Uttar Pradesh Culture – A Microcosm of Multicultural India

March 13, 2017

Culture-ofUttar-Pradesh — Image – Well-Bred Kannan/Flickr

“Anyone who so much as walks past it, cannot hold himself/herself from the feeling of wanting to look at it one more time. And anyone who has been in the presence of it cannot help but sing praises of its glory. It’s inevitable!”

What is said about the great Taj Mahal is truly applicable to the region to which it belongs. I live in Ghaziabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and experienced the most-watched state elections in India first-hand. The most populous state in India obviously had the most boisterous, colourful and fierce voting campaign that would determine not only the state’s politics but the nation’s as well. Being the most culturally diverse among all states, UP had the highest number of regional political parties that catered to different vote banks based on caste, religion and ideology.

Uttar Pradesh Culture

Despite all the chaos in daily life, I surmise Uttar Pradesh is undoubtedly the cultural foundation of India. This state is not only the rainbow land where the multi-hued Indian Culture has blossomed from times immemorial but is also a perfect blend of two contrasting religions of Hinduism and Islam. Truly multi-ethnic, this state is laced with immigrant cultural heritage roots that lend it a unique identity in India. Talking about royalty, Lucknow truly represents the royal splendour that was seen during the era of medieval Maharajas. Lucknow, the capital of UP is popularly known as “the city of nawabs”, whose culture is fully influenced by the Mughal era and retains its old-world charm even today.

Language of Uttar Pradesh

While Urdu as a language is dying a sad demise in India “Lakhnavi Urdu” is a Culture watched old who, spoken that is used by the locals here. Hindi is the official language of UP, spoken in a wide range of dialects such as Awadhi, Brajbasi, Bhojpuri, etc.

Festivals of Uttar Pradesh

Religious rituals are an important part of every state’s culture and thus an integral part of everyday life. Therefore, it is not surprise that many religious holidays observed here, irrespective of caste and faith.

Diwali, Holi and Dussehra, also honoured by Jains, are among the biggest Hindu festivals. Ten days of Ramlila are spent during Navratri and the epithet of Raavan is burnt with tremendous enthusiasm on the 10th day. In several regions of the state, during the navratri, Durga puja is also observed. The Official Muslim Religious Festivals are Eid e milad un nabi, Eid, Bakreed and Birthdate of Ali ibn Abitalib. Moharram, although Ashura Day is an official holiday, it is not a festival but it’s seen by Shiites as a mourning day. Jains celebrate Mahavir Jayanti, Buddha Jayanti is honoured by the Buddhists, Guru Nanak Jayanti by the Sikhs and Christians enjoy Christmas. Additional celebrations include Navami, Chhath Puja, Krishna-Jannmashtami, Mahashivratri, etc.

Traditional Dress of Uttar Pradesh

There is an abundance of Native and Western attire in the people of Uttar Pradesh. Traditional dressing styles include vibrant draped clothing – such as sari of different types for women and dhoti or lungi for men– and tailored dresses, such as female salvar kameez and male kurta payjama. Often men also have headgear such as topi and pagri. Sherwani is a more official male garment that is often used on festive occasions together with the churidar. Pants and shirts of the European style among males are also widespread. Young adults in jeans and t-shirts are most frequently found.

Uttar Pradesh Cuisine

Uttar-Pradesh-culture-Food — Mughlai Cuisine – Malai Chicken Tikka Nadir Hashmi/Flickr

Every story has a spice in it so does UP. One of the most famous cuisines of India is the Nawabi Cuisine whose main course is the Lakhnavi Biryani” which has its own distinct identity. The diverse range of dishes and cooking styles of this city is inspired and influenced by the Mughals. The cuisine includes both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian dishes prepared with exotic spices, herbs and garnished with dry fruits.

Religion in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh culture the Ganges — An offering to the Ganges – Judith/Flickr

Agra city’s culture is a harmonious blend of various religions, but it is mainly influenced by Brajbasi culture, the Hindu Vaishnavite cult that emerges from the tales of Lord Krishna in Mathura. When we enter the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, we observe that Hindu culture and traditions are predominant in this region. Named as ‘Purvanchal’, this region comprises prominent pilgrimage cities such as Varanasi and Gorakhpur. Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world that has been continuously inhabited since 1800 BC. It is mainly associated with Hinduism and Buddhism but a glimpse of all religions can be seen here. Western UP is mostly populated by Muslims who form a significant majority in this region from the times of the Delhi Sultanate and extending up to the Mughal era.

Art and Music

Up Culture Kathak Dancers — Kathak Dancers – Saurabh Thakur/Flickr

It has a very rich tradition of folk music & drama such as Ramlila. The royal courts of Lakhnavi Nawabs nurtured the multicultural aspect of Indian culture, which is best represented in delightful Hindustani classical music and Kathak dance forms. Varanasi is famed for its antique musical traditions and is the oldest city of civilisation. The singing style, musical instruments, ragas and stories are distinct. Varanasi is, of course, classified within the “Cities of Music” network of the UNESCO. There are music festivals that are celebrated on the banks of the Ganga River.

