Many Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha under hardship

As the annual Muslim pilgrimage of Hajj kicks off in Saudi Arabia, many of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid al-Adha under hardship.

The effects of previous wars coupled with the devastation from natural disasters in their country has stopped them short in their rejoice of the annual holiday.

The weather was sunny and hot Friday morning over the desert valley on Mina, a contrast to the unusually heavy rains that soaked the faithful on the pilgrimage’s opening day Wednesday. The downpours caused heavy flooding in the nearby Red Sea coastal city of Jiddah, killing 83 people.

The stoning rituals at Mina have long been the most hazardous of the hajj. The pilgrims — more than 3 million this year — file past three stone walls representing Satan and stop to pelt them with stones in a symbolic rejection of temptation. In the heavy traffic, crushes and pileups have killed hundreds, most recently in 2006.

Wikipedia reports…

Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā) “Festival of Sacrifice” or “Greater Eid” is a holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. It is also celebrated by the Druze.

Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from the Quran.[1] Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a short prayer followed by a sermon (khuṭba).

Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for three days or more depending on the country. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_al-Adha

“A good Muslim should bring happiness to the hearts of fellow human beings” he said.

After the early morning prayers, the faithful flocked to makeshift animal markets, while others, dressed in their finest clothes, headed to cemeteries to visit the graves of dead friends and relatives.

Source…

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jzONYVoEPpfYIKnFrS3bg-WGHf3QD9C7UM8O0

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/20/eid-alfitr-2009-feasts-ce_n_292769.html

[Via http://jerrybrice.wordpress.com]

Cuban film conquers India

NEW DELHI: Its rum and cigars are famous; its politics even more so. What is less known and seldom talked about is Cuba’s thriving art scene and film culture, the focus of ‘Cuban Arts and Revolution’, a series of events organized by Delhi University’s Germanic and Romance Studies department in collaboration with Cuban Embassy and LeftWord Books. The main features of the event were an art exhibition, a seminar and a film fest that ended on Wednesday.

There was little by way of art patronage in the island nation before the Revolution in 1959. “Immediately after the Revolution, the Cuban state spent a lot of time and effort setting up institutions to encourage art. Cuba had no domestic film industry before the Revolution. The state-run Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematograficos (ICAIC) to produce and distribute films was set up within 80 days of the Revolution,” says Sudhanva Deshpande of Delhi-based publishing house LeftWord Books.

Despite the difficult times, artistes found a myriad ways to express themselves. “There has been vigorous activity in the fields of cinema, literature, music and dance. Their national ballet is world-famous. In fact, the festival starts a discussion on what the revolutionaries have achieved in spite of international hostility and very difficult economic and political conditions,” he says.

“They were not uncritical,” says Deshpande of the exhibits and the speakers. What Cuban artists produce under state patronage is far from propaganda, he assures. Professor Vibha Maurya, an expert on Hispanic culture, agrees saying that what became apparent over the two-week festival was “how the state has been incorporating dissent and different voices.”

Speaking on the contribution of ICAIC, film critic Samik Bandyopadhay said it “served as a platform for filmmakers from all of Latin America as, in 1959, many of the countries were under dictatorships.” He focused on the film Memorias del Subdesarrollo or Memories of Underdevelopment (1968) by Tomas Alea “where the Revolution and post-Revolutionary politics are critiqued in the whole structure of the film.”

Representing the dynamism and passion of Cuban culture, artiste Zaida del Rio, also an illustrator, ceramist, engraver, poet and yoga practitioner, exhibited her works at the Earth’s Dance Painting Exhibition at the Lalit Kala Akademi from November 2 to 7.

Deeply influenced by Eastern philosophy and spiritualism, Zaida’s large and vibrant canvases depict peacocks, women and nature in myriad hues. She also presented a paper, ‘The Bridge of Art: Cuba and India’, at the seminar. A sense of the Cuban struggle was captured in Marxist literary theorist Aijaz Ahmad’s keynote address at the seminar, “Against the Grain of Our Times”. He discussed the survival of the Cuban revolution, practically in a state of siege for 50 years.

Five contemporary Cuban films Manuel Herrera’s Dancing Chachacha (Bailando Chachacha), Pavel Giroud’s The Silly Age (La Edad de la Peseta), Fernando Pirez’s Madrigal, Manuel Pirez’s Mauricio’s Diary (Paginas del Diario de Mauricio), Ernesto Daranas‘ Broken Gods (Los Dioses Rotos) were screened as part of the film fest, organized by the India International Centre’s film club.

[Via http://latinamericanfilm.wordpress.com]

Buy That Big Screen Television Quickly

I’m not a big television viewer. Generally,my television viewing could be described as NCIS, The Penguins of Madagascar, a potpourri of sporting events with an episode of Criminal Minds  here and there. Oh and reruns of JAG and Walker, Texas, Ranger. But, for those inclined to watch  a bit more often, have I got  a show for  you.

However, to get the full benefit of this  ABC special, airing on December 13, it is absolutely imperative that on e has  a big screen set. If ever there were a program geared for big screen, high-definition, this is it. There are no actors, per se, on this  special. And, one of the biggest stars of the program is  a house, the White House. What it is, is “Christmas at the White House, An Oprah Primetime Special.” You know  someone is  a really big media star when Christmas and the White House both get to share a title with them.

