Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Happy Ram Navami [quiz]


Wishing you and your family a very Happy Ram Navami. May Lord Rama showers you with his divine love. on this auspicious day.

This time we will test our knowledge about Lord Rama and his life. with few simple questions
1.Lord Rama was born in _____________ (place)
2. His parents names were ___________________ and ___________
3. He is called Maryada___________________
4. His mother__________ asked his fathter to sent him away for ____________ years
so that his brother__________ can get the throne.
5. Ram Married __________
6. Sita's father's name was __________-
7 Ram went to exile with his wife Sita and brother ________________
8.Sita was taken away by_____________ when Ram went to get golden ________
9. Lord Ram was helped by his Bhakta_________ to build bridge to go to _____________
10. Lord Rama changed stone into ____________
11. He ate juthi berries from______________
12 Lord Rama let __________ wash his feet before entering his boat.
13. Lord Ram defeated ___________ on the day of Vijya dashami which symbolizes victory of __________ or evil.

14.Lord Rama returned home and Sita was asked to give________ to prove her pureness.
15. Sita gave birth to ________ and _________.

Post your asnwers as comments.
~JAY SIYA RAM~

Friday, September 25, 2009

Kota Dussehra Mela

Dussehra is celebrated all over the country but in Kota the festival is quite unique for it marks the beginning of an extensive festive period.

Kota is the hub of Hadoti in Rajasthan. It is famous for its doriya sarees, stones, spicy namkeens and as an education centre. Different places have evolved their own distinctive way of celebrating Dussehra. The Dussehra of Mysore is well known but Dussehra mela in Kota is a grand extravaganza. The celebrations here have made a special mark in the past many years. The art and craft fairs and exhibitions are a perennial feature of this town but the annual Dussehra festival holds an unusual lure for everyone.

Rich in courtly splendour and age-old traditions, the festivities here are marked by a rural flavour. The mela attracts thousands of village folk from the surrounding villages. It also attracts many tourists. The fair is jointly organised by the Nagar Nigam and the Department of Tourism and lasts for about a fortnight.

The deliberations are marked by a glittering procession, which attracts the common and the elite alike. The colourful shobha yatra to the Dussehra mela ground starts from the Royal Palace. It features decorated elephants, camels, horses, folk dancers and the like.

The presence of numerous villagers, who throng the venue in their traditional attires to participate in the cattle fair, holds a special charm for the tourists besides attraction of the festivities. The display of their rural jewellery and dresses can drive the foreigners in to ecstasy as they click the special moments and enjoy a memorable sojourn. The traditional sports, the cattle fair, thematic handicraft shops and elaborate decorations at pavilions —the entire atmosphere is quite colourful.

But the most unique feature of this mela is the tall effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarana and Meghnad. At more than 72 feet they are one the tallest in of the region. The effigy of Ravana is animated and it constantly brandishes its sword, turns its head and flickers the eyelashes much to the cheer of the crowd. The shorgars of the region are quite expert craftsmen. Master artisan Sattar Bhai of Fatehpur Sikri, who has been crafting the effigies for the past many years, says “Every year we try to give attractive and new inputs to Ravana and his clan.”

These effigies are filled with a variety of crackers. A young child dressed as Lord Rama shoots an arrow of fire at Ravana on Dashmi or the Dussehra day.

The Ramlila and Ram katha take place during the Navaratras. The Dussehra day also features a series of events, including the Lakshmi Narayan tableau from the Garh palace followed by a colourful shobha yatra from Kaithuni Pol, Bharat Milap and Ram Abhishek at the Shri Ram rangmanch. The specially decorated Ram rangmanch and Vijayshri rangmanch are a treat to watch.

Prominent artists from all over the country are invited to participate in various cultural programmes. The events include kavi sammelans, Sindhi cultural programme, bhajan sandhya, Rajasthani poets meet, cultural show by schoolchildren, Rajasthani folk music and dance programme (sponsored by the Department of Tourism), all-India mushaira, Punjabi programme, qawwali night, etc.

The events at the mela reach their climax on the Divali eve. The musical extravaganza culminates with a dazzling fireworks show and laser show.


http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081005/spectrum/main3.htm

Dussehra 2009 - Vijay Dashmi - 28th September




Dussehra is also known as Vijaya Dasami, because of the victory of Ram over Ravana. On this day in Satya Yug, Ram (the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu), killed the great demon and king of Lanka, Ravana.

Puranas also opined that in this day warrior Goddess Durga defeated and killed the buffalo demon Mahishasura.

Dussehra is the last day of Navratri; it falls on the 10th day of the waxing moon during the Hindu month of Ashvin (around September or October).
Dussehra in 2009 is on Monday, the 28th of September.