West Zone Cultural Centre – Shilpgram will now be showcasing the delicious ethnic Indian food this October in a Festival known asJeeman – Vyanjan Utsav. It will cater Food Enthusiasts from Udaipur and All Over The World. It would be a Great Chance for the Foodies to Enjoy the Ethnic Taste of Indian Food and Culture.
Food festival is Delayed and would resume in Feb 2011
Along with the Food you can also enjoy folk dances and handicrafts, Around 200 dancers and other artists are also going to participate in this Food Fair.
To encourage people who love to cook tasty and healthy cuisines a “Recipe Competition” will be organized by College of Home Science, Udaipur and WZCC.
Interested candidates for the Competition may request for the registration form from WZCC, Bagore ki Haveli, Shilpgram and also you can get it by email from wzcccom@rediffmail.com; vilasjanve@rediffmail.com and vilasjanve@gmail.com
There are many Festivals celebrated in the Month of in the auspicious month ‘Bhadrapad’ (Mid of August to Mid of September). And One of the Most Prominent and Famous Festival of Jains of ‘Paryushan Parva‘ is also celebrated in this Auspicious Month. Paryushan means Lasting a long time or Coming together. It is the Time when Wandering Jain Monks take up temporary shelter for four months of Monsoon. (Chaturmas)
The resemblance of Paryushan Parva is The festival through which an attempt is made to put an end to all vices, passions and lustful desires in thought, speech and deeds.
During Paryushan, True Jains follow the following restrictions on diet.
1. Drink boiled water.
2. Eat before sunset.
3. Refrain from root vegetables like Onion, Garlic, and Potatoes.
4. Abstain the intake of fermented (soured) food.
5. Don’t take even the green vegetables.
All the above mentioned items are supposed to contain far more amount of lives (atmas) than the simple grains. Thus, by restricting oneself from intake of these items, a Human Being commits less sin and reaches closer to salvation, the sole purpose of Paryushan. 🙂
In the Shvetambar Sect it is an 8-day festival is celebrated which ends with Bhadrapada Shukla chaturthi. During these 8 days their is recitation of ‘Navkaar Mantra’ for all 24Hours. The last day of this festival is called Samvatsari, short for Samvatsari Pratikramana(Samayi).
After the Pratikramana all the Jain Seek forgiveness from all the creatures of the world whom they may have harmed knowingly or unknowingly and By Bidding each other Micchami Dukkadam.
It is a Jolly Time and People Visit their Relatives and Friends Bid Micchami Dukkadam and Have Exchange of Sweets (Most preferred Part of Each Indian Festival) 🙂
UdaipurBlog Team Wishes You all a Happy Samvatsari and Micchami Dukkadam if we Knowingly of Unknowingly Said or Did Something Wrong. Have A Great Sunday. 😀
A Symbol Of Wisdom and A Bringer of Good Luck who remains with us everyday in all parts of our existence, whether it’s an occasion, merriment, Good or Bad. He is ourTrue Almighty Guardian. Everyone of us lovesone of the most admired LORD GANESH also known as Avneesh (Lord of the whole world ), Gajanana (Elephant-Faced lord ), Ganpati (Lord of all Gods), Lambodar (The huge bellied lord), Shubhan(All auspicious lord ) , Siddhidata (Bestowed of success and accomplishments ), Vignaharta (Demolisher of obstacles), Vinayaka (Lord of all) and many more with a total of 108 names. Devotees of Ganesh are known as ‘Ganapatyas’, and the festival to celebrate and glorify him is called Ganesh Chaturthi.
Story behind the birth of Lord Ganesh:
Goddess PARVATI wanted Lord SHIVA to father a child. But Lord SHIVA refused it. An exasperated PARVATI created a child of her own. The child was called GANESH. PARVATI asked her son to guard the entrance to her bath and not let anyone in. GANESH obeyed, blocking even SHIVA’s entry, not knowing he was his mother’s consort. An otherwise detached SHIVA lost his cool, raised his trident and beheaded and stubborn lad. PARVATI was inconsolable in her grief and threatened to transform from gouri, the life-giving goddess, to kali, the life making goddess, if her son was not resurrected. SHIVA therefore ordered his followers, the ganas, to fetch him the head of the first living being they encountered. They brought back the head of an elephant, which SHIVA placed on the severed neck of PARVATI’s son and restored him to life. By giving him life, SHIVA became the boy’s Father. He Acknowledge his fatherhood by naming the lad Ganpati, Lord of Ganas.