Art-and-Craft-of-Uttar-Pradesh — Image – Varanasi.nic.in

The Stone Craft in Uttar Pradesh deserves a mention when it comes to wonderful arts and crafts. These qualifications stretch back to the years, while especially under the Mughal era they developed abundantly. The Taj Mahal is the most exquisite example of handcraft in stone. The mausoleum of white marble is stunning, one of the marvels of the world.

Uttar Pradesh’s elegance in ceramics is legendary. Art history spans back over 600 years. Meerut, Khurja and Hapur are places in the state that have gained their reputation. While the pots are hand produced, they are decorated with lovely floral designs and colourful patterns. Surahi, a long neck vessel, is a unique pottery design. In summers they are utilised to keep the water cool while they also look wonderful.

Art-and-Craft-of-Uttar-Pradesh-Chikankari — Chikankari – Rajesh_India/Flickr

The excellent embroidery of Chikankari is among the fascinating arts and crafts in the Uttar Pradesh. Chikan work has been one of Lucknow’s pride masterpieces. The clever white thread embrodered on textiles is lovely beyond words.

Cultural heritage of Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi — Varanasi by Shootcase Chronicles

Varanasi is the oldest town of Uttar Pradesh and is noted for the art of zari work. Real gold and silver threads have traditionally been formed in order to produce gorgeous saris and other clothing designs and patterns. The hefty cloth bears a royal look. Banarasi sarees are known for their magnificent zari work. In reality, traditional sarees are an essential aspect of northern India’s Hindu marriages.

Tourism in Uttar Pradesh

Most tourists visiting UP begin their journey with a visit to Agra, which possesses the three world heritage sites that form the epicentre of the Mughal Empire – Taj Mahal, Agra fort and Fatehpur Sikri. “Taj Mahotsav” is a cultural extravaganza that is organised by the government to showcase Agra’s art and culture every year, while the Holi celebrations in Mathura is the most vivid cultural festival of the region.

On Kashyap Hill stands the shrine of Kaushik Devi. Kaushik Devi, According to the Puranas, killed the Shumbh-Nishumbh demons in the body of goddess Parvati. At an altitude of 10,500 ft above sea level, Badrinath is located at a distance of 384 kilometres from Haridwar. Muni-ki-Reti, Dev Prayag and Kirtinagar are important destinations on the road from Rishikesh.

The Gangotri Bhagirathi temple lies at an altitude of 3,140 m. The Bhagirathi descended first on the ground from Heavens and worshipped Lord Shiva on the sacred rock that King Bhagirath used to adore. For some distance the Bhagirathi flows from here to the north and is hence known as the Gangotri.

Travel-Destinations-in-Uttar-Pradesh-Haridwar — Haridwar – Ramesh Lalwani/Flickr

Haridwar is the spot where the Ganga mountain course, the Hindus’ most sacred river, finishes in the plains. It is a famous Hindu pilgrimage centre. Here are various shrines and temples, and a plunge in the holy Har-ki-Pauri is a definite road to salvatation.

The temple of Kedarnath is located under the Kedarnath Mandal at a height of roughly 11,500 metres. Pilgrims can take a motor transport from Phata to the temple of Kedarnath, from where they can walk for 27 kilometres. It is around 400 kilometres from Rishikesh to Kedarnath.

Kushinagar is situated 30 kilometres from Deoria, near Kasia, one of the main Buddhist centres is Kushinagar. Here’s Lord Buddha attatained Nirvana.

Travel-Destinations-in-Uttar-Pradesh-Mathura — Mathura – Adam Cohn/Flickr

Mathura is one of hinduism’s seven sacred cities. It is considered Lord Krishna’s birthplace. Mussoorie is located at 6.500 ft high, 35 kilometres from Dehradun. The most picturesque hill station in Uttar Pradesh, it is known as the queen of hill resorts.

One of the great attractions of the Nainital is the enormous lovely lake with the hills on three sides are surrounding it. Nanda Devi is the world’s fourth highest summit. Every twelfth year during Bhadra, the Hindus visit the area.

Pindari Glacier is a lovely site in Almora area, at 3943 m above sea level. Flowers of diverse colours, lovely woodlands and snow attract travellers on their visit from Almora to Pindari. This glacier is also the source of the Pindar River.

Travel-Destinations-in-Uttar-Pradesh-Bodh-Gaya — The bodhi tree, bodh gaya – Man Bartlett/Flickr

At the confluence of Yamuna and Ganga’s Allahabad is located. It is a major pilgrim place in India and also known as Tirtharaj or Prayag. Among Buddhist shrines Sarnath holds a very prominent significance. Buddha preached his first sermon here after the Enlightenment in Bodh Gaya.

Strength lies in differences is truly proved by the people of UP. Despite of differences in the languages used, people of different regions & religions live in harmony & brotherhood. Hindi is the official language of UP which is spoken in a wide range of dialects such as Awadhi, Brajbasi, Bhojpuri, etc. In a nutshell, Uttar Pradesh is a microcosm of the entire Indian nation in its multicultural diversity.

