World's Most Amazing Things

Holi 2025 - Colorful Festival of India, Festival of Colors in India, biggest color festival in the world

2025-03-12T02:33:00.000-07:00

Holi, also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India, Nepal, Srilanka, and countries with large Hindu diaspora populations, such as Suriname, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, UK, USA, Mauritius, and Fiji.

In West Bengal of India and Bangladesh it is known as Dolyatra (Doul Jatra) or Basanta-Utsav ("spring festival").

The most celebrated Holi is that of the Braj region, in locations connected to the god Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana. These places have become tourist destinations during the festive season of Holi, which lasts here to up to sixteen days.

The main day, Holi, also known as Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing colored powder and colored water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad accomplished when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of god Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion. Holika Dahan is referred to as Kama Dahanam in Andhra Pradesh.

Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna (February/March), (Phalgun Purnima), which usually falls in the later part of February or March. In 2025, Holika Dahan is on March 13, 2025 and Holi (Dhulandi) is on March 14, 2025.

Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of festivities involving colors.

There are many stories of the origin of Holi. The most widely held belief is that Holi marks the day when the devotee of lord Vishnu, Bakt Prahlad, seated on the lap of demoness Holika, was saved from the effect of the fire by God and the demoness got burnt instead. Other stories relate to the death of demon Putana at the hands of lord Krishna and to the burning of demoness Hoda by children. Some link the festival with the worship of Karma, God of pleasure and destiny. The main day, Holi, also known as Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing colored powder and colored water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (death of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad had when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion. Holika Dahan is referred to as Kama Dahanam in Andhra Pradesh. Holi festival has an ancient origin and celebrates the triumph of 'good' over 'bad'. The colorful festival bridges the social gap and renews sweet relationships. It is the second most important festival of India after Diwali. Holi in India is a festival of fun and frolic and has been associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha. The exuberance and the festivity of the season are remarkable. On this day, people hug and wish each other 'Happy Holi'. People rub 'gulal' and 'abeer' on each others' faces and cheer up saying, "bura na maano Holi hai". Holi also gives a wonderful chance to send blessings and love to dear ones wrapped in a special Holi gift. Unlike all the other festivals of India, Hindu Holi festival is one such festival where one can put down the social taboos and indulge in the intoxicating drinks and sweets prepared by using opium. It is a festival of romance often represented by the love-play of Radha and Krishna. Brij Holi is famous all over the world for its gaiety in spirit. Each year, young and old, men and women, all indulge themselves in the spirit of colors and for once forget the social taboos. There are mouthwatering delicacies to savor such as 'Gujhias' and 'Papris' and there are interesting traditions and customs of Holi that have their own regional variances. We will also talk about making natural and healthy colors and safety precautions that one must take to enjoy Holi.

Uttarayan, Makar Sankranti & Pongal: Kite-Flying & Thanksgiving Festival of India - The Most Important Harvest Festival Of India

2025-01-09T23:03:00.000-08:00

Importance of Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan - Kite-Flying Festival

Makar Sankranti is an important ‘Thanksgiving’ festival of India. In Tamil Nadu it is celebrated as Pongal. Makar Sankranti signifies a bountiful harvest and flourishing of wealth. People believe that by thanking god they are able remain happy and lead healthy life and reap success throughout the year.

The day on which sun enters the zodiac sign called Capricorn (Makara Rasi or Zodiac sign) is considered as an auspicious day. The period from Makarsankrant (the passage of the sun into the zodiac sign of Capricorn) to Karkasankrant is called the Uttarayan. In Sanskrit the word ‘Sankranti’ means transition. On this day sun begins its northward movement and the Hindu almanacs call this northward transition of the sun as Uttarayana patha. The day also coincides with the commencement of the Tamil month Thai. The day usually falls on 14th January every year. Of course this is the only festival that adapts solar (Hindu) calendar. The other festival dates are determined according to lunar calendar. It is believed that holy dip in perennial rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, and Kaveri will have huge significance. The Great Kumbh-Mela will be held once in every 12 years on this holy day at Prayag.

Different Names in Different Regions

It is celebrated all over India as well as in few South East Asian Countries with different names. In Uttar Pradesh, Sankranti is celebrated with the name Khichiri’. In Himachal Pradesh and Punjab it is called Lohri. In Assam it is known as Bhogali Bihu. In West Bengal and Orissa it is simply celebrated as Makar Sankranti. It is still more simply called Sankranti in Bihar, Karnataka and Kerala. In Gujarat and Rajasthan the festival is named as Uttarayan. The festival is also celebrated with different names in different nations e.g., Nepal (Maghe sankranti), Thailand (Songkran), Laos (Pi Mao Lao) and Myanmar (Thingyan) (ref: Wikipedia)

Three Days Festival

Pongal is a three days festival in Tamil Nadu. The first day is called Bhogi Pandigai. The second day is called Great Pongal or Makara Sankranti. The third is called Maatu Pongal (thanking the livestock especially cow).

The Word and Meanings

Pongal is a Tamil word which signifies the festival as well as the name of the main dish prepared using the newly harvested rice, dal, jaggery and milk. The fruits and vegetables are also obtained fresh from farm. Pongal means boiling.

How Preparations Made for Pongal Festival ?

The month Thai is considered as an auspicious month by Tamils. It is believed that dawn of the Tamil month Thai will mitigate all miseries. People will discard all old things and replace with new things. They will clean whitewash their house. They also decorate the house with kolams (Rangoli). They will purchase new dresses, jewelry and utensils. They will also prepare sweets. The farmers will offer fresh vegetables and fruits to their near and dear. The villages in Tamil Nadu also consider this as a communal festival. The temples will also get new facelift. Womenfolk decorate the temple premises with kolam, mango and coconut leaf festoons. The married daughters will receive harvested crops, vegetables, fruits, coconuts, utensils and money from their parents. Young girls decorate themselves with henna and share with friends and relatives. Women and young girls wear new clothes, wear golden and silver ornaments, volunteer.

How Pongal Festival celebrated?

The Sankranti or Pongal day is dedicated to Lord Sun, the savior of this world with His golden rays. In every household the pongal is cooked in the early morning at their front yard. Fresh earthen pots are fetched and decorated with kolam (drawing lines and curves with rice flour to beautify). For cooking they will use traditional wooden log flame. Fresh milk and water are allowed to boil and the froth will come out of the pot. It is believed as an auspicious sign. After this rice will be added and allowed to cook. Following this powdered jaggery and cardamom powder will be added. Now ghee will be added and the ingredients will be stirred well. At the end the dish will be decorated with ghee roasted cashew and raisin.

It is customary to tie the turmeric plant at the neck of the pot. They will make a tripod using sugarcane stems (with leaves) tied at the top. The pongal pots will be placed under this tripod. They will be a small pooja and prayer. They will rejoice their festival by shouting ‘Pongal –O – Pongal’. They will feed all housemaids, farm servants, workers, dobhis, barbers and every one come to their house.

How Maatu Pongal Celebrated?

The third day of the Pongal festival is devoted to cows and bulls. The Hindus always worship cow as Gomatha. It is a merry making festival. The cows and bulls will be bathed in water. The horns are shaved and painted. The neck bells are tied. The forehead will have the sandal and kumkum. They will also prepare pongal. Offer prayer to god. They will feed the animal with pongal, plantain, greens etc.,

Significance of Jallikatu (Tamil Bull Fight)?

In South Tamil Nadu Jallikatu (Tamil Bull Fight) is a sport held on this day in prominent villages like Alanganallur and Thammampatti. This sport is considered as showing courage and valor. The raging bulls will be driven from an enclosure towards the youths. The youths are determined to tame the bull and take the prize money or gold from the neck strap of the cow. The wild animal will be frightened by the noisy music bands and will jump on the youths and try to escape from them. If the animal is disturbed or prevented, it will injure the youths. In most of the occasions people will get their stomach punctured by the sharp horns of the bulls. However the culture activists and village folks are supporting jallikatu. But animal sympathizers are against jallikatu. Year by year the issue is debated and the sports also held every year without fail.

