Today is the 19th day of Ramadan. During this month, the most frequent question that I am asked is if I, too, am fasting. When I answer in affirmative, the next immediate question is "Why?"Now this "Why?" is a tricky as well as an important question. Tricky because the questioner tries to find out if …
Tag: Festivals
Celebrating Love
I feel Valentine's Day is overrated. St. Valentine must not have imagined that his act of getting young couples married would make way to his death anniversary to be celebrated worldwide as the way of love.People argue that why a day, 14th of February, needs to be singled out in the year as the day …
Lamps of Cheer
Diwali has always been my favourite time of the year. The crisp air with a hint of winter, the twinkling flames of the clay lamps, lights all around, a little fog, sound of firecrackers, pretty fireworks in the sky, a smile on everyone's lips..all of it never fails to spread a warmth in my heart. …
Fluttering Kites
This Independence Day (15th August) was a cloudy day in Delhi and it had been raining lightly. I spent the day watching television along with my husband. My husband's young cousin brother informed me that he will be on the terrace flying kites. I was oblivious to the fact that people here celebrate Independence Day …
The Gift of Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calender. The Islamic calender is a lunar calender and so is 11 days shorter than the solar calender. Hence the month of Ramadan moves forward every year by approximately 10-11 days. It takes about 33 years and five days for Ramadan to complete a twelve month move …
Bhogali Memories
With Bhogali Bihu (a.k.a. Maghor Bihu) just around the corner, I can not help but reminisce about the innocent and lovely memories attached to it. Magh Bihu is the harvesting festival of Assam, which is celebrated in mid January. It is equivalent to the Bengali festival of Makar Sankranti. 'Bhog' means feast and 'Magh' is …
Jingle Bells
As a kid, I had been fascinated by Christmas Eve. As I grew up, fascination gave way to fondness and familiarity. I do not know how it all began. Whether it my missionary education, or the growing familiarity by reading novels and story books by western writers, or the sheer simple beauty of the festival. …
Durga Puja Enthrallments
For me, Durga Puja is equivalent to being in Jorhat-my home town. I was not born in Jorhat. My father was transferred to Jorhat in 1990 and our family has been there since then. So Jorhat is the home town I know and love. Prior to Jorhat, I do not remember any Durga Puja. Excepting …
