GREEN 'HOLA MOHALLA' FESTIVAL PLANNED AT PUNJAB GURDWARA

The Takht Keshgarh Sahib gurdwara at Anandpur Sahib and the Ropar district administration of Punjab have banned the use of plastic material and other pollutants during the Hola Mohalla celebrations at the shrine next week, an environment group official said.

Addressing media here via video-conferencing from Washington D.C., EcoSikh convenor Rajwant Singh said the Ropar district deputy commissioner has issued an order banning the use of plastics and other pollutants during Hola Mohalla celebrations at Anandpur Sahib, 90 km from here. He said Takht Keshgarh Sahib head priest Tarlochan Singh also has sent out an appeal to shun plastic and is planning to lead a nature march in Kiratpur Sahib, 10 km from Anandpur Sahib.

Hola Mohalla is a Sikh festival held in March to coincide with the Hindu festival of colours, Holi. It is held at Anandpur Sahib, home to the second holiest Sikh shrine, Keshgarh Sahib, the birthplace (April 13, 1699) of "Khalsa", the modern day Sikh religion. Sikh environment activist and preacher Sewa Singh of Khadoor Sahib, who was present at the press conference here, said: "We have to seek guidance from the Gurbani and also from the life of Guru Har Rai ji to work for greater good."

"Working for the restoration of nature is one big way to serve humanity and the coming generations. I congratulate EcoSikh for this initiative of mobilising the Sikh community worldwide for one purpose of environmental activism," he said. EcoSikh came into existence as an answer to a call by the United Nations to world religions to contribute to environmental restoration.

"Anandpur Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib are the only hilly sacred sites of the Sikhs and we must protect their serene surroundings and natural beauty for the coming generations," Rajwant Singh said. EcoSikh project manager for India Ravneet Singh said: "All major Sikh institutions -- such as the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Sukrit, Akal Purakh ki Fauj, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, Gurmat Gian Missionary College and many others -- have joined to celebrate this day with their individual plan of action."

EcoSikh urged the community and other people to plant trees March 14 (Monday) to observe the Sikh environment day and not to use plastics and other polluting materials. Rajwant Singh added: "In the Sikh diaspora, gurdwaras from Canada to Malaysia will be participating in observing the Sikh environment day." "In Connecticut, in the US, the Connecticut Sikh Association will be celebrating the day with plans to install solar panels in their new gurdwara to reduce energy costs by USD 15,000 per year," he said.

"In British Columbia, Canada, Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara and Sukh Sagar Gurdwara Sahib will be hosting a community environmental clean-up, a tree plantation drive and distribute plants," he said.

Holi Festival In India

India is a land of festivals

India is a land of festivals.Here, a festival presents a glimpse of different traditions and customs. After the winter season, arrives the spring season when everywhere we can see blossoming of colorful flowers, indicating the arrival of Holi. Holi is a festival of natural beauty. It is celebrated every year on the Purnima of Phalgun month. Just a night before Holi, a bonfire is burnt(Holika Dahan). And, on the next day morning itself, people start playing with colors. In 2011, Holi, the festival of colors will be celebrated on 20th March. The festival of Holi is also known as Dulhandi.

Holi is a festival of colors and fun. This festival is celebrated 40 days before the spring season. Generally, we see the festival of Holi is celebrated as a symbol of unity, leaving behind all sorts of hatred. On this day, people mix color in water and drench each other. Using natural colors made by mixing of sandalwood, saffron and rose, also essence etc. with water of Tesu flower, increases the beauty of this festival.

Holi Celebration in Modern Age

In the olden days, Pichkaria where used to play Holi, but, the wheel of time turned and things changed. Today only small children use Pichkaries. Every age group use different resources and ways to play Holi. Where, on one hand, upper class people use perfume, sandalwood, good quality Gulal, on the other hand, some other people celebrate Holi with water, mud, and at times with dirt.

The festival of holi is celebrated by children, young, adults, men and women, without any discrimination or inequality, putting colors on each other. The crowd gathers up to wish Dulhandi in the morning itself. On the day of Holi, familiar faces also hide in the colors and can’t be identified and recognised. In order to give respect to elders, Gulal is applied on their feet and blessings are taken. Same age group people apply Gulal to each others forehead and wish Holi with a hug. The small ones are wished by applying Gulal with affection.

