Happy Diwali 2012

Diwali decoration (Photo credit: Piyush's Space)

Diwali is here like every year. This year is the same as it was since I moved to the US but it is different too. The difference being I almost forgot it was Diwali today. I kinda remembered that it is sometime now but didn't know it was today. Anyway for someone like me whose entire life revolves around non-Hindus and almost all interactions are with people who are not even aware of this festival, it is just any other day.

I wonder how other Hindus are celebrating the festival of lights across the world. It is funny that when I was in India I looked forward to this very festival because I wanted the holiday from work to go out and enjoy. Here there are no holidays to look forward to. I set my own timings and days to work and I can take off whenever I want to and of course whenever my circumstances allow me to.

Anyway enough of my rambling... go ahead and enjoy the Diwali with family and friends instead of browsing the internet.

Happy Republic Day 2012

Image by Akshay Shah via Flickr

Today's is India's Republic Day - the day when India became a sovereign republic day with its own distinct constitution. India's Republic Day Parade is one of the most famous events that takes place in the Capital. I have never attended one in person but I have watched the live telecast on TV several times in my life when I was in India.

Next time I am in India I hope it is during this time so I can go to Delhi and watch the parade with my own eyes.

Countdown 2011 - Three days to go

In just three days, under 72 hrs we will be saying bye bye to another year. Most people are planning to celebrate the arrival of the new year by attending parties, midnight drinking binges, dancing the night away, etc. What is the big deal about New Year, I still don't understand. Except for changing calendars, what else happens on January 1? Government's don't change; fiscal policies remain the same; elections don't take place; nothing changes in the solar system or in the universe. The earth continues to revolve around the sun. Sometimes I think New Year is just another excuse for people to party and for corporations to sell stuff in the name of new year. Then there is the New Year resolutions, most people in America resolve to exercise more and lose weight in the next 12 months. Who gets to benefit most from this resolution? The people who make and stick to the resolution benefit the most, no doubt, but they are not the ones who derive maximum benefit. Gyms, health clubs, personal trainers, coaches, sports clubs, nutritional supplement manufacturers and sellers, etc are the one's who make the real money at this time of year. People who wish to lose weight sign up for memberships to all these places and buy products, services that they hope will help them lose weight and attain a beautiful body - high school slim - that is what they call. I don't know when humans will give up this frenzy of event-based lifestyles and live according to what they need and when they need.

Happy Thanksgiving... or is it??

Today is the national holiday of Thanksgiving in America. Today is the day when people travel hundreds of miles to get together with families and loved ones. It is a day when people thank the lord for giving them everything that they need and pray for more next year. Of course like all other national events everywhere in the world there is a legend or story associated with this holiday too, but that is not the point of this post. 

Ever since I landed in America I have wondered about this festival where hundreds of thousands of birds are killed to satiate the hunger of humans. So whenever I hear someone say "Happy Thanksgiving" my mind travels to the plight of the innocent Turkey which was raised, fed, and fattened only to be killed today or perhaps a few days ago so that it's carcass may be cleaned, processed and packaged to be sold in the big box retailers across the country. It is not such a "Happy Thanksgiving" for these hundreds of thousands of birds afterall. They lose everything they had including their life.

The simple justification I have heard from lots of people here is that: "Animals don't have a soul, so they are born to be killed and eaten by humans. That is how god created the world." Really! you want me to believe that? If that is true why is that when animals become even remotely dangerous to humans they are instantaneously killed or quarantines or sometimes whole speicies decimated? It is this insatiable human greed that has become a danger for the planet that has given us so much and continues to sustain our lives. Do we ever stop and say thanks to this planet?

I wonder when that will happen... or should I say that if it will ever happen?

Business Takes Precedence Over Holiday Traditions!!!