Anyway, the program will feature    of the House, a conversation with te Obamas, a behind the scenes  look at decorating the House and an interview with the President. Among the interesting facets of this event are the fact that Oprah rarely does  such specials and been virtually  invisible vis-a-vis the First Family since the election. And during the election, she was quite visible, as you will remember.

So, since  Oprah did not even attend the first state dinner, featuring the Prime Minister of India, Manmahon Singh, they will have many things to discuss. Example: How  did that Palin interview go and did you really read her book? Oprah could counter with a question about job openings in the Administration and how is it being  a Senator from Illinois? I might like to try that before running for a higher office. Good thing this show will be televised from  a large facility. Don’t know if she and Michele could co-exist in closed quarters.

So, remember, Sunday, December 10 at 10:00 pm on ABC.  Your celebration of the season will be incomplete  if you miss it. ( You think Gayle King filled Oprah in on the state dinner happenings?)

?

[Via http://tarheeltalker.wordpress.com]

Satya Sai Baba Celebrates 84th Birthday

Satya Sai Baba Celebrates 84th Birthday

Many believe that Sathya Sai Baba is a divine human form on the earth. As one of his miracles, the Baba once created Shiva Lingas and Gold chains for his devotees. He has lakhs of devotees in and outside India. His services to mankind are in many ways.

CJ: V GOPALA KRISHNA
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 15:17:04 IST

Devotees of Godman Sri Satya Sai Baba celebrated his 84th birthday in a grand manner in Prasanti Nilayam of Puttaparti. The incarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, the Sathya Sai Baba was born on November 23, 1926, in a tiny village of Puttapathi in Anantapur district.

Many believe that Sathya Sai Baba is a divine human form on the earth. As one of his miracles, the Baba once created Shiva Lingas and Gold chains for his devotees. He has lakhs of devotees in and outside India. His services to mankind are in many ways, particularly in the fields of education and health.

He has started a university of higher learning, apart from a super speciality hospital in Puttaparthi, where poor people of Andhra Pradesh are given free treatment for heart related and other important ailments. He has also funded many drinking water projects in the districts of Rayalaseema.

Sri Satya Saibaba says that there is only one nation that is humanity, one religion that is love, one language that is the language of the heart and only one God. He asks men why they live in fear, asking them to put their faith in him. He also mentions that transformation starts from individual and it changes the world, while, right thoughts always leads to right direction as well as action. He says that he has come here to give the key of happiness (anandam).

MeriNews Reference

Sai Baba Birthday Celebrations 2009
Today is Sathya Sai Baba’s Birthday. Sathya Sai Baba was born on 23 November 1926. He has said that he is the re-incarnation of the fakir and saint, Sai Baba of Shirdi.

He is a South Indian guru, religious figure, and educator. He was born to Eswaramma and Peddavenkama Raju in the remote village of Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, India.

His special talents were for drama, music, poetry and acting. He was even writing songs for the village opera at the age of eight. There are numerous stories of plays, poems, dances and songs he wrote as a child.

24 Masti Reference

[Via http://sathyasaibaba.wordpress.com]

Day 20 - Jaipur

Today did not get off to the best start, we got ripped off by nearly every rickshaw driver and the hotel tried to fleece us with a complimentary car which wasn’t exactly complimentary.  All that aside we realised we had not seen Jaipur proper yet and it turned out to be quite a charming city with the added bonus that we ran into the French family again.  The best thing that came out of today was the discovery of the ultimate mullet as pictured below.

The ultimate mullet

[Via http://mellemou.wordpress.com]

Hidden Treasures at Halebid and Belur

Within two weeks of returning to India from Vietnam I was already feeling claustrophobic. Like a junkie awaiting his next fix I was eager to head away from home and see the world. With a heavily depleted bank account from my Vietnamese adventure I had to set my sights a little lower. Lucky for me then, that my family planned a retreat to the small town of Hassan, in the neighbouring state of Karnataka.

Much like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka’s major sights are largely based around temples (although the lush natural parks of the Nilgiris are also beautiful to visit). In India, the temple’s use was not limited to just worship, acting as the social hub of local life. A market would invariably be present, traders squabbling loudly with locals over the price of vegetables and fruit. The enchanting fragrance of jasmine would hang in the air, as women of all ages queued from before dawn in order to get the freshest cut flowers to place in their hair. Neighbours shared the local gossip while families would come here to bond by worshipping together. This area is famous for two temples, both products of the Hoysala Dynasty.

Legend has it that the patriarch of the empire was a boy named Sala. While still a youngster, he was being taught by his guru when a tiger appeared. While all around were losing their heads, he kept calm, bravely (some would say even stupidly) approaching the creature and proceeding to give it a good beating. Needless to say he won the battle, striking the beast dead (the word hoy means ‘kill’ in older dialects of Kannada), and thus a great empire in the history of India was born.