Holi and Self-Expression

Holi, in the Indian society is a mirror of expression of public emotions. Here, festivals like Holi, play an important role in joining family to the society. Today, to keep the societies combined with each other, festivals like Holi have become the need. In the run of modernity, the essence of humanity has vanished from the cities. In villages, where on a person’s illness, all villagers come to ask about him, where problem of one person is taken as problem of whole village. On the contrast, in cities, it take years to know who lives in the flat nearby yours. Considering all the facts, indicate that the requirement of Holi is more for cities, to break this silence of there lives.

Happy Holi To All Indians From PunjabiArticles.Blogspot.Com

Culture of Punjab

The Culture of Punjab is really unique in itself. It resembles with no other culture in the world. But still it has all the good points found in many cultures all over the World. Punjabi Culture is though not complex but very simple, still it have several unique points in it. It is really unique, warm, hospitable, humorous, aggressive, lovable, colorful, enjoyable and full of taste.

Folklore, ballads of love and war, fairs and festivals, dancing, music, and Punjabi literature are characteristic expressions of the state's cultural life. The origins of Punjabi literature are the mystical and religious verse of the 13th-century Muslim Sufi (mystic) Shaikh Farid and of the 15th-16th-century Baba Nanak, founder of the Sikh faith, who were the first to use Punjabi extensively as a medium of poetic expression.

Punjabi food is famous all over the world. Punjabis spend much on their food and they are stronger than others. The main food to which any Punjabi can’t resist themselves includes “Makki Di Roti”, “Sarson Da Saag”, “Chatti Di Lassi”, "Aloo Da Parantha”, “Gobi Da Parantha”, “Poori Sholey”, “Kheer”, “Ghee Shakar”,“Alsi Di Pinni”. The list is unlimited when it comes for Punjabi Food. In Punjab, Punjabi Dhabas can be found all over on the highway full of crowd anytime.

Punjabis are always aggressive and they are known all over the world. If they once decide to do a thing they leave no stone unturned until they reach their goal.Punjabis are really warm people. A Punjabi, even if he meets someone for the first time, he meets him with the warmth and respect which is generated from his heart and can be felt by the heart.Even words cannot explain the Hospitality shown by Punjabis because they treat the guest before their own self. In Punjab guest are compared with the God.

Punjabis are always secular. They are respectful to all religion. The example of it is the four doors of the GOLDEN TEMPLE in Amritsar which was made to keep it open for persons belonging to all religions from all the four directions. Punjabis are Patriotic. The History is full of many examples where Punjabis have laid their lives for the up liftment and maintenance of glory of the country.Punjabis volunteer themselves immediately to do any burrito they like. They do not waste any time in thinking it over again and again and they do not fear for the adverse consequences of the same. Punjabis always positively initiate to undertake their responsibility. "Chak de Phatte" is the Mantra by which they perform even sometimes otherwise thought to be impossible things to do.Punjabis are healthy people. Their healthy mind lives in their healthy bodies and they are famous for 'Kushti', 'Akhara' and 'Kabaddi'. These are their favorite traditional sports.

Punjabi Culture is incomplete without mentioning the Punjabi Folk. The bhangra, jhumar, and sammi are the popular dance forms. The Giddha, a native Punjabi form, is a humorous song-dance performed by juices. In addition to Sikh religious music, semiclassical Mughal forms, such as the khayal, thumri, ghazal, and qawwali, continue to be popular. Folk Songs includes world famous songs like ‘Lohri’, ‘Heer-Ranjha’, ’Mirza-Sahiba’, ‘Sasi-Punnu’, ’Jugni’, ‘Das Main Ki Piar Ch Khatia’, ’Laddu Kha Ke Turdi Bani’, ’Juti Qasoori’, ‘Doli Chardiyan’, ‘Long Gowacha’. Punjabi folk is so rich it can’t be completed in words. The Punjabi’s Famous Folk Singers includes ‘Yamla Jatt’, ‘Surinder Kaur’, ’Kuldeep Manak’, ‘Hans Raj Hans’.