Since the inception of the holiday tradition Thanks Giving has always been a time for families to get together and offer prayers to the Lord. Ever since I moved to the US I have noticed that people travel hundreds and sometimes even thousands of miles just to spend quality time with their families. Of course businesses have always used this holiday to sell more and there are discounts galore year after year. All the sales have always happened on the day after Thanks Giving, popularly known as Black Friday. Shoppers would get together with their families on Thanksgiving day, enjoy the Turkey dinner and prayers. Then on Friday early morning as early as 5 am head out to stores to shop. This has been the normal tradition in America till 2010.
 
This year is going to be different. Retailers have decided to open up their stores for black friday shopping on thursday itself. They are trying to entice shoppers to step outside their homes after dinner on Thanksgiving night and shop. This decision of the business owners and CEOs to open up stores on Thursday itself has angered both shoppers and store employees. Businesses seem to only be interested in money and nothing more, they don't care two hoots for tradition.
 
Hitherto I had believed that it was only the liberals, leftist and communists who didn't care for religion, tradition and heritage, but now it is becoming apparent that even hard core capitalist, right-wing conservative, businessmen also don't. I wonder if this is the way forward for the world or not.

Diwali is Approaching Fast....

Image via WikipediaThis year Diwali is going to be on October 26, 2011, a little over a week from today. What have you planned for the festival? What about gifts you are going to give to your loved ones. I have always believed in giving the perfect gift - something that the recipient has always wanted. It is quite tough to be able to read someone's mind and give them the gift that is desired.

The closest one can get is giving an instrument that will enable your loved one to get what they desire. After all we want the best for our loved ones. Since last year I have started giving my family and close friends and of course the most avid readers of my blog the Diwali Gift Cards from American Express. These gift cards are so convenient they come in different values and can be used any where online or offline. As part of the festival offer we are giving away five $50 gift cards to my blog readers.

All you need to do is leave a comment in response to this blogpost elaborating your plans for this Diwali and what special things you plan to do for your loved ones. That is all you need to do to get a $50 gift card.

You could even tell me what you would do with the extra $50 you get during this festival season. Will you spend it on clothes, gifts, eating out or just give it away to your family. I will be choosing five winners from those who have commented during the past few days and sending the gifts pretty soon. If you want to get into the drawing make sure you leave your comments today... no... right now...

Happy Navrathri 2011

Image via WikipediaNavrathri or Dushera or Dasara is one of the most important festivals of more than a fifth of the world's population. I mean there are over a billion Hindus worldwide and all these people celebrate this festival which commemorates the victory of god over demons, light over darkness, good over evil, etc. This is one f the most widely celebrated festivals among the Indian diaspora in the US. When I say Indian I mean the Hindus from India, not the native American tribals and their half-bred white descendants who so ardently cling on to this ethnic identity label and refuse to let go and take pride in their own national identity.

The highlight of Dasara or Navrathri in my home state in India is the celebrations in Mysore. The way these celebrations are carried out is simply mind-blowing and people from across the world come to view the grandeur of this event.

Anyway this post is about the celebration of Navrathri and I sure wish everyone across the world irrespective of their religion, nationality, ethnic identity, or culture a very happy festival season.

Happy Ganesha Chaturthi

Wish you all a very Happy Gowri-Ganesha Festival!

Image via Wikipedia

Most of my readers from India would have celebrated the festival with devotion. Here in the US I am pretty sure only a minority of the Hindus would have celebrated the festival at home. Most would have gone to the temple, some would be scheduled to celebrate over the weekend. Whatever your plans are, I wish you a very Happy Gowri-Ganesha Festival.

Happy Krishna Janmashtami

Today is Krishna Janmashtami... the birthday of Lord Krishna the supreme personality Godhead. If I were in India with my parents we would have celebrated the festival in a traditional way, but I am here in the US where the only festival celebrated is Christmas. Well you give some to get some....

This is the greeting card I received online from JK YOG a leading Hindu Non-Profit group here in the DFW area.

Happy Ugadi - Happy New Year!

Wish you all a Happy New Year!.