The smaller temple of the two is the Chennakesava Temple in Belur, a Vishnu temple that was commissioned in 1117 CE and completed 103 years later. The temple itself is within a walled compound, and sits on a raised platform in the shape of a 32-pointed star. On the outside of the temples most of the carvings have been eroded by rain – acid or other – but still retain the strong memory of their former glories. Gods in various guises and positions are discernible, and a frieze consisting of one continuous vine of flowers wraps around the entire temple. Other frescoes are present, displaying rows of swans, elephants and makara (a 7 animal chimera) that wind fully around the outside wall, some 200 metres or so. No two animals are identical. And that’s before we go inside.

It is on the interior where the more famous carvings are, and they do not disappoint. Delicately hand crafted in soapstone, each is as beautiful as one could imagine. It is simply breathtaking how these were created using rudimentary tools and natural light only. The level of craftsmanship cannot even be imagined. All statues and figures were sculpted from memory – there were no drawings to guide the workers. Created in situ, even one mistake could ruin the entire temple and incur the wrath of the king.

Most impressive of all the carvings are those of the guardians to the main shrine, two voluptuous beings ward off intruders with their cold glares. Their necklaces are carved down to individual links, their belts of jewellery bearing medallions and gems carved into the stone. Gleaming in the fluorescent light, they are lent a mesmeric quality.



The icing on the finely-crafted cake is in the form of the Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebid, dedicated to the god Shiva. Here the inner sanctum is in similar style to that of Belur, although much of the stonework is in a state of ruin. This temple felt the wrath of conservative Muslim invaders, who ransacked it, destroying much of the inside. What remained was appropriated by the British and shipped to the UK. Of the 84 stone statues originally existing within, 70 are missing, a sizeable proportion of which are now housed in museums such as the V&A. Indeed, how the outer walls of the temple escaped this destruction is all the more remarkable, and this is what catches the eye.

Famous tales from mythology wrap around the temple, each allocated their own portrait sized block to tell stories I have been told as a child. The detail is breathtaking – on the block depicting Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana one can clearly see a hunter crouching, ready to spear a pig while a lizard suns itself on a rock. In a somewhat bizarre prediction of the future, one section contains a man in a judge’s wig and a trench coat surveys the goings on with an air of authority. And that’s not all, with small stretches of frieze putting paid to the notion of a prudish India by depicting content from the Kama Sutra considered suitable only for adults.

The inspiration behind the British legal system's dress code

This probably is not safe for children

Neither print nor picture can justifiably capture the awe inspired by the intricacy of these works. Even the columns supporting the structure have a great level of skill attached to them, having been turned in elephant-run lathes. Who needs a CNC mill or laser cutter anyway? The Archaeological Survey of India must be commended for the tremendous job performed in repairing these temples from the destruction wrought upon them previously. A trip to Southern India would be futile if one did not see these, which must be towards the pinnacle of art. And all this motivated by their devotion to the god (although the king’s whip must have had some say in matters). If religious love can produce beauty such as this, then I’m sorry Richard Dawkins but I know whose side I’m on.

Obama Said Military Tribunal Was Fine For Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

Atty. Gen. Eric Holder is defending his decision to bring Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the alleged 9/11 terrorist masterminds onto U.S. soil for civilian trials instead of keeping them far away in Guantanamo Bay for a military tribunal. Senator Obama, in 2006 said that a military tribunal was a perfectly fine way of handling such dangerous individuals as Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. This must have changed when he became President!

Click On Links
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Profile
September 11, 2001 Timeline Of Events
Impeach Obama
The Afghanistan War
Military Deaths In Afghanistan
Obama Repeatedly Said He Would Reinforce US Troops
Obama’s Keeps Silent About The Afghanistan War
Obama Ignore Soldiers Dying In Afghanistan
The Afghanistan Problem
U.S. Afghanistan Raid Gone Bad
Taliban Attack

 

A nightmare: Indian rust bucket “aircraft” carrier deal

All Indian sopas are bad. Some are worse than others. Bollywood has perfected the art of transmitting visual pain through their soaps. The saga of the Indian rust buckets (air craft carriers) is a funny one. Bharat is using a 50s vintage bucket—which is now being replaced by a very expensive one—if Delhi and Moscow can ever agree to a price tag.The normal life of a ship is 20 years. This aircraft carrier was obsoleted by the British in the 80s. The huge expense has not project Bharati power anywhere. It has been unable to use this colossal white elephant anywhere. Not in one situation has it been able to project any power. It is like taking a Kia to race car to impress people that you have a car.the Viraat rust bucket hosts 18 obsolete Harrier planes. The words “power” and Viraat should not be used in the same sentence. it is anything but powerful.

The Indian Navy’s lone aircraft carrier INS Viraat will complete 50 years in service Wednesday, a defence official said Monday.

‘The navy chief (Admiral Nirmal Verma) will be going to Mumbai tomorrow (Tuesday) and he will also be on board the vessel, on the day she turns 50,’ said a senior navy official, requesting anonymity.

INS Viraat, which has a crew of 1,500 personnel, has just been given a life-extending re-fit at the Cochin Shipyard Ltd, where it was docked for the past year.

