Post Tagged with "India"

Picture Postcards: Street scene in Shimla, India

Today’s street scene was sent in by our contributor in India, Anu, who describes it as a, “Sunday Market… It’s sunday, and shops in Shimla are closed. And yet, it’s market day, and every inch of space on the road is taken over by locals, selling their wares… from clothes to books, everything is available here. This is a common sight in most towns across India. “

Going local: foreign brands in India

Isn’t it funny to see how  foreign brands, when coming to shores of different culture like India, adapt themselves to suit the local needs? They also make themselves the household brand names, be it Nokia or Pepsi in India, saying “Youngistaan Meri Jaan” (the power & dreams of our youth drives the nation). Imagine this American brand turning itself into Desi products, which we are readily accepting as it shows how much we have broken the barriers of culture.

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Picture Postcards: An Indian doorway

This month we will look at some doors, doorways and entranceways around the world on Picture Postcards. Our contributor from India, Anu, kicks off November with a photo of a beautiful doorway to a palace in Jaipur, India.

Read more:
What Defines a Culture?
Eating Right- The Indian Way
Celebrations at 60

What is Pujas all about

While writing down on cultural events from my region I feel this is probably the apt time to write. Why? This is the time the festivities begin marked by Durga Pujas which is definitely the biggest Cultural phenomenon from East India, now turning into Global event thanks to large Bengali and Hindu Non Resident Indian communities spread all across the Globe. As for personal reference I know my uncle who lives in Canberra, Australia, along with other fellow Bengalis

Durga Mahisasuramardini (Wikipedia)

A real big fashion event is now this Durga pujas, where the real cosmopolitan word comes into play. Nearly every community in North and especially Eastern India joins in the celebration in the best attire, notwithstanding the difference in Budget, as even the struggling classes comes up in their best attire and join in the HALLELUJAH celebrations.

Coming to the biggest cultural event in this world, which surrounds the Hindu deity of Mother Goddess Durga, the business of cuisine steps up with people digging at delicious, or may I say so, experimental food. As the entire cultural entity of Bengalis revolve around Gourmet and pandal hopping, as they say in the best attires.

For the youngsters, it is more of a window to meet the best partners of the opposite gender, hoping that the cupid strikes. As for others, mostly the adult or elderly people, it is more of nostalgia where they cherish and garner their thoughts in a session of rendezvous.

Truly like in America, as it was once said, Durga pujas is one big melting pot of Ccultural identities, thoughts and desires into one joyful plate ready to be served.

Read more

What defines a culture?

The complexities of India’s ID system and how it is changing

Picture Postcards: Holi Festival in India

From our contributors: week of October 27

Go have a look at what some of our contributors have written on their personal blogs:

Local tightrope walkers (Photo credit: Anu

Mike, our contributor from Japan, published a moving photo of an Okinawan lady worshiping her ancestors.

The 95 year, young woman smiled and gave me permission.

Ancestor worship is practiced in Okinawa, Japan.

The woman prayed and made offerings.

It had been drizzling while we were in the temple, but the rain seemed to take a break as we emerged. As we hurried to the bus stand before the rain started again, our attention was caught by these huge mannequins at the entrance to the temple hall. A faded poster informed us that they had stood welcome for a Yakshagana performance a few weeks earlier…

San Telmo is the oldest neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. The narrow cobblestone streets are lined with old houses, with a handful dating back to colonial times. San Telmo used to be a well-to-do area until the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1871, when the rich fled to the healthier northern side of the city, in what is now known as Barrio Norte and Recoleta.

From our contributors: week of September 4

This is what some of our contributors have been doing in their personal blogs. Have a read!

Galtaji, Jaipur

Mike, our contributor from Japan, published a post about the papaya tree: Tree Photos: Papaya the Tree That’s Good for Your Health

“Today I’m just posting a few photos of papaya trees to give you an example of the size. The tree in the photo above is too tall for me to pick the fruits without using a ladder. y first papaya tree must have been ten meters (30ft) tall when it had fruits ready to pick.”

Anu, our contributor from India, wrote an account of her visit to the Galtaji temple in Jaipur, which  she complemented with great photos.

“This is not among the more popular tourist places in Jaipur. It is more of a pilgrim place, and a favourite among locals. Since we visited Jaipur as guests of a local family, they decided to give us a tour of the city… or rather; to places that they thought, we would enjoy seeing the most. First on their list was the temple of Galtaji. Honestly, I had no idea such a temple existed. In fact, I had never thought that I would visit temples while in Jaipur!! However, this temple turned out to be a surprise in more ways than one!”

Ana, our contributing editor from Argentina, wrote a post about the Dinosaur Valley State Park in Texas

It is possible to walk on the footsteps of dinosaurs in Texas. Really. At the Dinosaur Valley State Park, located in Glen Rose, about ninety miles southwest of Dallas. We went there on a late summer day and had a T-Rex of a time! (Bad joke alert.)