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	<title>Around The World &#187; Stories</title>
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	<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld</link>
	<description>Interesting catalog of festivals, events and stories from around the world</description>
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		<title>Thrissur Pooram &#8211;  Musical Frenzies</title>
		<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/thrissur-pooram-musical-frenzies/</link>
		<comments>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/thrissur-pooram-musical-frenzies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 12 Jun 2010 14:26:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Anugrah Andrew Rai</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Festivals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kerala]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/?p=1049</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Temples, big and small, all enjoy the respect and attention here in India. They are the extravagant affair and becoming kind of a brand ambassador. The sentiments and the emotional quotient for the Temples in India, is all time high, and Kerala, a land forming the coast for Arabian Sea, with wonderful beaches and the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Temples, big and small, all enjoy the respect and attention here in India. They are the extravagant affair and becoming kind of a brand ambassador. The sentiments and the emotional quotient for the Temples in India, is all time high, and Kerala, a land forming the coast for Arabian Sea, with wonderful beaches and the magnificent temples is famous for the ornate and flashy festivals, and the annually held Pooram festival is the most frenzied and a grand do held in the town called Thrissur located in the center of the state. The high strung drama is all we can see where the embellished elephants standing in a row are the center of all the attention and wooing.<br />
With them ear shattering drummers and the orchestras, disguised and animated dance troops, the splendid and plush firework all which may sound normal can actually be a loud and bizarre proceeding for one who is inexperienced and it may lead you to insanity in that extra hot and humid weather that awaits monsoons during this time of the year. Held in between mid April to mid of May (in the month of Medam as per the Malayam Calander) this festival is observed for 36 hours starts very early in the morning, where representatives from the two temples called the Tiruvambadi (western group) and Paramekkavu (eastern group) assemble and bring on there brigade of almost fifteen or more elephants each, as they stand in neat rows.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="Thiruvambady Temple" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4543736790_e1e09e90f7.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></p>
<p>These elephants are all caparisoned with the golden headgears, ridden by Brahmin Priests who are all charged up and carry whisks made of yak hair, peacock feather fans, radiant and colourful parasols making up the mood of all present there, and this is one of the occasion that makes up the largest gathering of people and the elephants.<br />
And then with these elephants are standing there attendants in the center of both the rows, seriously holding the deity of each temple, just like you hold the banner of your school when going for a match. And the band of hundreds of drummers, and the cymbal crashers who beat the drums and crash the cymbals with such great velocity and electrifying speed, and the trumpet (Khuzal) all team up to create a music which may seems chaotic and blaring but eventually sets in an organized symphony but still deafening.<br />
But this does not end here as the music waves to distinct tempo and the fastest rhythm prompt the elephants to standup and brandish there feather fans and hair whisks in coordinated manner and with this the music blasts, becoming loudest and dissonant. This is the peak for uninitiated visitors like us who feel that this high fever bash can’t go up any further, just at this point firework boom and the local crowd cheer loudly all of them in high spirit, snapping punches in the air, and while others advance forward with the procession following the drum beats. With fastest drum beats, the procession moves forwards before stopping to start with the whole new cycle again.</p>
<p>The 200 years old history goes like this- Sakthan Thampuran (1798) ruler of Cochin made a venue for the temples of his ruling area to celebrate their festival. Prior to this festival, another largest temple festival was held during summer in Thrissur, which was a day festival. Temples in and around Thrissur were regular participants, until they were denied access by the chief of one of the village there. This caused the main priest of Vadakkunnathan temple, started this festival in Thrissur.<br />
Later Sakthan Thampuran the king unified 10 temples, and ordained them in two groups the eastern and western groups forming the Tiruvambadi and Paramekkavu groups and this not so old festival is one of the tumultuous festivals in India I have ever witnessed.<br />
But this sure is one of the festivals of India, which may look awkward and unusual, still underlines the deep rooted sentiment for religion and their own gods, which now seems to be missing in our so-called modern world and that’s called the true spirit of India.</p>
<p>Photo credits: </p>
<div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sufferingsocrates/4543736790/"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sufferingsocrates/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/sufferingsocrates/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC BY 2.0</a></div>
<div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pooram/3620878703"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pooram/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/pooram/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC BY 2.0</a></div>
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		<title>Ganesh Chaturthi Festival</title>
		<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/ganesh-chaturthi-festival/</link>
		<comments>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/ganesh-chaturthi-festival/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 May 2010 10:36:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Anugrah Andrew Rai</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Festivals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ganesh Festival]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/?p=1030</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Folklore goes like this – Goddess Parvati shaped Lord Ganesha out of the sandalwood dough, which she used for her bath and breathed life into him and called it her son. Now that very day she asked him to guard at the door she went to have her bath. When goddess Parvati’s husband, Shiva came [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Folklore goes like this – Goddess Parvati shaped Lord Ganesha out of the sandalwood dough, which she used for her bath and breathed life into him and called it her son. Now that very day she asked him to guard at the door she went to have her bath. When goddess Parvati’s husband, Shiva came back, the sandalwood made child who never had seen God Shiva, stopped him. This act of his made Shiva furious and he chopped off the head of the child and entered his house. Parvati, when discovered that her hand made son was no more, was distraught and pleaded Shiva to bring him back to life. Finding his wife shattered, Shiva cut off the head of baby elephant and fixed it on the body of Ganesha and since then Ganesha is the unique God who carries of his elephantine head with all the pride. With many more tales entitled to him he is the only God in India who is worshipped before any new job or any new activity is to be done. That no doubt seems so very interesting.</p>
