One festival different celebration

Akshaya Tritiya, the day dedicated for good deeds and the best fortune, is considered to be one of the most auspicious days of the Vedic Calendar. It is widely celebrated in all parts of India by different sections of the society irrespective of their religious faith and social grouping.

Many people observe fasts, conduct special Pujas of Lord Vishnu, bathe in the Ganga, and make charities to ensure lasting prosperity. For the Jat farming community, this day is known as Akha Teej. The usual practice is that a male member of the family leaves for the fields with a shovel in hand in the early hours of the morning. All the animals and birds he comes across, en route, serve as omens to help predict the upcoming rains and crops. For the Jains, this day has special significance. The first Tirthankar, Bhagwan Rishabdev, broke his fasting spell of one year by taking sugarcane juice on this day. Following his example, people who observe the austerity of Varsi tap-the custom of alternative day fasting for a year-end their penance on the same day in the cool shadow of Shatrunjay hills. This day is considered to be very auspicious for going on a pilgrimage to Shatrunjay in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. This falls on the 3rd day of the bright fortnight of Vaishakh.

People in the Orria (Orissa) community also celebrate Akshaya Tritiya by buying gold ornaments and new clothes. But the festival is also significant in two other ways in Orissa. On this day, the farmers sow the seeds for the new crop. According to a Pujari of Shri Jagannath Temple, Hauz Khas, “It is an important day in the run up to the famous Rath Yatra of Lord Sri Jagannath at Puri. On this day, the logs meant for the Lords’ chariots are worshiped and the construction work of the chariots starts.”

The festival takes on a special flavour in Bengal, wherein new audit books are brought out on Akshay Tritiya after worshiping Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi. This ceremony is called the Hal Khata. Businessmen pray that their business luck thrives with the issue of these new audit books. Even the entire process of creation of the idols for Durga Puja, from the collection of clay to the ornamentation is a holy process, supervised by rites and other rituals starts from Akshaya Tritiya. “On the Hindu date of Akshaya Tritiya when the Rath Yatra is held, clay for the idols is collected from the banks of a river, preferably from the Ganges. After the required rites, the clay is transported from which the idols are fashioned.” says Sharda Nath, a Bengali homemaker.

“Some Bengali families even keep a Bhagwan Shri Satyanarayan puja at home, wherein a clay idol of Shri Satyanarayan is constructed. After the completion of rituals, sweets are distributed amonst family members and the idol is later immersed in a nearby river or sea.” she further added.

For the Maharashtrians, the third day of the Vaishak month is celebrated as Akshaya Tritiya. The day marks the end of Haldi Kumkum festival which is a get-together organised by women for women. Married women invite friends, relatives and new acquaintances to meet in an atmosphere of merriment and fun. On such occasions, the hostess distributes bangles, sweets, small novelties, flowers, betel leaves and nuts as well as coconuts. The snacks include Kairiche Panhe (raw mango juice) and Vatli Dal.

No matter how different sections of society celebrate the festival, the day is synonymous with happiness and prosperity, and people across religion give out goods and food items as ‘Daan’, as offering food to the poor is considered to be the greatest thing one can do on this day. People also make donations and give alms on the day. Umbrellas, sandals etc are also donated in some regions.

The main puja and prayers on the day is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi, and people visit shrines of Goddess Lakshmi, Vishnu and Lord Krishna praying for eternal peace, prosperity and good luck.

IPL ne crazy kiya re

Cheerleaders, Bollywood stars, controversies and loads of matches.IPL is a dream come true for a nation like India where people eat, drinkand breathe cricket

Shops shutting down, housewives vowing off chores, elders praying before TV sets and youngsters willing to keep fast for luck! No this is not about Ramayana or Mahabharata being aired on television again; rather this is the latest frenzy that has caught the attention of an entire nation. The craze goes by the name of IPL or The Indian Premier League and it's catching soon. The fun started to roll in April, and since then it has made the idiot box more interesting. The Indian Premier League, a blatant lift from one of the most successful and magnum opus of a sporting event -- the 'English Premier League' -- has turned out to be quite a craze across all generations, with people getting glued to their television sets. If recent reports are to be believed, saas-bahu TRP's are tipping, movie halls are going empty, shopping malls and restaurants are registering lower footfalls and even the iconic Sharukh Khan is unable to lure his fans into watching “Paanchvi Paas Se Tez.”