Happy Uttarayan / Makar Sankranti & Pongal to All My friends All Over the World!

Here...colorful Kites in shop shelves...

People on terrace...even before 14th Jan, practicing....

Malls and even small shops get into groove....look below

and whole day, kites color the sky....and in evening sky is......

Kite festival of gujarat

Harvest Festival PONGAL

The Festival originated in Tamil Nadu and popularly known as “Tamizhar Thirunal”. The festival is celebrated for four days to provide sincere thanks and prosperity that the farmers and his work which payed us..

First day Jan 13 - Bhogi
Bhogi is the first day of this harvest festival which is celebrated by throwing away and destroying old materials on fire thereby marking the end of the old and the emergence of the new.

Second day Jan 14 - Pongal

The second Pongal is the main day of the festival. It is celebreated by boiling rice with fresh milk and jaggery in new pots that are later topped with cashew nuts and sugar and allowing it to boil over the pot in the early morning. The moment the rice boils out of the pot, the tradition is to shout “Pongaloo pongal”. Sugar cane is bought and placed in every houses to symbolise the celebration of this great festival in Tamil Nadu.

Third day Jan 15 - Maattu Pongal

The third day of the festival is known as “Maatu pongal” which is a occasion for offering thanks to cattle for their help to farmers in the field of Agriculture. On this cattle are well decorated with paint, flowers and bells and are allowed to roam. The cattle are then well fed with sweet rice and sugarcane.

Fourth day Jan 16 - Kaaanum Pongal
The final day “Kaanum pongal” is to thank the relatives and friends for their support. During this day people visit their friends and relatives to enjoy the pongal season.People flock together at beaches , parks and temples there by having a great day out.

This four day Harvest Festival is to honor the farmers for their hard work.. May god bless them.. Wish you all a very happy and prosperous Pongal..

The second day of Pongal known as 'Surya Pongal' is dedicated to the Sun God. The granaries are kept full on this day and Sun God with his rays are painted on a plank as he is worshipped with the birth of the new auspicious month of Thai (Tamil month). A special dish is cooked on this day in a new mud-pot that comes in innovative shapes and have artistic designs on them called 'Pongapani'. A colorful sugarcane market is also set up on this day.
The third day known as 'Mattu Pongal' is dedicated to the cattle as cowherds and shepherds pay thanks to their cows and bulls, wash them, paint their horns and cover them with shining metal caps. They are fed 'pongal' and tinkling bells are tied around their neck. Cattle races are conducted and in the game called 'Manji Virattu' groups of young men chase running bulls. Bull fights called 'Jallikattu' are also arranged at some places where young men have to take the money bags tied to the horns of ferocious bulls single-handedly and without the use of arms.

Diwali 2024, Deepavali - Festival Of Lights, Fireworks, Sweets, Gifts Celebrated In India, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka

2024-10-22T00:53:00.000-07:00

Diwali - Festival Of Lights

This Year Diwali is on Thursday, October 31, 2024.

Diwali, Deepavali is popularly known as the Festival Of Lights, Fireworks, Sweets, Gifts. It is an important five-day festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism, celebrated between mid-October and mid-November. Diwali is an official holiday in India, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Myanmar , Fiji and Surinam.

For five consecutive days every year, starting from a day when the moon decides to hide giving way to complete darkness, every Indian regardless of his/her caste, creed or religion celebrates a festival called ‘Diwali’ – a festival that glorifies the triumph of light over all that is darkness and of the good over all that is evil, and one which rekindles the flame of love and hope in one and all. This festival is also a manifestation to the fact that every ounce of darkness can be outweighed by something as weightless yet strong – willed as a ‘Diya’ (traditional Indian earthen lamps); one simply needs to muster the courage to stand and walk again.

Diwali, the festival of lights, gets its name from ‘Deepawali’ – a row of lights, where ‘Deep’ stands for ‘light’ and ‘Awali’ stands for ‘a row’. Indian households across the globe, on these five days, dwell in the dazzling luminosity of these earthen lamps, ‘Diya’. However, it’s not just Diyas that contribute in illuminating the nation during these Diwali days, but also fire crackers, which light up the sky unceasingly with a million sparkles. Their blaring sounds serving as messengers carrying joyous notes of gratitude from the rejoicing masses to the heavens for their generosity.

Diwali History & Legends

There are several theories pointing to the origin of this festival with one stating that the festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of the post – monsoon harvesting season. However, the festival is most often than not associated with Rama’s return from his fourteen year long exile and the great demon king Ravana’s execution at the hands of the former.

Rama’s return to Ayodhya

According to Hindu mythology, Kaikeyi, King Dashratha’s youngest wife and Bharat’s mother, stricken with jealousy tactfully forced her husband to exile her eldest son, Rama, whose blood mother was Kaushalya, for fourteen years on the eve of his son, Rama’s coronation ceremony. Rama, the embodiment of righteousness, an ideal son, husband and brother, acceded to his father’s helplessness and left Ayodhya with his wife, Sita, and younger brother, Lakshman. The trio donned a monk’s attire and journeyed southward on the banks of the river Godavari, where they built cottages and lived.

During their stay in the forests, Rama and his brother, Lakshman, humbled a few menacing demons, who, in their bid to avenge Ravana’s sister’s humiliation at the hands of Lakshman, tried to kill them. The deaths of these demons consequently sparked an outrage against the brothers in the demon world to which Ravana, the mighty demon King, responded by abducting Sita with guile while she was alone in her cottage.

Rama and his brother, Lakshman, after hearing the news plan an attack on the demon king by joining hands with a monkey King. Rama and his army of monkeys lay siege on Lanka, Ravana’s kingdom, and annihilate the powerful demon army and then go on to vanquish the mighty demon king, Ravana.

Meanwhile, the trio completes their fourteen year exile and prepares to return to Ayodhya. On hearing the news, Bharat, Kaikeyi’s son and Rama’s younger brother, who as a respectful gesture to his elder brother, Rama, refuses to sit on the throne and instead places Rama’s footwear on it after the latter left for his exile, jumps in exultation and prepares the kingdom for a grand welcome. The people of Ayodhya too are elated on hearing the news and clean their houses and decorate them with flowers, garlands, candles and earthen lamps (Diya). On the day of Rama’s return, every corner of every street was cleaned, watered and painted with colorful designs called ‘Rangolis’. The entire kingdom erupted with joy on having their dear King, Rama, back.

Narakasura’s execution

Narakasura, an invincible demon who ruled Pradyoshapuram, was obliterated by Krishna’s wife, Satyabhama, in order to rescue the people of Pradyoshapuram from the demon’s atrocities. The myth says Narakasura underwent a severe penance in an effort to seek blessings from Lord Brahma, who eventually acknowledged his devotee’s sincerity by granting him a powerful boon that he would only succumb to death at the hands of his mother, the earth goddess, Bhudevi. Krishna’s wife, Satyabhama, was a reincarnation of Bhudevi.

Krishna knew of this and cleverly sought help from his wife, Satyabhama, in a battle that was to ensue between him and the demon, Narakasura. Satyabhama accompanied Krishna to the battleground as his charioteer. However, after Krishna fell unconscious on being hit by Narakasura’s arrow, Satyabhama took charge and effortlessly killed Narakasura with an arrow. After the battle, Krishna reminds her of her reincarnation and the boon she had sought as Bhudevi.

This mythical story is not just a story about the unfathomable physical and mental prowess of gods and goddesses, but also one that conveys a simple yet powerful message, which says that every parent is under a moral obligation to punish his/her children should they tread a wrong path. And that the good of the society and not personal bonds should be placed on a higher pedestal. The myth also says that Bhudevi, Narakasura’s mother, announced that her son’s death should not be mourned, but celebrated.

Incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi

Lakshmi, the embodiment of sublime beauty, opulence and divine grace, is a Hindu goddess who rules health, wealth, spiritual, material and intellectual prosperity, and fertility. She came into being as a result of a conquest undertaken by the gods and demons for achieving immortality.