The refit has increased the aircraft carrier’s sea life with the Indian Navy till 2015.

The 28,000-tonne INS Viraat, the Centaur class aircraft carrier, was originally commissioned in the British Royal Navy as HMS Hermes Nov 18, 1959.

The Indian Navy acquired it in 1987 after it had served the Royal Navy for nearly 28 years.

‘An extensive refit – with brand new fire control equipment, navigation radars, improved nuclear, biological and chemical protection and deck landing aids – has increased the life of the vessel into the next decade,’ the official said.

The aircraft carrier gives the Indian Navy an edge over the Chinese navy, which does not have one.

The Indian Navy’s second aircraft carrier – Russian-built Admiral Gorshkov – is expected to be inducted by 2012.

INS Viraat is pivotal to the navy’s aim to project India’s naval and air power well beyond its shores. It provides operation ground for Sea Harrier combat jets. It can carry up to 18 combat aircraft and is suited for supporting amphibious operations and conducting anti-submarine warfare. India’s sole aircraft carrier turns 50 Wednesday 2009-11-16 17:50:00. Sify News

The drama of the rust bucket’s repalcement by another rust bucket—this one for $3 Billion continues unabated

Click Image to Enlarge

 

New Delhi: A 40-member Russian delegation has arrived in India to discuss the price hike for refurbishment of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, even as both the sides have "dug in their heels" on what they are willing to settle as the final price, an Indian Navy official said on Monday.

The price negotiations for Gorshkov, to be commissioned in the Indian Navy as INS Vikramditya, have dragged on for long with both sides refusing to budge from their stands.
"The Russian delegation is in town for the price negotiation of the aircraft carrier. But the current position is that both the sides (Indian and Russia) have dug in their heels as far as final price is concerned. What will matter now is who blinks first," the senior Indian Navy official told.

The Russians are demanding $2.9 billion for the refurbishment work, whereas Indians are asking them to climb down to $2.1 billion.
However, the official said that till the time a final price tag is fixed for the 45,000 tonne Kiev class aircraft carrier, the work on the vessel will progress at the usual pace.

"That is the agreement between the two sides that the work on the aircraft carrier would not be stalled. The delivery date for the aircraft carrier fixed at 2012 will be honoured. India has released about over 650 million dollars so far for the refit work," the official added.

The price negotiations failed to make any headway even during Defence Minister A.K. Antony’s visit to Russia.

India had paid around $600 million initially after an agreement between the two countries in 2004, according to which the old aircraft carrier was gifted as free but India was to pay $974 million to modify and upgrade it in accordance with Indian Navy’s specifications.

In 2007, however, the Russians said they had made a mistake in their calculations to repair and modify Gorshkov, and demanded another $1.2 billion. Recently, they have added still another $700 million saying that modifications, and then sea trials, would be more expensive than estimated by them earlier.
The total demand by the Russians now touches $2.9 billion, instead of $974 million as originally contracted.

The delivery of the aircraft carrier has also been pushed from 2008 to 2012-13, although repair work on it is continuing without break at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia’s Arctic coast. Russian team in India to negotiate Gorshkov price. (Source: IANS) Published: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 at 16:45 IST

Tags: New Delhi , INS Vikramditya , Gorshkov

Amritsar: The Holy City

 

The Golden Temple at 4AM

There was once a very arrogant king who believed he was more powerful than God, however, his daughter constantly told him no one can compete with God. The princess’s words did not sit well with the king, so he married her off to a crippled man and said, “here is your husband, let’s see how powerful your God is.” The princess married the crippled and took care of him to the best of her ability. She would carry him in a basket and set him down near the “sarovar” (pool of holy water) of the Golden Temple while she went to look for work in the city.

 

One day, the princess’s husband was sitting near the sarovar and saw a black crow enter the water and emerge as a beautiful white dove. The crippled man was shocked at what he saw and was curious to see if he could achieve the same results. He slowly, slowly crawled to the water and dipped his hand into the sarovar which was instantly cured. He decided he would submerge his entire body, except for one of his hands to show his wife proof he still the man she married. When the princess returned, she asked the handsome man standing before her if she has seen her husband, who sits in basket under this tree. The handsome man responded, “I am your husband.” The princess did not believe the “stranger,” but her husband was prepared for this reaction. He then said, “Look at my hand. The sarovar cured me!” The princess was shocked to hear the story but after seeing her husband’s one crippled hand she was convinced he was telling the truth.

Post-Bath under Dukh Bhanjanee Beri

To this day, most all Sikhs and several non-Sikhs who visit the Golden Temple bathe under this tree, known as Dukh Bhanjanee Beri (which translates to Pain/Suffering Removal Spot). If you bathe at this spot it is recommended to submerge your entire body 5 times, each time saying “Satnam Wahe Guru” (One True God). The number 5 is used in many instances in the Sikh religion and I don’t have the energy to give the several hundred examples when the number 5 is used…so just go with it…thanks!

