Diwali Celebration in Kerala

Kerala is a land of festivals. Diwali or Deepavali is a five day Hindu festival which occurs on the fifteenth day of Kartika. Deepavali is popularly known as the “festival of lights” and the most significant spiritual meaning is “the awareness of the inner light”. It is said to be an important festival in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, that occurring between mid-October and mid-November. For Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes.

The Diwali or Deepavali festival marks the victory of good over evil. The Sanskrit word “Deepavali” means “an array of lights” and signifies the victory of brightness over darkness. Deepavali is the celebration of Inner Light, in particular the knowing of which outshines all darkness or removes all obstacles and dispels all ignorance. Deepavali offers love, and the awareness of the oneness of all things and higher knowledge which brings Ananda or the Inner Joy or Peace. Rangoli is associated with the festival Diwali where both depicts the presence of light in which good take over the evil.Here are some of the best rangoli designs.

Diwali has strong roots with our Indian mythology. The story behind Deepavali varies from region to region. In North India Diwali is to commemorate the returning of, Lord Shri Rama, his wife Sita and his loyal brother Laxman to Ayodhya after 14 long years of exile. In the Western India Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped and in the Southern India, people rejoice at the defeat of the demon Narakasur by Lord Krishna. The Bengalis used to celebrate Diwali to worship Goddess Durga who successfully vanquished the demon Mahisusara on the very same day thereby saving people a lot of grief.

The Diwali festival is celebrated at the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the winter season. For Farmers Diwali is a festival marking the end of one Harvest and the beginning of another and is a festival heralding the beginning of a New Year. So the festival of lighting of lamps is a way of paying obeisance to god for attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace, valor and fame.

* In 2011, Diwali will be celebrated on 26th October 2011

The Best Diwali Rangoli Designs

Rangoli is said to be a great art form which is created in different styles with lots of meanings. Diwali is been an art form among Indian women. Diwali is considered as one of the popular sacred festival. It’s a well accepted belief that Goddess Lakshmi used to come in order to see the houses and so all the houses will be decorated so as to give a warm welcome to their favorite Goddess. Here I wish to share some of the best and catching designs that is popular among Indian women during the decorations to welcome Goddess Lakshmi.

Gold Rate Today in Kerala

The gold rate in Kerala is rising like a dream. It’s being a boom as well as a curse to the people who goes after it and the people who does not like to go after it. Today gold has become as an important treasury to the people from the higher to the lower. When it compared to other properties gold has reached at the top without a challenge. Gold is an inevitable element for the marriages and other major functions all around India. But the rising price of gold has become an anxiety and purpose for bothering especially to the parents whose has the daughters. The culture of today is wished to have more luxurious and adapted to acquire the gold as many as they can. Beyond the rates the people of today goes for the collection of gold. To know the price rates of today this site would benefit you like anything. The changes that occurs to the variation of gold rates can be seen here.

Gandhi Jayanti Celebration in Kerala

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat. Gandhiji is called as Mahatma and Bapu by all Indians. He was officially honored as the Father of the Nation and his birthday is celebrated as Gandhi jayanti. The celebration and observance of the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi is to commemorate his sacrifices, morals and his teachings. His ethics and his principles on non-violence have become an inspiration of light for the world.

Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader. His tradition are still appreciated and commonly used for solving conflicts and finding nonviolent result to troubles. Some of the significant events used to take place every year although the festival is celebrated as a quiet affair. The following line makes to understand or comprehend to know all about celebrating Gandhi Jayanti.

Prayer meetings are held at Raj Ghat, New Delhi, and the memorial where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. The Prime Minister and President of India attend a prayer services. Other dignitaries are also present. Everybody present pays their respect to the great leader. As Gandhi is respected by all the religions, various religious and political leaders they all will come and pay their tribute to Gandhi. Religious poetry and prayers from different holy books are also read out. Moreover, Gandhis favorite devotional song Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram is sung in the memory of the deceived.

On Gandhi Jayanti, all schools and offices are closed throughout the nation to celebrate the occasion. In most schools, the instance is celebrated by performing various works, such as planting new saplings, distributing medicines to the poor and needy, cleaning public areas and pledging to educate poor people. 2nd October has also been affirmed as the International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations General Assembly on 15th June, 2007. Hence, on this day, liquor is neither sold nor consumed throughout India in Gandhijis honor. Some sincere followers of Gandhiji also refrain from consuming meat on this day.

On the day of Gandhi Jayanthi many of the colleges and communities used to arrange various competitions such as essay writing and painting. Many of these competitions were conducted on the regards of glorifying peace, violence and the teachings of the great Gandhi.

