Keeping Students Well Informed at Home During Summer Vacation

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Keeping Students Well Informed at Home During Summer Vacation KEEPING STUDENTS WELL INFORMED AT HOME DURING SUMMER VACATION SUNDAY, AUG. 16, 2020 Durva grass Exploring the realms of history, science, nature and technology GaneshGanesh Chaturthi is a 10-dayChaturthi Hindu festival that celebrates and honors the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the ele- Marigolds are one of phant-headed son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lord Lord Ganesha’s favorite flowers. Ganesha represents wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. Annual celebration Symbolic meaning Crescent: Life and philosophy Did you know? Because the Hindu religion There are many different depictions Ganesha is known by 108 dif- uses a lunar calendar, festivals of Lord Ganesha, but most include Big ears: Listen more ferent names, including Vighna do not fall on the same date special icons that are symbolic of Harta (remover of obstacles) Axe: To cut off all every year. Ganesh Chaturthi important Hindu lessons. and Buddhi Pradaayaka (giver bonds of attachment always takes place during a of wisdom and intellect). Large head: Think big waxing moon. This year, it Rope: To pull Some devotees chant the “Om begins on Saturday, August 22. Small eyes: Concentrate you closer to Ganeshaya Namah” mantra at least 108 times while perform- One tusk: Keep the good, the highest goal Where in the world ing the puja (morning worship throw away the bad Lord Ganesha is worshipped in ritual). It is believed that those Hindu communities around the Small mouth: who chant the mantra will world, but especially in India, Talk less achieve all desires. Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lord Ganesha is often de- Trunk: Efficiency Pakistan, Nepal and China. picted holding a conch shell. and adaptability Lotus: The conch shell is important in Traditions Purity and Hindu culture because it makes During the festival of Ganesh enlighten- a unique and holy sound. Chaturthi, many people place ment amid Lord Ganesha is sometimes Ganesha clay or papier-mâché ignorance portrayed with just one tusk, be- idols in their homes. Color- cause Ganesha once broke his ful public pandals (temporary tooth and hurled it at the Moon shrines or stages) are set for laughing at his belly. up, and offerings of food and prayers are presented. Sweets It is traditional to present 21 are distributed from the pandal blades of durva grass (Bermu- to the community. In addition da grass) to the Ganesha idol. to the reading of Hindu texts, Durva strands are tied together, group feasting and athletic and dipped in water for freshness, Unfolding and then offered to the deity. martial arts competitions are lotus also held. Durva grass cured Lord Ga- petals: nesha’s stomach pain after he The festival ends after 10 days, Ladoos: Expansion swallowed a demon. when a public procession (with Reward for of the soul music and singing) carries the hard work Food for thought clay idol to a nearby body of Many devotees of Lord Gane- water, where it is immersed. It Large stomach: To Prasada: sha will fast for the first day of is estimated that in the city of peacefully digest the Giving and the festival (Lord Ganesha's Mumbai alone, about 150,000 good and bad in life sharing birthday), while others choose statues are immersed every Mouse: Reaching to fast for all 10 days. year. into every small Modak Those who are not As the clay idol dissolves, it is space of the mind Lord Ganesha idols sculpted from clay or fasting might believed Ganesha returns to paper do not harm the environment when Lord Ganesha guides enjoy sweets Mount Kailash and his parents, immersed in water. But idols sculpted a person’s karma by such as mo- Parvati and Shiva. from plaster of Paris often contain creating and removing dak, ladoo, mercury and cadmium and cause Festival history obstacles. gajak and pollution. rewari. The exact history of Ganesh Chaturthi is not known, but Modak is one it was celebrated as a public of Lord Ganesha's favorite event by King Shivaji of the sweets. These small sweet and Maratha Empire in the1600s. savory balls of rice dough are boiled and stuffed with grated In 1893, an Indian rights activ- coconut along with jaggery and ist named Lokmanya Tilak dry fruits. The plate presented advocated for a public Ganesh to Lord Ganesha should have Chaturthi celebration as a way exactly 21 pieces. to circumvent the colonial Brit- Lokmanya Tilak Banana ish government’s ban on Hindu The elephant-headed god is (1856-1920) leaves gatherings. also fond of fresh fruit, espe- cially bananas. People also of- King Shivaji fer garlands made with banana (1630-1680) leaves along with the stem of the banana plant and banana SOURCES: World Book Encyclopedia, World Book Inc.; https://www.indiatoday.in/; https://rgyan.com; https://www.timesnownews.com; https://daily.bhaskar.com flowers. Chat with the author and like us on Facebook — www.facebook.com/worldofwonder2014 LEARN ABOUT BARNYARD ANIMALS IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF WORLD OF WONDER LEARN ABOUT BIRD WATCHING IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF WORLD OF WONDER OUR WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION PAGE CAN BE A FUN LEARNING TOOL FOR YOUR KIDS. CHECK BACK EACH THURSDAY FOR A NEW, EXCITING TOPIC! Pinal County’s Daily Newspaper TO SUBSCRIBE: Newspapers in Education (520) 423-8685 CGVNI-NIE World Of Wonder 8-6-20 Ganesh DISP 8/6 (0) Zoe 6x21.5 FULL COLOR • Whole ad is art bam.