The seat of the Sikh religion resides in Amritsar (Holy Nectar) and is the sight of the Golden Temple. The temple is surrounded by a large body of water called the “Sarovar” (tank of holy water). Despite the fact there were several hundred Sikhs at the temple at 4AM (many spend the entire night at the temple and sleep on the marble floor), I found a serenity in sanctuary. There are close to 30 rooms dedicated to prayers being conducted 24 hours/7 days-a-week. The main prayers of the day are broadcasted via load speakers so there are heard to everyone. The Golden Temple has a calming effect that helped me relax and forget about my worries. I do consider myself religious but never have had the temple create such an effect on me. If you do ever go to India, take the time to visit the Golden Temple. It isn’t as popular as the Taj Mahal, but it is well worth multiple visits.

> [GPGT] Dutchman held for child porn in India

A Dutch national living in Chennai, India, for the past three decades has been arrested for uploading child pornographic pictures on the internet from his house.

The cyber crime police unit arrested 56-year-old W. Williams, who claims to be a social activist, under the Information Technology Act 2008 on an alert from the Interpol.

According to the Deccan Herald, a German-based child protection centre had earlier alerted the Interpol about the uploading of pornographic pictures from here on the site.

Chennai cyber crime police said the the source of pictures was being investigated. The police will also analyse the data stored in the seized laptops, pen drives belonging to Williams.

Police said Williams had jumped bail after being arrested earlier for alleged child abuse. A case against him is also pending.

Camel Safari in India

It is a unique way to explore the arid deserts. The idea of a veritable camel safari is attractive for exciting ventures and nature loversYou will be amidst the most traversed deserts of India. These spots are the kingdoms in the huge ranges of deserts. . Camel Safari in India offers major hotspots including Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner in Rajasthan. A tour of camel safari also includes night halts at villages in camps within desert scrub. Camel safari is also performed in the barren deserts of Ladakh in many regions, which is quite surprising for many people. It is a major transportation in deserts of Ladakh and Rajasthan. It is the best way to explore the culture of Rajasthan and Ladakh. Camels are the lifeline of deserts and known as ship of desert. It will let you experience illuminating glances of India’s harshest but prettiest regions!
Destination – Ladakh: Camel safari in Ladakh is enjoyed in the month of July, August and September. You will traverse through rutted mountain terrains on camels. The cold deserts of Ladakh offer beautiful sights of colorful landscapes and remote villages. Spend your nights under the studded sky. Camel safari imparts exciting views of glorious vales, Buddhist Gompas. You can explore pretty settlements such as Nubra and its valley, a fantastic place.
From Leh, you travel to Hunder, and take a camel ride through the sand dunes and picturesque valleys to Diskit. Take a short ride to Tegger village for another fascinating camel ride with the river to Pinchimic. Ladakh is well known for its nonpareil beauty, which can be treasured with two-humped camel ride. Destination – Rajasthan: Camel Safari in Jaisalmer A town of cobbled streets, desert, medieval architecture, Jaisalmer is bounded by golden sand dunes. It is the place where camel ride commands supremely will take you to the Badabagh, worth exploring. Badanagh is the place where tombs of Bhatti Rajput Kings are located. Visit a village called Baisakhi where you will find a temple. Trail to the village of Roopsi on the back of camel. A typical camel safari traverses to the architectural ruins of Lodurva set in the vicinity of Jaisalmer. Take halt at Baisakhi and move your camel ride towards Ramkunds, famous for its Hindu temples.
Bikaner is 333 km north-east of Jaisalmer. It is renowned for its interesting camel safaris, sweets, rugs and savoury snacks. Camel safari starts from Bikaner itself, in which the magnificent view of old Junagarh fort can be sighted. The lovely fort of Leh Palace is second to none! Camel safari will take you to south, where you trails through the villages of Baru, kansar, Naukh and other small towns like, Tadana Mohangarh. Thereafter, ride on camel towards Dungri and then to Jaisalmer.
Mandawa: Mandawa can be reached in just a few hours’ drive from Delhi. The ancient Havelis of Mandawa are decorated with colourful frescos, which is worth exploring. Camel safaris halt at the small villages nearby, mainly in the hamlet of Dhakas. Thar is one of the famous deserts of Rajasthan. Next place for your respite is Khotia. It set within the dunes of Thar and its settlements.
Pushkar: The camel fair at Pushkar is another added attraction if the riders want to witness a camel dance in its entire exquisite aura. You can view Aravalli Range, sandy fields, small dunes, pleasant hills and bewitching Sunrises and sunsets. The sights are exceptionally enticing!
Things to carry: Camel safari is done during winters, so carry woolen clothes, socks, mufflers. Take along plenty of warm sweaters and jackets when you are on a camel safari. Bedding- a warm sleeping bag, extra blanket . Carry a first aid kit as well as any other essentials. You can carry an extra blanket to envelop the wooden saddle Precautions/advice: Keep in mind about the arrangements, accommodation, food and drink etc. Be careful while riding on camel, you may turn dried up. Drink plenty of water – 2, 4 liters per day. Apply cream on your body to prevent from heat. Wear sun glasses, sun hat . Rajasthan is quite un-spoilt region, so do not spoil the places around and deserts.
Do not harm the ecology and the culture of any region in which you do camel safari.