Television's prime time has now become cricket time. The new T20 format has beaten all forms of games, even that of cricket, which was earlier, associated with the ritualistic five days of test cricket or the full day and night cricket. "Compared to the leisurely, ritualistic five-day matches played by men in white, this form of cricket is a loud and powerful display of batsmanship geared to grab eyeballs," says Ashish Nanda, a collegiate.

So, what makes IPL such a rage? The answer lies in the fact that today's fast paced generation finds it difficult to channelise their energies on just one sport for too long, hence the new slam-bang format of T20 is finding favour across generations. This fast and furious brand of cricket game gets over in roughly three hours. The game is also becoming popular as more and more people, especially youngsters and techies are using it as a stress buster. "It was a good stress buster. Instead of going for parties, it was good to be associated with our favourite game and movie stars filled with glamour and style," said Sunidhi Sharma, who works with a leading tech company. Also people are finding it more comfortable to go and watch these matches as its high on entertainment but low on time consumption. "It's too hot to sit out here for the whole day. These matches are just like watching a movie that gets over in three hours", she adds.

But with IPL, cricket is only a part of the spectacle. All the matches played so far have featured laser shows and stilt walkers, American-style cheerleaders and plenty of Bollywood stars blowing kisses from the stands. The nexus between cricket and Bollywood has been formalized and is ready for launch, where the likes of Preity Zinta, Sharukh Khan, Arjun Rampal, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, etc., fight it out for their favourite teams.

The IPL has also resulted in some memorable moments in form of rival teams chatting up in a friendly manner. Otherwise where else would you find Ganguly and Ponting in the same dressing room, making strategies or Indian cricketers hugging Andrew Symonds or the Mumbai crowds chanting Indians Indians Indians for Jayasuriya? These episodes lend a unique feel and interest to the game, and we can only agree with BBC, when they describe IPL as "a heady cocktail of sports, entertainment and commerce on a level that has never been attempted before.”

More than just Pen and Paper

If you have a passion for figures, an incorrigible itch to draw and a creative eye for detail, a career in animation could well be your ultimate destination.

Dinosaurs leaping on the screen, their teeth bared, and trumpet blasts on the soundtrack. In 1993, Steven Spielberg created magic by bringing the ‘Jurassic Park’ alive on the screen. The movie not only broke box-office records around the world, but also marked a significant time in the evolution of visual effects.

Welcome to the world of film animation - a world where reality meets imagination, where dinosaurs walk across silver screens, where a ‘Stuart Little’ becomes the second son to a family of humans, and a ‘Shrek’ rules the ‘perfect kingdom’. This is a world of special effects, unbelievable graphics and exotic technologies that mesh and converge to create unbelievable real and virtual experiences. It's a world that beckons creative minds to unleash their power; and it's calling you!

If you have a passion for figures, an incorrigible itch to draw and a creative eye for detail, a career in animation could well be your ultimate destination.

Though `Animation' sounds simple but a lot of work goes into its preparation. It is the art of conceiving an action by drawing inanimate objects or characters, which are made suitable for filming. Off late animation has become so high paying a profession that it will soon be matching the pay packets of software professionals.
According to a recent survey by Nasscom, animation industry is expected to grow by 25 per cent annually. Increase in the use of special effects on screen and success of animated movies like ‘Hanuman’ has given birth to animation industry in India. Television channels are also applying animation techniques as a relief from the lackluster hum-drum viewing.

There are ample career opportunities in the 3-D animation industry and a passion for the job can take aspirants to great heights. Though one need not be an artist to be a successful animator, he/she should have basic appreciation of art and the requisite skills can be honed at the college. You can be absorbed at various levels depending on your skill sets, as graphics designer, visual artist, supervisor, digital film animator, senior animator, content writer, clean up artist, web designer or web author.