Both the smaller gods and demons initially were mortal. In order to be immortal, they decided to consult Vishnu, who helped them churn the ocean of milk, Kshirsagar, for Amrit (the nectar of immorality). In this process, a number of divine celestial objects including Lakshmi surfaced. Amrit, however, was the last one to come up. But the gods could only consume the nectar of immortality if the demons were in some way distracted. Vishnu then took form of a beautiful maiden and distracted the demons helping the gods achieve immortality.

Ever since, Goddess Lakshmi has dwelled in the heavens and accompanies Lord Vishnu each time he descends on earth as a manifestation of himself in human or superhuman or animal form.

Diwali as a Harvest Festival

Among the many Diwali legends, most of which are strong manifestations of unflinching Hindus beliefs, there is one legend that deviates from religion and moves into the realm of provable historical facts. This theory, which points to the festival’s origin, stems from India’s cultural, social and economic history. It states that Diwali is celebrated to mark the onset of the post–monsoon harvesting season. Speaking of which, the defining role of India’s agrarian society in carving her economic structure gets starkly highlighted.

Owing to the heavy influence of agriculture on the Indian society, quite a few festivals celebrated in India find their roots in the land of farmers. However, there is an identifiable difference in the way different Indian societies celebrate these festivals. In rural India, the harvesting festivals are celebrated by observing traditional rituals that reciprocate God’s generosity in providing the farmers with a bountiful cropping season. Whereas, the urban masses celebrate these festivals by observing rituals that pay an obeisance to God for His generosity in showering wealth and prosperity on them. These festivals may not be celebrated in the same manner, but the fact that some typical traditions and customs associated with these harvesting festivals found their way to the modernized urban society goes to prove each Indian’s unyielding commitment to his cultural values.

Five Days of Diwali

Dhanteras

Dhanteras is the Thirteenth lunar day of the Krishna Paksh, the dark forthnight of Kartik month according to the Hindu calender. The day is also called Dhanvantari Triodasi or Dhan Theras. With the day of Dhanteras the Diwali celebrations begin. Word “Dhan” means wealth and “Teras” means the Thirteenth lunar day. Dhan, wealth is worshiped of this special day. Goddess Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth, light, beauty and prosperity; therefore, Indians worship her and seek her blessings for a prosperous new beginning. Footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder at the entrance of the house, to mark the awaited arrival of Goddess Lakshmi. Lamps are kept burning all through the night. As a form of good omen, people buy an ornament or a piece of precious metal on Dhanteras to bring a financial good Luck. Lord Dhanwantari emerged out of the ocean with Ayurvedic for mankind on this day.

There is a legend accosiated with Dhanteras. A Sixteen year old son of king Hima was destined to die on the fourth night of his marriage. So to save him from untimely death, his wife heaped up lot of gold and silver ornaments and coin on her husband’s room entrance. Lighted so many diyas in the room and kept telling stories and singing songs all night. She kept her husband awake the entire night. Lord Yama came and set on the heap of gold, listening to the songs and left in the morning. This is how the king’s son was saved from death, by him wife. On this day, before sunset, people bathe and offer lighted diyas to Lord Yama, the Lord of death to protect themselves from untimely death.

Chhoti Diwali

Chhoti Diwali is the second day of Diwali. Lord Krishna defeated the devil Narakasur on this day thus giving a sigh of relief to the people. With this belief this day carries a lot of importance for Indians.

The demon king Narakasur after defeating Lord Indra, had snatched away the precious earrings of Aditi, the Mother Goddess (the ruler of Suraloka and a relative of Satyabhama, Lord Krishna\'s wife) and imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters of the gods and saints in his harem. Enraged with the hostile behavior of Narakasur, Satyabhama appeals Krishna to allow her to destroy Narakasur. On the other side, it was said that Narakasur was destined to be killed by a woman. Krishna granted Satyabhama a boon to fight against Narakasur. Satyabhama entered the battle field with Krishna as her charioteer and destroy Narakasur. Soon after that the imprisoned women were released, and Krishna accepted to marry them. As a symbol of that victory Lord Krishna smudged his forehead with the demon king\'s blood. Krishna returned home in the very early morning of the Narakachaturdashi day. Krishna got a scented oil message on his body by the womenfolk and took a bath to remove the filth of demon’s blood from his body. Since then to message the body with scented oil to get rid of tiredness and take bath early in morning has become a traditional practice on this day. Bhudevi, the mother of Narakasur declared that this day should not be for mourning but to rejoice the victory of good over evil. So the festival of Diwali is celebrated with lots of happiness and hopes.

Diwali Day

The Diwali day is the fifteenth lunar day of the dark forthnight of Hindu month Kartik. It is the heart and soul of the entire Diwali festival. It falls on the darkest day, the Amavasya. To wade away the darkness and welcome the new year on a bright path; innumerous diyas, lights and candles are lit.

On this day women wake up early in the morning and make Rangoli on the threshold of the house. Also make small footprints of rice, vermillion and turmeric near the entrance of the house; depicting it to be Goddess Lakshmi’s footprints. People decorate the house beautifully and light lots of diyas in the evening. The families wait for Goddess Lakshmi to visit their house and bless them with wealth and prosperity. It is believed that on Diwali day Goddess Lakshmi descends on earth from heaven in her celestial being and visits all the homes and blesses them. She visits the cleanest, decorative and well lit house first. In the evening Lakshmi Puja is performed along with Ganesh Puja to please and seek blessings of the God and Goddess. Later in the evening kids and youngsters burst firecrackers to fill the sky with adorable colors and light.

Padwa / Gowardhan Puja

The fourth day of the Diwali is commonly known as the Hindu New Year. It is said that as the Indians lit the diyas on the Amavasya night, the diyas illuminate the darkness and welcome a bright new year. This day has many legends associated with it. At large, this day is associated with Gowardhan Puja.

Gokul, a small town in Uttar Pradesh is where Lord Krishna lived. The people there used to celebrate a festival to worship Lord Indra at the end of the monsoon season to express their gratitude for good rain. On a particular year, Lord Krishna stopped them from worshiping Lord Indra, instead he asked them to worship their fields and cattle as there are the ones who earns them their bread. There was a heavy down pour that year. People were scared thinking that this down pour is the result of Lord Indra’s Anger for not worshiping him. So to save the people of Gokul Lord Krishna lifted Govardhan Parvat on his little fingure and thus gave shelter to the Gokul residents. Since then this Day is celebrated in honour of Lord Krishna, The Gowardhandhari. A small hillock is made, depicting Gowardhan parvat and decorate it with flowers and light. The devotees worship the Gowardhan parvat and the Gowardhandhari.

On this day as part of the Gowerdhan Parvat legend, people also offer “Annakoot” to Lord Krishna. The devotees cook 56 or 108 food delicacies. Make a mount of it for offering it to the Lord. They pray to save them from all the pains and trouble as Lord Krishna saved the “Gokul Vasi” from the heavy down pour.

Gudi Padwa is celebrated on this fourth day of Diwali. It’s a Marathi festival. Gudi Padwa celebrates love and devotion between husband and wife. The wife applies a tilak on forehead of her husband and prays for his long life. As a part of the Ritual, outside the door or the widow of the house, a decorated Gudhi is kept. It is a symbol of victory and happiness. The newly wed daughter along with her husband is invited for a meal at her parents place on Gudi Padwa.

The Hindu New Year is also celebrated as “Kartik Shuddh Padwa” or “Bali Padyami” by the south Indians. It is believed that King Bali come to visit the people on earth from Patalaloka (netherworld) as per boon given by Lord Vishnu, on this day.

From this Day the Vikram Samvat begins. It is said that this day marks the Coronation of King Vikramaditya.

Bhai Dooj

The fifth day of Diwali got its name as it falls on the second day of full moon forthnight, “Dooj”. This day is very auspicious for every brother as on this day the sister applies a tilak on her brother’s forehead, performs an aarti, shares a meal with him and prays to save him from all the evils and seek blessings from God for his long life. This day is also addressed as “Bhai Phota” or “Bhai Biij”.