Best Navratri Greeting Cards

Navratri 2011 is here so i would like to share some of the Happy Navratri greeting cards. I wish you and your family a prosperous and plenty full of wishes of “NAVRATRI”. Hope you all have some good time over here and enjoy the happiness of “NAVRATRI”. Please do have the celebration of Navratri where good take over the evil..

Hill Stations in Kerala

The hill stations in Kerala are small crowns that wrap the range of Western Ghats. When one speak about Kerala, what directly come to our mind are the tranquil and gorgeous Beaches, thrilling Backwaters, silky sands, Lush green environment and enchanting Wildlife. What frequently slips our mind is that Kerala is also crowd to some of the most beautiful hill stations in the country, a fact not known to many of us. The major Hill resorts of Kerala are: Munnar, Neliyampathy, Ponmudi, Tusharagiri, Peruvannamuzhi, Wayanad, Pythal Mala, Peerumade, Ranipuram, Devikulam, Ezhimala, Vagamon etc.

Munnar Hill Station

Munnar hills are situated at an altitude of 5000 to 8000 Ft above sea level. Munnar hills are located at the convergence of three mountain streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathani & Kundala. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India – Anamudi, which towers over 2695 m. Anamudi is a perfect spot for trekking. The high ranges of Munnar were earlier known as Kannan Devan Hills, named after a certain Kannan Devan, who had been land lord in the Anchanad Valley on the eastern side of the district. The main cultivation crops in Munnar are Tea and Coffee.

Vagamon Hill Station

Vagamon hill station it is situated at about 60 km from Kottayam and 65 km from Idukki district in Kerala. Located at a height of about 1100 meters beyond the sea level, Vagamon is prettily bounded by three chains of hills namely Thangal hill, Kurisumala and Murugan hill. It is a very perfect traveler spot bounded by the plants of tea gardens, beautiful meadows, deep puzzling valleys and dales.

Thekkady hill station

Thekkady hill station is at a height ranging from 700 m to 1900 m in the Idukki district. It lies on the Western Ghats in the state of Kerala. Thekkady is one of the main tourist destinations in India. It boasts of a sky-high literacy percentage and a proud culture and tradition, which have maintained throughout the ages. Tradition and culture compliments the natural beauty of the state in entertaining tourists from across the globe.

Beaches in Kerala

Kerala is a state on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India. Nicknamed as one of the “10 paradises of the world” by the National Geographic tourist, Kerala is well-known particularly for its ecotourism initiatives. The portrait wonderful Kerala is blessed with a lengthy shoreline of about 600 km, which is scattered with various Ayurveda, yoga and meditation centers to rejuvenate the mind, body & soul of tourists.  Its exclusive traditions and customs, together with its diverse demography, have made it one of the most well-liked tourist destinations in India. Kerala the land of green magic offers some of the best beaches in India. See the beach map of Kerala which can help you to find out all the most popular beaches around Kerala.

Top Beaches in Kerala

Alappuzha Beach

Alappuzha Beach is known as “Venice of the East”, Alappuzha has always enjoyed an main place in the marine record of Kerala. Alappuzha seashore is a well-liked picnic place. The pier, which extends into the sea here, is over 137 years old. Amusement services at the Vijaya Beach Park add to the attraction of the beach. There is also an old lighthouse near which is very much attractive to guests.

Bekal Beach

Bekal is a coastline destination of the future. Bekal beach, situated at 14 Km from Kasaragod, is the fantastic place to connect yourself in the cheerfulness of sand art. Tourists extend themselves under the sun and get a cool tan on their skin. Scattered with innumerable convincing palms, the seashore stretches near the Bekal Fort that boasts of being one of the best-maintained momentous forts in Kerala. Generally the tourists gather to the Bekal beach in the months of August to March. The Bekal Fort stands proud on a promontory. This is one of the largest forts in Kerala and has been under the control of various powers including Vijayanagar, Tipu Sultan and the British.

Cherai Beach

Situated 30 km from Kochi, in the Cherai village of Ernakulam district of Kerala, lays the tiny secluded Cherai beach. mostly a part of Vypin Island, the beach stretches to about 15 km and is visited for a variety of activities like swimming, sunbathing, water scootering and speed boating. The place is a exclusive combination of sea and backwaters rimmed by verdant green coconut palms and paddy field. Dotted with lush green coconut palms and paddy fields, the beach is a nice place to spend some quality time with friends or family.

Kovalam Beach

Kovalam is a suburb and a beach town on the Arabian Sea in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kerala, India. Today Kovalam has become one of the most popular beach hangouts in India. Kovalam means a grove of coconut trees and truly the coconut trees along the Kovalam beaches give a ravishing look.

