in rich heritage and have intriguing stories. Each place has a unique significance in mythology and it is amazing how some of these places are still preserved and maintained for people to visit and experience closely. 

Here is an Ayodhya travel guide and a list of places to visit in Ayodhya.

Ram Janmabhoomi: 

Ayodhya trip is incomplete with a visit to Ram janmabhoomi. The place is considered to be the motherland of the most worshipped Hindu god, Shri Ram and holds utmost importance for Hindu devotees. The Ayodhya Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan took place on 5th August 2020 by Mr. Narendra Modi, our Prime Minister and was a huge affair with thousands of people attending it. The intended plan and design looks magnificent and once ready will be one of the biggest temples in the country.  

Hanuman Garhi: 

Another attraction on the Ayodhya trip is Hanuman Garhi, which is a temple devoted to Lord Hanuman and is a significant temple in Ayodhya. It is believed that before one visits the Ram temple, it is important to visit the Hanuman temple and then proceed. The temple has a stairway of 76 steps and is situated on a hill. The temple has several idols of Lord Hanuman and his mother Anjani. The temple attracts many visitors during Hanuman Jayanti, Lord Hanuman’s birthday. There is a 6ft idol of Hanuman and people adorn the idol with many flowers and fruits to pay their respects. 

Kanak Bhawan:

Situated to the northeast of the Ram Janmabhoomi, the Kanak Bhawan is one of the most magnificent and famous temples in Ayodhya. According to the Ramayana, this palace was a wedding gift to Mata Sita after her marriage to Lord Ram by his stepmother, Kaikeyi. The garbhagriha has idols of Lord Rama and Mata Sita. 

Gulab Bari: 

This 18th-century tomb is located in Vaidehi Nagar area of district Faizabad. Gulab Bari is originally a tomb of Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Faizabad or also known as Oudh/Awadh. This Nawab styled structure is also a home of many different species of roses and has a lush green garden along with beautiful fountains. It is currently preserved as National heritage and is included in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act. 

Choti Chawni: 

Choti Chawni or Valmiki Bhavan is a palace intricately carved out of white marble. This magnificent structure has 34 heritage caves, 12 Buddhist caves that are to the south. At the centre, there are 17 Hindu caves and towards the north are 5 Jain caves. The Kailash temple in the palace adds to its beauty and sereneness. The palace is a sight to watch and is definitely a must-visit. 

Nageshwarnath Temple: 

The Nageshwarnath temple is situated in Ram ki Paidi. The temple was erected by Kush, the son of Lord Ram. According to a legend, Kush was bathing in the Saryu River where he lost an armlet which was later discovered by a Nag-Kanya who fell in love with him. Since he was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, Kush built this temple for her. Devotees come in huge numbers during Shivratri and the Shiva baraat is a highlight during the festival. The vibrant and colourful interiors of the temple are eye-catching. 

Treta Ke Thakur:

Treta Ke Thakur is located in Ayodhya at Naya Ghat and comprises several idols of Ram, Lakshman, Sita, Hanuman, Bharat, and Sugreev. The beautiful idols have been carved from an entire block of black sandstone. Treta Ke Thakur is said to have been constructed over 300 years ago by King Kullu. According to the scriptures, the temple is at the same place where Lord Rama had performed the famous Ashwamedh Yagna. The most interesting fact about the temple is that the doors of the temple are thrown open for the common people only once a year on Ekadashi during Kartik month. The temple is decorated and festivities are celebrated. 

Sita Ki Rasoi: 

The Sita Rasoi is to the north-west side of Ram Janmabhoomi and it is believed that Mata Sita used to cook in the kitchen herself. It is located close to Ram Janmabhoomi and is now a sacred temple where the ancient vessels are displayed. Mata Sita is Annapurna or goddess of food. To date, the tradition of feeding the poor is kept alive and free food is distributed here. On the other side are richly adorned idols of Ram-Sita, Lakshman-Urmila, Bharat-Mandavi and Shatrughan-Srutakirti. 

Getting to Ayodhya 

In Ayodhya, almost all the temples and places of significance are located in close proximity to each other. Most of the places are hardly 1km away from the centre of the city and can be accessed easily by walk or autos. However, here’s a detailed guide on how to reach Ayodhya.