Yamraj went to meet his twin sister Yami (Yamuna) on Bhai Dooj. They were meeting each other after a long separation. Yami warmly welcomed Yamraj, applied the tilak on his forehead and performed his aarti to pray for his long life. She cooked delicious meal and shared it with Yamraj. Yamraj was so much pleased by his sister’s affection that he declared that if a brother receives a tilak, aarti and a meal from his sister on this sacred day, he would he saved from hurdles and hell.

A legend about Bhai Phota is Lord Krishna after slaying the demon Narakasur, went to meet his sister Subhadra. The affectionate Subhadra greeted victorious Krishna by garlanding him and applying sacred tilak on his forehead.

Another popular legend of Bhai Bij says after the nirvana of Lord Mahavir, his brother Raja Nandivardhan became extremely sad and depressed. With the assistance and affection of his sister Sudarshana, he was brought back to normal.

Diwali Photos and Wallpapers

Amazing Smoking Machines

2024-08-20T23:20:00.000-07:00

Have a look at some of the amazing and creatively designed Cigarette Smoking machines.

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's Grand Wedding: A Fairytale Come True

2024-08-05T01:16:00.000-07:00

The wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant was an extraordinary affair that dazzled the world. As the youngest son of Mukesh and Nita Ambani, Anant's wedding was destined to be a showcase of grandeur and elegance. Radhika Merchant, the daughter of industrialist Viren Merchant, brought her grace and sophistication to this momentous event, creating a celebration that will be remembered for years to come.

The Magnificent Journey Begins: December Engagement

The wedding celebrations commenced with a private engagement ceremony in December at Antilia, the Ambani family's opulent residence in Mumbai. This intimate gathering was attended by close family and friends. The venue was adorned with stunning floral arrangements and soft lighting, creating a magical atmosphere. Anant looked regal in a designer sherwani, while Radhika captivated everyone in a custom-made lehenga adorned with intricate embroidery.

A Lavish Affair: January Engagement Party

January brought a grand engagement party that further elevated the celebrations. Held at Antilia, this event was a high-profile affair, attracting some of the biggest names from the worlds of business, politics, and entertainment. The evening was filled with enchanting music, vibrant dance performances, and an exquisite array of gourmet dishes. Renowned musicians provided a melodious backdrop, while the couple was showered with heartfelt blessings from their distinguished guests.

A Sophisticated Celebration: March Pre-Wedding Party

The pre-wedding festivities continued in March with an elegant party held at the Alila Fort Bishangarh in Rajasthan. This sophisticated event was characterized by its opulence and charm, featuring live music performances and a lavish dining experience. The gathering included close friends and family, who mingled with Anant and Radhika in a setting that combined luxury with cultural richness.

Cruising in Luxury: May European Cruise Party

In May, the celebrations took to the high seas with a luxurious European cruise party. This exclusive event saw close friends and family embarking on a breathtaking Mediterranean journey. The cruise was a feast for the senses, offering lavish parties, exquisite dining, and stunning ocean views. The unique experience provided a memorable backdrop for celebrating Anant and Radhika’s union.

A Night to Remember: July 2-5 Mass Wedding and Musical Extravaganza

The highlight of the wedding celebrations was the mass wedding and musical extravaganza from July 2-5. Held at the Dome @ NSCI, Worli, this event was a spectacular affair featuring performances by some of Bollywood’s biggest stars. The couple, along with their families, enjoyed a night of choreographed dances and musical acts that showcased their love for entertainment. The grand scale and star-studded performances made this a truly unforgettable experience.

Embracing Tradition: July 8 Haldi Ceremony

On July 8, the Haldi ceremony was celebrated at Antilia in a vibrant and intimate setting. This traditional ritual involved the application of turmeric paste to Anant and Radhika as a symbol of blessing and purification. Surrounded by close family and friends, the couple experienced a joyful and heartfelt occasion filled with flower petals and well-wishes.

Uniting in Grandeur: Friday Main Wedding Ceremony

The main wedding ceremony took place on Friday at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai. The venue was transformed into a floral paradise, featuring a blend of Indian and Western elements. Anant looked majestic in his intricately designed sherwani, while Radhika was a vision in her bridal lehenga, adorned with exquisite zari work and delicate embroidery. The ceremony, conducted according to Hindu traditions, was a beautiful and emotional celebration of their union.

Seeking Divine Blessings: Saturday Spiritual Ceremony

Saturday’s Divine Blessings Ceremony added a spiritual dimension to the wedding festivities. Held at a revered temple in Mumbai, this serene event allowed Anant and Radhika to seek blessings from divine powers. Surrounded by their nearest and dearest, the couple experienced a tranquil and sacred moment, highlighting the spiritual significance of their marriage.

A Grand Finale: Sunday Wedding Reception

The wedding reception on Sunday was the grand finale of the celebrations. Hosted at the Jio World Centre, the reception was a lavish affair featuring a menu curated by world-renowned chefs. The evening included a delectable mix of global cuisines and gourmet desserts, providing a culinary feast for the guests. Anant and Radhika made a stunning entry, and the night was filled with music, dance, and heartfelt speeches, celebrating their new life together.

Elegance in Detail: Invitations, Attire, Jewelry, and Gifts

The wedding invitations were a masterpiece of elegance, featuring intricate motifs and personalized touches. Each invitation came with a beautifully crafted gift box containing traditional sweets, handcrafted jewelry, and personalized memorabilia. The attention to detail in these invitations and gifts showcased the grandeur and thoughtfulness of the Ambani family’s celebration.

Anant and Radhika’s wedding attire was nothing short of royal. Anant donned a custom-made sherwani with elaborate embroidery, while Radhika dazzled in her bridal lehenga, which featured intricate zari work and delicate embellishments. Her jewelry collection, including diamond and gold pieces, complemented her stunning bridal look.

A Culinary Delight: Exquisite Dining Experience

The wedding and reception menus were a culinary delight, offering a diverse range of dishes from around the world. Guests enjoyed a lavish spread of traditional Indian delicacies, international cuisines, and gourmet desserts. The chefs crafted a menu that catered to varied tastes, providing an exceptional dining experience.

The wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant was a grand affair attended by a plethora of high-profile guests from various fields. Here's a glimpse into the illustrious guest list:

International Celebrities

Kim Kardashian and Khloe Kardashian
Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Justin Bieber
Katy Perry
John Cena
David Beckham
Mike Tyson
Andrea Bocelli
The Backstreet Boys

Bollywood A-Listers

Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan
Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan
Salman Khan
Aamir Khan
Hrithik Roshan
Deepika Padukone
Ranveer Singh
Karan Johar
Rohit Shetty
Katrina Kaif
Vicky Kaushal
Akshay Kumar
Kareena Kapoor Khan
Saif Ali Khan
Kajol
Ajay Devgn

Indian Business Tycoons

Gautam Adani
Ratan Tata
Kumar Mangalam Birla
Shiv Nadar

Political Dignitaries

Prime Minister Narendra Modi
President Droupadi Murmu
Several Chief Ministers

This is just a partial list, as the wedding was attended by a massive crowd of influential people from around the world.

A Display of Opulence: The Wealth and Wedding Costs

According to Forbes, Anant Ambani is part of one of the wealthiest families globally, with a net worth of over $122 billion. Radhika Merchant, hailing from an affluent background, set the stage for an unparalleled opulence wedding. While exact figures of the wedding expenses remain undisclosed, estimates revealed the total cost of the Ambani wedding reached more than $600 million. The grandeur of the events, luxurious venues, and high-profile guest list contributed to making this wedding one of the most talked-about celebrations of the year.

Celebrating Love and New Beginnings: Anant and Radhika’s Journey

The wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant was more than just a union of two individuals; it was a grand celebration of love, family, and tradition. The scale and splendor of the event, coupled with the genuine warmth shared between the couple and their families, ensured that this wedding would be remembered as one of the most memorable and grandest celebrations of recent times. As Anant and Radhika embark on their new journey together, their wedding stands as a testament to the magnificence of love and the joy of new beginnings.