Women’s Day Poem – Kissa Ek Mashhur Hua

Caleidoscope

March 8, 2017

On this Women’s Day, Caleidoscope wants to celebrate the spirit of womanhood through this Hindi poem. our writer Sana Sayyed has written a poem to that depicts the struggle of a woman to breakthrough barriers and shows her strength to create a shining example in her society –

किस्सा ऐक मशहूर ह्आ

Kissa Ek Mashhur Hua

किस्सा ऐक मशहूर ह्अा
मेरा नाम का तेरे नाम से
मेरा हिस्सा ऐक पुरा हुअा
बेशक जो कभी अाम थे

रोका मुझे जीन लम्हों ने
ऊनहे तोडकर मैने चोटे खाॉई
समेटकर कुछ खुदका तुकदा
मैंने सफर मे नइ कालीन बिछाई

अाखों मे बसी थी जसबे की अाग
दिल मे सब्र का मौसम था
मै तो दूर था इस दुनिया से
मेरे करीब मेरे जखम था

रुकना नहीं था इस खेल मे
तलब को मैने लगाम लगाइ
जलाकर थोडा अपना हिस्सा
मैंने ऐक मशहाल जलाइ

इस कदर मै टीका रहा
जंग की मैदान मे
के हिस्से मेरे अाइ जीत
शाबाशी के अनजाम मे

जुडा तू तबसे हैं
मेरा नाम तेरे नाम से

ये मशहूर किस्सा तबसे हैं
तेरा नाम मेरे नाम से

जै हिंद
सना सय्याद

Kissa ek mashhur hua
mere naam ka tere naam se
mera hissa ek pura hua
beshak jo kabhi aam the

Roka mujhe jin lamhon ne
unhe todkar meine chottein khayi,
samet kar kuch khudka tukda
meine safar me nayin kaleen bichayi..

ankhon me basin thi jasbe ki aag
dil me sabar ka mausam tha,
main toh dur tha iss duniya se
mere kareeb mera zakham tha..

Rukna nahin tha iss khel main,
talab ko meine lagaam lagayi..
jalakar thoda apna hissa,
meine ek Marshall jalayi

Iss kadar mein tika raha
jung k maidaan mein,
hisse meri aayi jeet
shabashi ke anjaam mein

Juda tu tabse hain
mera naam tere naam se

Ye mashhur kissa tabse hain
tera naam mere naam se

Jai Hind!
Sana Sayyed

Tuloni Biya: A Moment To Rejoice Menstruation?

Caleidoscope

March 6, 2017

Author – Shraddha Agarwal

In my third year of college, I was in my hometown in Assam during holidays when I received an invitation from my friend for her youngest sister’s Tuloni Biya. I had heard about this strange tradition from my friends in school, but I had never personally experienced it. Well you must be wondering what the age of the girl getting married was.

If we think about marriage it is always between two people – a girl and a boy, a girl and a girl or even a boy and a boy. But a girl getting married to something rather than someone is pretty surprising for some of us! It is supposed to be a very important culture prevailing in one of the states in our own country, Assam and is termed as ‘Tuloni Biya’, i.e. small marriage.

According to Hindu mythology, when Goddess Sati committed suicide, her husband Lord Shiva became furious and did Tandava Nritya while still holding her dead body on his shoulder. To calm down the situation, Lord Vishnu cut her body into 108 pieces using his Sudarshan chakra. These pieces were thrown across India and Sati’s womb fell on the Nilachal hills of Assam, which is the location of famous Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati. Assamese believe the Goddess still undergoes her menstruation once every year and during this time, the temple remains shut for three days and so does every other temple in Assam.

Assamese believe that if the Goddess can be impure then why not human beings! Hence, when girls of Assamese families reach puberty start with their menstruation for the first time, they are considered to be impure. During that time, they have strict restrictions on what they eat, where they sleep, whom they meet, etc. They are normally asked to stay secluded in darkness so that the impurity does not spread. Looking at the moon, sun, stars and even cows is considered a bad omen.

The girl is considered impure only for the days when she is undergoing her menstrual cycle, but once she gets out of it she is allowed to live her normal life again. Everyone comes together to celebrate the attainment of her womanhood. She is taken out of her secluded room and made to bathe in front of the ladies of the house. Thereafter she undergoes a puja where she is deemed to be married to a banana plant near her bathing area. Few ladies from a different locality pretend to be from the bridegroom’s side and visit the girl’s house, singing wedding songs where the girl’s mother and other family members welcome them with lavish gifts.

Tuloni Biya is celebrated almost as a real wedding which is attended by all the relatives, friends and neighbors of the girl’s family. Everybody comes together to rejoice the commencement of her puberty. It is marked as a prayer to God to give a healthy reproductive system to the girl. This antiquated tradition has been prevailing in Assam since many years, but a few families with modern outlook have stopped this practice considering it to be an orthodox one.

I did attend one such Tuloni Biya ceremony at my friend’s house. In most parts of our country where topics like menstruation or sex life is considered to be a big taboo, there are few places where it is celebrated. While I appreciated that fact, somewhere in my heart, I felt bad for the little girl who was treated like an untouchable for the first few days of her menstruation. Was she really impure?