Vinayaka stirs emotions of jealousy in SHIVA, and provokes him into violence. The action leads to reaction a series of events which culminates in the beheading of the child. PARVATI’s fury at the death of her child forces SHIVA to act. When he resurrects her creation and appoints him leader of his followers, he consciously becomes father and thus part of the material world. The resurrected Ganpati with a body created by the goddess and ahead given by God represents the transformation of SHIVA the hermit into SHIVA the householder.
So GANESH is the scholar son of SHIVA. Ganesh is born from PARVATI’s body. Ganesh is associated with feminine symbols like water, elephant, serpents and banana plant. Ganpati is rasa. Through this son of Shakti as PARVATI is known for, the grace of god (SHIVA) and goddess (PARVATI) reaches humanity. GANESH is full of wealth and wisdom. GANESH is scribe of Rishis.
SO,
The choice of an elephant’s head for GANESHA is interesting. In Hindu Symbolism, The elephant is the symbol of material abundance. Indra, King of the gods, rides an elephant. Elephants flank LAKSHMI (The goddess of Wealth and Prosperity). SHIVA, who rejects material pleasures, is described as Gajantaka- he who flays the elephant and uses its thick skin as his upper garment. By using the elephant’s head to resurrect the child of his consort, SHIVA in effect demonstrates his participation in the world of rasa. He uses the power of tapa to bring to life the child he killed.
GANPATI’s head represents tapa; his body represents Rasa. He reconciles God and Goddess. He becomes the doorway through which SHIVA enters World.
GANESHA has an elephant’s head, a corpulent body and a serpent tied round his stomach. Elephant pot belly and serpent are material symbols. That the upper part of his body is created by SHIVA and the lower part by Shakti makes him a luminal deity who brings together God and Goddess, Soul and substance, spiritual bliss and material delights. GANESHA is the lord of thresholds, sitting between yoga and bhoga, discipline and indulgence, monastic orders and fertility rites, Vedic speculation and Tantrik rituals. In some scriptures, Riddhi and Siddhi, Wealth and Wisdom, are his wives. Subha and Labha auspiciousness and profit are his sons. Santoshi, Satisfaction is his daughter. His rat represents the unmanageable, stubborn problems of like that he keeps at bay. GANESHA is thus the god of the present, sitting between the past and the future, removing all obstacles, ensuring the realization of every dream.
ALSO,
GANESH is the First lord according to Tantra. Tantra seeks the truth through the goddess. GANESH is lord of First Chakra. Since the participation of SHIVA is necessary to create GANESH, the first flower of Tantra blooms only after the first contact with SHIVA, the realization that life is not just the outer ever-changing world perceived by that senses; there is more, within, unchanging and still, beyond the reach of the senses.
GANESH CHATURTHI:
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with impressive processions, lots of sweets and huge idols of Lord Ganesh in our Udaipur City. The Preparations for Ganesh Utsav starts many days before the Ganesh Chaturthi clay idols of Ganesh in varying sizes are made and sold. These idols are purchased and brought up home by the city people on the day before Ganesh Chaturthi, which is also the day of Hartalik (when women keep fast and invoke the blessings of goddess Parvati, who is Ganesh’s mother). There are numerous other GANESH festivals that are celebrated in the Temple premises but one of them which is most prominent is the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration. It is celebrated during the month of Magh known as Maghi Ganesh Utsav (the birth month of Ganesh). Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada (around August-September) so for this year 2010 it is on 11 September. The festival as always will be celebrated in the major temple Bohra Ganesh Ji including various Ganesh temples of the Udaipur City. All the Arrangements and Preparations are over and hence Festival will be celebrated today in the city premises as always there will be a Fair at Bohra Ganesh Ji temple together with many sorts of custom and entertaining proceedings. Ganesh Chaturthi is glowingly celebrated in all the parts of city with full liveliness and sacredness.
Ganesh Temple Udaipur
ANANT CHATURTHI:
ANANT CHATURTHI (a.k.a Anant Chaturdashi) is the last day of the “Ganesh festival”. On the day of Anant Chaturdashi, the idols of Lord GANESH installed at home and various “Mandaps” (a.k.a display places) are taken to the nearby Lakes of the City like Pichola or to the ghats like Gangaur Ghat in great procession with slogans like: “Agle Baras tu Jaldi aa”(Come Soon Next Year) etc. On this day, people travel to the water front with the idols, big or small, dancing and singing in large procession. The 10 day long festival comes to an end after the immersion ceremony is over.