National handicrafts Mela SARAS Begins in Bathinda From 11 Feb.2011

National handicrafts mela SARAS begins on Feb 11,2011

To provide rural artisans with an opportunity to showcase and sell their works, a national handicrafts mela titled SARAS is being organised by the Union Ministry of Rural Development at the Rajindra College here from February 11 to 22.The timing will be 11.00 a.m to 8.00 p.m.

SARAS stands for the sale of articles of rural artisans' society. The 12-day fair would attract artisans, self-help-groups and NGOs from across the country helping them to put on display the culture, art, craft and heritage of India.

Besides, a number of cultural activities showcasing the diverse Indian culture would be held, informed the organisers. They estimate the total expenditure on the fair at nearly Rs 30 lakh. Of this, the Union ministry would be spending Rs 20 lakh while the district administration will bear the remaining cost.

To collect funds for the purpose, the administration has planned to allot about 15 stalls for commercial purposes and arrange entertainment activities like swings. Besides, a visitor will have to shell out Rs 10 for entry ticket. Free entry is permissible to students.

Different groups from 25 states have confirmed to set up 185 stalls to exhibit handicraft, bamboo work, carpets, wooden furniture, food products, etc. Besides, special emphasis is being paid to homemade food products and space had also been provided for organising a food festival.

Evenings would be marked with cultural programmes to be performed by artistes from different states.

Though the fair would start on February 11, it would be formally inaugurated the next day by Chief Parliament Secretary Jagdeep Singh Nakai and presided over by Divisional Commissioner (Faridkot) Raminder Singh.

Preparations underway for the SARAS, a national handicrafts fair, at the Government Rajindra College in Bathinda on Wednesday.

Ayi Basant

Vasant Pancham

I marks the beginning of the spring season. The festival of spring is celebrated with full vivacity and joy amongst the Hindu people. In Hindi language, the word '' basant / vasant'' means ''spring'' and ''panchami'' means the fifth day. In short, Basant Panchami is celebrated as the fifth day of Spring Season. Vasant Panchami falls on the fifth day of the Indian month, Maagh (January-February). This festival is also known as Saraswati Puja.

Vasant Panchami and its Significance

The festival of Basant Panchami is dedicated to Saraswati, the Goddess of Wisdom. According to the Hindu mythology, the goddess symbolizes constant flow of knowledge and wisdom. Vasant Panchami is also believed as the birthday of Goddess Saraswati. The spring festival of Basant Panchami is especially celebrated in the institutions of learning. As Saraswati is the goddess of learning, Students observe the blessings from Maa Saraswati. Spring is the season when crops are fully bloomed, so people also celebrate this occasion by flying kites.

Punjab 's Basant

In Punjab the festival is called Basant (not Vasant) Panchami. Kite flying is popular on this day. The days leading to the festival represent busy times for Kite makers for the usually clear blue skies tend to be filled with kites of all colors. Often on the Basant Panchami day, if there is a good breeze, one could see nothing but innumerable multi-colored kites in the sky, swishing over in all directions.

The Basant fair is held in many villages of' the Punjab. People put on yellow costumes appropriate to the season. One huge mass of mustard blossom seems walking down to the fair. Before Partition the main fair was celebrated in Lahore at the samadi (tomb) of Hakeekat Rai who, though a mere lad, preferred martyrdom at the hands of the Mughuls to swerving from his chosen path of duty.

Yellow color is given special attention and dominates everywhere on this particular day. Yellow color is associated with Goddess Saraswati as well as the mustard crop. People wear yellow clothes, make yellow color sweets on the day of Saraswati Puja. The Goddess of art, learning, knowledge and wisdom, Maa Saraswati is worshipped with full dedication. On this day, People also feed Brahmans with the feeling that their ancestors are accepting the food. Kite-flying has become the part of this festival and people really enjoy this event.

Basant Panchami is a festival full of religious, seasonal and social significance. It is celebrated by Hindus all over the world with enthusiasm and new sense of optimism.