This new year festival is relevant to me, as I am a Hindu. Moreover this festival has been celebrated as New Year day since the past several thousand years. This day is indeed auspicious and relevant. Back in India we would receive neem flowers and jaggery (brown sugar) from our parents and family symbolizing that the forth coming year will bring both bitter and sweet things for our life and we will accept both equally.

Being in America all these days, festivals and traditions have almost become forgotten and irrelevant. I wonder if all Hindus in America feel the same way????

Happy Pongal and Makar Sankranti

Back home in India and at the homes of Hindus Worldwide today and tomorrow are being widely celebrated as Pongal and Sankranti. These are basically celebrated and perceived as harvest festivals by most people. There is a greater meaning however, this is the day when the Sun's northward journey aka Uttarayan starts. This festival has been celebrated for several thousand years across the world. Way back it was celebrated in South America by the Mayans, who built the fantastic temples that are still a marvel to modern architects.

Maya is a historical/ mythological character in Hinduism, he is the architect of the gods and demons alike. Legend is that when Lord Shiva, destroyed the three cities built by Maya, he was spared and banished to Patala Loka (nether world). The earth is a globe and if one were to trace a straight path through the earth from India, it would probably end up around South America where Maya was sent. The Mayan people were his descendants. Therefore it was not a wonder that they celebrated the Makar Sankranti also.

Anyway this blog post is a message to all my readers, friends and family wishing you all a very happy Sankranti and may the future be full of revolutionary and positive changes in your life.

Happy New Year 2011

I'd like to use this opportuity to reflect on the significance of the beginning of a new year. What does the new year mean? Is it just an opportunity for people to let down their hair and party all night, get drunk, hang out with friends. Or is there something more to the beginning of a new year.

Personally speaking I come from a totally different culture where a New Year doesn't begin on January 1st, rather our new year is on the first new moon day after the Spring Equinox. This day is known as Ugadi and we celebrate it by eating a neem flower with brown sugar with a promise that we will accept both bitter and sweet experiences in the coming year equally. This is quite significant to me because there is some kind of meaning to the beginning of a year.

I still don't understand the main significance of January 1st apart from the fact that it is the beginning of a year. Of course some people make resolutions and try to keep them up in the coming year, but most of us generally party hard, drink and forget all about the day once we are back at work the next day.

Happy Diwali 2010

Happy Vijaya Dashami to All

Vijaya Dashami marks the end of the Dushera/ Dasara festival in the Hindu/ Indian Calendar. This relevance of this festival is obvious by the name, Vijaya meaning "Victory" and Dashami meaning "tenth day". This is the day when the war between god and demons were finished with the victory to the God. In the history of Hinduism there have been quite a few of these wars and the most significant are still remembered as festivals and celebratory days of the good forces.

On Vijaya Dashami we celebrate the victory of:
1. Lord Ram over Ravana
2. Goddess Durga over Mahishasura
3. End of Pandavas Exile.
There are many more reasons but I'd limit myself to these three. Read up on Wikipedia if you'd like to know more.

Contest Time
There are two more American Express Diwali Gift Cards on the table. I will announce the final winners on Monday afternoon.

This contest is real simple. All you need to do is to tell me how you celebrate festivals of any kind and what makes you look forward to them. You can tell me about any festival not necessarily Vijaya Dashami or Diwali.

Happy Shopping to the winners who are getting their gift cards.

Season of Gifts, Joy and Love

First of all I must say a big thank you to all my blog readers and occasional visitors for the overwhelming response to my first contest. The first contest had one winner chosen via a random draw of lots. And the winner is Ms. Sudha Maheswari from California.

I am touched by your response and I have decided to increase the number gifts. Today's post will carry two $100 American Express Diwali Gift Cards which will be given away to lucky winners. So today and tomorrow there will be two lucky people who will win the gift card. If you respond to the contest and not win today also, don't worry the final contest which will have two more winners will be on Saturday, October 16, 2010.