By air: The nearest airport to Ayodhya is Lucknow International Airport and is situated 152 km away. Tourists can take a flight from any major city to Lucknow and then reach Ayodhya by taxi or bus. 

By train: Faizabad and Ayodhya are the main railway stations in the district and are connected to almost all the major cities. Ayodhya is 135 km from Lucknow by train and Faizabad is 128 km.    

By bus: UPSRTC (Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) provides bus services 24 hours a day and is a convenient and easy way to reach Ayodhya. Ayodhya is 172 km away from the capital city of Lucknow by road and buses are available at all times of the day making it a hassle-free way to commute.UPSRTC bus tickets can be bought online in advance on redBus.

Ayodhya is a place rich with culture and heritage just waiting to be explored. Happy travelling! 

 

Author-Shraddhanvita Tiwari

Dussehra, also called Vijayadashami, is a festival in India celebrated in the seventh month of the Hindu Lunar calendar. Taking place this year from 27 September to 8 October, the celebrations will be held in many regions across India, which may impact international assignments and expatriates’ general travel plans. However, the festival is a truly amazing spectacle and one to be enjoyed by assignees.

Regional Celebrations

Impact on Relocation

Human nature is nomadic. In the initial phase, it was seen as a necessity, but after that, as soon as life became permanent, it gained stability and slowly moving from one place to another and coming back is called an excursion. The excursions were made by people of investigative tendencies. In the twentieth century, excursions were called tourism. When a person goes without any specific purpose just for the aesthetic experience or for the satisfaction of his body, mind and soul, it is called tourism. The country which is geographically rich, culturally ancient and historically holistic, has immense potential for tourism and from this point of view, India has been the center of attraction for centuries. Therefore, its various other forms have also been seen in front of us today in the form of medical tourism, environmental tourism, pilgrimage tourism, commercial tourism, historical tourism etc. Presently, tourism has taken the form of an industry. The meaning of industry is taken as the hard work done to get some kind of profit. This benefit can be economic, global or spiritual.

 

In this era of globalization, when the geographical distance of the whole world seems to be decreasing, the possibilities of progress in various dimensions of tourism have been sufficient. Today, there is a need to give a global perspective to the locality and take advantage of the diversity to enrich the immense possibilities of tourism. 

 

 

India is indeed a country of festivals. And once you actually start writing about them, and researching about them in detail, you realize the number of festivals just cannot be counted. So many states. So many cultures. So many ways of celebrating the same festival. As one festival ends, preparation for another festival begins. One of such festivals is Navratri, and it is right around the corner. Time to celebrate!!

Navratri (Nava = nine, and Ratri = night) means a celebration of winning of a nine-day long battle, at the end of which Goddess Durga defeated Mahishasura (A demon). It is the win of good over evil. If you want to read about the mythological bit in detail, have a look at this article.

Let’s celebrate Navratri

As we all know, every culture in India has it’s own way of celebrating their festivals. It’s not just Navratri, but also Garbha-Dandiya, Ramlila, Golu, Durga Pooja, and more. All of these differ from region to region.

South India

Starting with Tamil Nadu, where we celebrate Golu. Hundreds of dolls and idols are put up for display on wooden/steel steps which are specially built for this purpose. These idols are set in a way that they talk about old mythologies and other lives, while some create modern scenes.  It is all set up like a mini-museum in your houses.

This begins on Mahalaya Amavasya (New moon) when they start arranging steps (minimum 5, maximum 9). At each step, various figures of gods, goddesses, humans etc depict instances. One of the steps has a Chettichi couple, with rice, grains, pulses, fruits and vegetables to symbolize grocery and food. The last step normally has Kalasam (ceremonial brass/mud pot with coconut on top). They fill these pots with rice and coins. There is one step for the kids too, which keep the park, zoo etc spread on mud with other creative ideas to capture the attention of the kids.

 Little kids start their kindergarten at the end of this 10-day ritual. And you can always find kids walking up to their neighbours doors and singing and getting gifts (Indian Halloween). On the 10th day, which is considered as the most auspicious, they start learning new skills. At night, the dolls are put to sleep and packed away for next year the next day.

In Karnataka, it is celebrated as a lavish and royal festival. The marvelous palace at Mysore is decorated and elephants are decorated and brought to the premises.