Handmade Expressions - Another Fair Trade Partner

Of course, you know that all the products in our store are handmade and fairly traded, but did you also know that some of the products do not come to us through Ten Thousand Villages? One of our favorite non-Ten Thousand Villages fair trade vendors is based right here in Austin, Texas!  Handmade Expressions is a vendor for socially and environmentally responsible products from India. Like Ten Thousand Villages, they work with underprivileged and disadvantaged artisans to improve their economic and social standing by creating self-sustainable employment following fair trade practices.

One of our best sellers from Handmade Expressions is the cruelty-free, tree-free leather bound journals.

The really cool thing about these journals is how they are made.  All the leather is cruelty-free, which means it comes from naturally dead animals. The journals are made in Rajasthan, India. Livestock has a lot of agricultural and household value for the vegetarian population in India, which makes it economically unwise to kill animals for their skin. Inside the sturdy hand-tooled cover is a thick journal of cotton rag paper. Artisans collect cotton waste and turn it into a pulp, making paper that is 100% tree-free. The final result: a rich textured paper, great for writing, drawing and painting.

Handmade Expressions has a wonderful website with lots of information about fair trade and lots of great pictures of the artisans who produce their merchandise. Be sure to check out the Community Development Projects that they are working on and their fair trade blog.

(author: Polly, Ten Thousand Villages Austin Volunteer Coordinator)

Of Calls and Annoying Jacks...

Just bought myself a new phone a few days back, a Samsung Star S5233S model to be precise, and I must say, not blowing my own horn or anything, that it is indeed an excellent device. Can’t still keep my hands away from it, am still discovering new ways to tinker and play with it. “Msging” is a breeze, voice quality is amazing and watching videos on the 16:9 crisp screen is excellent. Let me remind you guys here, this thing ain’t the i-pod video, or the i-phone for that matter, so don’t go expecting miracles in the media playback department, but this thing sure kicks some good freaking ass on its own!! Given that you know your way around the video-encoding neighborhood, and you have some free time, you’re gonna have hell lot of good quality stuff to make that quick break at office and the BIG BUNK between college and home a little more interesting. If you don’t, fear not, I’ll post some how-to stuff a bit later. My only crib here would be the insanely useless pair of headphones that the phone ships with. What were they thinking?? Unless a humongous chunk of their clientele are Giants and Trolls, I think they’d be hard-pressed to find actual living human beings who can fit those HUGE ( and I mean HUGE in the Biblical sense) earplugs into their ear-holes. And let’s not get started about that miseable, miserable feeling you get when you follow the head-phone wire to the bitter end and find out that the connector is not the ordinary, common man jack, it’s a proprietary funny looking connector which seems to laugh and mock at you over some cosmic joke you just missed every time you look at it!! Don’t know about you, but I always have this gut-feeling that the punchline somehow involves us… Anyways, long story short, all you gotta do is find an adapter, or easier still, another pair of headphones with the same connector, but the kind which has another connector in between for the regular 3.5 mm jacks. Those things are God’s gifts for audiophiles everywhere!! For those who have the Star, or any other similar phone of Samsung make and model, you don’t have to look further than the Samsung Corby, the headphones that ship with the model have 3.5 mm adapters, so you can trash the buds that came with it and connect your own into it. That being said, I still believe myself when I say that the Star is still an excellent phone, and wrap this up, because I’m running out of adjectives to describe it. Anyhow, watch this space for an in-depth user review, and DYI (Do-It-Yourself, for those who came in late) stuff to keep you interested (Haven’t actually enjoyed any music playback on the thing because of the ear-plug problem you see, and since I consider myself a audiophile snob and also because I paid an obscene amount of cold, hard cash for a pair of Creative noise isolators,  I’d rather wait for my Corby pair).

Note: For True believers of Nokia (I was one before I jumped ship and converted), things are sunnier for you. I believe the newer X-press music models have normal jacks, so you don’t have to worry when you buy one. And if it doesn’t, you still have an easy way out (Well, cheaper, if not easier). Look around your grey electronics market for cheap chinese made adapters, jacks that have 3.5 mm connectors. In Delhi, a good one will set you back by 30-pathetic bucks or so at the Palika Market. Look out for cheaters and posers who’ll tell  you that they only sell Nokia geniune stuff, and want a fat lot for the thing. Well, Nokia didn’t have the forethought to make nifty little trinkets like that, so take your business elsewhere!! Look around, check every shop that stocks the connector, try it out on your phone, see if it fits perfectly or if it’s loose, check the quality out, bargain a bit, haggle the price and see if you can get it cheaper than i did. Happy shopping!!

 

 

 

American Bombings in Pakistan

 

American embassies — close them down. Wherever these mischief makers go there are bomb blasts. We heard these chinky-eyed, ugly hated frogs are returning their embassy to Karachi, and we knew there’d be bomb blasts. Even before the dogs moved to Karachi, we started hearing about blasts.

 

Bloody pieces of ugly, unwanted shit! You know every Pakistani hates you. What are you opening embassies for?

 

‘Please like us, please like us.’ Desperate American dullards! If you weren’t so ugly and dumb….

