Wednesday, September 11, 2013

September fun in India!



Come September and it's the month of enjoying the beauty of fall. If you are in the USA and thinking to visit India in September, here is a list of a few festivals where you can join the celebrations.

Ladakh festival, Ladakh, September 1-15.
A colorful extravaganza showcasing culture, music, dance, sports and handicrafts. This traditional fiesta promotes the region’s cultural heritage to its fullest. From yak, lion and Tashispa dances which depict the many legends and fables of the land, to lip-smacking dining treats and also barley beer called Chang – the festival is a feast for the senses. This annual fiesta is organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Deparment. Polo-match, music concerts, mask dance from the monastries, Thanka painting exhbition, archery, river rafting, and folk songs are also a part of the event. 

Ganesh Chaturthi, Maharashtra September 9-18
The auspicious ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi marks the journey of Lord Ganesha. Elaborately crafted statutes of Ganesha are installed in homes and podiums. At the end of the festival, the statutes are paraded through the streets for ritual immersion. Though celebrated for 10-days, it is not uncommon to see people immersing their idols after a few days of celebrations as well.

Onam, Kerela September 16
This month is a good time to visit God's own country as Kerela celebrates Onam for ten days. Athachamayam festival, which kicks off the Onam celebrations, is celebrated on 7th September in Thripunithura near Kochi. Street parade is the highlight of the festival. Caparisoned elephants, traditional music and parasol bearing marchers add delight to the parade.

The ten-day harvest festival marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali. It is a festival rich in culture and heritage. The festival sees a lot of shopping, feasts and dancing.

Aranmula Snake Boat Race, Kerela, September 20
This is the oldest snake boat race in Kerela. The event commemorates the installation of the idol of Lord Krishna at the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple. The race is held on the Pamba river which flows by the temple. The festival is celebrated on the fourth day after the main Onam festival.

The snake boats move in pairs on the Pamba River at Aranmula, with impeccable synchronization to the rhythm of singing. Almost 50 boats take part in the race, which starts in the afternoon after religious rituals are completed.

Do you have memories of celebrating these festivals back home in India? Do you still celebrate these while being in USA? Do you get together with friends, visit a temple or bring an idol home? What are the special dishes that you prepare for these festivals. Share these with www.india.com readers who are proudly Indian in the USA. 

If you love travelling, you can also visit www.india.com travel section to get more information.


Sunday, September 1, 2013

Proudly Indian in the USA? Support Anna Hazare's anti-corruption drive in India!



Acclaimed social activist Anna Hazare is currently on a US tour. He not just led the Indian Independence Day parade in New York City this month but also visited many other places in the US.

Anna, who is a former soldier in the Indian Army is well-known and respected for his Gandhian ideals and is now synonymous with rural development and anti-corruption movement in India.

While in New York City, Anna also rang the opening bell at the Nasdaq stock exchange.

Though Anna did not interact much with the media, he created awareness on his stand on anti-corruption drive in India and a strong commitment to see through the implementation of the Lokpal bill in the country.

Indians in the US who have always been actively interested in the political activities in India, reaffirmed their support for the anti-corruption drive in the nation and to contribute to it with whatever means that they can.

When being asked how people can help Anna in his mission, he said that the NRIs should spread the message of anti-corruption movement on social networks and by aiding the movement with technological support that they have access to while being in the US.

Giving a glimpse of his own philosophy, Anna said, 'I have zero bank balance. I live in a temple. All that I have is one small room, a bed and a plate. I am 75 years old, have no high blood pressure, or diabetes or anything else. I never married, so instead of a family of four, a billion plus Indians are my family!'

India.com salutes Anna's efforts. Are you a proud Indian living in the USA? How do you think you can support Anna in his mission?

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Get yourname@india.com !


"What's in a name?", asked Shakespeare.

"Pride", we say.

It took years of blood, toil and sweat to finally breathe in a free nation. A country which we can call our own. A country which stands tall after years of impoverishment during foreign rule.

Though we have come a long way since our independence, Indians continue to cherish the pride of belonging to a free country, no matter where we live. Whether we are Punjabis, Gujaratis, Bengalis, Marathis or Tamilians, in certain ways we remain distinctly Desis.  So goes the saying “One can take an Indian out of India but not India out of an Indian!”

In the same vein, the ZEE Group has launched www.India.com in the US catering to the South Asian digital consumer, which provides you an opportunity to get yourname@india.com email address for FREE! Not only does India.com email offers exciting features such as larger file sizes, more storage and other time saving features but caters to your daily need of news and email through a single portal.

India.com is the ultimate platform for everything Desi - latest news on Indian business, Indian politics, Bollywood, sports, technology and more and is easily accessible on your desktop, tablet or smart phone.

Cherish the pride of being an Indian, get your email today. Jai Hind!

Friday, August 23, 2013

India.com Proudly Indian!







While living in the USA, how many times have you thought about things that are happening back in India? How many times do you get nostalgic thinking of friends and family back home or memories of the years spent in India?

This Independence day, ZEE Group has launched www.india.com to feed your nostalgia and hunger for everything that is happening back home in India.

India.com is the first of its kind website launched by the ZEE Group providing its users with the latest news on Indian business, Indian politics, Bollywood, sports, technology and more. It is the ultimate platform for everything Desi and is easily accessible on your desktop, tablet or smart phone. With news fueled-straight from ZeeNews.com and DnaIndia.comindia.com provides current, credible and intelligent information for the users who want India at their fingertips. 

India.com, for NRIs in the USA was launched with a big Bollywood fanfare at the 33rd annual India Day Parade in New York City on August 18th, 2013.  The parade which is the largest gathering of the Indian community outside India, had more than 150,000 footfalls. The streets of Manhattan were painted with saffron, white and green as the enthusiastic crowd cheered. 

India.com built a 70ft replica of the Red Fort, aka “La Qila”  The Red Fort is the 255-acre complex in New Delhi built in the 17th century by Mogul emperor Shah Jahan, who also built the Taj Mahal. Every August 15th on Independence Day, the Red Fort is the chosen location where the Prime Minister of India hoists the country’s flag and delivers a national speech from its ramparts to a loud and proud crowd.

Other highlights of the parade included marching bands, over 40 floats, 100 food vendors, and the presence of famous Bollywood actress Vidya Balan and anti-graft crusader, Anna Hazare.

How interesting it is to live in times, where you can be in another country and still be “Proudly Indian”! 

Why wait? Log on to www.india.com, stay updated on everything that is happening back home and celebrate being an Indian!