Sultan Of Brunei - Hassanal Bolkiah, One Of The Richest Royals In The World

2024-02-29T03:57:00.000-08:00

Sultan Of Brunei - Hassanal Bolkiah

One Of The Richest Royals In The World

Sultanate of Brunei / sultanat de Brunei Dar Essalam / سلطنة بروناي

Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu?izzaddin Waddaulah, (full name: Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien; born 15 July 1946 Brunei Town [now Bandar Seri Begawan], Brunei)), 29th sultan of Brunei.

Hassanal Bolkiah was the eldest son of Sultan Sir Haji Omar Ali Saifuddin. He was educated privately and later attended the Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England. In 1961 Sir Omar named him crown prince, and when Sir Omar abdicated six years later, Hassanal Bolkiah became sultan on October 5, 1967, his coronation taking place on August 1, 1968. For the next decade, however, his father remained the power behind the throne. After the death of his mother in 1979, his father withdrew from public affairs, and the sultan quickly took the dominant role in the administration of Brunei. He made frequent trips throughout the country to listen to his subjects as well as to promote himself as ruler. In anticipation of independence from Britain, he began to create a native bureaucracy, replacing British expatriates in the civil service with Bruneians, and he cracked down on corruption.

After having held Brunei as a protectorate for 95 years, the British formally withdrew on January 1, 1984. Although there were minor disagreements over matters such as the management of Brunei’s huge investment portfolio, relations between the two countries continued to be friendly. Sir Omar died in 1986, and on October 5, 1992, the sultan, who also acted as prime minister and as the minister of defense and of finance, celebrated the 25th year of his reign. He continued to rule under a state of emergency declared by his father in 1962. In the 1980s and 1990s the sultan regularly appeared at or near the top of lists of the world’s richest individuals, his fortune deriving from Brunei’s oil and gas. The Sultan of Brunei, (also known as Hassanai Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah) has an estimated net worth of $20 billion, and rightly so.

Apart from essentially running Brunei, Bolkiah makes time to focus on his collection of automobiles. Sultan of Brunei has one of the largest car collections in world- about 7000. Bolkiah also has a Boeing 747 for his own use, as well as a theme park called Jerudong Park.

The Sultan is known for some familial conflicts, particularly with his brother, Prince Jefri Bolkiah, who is known as the “Playboy Prince.” The two were involved in a legal argument which was eventually settled in 2006. With his honorary titles, net worth, and astonishing power and control, Bolkiah has made his mark on history, as well as made us all jealous with his lavish and unique lifestyle.

Hassanal Bolkiah's impressive collection (stored in five garages the size of airplane hangars) includes:

* 531 Mercedes-Benzes

* 367 Ferraris

* 362 Bentleys

* 185 BMWs

* 177 Jaguars

* 160 Porsches

* 130 Rolls-Royces

* 20 Lamborghinis

The cars are driven by the Sultan, members of his family, and also by the ministers of state, government officials and other members of the royal household.

His auto empire includes 350 Rolls-Royce cars, eight McLaren's F1, six Dauer 962 LMs, the only right-handed Mercedes CLK-GTR in the world, a Lamborghini Diablo Jota, two Jaguar XJR-15, numerous Ferraris, Mercedes, Jaguars, Porsches, Bentleys. In the past 15 years, Sultan has been a regular client for prestige car companies. For example, only Rolls-Royce provided 40-50 cars a year for his majesty and Aston Martin has sold over 300 cars during these years. His special interest are unique cars, such as Bentley Java and Bentley Dominator 4x4. His Aston Martin collection includes: Aston Martin AM3, Aston Martin DB7 by Pininfarina, Aston Martin V8 AM2 by Pininfarina. Six bullet-proof Rolls-Royce Phantoms are also in his possession.

We've picked out six of the best cars from the Sultan's parking lot.

McLaren F1s

The Sultan's has eight F1s, including GT and LM editions. In 1995 McLaren made history by winning the 24-hour Le Mans race at their first attempt. To celebrate, they built five LM's, one for every F1 which finished the event. The Sultan has three of them.

Dauer 962 LMs

The Dauer racing team's prototype Porsche 962 (see image at the top of this page) is the world's fastest road car. The 2,994cc water-cooled Porsche flat-six engine will take you from 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds. Six of the cars rest in the Sultan's garages.

Mercedes CLK-GTR

Built to enter the 1997 FIA GT Championship, the 200mph CLK-GTR won all World Championship titles it entered in 1997 and 1998. With a V12 engine mounted behind the passenger compartment, The Sultan owns the only right-hand drive Mercedes CLK-GTR in the world.

Lamborghini Diablo SE Jota

The Diablo SE Jota was adapted for GT racing, but very few of them ever made it onto the track. One of only twelve in existence, the Sultan's performance-enhanced Diablo has a modified fuel injection system, exhaust and an adjustable rear wing.

Jaguar XJR-15

Only 50 XJR-15s were ever made, selling for almost $1 million each. Based on another Le Mans-winning motor, the rear-wheel drive supercar packs a 450bhp, 5,993cc V12 engine and a top speed of 185mph. In 1991, sixteen XJR-15s in a Jaguar only race in Monaco - the race had a prize of $1 million.

Stretch Range Rover Classic
Even his Range Rover, a custom-built stretch Classic has an opulent edge to put most hotels to shame. Made for the Sultan by British coachbuilders Townley, the enlongated Rangie has a full blood red leather interior, Champagne buckets, two TVs, power seats, tinted windows and an electronically operated division glass between the driver and passenger compartments.

Sultan Of Brunei Private Airplane

Sultan bought this Airbus 340 for roughly USD 220 Million RM99.90, the plane comes fully equipped with a Gold Plated Sink.Just look at the huge amount of luxury from that plane, if a fully equiped flying house.

Al-Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Almarhum Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin, GCMG (born July 15, 1946) is the 29th Sultan of Brunei, the eldest son of Omar Ali Saifuddin Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, the previous sultan.

Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah is the sultan's heir, born by Queen Saleha. By 2005 he had four sons and six daughters with Queen Saleha and his former second wife, Queen Mariam. In accordance with Islam, Bruneian men are allowed four wives, but the sultan only has two, with Queen Anak Saleha being designated his first wife. His first second wife, Queen Mariam, was a former air hostess whom he divorced in 2003, stripping her of all her royal titles. In August 2005 her place was taken by a former Malaysian TV3 presenter, Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim, who is 32 years younger than the sultan.

Palace of Sultan Of Brunei

Sultan Of Brunei Pictures

Unbelievable Animals : Believe It Or Not But They are Real

2024-02-01T22:17:00.000-08:00

The Shoebill

The Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) also known as Whalehead or Shoe-billed Stork, is a very large stork-like bird. It derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped bill. Although it has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified in the order Ciconiiformes, its true affiliations with other living birds is ambiguous. Some authorities now reclassify it with the Pelecaniformes. The adult is mainly grey while the juveniles are browner. It lives in tropical east Africa in large swamps from Sudan to Zambia.

Okapi

The okapi, Okapia johnstoni, is a giraffid artiodactyl mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest, located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Central Africa. Although the okapi bears striped markings reminiscent of zebras, it is most closely related to the giraffe.

The animal was brought to prominent European attention by speculation on its existence found in popular press reports covering Henry Morton Stanley's journeys in 1887. Remains of a carcass were later sent to London by the English adventurer and colonial administrator Harry Johnston and became a media event in 1901. Today, about 10,000–20,000 remain in the wild and as of 2011, 42 different institutions display them worldwide.

The Panda Ant

The Mutillidae are a family of more than 3,000 species of wasps (despite the names) whose wingless females resemble large, hairy ants. Their common name velvet ant refers to their dense pile of hair which most often is bright scarlet or orange, but may also be black, white, silver, or gold. Black and white specimens are sometimes known as panda ants due to their hair coloration resembling that of the Chinese giant panda. Their bright colours serve as aposematic signals. They are known for their extremely painful stings, hence the common name cow killer or cow ant. Unlike a real ant, they do not have drones, workers, and queens. However, velvet ants do exhibit haplodiploid sex determination similar to other members of Vespoidea.