Indian Elections – Great Opportunity To Spread Misinformation

Caleidoscope

February 27, 2017

Author – Austin Cruz Dsouza

The electoral season seems to be upon us with fair amount of wild speculation and hot gossip going around brisker than our morning tea. Elections in India are surely an entertaining affair where everyone dwells in debates that otherwise one would have confined to their minds on any ordinary day. Then again, these are no ordinary days. This highly ‘anticipated’ affair reminds me of an anecdote:

Once a politician running up for re-election sat in a restaurant and decided to pay for the meal of a gentleman seated across his table. The gentleman thanked him but refused to take his offer and replied in a tone most loathing – “I want no free meal but I’d like very much to kick the person responsible for my troubles in his pants”. This obviously was aimed at the government’s failed policies but being what he is, the politician replied, “Dear Sir, to quote Theodore Roosevelt – if you could kick the person responsible for your troubles in his pants, you wouldn’t sit for a month!” This amusing statement points out that our troubles are of our own doing, politics or otherwise.

This poorly materialized soap opera that we call Indian elections, provide immense opportunities to engage in entertaining conversations as well as spread our share of misinformation. Some of these conversations borderline stupidity, and we as a country have set gold standards for being obnoxious and religiously loyal to our stupidity.

I recently overheard a conversation that was carried across in a restaurant, which is one of my regular haunts. As their train of thought went, a mid-aged gentleman assured the other that his ballot choice like every other time would be the same. The other person seemed vaguely confused on the dilemma it posed, since his companion had changed his permanent address and was now subjected to a new choice of candidates. The speaker sensing the confusion, with an air of pride declared, “Brother, my party is contesting here too; candidates keep changing but I’m loyal to my party. They will do something for us folk, the guy on the TV said so.”

With that the IQ of the room instantly died, to paraphrase those select memes – ‘Ban-na hai to stupid bano, smart toh phone bhi hota hai.’ This seems to be the motto of the general populace. Lack of will to conclude that we should primarily focus on our elected representatives rather than their banner, stands as one of the two major issues that seem to recur every electoral season. The other being “influence induced through misinformation”, where the latter plays host to various attacks on religious and communal sentiments.

These atrocities form a part of various social networking sites as the virtual world is being made the leading mode of campaigning due to heavy code of conduct restrictions. The sheer amount of information generated, calls for judicious selection in what we chose to believe.
As noted in various studies, the IQ of a population can drop with increased exposure to misinformation of any kind. Moreover various research studies – scientific or otherwise, propound theories that we as a race are indeed becoming less of the intelligent beings we advertise to be.

No matter how many such re-runs of ‘Dumb And Dumber’ seem to persist in our nation, a solution to check such circulation of misinformation needs to be designed. This is to be done keeping in mind constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression. As pointed out by various noted news debates, a fine-line between infringing constitutional rights and manufacturing facts needs to be drawn.

In my attempt to drive the point suggested in this prolonged attempt to sway minds, I am obliged to point out our nation is greatly divided between the blinds that believe religiously, the fanatic – that assume their word is law, the rational – that are stuck between a rock and a pleading political face and the young minds that are right now being shaped by the chaos we spew.

‘You may kill the man but not the idea’ they said. After decades of independence, many national and international observers in India maintain there is a fine line between insanity and greatness, and our country seem to colour these lines a whole new 50 shades of grey! As I conclude, I punctuate these observations in the words of Edward Everett Hale –
“Do you pray for the senators, Dr. Hale?”
“no, I look at the senators and I pray for our nation.”

The Teenage Shiva Cult: Trapped in Illusion of Spirituality?

Vidhi Bubna

February 20, 2017

We relate religion to symbols and God to the mythological stories that we have heard. However, there are many people, teenagers specially, who misinterpret these symbols and follow some rituals blindly. I recently went for a trek to the Himalayas, where I experienced a strange kind of spirituality. On the eve of Maha Shivaratri, I would like to discuss what spirituality means to some of us.

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is depicted as the God who lives on the Himalayan mountains and his half-closed eyes depict an enlightened state. Lord Shiva is believed to reside on Mount Kailash. I met various people belonging to the Shiva cult when I went trekking to Roopkund. They chanted prayers as they climbed the mountain and listened to psychedelic music. Many of them had also grown long hair and tied ponytails. Lord Shiva is known for wearing necklaces made of Rudraksha, so these trekkers wore Rudraksha maalas and they smoked chillum on their way. This behavior looked more like a pop culture that is inspired from Lord Shiva. However, these trekkers were not maintaining peace in the mountains and they were causing a disruption in the “spirituality” that others actually wanted to attain.

This Shiva cult is becoming a popular culture among Indian teenagers who tend to misinterpret some of the God’s symbols. I decided to research more about this Shiva culture when I saw a bunch of teenagers with Shiva, Om and Trishul tattoos on their arms. “What is the problem with this when even Lord Shiva had his arm tattooed?” commented a youngster when I asked him about his tattoo. The problem arises because teenagers anthropomorphize God. Doing what the God himself does, gives them an illusion of power in this world.

Similarly, there are various misinterpretations of Shiva among the new generation and they relate habits like inducing drugs and smoking to be in an entranced state as disciples of Lord Shiva. The use of drugs is illegal in the country. Shiva is considered to be a regular consumer of ‘Bhaang’, an intoxicating drug and people make religious offerings of Bhaang to Lord Shiva during Shivaratri. It is believed that the Lord takes away all intoxications of those who offer him Bhaang; hence it is a symbol of “the offerer’s intoxications” who is giving it up. The half-closed eyes of Shiva represent inner peace and tolerance, however, youngsters consider that to be a state of “high”.