One should always recite the most prominent mantras dedicated to GANESH (as follows):
“Vakratunda Mahaakaaya Suryakotee Sama Prabha,
Nirvighnam kuru mey Deva, Sarva kaaryeshu Sarvadaa”
Which contains the names of Lord GANESHA with its Meanings:
Ø Vakratunda curved trunk
Ø Mahakaaya large bodied
Ø Surya kotee million suns
Ø Sama Prabha with the brilliance of
Ø Nirvighnam free of obstacles
Ø Kuru Make
Ø Mey My
Ø Deva Lord
Ø Sarva Kaaryeshu in all work
Ø Sarvada always.
May Lord GANESH of Large body, curved trunk, with the brilliance of a million suns, make all our work free of obstacles always..
Have a great weekend through enchanting celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi with loads of Sweets and Blessings of Lord Ganesh.
Ganpati Bappa Morya !!!
Author’s Note: Here I shared a note on mystery behind the birth of Lord GANESHA, and his powers. Hope you all will like this. I shared this with you, by my little knowledge of reading Vedic Grantham and other sources. I tried my level best to share the acknowledged information in an appropriate manner but still in case someone finds any imprecision please do share.
The so called ‘Venice Of East’ is all set to celebrate its greenery. The last few showers have surely infused us with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement.
We can witness large stretch of lush greenery, the pleasant smell of wet soil and celebration all around.
Now we all are waiting eagerly for one of the most ‘happening‘ fairs of Udaipur. Well you got it right its the fair of ‘ Harayali Amawas(Amavasya)’. Hariyali Amavasya is a monsoon festival celebrated on Amavasya or a No Moon Day of the Shravan month in North India. People mainly worship Lord Shiva on this very day for wealth and prosperity and for best agricultural season.
Huge fairs/melas are held on this day in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. It is Among one of the prevalent and respected festival in Udaipur, Rajasthan and On this Day It is a Collector’s Declared Holiday, Maybe For The Local City Mates To Enjoy and Welcome the Greenery or Haryali 🙂 .
It is very well known event not only in our own city but also in the nearby areas. The fair at Rajsamand and Udaipur attract thousands of tourists from all around the globe. People of all ages, regions come to experience our very own city’s celebration. A massive crowd can be witnessed enjoying various rides, games, snacks etc.
The fair is accessible for two days out of which one day is specially open for the women. Women can be seen shopping, enjoying various games, rides, snacks etc. There are colors all around, loads of rides, lots of stalls, full on entertainment.The entire place holds within itself a very raw yet beautiful atmosphere.
This event is celebrated lavishly in various places out of which most famous are
Madhura Dwarkadhish Temple
Banke Bihariji Temple in Vrindavan
And many other temples of Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva.
This day marks an end to the Phool Bangal Utsav in Vrindavan Banke Bihari Temple.
Hariyali Amavasi corresponds with Ashada Amavasya in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. It is celebrated as Chukkala Amavasya in Andhra Pradesh, Bheemana Amavasya in Karnataka, Gatari Amavasya in Maharashtra.
We wish you All a Happy Haryali Amavasya and May we all have the Extended Monsoon Till the End of this Month Alongwith, the Lakes Getting Filled and Greenery Whole Year.
We Belong from the Land Of Warriors – ‘Udaipur’ – The Capital of Mewar and today we celebrate the Glory of Freedom, Independence in the form of Maharana Pratap Jayanti. Pratap (The Son of Maharana Udai Singh II) the Legendary Hero of Mewar who fought for Freedom till his Last Breath. Due to his Effort Mewar was the Only Independent Land free from Invaders all around the World. It is a well known fact that Mewar was the Only free state from the Great Mughal Badhshah Akhbar and Britishers.
This 1 Rupee Coin Made Up Of Silver is a Symbol of Friendship between Bristishers and Mewar State
Maharana Pratap Jayanti is Celebrated every year on Shukla Thritiya of the Ashad month (May or June). This Year (2010) it is on 15th June.
About Maharana Pratap:
Maharana Pratap (May 9, 1540 – January 29, 1597) was 16th century King who ruled Mewar, a state in north-western India. He was born on 9th May 1540 in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan. His father was Maharana Udai Singh II and mother was Rani Jeevant Kanwa. He was the eldest among 25 brothers and 20 sisters and was the 54th ruler of Mewar. He belonged to the Sisodiya Rajput clan.