<p>This day, when Lord Ganesha was sculpted out from the sandalwood dough, is celebrated as Ganesha Chaturthi and is his birthday. The mood of this festival is bold and over enthusiastic as compared to the other rituals and festivities celebrated here in India. One thing that caught my attention was the days dedicated to this festival, i.e. the celebration continues for five, seven, or ten days, some even stretching it to twenty one days, but now this long celebration is slowly becoming compact, courtesy the fast pace lifestyle, but then the ten day celebration is decent enough and the most popular. According to the Hindu calendar this festival commences in the month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the fourth day of the waxing moon period. The date usually falls between 20 August and 15 September.<br />
The entire ten day affair is carnival, a fun and frolic event for the people. The first day goes all busy with the installation of the Ganesha’s effigy in the homes. And these homes are all decked and brightened up and ooze out all the traditional grace possible, making the entire site look all jovial and jubilant, and with the new age people here who finely blend the traditions and modernity give a twist to such events by theme based decoration or focusing on some current affair. This is something so cool.<br />
And then where there are space constraints like those living in compact flats in buildings – all come together creating a pandal (also can be called as a lavish ceremonial gate or a place) which solves the purpose and a big idol of the God is placed in here. The priest chants the mantras which symbolically put life into the idol calling this ritual as ‘Pran Prathistha’ and it is believed that these 10 days Lord Ganesha live with them, and so again symbolically Ganesha is offered red flowers, grass blades and to eat Coconut, Jaggery, 21 Modaks (A modak is a dumpling made from rice flour/wheat flour with a stuffing of fresh or dry-grated coconut, jaggery, dry fruits and some other condiments. It is either steam-cooked or fried). The statue is anointed with red unguent, typically made of Kumkum &#038; Sandalwood paste. Vedic hymns from the Hindu scriptures are chanted throughout the ceremony giving the feel of purity and placidity. Rest days in between are carried on with the usual days affair but to worship Ganesha cannot be missed at all.<br />
<img alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/2814370922_e09bf5fe3e.jpg" title="Ganesh Festival procession" class="alignnone" width="500" height="375" /></p>
<p> The 11th day is the final day of this gala event and with all the singing, dancing and fanfare the statue in all its glory is carried through the jam packed streets in a procession to be immersed in a river or the sea epitomizing a custom to see-off of the Lord on his voyage towards his abode in Kailash (Himalaya) and along with him he happily takes away the bad luck of his devotees, and all this portrayal is known as ‘Ganesh Visarjan’.</p>
<p>Singing aloud &#8220;Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukar ya&#8221; (O father Ganesha, come again speedily next year) can also force you to start taping your feet. And eventually, with the final offering of the flowers and coconut, with the entire dance and singing the high spirited crowds the big or small idols are immersed in the water, putting an end to ten day stretch of feasting and gatherings.<br />
In Mumbai previously called as Bombay such public gatherings are a rage. To see the final procession of the immersion of the idol in the large sea, thousands and thousands of people gather and it’s a big challenge for the administration to let this event go smooth. And to make merry and enjoy the fest also becomes a reason to organize the cultural do’s  like songs, dramas and orchestra and also some community activities like free medical checkup, blood donation camps, charity for the poor, etc. which is again make this festival to stand out from the other festivals in India.<br />
Today, the Ganesh Festival is not only a popular festival; it has become a very critical and important economic activity for Maharashtra. Many artists, industries, and businesses survive on this super mega-event. But then there is a flip side to it too. The most devastating impact of this festival is to the environment and that is because of the drowning of the idol which is prepared by Plaster of Paris (PoP). The traditional ways were all environment friendly and the significance of the festival was also to preserve the mother Earth &#8211; the Ganesh icon was sculpted out of earth or mud taken from nearby one’s home. After worshipping the divinity in this earth icon, it was returned back to the Earth by immersing it in a nearby water body. This cycle represented the cycle of creation and dissolution in Nature. But today this festival has emerged as big commercial event and PoP replaced the natural clay or mud, making the idol easy to mould and lighter in weight and less costing, but in this process it had drastically impacted the nature and the environment in the worst possible ways. Thousands of idols are immersed in the water on this day, which has increased the level of acidity in the water and the content of heavy metals. The day after the immersion, shoals of dead fish can be seen floating on the surface of the water body as a result of this sudden increase.<br />
Festivals are no doubt an escape from the regular humdrum of the lives but may such events and festivals can pronounce the old traditional ways and their significance which always has respected the ecosystem, and may continue to do so. </p>
<p>Photo Credit: </p>
<div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gbsk/3922825326/"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gbsk/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/gbsk/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC BY 2.0</a></div>
<div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dalbera/2814370922/"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dalbera/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/dalbera/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC BY 2.0</a></div>
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		<title>Rock Garden in Chandigarh</title>
		<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/rock-garden-in-chandigarh/</link>
		<comments>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/rock-garden-in-chandigarh/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 14 May 2010 01:37:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Anugrah Andrew Rai</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Galleries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Asia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chandigarh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/?p=984</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When the junk yards maintain its dignity and make you drool over the place and send you a message that these junks are for keeps, what will you call this- an imagination at work, may be.