Recommended publications
  • Sri Shivabalayogi Text Formatted
    SRI SHIVABALAYOGI by Prof. S. K. Ramachandra Rao FIRST EDITION – 1968 (Publishing Rights Reserved) Price Re. 1=00 Printed by G. Srinivasan, Proprietor Orient Power Press. 54, Lal Bagh Road, Bangalore -27 Table of Contents Foreword........................................................................................................................................................1 THE LIFE ......................................................................................................................................................2 Early Life...............................................................................................................................................2 Poverty...................................................................................................................................................3 The Touch..............................................................................................................................................4 Tapoleela..............................................................................................................................................11 Dhyanayogi..........................................................................................................................................12 IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE YOGI’S LIFE........................................................................................14 THE TAPOLEELA .....................................................................................................................................15
    [Show full text]
  • Name of the Element: Durga Puja in West Bengal
    IGNCA INVENTORY ON THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE Edited and Maintained by Prof. Molly Kaushal Janapada Sampada Division IGNCA Name of the element: Durga Puja in West Bengal. Community: Bengalis of all religious denominations residing in the state of West Bengal. Region: Durga Puja is celebrated not only in West Bengal but in other regions such as Bihar (Biharis), Odisha (Oriyas) and Assam (Ahomiyas) as well as in other states of India where Bengali community reside. Bengali migrants residing in Europe, America and Australia also celebrate this festival. Brief Description: Durga Puja is the most important socio-cultural and religious event in the Bengali festival calendar, celebrated in autumn. The festival is to propitiate the Goddess Durga for her blessings as also celebrate her victory over the demon Mahishasur. It is also believed that Lord Rama had worshipped the goddess Durga to seek divine blessings before undertaking the battle against Ravana. Durga Puja is a ten-day festival, usually in October, which starts from Mahalaya, the inaugural day of the event. Mahalaya is celebrated by Agomoni or songs of welcome. Festivities start five days later with the observance of Shashti, Shaptami, Ashtami, and Nabami. An elaborate community bhog or food-offerings to the Goddess, is prepared and then partaken by congregations on each day of the festivities. On the tenth day, or Bijoya Dashami, the goddess is borne away to the sounds of the dhak, or traditional drum for immersion in nearby rivers or water bodies. The puja mandap or the main altar is essentially a platform inside a makeshift bamboo structure called a pandal.