The Narwhal

The narwhal, or narwhale, (Monodon monoceros) is a medium-sized toothed whale that lives year-round in the Arctic. One of two living species of whale in the Monodontidae family, along with the beluga whale, narwhal males are distinguished by a long, straight, helical tusk, actually an elongated upper left canine. Found primarily in Canadian Arctic and Greenlandic waters, rarely south of 65°N latitude, the narwhal is a uniquely specialized Arctic predator. In the winter, it feeds on benthic prey, mostly flatfish, at depths of up to 1500 m under dense pack ice. Narwhals have been harvested for over a thousand years by Inuit people in northern Canada and Greenland for meat and ivory, and a regulated subsistence hunt continues to this day. While populations appear stable, the narwhal is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to a narrow geographical range and specialized diet.

Red-Lipped Batfish

The red-lipped batfish or Galapagos batfish (Ogcocephalus darwini) is a fish of unusual morphology found on the Galapagos Islands in depths of 30m or more. Red-lipped batfish are closely related to rosy-lipped batfish (Ogcocephalus porrectus), which are found near Cocos Island off the coast of Costa Rica. This fish is mainly known for its bright red lips.

Batfish are not good swimmers; they use their highly-adapted pectoral fins to "walk" on the ocean floor. When the batfish reaches maturity, its dorsal fin becomes a single spine-like projection (thought to function primarily as a lure for prey). Similar to the anglerfish, the Red-Lipped Batfish has a structure on its head known as illicium. This structure is employed for attracting prey.

The Umbonia Spinosa

What exactly is this alienesque creature? Scientists are still quite confused about this species, although it is believed that they are related to cicadas. The Umbonia Spinosa use their beaks to pierce plant stems to feed upon their sap. We're fascinated by the creature's large and colorful body!

Lowland Streaked Tenrec

This here is a Lowland Streaked Tenrec, and although it may have a cute face, just take a look at those sharp spikes on its body! This creature is found in Madagascar, Africa, and it is reportedly the only mammal known to use stridulation for generating sound – something that’s usually associated with snakes and insects.

The Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

Macroglossum stellatarum, known as the Hummingbird Hawk-moth or sometimes the Hummingmoth, is a species of Sphingidae. Its long proboscis and its hovering behaviour, accompanied by an audible humming noise, make it look remarkably like a hummingbird while feeding on flowers. It should not be confused with the moths called hummingbird moths in North America, genus Hemaris, members of the same family and with similar appearance and behavior. The resemblance to hummingbirds is an example of convergent evolution. It flies during the day, especially in bright sunshine, but also at dusk, dawn, and even in the rain, which is unusual for even diurnal hawkmoths. Its visual abilities have been much studied, and it has been shown to have a relatively good ability to learn colours.

The Mantis Shrimp

Mantis shrimp or stomatopods are marine crustaceans, the members of the order Stomatopoda. They may reach 30 centimetres (12 in) in length, though in exceptional cases have been recorded at up to 38 cm (15 in). The carapace of mantis shrimp covers only the rear part of the head and the first four segments of the thorax. Mantis shrimp appear in a variety of colours, from shades of browns to bright neon colours. Although they are common animals and among the most important predators in many shallow, tropical and sub-tropical marine habitats, they are poorly understood as many species spend most of their life tucked away in burrows and holes.

Called "sea locusts" by ancient Assyrians, "prawn killers" in Australia and now sometimes referred to as "thumb splitters" – because of the animal's ability to inflict painful gashes if handled incautiously – mantis shrimp sport powerful claws that they use to attack and kill prey by spearing, stunning, or dismemberment. Although it only happens rarely, some larger species of mantis shrimp are capable of breaking through aquarium glass with a single strike from this weapon.

The Venezuelan Poodle Moth

The Venezuelan Poodle Moth is a possible new species of moth discovered in 2009 by Dr. Arthur Anker of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in the Gran Sabana region of Venezuela. It bears similarities to the Diaphora mendica, the Muslin Moth, but most likely belongs to the lepidopteran genus Artace.

Fun with Vegetables, Fruits & Breads - Funny & Strange Vegetable, Strange Fruits & Strange Breads Pictures

2023-04-25T02:25:00.000-07:00

See the following pictures of Funny & Strange Vegetable, Fruits & Breads which shows us how we can make Fun with Strange Vegetables, Strange Fruits & Strange Breads.

Ohh! There is a chameleon on my head [Image]

2023-04-25T00:41:00.000-07:00

Exploring the World of Weird Shoes: From Ugly to Bizarre Footwear Fashions Around the Globe

2023-02-09T23:42:00.007-08:00

We've all seen them - the shoes that make you wonder who would ever wear them in public. From ugly to downright bizarre, some shoe designs around the world are just awful. Whether it's a practical joke or the latest fashion trend, here's a look at some of the worst footwear fashions around the world.

Step Into the World of Weird Shoes

No matter where you are in the world, there are always a few people who like to stand out with their fashion choices. From bright colors and outlandish combinations to outrageous shapes and styles, these people have taken the concept of shoes to a whole new level.

In some places, these often outrageous designs are considered acceptable - even fashionable. In other areas, they are seen as completely tasteless and ridiculous. However, no matter where you go, there are bound to be a few pairs of shoes that make you question their designers’ sanity.

Wildly Unfortunate Footwear Fashions

When it comes to terrible shoe designs, some places have a particularly bad reputation. One example is Japan, where many shoe designs are definitely out of the ordinary. From shoes with feet printed on them to shoes that look like cartoon characters, Japanese shoe designs seem to be extra eccentric.

In other regions, shoes can be just as bad. In Europe, for instance, there are some exceptionally ugly shoes that are made with extra-thick soles and clunky designs. And in the United States, many shoe designs don’t look like shoes at all - some look more like a plastic bag or a sock with a sole.

What Not to Wear on Your Feet

It’s not just the design of the shoes that makes them so bad - some are made with materials that are just plain awful. In many parts of the world, it’s not unusual to find shoes made of cheap plastic, foam, or cardboard. In some cases, these materials don’t even provide any support for the wearer’s feet - which can lead to painful blisters and aching feet.

Of course, not all shoe designs are made from such poor materials. In some cases, designers use high-quality materials such as leather and suede to create shoes that are both stylish and comfortable. However, this doesn’t always guarantee a good-looking shoe - as there are still many designs out there that are just plain ugly.

From Unflattering to Unbelievable

When it comes to bad shoe designs, there are some that are just plain ugly - and then there are others that are completely bizarre. In some areas of the world, you can find shoes with bright colors, strange patterns, and even animal motifs. In other regions, there are shoes with heels so high they look more like stilts than shoes.

No matter what kind of outrageous design you stumble upon, it’s almost guaranteed that you won’t see anyone else wearing them. Of course, there are always those few brave souls who will don a pair of these ridiculous-looking shoes. But for most people, these outrageous designs are just too much to bear.

Stomping Through the Worst of the Worst

When it comes to bad shoe designs, it’s hard to decide which ones are the worst. From shoes with feet printed on them to shoes that look like cartoon characters, the options are almost endless. No matter which pair you choose, there’s no denying that they are all equally terrible.

In some cases, the designs are so bad that they’re almost charming. But in other cases, they’re just plain ugly - and you can’t help but wonder who thought they were a good idea in the first place.

Not All Shoes are Created Equal

No matter where you go in the world, you’ll find some truly awful shoe designs. While some are just plain ugly, others are completely bizarre. But no matter what, these shoes are sure to turn heads - and make you wonder who would ever wear them.

So the next time you’re out and about, keep your eyes peeled for some of the worst shoe designs around the world. After all, a little knowledge of fashion can go a long way - and you might even find yourself avoiding a few pairs of these terrible shoes!

The possibilities are endless when it comes to bad shoe designs. From ugly to downright bizarre, there’s no shortage of terrible footwear fashions around the world. So the next time you’re out and about, remember to keep an eye out for some of the worst shoes on the planet - you’re sure to be amazed (and horrified) at some of the designs you find!