The profitless, imprudent material has its fate to the junk yard or a store house which will hardly witness any [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When the junk yards maintain its dignity and make you drool over the place and send you a message that these junks are for keeps, what will you call this- an imagination at work, may be.<br />
The profitless, imprudent material has its fate to the junk yard or a store house which will hardly witness any human visit. But then there are places that have occupied all the potentials of these ruins to create a fascinating pictorial sequence onto 40 acre of land. It is like an irony to me when the waste here seems to go unwasted, like creating a plethora of industrial mess and then using it to create a huge garden which remains intact to your brains. The Rock Garden of Chandigarh in India entails a recent voluptuous history, that is not mythological but reminds of the 50s, era after the cruel partition of India and Pakistan, which displaced many lives and families and then amidst such chaos where basic infrastructure was a challenge to the Indian Government such craft emerges in secrecy and later become a legendry work of art in the history of India.</p>
<p>The genesis of this garden was around 1957 by Mr. Nek Chand who came from Pakistan during the partition. Here in India he worked as a road inspector for the Public Works Department (PWD) in Chandigarh. That time Chandigarh was an aspiring project to be, massive work of development was going on to recreate this city  into a well planned and developed city just as the cities of the west, and this work was done by the French/Swiss architect Le Corbusier. This big project was executed and implemented by the PWD of Chandigarh. And Nek Chand being one of the employees here was in charge of junk store of this very department.<br />
It was around this time that he actively starts working on a piece of land beside the PWD stores he was in charge of. The land was near the High Court building in Sector -1. The stores provided Nek Chand with loads of material, space and labour, which he utilized to develop this small patch of land. He collected rocks, gathering from the Shivalik hills, the seasonal Sukhna lake, Patiala Rao and Ghaggar rivers. The largest river Nek Chand quarried was the Ghaggar, located approximately eight miles from Chandigarh and all this collection of rocks and stones was done on his bicycle.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Ceramic-Mosaic-Chandigarh-Rock-Garden.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1000" title="Ceramic Mosaic Chandigarh Rock Garden" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Ceramic-Mosaic-Chandigarh-Rock-Garden.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" /></a>With the rocks, other waste materials were collected that came from those villages that were demolished to make space for the new city of Chandigarh. These fragments were the remains of the villages, and consisted largely of everyday mundane possessions such as broken pots and bottles. While you take a walk in this garden you can very well relate to it.<br />
At some stage in 1965 a more conscious effort was made to transform and spruce up the found fragments and rocks into a pro forma display. This site being in a dense forest area was also needed to be cleared and concrete and mud flooring was prepared and initial structures made up of oil drums and iron shuttering, The PWD stores provided Nek Chand with an abundant and free supply of cement, bitumen, steel reinforcement bars and oil drums, free labour all of which he required to develop the site. The massive construction site that was Chandigarh provided a suitable decoy for Nek Chandís covert hobby. Provided everyone was ëworkingí or ëlooking busyí it seems that very few questions were asked.<br />
His commitment to his work was so strong that he continued on his camouflaged project working evenings and carried it till four year, though being nervous that if discovered will lead to the termination of his employment. But still this worldly enlightenment did not put a pause in his cryptic work.</p>
<p>At this point sometime in 1969 Nek Chand decided to visit the cityís chief architect, M.N. Sharma, a disciple of Le Corbusier, to unravel his work. On seeing the magnificent, super innovative, and ultra dazzling and splendid work, he faced a dilemma sort, a conflict between his own duties (as the work was illegal) and the creative potential of Nek Chand. So M.N Sharma promised him all the support to get recognition for his work and later his work got all the applause and appreciation and the authorities took over, and the garden was inaugurated as a public space in 1976, presently taken care by the Rock Garden Society. But in 1990 it has face a threat from the administration as they sorted out the permission to demolish this artifact to make a bypass to connect a village. The machineries reached the site to demolish it but they were resisted by a mega human shield, enveloping the site. Later the government intervened and and an alternate way was made.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/women-figures-in-Chandigarh-Rock-Garden.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-991" title="women figures in Chandigarh Rock Garden" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/women-figures-in-Chandigarh-Rock-Garden.jpg" alt="" width="235" height="352" /></a>I am finding hard to portray this garden in words. Its too humongous sized, the walking around can be taxing but still it creates in you a unique excitement to move around further. The mega water fall is really breath taking, only by imagining the massive ordeal carried out to create it. You will find the broken earthen pots stacked, the olden days plug sockets engraved in the wall, broken bangles creating skirts of the ladies images there, iron rods make barriers, broken ceramic tiles arranges in a mosaic pattern beautifully glisten when the sunrays fall onto them, the beautiful work of art, the imagination knows no limitation and that can be gorgeously witnessed in here.</p>
<p>Top of it Chandigarh is the best planned city in India and visiting Sukhna Lake here which is another man made piece makes whole experience complete. Rock Garden is still under construction and is been now completed in phase. A theater is also being constructed to allow the cultural programs to be held here. Itís an exotic place and you can devote a complete day for this visit.</p>

<a href='http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/rock-garden-in-chandigarh/attachment/chandigarh-rock-garden-art-decor/' title='Chandigarh Rock Garden Art Decor'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Chandigarh-Rock-Garden-Art-Decor--150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="" title="Chandigarh Rock Garden Art Decor" /></a>
<a href='http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/rock-garden-in-chandigarh/attachment/wall-of-clay-pots-chandigarh-rock-garden/' title='Wall of clay pots Chandigarh Rock Garden'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Wall-of-clay-pots-Chandigarh-Rock-Garden-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="" title="Wall of clay pots Chandigarh Rock Garden" /></a>
<a href='http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/rock-garden-in-chandigarh/attachment/wall-pattern-chandigarh-rock-garden/' title='Wall pattern Chandigarh Rock Garden'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Wall-pattern-Chandigarh-Rock-Garden-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="" title="Wall pattern Chandigarh Rock Garden" /></a>