A career in animation offers you a good salary package. As a fresher, one can expect the starting amount to be anywhere between Rs. 8,000 and Rs. 15,000 as a junior artist. Within two years, he/she can become an assistant and earn between Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 45,000 and within seven years the remuneration could go up to Rs.1 lakh a month. What’s more, there is no age limit for learning and one can be successful even at a late age.

Health bhi, Environment bhi

Now a day’s people are taking up cycling in a big way. They feel that besides helping them to stay fit, it is also an eco-friendly mode of transportation....

There is an increasing concern about obesity and the health risk of a sedentary lifestyle. The focus is not only on adults but also to a significant degree on children and youth, as lifestyle habits are built during childhood and adolescence. Physical inactivity results in an increased risk of getting several diseases. But now there is a cool new way to keep yourself as well as the mother earth "young and beautiful".

There are many positive correlations between cycle use and fitness. It minimises the risk of coronary heart disease and provides protection from the clutches of health problems like strokes, diabetes and cancer. It ensures that your blood pressure is under control. Pursuing cycling helps a great deal in building your stamina, to enable you to carry out your day-to-day activities effectively. What’s more you can relive those childhood memories of carefree days, when you just traversed in the greens without a care in the world.

For those who are extra cautious about their looks and appearance, cycling is one of the most effective exercises to shed off those extra calories and get rid of flabby abs. Even a small amount of cycling would be good enough to boost your metabolism level, thereby fastening your weight loss program. It helps to improve the overall balance and coordination. Not only it paves way for maintaining health fitness, but also for leading a healthy peaceful life.

It's obvious that it is less healthy to cycle in polluted air than in clean air, and we all know that automobiles are one of the largest sources of air pollution. But by using a bicycle for short trips, we can reduce the emission of pollutants into the air we breathe. Studies show that the concentration of pollutants at rush hours is substantially larger inside the cars than outside. Moreover a bicycle will help you bypass the most congesting traffic, which even the most powerful sports car can’t.

With so many benefits to count, what are you waiting for, cycle off your weight and tensions and lead a happy fit lifestyle.

Interesting things to do:

1. Make a Sunday "cycle gang" wherein you can go cycling with friends every Sunday morning.

2. Drop your car while going to your nearby sabzi – bazaar. Take a cycle instead.

3. Try if your chic boyfriend can handle / balance you on the cycle at the front rod as people do in villages

4. Accessories your cycle, make it look trendy.

5. Buy more clothes, shoes, gifts...after all you are saving enough money on account of petrol.

Beauty and all that

Don’t become a slave to current fashion and beauty trend, instead allow your true inner beauty to prevail...

“Do not read beauty magazines, they would only make you feel ugly”, crooned Baz Luhrmann in his record breaking single Sunscreen. But as they say a woman would rather have beauty than brains, so when it comes to beauty trends, every woman wants to be on top of them. Even if it’s not to the same degree as a super model or someone that has an endless supply of money to spend, but to some extent beauty trends are important to us all just the same.

From Kangana’s lustrous curls to Kareena’s waif like thin figure to Deepika Padukone’s uber chic dressing style, we all want to imitate one or the other and style ourselves like our favourite stars. Let’s face it, we all know that society thinks of these women as beautiful, and if you are not like them you are certainly not part of that trend which never seems to end.

The way our society relates to the information provided to us in regard to up and coming beauty trends or trends that are now out of style, sometimes makes me wonder why we all don’t look the same! But truth be told, there are so many different kinds of beauty trends out there, that it’s impossible to keep up with all of them, let alone utilise them all.

Cashing in on this increasing obsession with fashion and beauty, magazines continuously offer front cover glances at what kind of beauty trends are currently in style, making it easy for everyone to pick up on. They also offer articles within them explaining different kinds of trends and how to go about being “trendy” yourself.