    [Show full text]
  • Durga Pujas of Contemporary Kolkata∗
    Modern Asian Studies: page 1 of 39 C Cambridge University Press 2017 doi:10.1017/S0026749X16000913 REVIEW ARTICLE Goddess in the City: Durga pujas of contemporary Kolkata∗ MANAS RAY Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta, India Email: [email protected] Tapati Guha-Thakurta, In the Name of the Goddess: The Durga Pujas of Contemporary Kolkata (Primus Books, Delhi, 2015). The goddess can be recognized by her step. Virgil, The Aeneid,I,405. Introduction Durga puja, or the worship of goddess Durga, is the single most important festival in Bengal’s rich and diverse religious calendar. It is not just that her temples are strewn all over this part of the world. In fact, goddess Kali, with whom she shares a complementary history, is easily more popular in this regard. But as a one-off festivity, Durga puja outstrips anything that happens in Bengali life in terms of pomp, glamour, and popularity. And with huge diasporic populations spread across the world, she is now also a squarely international phenomenon, with her puja being celebrated wherever there are even a score or so of Hindu Bengali families in one place. This is one Bengali festival that has people participating across religions and languages. In that ∗ Acknowledgements: Apart from the two anonymous reviewers who made meticulous suggestions, I would like to thank the following: Sandhya Devesan Nambiar, Richa Gupta, Piya Srinivasan, Kamalika Mukherjee, Ian Hunter, John Frow, Peter Fitzpatrick, Sumanta Banjerjee, Uday Kumar, Regina Ganter, and Sharmila Ray. Thanks are also due to Friso Maecker, director, and Sharmistha Sarkar, programme officer, of the Goethe Institute/Max Mueller Bhavan, Kolkata, for arranging a conversation on the book between Tapati Guha-Thakurta and myself in September 2015.
    [Show full text]
  • Mahisamardhini in Indian Art
    TRADITIONAL ART Mahisamardhini in Indian Art Amit Guha Independent Scholar Abstract This paper considers the evolving iconography of the Devi in Mahisamardhini form, especially in Bengal where the annual Durga Puja is increasingly marked by experimentation in artistic forms of both the idol and her surrounding ornamentation. This recent evolution is placed in the context of historical origins and evolution of the deity and her iconography is traced since her 5th century origins. Introduction The Devi stands astride her simha Figure 1. Modern Durga Image in Kolkata (lion) vahana and holds a spear to slay Mahisasura, who has just emerged from his buffalo disguise. In her other hands she holds the various astras (weapons) that the gods have lent her to fight the asuras (demons). This is perhaps the most popular and enduring of the various forms of Devi, the Great Goddess of Hindus. Durga as Mahisamardhini (slayer of Mahisasura) is an ancient deity. An important 5th century Sanskrit text, the Devimahatmya, contains the story of Durga in great detail including her various forms, exploits, and her iconography. By the 8th century, the Mahisamardhini cult was known throughout the subcontinent as evidenced by architectural remains from Afghanistan to Tamil Nadu. Today, she is still popular throughout India but particularly loved and revered in Bengal in an annual four-day autumn festival, the Durga Puja. Here, Durga while retaining her war-like iconography, is depicted in a more benign form, and seen by worshippers as a daughter visiting her parents for a few days. Thus, she is surrounded by her children, Ganesa, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Karthik, who have joined her on their own vahanas, in this final moment of triumph over the asura.
    [Show full text]
  • Commemorating the World Yoga Convention 2013
    Year 3 Issue 2 March 2014 YOGA Membership postage: Rs. 100 Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, Bihar, India Commemorating the World Yoga Convention 2013 Hari Om YOGA is compiled, composed and pub lished by the sannyasin disciples of Swami Satyananda Saraswati for the benefit of all people who seek health, happiness and enlightenment. It contains in- formation about the activities of Bihar School of Yoga, Bihar Yoga Bharati, Yoga Publications Trust and Yoga Research Fellowship. Editor: Swami Shaktimitrananda Saraswati Assistant Editor: Swami Yogatirth- GUIDELINES FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE ananda Saraswati YOGA is a monthly magazine. Late Secret of Success subscriptions include issues from January to December. The practice of yoga should be gradual and Published by Bihar School of Yoga, step by step. Extremes are to be avoided. Ganga Darshan, Fort, Munger, Bihar Common sense is an essential part of yoga – 811201. and so is boldness. Fickle-mindedness will Printed at Thomson Press India not advance you on the path of yoga. Ltd., Haryana – 121007 Oscillation will retard progress and result © Bihar School of Yoga 2014 in stagnation. Membership is held on a yearly basis. Please send your requests Reflect gradually and choose a method, stick for application and all correspond- to it and persevere with it continuously. This ence to: faith is absolutely necessary. A person who Bihar School of Yoga digs a well must dig on and on in the same Ganga Darshan place, only then will he reach the water. Fort, Munger, 811 201 Bihar, India The same is valid in yoga: one teacher, one path, one method, one master, one idea - A self-addressed, stamped envelope must be sent along with enquiries to en- and one-pointed faith and devotion.