<a href='http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/rock-garden-in-chandigarh/attachment/women-figures-in-chandigarh-rock-garden/' title='women figures in Chandigarh Rock Garden'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/women-figures-in-Chandigarh-Rock-Garden-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="" title="women figures in Chandigarh Rock Garden" /></a>
<a href='http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/rock-garden-in-chandigarh/attachment/chandigarh-rock-garden-waterfall/' title='Chandigarh Rock Garden waterfall'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Chandigarh-Rock-Garden-waterfall-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="" title="Chandigarh Rock Garden waterfall" /></a>
<a href='http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/rock-garden-in-chandigarh/attachment/ceramic-mosaic-chandigarh-rock-garden/' title='Ceramic Mosaic Chandigarh Rock Garden'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Ceramic-Mosaic-Chandigarh-Rock-Garden-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="" title="Ceramic Mosaic Chandigarh Rock Garden" /></a>

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		<title>The Seven Sisters of India</title>
		<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/places/2010/the-seven-sisters-of-india/</link>
		<comments>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/places/2010/the-seven-sisters-of-india/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 May 2010 11:34:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Anugrah Andrew Rai</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Places]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[East India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Meghalaya]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/?p=974</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The vastness of a land can sometimes be so surprising that you are all set to find diversity from one stretch to another and from one corner to another. This hugeness can throw you in confusion, or in a profound thought, at least I am the victim of this vastness. And how I float in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The vastness of a land can sometimes be so surprising that you are all set to find diversity from one stretch to another and from one corner to another. This hugeness can throw you in confusion, or in a profound thought, at least I am the victim of this vastness. And how I float in such thoughts is because the vastness of India has so much to offer, as lately I had this super opportunity to travel the eastern and the northern avenues of India. The eastern bunch of states is called ‘Seven Sisters of India’ and are a medley of culture and traditions because it is a home to multiple tribes.</p>
<p>There is a huge parity when compared with rest of India. Should I say that it may be a culture that can not be identified with. The Indian ways of living, the festivals and food may have gained all the popularity and adulation in the West but this part of India is still to find its niche and recognition. Even people like us who are staying here in India are not able to gel easily with the people hailing from this part of the land. Even when talking about the festivals each tribe enjoy their own sets of festivals and mostly they celebrate the harvest and cultivation with different dance forms but there is also some religious emotions woven in the secular form of festivities. </p>
<p>These seven states were basically different tribes which came into origin when India had its freedom from the British; otherwise most of the tribes were independent before that.<br />
Meghalaya, Tripura, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram form the family of the Seven Sisters but still are so peculiar in their own. As my traveling continued my fondness to this place kept on growing. The civilization has its own way of living and most of the countryside is untouched is devoid of the concrete jungle like scene. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/PORTRAIT_OF_ARUNACHAL_PRADESH.jpg"><img src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/PORTRAIT_OF_ARUNACHAL_PRADESH-300x199.jpg" alt="" title="PORTRAIT OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH" width="300" height="199" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-976" /></a>Meghalaya one of the states &#8211; means land of clouds. ‘Megha’ in hindi means clouds and ‘alaya’ means place to dwell, and the place is the same as the name suggested. Meghalaya hold such a romantic beauty that it’s really not easy to erase it off from your cerebral cage. Somehow the senses and the spirit seems to be bound to this place as if there is some kind of spell done on you, but then its all worth to be in the pristine beauty.  The state of Meghalaya is believed to be the home of dances and music, each tribe eulogize and celebrate their own set of festivals where they actively partake to enhance the festive spirit. Mostly the festivals of Meghalaya spin around agriculture, which being the prime occupation of the state people. The major themes of the festivals are to offer prayers to the Supreme Being who is known by different names in different dialects. </p>
<p>Behdienkhlam – the festival name sounded like some alien name to me initially and still it seems tongue twister to me. But this is one of the most sought after festival here in Meghalaya and the celebration commence during the month of July which is also a monsoon season here in India. </p>
<p>There are hills named as Jowai and Tuber of Jaintia. The people staying here have this festival where the religious ceremony basically worshipping the elements of nature as Gods and Goddesses and to constrain and impede the evil forces, which are the demons that attack the local people with deadly disease, called Plague. Now the truth is that because of the humidity and moisture in the air these kinds of diseases infested them and were dreaded by the local. Till date this diseases is considered as the craftsmanship of demon and they are believed to be driven off by beating and thrashing the rooftops of the households with the bamboo poles. Phew!! This seemed to be quiet a bit of a workout. </p>
<p>&#8220;The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don&#8217;t do anything about it.&#8221; This is one of the philosophies of the resident of Meghalaya.<br />
The typical tribal dancing can be enjoyed at a pool called `eit nar`. At the end of this grand celebration a fight takes place for a large stripped beam by two groups of men. They bunch up in a place known as Aitnar and sing and dance simultaneously to the tune of pipes revealing tremendous emotions when the Rots and wooden posts are brought in the pool. They are lucky if it rains, because then the day is regarded as extremely auspicious. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/TRIBES_OF_CHAKESHAN.jpg"><img src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/TRIBES_OF_CHAKESHAN-300x234.jpg" alt="" title="TRIBES OF CHAKESHAN" width="300" height="234" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-977" /></a>After this the people unite to a place also known as Mynthong in their best attires to witness a ceremony synonymous to Football. This game is also known as the Dad-Lawakor. The contest is generally held between the Northern and the Southern Groups of people and it is believed that the group that wins would get a Bumper Harvest on the following Year.</p>
<p>This colorful festival of Meghalaya is in fact a thanksgiving festival celebrated during the season of spring all over Khasi hills. The beautiful maidens adorn themselves in traditional finery and men-folk in vibrant colored costumes participate with much enthusiasm in the traditional dance to the accompaniment of drum beats and other musical instruments. The diversity has many faces and this festival is one of its kind. Proud to feel and witness this side of India.</p>
<p>Photo Credit:</p>