From childhood Rana Pratap had the passion that a Kshatriya king needs to possess. In 1568, when Maharana was just 27 years old, the Mughal emperor Akbar conquered Chittor. Maharana Udai Singh, his father decided to leave Chittor and moved to Gogunda. Seeing this as opportunity, his half brother Jagmal took away the throne. When Jagmal was unable to manage affairs he joined the army of Akbar with an idea to take revenge with Maharana Pratap.
Maharana faced many struggles in his career. He kept on fighting with Akbar all his life. Akbar tried several ways to win over Maharana Pratap but he was always a failure. Maharana could not forget when Akbar killed 30,000 unarmed residents of Chittor only because they refused to convert to Islam. This made Maharana revolt against Akbar and he followed strict codes of Kshatriyas to fight with Akbar.
Battle of Haldighati
On June 21, 1576 (June 18 by other calculations), the two armies met at Haldighati, near the town of Gogunda in present-day Rajasthan. While accounts vary as to the exact strength of the two armies, all sources concur that the Mughal forces greatly outnumbered Pratap’s men (1:4). The battle of Haldighati, a historic event in the annals of Rajputana, lasted only four hours. In this short period, Pratap’s men essayed many brave exploits on the field. Folklore has it that Pratap personally attacked Man Singh: his horse Chetak placed its front feet on the trunk of Man Singh’s elephant and Pratap threw his lance; Man Singh ducked, and the mahout was killed.
However, the numerical superiority of the Mughal army and their artillery began to tell. Seeing that the battle was lost, Pratap’s generals prevailed upon him to flee the field ( so as to be able to fight another day. Myths indicate that to facilitate Pratap’s escape, one of his lieutenants, a member of the Jhala clan, donned Pratap’s distinctive garments and took his place in the battlefield. He was soon killed. Meanwhile, riding his trusty steed Chetak, Pratap made good his escape to the hills.
But Chetak was critically wounded on his left thigh by a Mardana (Elephant Trunk Sword) while Pratap had attempted to nail down Man Singh. Chetak was bleeding heavily and he collapsed after jumping over a small brook few kilometres away from the battle field. When Pratap’s general donned Pratap’s clothing and armour, it went unnoticed, thanks to the chaos of the war, but for two Turk knights from the Mughal army. They could not communicate it with others in their group, due to the linguistic barrier (the appropriate language would have been Persian, Marwari or Arabi, given the composition of the Mughal army). They immediately followed Pratap without wasting time. The moment they started chasing him, Pratap’s younger brother Shaktisingh, who was fighting from the Mughal side, (he had some disputes with Pratap at the time of Pratap’s coronation; hence he had defected and gone over to Akbar’s court) realized that his own brother was under threat. Pratap’s general’s sacrifice had already been discovered by him. He could not help but react against a threat to his own brother. He followed the Turks, engaged them in single combat and killed them. In the meanwhile, Chetak collapsed and Pratap saw his brother Shaktisingh killing the two Mughal riders. Saddened by the loss of his beloved general and horse, he embraced his brother and broke into tears. Shaktisingh also cried and asked for his brother’s pardon, for having fought as his enemy. Pratap pardoned him (later on he was given a huge estate near Chittor). Shaktisingh then offered him his own horse and requested him to get to a safe place. This incident is famous in Rajasthani folklore, a song “O Neele Ghode re Aswar” (O Rider of the Blue Horse) mentions it.
A mausoleum to Chetak is at the site of the steed’s death.
The impact of the battle on the Mughal army was also significant. In terms of numbers the Mughal army suffered heavier losses. This was also because of the intensive arrow showers by the Bhil tribes of the surrounding mountains who had sided with Pratap. To honour their contribution, a Bhil warrior was placed next to Pratap in the Royal Coat of Arms of Mewar.
The battle of Haldighat is considered to be the first Major breakthrough of Rajputs against the Mughals since the Second Battle of Khanwa in 1527, which was fought between Rana Sanga grandfather of Maharana Pratap, and the Mughal Babur grandfather of Akbar. It is regarded with a degree of significance by many Rajput families.
Moti Magri (Udaipur):
An impressive bronze statue of Maharana Pratap and his favorite and loyal horse, who fiercely protected his master and stood by him till his last breath, stands at the top of Moti Magri, overlooking Fateh Sagar. Local habitants climb the hill to pay homage to Maharana Pratap and his faithful horse Chetak, who were killed in the battle of Haldighati. Also there are the ruins of one of the first modest palaces of Udaipur and also a charming Japanese rock garden. The Memorial has the first Light & Sound program in Rajasthan, that displays the glorious 1400 years of Mewar’s history. All these are highly decorated with lights during the Maharana Pratap Festival. People from across the world come to visit the place.