 

Eastern India

Here, Navratri is celebrated as Durga Pooja, which was Durga’s win over a demon. Not only is this a celebration of good over evil, but also the greatness of females. Bengal, in particular, is swamped with idols of Durga, and people celebrate this with immense happiness.

 

West India

Here we celebrate with the dance festival – Garba. It is an amazing dance form, with vibrant attires and people dance on the streets with 2 sticks (Dandiya). This has become a global event, as even universities in the US organize this event in October.

 

North India

I have been fairly more familiar with this celebration – The victory of King Rama over Ravana. If you have ever heard about the great Indian epic of Ramayana, you most definitely know about Lord Rama and his battle with Ravana. At the end of a 9-day battle, on the 10th day, Rama defeated Ravana. And to celebrate this victory, gigantic effigies of the ten-headed Ravana are burnt in each neighbourhood, with fireworks and Ramayana plays. This is called ‘Dussehra’ or ‘VijayaDashmi’.And there are many more. I wish I could go in deeper detail about every state, but well, we have too many states for that. But here’s more that I can tell you though.

The Math behind the Colors of Navratri

The people who follow Navratri enthusiastically (especially in Maharashtra and Gujarat), follow a different color for different days. Goddess Durga had 9 different forms, and every colour is dedicated to a different form. Devotees dress up in these colours, and also decorate their idols in the same. 9 days. 9 forms of a Goddess. 9 colors. And each year, there is a different set of colours which are followed. There is a math behind it, which not many know about.

1. The first Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday represent White, Red, Royal Blue, Yellow, Green, Grey, and Orange; in that order.
2. Next, comes Pink, and purple and/or sky blue alternatively for each year.

According to this, the colour theme for Navratri in October 2016, is:

DATE	DAY	COLOR
26 September 2022	Monday	GREY
27 September 2022	Tuesday	ORANGE
28 September 2022	Wednesday	WHITE
29 September 2022	Thursday	RED
30  September 2022	Friday	ROYAL BLUE
1 October 2022	Saturday	YELLOW
2 October 2022	Sunday	GREEN
3 October  2022	Monday	PINK
4 October 2022	Tuesday	PURPLE

Not many know of the math behind this, but there is one. And I hope this helps you with your garba-dandiya outfits. I am a little enthusiastic about the whole thing (except the fasting), but it’s become a part of life now. And I genuinely love how we have so many festivals, and reasons to celebrate and be around family.

I hope you and your folks have the best Navratri this time. Have fun.

Author:  RADHIKA CHUGH

 

 

 

Do you have 10 days for vacation? Are you planning for a trip to Leh Ladakh? Then, I am here to share Leh Ladakh Itinerary for 10 days. This itinerary personally worked out for me and so I would like to share the same with you. But, before we get into the itinerary, you might be wondering why you should visit Leh Ladakh.

Why Visit Leh Ladakh?

 With a wide range of mind-blowing places to explore, Leh Ladakh is a place that everyone should have on his/her bucket list. Ladakh stays vivacious at all times and here are some of the reasons for the same:

• Hundreds of passengers, vehicles and bikes flank this part of India from across the world
• The colour-changing lakes
• Adventurous spots at high-altitude
• Home for monasteries with prayer flags.
• Tough screes of the Himalayas
• Rugged roads

Now, we will start our Leh Ladakh Itinerary for 10 days beginning from Srinagar. During your 10-day trip, you can explore places like Manali, Jispa, Pangong Lake, Nubra Valley and of course, Leh.

Day Zero:

On this day, you will have to start from your home or even before this day. The idea here is to make sure that you reach Srinagar on Day one of your Leh Ladakh Itinerary. If you plan to travel by train to get to Srinagar, you will have a couple of options. You can book your train either to Udhampur Railway Station or Jammu Tawi. These two stations are connected well with varied parts of India.

Day One:

Reach Srinagar:

Once you reach the Jammu Tawi or Udhampur Railway Station from your home station, you can reach Srinagar from these stations with ease. You can take either a taxi or even you can take state government buses to reach Srinagar. Once you reach Srinagar on the first day of your Leh Ladakh itinerary for 10 days, you can spend the remaining part of the day taking rest in your hotel.