<div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahinsajain/2924868770/"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahinsajain/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahinsajain/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC BY 2.0</a></div>
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		<title>Spring Season- Love it or Leave it</title>
		<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/spring-season-love-it-or-leave-it/</link>
		<comments>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/spring-season-love-it-or-leave-it/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:56:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Anugrah Andrew Rai</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spring]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/?p=936</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Spring season is in its full swing. The beautiful tender baby leaves on the tree sprout from every nook and corner. Early morning yesterday I was gazing the exquisiteness of the freshness of nature, the newly born leaves are light green and soft to touch, the pretty flowers bloom with the unblemished squeakiness and thus, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Spring season is in its full swing. The beautiful tender baby leaves on the tree sprout from every nook and corner. Early morning yesterday I was gazing the exquisiteness of the freshness of nature, the newly born leaves are light green and soft to touch, the pretty flowers bloom with the unblemished squeakiness and thus, everything around us is all bright and glistening. Nature does its own facelift, the fresh trees as they sway in the rhythm of the wind, the Easter lilies celebrate the festivity along with us. That’s the pretty picture!!!!!! </p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/fiolet-spring.jpg"><img src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/fiolet-spring-150x150.jpg" alt="" title="Fiolet Spring" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-937" /></a>But for some of us this charm can be repulsive. The beauty can also have its ugly side, especially for those who love to travel and live out of a suitcase. And the blessed pollen grains are the one responsible for this. Biologically these dust mites are so valuable and crucial but physiologically they are dreadful. These pollen grains can just ruin your ‘senses’ to sense the stunning spring season. What a pity!!!!! I somehow don’t appreciate traveling during this season of the year, but then the traveling ghost in me also can’t resist the pleasure that is tagged along with this season. I want to enjoy the coloured version of nature but I am still tied up with the insecurity of becoming frail due to the allergy. </p>
<p>What a pain and regret these dust mites can be for a traveler like me!!!!</p>
<p>Photo Credit:</p>
<div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zest-pk/924780946/"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zest-pk/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/zest-pk/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC BY 2.0</a></div>
<div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazayka/3436604257/"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazayka/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazayka/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC BY 2.0</a></div>
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		<title>Celebrating Orthodox Easter</title>
		<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/celebrating-orthodox-easter/</link>
		<comments>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/celebrating-orthodox-easter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:49:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katya Sunshine</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Festivals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Easter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[religious holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Russia]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/?p=918</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Several years ago my grandma a social activist by occupation and an atheist by confession changed her believes and became a strong Orthodox. She found peace and strength in her new faith. But the spirit of agitation didn&#8217;t vanish completely. Christianity became her new source of inspiration, time by time, grandma involved us more into [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Several years ago my grandma a social activist by occupation and an atheist by confession changed her believes and became a strong Orthodox. She found peace and strength in her new faith. But the spirit of agitation didn&#8217;t vanish completely. Christianity became her new source of inspiration, time by time, grandma involved us more into the faith, bringing back some forgotten traditions and celebrations. So we had to follow up.</p>
<p>I guess Easter is one of the most bright and happy holidays for christians. It occurred that Easter is celebrated on a different Sunday in Eastern and Western christian traditions. The reason for it is a difference in calendars. The Western Church adopted the Gregorian calendar which correlates better with astronomic time, while the Orthodox christians keep following the Julian calender. Therefore the dates differ sometimes significantly, but sometimes coincide. The difference in dates between traditions are secondary to the united meaning of Christ resurrection. In Russian language a word for Easter is Pascha, which is linked back to the Judaic holiday Pasah, when Jews were celebrating their release from Egyptian slavery. Before Easter there is a hard time of fasting -  the Great lent, which last for 40 days. This time symbolizes the 40 days which Jesus spent in the wilderness before being tempted by Satan. The next week is a <a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/festivals/2010/christ-has-risen/">Holly Week</a>, when the fasting is even more strict and the believers are required to be more diligent in their praying to achieve cleanse in their minds and peace in their souls. During this time the christians eat only lenten food, refusing meat, fish, eggs and all dishes which might contain these products.</p>
<p>This lent is twice as hard for my grandma, as grandfather has died in March and  she is in mourning. She tells me that before there wasn&#8217;t a day that she had to spend all alone. It&#8217;s a new life for her and we are helping her to adapt. She tries to be strong and she is doing good.</p>
<p>On Holy Saturday we all gathered at grandma place in a small village. The house is full. We are preparing for Easter, colour eggs and make pascha &#8211; a feast bread.</p>
<p><a href="http://kasatka.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/colouring-Easter-eggs-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone" src="http://kasatka.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/colouring-Easter-eggs-2.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="337" /></a></p>