 

And you know what. Believers will win this war on Islam that you’ve waged. You’re losers and you go to hell. Take your Taliban to America!

 

 

 

India 2 - Catch a flick!

If there is one country you have to catch a flick, it has to be India. And while I was in Kolkata, I had to dive into one of those wonderful picture houses.

Dil Bole Hadippa was not the greatest film around, but it was entertaining. I do not understand Hindi and with a lack of subtitles, what I really need is a simple story, a few good songs and pretty girl on the screen. Dil Bole Hadippa amply filled this need. And being a film lover, it was not just the film, but the atmosphere, munching away in the cinema all those great snacks.

One guaranteed way of entertainment while in India – hit the movies!

Even Good deeds will not save you from hell :: Misconception about Islam

2 Hadith given to me by Non-Muslim Friend saying :
YOUR GOD(ALLAH) WILL NOT SAVE YOU FROM HELL,EVEN FROM UR GUD WORKS.

HERE IS THE PROOF….

Sahih Muslim , Book 039, Number 6761:

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There is none whose deeds alone would entitle him to get into Paradise. It was said to him: And, Allah’s Messenger, not even you?… Thereupon he said: Not even I, but that my Lord wraps me in Mercy.

Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, Book 76, Number 470:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “The deeds of anyone of you will not save you (from the (Hell) Fire).” They said, “Even you (will not be saved by your deeds), O Allah’s Apostle?” He said, “No, even I (will not be saved) unless and until Allah bestows His Mercy on me. Therefore, do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and worship Allah in the forenoon and in the afternoon and during a part of the night, and always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course whereby you will reach your target (Paradise).”

**************************

MY REPLY ::
************************** Praise be to Allah , So brother you say Allah will not forgive and every muslim will go in helll…I’m not scholor but still im going to explain and tell u a short story,which i heared from my parents…I’m not sure story is true or not,but surely story will explain you the motive…
and the above hadiths,then after that you decide it…

Story begin <————>

There was a man, who lived 500 years and worships Allah SWT every second..
A very good worshiper…he left his home just to worship Allah.

After his death, he was in front of Lord.

Then Allah said to Angels, take him to Jannah, due to my mercy.

When he was going, he was looking back to Allah. Then Allah stopped him and asked…What is problem.

Then he said Allah, please forgive me, I want to know why you said, I’m sending you heaven due to my mercy.

What about those 500 years, I worshiped only and only you every second.

Then Allah said to Angels, take to near Hell Gate, when he reached gate.
they opened gate, still he was so far from gate…
the hot air coming out from hell, removed all water from his body,

he became so much thirsty,then Allah said to Angel,give him one small bowl full of water.

He drinks All Water, he felt some satisfaction…

then Allah said, now, and I have given you the reward of your 500 year of worship.

Now what you will give me, for the food, for good facility,
good health, good time I gave you in world. What you will pay for that.

Then he understood point, and asked Forgiveness from Allah…

and Allah Sent him in Heaven due to His Mercy .

=================================

so,The Moral of story is No Matter How much good worshiper you are,

You will go heaven due to Allah MERCY,

NOT FOR YOUR GOOD DEEDS

AND YOU CAN GAIN ALLAH MERCY BY DOING GOOD DEEDS.

thats what that hadith says,

A Muslim who is doing all good deeds can’t guarantee paradise,not even prophets

he will go Heaven due to Allah Mercy not for his good dead done by him……

We can never thank Allah for the blessings that He has given us.
Let us use these blessings to recognize Allah before our death.

May Allah guide us on right path,forgive our sins and have mercy on us,
May Allah Forgive me if im wrong at any place,
Ameen!
KING

slave of ALLAH SWT
http://www.facebook.com/kingslaveofallah

Ein Traum... 30.10.2009

Gähn! Ich werde wach und gucke auf meine Uhr! Och viel zu früh schon wieder! Egal ersma duschen gehen, aber vorher Musik anmachen wie zu Hause…immer gute Laune LaLa! Gut das ich auf meine Flur so gut wie alleine bin. Die anderen wohnen gute zwei drei Räume weiter nebenan…da stört keinen meine Lala Herrlichst…und tüdeldü ich jump durch mein Zimmer und ich fühle mich gut Ich geh an meinen Kleiderschrank packe mir meine schwarzen High Heels und sehe…nein sie sind Kaputt…egal dann nehmen wir die anderen Uii sind die hübsch und jez nehmen wir ma ein hübsches Kleid Mein weißes oder das hell blaue? Das hell blaue wird’s heute…da ist wenigstens was schwarzes drin. Ohh mein Pailettenkleid hängt ja auch noch hier xD mmhhh ich werd dann lieber glitzern und so nehm ich mir mein Pailettenkleid Haare machen!
Uff mein Glätteisen…autsch is sauheiß!!! Gut wooow…meine Haare liegen und sie sehen gut aus. Jez noch Eyeliner, Mascara und die Augenbrauen nachziehen…perfekt
Ich gucke in meinen großen Spiegel und mag was ich sehe Alles wunderbar Ich nehm mein Handtäschchen und mach mich auf den Weg zum Frühstück. Alles ganz normal:) Es ist ja Abend. Hab ich mich wohl mir der Uhrzeit vertan…mal gucken was meine französischen Mädels machen Wir gehen heute Abend aus…tanzen und feiern Ahhh ich freu mich so…das hat mir echt gefehlt. Einfach ma wieder ein bisschen Spaß haben wie zu Hause
….
….
….
Mein Wecker kingelt und ich werde wach…alles nur ein hübscher Traum. Ich dreh mich um und gucke ob iwo wieder ne riesen Spinne sitzt die ich kalt machen lasse muss xD Aber nein…ich denk an Euch und vermisse Euch sehr. Kein Kleiderschrank, kein Pailettenkleid, keine High Heels…und alles anders. Aber ich komm klar
Dann muss ich mich halt indisch hübsch machen xD
BIS BALD MEINE HASIS :*
ICH LIEBE EUCH SEHR :*