Today I am going to talk a little about my fond Diwali memories. I was born and grew up in Bengaluru, the IT city of India. Most of my holidays would be spent in my grandparents home at Hosur, a small industrial town about an hours drive away. Diwali meant all of us 20 cousins, and an equal number of uncles & aunts getting together in the sprawling home of our grandparents. Those were days of fun all of us boys would get together and head to the hills at the outskirts of the town and spend our day climbing rocks, roaming in the woods. We would return home promptly at meal times.

Diwali celebrated with the entire family getting together was always fun and joy. More fun was getting the numerous gifts from all uncles, aunts, and my grand parents, clothes, pens, candy, and sometimes cold hard cash also. Now all of us cousins are spread out across the world and rarely meet in person. It is only memories that we carry and of course the all pervasive linkage through the world wide web. It is through online greeting cards and gift cards we keep in touch in this wireless world.

Today's contest
I think it has been enough of my reminiscing, let me talk about how you can get a $100 American Express Diwali Gift card today. It is quite simple. Leave a comment on this post, and mention your fondest memory of receiving a gift. If it is a Diwali Gift it would be appropriate for the occasion, but if it isn't you can still share it and win the $100 gift card. Once again based on the number of responses winners will be chosen by a draw of lots and all comments posted before 2pm CST on saturday October 16, 2010 will be eligible for the drawing.

This offer is exclusive for residents of United States. If there are more than one correct answers, winner will be chosen by draw of lots.

The Spirit of Diwali!!!

The festival of lights is coming up and I am excited about celebrating it with my friends... I don't have much of a family here but hey... when you are in a foreign land every good friend becomes your family.

Before I forget let me thank all those of you who responded to the contest yesterday. I am totally floored by the enthusiastic response I received by both Indians, Americans and Indian-Americans. I will be announcing the first winner of the American Express Diwali Gift card on Thursday October 14, 2010. There is one more day to enter that contest so let your friends and contacts know about this fantastic give away. In case you are not the lucky winner of the first contest don't despair. There are two more opportunities to win on Thursday (October 14, 2010) and Saturday (October 16, 2010) I will be running contests and these will have two winners each.

For now there is still chance to be a winner just enter the contest by visiting my previous post titled "An Exclusive Diwali Gift...".

Last but not the least remember good things are always enjoyed best when shared with loved ones. So share this contest with your family and friends and let them have a go at winning these awesome gift cards from American Express and Discover the World.

An Exclusive Diwali 2010 gift for you!!!

Like I said in my earlier post Dasara/ Dushera, and Diwali are two of the major festivals celebrated by over a fifth of the world's population. Diwali is especially relevant to all Hindus/ Indians across the world. The festival has gained immense popularity and official recognition in several countries with a significant Indian population. In 2003 White House celebrated the Festival of Lights and the US congress accorded official in 2007. Now with over 2.5 million Indians living in America Diwali is one of the major celebrations in most major cities in the country.

Philosophically Diwali is a celebration of the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and love over hatred. The best way to celebrate this is by getting together with family, and friends. In America families get together for Thanks giving, in India Diwali is one of the major festivals when extended families get together.

Diwali is celebration of life, family, community, and relationships. This is the season of giving, to loved ones, family, friends, business associates, etc. In India large corporations wait for this season to launch new products so people will be motivated to buy. This trend has now extended into America with American Express pioneering the effort. The global services company has launched a new gift card designed for Diwali celebrations. I would say this is a great way to express your love to family, friends and associates who are celebrating this festival.

The American Express Diwali gift cards are available in numerous denominations of $25, $50, $100 and $200 and are available for a limited time. Now here is the chance of giving this card instead of cash along with the sweets. Cash is old fashioned, the American Express Diwali themed gift cards are the trend of 2011, but available in 2010.

Now here is your chance of winning a $100 Diwali Gift Card, right here in my blog. American Express has graciously agreed to let five readers of this blog receive $100 Diwali gift cards. There is a little catch though, you need to give the right answer to the question below: You could either post it as a comment in response to this blog or email me directly with your answer. If you are the winner you will receive an exclusively designed $100 Diwali Gift Card from American Express. That will add another $100 to your shopping budget this festival season.... Hurry, the last date to respond to this contest is October 14, 2010.