<p>The Easter service is special in Russia, it lasts though night from Saturday on Sunday. People start  gathering in church for the ceremony  around 11 pm. My grandma is going too she wears a long dress, a white shawl is on her head, she takes eggs and pascha with her so that it would be blessed by the priest. I wish to go with her, but she insists on me staying at home, she keeps saying that it&#8217;s a small church and there won&#8217;t be any space as people from the villages around are coming as well. So she leaves and I stay. I miss a unifying spirit of the Easter service, a special sense of togetherness. Though it has been a long time since I attended an Easter service, but I do remember how we stood quietly in the dark cathedral anticipating the begging of mystery. Close to midnight the church quire started to sing and the toll of bells could be heard. We lighted  candles and were passing them to each other so after some time the church filled  up with light, in this way we commemorated the Christ and the Light which He brought to the world. The service reached its culmination when priests with crosses and icons walked through the Altar Gates and we all moved in procession around the church in a symbolic  &#8217;search of Christ body&#8217;. I felt a strong connection with people around me, with russians, and with all christians. Finally the  priest  shouted &#8211; &#8220;Christos Voskrece!&#8221; three times which means -  &#8220;Christ is risen!&#8221;  and we all in one voice replied &#8221; Voistiny Voskrese!&#8221; -  &#8220;He is risen indeed!&#8221;</p>
<p>It&#8217;s 2:30 am I am with my aunt sit at the kitchen table, we drink tea and chat, we have a lot to talk about and we never run out of conversations.  Finally we hear how the door opens and grandma walks-in. We rush to greet her. Her eyes sparkle. She grabs us together, kisses three times and passing on the message that Christ has risen! We kiss her back and receive the message with happiness in our hearts.</p>
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		<title>Let&#8217;s fly! Let&#8217;s fly away !</title>
		<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/places/2010/lets-fly-lets-fly-away/</link>
		<comments>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/places/2010/lets-fly-lets-fly-away/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Apr 2010 02:38:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katya Sunshine</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Places]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bay of Islands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Zealand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parasailing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/?p=831</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you love sailing and paragliding then you don&#8217;t have to pick just one activity for the day any more. Instead you can go parasailing and enjoy a free ride above the sea!  I had a chance to experience it in Paihia a pearl of New Zealand&#8217;s Bay of Islands.
A group of school friends, we [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you love sailing and paragliding then you don&#8217;t have to pick just one activity for the day any more. Instead you can go parasailing and enjoy a free ride above the sea!  I had a chance to experience it in Paihia a pearl of New Zealand&#8217;s Bay of Islands.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Bay-of-Islands.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-834" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Bay-of-Islands-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>A group of school friends, we were on our journey to Cape Reinga the Northeast spot of New Zealand North Island. Our way went through spectacular Bay of Islands &#8211; a tourist Mecca with numerous leisure activities. We simply couldn&#8217;t miss it! We arrived late in the evening, and after checking-in  we all went to the local pub. Around midnight a host announced a karaoke competition, a good prize was promised for the best singer, the crowed was the one to judge.The first girl sang out of tune, but the crowed gave her warm support, next  lady sang &#8220;Black Velvet&#8221; amazingly good, then there was one more contestant and after her my friend Marcella inspired by previous singers or by certain amount of beer decided to sing as well. She sang rather good and was met well by the crowed. After her there were no more volunteers, so all participants were awarded with free tickets to local leisure activities. Marcella got a pass for parasailing and I couldn&#8217;t be more happier for her aseptically as parasailing ride was tailored to carry two people at once. We couldn&#8217;t wait until  the next day.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lets-fly-Lets-fly-away.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-837" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lets-fly-Lets-fly-away-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>In the morning we arrived to the pier, a boat with 10 people and a crew  was already waiting for us, so we ended up to take the last turn. All this waiting and watching other fellows soaring high in the sky, made me quite uneasy. I was breathlessly waiting for our turn and making up suitable excuses to pass on. Meanwhile brand-new parasailors  were landing one by one, looking and feeling happy. They kept saying that all fear vanishes once you are up in the sky, that the view is magnificent and that there is nothing like it.</p>
<p><a href="http://kasatka.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/brand-new-parasailors.jpg"><img class="alignleft" src="http://kasatka.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/brand-new-parasailors.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="224" /></a>Ok then,  I decided to overcome my fear and got ready for promised excitement. I tried not to panic and trust professionals. It&#8217;s our turn. We&#8217;re vested, strapped, hooked up and ready to go. The harness formed a seat around us, so all we had to do is sit and enjoy. The last moment instruction &#8211; to stand on your feet while landing. One, two, three, Go! Wow!  I never knew I can fly so well!  Effortlessly, gently! Just me and Marcella in the air, soaring like to birds high in the sky. It&#8217;s wonderful, peaceful, surreal. We sailed above the see, enjoying a spectacular view of numerous islands, endless ocean and the sun. It&#8217;s beautiful!  We were up and down in the air experiencing almost a free fall and then taking off high in the sky again. 15 minutes went too fast, we were about to land, but all we wished for was to carry on with our thrilling ride. It was fun I&#8217;ll never forget.</p>
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		<title>Happy Skating!</title>
		<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/happy-skating/</link>
		<comments>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/happy-skating/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Mar 2010 04:52:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katya Sunshine</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ice skating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sport]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/?p=811</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Winter sports are lots of fun and our Sunday outdoor ice-skaiting  is certainly a prof of it!  Three city girls we arrived to the quiet country-side, it seems even more quiet during freezing winter.  Dressed in layers and equipped with old skates we are heading to the small frozen pond nearby. Winter forest is stunning, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Winter sports are lots of fun and our Sunday outdoor ice-skaiting  is certainly a prof of it!  Three city girls we arrived to the quiet country-side, it seems even more quiet during freezing winter.  Dressed in layers and equipped with old skates we are heading to the small frozen pond nearby. Winter forest is stunning, tall trees covered with glittering rime, animals tracks in the snow, and above it  all -  a magnificent silence. A unique natural world seeing winter dreams!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/new-moves.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-813" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/new-moves-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p>So here we are out in the wilderness trail anticipating great outdoor fun in a great sunny day!  