Urdu Poetry

  

Urdu poetry has a richness in tradition and has many different forms that were basically started from Arabic and borrowing mush from Persian Language. Urdu poetry witnessed its growth and development during the early eras of 13th century, when some bards of the north India initiated in varied experimentation with the style. However the ingrained classic forms of Urdu poetry that contemporary generation are accustomed with did not really take on a final shape until the 17th century, when Urdu became the official language of the court in the Indian subcontinent.

Today a significant part of Indian culture, just like other languages, the history of Urdu poetry also shares origin and its influences with other linguistic traditions within the Urdu-Hindi-Hindustani mix. Urdu poetry gained immense popularity in the 18th century when Urdu replaced Persian as a major language of the region. In the 18th there was a scarcity of newspapers. Urdu poetry's history is an amazing journey that is replete with intrigue for the curious onlookers. However, the amazing intensity with which it continues to thrive amidst the hurly burly of the cotemporary age bears the testimony of its presence.

Literary personalities, as far back as Amir Khusro (1253-1325) and Kabir (1440-1518) later inspired Urdu poets, and served as linguistic and intellectual sources. Ghalib, Anis, Meer, Dard, Dabeer, Iqbal, Zauq, Firaq, Josh, Jigar, Faiz and Syed Shmad Shah (Ahmad Faraz) are among the greatest poets of Urdu literature. The tradition is mainly concentrated in the subcontinent. In the year 1947, following the Partition of India, it found main scholars and poets residing mainly in present day Pakistan. Mushairas (or poetic expositions) are today held worldwide in metropolitan areas.

Like Elizabethan English which is complete with social and regional realities, Urdu holds a remarkable wealth of the conventions of many cultures and languages. This element got a great boost in the 18th century when there weren't many newspapers or media of information available to the public. Urdu poetry became a more intimate form of communication regarding the social and political tribulations of the time. The commonest form of communication, in tradition with the Arabic culture, was to read poetry in gatherings, called musha'era, where poets would gather to read poems crafted in accordance with a metrical pattern, which was often prescribed beforehand. Not only did the poetry have to meet the choice of word, and the loftiness of thought but also strict metrical patterns. There were competitions like those held in ancient Greek, Roman and pre-Islamic Arabic cultures. However, the intensity and warmth of the musha'eras that developed in Delhi were indeed unique and helped popularize Urdu as the language of poetry in the Mughal Empire. A culture built around taking lessons in writing Urdu poetry became the in-thing for the royalty, and the masters of poetry were given reverence worthy of kings.

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Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh

  

Rohtang Pass, or Rohtang La, is a high jeepable mountain pass amidst the eastern Pir Panjal Range of snow laden mountains, elevated at an altitude of 3,978 metres (13,051 feet) above mean sea level. It is located 51 kilometres (32 miles) along the Leh-Manali Highway from the tourist famous town of Manali, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. A popular tourist destination during the summers, the Rohtang Pass provides some of the most scintillating and arresting visuals of the snow-capped Himalayan mountain peaks. It connects the Kullu Valley and the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh.

Etymology of Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh
The Rohtang Pass derives its name from the unfortunate deaths of people who attempted to cross the pass in bad weather. ‘Rohtang’ in Bhoti language refers to a pile of corpses.

Geography of Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh
The Rohtang Pass provides a natural divide between the humid Kullu Valley in the south which has a predominant Hindu culture and the higher and arid Lahaul and Spiti valleys in the north with a predominant Buddhist culture. In addition to Lahaul and Spiti, Rohtang Pass is a gateway to the Pangi valley in Himachal and the Leh valley in Ladakh. Rohtang serves as a gateway to Ladakh just as the Zojila Pass. It lies on the watershed separating the Chenab and the Beas river basins. The Beas River emerges from underground on the southern end of the pass, flowing southwards, while on its northern end, the Chenab River sources from the Chandra River flowing from the eastern Himalayas towards the west. The amazing visual of the Chandra River flowing down can be caught in the Lahaul valley along the pass, with that of the glaciers and peaks. The twin peaks of Geypan are also visible from the pass.

Tourism in Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh
The Rohtang Pass remains open only during the summer months from May to November. Though not difficult or high to cross through as per the Himalayan standards, the pass is considered dangerous for being vulnerable to unpredictable snowstorms and blizzards.