    [Show full text]
  • 2.Hindu Websites Sorted Category Wise
    Hindu Websites sorted Category wise Sl. No. Broad catergory Website Address Description Reference Country 1 Archaelogy http://aryaculture.tripod.com/vedicdharma/id10. India's Cultural Link with Ancient Mexico html America 2 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harappa Harappa Civilisation India 3 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civil Indus Valley Civilisation India ization 4 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiradu_temples Kiradu Barmer Temples India 5 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohenjo_Daro Mohenjo_Daro Civilisation India 6 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda Nalanda University India 7 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxila Takshashila University Pakistan 8 Archaelogy http://selians.blogspot.in/2010/01/ganesha- Ganesha, ‘lingga yoni’ found at newly Indonesia lingga-yoni-found-at-newly.html discovered site 9 Archaelogy http://vedicarcheologicaldiscoveries.wordpress.c Ancient Idol of Lord Vishnu found Russia om/2012/05/27/ancient-idol-of-lord-vishnu- during excavation in an old village in found-during-excavation-in-an-old-village-in- Russia’s Volga Region russias-volga-region/ 10 Archaelogy http://vedicarcheologicaldiscoveries.wordpress.c Mahendraparvata, 1,200-Year-Old Cambodia om/2013/06/15/mahendraparvata-1200-year- Lost Medieval City In Cambodia, old-lost-medieval-city-in-cambodia-unearthed- Unearthed By Archaeologists 11 Archaelogy http://wikimapia.org/7359843/Takshashila- Takshashila University Pakistan Taxila 12 Archaelogy http://www.agamahindu.com/vietnam-hindu- Vietnam
    [Show full text]
  • Durga Puja Pandals of Kolkata 2016: the Heritage and the Design
    International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, Vol. 8, No. 6, June 2018 Durga Puja Pandals of Kolkata 2016: The Heritage and the Design Tripti Singh There is one theme all over which is to worship mother Abstract—Durga Puja [1] also known as Sharadotsav or nature, through modern traditions have sub-themes. These Durgotsava is an annual festival of West Bengal, India, where sub-themes which are different in each Durga Puja pandals artists, designers and architects use innovative themes to throughout the region. They display theme based artistically decorate unique pandals to impress the visitors each year. It depicted sculptures of an idol of Maa Durga [7]. Puja involves planning and tedious hard work to give it virtual form. It was interesting that Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is the organisers put a lot of time, thinking and a lot of means on capital of India's West Bengal state has an area of 185 km², these themed pandals. These pandals are works of art in more than 4500 pandals [2] were erected in that area during their own right. The creativity stun, attract attention and the five - day of Durga Puja was from October 7 until October praise of viewers.The artistic achievements are to attract the 11, 2016. visitor. There are also token of appreciation through prizes Each year there are unique themes which comprise art and of a different category to be won by the designer. design techniques at the single place, time and event. Pandals are distinctive from each other, also they deliver a meaningful message to the society.