Diwali Quiz Question
The third day of Diwali is specially sacred because....
a. Lakshmi the goddess of wealth is worshipped
b. Lord Vishnu rid the world of Evil by killing Narakasura
c. Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya from 14 years of exile

Choose the right answer and like I said either email me the answer or post it as a comment here.

This offer is exclusive for residents of United States. If there are more than one correct answers, winner will be chosen by draw of lots.

Dasara/ Dusshera is here...

The festival of dolls or Dasara/ Dusshera has started since couple of days. The festivities are taking place in some homes in India who still remain strong in roots and have not sold out to the modernization that has swept the Subcontinent since the opening up of markets in 1991. There are a wide array of ways people celebrate this 10 day festival which culminates in the Vijaya Dashami, the day when Goddess Durga vanquished Mahishasura, the evil demon who was terrorizing the people of the world.

When I was a kid growing up in un-liberalized India, these 10 days were marked by festivities at home. Dolls of all kinds would be kept on display and kids from neighborhood would visit homes to look at the dolls and enjoy some snacks. But now kids are busy with their television programs, computers, video games, and last but not the least studies, so there is no time for visiting neighbors. Parents are busy working in their jobs trying to achieve their performance targets and getting promotions so they don't seem to have any time for festivals and ceremonies.

The one way everyone definitely celebrates this major festival in India is by sending greeting cards, and gifts to their loved ones. This is spurred on by large corporations that have stepped up and introduced special products for this season and I guess now it is the businesses that will make sure that people don't forget the festival seasons.

Becoming Callous and totally insulated....

I don't know whether it is the busy schedule of fulltime school and work and life in general or whether it is me. Of late, since earlier this year I have noticed that I have been forgetting about everything that used to matter to me before. Since I returned from India I have pretty much forgotten every major national event that relates to India. I remember these things only after they happen and seems like I am slowly but surely losing my intimate contact with everything Indian. I forgot Ganesha Festival, Raksha Bandhan, Upakarma, and even Janmashtami. Two days ago it was the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi aka Mahatma, the father of our nation and I am remembering this day today. I wonder in a few years if I would become one of the hundreds of thousands of Indians who settle down in America and promptly forget their roots. It would be ironical if it were to ever come to that.

Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations!

When I was back home in India living with parents, surrounded by hundreds of second and third cousins we would celebrate loads of festivals. Sometimes I would even joke with my mom that it seems like for a devout Hindu everyday is a unique festival. Mom would immediately reply "Yes, the gift of life and that too in the Karma Bhoomi, i.e., Bharat aka India is indeed cause enough to celebrate every day we live there." Perhaps that is why most Hindus in America including me are hardly aware of the exact dates of the many festivals that we would have celebrated if we were in our homeland. The festivals I have missed even remembering the dates in the past month include, Varamaha Lakshmi pooja, Upakarma, Raksha Bandhan, etc. It is the same story every year, when I realize I have missed a festival, I make a mental note and tell myself that I should not forget it the following year. But as it is said History Repeats.

This year luckily I have blindly signed up to be on the mailing list of several Hindu religious and Secular social organizations formed by people from India. Recently I got a mail from the Jagadguru Kripalu Yog about the Krishna Janmashtami celebrations they are organizing in Plano, TX for the benefit of all Hindus in the area. The celebrations are being held on August 29, 2010 (couple days before the actual festival because of weekend) at the Precious Beginning Montessori School, on Alma road in Plano, TX.

This is the day when Lord Krishna the most recent incarnation of the supreme Hindu god Vishnu. Lord Krishna is a highly revered by over a billion Hindus across the world. There are numerous western devotees of Lord Krishna who are members of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCon).

I will be working during the weekend else I would definitely go and participate in the event. Last year we had been to Houston to participate in the grand celebrations and brought back several great memories and enthusiasm. This year I guess I have to contend with working... For a few dollars more