Rohtang Pass enlists itself high on the itineraries of tourists who visit Manali, Kullu, Shimla, Leh and other adjoining areas in summer, and is a hotspot for adventure enthusiasts. Adventurous activities such as trekking, skiing, mountain biking, snow scooters, sledges, paragliding and ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) can be experienced while at Rohtang. There are also small eateries and stalls up there that serve snacks to the tourists.

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Leisure Tourism in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

  

Leisure Tourism in Andaman and Nicobar Islands draws attention to the inland and the outland tourists of all ages. In case people are looking forward to spend their leisurely hours away from the bustling cities. Andaman and Nicobar Islands will be perfect for them. This group of island is comfortable settled in the middle of the ocean. On one had lies the Bay of Bengal and on the other hand is the Indian Ocean. Several big and small islands have given way to Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Owing to its topography the leisure tourism in Andaman and Nicobar islands will be perfect for holiday-lovers.

First stop from Port Blair is generally Viper Island, named after a 19th century merchant vessel that ran aground on it during the early years of the colony. Laying a short way off Haddo Wharf (a 585 metres concrete wharf with water fuel) it served as an isolation zone for the main prison, where escapees and convicts were sent to be punished during the time of British regime. Whipping posts and crumbling walls, reached from the jetty via a winding brick path, remain, as relics of a torture area, while occupying the site's most prominent position are the original gallows.

There are colonial remains on Ross Island too. Originally cleared by convicts wearing iron fetters (most of them sent there in the wake of the Sepoy Mutiny), Ross witnessed some of the most brutal excesses of British colonial history and was the source of the prison's infamy as Kalapani, or Black Water. Of the many convicts transported here, distinguished by their branded foreheads, the majority perished from disease or torture before the clearance of the island was completed in 1860. Thereafter, it served briefly as the site of Rev. Henry Corbyns "Andaman Home" - a prison camp created with the intention of "civilizing" the local tribal people.

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Floorball Federation of India (FFI)

  

Floorball is a game played and encouraged by only a few people. People are in agreement that floorball is an excellent alternative to Floor Hockey. The big difference between the two is that the rules of floor ball do not allow any high sticking, stick contact or body contact, so the game tends to be less physical than floor Hockey and more skill oriented and fast paced.

History of Floorball Federation of India
The game of Floorball has come to India just a few years back and as a result, it has not got the chance of gaining popularity among the people till now. One of the great sports enthusiastic of India, Mr. Mohd Seraj Ansari has done a great job for bringing the sport to India, by registering the Floorball Federation of India (FFI) in 2001. Mr, Ansari registered FFI under the aegis of the International Floorball Federation-IFF. However, he faced a lot of obstacles at the beginning, as there were no equipments and no supporters. Mr. Ansari then met the famous Floorball enthusiast, Mr. Jarkko Harkonen of Finland in March 2003 and they together started working for promoting the sport in India. Mr. Harkonen helped FFI to import some equipments of Floorball to India and that helped the organisation a lot.

After receiving the equipments from the Finnish manufacturers, the FFI started preparation for organising a national championship and it organised the first ever National Floorball Championship (men & women) in Maharashtra. A large number of 200 enthusiastic players and officials took part in the first 5 days of the National Training Camp in India. The Girls & Boys Team from Manipur made the longest trip of 6 days in the championship. The Uttar Pradesh team won the National Championship in Men's division and the Team of Delhi was the winner of National championship in Women's division. The FFI organised the second National camp in Lucknow, in City Montessori School (CMS) and this time, a group of children joined the camp. The FFI became successful to convince the City Montessori School (CMS) of Lucknow to adapt the game to be one of the school sports. The first local league in India named the Avandh Floorball League was organised in August 2004. All the players were registered in FFI and they were also insured against floorball injuries.

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Churches and Convents of Goa

  

Goa has some world famous churches and convents and the most comprehensive group of churches and cathedrals built during 16th and 17th century AD at Old Goa and are a legacy of the Portuguese. The famous churches of old Goa comprises of Se' Cathedral, Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi, Chapel of St. Catherine, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Church of Lady of Rosary, the Church of St Augustine and the Church of St. Cajetan. These monuments were influential in spreading forms of Manueline, Mannerist and Baroque art in all the countries of Asia where missions were established.

The churches display a combination of the Renaissance and Baroque styles. They are generally built of laterite and lime plaster. The paintings in the churches were done on wooden borders and fixed between panels having floral designs as in the chapels housing the tomb of St. Xavier, the arches above the altars in the transept of the Se' Cathedral and in the nave on either side of the main altar in the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. Excepting a few which are in stone, the statues are mostly in wood delicately carved and painted to adorn the altars. They depict mostly the saints, Mother Mary and Jesus on the cross.