    [Show full text]
  • CONCEIVING the GODDESS an Old Woman Drawing a Picture of Durga-Mahishasuramardini on a Village Wall, Gujrat State, India
    CONCEIVING THE GODDESS An old woman drawing a picture of Durga-Mahishasuramardini on a village wall, Gujrat State, India. Photo courtesy Jyoti Bhatt, Vadodara, India. CONCEIVING THE GODDESS TRANSFORMATION AND APPROPRIATION IN INDIC RELIGIONS Edited by Jayant Bhalchandra Bapat and Ian Mabbett Conceiving the Goddess: Transformation and Appropriation in Indic Religions © Copyright 2017 Copyright of this collection in its entirety belongs to the editors, Jayant Bhalchandra Bapat and Ian Mabbett. Copyright of the individual chapters belongs to the respective authors. All rights reserved. Apart from any uses permitted by Australia’s Copyright Act 1968, no part of this book may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the copyright owners. Inquiries should be directed to the publisher. Monash University Publishing Matheson Library and Information Services Building, 40 Exhibition Walk Monash University Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia www.publishing.monash.edu Monash University Publishing brings to the world publications which advance the best traditions of humane and enlightened thought. Monash University Publishing titles pass through a rigorous process of independent peer review. www.publishing.monash.edu/books/cg-9781925377309.html Design: Les Thomas. Cover image: The Goddess Sonjai at Wai, Maharashtra State, India. Photograph: Jayant Bhalchandra Bapat. ISBN: 9781925377309 (paperback) ISBN: 9781925377316 (PDF) ISBN: 9781925377606 (ePub) The Monash Asia Series Conceiving the Goddess: Transformation and Appropriation in Indic Religions is published as part of the Monash Asia Series. The Monash Asia Series comprises works that make a significant contribution to our understanding of one or more Asian nations or regions. The individual works that make up this multi-disciplinary series are selected on the basis of their contemporary relevance.
    [Show full text]
  • Heterotopic Assemblages Within Religious Structures: Ganesh Utsav and the Streets of Mumbai
    Open Cultural Studies 2019; 3: 96-106 Research Article Swapna Gopinath* Heterotopic Assemblages within Religious Structures: Ganesh Utsav and the Streets of Mumbai https://doi.org/10.1515/culture-2019-0009 Received April 30, 2018; accepted January 4, 2019 Abstract: Indian urban public spaces have witnessed massive transformation post liberalization and globalization. In 2017, city spaces offer novel experiences and unravel new political dynamics in tune with the paradigm shifts in socio-political, economic and cultural domains. The city was shaped by the colonial and later modernizing forces, is being foregrounded in the postmodern, postcolonial discourses, and its public spaces therefore emerge as significant components in the social developments as witnessed in the new millennium. Ganesh Utsav in Mumbai is closely linked to India’s history of political struggle against British colonialism. There has been a phenomenal growth in its popularity and visibility, as a festival for ten days, encapsulating the whole city, transforming its identity as a financial capital of the country to a multiple layered carnival ground, with processions and festivities involving the majority of its population. Post globalization and neoliberalisation, the festival has transformed itself, assumed an identity uniquely political along with the rise of the right wing to power. My paper will be an attempt to critically evaluate this festival and the paraphernalia of sacredness that encapsulates the city space for ten days every year. While the spatial identity of religious practices is fascinating to observe, the ten-day festival of Ganesh Utsav builds a fabric of the sacred and profane across the city. The theoretical tool used in this study is Foucault’s heterotopias and Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of assemblage.
    [Show full text]
  • 1.Hindu Websites Sorted Alphabetically