But one thing about these trends is that it keeps on changing. Trends such as not wearing pink one year but it being all the rage the next year is what keeps the beauty industry alive and thriving. Seeing these stars on television or in newspapers and magazines is enough to let you know that it probably isn’t your neighbour who created the latest trend. If you are wondering who really does come up with them you certainly don’t have to look far to find the answer. Yes, it is the top companies in the industry trying to push their products that make the current beauty trends flourish or flop. Cosmetic companies realize that women want to refresh their look from time-to-time so they introduce new product lines each season.

No wonder beauty has become a business (and a very successful one) with so many companies, fashion designers and consultants jumping in and forming a beauty brigade. All this has undoubtedly made the word ‘beautiful’ look very affordable, but in this race of following fashion blindly, we are somewhere forgetting the true meaning of beauty. Beauty is not about how well you look in artificial eyelashes or booty shorts, it is rather an effect that enraptures you in every aspect of a person. Supermodels are not beautiful. Movie stars are not beautiful. Everyday people are beautiful. So go ahead girls, keep doing what you're doing. Exercise, eat right and take good care of yourself.

And next time you read how pink lipstick is the color to wear this summer, remember that there are still many other colors that will look good on you. Don’t race out to buy pink lipstick if you don’t fancy yourself in it. Stay true to your own sense of style and you’ll never again have to wonder what they next big beauty trend will be.

Dilli Meri Jaan

Even today Delhi's eternal charm that has been luring emperors and bourgeoisie for ages refuses to wither away....



Jawaharlal Nehru aptly described that Delhi is the symbol of old India and new India. Even the stones here whisper to our ears of the ages of long ago and the air we breathe is full of the dust and fragrances of the past, as also of the fresh and piercing winds of the present. Well, after so many decades his words as true as they were then….

Indeed, Delhi is just not a city rather it is a book - a book which narrates the history of India and brings its many facets to fore. The complexities, the contradictions, the beauty and the dynamism of this city where the past coexists with the present bear testimony to the fact that many dynasties flourished and contributed to its diverse culture. And today its past glories have absorbed into the daily life of the city enriching its character.

Exploring the various facets of the city can be a fascinating and rewarding experience. The charm that attracted emperors, conquerors and poor alike is still inherent despite Delhi now being a cosmopolitan society. With the passage of time the city has adopted to global standards, providing a perfect blend of both ancient and modern times.


The people of Delhi proudly call themselves 'Delhiites. A lot of pride is associated with this term, and why not, Delhi is the land of 'Dilwalas' or people with a big heart. This phrase acquires a true colour when one goes around the lanes of Delhi. But one doesn't have to be filthily rich, to enjoy the flavours of Delhi. You can enjoy its diversity with only a few bucks in pocket. With such a variety of transport available, one can roam around in buses, autorickshaws and better still in Delhi Metro that has become a hallmark of Delhi's development and progress. The government is further trying to smooth the city transport in form of high capacity buses. Those green coloured big buses plying near ITO and Anand Vihar, must have wowed you.



When it comes to food, Delhi offers variety and flavour. One can enjoy a sumptuous meal at any roadside dhaba, food van or even at Mc Donalds. And if you want to blow big bucks and have a five star treat, head to any of the glitzy hotels and restaurants spread across the length and breadth of the city. Delhi's cuisine suits everybody's pallet and wallet.

From the point of view of infrastructure as well, Delhi has shown amazing improvement. With flyovers and broad roads, the traffic situation has eased out considerably. The development work in the form of upcoming townships, malls and complexes is noteworthy, and with Delhi being the host for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, the government is leaving no stone unturned to provide all the facilities to the guests and visitors.

Recently Delhi has also added another feather to its cap by bagging the coveted greenest capital city award. Thanks to the CNG drive, the city now boasts of the largest fleet of clean fuel operated public transport system, tremendously reducing the pollution level that was alarming to the city's environment.

Truly, Delhi is the symbol of old and new India, an India which is growing rapidly and catching up with the global scenario, while retaining its inherent charm.