Navratri- Celebrations in Kerala

Navratri exactly means “nine nights” is one of the best celebrated Hindu festivals in India. The festival signifies the victory of good over evil. In Kerala, Navratri signifies the starting of proper education for each child, aged between 3 -5 years. In temple during the celebration of Navratri, a separate puja will be held on all ten days. But the last three days puja has very great importance.

The last three days of concluding the puja are known as Durgashtami, mahanavami and vijayadasami. It is said that Durgashtami is the day of ayudya puja. At this day all the tools and vehicles of the home are worshipped. On the day of Durgashtami, a traditional event called Pujavaipu is performed in the evening and due to this service any effort associated to studies is kept suspended and books are reserved away. Trodden rice, roasted paddy (malar), jaggery, fruits and so on are presented to Saraswati, as worshipping the divinity of knowledge in the next day called Mahanavami. Next morning of Vijayadasami after the puja, the books and the study materials which are kept for puja are taken away from the room and this ceremony is called `Puja Eduppu’.

At the last three concluding days of Saraswati puja in Kerala, the little children are taken to the temples where they are introduced with the alphabets before the image of Goddess of knowledge and language- Saraswati. From there they are to write for the first alphabets on the sand or rice and this observance of enlightenment of the child is known as `Ezhuthinu Iruthu’ or ‘Vidyarambham’. All the kids are prepared to stand in a line. The head priest tells the children to stick out their tongues, on which he writes ‘Shri’, using a gold ring. Every child has to bring a thali of rice from home, on which the parents, holding the finger of the child, help him write ‘Harishri Ganpati Namaye’. A child can start reading and writing only after this ceremony.

Navratri Festival 2011- September 28, 2011 to October 5, 2011

Dance Forms of Kerala

Kerala have centuries of custom and artistic legacy. The prosperous range of Kerala’s dance forms is one of the mainly convincing proofs of its countless civilization and custom. All through olden times dance has been an important element of rituals, ceremony, celebrations and activity in Kerala. Numerous dance forms of Kerala are among the most elegant and gorgeous in the planet. These dance forms are reflections of the miscellaneous religious and artistic ethnicity of Kerala. Dancing, which forms an essential element of every country or region’s civilization has for long been a part of many rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations, with the gorgeous state of Kerala being no exemption. The dances exceptional because of the expressions of the dancers depict while drama, expressions that make known a sophisticated creative class. Here are some dance forms of Kerala which has great importance.

a. Mohiniattam

Mohiniattam is a dance form which is said to be originated in Kerala, is closely related to the Bharathanatyam of Tamil Nadu. Mohiniattam is well-known as the dance of the celestial enchantress. It is one of the most famous classical dances of Kerala. The term Mohiniyattam comes from the words “Mohini” meaning a woman who enchants onlookers and “aattam” meaning graceful and sensuous body movements. Mohiniattam is performed only by women and is known for its elegant actions and easy but stylish costume. Historically, the temple dancers/devdasis performed the Mohiniattam in the temples of Kerala.

b. Kathakali

Kathakali the classical dance form of Kerala was born in Kerala 400 years ago. Kathakali is an art form

where music, dance and drama are extremely coordinated that is in Kathakali constitutes three fine arts, abhinayam or acting, nrityam or dancing, and geetham or singand. Kathakali has a sole amalgamation of text, music, painting, acting and dance. The word Kathakali accurately means “Story-Play”.  It is recognized for its great, complicated makeup and costumes.  The elaborate costumes of Kathakali have become the most familiar sign for Kerala. The themes of the Kathakali are sacred in nature.  They typically deal with the Mahabarat, the Ramayana and the ancient scriptures known as the Puranas.  This is performed in a text which is generally Sanskritised Malayalam.

c. Mudiyettu 

Mudiyettu is ritualistic ballet play performed after the yield of summer crops in Kerala. Among the earliest and native drama art forms in Kerala are the ceremony dances known as Mudiyettu, connected with the Goddess Bhagavathi, the wife of Lord Siva. These dance forms worship the goddess and their themes rotate about the victory of the goddess over the demon Daruka and other malevolence characters.

d. Koodiyattam

This dance form of Kerala is the earliest of its kind and was evolved in the seventh century AD. It is an offering to divinity. Mythological themes are played. Kootiyattam accurately means “acting together”. Koodiyattam performed in the Sanskrit language in Hindu temples. Koodiyattam is Kathakali’s 2000 year old precursor and is accessible as a votive offering to the divinity.