48 Hours in Mysore - for Dasara (cont'd)

48 Hours in Mysore – for Dasara (Continued from last week)

By Tory

Suddenly alone among the masses in front of Mysore Palace, I put Sharvan’s advice into practice, and saw that strangers’ often intimidating stares instantly gave way to deep smiles, and often led to such questions as “What is your good name?” and “Which is your place?” or alternatively, “Where is your house?” Eventually I got the hang of answering these questions without having to say “What?” too many times.  Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel The Namesake helped me with the good name part, as I remembered the struggle over the names Nikhil and Gogol.

Indeed, the only people I decided it would be wisest not to smile at were the hawkers who swarmed the palace entrance, flying plastic helicopters and playing the Titanic theme unremittingly on their recorders, insisting, “You don’t want, but someone will like!”

Unfortunately, during the three-hour wait in the palace entrance, I broke down and bought some bangles. Their price started at R$300, and I got them for R$100. I felt pretty good about this deal, until they began to break on my wrist in quick succession, and I realized I probably should not have paid more than R$20. I took this as a lesson in bargaining.

Most of the inquiries about my good name and where I stayed came from Keralans. I met a group of Keralan nursing students on a break from their studies in Mysore (and later heard that most nurses in the region are from Kerala); a little Keralan girl dressed like a princess who kindly gave me some peanuts; and finally, a group of friends from northern Kerala who now work in the IT sector in Bangalore. They immediately asked me whom I was staying with; I hesitated, reticent to lie, but then responded, “a friend of a friend,” remembering Sharvan’s unwillingness to broach couchsurfing.com with his friends.

Scenes from the ticket counter. The worst pushing began later, at the entrance to the palace.

Scenes from the ticket counter. The worst pushing began later, at the entrance to the palace.

My new acquaintances let me duck out of line to buy water, which may have saved me from ditching the visit to the palace altogether. They also got me a coveted Indian entrance fee (R$20, rather than R$200), and made me feel less alone in the mob that was pushing to get in the doors when the palace finally opened at 2 PM. In the chaos, I wondered if trampling would begin. Then I looked at who was shoved into me from all sides, and realized I should not worry about myself, but about the many 3- to 7-year-olds moaning on the floor around me. Babies wailed; bamboo batons swung; adults grabbed anyone they could get their hands on to pull themselves to the front; and finally, one of my new Keralan acquaintances, Sachin, pushed me through the entrance and I stumbled up the stairs into the palace. Phew. No trampling scene this time. I checked to see how badly my shirt had been ripped, and decided this was likely a relatively uneventful entrance scene for Mysore Palace at Dasara.

After a couple of hours in the palace and hundreds of photos outside of it, I went in search of a meal with Sachin et al. around 4 PM. Regrettably, the first apparently decent place we found was the rooftop restaurant at Hotel Roopa. The restaurant was overpriced and service was terrible, which seems to be the norm for many restaurants here. We ordered the buffet; most of the tin pots on the table were empty, and the food that remained was quite cold. As I tried to make myself eat some of this expensive but utterly unappetizing meal, I realized that Sharvan had been calling my phone incessantly for the past 15 minutes and I hadn’t heard. I called him and he was stressed out – a new couch surfer had arrived and he didn’t know what to do with her! I told him to bring her to the Hotel, and shortly thereafter, Kasia – a young Polish woman who had recently finished her studies in Liverpool – popped out of the elevator, sat down, and ordered a fish curry. It took an hour to come.

Kasia provided “joyful company,” as Sharvan later put it, and together with the Keralans we set out together to visit Mysore’s famous fruit and vegetable market, where I enjoyed seeing the colorful powders on sale for Dasara and the men lighting candles around their stalls as a prayer for improved business (or so I was told).  From there we went to see the palace lit up, which was a spectacular sight. We alternated between taking photos and people watching, as our fellow visitors struck interesting poses all around us. Indeed, multiple times during the weekend I felt like I was taking part in one giant photo shoot.

Finally we moved on to Mysore’s Beer Garden, a nearby restaurant with pleasant balcony seating where the crowd suddenly became decidedly blonder. We ordered some Kingfishers, and soon Sharvan – ever the conscientious host – began calling again, and arrived with a friend to take me and Kasia home.

To be continued next week!