I&#8217; m making my first awkward  steps on the ice accompanied with giggle of my coaches for the day. I glide unsteadily, while my friends are trying out new skating moves. We periodically picking each other up from the ice before stumbling onward.  It&#8217;s a mystery for me how professional figure skaters gracefully glide on the ice like its the most natural way to move. Seams like all I can do on ice is &#8211; stay still and pose:)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/posing.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-814" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/posing-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Figure skating is one of my favorite sports. During winter Olympics my whole family turns into enthusiastic fans. We judge, we support, we wait impatiently the turn of Russian skaters. We breathlessly stare at TV during their 2-3 minutes performance, endure their mistakes and celebrate their excellence. It&#8217;s amazing sport. I love watching it and of course I would love to skate better. It&#8217;s really never too late to enjoy skating and this day is one more prove of it. We just hanging around, chatting and skating loosely, breathing-in fresh air and fall occasionally.</p>
<p><a href="http://kasatka.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Figure-Skating-trio.jpg"><img class="alignleft" src="http://kasatka.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Figure-Skating-trio.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>However my fingers are frozen, it&#8217;s time to go back home. Our figure skating session is over for now, we wave and bow to the imaginary crowd. Truth must be told &#8211; we might never be able to do  a figure-eight or a triple-spin in the air, but we do have hugely enjoyable experience and lot&#8217;s of fun during our outdoor skating trial.</p>
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		<title>Study with fun!</title>
		<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/places/2010/study-with-fun/</link>
		<comments>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/places/2010/study-with-fun/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:33:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katya Sunshine</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Places]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Auckland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Languages International]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Zealand]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/?p=777</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Learning foreign language is fun especially if you have a chance to study in the country where it is spoken. I was lucky one to land on New Zealand ground in pursuit of English improvement. Studying in the school named Languages International  promised a culturally vibrant environment and unforgettable experience. In reality it was. I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Learning foreign language is fun especially if you have a chance to study in the country where it is spoken. I was lucky one to land on New Zealand ground in pursuit of English improvement. Studying in the school named <a href="http://www.languages.ac.nz/">Languages International </a> promised a culturally vibrant environment and unforgettable experience. In reality it was. I met people from all over the world and united by studenthood spirit we quickly became friends.  Saudi Arabia, Brazil, New Caledonia, Switzerland, South Korea, Chill this is just a short list of countries I&#8217;ve got to know through the stories of my new friends.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Languages-International.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-784" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Languages-International-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Albert-park.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-780" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Albert-park-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>The school occupies five fabulous historical buildings located in the beautiful Albert park right in the heart of Auckland city. After couple of hours of intense studying we used to go to the Albert park for lunch, to cool off on fresh air under the trees and carry on with never-ending conversations. The school is equipped perfectly for language learning. The cozy learning center with all sorts of facilities &#8211; audio and video, internet access and a friendly teachers always ready to answer your questions &#8211; is not only a great place to study but also a hot spot to hang out, have a cup of coffee, read a magazine or watch a movie and of course chat with friends.</p>
<p>School offers various courses, it is also possible to organize private classes tailored for your needs. There are not more than 12 students in a group and groups are also well- mixed to keep the learning process interesting for everyone. My choice was IELTS exam-preparation course, and after that BEC. This way I hit two targets at once &#8211; improved my english level and certified my achievement by prestige paper. It helped me in future studies and career opportunities. At the same time many students came to New Zealand to spend relaxing holidays and make new friends, so their choice was the course of general english which didn&#8217;t involved examination at the end.</p>
<p>The school staff are high class professionals. There are the courteous  counselors and administrative personal who are ready to help you solve a problem of any kind, then there are friendly english teachers who make the learning process as efficient and enjoyable as only possible, and finally there are the fun and hip social programme managers who organize all kind of exiting activities and entertainments. All together these people made my stay in New Zealand as comfortable as I never could imagine, starting from airport pick up and arrangement of accommodation, helping with all kind of questions related to visa extension, opening bank account, insurance and so on.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Home-Stay.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-782" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Home-Stay-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>The school arranges an accommodation on your chose. In my case it was a host family, lovely Liz and Patrick an old couple and their fury cat Simba living together in a cozy house in the North Shore. The host family eased  my transition to the new environment and enriched emergence to the Kiwi culture. Plus there&#8217;s always someone ready to help <img src='http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Whenever you&#8217;re in a new place you inevitably start feeling home seek. But in New Zealand I simply hadn&#8217;t have time for that, being busy with digesting immense mass of experiences falling upon me. I plunged into school-social life and get lost in Auckland&#8217;s entertainments. After classes there was always an exiting social programme. We went sailing, did some sports and explored Auckland and its sightseeing. My first trip with a school was to the Piha beach. But the most unforgettable were pub crawling and boat parting.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Auckland.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-781" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Auckland-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><a href="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Piha-beach.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-785" src="http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Piha-beach-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p>While the intense social life mingled with no less intense studying the time run extremely fast. The last weeks before exams everyone got tense and occupied with studies. The teachers were great! I didn&#8217;t even realize, how I found myself at threshold of examination class confident and well-prepared. 4 hours to do your best, and then you are free. Relax and breath-out. Examination week is also a graduation week. Some friends were going back home, but some definitely stayed to explore the beauty of New Zealand. It was hard to say goodbye to teachers who became my dearest friends too. It officially was end of an era. What&#8217;s left &#8211; numerous photos, a fat note-book with contacts from all over the world, recognized certificates, unforgettable memories and the ultimate bound to the school we happen to spend the time of our life.</p>