Queen Alexandra's birdwing - Largest butterfly species in the world, Facts, Photos, Information, Habitats, News

2022-12-26T01:44:00.001-08:00

Amazing Queen Alexandra's birdwing Butterfly

Ornithoptera alexandrae, the Queen Alexandra's birdwing, is the largest butterfly species in the world, with females reaching wingspans slightly in excess of 25 cm to 28 cm (9.8 inches to 11 inches). This birdwing butterfly is restricted to the forests of the Oro Province in eastern Papua New Guinea.

The Queen Alexandra's birdwing is considered endangered by the IUCN, is restricted to approximately 100 km (40 sq mi) of coastal rainforest near Popondetta, Oro Province, Papua New Guinea. It is nonetheless abundant locally and requires old-growth rainforest for its long-term survival. The major threat to this species is habitat destruction for oil palm plantations. However, the eruption of nearby Mount Lamington in the 1950s destroyed a very large area of this species' former habitat and is a key reason for its current rarity.

Female: Female Queen Alexandra's birdwings are larger than males with marked rounder, broader wings. The female can reach and slightly exceed a wingspan of 25 cm to 28 cm (9.8 inches to 11 inches), a body length of 8 cm (3.1 in), and a body mass of up to 12 g (0.42 oz), all enormous measurements for a butterfly. The female has brown wings with white markings arranged as two rows of chevrons. The hindwings are brown with a submarginal line of centered yellow triangles. The body is cream-colored, and a small section of red fur is on the brown thorax.

Male: There is sexual dimorphism in this species. The wings are long with angular apices. They are iridescent bluish-green with a black central band. There is a pronounced sex brand. The underside is green or blue-green with black veins. Males are smaller than females. The abdomen is bright yellow. The wingspan of the males can be approximately 20 cm (8 in), but more usually about 16 cm (6.3 in). A spectacular male form is atavus, which has gold spots on the hindwings.

Courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Alexandra%27s_birdwing

Amazing Queen Alexandra's birdwing Butterfly Images

Christmas Day - Birth Day Celebration of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the savior of all people

2022-12-12T00:34:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

(Birthday Celebration of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the savior of all people)

Christmas or Christmas Day is a holiday observed generally on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. The date is not known to be the actual birthday of Jesus, and may have initially been chosen to correspond with either the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived, the date of the winter solstice on the ancient Roman calendar, or one of various ancient winter festivals. Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days.

Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25--Christmas Day--has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.

Although nominally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians, and many of its popular celebratory customs have pre-Christian or secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, music, an exchange of greeting cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations; including Christmas trees, lights, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. In addition, several similar mythological figures, known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas and Santa Claus among other names, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season.

Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.

Christmas and Santa Claus

Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply "Santa", is a figure which was derived from the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas, a historical, legendary figure who in many Western cultures, is said to bring gifts to the homes of the good children during the late evening and overnight hours of Christmas Eve, December 24 or on his Feast Day, December 6 (Saint Nicholas Day).

Christmas Facts

Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. There are 21,000 Christmas tree growers in the United States, and trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.

Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.

In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous—a lot like today's Mardi Gras parties.

From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings.

Christmas wasn't a holiday in early America—in fact Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the country's first Christmas under the new constitution.

Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.

The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John Smith's 1607 Jamestown settlement.

Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to Mexico, who brought the red-and-green plant from Mexico to America in 1828.

The Salvation Army has been sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors into the streets since the 1890s.

Rudolph, "the most famous reindeer of all," was the product of Robert L. May's imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store.

Construction workers started the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition in 1931.

How "Merry Christmas" is said in different countries

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees

Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees

African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats

Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden

Arabic: Milad Majid

Argentine: Feliz Navidad

Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand

Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun

Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal

Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!

Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha

Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce

Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina

Brazilian: Feliz Natal

Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat

Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo

Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!

Chile: Feliz Navidad

Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun

Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan

Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito

Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo

Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth

Corsian: Pace e salute

Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo

Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi

Croatian: Sretan Bozic

Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok

Danish: Glædelig Jul

Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak

Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast

English: Merry Christmas

Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!

Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon

Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi

Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal

Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!

Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad

Finnish: Hyvaa joulua

Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar

French: Joyeux Noel

Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!

Galician: Bo Nada

Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!

German: Fröhliche Weihnachten

Greek: Kala Christouyenna!

Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto

Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!

Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka

Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova

Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (good New Year not Merry Christmas)

Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket

Icelandic: Gledileg Jol

Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal

Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah

Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat

Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.

Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie

Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto

Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags

Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha

Lao: souksan van Christmas

Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!

Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!

Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto

Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus

Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu

Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar

Luxembourgish: Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch

Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik

Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb

Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa

Maori: Meri Kirihimete

Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh (good New Year not Merry Christmas)

Navajo: Merry Keshmish

Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul

Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado

Papiamento: Bon Pasco

Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu

Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!

Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo

Philippines: Maligayang Pasko!

Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie

Portuguese:Feliz Natal

Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha

Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua

Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn

Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!

Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit

Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom

Sami: Buorrit Juovllat

Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou

Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou

Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh

Serbian: Hristos se rodi.

Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa

Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok

Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto

Spanish: Feliz Navidad

Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År

Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon

Tamil: (Tamizh) Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal (good New Year not Merry Christmas)

Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!

Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas

Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun

Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM

Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (good New Year not Merry Christmas)

Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh

Welsh: Nadolig Llawen

Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

Merry Christmas to All..

jingle bell jingle bell

jingle all the way

Santa clause is coming along
riding on a sledge
jingle bell jingle bell
jingle all the way
santa clause is coming along
riding on a sledge

Christmas Wallpapers

Courtesy:

http://www.santas.net

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

http://www.history.com/topics/christmas

Amazing Lovebirds : Love Bird Information and Pictures

2022-11-28T22:54:00.000-08:00

Amazing Lovebirds

A Lovebird is one of nine species of the genus Agapornis. They are a social and affectionate small parrot. Seven species are native to the African continent, while the Grey-headed Lovebird is native to Madagascar. Their name stems from the parrots' strong, monogamous pair bonding and the long periods which paired birds spend sitting together. Lovebirds live in small flocks and eat fruit, vegetables, grasses and seed. Black-winged Lovebirds also eat insects and figs, and the Black-collared Lovebirds have a special dietary requirement for native figs, making them problematic to keep in captivity.

Some species are kept as pets, and several color mutations were selectively bred in aviculture. Their average lifespan is 10 to 15 years.

Lovebirds are 13 to 17 centimeters in length and 40 to 60 grams in weight. They are among the smallest parrots, characterized by a stocky build, a short blunt tail, and a relatively large, sharp beak. Wildtype lovebirds are mostly green with a variety of colors on their upper body, depending on the species. The Fischer's Lovebird, Black-cheeked Lovebird, and the Masked Lovebird have a prominent white ring around their eyes. The Abyssinian Lovebird, the Madagascar Lovebird. Many colour mutant varieties have been produced by selective breeding of the species that are popular in aviculture.

There are different species of Lovebird such as Yellow-collared Lovebird or Masked Lovebird, Fischer's Lovebird, Lilian's Lovebird, Black-cheeked Lovebird, Rosy-faced Lovebird, Black-winged Lovebird, Red-headed Lovebird, Grey-headed Lovebird, Black-collared Lovebird.

Black Mamba Snake - Amazing Black mamba Facts, Photos, Information, Habitats, News

2021-12-03T04:33:00.000-08:00

Black mamba Snake (Dendroaspis polylepis) - The longest venomous snake in Africa

The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis), also called the common black mamba or black-mouthed mamba, is the longest venomous snake in Africa, averaging around 2.5 to 3.2 meters (8.2 to 10 ft) in length, and sometimes growing to lengths of 4.45 meters (14.6 ft). Its name is derived from the black colouration inside the mouth rather than the actual colour of its scales which varies from dull yellowish-green to a gun-metal grey. It is the fastest snake in the world, capable of moving at 4.32 to 5.4 metres per second (16–20 km/h, 10–12 mph). It has a reputation for being aggressive and highly venomous: herpetologists have cited this species as both the world's deadliest and most aggressive, noting its tendency to attack without provocation. It is among the world's ten most venomous land snakes, and when threatened or cornered, becomes fiercely aggressive.

Black mambas are actually brown in color. They get their name from the blue-black of the inside of their mouths, which they display when threatened.

