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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Shivratri at home
Last week we had Shivratri Pooja at home. We usually do it on the Shiva Lingams. My father was the designated priest. The Shivratri Pooja entails fasting the whole day........ sometimes the previous day and the next day as well. Depends on the austerity of the rituals you wish to follow. The pooja takes place at the last prahar of the day or anything between 930 and midnight. My grandfathers both side usually did it at midnight....... but dad cheated improvised a little as we were all hungry tired and could not sustain any longer...... and did it earlier than usual. The Shiva Lingams are bathed in milk, yogurt, ghee, (clarified butter) honey, and sugar...... ie the panchamrit and lastly water. The offering of bel leaves and bel fruit is given and then lastly flowers, fruits and sweets. Lastly we pray for peace health and happiness of the whole family.
Posting it in Our World Tuesday Week # 27
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Getting Creative : Rangoli
Rangoli is one of the traditional art forms of Indians. Decorative designs depicting pics or geometric patterns depicting the religious festival for which it is done. These designs are done in front of the deity or in front of the doors and main entrances as form of welcome. Each design or pattern depicts a certain deity and other associated things with the festival. Most of these designs have been passed on from generations with alterations over a period of time. The patterns that I have done have been taught to me by my mother who was taught by her mother and grandmother and so on forth. Every Indian household has their own version of Rangoli.
Rangolis are done with different mediums - Alpana the traditional Bengali rangoli is done with rice and water paste and done with the ring finger (by pressing a cotton ball in the palm by the thumb). There are various differences in patterns among the bengalis itself. Just by looking at the pattern you can say from which part of bengal the alpana is originally from. In my case I usually do alpana during the Kojagiri Lakshmi festival.
Rangoli is also done with colored sand. I usually do this kind during Diwali and Dhanteras. In South of India the Rangoli is done with flowers or rice or other mediums. Geometric patterns are used for the vedic poojas no idols are used. Even the base of every havan there is a certain geometric pattern that is used. A different one for a different pooja. Usually it is the swastik or lotus as the base. More info in Wiki here.
Rangolis are done with different mediums - Alpana the traditional Bengali rangoli is done with rice and water paste and done with the ring finger (by pressing a cotton ball in the palm by the thumb). There are various differences in patterns among the bengalis itself. Just by looking at the pattern you can say from which part of bengal the alpana is originally from. In my case I usually do alpana during the Kojagiri Lakshmi festival.
Rangoli is also done with colored sand. I usually do this kind during Diwali and Dhanteras. In South of India the Rangoli is done with flowers or rice or other mediums. Geometric patterns are used for the vedic poojas no idols are used. Even the base of every havan there is a certain geometric pattern that is used. A different one for a different pooja. Usually it is the swastik or lotus as the base. More info in Wiki here.
Alpana done with rice and water paste
Rangoli done with powdered colored sand during diwali.
Posting it in Tina's PicStory 38 : Creative
Ganesha
Vakratunnda Mahakaaya
Suryakotti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam Kurumedeva
Sarvakaaryeshu Sarvada
O Lord Ganesha, of Curved Trunk, Large Body, and with the Brilliance of a Million Suns,
Please Make All my Works Free of Obstacles, Always.
This is a huge Ganesha idol that has been erected in the outskirts of Pune.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
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Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
E is for Easy
I took this pic in Jurong Bird Park. The easiest bird pic to ever take. All I had to do was wait for the bird perched on a tree to scratch........ something....... anything or do something........ anything and I snapped........ thats it!!! EASY!!! Ive never ever had bird pics this easy. Normally I run after them or hide in really scratchy bushes or wait and wait and wait till the damn bird decides to come close and even then most of the shots I get are blurred. Ohhh yeah even climb trees........ I'm sure that tree was crying in pain. Whats more this bird came with a tag about its name and lots of other details which in normal circumstances takes me hours to google and still I'm not sure about its actual kind and tag the pic as BIRD....... This was really EASY!!!
Birds are really temperamental and I don't think they like me much. Most of them do stuff that I want them to do when I have either lowered my camera or looked some place else for a moment. Like that heron washing its prey before eating it......... I never get shots like that. They never do all the nice stuff that others click when I have my camera ready....... and believe me I have been following all the herons around my place....... They must have already tagged me as some creepy character.
I never take pics of them perched. It is so boring that way....... but with them spreading their wings and tucking their legs and flying that is something unique....... totally out of this world. I always wished I had wings so for me that is really something that sets them apart....... they can fly!!!!
And for all of you who were wondering about all those earthquakes happening around the globe...... It was me......... running !!!!
Birds are really temperamental and I don't think they like me much. Most of them do stuff that I want them to do when I have either lowered my camera or looked some place else for a moment. Like that heron washing its prey before eating it......... I never get shots like that. They never do all the nice stuff that others click when I have my camera ready....... and believe me I have been following all the herons around my place....... They must have already tagged me as some creepy character.
I never take pics of them perched. It is so boring that way....... but with them spreading their wings and tucking their legs and flying that is something unique....... totally out of this world. I always wished I had wings so for me that is really something that sets them apart....... they can fly!!!!
And for all of you who were wondering about all those earthquakes happening around the globe...... It was me......... running !!!!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
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Friday, February 10, 2012
Rocky shore
This is a rocky part of the sea shore in Goa. Posting it in Earth Wonders : Stones : big stones or rocks, Watery Wednesday 175
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
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