Shiva-Cult-3 — Image Dialectical_Images / Flickr

Similarly, people relate Shiva to psychedelic dance and psychedelic art forms. There are various paintings which depict Shiva to be in a state of trance. During my recently trek to the Himalayas, I saw a group loudly playing psychedelic music that annoyed our group. When we asked them to stop it, they said, “This music is for Shiva and we like this spirituality. We will not shut it because it is for God.” To my surprise, people have started assuming what God likes and they want to impose it on others. The problem is not with people trying to be spiritual, rather it lies in their misinterpretation of spirituality.
The ‘Shaivites’ or Shiva followers blindly believe that Lord Shiva also engages in psychedelic dance with Dumroo in his hands, which is known as the “Tandav Nritya” that translates to “The dance of destruction”. These Shaivites are often seen engaging in psychedelic dance forms that do not relate to Shiva or the Tandav Nritya dance in any way. People also relate the third eye of Shiva to his anger and they act aggressively as their God is aggressive.

The Shiva cult is popularizing a version of rock music and trance music and relate them to spirituality. This music goes more on the lines of bands like “Nirvana” which has a lot of rock and metal involved. However, spirituality can exist in everything that one seeks and if you seek it blindly and in the wrong places, you will only get an illusion of spirituality.

The true definition of spirituality is “It includes a sense of connection to something that is bigger than us and it involves a search for “meaning in life”. This meaning in life cannot found by following what other people perceive God to be, but it lies in finding your own goals and pursuing them. It lies in believing that we all have a reason for existence and spirituality lies in believing in that reason and following that. When members of the Shiva cult blindly do what they think God does, they lose their touch with their own individuality and they stop searching for meaning in life because they feel that it is found.

If you like psychedelic music, long hair, cannabis, Shiva tattoos or trekking, then do them because you like them. Don’t do it in your attempt to follow God and please him because you will end up being trapped in an illusion of spirituality.

Top 5 Delhi/NCR Places That Host Best Sufi Nights

Caleidoscope

February 17, 2017

Delhi and its connection with Sufi music can be traced back to the 10th and 11th century. It was during this time when the Sufi musicians, poets, and scholars in the likes of Amir Khusro popularized the mystical culture, the reminiscence of which is evident even today. Thursday night Qawwali at Nizamuddin Dargah is a long-standing tradition and a display of Delhi’s love for this soul-stirring and revered music. The romanticized representation of this scared Dargah in Bollywood movies like “Rock On” and “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” has further popularized this earthy and mystic rendition of Sufism. So, if you want a night of mystical awakening amidst great food and ambiance, we suggest you visit the following restaurants in Delhi/NCR that host the best Sufi nights.

1. S Bar & Restaurants Shalom, Greater Kalash I

Top-5-DelhiNCR-Places-That-Host-Best-Sufi-Nights-S-Bar — Photo Credit – Facebook Page S Bar & Restaurant

For those, looking for a nightlife that centers on good food and music, S Bar & restaurant is the place to visit. The restaurant is famous for Sufi nights held mostly on Wednesdays and Fridays. In fact, the music complements the Lebanese and Arabic food that the restaurant offers.

Located in one of the poshest areas of South Delhi, it is advised to initiate table booking in advance to secure a reservation. Almost every evening, especially when the Sufi night is on, the restaurant is jam packed. Book a place in advance through online booking platforms like Clicktable, to avoid last minute hiccups and grab great deals and offers. The vibrant crowd and magical vibe of the restaurant exuberates pure bliss, thus enabling you to unwind after a hectic day. So, all in all- dim lights, soul-searching music, and lip smacking food sums up an evening at S Bar & Restaurant.

2. Sufiaana, Rajouri Garden

Top-5-DelhiNCR-Places-That-Host-Best-Sufi-Nights — Photo Credit – Facebook Page Sufiaana

True to its name, Sufiaana, Rajouri Garden is the mecca for those who cherish Sufi music. The restaurant hosts Sufi night every Friday and Saturday with several live Sufi fusion and rock band sessions playing the soul stirring tracks. Besides, offering great ambiance, the restaurant is also known for its sumptuous food. Right from delectable shoarbas (Middle Eastern soup) to Lebanese starters and Iranian/Persian food, the restaurant food menu is predominantly inspired from Central Asia. The ottoman-styled chairs and bright and vibrant use of color along with elegant décor will remind you of Arabian Night stories, which are also linked to Asian civilization of the Middle East, land that inspired the emergence of Sufism and Sufi music.

3. Imperfecto, Hauz Khan Village

Top-5-DelhiNCR-Places-That-Host-Best-Sufi-Nights-Imperfecto,-Hauz-Khan-Village — Photo Credit – Clicktable

Dig into the mystical charm of Sufi music at Imperfecto, Hauz Khas, a Mediterranean-themed restaurant that unlike its name is perfect at so many levels. Right from the ambiance, food, décor and gentry, the place screams of great fun. Located in the backdrop of Hauz Khas Complex which was a full-fledged city in medieval times. Imperfecto is where you would want to spend an evening with friends and family. The place is always packed with guests. Therefore, you should go for table booking in advance for a hassle-free evening.