The Basilica of Bom Jesus:The name Bom Jesus basically means "good Jesus" or "infant Jesus". The Basilica of Bom Jesus or Basilica of Bom Jesu is located in Goa. The church is located in Old Goa, which was the capital of Goa in the early days of Portuguese rule, about 10km from the city of Panjim. Close to the convent of St Francis, the 1605 church of Bom Jesus is known principally for the tomb and the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, a member of the Society of Jesus, who came to India with the Portuguese to spread Christianity in India.

Se Cathedral: One of the oldest and most celebrated religious buildings in Goa, the Se cathedral is one of the largest churches in Asia and it took eighty years to get completed. It is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria and is located in Old Goa. This monument truly represents the royalty of Goa in the early days, during the rule of Portuguese. One of the most sacred buildings for the Christians, Se cathedral has been declared a heritage site by UNESCO.

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Indian Snacks

  

The Indian snacks are usually delicious and mouth watering preparations. Savouries like "Samosa", "Aloo Tikki" and "Vada Pav" are easily prepared and are commonly served Indian snacks. The popularity of Indian snacks grew because of its easy process of preparation and that they can be prepared at any time. The crispness and tempting tastes of Indian snacks is liked by young and old alike. Snacks are generally eaten between meals. It is thought to be ideal to serve the appetizing Indian snacks while having coffee or tea.

A snack is a portion of food, often smaller than a regular meal, generally eaten between meals. Traditionally, snacks are prepared from ingredients commonly available in the home. Snack foods are typically designed to be portable, quick and satisfying. A snack eaten shortly before going to bed or during the night may be called a midnight snack.

Varieties of India Snacks
"Bhajias" or "Pakoras" can be prepared in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian forms. Sometimes only fried forms of besan with onions can make lovely "Bhajias", at times chicken or vegetable puree is added to make it fulfilling. "Chaat" is a popular type of Indian snacks and vendors literally crowd the streets selling all kinds of delicious variations of chaats. "Bhelpuri" is a type of low fat, nutritious and delicious snacks found in India. It is just a mixture of puffed rice, sauces, dried chats and other spices. "Chiwda" is a Marathi snacks and is popular for its properties to be crispy and crunchy that can be easily stored for a long time in airtight container. Similarly "Vada Pav" can be said to be a principle dish of Maharashtra that is presently a popular Indian snacks across the nation. Breadcrumbs along with some delicious mixture of curry make the sumptuous "Vada Pav".

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Types of Pranayama

  

Pranayama is the Yogic science of breathing. It is one such part of Yoga which helps one in mental and spiritual healing process. Oxygen is the most vital nutrient for the integrity of the brain, nerves, glands and internal organs.

Steps to Perform Pranayama
The Pranayama process involves a series of regulated breathing exercises that is used to purify the Pranic Nadis by controlling, regulating, and channelizing the Prana or the life force in the body. Pranayama techniques are best practiced while sitting on the floor on a folded blanket. It must be performed in empty stomach. Early morning is the best time to practice Pranayama, preferably before sunrise when the pollution is at its lowest level. One must dedicate at least 30-40 minutes to complete the entire pranayama series.

Major Types of Pranayama
Different types of Pranayama have different effects on the health. The correct choice of Pranayama depends on many factors such as body constitution, season, purpose and many more. Some major types of pranayama yoga are as follows:

Nadi Sodhana: Pranava mudra is made by bending the index and middle finger towards the palm and slowly inhaling through the left nostril and exhaling through the right nostril and vice versa.

Shitali Pranayama: Shitali involves the inhalation of air through the tongue and then very slowly expelling the air using both the nostrils.

Shitkari Pranayama: In this yoga, one has to breath in air externally, both right and left nostrils will be used emphatically.

Ujjayi Pranayama: Ujjayi Pranayama is a diaphragmatic breathing technique- first filling the lower belly, activating the first and second ‘chakras’, rising to the lower rib cage to activate the third and fourth ‘chakras’ and finally up to the upper chest and throat.

Kapalabhati Pranayama: Kapalabhati is a breathing exercise where various breathing techniques are moulded to soothe the Yoga practitioners.

Chandranga Bhastrika: It is practised through left nostril, and it influences Ida nadi. It is relatively coolaning in nature. Hence it will not increase Pitta, but increases Vata and slightly Kapha.