Day Two:

Travel to Kargil from Srinagar:On your second day, you will have to reach Kargil from Srinagar. It is better to make sure that you start early in the morning from Srinagar. The reason is that you can capture the vibes of the Indian Army when you travel at this time. It will take around five hours to reach Kargil via NH1. The distance is about 202 km between these two places. When travelling, make sure to capture the unbeatable serenity all through your trip. Even, in the middle of your trip, you can take a rest. After reaching Kargil, you can spend the remaining day in Kargil staying in this place.

Day Three:

Travel to Leh from Kargil:

Again, on the third day, you will have to spend your time travelling. The distance between Kargil and Leh is around 216 km. Even, on this day, you can start early to enjoy a serene ride. It will take around four and half hours of travel on the NH1 road. Again, it will be a serene trip and after reaching Leh, you can spend the rest of the day spending time in your accommodation.

Day Four:

Nubra Valley:

On the fourth day of your Leh Ladakh itinerary for 10 days, you will travel from Leh to Nubra Valley. The distance between these two places is around 160 km. So, it will take around three-and-hour to four hours to travel. When you start early, you can reach Nubra Valley early. Here are certain things you can do in this place:

• Take a ride on a camel
• Get a panoramic view of the Panamik Village
• Make sure to visit the most attractive Hunder Village
• Cycle in villages around this valley
• Take Zanskar river rafting
• For exploring enchanting landscapes, visit Samstanling Monastery
• Visit the Holy Lake Yarab Tso
• Make sure to visit the popular Turtuk Old Mosque
• Take Khardung La Pass Adventure trip
• Visit the Balti Kitchen to eat Baltistani Dishes

You will be going to spend this night in the Nubra Valley. So, do whatever things listed above as possible during this stay in this valley.

Day Five:

Head back to Leh from Nubra:

Again, start early from Nubra on the fifth day. If you start early, you can reach Leh early. After reaching Leh on the fifth day of your Leh Ladakh itinerary for 10 days, you can head out from your accommodation to get attractive views of Leh. Make sure to wind up things by the evening. On the fifth night, you will stay in Leh.

Day Six:

Head from Leh to Pangong:

Let the sixth day be dedicated to exploring the Pangong Lake. It will take around five hours of travelling. You will be surprised to know that this lake changes its colours all through the day. So, you can capture the attractive colours that keep changing in this lake. Also, this lake holds the pride of being one of the high altitude lakes in India. This night, you can camp amidst the salubrious nature. 

Day Seven:

Get back to Leh from Pangong:

Now, on the seventh day of your Leh Ladakh itinerary for 10 days, you will have to start early from Pangong to reach Leh. Even, you can start late from Pangong after exploring the early morning beauty of the lake spot. The distance from Pangong to Leh is around 222 km. So, it will take around five-and-half hours via Pangong Lake Road. After reaching, based on the time available, you can either spend the rest of the day in your accommodation at Leh or you can explore some shops near your accommodation. After spending some time outdoors at the night, you can get back to your accommodation to take a rest as the next day, you will have to again travel.

Day Eight:

Travel to Jispa from Leh:

You will have to spend most of the 8th day in travelling from Leh to Jispa. Yes, from Leh, it will take around 9 hours to reach Jispa. Of course, after travelling for these many hours, you will have to spend time in Jispa the night in your accommodation. Also, you have the option to camp at night in Jispa.

Day Nine:

Travel from Jispa to Manali:

On your 9^th day in the Leh Ladakh itinerary for 10 days, you can travel from Jispa to Manali. The travelling time will be just around two-and-half hours. So, you can start early and after reaching Manali, you can cover as many places as you can in Manali this day. Here are some places you can cover in Manali:

• Van Vihar
• Hadimba Devi Temple
• Himalayan Nyinmapa Tibetan Buddhist
• Mall Road
• Jai Durga Handloom Handicraft Emporium
• Desi Swaad

These are just a few important places that you should never miss out on visiting in Manali. You can spend this night in Manali.

Day Ten:

On day 10 of your Leh Ladakh Itinerary for 10 days, you can dedicate the day to preparing to leave your home. Based on the timing of your return train or flight, you can plan your packing and other things. If you have your return flight or train in the night, you can explore some places in Manali if time permits.

Conclusion:

This Leh Ladakh itinerary for 10 days will help you plan your trip successfully to the most beautiful spot that you should never miss out on visiting at least once in your lifetime.