4. Zamozza, Connaught Place

Top-5-DelhiNCR-Places-That-Host-Best-Sufi-Nights-Zamozza,-Connaught-Place — Photo Credit – Zamozza Facebook Page

Located in the heart of Central Delhi, Zamozza is yet another restaurant that is known to host amazing Sufi nights. The décor of the restaurant is again Central Asian, with motifs of iconic architecture, domes, and structures adorning the walls. In addition to great music and décor, the restaurant boasts delightful music. Right from Turkish and Lebanese spread to Chinese and Oriental dishes to South American cuisine, the restaurant offers it all.

5. Ambrosia Bliss, Connaught Place

Top-5-DelhiNCR-Places-That-Host-Best-Sufi-Nights-Ambrosia-Bliss-Connaught-Place — Photo Credit – Clicktable

Ambrosia Bliss is located at Connaught Place and is known to host Sufi nights now and then. The décor of the restaurant is bold and beautiful. It boasts three terraces which contribute to the vibrant vibe. The restaurant, though has a compact food menu, but the dishes are delicious and wholesome. The bar menu is extensive and the cocktails are bang on. This is a perfect place to hang out with friends on weekends and host meetings on weekdays in their state-of-the art conference room.

Baatein by Chhaya Dabas – Stressing on Poetry for Change

Vidhi Bubna

February 6, 2017

Today’s generation is becoming as materialistic as we can. I feel commercialization has extracted the beauty that exists in minimalism by leading to mass production and looking at the world in terms of numbers. People have stopped communicating with each other and they are getting lost in their lives. We speak, but there is no art in our language and we use clichés and recycled lines to communicate. This recycling is again a part of the materialistic world that many people try to overcome. We all try to make our lives more vibrant and add more meaning to it through the process of “finding art” in our lives.

Poetry is one such art form that inspires change. Young India is using poetry as an expression to create a beautiful rainbow which is inclusive and accepting. Leading this movement is a young writer, Chhaya Dabas, who has made a significant attempt to add such art to our lives and explore it herself. “Art to me means the ability to change through so little yet so much at the same time. One stroke can tell you about Picasso, one song could introduce you to Whitney, one word could make you fall in love with Rumi and one mudra can make you a muse. Art is a language, a culture, a movement in itself. It is nurturing and accepting and so personal yet so common at once.”

Chhaya has founded a blog platform named ‘Baatein’ that helps to decipher poetry and convert it into regular conversations. She attempts to create more conversations and add a little art to our daily chats that we indulge in. She was keen to start a regular blog, but WordPress seemed too clichéd as a platform, so she chose to use Instagram. Slowly, the poetry community grew and she had crossed international boundaries as she began receiving entries across the globe. “I plan to venture into YouTube videos, publish a bi-weekly magazine and open a store”, she commented.

She stresses on the importance of poetry as she says “Poetry is an expression supposed to narrate those feelings or secrets that common dialects can’t. It is supposed to show you something that your ordinary life and vision is missing. It is supposed to open up doors, your mind and your heart to new ways of life. A conditioning that teaches you to defy this translates into the way you see poetry and art in general. You see it as a rebellion, vigilantism, audacity and atrocity”.

Chhaya recently graduated in political science from Indraprastha College for Women in Delhi University and has made a conscious decision to take a gap year to build Baatein. She is currently working on an anthology of poems and a novel focused on her battle against cancer. Various media outlets such as ANI India, Her Saga, BBC have interviewed her. She always aims to make each day more productive than the last since she believes that “It is a small world, all we need to do is tilt our heads a little and find the magic again.”

Chhaya Dabas is now a speaker and a mentor at various events since she has achieved a lot in her youth and she connects with them easily. She has attended conferences like the ICan Conference, The Under25 Summit, Global Entreprenuership Week, Indian Youth Festival, etc. Such conferences provide the youth a platform to interact with each other and create connections. She has been to the ICan conference thrice and she was there this year too in January 2017. She mentors youth and motivates them to come up with unique ideas like ‘Baatein’. “There are many people who imitate and try to copy art but art is about being true to yourself. It is about looking into the mirror and feeling proud that you have achieved something unique”, she comments.

chhaya_dabas_baatein — Source: Sheroes.in

The world requires more creative ideas to enable a change. Chhaya’s unique idea challenges the thought that revolution can only occur when we pick guns, bombs and go to war. Revolution lies in our thinking and it can be influenced by art. Chhaya’s creation of Baatein is one such positive platform that enables youth to use poetry to spread love in this world filled with materialism.

Kabuliwala – The Keepsakes

Caleidoscope

January 24, 2017

Author – Nidhi Balodi

Kabuliwala-The-Keepsakes — Image Source – onmogul.com

I am a reader. No, I won’t add voracious, because adjectives are not necessary to highlight the beauty of this word. Further, I believe it does not matter how many books you have read, but how well you read them. I might not have 1,000 books on my Goodreads ‘read shelf, but still, I am thankful that I have enjoyed all those I have read.

I always wonder how small gifts can change the entire course of our life. In my childhood, my cousin used to gift books on every other occasion and it took no time for those magic boxes to become a habit. I like to see them every day, re-read them again learn something from them every time. Surprisingly, I find something new every time even when I read the simplest of the stories again.