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		<title>Foodie Traveler &#8211; Part II (Goa)</title>
		<link>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/foodie-traveler-part2-goa-india/</link>
		<comments>http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/foodie-traveler-part2-goa-india/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:19:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Anugrah Andrew Rai</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.festivesearch.com/blogs/aroundtheworld/?p=762</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It’s sometimes fairly a great feeling to indulge in the ecstasy of pure bliss. And there are way different forms to do so. The gala event (of bliss) should have the potential to just bind all your forces together and not let you be free from its spell. And what can be pure bliss? The [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It’s sometimes fairly a great feeling to indulge in the ecstasy of pure bliss. And there are way different forms to do so. The gala event (of bliss) should have the potential to just bind all your forces together and not let you be free from its spell. And what can be pure bliss? The fact is &#8211; it can be anything or everything to anybody or everybody. To find solace to read is a bliss for a reader, to see one’s kids grow up is a bliss for a mother, to find God is bliss for a spiritual seeker, and for me to find a sumptuous meal in the middle of nowhere, while on a journey is a state of pure bliss. The exploring of the new place is like doing R&#038;D which has the capacity to keep you enchanted for quiet some time, but when this some time of adventure is finished, you can only make this adventure complete by having good food. It has all the possible potential to make your trip or mar your trip. It’s a fact. The finest trip in terms of such voluptuous meals was in Goa. You can just not forget the fusion food ~ the Indian and the Portuguese. And then if not compelled to visit all the churches there, you can just spend your time eating and eating and you go on eating. And for the ones who enjoy drinking it’s the place you’ll be hooked all your life.</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vindalho_em_Algés.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Vindalho_em_Algés.jpg" title="Pork Vindaloo" class="alignleft" width="200" /></a>My hysteric impulses were so on the top that just landing in Goa made me gaga over it. To eat can be the only goal for a traveler is really not the fashion right now, but I admit for me sometimes this is the only target. Actually, the truth is sometimes my vacations are planned to such places where you can get some great authentic local food which are not that common otherwise. Goa is all-famous for its vindaloo curry; pork vindaloo is the ace player in the list of the menu card, that’s where my journey of providing bliss to my stomach began. Use of red wine with the garlic, ginger and other Indian spices made it soooper hit, and that’s why I think this dish has traveled overseas too.<br />
My Goa trip was gaining popularity with my taste buds and me. Then the Crab Xacuti (shakuti) came my way, it was hard for me to pronounce it so I just placed my finger over it on the menu card. I was waiting curiously as to what will come. It was a roadside-eating joint, with thatched roof, and the vinegary smell all over, and here came my Crab Xacuti. It was a brown black curry with red crab lying in the center of the plate, served with rice. Initially it was not something wonderful to have, but later I start liking its tangy, hot, sour taste. It was nice. </p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chacuti.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Chacuti.JPG" title="Chicken Xacuti" class="alignleft" width="200" /></a>The exploration of food went on till I got hold of Sanna, pure white dumplings, glistening smooth surface, sitting pretty on the dish that I forced myself to politely damage that poor man’s aura of blissful eating, and asked what is it he was indulging in?? Sanna, that’s what they called it. You know it looked like Idli (rice cakes) of extreme southern India. But these Sannas were the excellent thing I ever had, mildly sweetened rice spongy cakes, they just melt in your mouth, light and beautiful to look at, I suppose I was in love with it from the time I saw it. Yea it was love at first sight.</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sanna_%28Commons%29.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Sanna_%28Commons%29.jpg" title="Sanna" class="alignleft" width="200" /></a>And yes it was not just bliss it was absolute bliss to eat them. It has toddy in it, which I suppose is the fermented palm drink, and is alcoholic, but naahh!!! I did not mind the alcohol in Sanna or may be the alcohol in it left me with no mind… any idea!!! But Sanna is the best thing I ever had.<br />
The other sumptuous meal was fried Pomfret fish and rice. But adversity stroked my nasal cords when it was time to have Bombay duck, a fish with excruciating odor, which was a bit much. I had it fried, coated with some barter and then it was all good to go. </p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pompret-fried-fish.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Pompret-fried-fish.jpg" title=" Fried Pomfret Fish" class="alignleft" width="200" /></a>Sorepotel became another dish that was kind of a good try but not popular with me. It was a meat preparation with internal organs of the animal (offal) and frankly I never bothered to investigate the kind and nature of these so called internal organs. I had to taste it or else this foodie traveler will face shame in her own sight. And yes I ordered this curry, which was red brown in color, served with rice, the gravy was too sharp, that hit you hard on your tongue, but still not that bad when had with rice. The meat and organs are chopped that it was hard for me to find out what is what, and neither I took the trouble for it.</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sarapatel.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Sarapatel.jpg" title="Sorpotel – includes animal offal" class="alignleft" width="200" /></a>Certainly this kind of bon appetit ordeal has its own bliss. The fine taste and then not so fine taste are a part of a cuisine as the good times and bad times are a part of life. This is how you maintain an equilibrium and harmony in life and while traveling too. Keep traveling and keep trying new food to keep up the zest of life. </p>
<p><br/><br/><br/><br/><br />
Photo Credit: Aguada Beach Resort &#8211; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Taj_Fort_Aguada_Beach_Resort_Hotel_Goa_3.JPG" target="_new">Wikipedia</a></p>
<p>&laquo;<a href="/blogs/aroundtheworld/stories/2010/foodie-traveler/">Foodie Traveler Part &#8211; 1</a></p>
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