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Pahari Painting, Indian Paintings

  

Pahari painting refers to a painting from the mountainous regions and was developed in the independent states of the Himalayan foothills in India. It is one of the types of Indian paintings which are generally done in the miniature style. Pahari painting is the name given to Rajput paintings, made in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir states of India.

Origin of Pahari Painting
Pahari paintings developed and flourished during the period of 17th to 19th century. It was flourished in Basohli, Jammu, Garhwal, Chamba, Kangra, Guler and Mandiin the hilly areas in the northwest has been termed the Pahari School and was influenced to some extent by the Mughal painting of Aurangzeb’s period. Pahari paintings have been extensively influenced by the Rajput paintings, because of the family relations of the Pahari Rajas with the royal court at Rajasthan. There is strong influence of the Gujarat and Deccan paintings. With the appearance of Bhakti movement, new themes for Indian Pahari paintings came into practice. The ‘Shaiva-Shakta’ themes were increased by dialect poetry and folk songs of Lord Krishna and Lord Rama. At the same time, the themes of the paintings revolved around love and dedication also. There was also illustration of great epics, puranas, etc. The depiction of Devi Mahatmya manuscript painted at Kangra, in 1552, has been much acclaimed.

Types of Pahari Paintings
Following are the different types of Pahari Painting:

Basohli Paintings: Basohli town is situated on the bank of the Ravi River in Himachal which has produced splendid Devi series, magnificent series of the manifestations of the Supreme Goddess. Artist Devidasa painted it under the patronage of Raja Kirpal Pal. Gita Govinda of 1730 is also believed to have Basohli origin. Geometrical patterns, bright colours and glossy enamel characterize Basohli paintings.

Bilaspur Paintings: Bilaspur town of Himachal witnessed the growth of the Pahari paintings around the mid-17th century. Apart from the illustrations of the Bhagavata Purana, Ramayana and Ragamala series, artists also made paintings on rumal (coverlets) for rituals and ceremonies.

Chamba Paintings: These are quite related in appearance to Mughalstyle of paintings, which strongly influences the Deccan and Gujarat style too. The late 17th century witnessed Chamba paintings of Himachal being dominated by Basohli style, which ultimately gave way to Guler painting tradition.

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Theyyam , Folk Dance of Kerala

  

Theyyam is one of the most outstanding and popular ritual arts of northern Kerala, particularly the area of Kolathunadu of the present Kannur and Kasargod District. As a living religious group with centuries old traditions, rituals and customs, it embraces almost all castes and classes of Hindu religion. The term Theyyam is a distorted form of 'Dhaivam' or God. It is a rare combination of dance and music and reflects important features of a tribal culture as a whole. This folk dance is believed to be a divine expression and the local residents of Kerala invoke the blessings of God through this dance form. This custom is also followed in the area of Tulu Nadu in Karnataka.

Origin of Theyyam Dance
Historians are of the view that Theyyam dance is an ancient folk form and possesses characteristics which suggest that it had originated as early as the Chalcolithic and Neolithic periods. There existed certain communities who refused to accept the supremacy of Brahmins, especially in temple worship. These people were major patrons of Theyyam, and this dance used to be practised by every Tharavadu. Brahmins were never permitted to participate in this dance form, as it belonged exclusively to the regional tribal communities of Kerala. However, some royal clans erected their individual shrines where Theyyam deities were established. In domestic shrines, Goddesses like Kurathi, Chamundi, Vishnumoorthi, Someshwari and Rakteshwari are appeased. Thus this dance is also based on caste system. Nowadays, Brahmin 'Thanthri' is invited to sanctify the 'Kavu' idols and the Thiyyas perform this dance as a significant religious custom.

Cults of Theyyam Dance
Theyyam dance, being an ancient tribal dance boasts of a widened scope which also includes the religion of Islam. 'Bhagawathi' or the cult of Mother Goddesses plays a significant role on this dance form. Besides Goddesses, other cults of Theyyam include serpent -worship, tree-worship, ancestor-worship, 'masathi'-worship, animal worship, Goddess of disease, spirit-worship and worship of village deity or 'Gramadevataa'. 'Shivani'or Durga, 'Vaishnavi' or Lakshmi and 'Brahmani' or Saraswati are the major Goddesses worshipped through Theyyam. The Theyyam deities who are worshipped by a cock sacrifice are not allowed to enter shrines. During the 13th century, Vaishnavism was a popular theme of Theyyam, in Tuluva region, under the reign of Vishnuvardhana belonging to Hoysala Dynasty. Shaktism and Shaivism are the other important categories of Theyyam.

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