Just a few days back, I was reading “Kabuliwala” like a zillionth time to go down on the memory lane to peek into my childhood. It is a heart touching story by Rabindranath Tagore, which beautifully depicts a bond between a father and a daughter. Kabuliwala is the story about a little, talkative and a chirpy girl ‘Mini’ living in Calcutta, who develops a strong bond with a middle-aged dry-fruit seller, named ‘Abdul Rahman Khan’. Abdul, being an Afghani immigrant, is suspected by locals as a kidnapper, so Mini’s mother is cautious in the beginning. She does not allow Mini to interact with him, but her father does not put any objections on her meeting with Abdul. As time passes, Mini and Abdul become great friends. Abdul sees an image of his own daughter in Mini, who lives in Kabul. He missed his daughter dearly and so he showers Mini with love and gave her dry fruits free.

When Mini enquiries Abdul about his family and in-laws, he jokingly replies that he will beat his father-in-law. Sometime later, Abdul is arrested by police for assaulting a man and is sentenced to 10 years in jail. The day Abdul is released from jail, he goes straightway to Mini. But as he reaches Mini’s home, he realizes that the little girl he had known was now a beautiful young lady all set to get married. This makes him emotional and reminds him of his own daughter in Kabul.

Even after reading this story again, I was expecting to be enthralled by something new and voila! I found it again! Do you remember that part of the story when Mini asks Kabuliwala when he would go to his in-laws? And he replies jokingly that he will beat his father-in-law? Later in the story when he was being arrested by police, he tells Mini that he is going to his in-laws. This time when I read the book, I got to know that in Kabuliwala’s Pathan community “going to in-laws” actually means “going to jail”.

As a kid, I never understood this part of the story nor did I find Abdul’s idea of beating up his father-in-law sensible. But now it all makes sense. Some of you might have already known this, but for me, it was a kind of a revelation. Now that I’m older, I have realized that the world isn’t a perfect place to live in and things may not be the way you want them to be. It is necessary to hold onto hope during these troubled times.

I re-read such literary classics, because they give me a sense of a utopian society where everything turns out to be perfect and fine. These books have ideal characters with moral and in our entire childhood we believed the world is made up of such moralistic characters. However, reality does hit you at some point and you realise that no one is ideal.

It is necessary to go back to childhood books that preach morals to help us guide our way when our morals are shaky in our adult lives. Sometimes we feel like the child in us is not expressing itself and it is important to let that child live. That child comes alive when we read our childhood books about magic and believe in it. “When you believe in magic, it happens”. They also bring us closer to our childhood and by doing so, we regain our innocence even if only for a few moments.

So, go and pick those childhood keepsakes like Kabuliwala and read them again. You might find answers to those questions that the little kid in you always wanted to know. Maybe they got worn away with time, but still, they are those same books from where you started your journey into the world of books.

Is Jaipur Literature Festival the greatest literary show on Earth?

Vidhi Bubna

January 17, 2017

Book readers regularly congregate for book reading sessions by authors to understand the finer nuances of literature. Similarly, book fairs offer another opportunity to browse through a vast collection of books available in the market and check out the bestsellers among them. However, among the numerous book fairs and literature festivals happening across India, one event stands tall.

Amidst the cultural backdrop of Rajasthan, the Pink City is all set to go colourful to celebrate the 10th Jaipur Literature Festival. The event is set to take place at the Diggi Palace from the third week of January. Sponsored by ZEE, the event is considered as the “greatest literary show on Earth” that celebrates the spirit of literature in India. It is the world’s largest free literature festival of its kind where literary enthusiasts can soak up speeches by renowned authors and can enjoy musical concerts, quiz contests and visual art performances.

In the previous events, eminent speakers such as Dalai Lama, Salman Rushdie, V S Naipaul, Ian McEwan, Mohammed Hanif, Oprah Winfrey, Orhan Pamuk, Pico Iyer, along with renowned Indian language writers such as Girish Karnad, Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, have added to the prestige of the event. This year as well, there are about 1,400 renowned speakers and the expected audience is around 400,000. JLF is the brain child of Sanjoy Roy, who had expected only about 300 people in the first year in 2008. Since then, the event has gained massive popularity and worldwide recognition.

In a country like ours where a large population still doesn’t have access to education, the festival provides a big leap with its free entries. The event is based on registrations and there is free entry for all speeches, while there is a delegate pass for specific events at heritage sites and cocktail parties. This egalitarian access to hear renowned writers is a powerful statement in a country where access to such insights still remains the privilege of a few.

The Jaipur Literature Festival provides a lifetime opportunity for book lovers from across India and the world to learn from and exchange ideas with literary stalwarts. Further, there is a music stage where a plethora of artistes are invited to perform.

A highlight event at the fest is the First Book Club that provides opportunity for aspiring writers. Writers can send a synopsis of their stories and the shortlisted ones are invited for a one-on-one session with literary critics, and publishers. Three years ago, JLF initiated a new initiative: Jaipur BookMark – a business to business event held parallel to JLF, which provides a platform for publishers, literary agents, authors, translation agencies to meet and discuss business deals.