    Hindu Websites sorted Alphabetically Sl. No. Website Address Description Broad catergory Reference Country 1 http://18shaktipeetasofdevi.blogspot.com/ 18 Shakti Peethas Goddess India 2 http://18shaktipeetasofdevi.blogspot.in/ 18 Shakti Peethas Goddess India 3 http://199.59.148.11/Gurudev_English Swami Ramakrishnanada Leader- Spiritual India 4 http://330milliongods.blogspot.in/ A Bouquet of Rose Flowers to My Lord India Lord Ganesh Ji 5 http://41.212.34.21/ The Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK) Organisation Kenya 6 http://63nayanar.blogspot.in/ 63 Nayanar Lord India 7 http://75.126.84.8/ayurveda/ Jiva Institute Ayurveda India 8 http://8000drumsoftheprophecy.org/ ISKCON Payers Bhajan Brazil 9 http://aalayam.co.nz/ Ayalam NZ Hindu Temple Society Organisation New Zealand 10 http://aalayamkanden.blogspot.com/2010/11/s Sri Lakshmi Kubera Temple, Temple India ri-lakshmi-kubera-temple.html Rathinamangalam 11 http://aalayamkanden.blogspot.in/ Journey of lesser known temples in Temples Database India India 12 http://aalayamkanden.blogspot.in/2010/10/bra Brahmapureeswarar Temple, Temple India hmapureeswarar-temple-tirupattur.html Tirupattur 13 http://accidentalhindu.blogspot.in/ Hinduism Information Information Trinidad & Tobago 14 http://acharya.iitm.ac.in/sanskrit/tutor.php Acharya Learn Sanskrit through self Sanskrit Education India study 15 http://acharyakishorekunal.blogspot.in/ Acharya Kishore Kunal, Bihar Information India Mahavir Mandir Trust (BMMT) 16 http://acm.org.sg/resource_docs/214_Ramayan An international Conference on Conference Singapore
    [Show full text]
  • Ganesh Chaturthi
    Weblog: http://phanikiran2informative.wordpress.com/ Ganesh Chaturthi Haritalika (Vrat) Teej ill-effects of Chandra darshan on Ganesh Chaturth Weblog: http://phanikiran2informative.wordpress.com/ This year Ganesh Chaturthi (Vinayak Chaturthi) falls on the Thursday, 1 September 2011 . It is extremely harmful to look at the Moon on Ganesh-Chaturthi. Therefore be very careful not to look at the moon on that night. If one happens to look at the Moon on the night of Ganesh-Chaturthi, then no matter how innocent one is, one will definitely be defamed. Even Lord Krishna was accused of having stolen the ‘Syamantak Mani’ because of looking at the Moon on this night. However, if you look at the Moon on the 3rd and 5th nights of that lunar month, the harmful effects caused by seeing the Moon on the 4th lunar night is countered. In any case, if by mistake you do happen to look at the Moon on this night, read or listen to the episode narrating the theft of the Syamantak Mani as described in the 56th and 57th chapters of the tenth Skanda of the Srimad Bhagawata . Ill Effects of Chandra Darshan & it’s Remedies Sri Ganesha (Vinayak) Chaturthi On the 4th day of the bright half of Bhadrapad (August-September), the great festival of Ganesh or Ganpati is celebrated. This festival marked the birthday of Lord Ganesh. Ganpati is one of the most popular deities. Both Shaivites and Vaishnavites worship him. Even Buddhists and Jains have respect for Ganpati. He is considered to be an avatar of both Shiva and Vishnu.
    [Show full text]
  • Ambiances , Varia When Durga Strikes
    Ambiances Environnement sensible, architecture et espace urbain Varia | 2018 When Durga Strikes. The Affective Space of Kolkata’s Holy Festival Quand Durga débarque. L’espace affectif du Festival Sacré de Kolkata. Federico De Matteis Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/ambiances/1467 DOI: 10.4000/ambiances.1467 ISSN: 2266-839X Publisher: Direction Générale des Patrimoines - DAPA - MCC, UMR 1563 - Ambiances Architectures Urbanités (AAU) Electronic reference Federico De Matteis, « When Durga Strikes. The Affective Space of Kolkata’s Holy Festival », Ambiances [Online], Varia, Online since 18 November 2018, connection on 21 April 2019. URL : http:// journals.openedition.org/ambiances/1467 ; DOI : 10.4000/ambiances.1467 This text was automatically generated on 21 April 2019. Ambiances is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. When Durga Strikes. The Affective Space of Kolkata’s Holy Festival 1 When Durga Strikes. The Affective Space of Kolkata’s Holy Festival Quand Durga débarque. L’espace affectif du Festival Sacré de Kolkata. Federico De Matteis 1 Each year, during the Hindu month of ashvin, between September and October, cities in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent are literally taken over by Durga puja, the solemn celebration of the Goddess Durga. It is a nine-night festival of particular significance to Bengali people, an occasion for religious worship, but also for annual family reunions, traditionally intended for the return of married women to their ancestral home. During the first nine nights of waxing new moon of the month, many Indian cities are deeply transformed: the celebrations are not performed in temples, but in temporary ritual sites (pujalaya) sheltered within lightweight marquees built with bamboo and cloth (pandal).
    [Show full text]