“I am very excited to go to the event. Though I have stayed in Jaipur all my life, this is the first time that I will be attending the festival. I am very excited and I am proud that my city is hosting it,” commented Kanchan Yadav, 19, who has resided in Jaipur all her life. “I wanted to attend the event but also work and help to make it a success. I can’t believe that I will help the authors when they sign books!” commented Nishima Varma, 21, who is travelling from Mumbai to Jaipur just for the event. It is interesting to see such student volunteers are popularizing a festival by making it the talk of the town on social media!

As India opens up to become the world’s second largest English language publishing market behind the US, the complex and segmented Indian language market provides greater publishing opportunities in regional languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Bangla, Gujarati, etc. If you have a heart for literature and ears for oratory, then this is the event for you. Accommodation is easily available in Jaipur though the event attracts too many visitors. The blend of colours, culture, art, people, and literature, at this event provides one hell of an experience!

Factfile –
https://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/speakers/

Glimpsing the Serenity of Blue Mountains of Nilgiris

Caleidoscope

January 9, 2017

Author – Somnath Roy

Blue-Mountains-of-Nilgiris — Nilgiris by Thangaraj Kumaravel

Being a passionate traveller who likes photography, trekking and mountaineering, I was yearning to go to the mountains and breathe in some fresh air during this winter. I checked around Bangalore for a location that provides opportunities for trekking amidst scenic landscapes and watching wildlife. I got to know that I should visit the blue mountains of Nilgiris, which offers a breathtaking and piquant view to all mountain lovers across India.

I and my friends reached Ooty, which is known as the queen of hill stations in South India Udhagamandalam or Ootacamund or Ooty in short is a small town situated at a height of 2,240 meters above sea level in Tamil Nadu. The silent green valleys, rose gardens, tea plantations and factories, cottage chocolate units are some of the main attractions and flavors that beckons all hardcore travelers in South India. I was quite amazed to see the small factories operated by people and the way they manufacture Ooty chocolate and the home-made ingredients they use to make all that a success. The Nilgiri Mountain Railways connecting from Udhagamandalam to Mettupalayam adds heritage and diversity to this small hill station.

Monsoons bring in extra torrential rains during the rainy season. So the right time to visit is during winter and summer, which begins late October and prolongs till February giving all tourism enthusiasts abundant time to patrol this corner of South India. Temperature remains mostly subtropical and cold throughout the year, which attracts travelers from cities to replenish themselves from the busy city life.

The Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve and its vibrant flora and fauna is something to watch out for as it forms the largest reserve in India. Located at the bottom end of the Western Ghats, it covers the Bandipur and Nagarhole National Parks in Karnataka, Wynad Wildlife sanctuary in Kerala and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. The dense tropical forests on the one side and the beauty of the pine and eucalyptus trees complement to the serene landscape that I wanted to capture in my lenses.

The tropical and deciduous forests across the entire biosphere reserve make it very special among others. Further, the tea and coffee plantations managed by the locals adds to the elegance to the habitat. We could see these forests are across the entire region and not specific to these reserves or the community of the ecosystem.

Although spotting wild animals is a matter of luck, it is easy to catch glimpses of sambar, chital deer, elephants, wild bisons, etc. On the way to the Nilgiris reserve, we saw a lush green landscape completely covered with tea plantations and hardworking gardeners who keep the ecosystem alive and viable. These farmers work in a group of two or three to complete the work during the first half, leaving the rest of the day to go with ease and pleasure.

Looking at the spices and flavor of the Nilgiris we can see that it has plenty to offer tourists and travelers across the nation starting from chocolates, essential oil producing herbs and the different varieties of spices. We get the essence of different varieties of oils like almond, eucalyptus, lemon grass, and others to name a few. I bought some essential oils suitable to my needs and requirements of my family.

Government Botanical Gardens is the best and the most renowned among its peers and treasures both exotic and indigenous plants. I felt the rose garden and the Botanical Gardens in Ooty were the best rated among all the gardens I had visited due to the diversity of flowers and maintenance by the authorities.

The Nilgiris have a wide variety of adventure sports to offer. Mountain biking is a popular sport and there is a special park dedicated to this activity. Horse riding, hang gliding and trekking are other popular sports. The gently rolling mountains and the wide variety of flora and fauna make trekking a popular sport. Doddabetta is the most important peak in the Nilgiri hills preferred by trekkers. Further, angling is a common fishing sport. Goad trout and carp are some of the popular options here, especially at the Pykara lake.

The festival of Badaga community where they pray to Goddess Hethe is a local festival here. Thousands of devotees come clad in white and they enjoy the rituals and dance together. They believe that the Goddess will bestow her boons on their progeny. The Toda embroidery is a form of traditional art in this region. This is slowly being revived again and in common culture, it is an important part of both the wedding and the funeral attire.

There is a lot of diversity that can be explored in the Nilgiris. You could put up a campsite on the mountain or stay in a luxurious five-star hotel. Each climate has a different feel in the Nilgiris ranging from enjoying waterfalls in the monsoons to a clear view of the stars on a summer night. The Nilgiris are easy to travel and explore because the region has been highly commercialized and it is easy to find tour guides or help desks around the region. At the same time, it has places that are unexplored and paths that are not tread on that make them an interesting place to visit.

Factfile –
Image sources –
https://travelcrusade.org/about/
Check Google Maps for locations around Nilgiris

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