Black mambas are fast, nervous, lethally venomous, and when threatened, highly aggressive. They have been blamed for numerous human deaths, and African myths exaggerate their capabilities to legendary proportions. For these reasons, the black mamba is widely considered the world’s deadliest snake.

Black mambas live in the savannas and rocky hills of southern and eastern Africa. They are Africa’s longest venomous snake, reaching up to 14 feet (4.5 meters) in length, although 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) is more the average. They are also among the fastest snakes in the world, slithering at speeds of up to 12.5 miles per hour (20 kilometers per hour).

They get their name not from their skin color, which tends to be olive to gray, but rather from the blue-black color of the inside of their mouth, which they display when threatened.

Black mambas are shy and will almost always seek to escape when confronted. However, when cornered, these snakes will raise their heads, sometimes with a third of their body off the ground, spread their cobra-like neck-flap, open their black mouths and hiss. If an attacker persists, the mamba will strike not once, but repeatedly, injecting large amounts of potent neuro- and cardiotoxin with each strike.

Before the advent of black mamba antivenin, a bite from this fearsome serpent was 100 percent fatal, usually within about 20 minutes. Unfortunately, antivenin is still not widely available in the rural parts of the mamba’s range, and mamba-related deaths remain frequent.

The black mamba has no special conservation status. However, encroachment on its territory is not only putting pressure on the species but contributes to more potentially dangerous human contact with these snakes.

Fast Facts about Black mamba Snake

Type: Reptile

Diet: Carnivore

Average life span in the wild: 11 years or more

Size: Up to 14 ft (4.3 m)

Weight: Up to 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)

Did you know? : Black mambas use their incredible speed to escape threats, not to hunt prey.

Courtesy : http://animals.nationalgeographic.com, http://en.wikipedia.org/

Black mamba Snake Images / Pictures

Miyoko Shida's Power of Concentration & Balancing : Really Amazing

2019-08-20T05:11:00.000-07:00

Miyoko Shida Rigolo's Amazing Concentration

There are no words to describe Miyoko Shida’s performance for the Spanish TV program “Tu si que vales” (“You can do it.”).In many ways, Miyoko’s performance is a macroscopic reflection of an equally awe-inspiring dance of molecules within each cell of our body each and every moment.

Her performance reminds us that, as Walter Miller once said, ‘We don’t have a soul, we ARE a soul, we have a body.’

Raksha Bandhan Festival : The Bond of Love & Protection Between Brother & Sister

2019-08-04T23:32:00.002-07:00

Raksha Bandhan Festival of India

Raksha Bandhan (the bond of protection), or Rakhi, is a festival primarily observed in North India, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. The festival is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims. The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother's wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her. The festival falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. It grew in popularity after Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of Chittor, sent a rakhi to the Mughal emperor Humayun when she required his help.

The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi, or holy thread, by the sister on the wrist of her brother. The brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her as she presents sweets to her brother. The brother and sister traditionally feed one another sweets. Since North Indian kinship practices give cousins a status similar to siblings, girls and women often tie the rakhi to their male cousins as well (referred to as cousin-brothers in regional parlance) in several communities. Unrelated boys and men who are considered to be brothers (munh-bola bhai or adopted brothers) can also be tied rakhis, provided they commit to a lifelong obligation to provide protection to the woman or girl.

Historical occurrences and mentions

Santoshi Ma

The tale of the deity Santoshi Mata, and the narrative of her creation on Raksha Bandhan day, was popularized in the 1975 Bollywood blockbuster Jai Santoshi Maa. Ganesh had two sons, Shubh and Labh. On Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh's sister visited and tied a rakhi on Ganesh's wrist. Feeling deprived, the sons immediately began pressing Ganesh and his two wives, Riddhi and Siddhi, for a sister. Finally, Ganesh conceded the demand and Santoshi Ma (literally the Mother Goddess of Satisfaction) was created by divine flames that emerged from Riddhi and Siddhi.

Krishna and Draupadi

Another incident is from the epic Mahabharat and concerns Krishna and Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas. She had once torn a strip of silk off her sari and tied it around Krishna's wrist to staunch the bleeding from a battlefield wound. Krishna was touched by her action and declared her to be his sister, even though they were unrelated. He promised to repay the debt and then spent the next 25 years doing just that. Draupadi, in spite of being married to 5 great warriors and being a daughter of a powerful monarch, trusted and depended wholly on Krishna. Krishna repaid the debt of love during the "Cheer-Haran" (literally "clothing-robbing") of Draupadi, which occurred in the assembly of King Dhritarashtra when Yudhisthira lost her to the Kauravas in gambling. At that time, Krishna indefinitely extended her saree through divine intervention, so it could not be removed, to save her honor. This is how he honored his rakhi-vow towards Draupadi.

King Bali and Goddess Laxmi

According to a legend the Demon King Bali was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu had taken up the task to guard his kingdom leaving his own abode in Vaikunth. Goddess Lakshmi wished to be with her lord back in her abode. She went to Bali disguised as a woman to seek refuge till her husband came back.

During the Shravan Purnima celebrations, Lakshmi tied the sacred thread to the King. Upon being asked, she revealed who she was and why she was there. The king was touched by her goodwill for his family and her purpose and requested the Lord to accompany her. He sacrificed all he had for the Lord and his devoted wife.

Thus the festival is also called Baleva that is Bali Raja's devotion to the Lord. It is said that since then it has been a tradition to invite sisters in Shravan Purnima for the thread tying ceremony or the Raksha Bandhan.

Yama and the Yamuna

According to another legend, Raksha Bandhan was a ritual followed by Lord Yama (the Lord of Death) and his sister Yamuna, (the river in northern India). Yamuna tied rakhi to Yama and bestowed immortality. Yama was so moved by the serenity of the occasion that he declared that whoever gets a rakhi tied from his sister and promised her protection, will become immortal.

Alexander the Great and King Puru

According to one legendary narrative, when Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BC, Roxana (or Roshanak, his wife) sent a sacred thread to Porus, asking him not to harm her husband in battle. In accordance with tradition, Porus gave full respect to the rakhi. On the battlefield, when Porus was about to deliver a final blow to Alexander, he saw the rakhi on his own wrist and restrained himself from attacking Alexander personally.

Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun

A popular narrative that is centered around Rakhi is that of Rani Karnavati of Chittor and Mughal Emperor Humayun, which dates to 1535 CE. When Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of the king of Chittor, realised that she could not defend against the invasion by the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, she sent a Rakhi to Emperor Humayun. Touched, the Emperor immediately set off with his troops to defend Chittor. Humayun arrived too late, and Bahadur Shah managed to sack the Rani's fortress. Karnavati, along with a reported 13,000 other women in the fortress, carried out Jauhar on March 8, 1535, killing themselves to avoid dishonor while the men threw the gates open and rode out on a suicidal charge against Bahadur Shah's troops. When he reached Chittor, Humayun evicted Bahadur Shah from fort and restored the kingdom to Karnavati's son, Vikramjit Singh. Although contemporary commentators and memoirs do not mention the Rakhi episode and some historians have expressed skepticism about it, it is mentioned in one mid-seventeenth century Rajasthani account.

Other festivals on this day

In southern & Central parts of India including Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Orissa, this day (i.e. Shravan Poornima day), is when the Brahmin community performs the rituals of Avani Avittam or Upakarma.

Balarama Jayanti

This is also celebrated as Shri Baladeva birth Ceremony. Lord Krishna's elder Brother Prabhu Balarama was born on this Poornima.

Raksha Bandhan celebrations in India and Nepal

While Raksha Bandhan is celebrated all over the country, different parts of the country mark the day in different ways. In Nepal, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on shravan purnima. It is also called Janai Purnima (Janai is sacred thread and purnima means full moon). Janai is changed in this day, in Brahmins and kshetry's family. A sacred thread is tied on hand by senior family members and relatives. Nepalese people enjoy this festival eating its special food "Kwati", a soup of sprout of seven different grains.

Rakhi Purnima

Rakhi is celebrated as Rakhi Purnima in North India. The word "Purnima" means a full moon night.

Gamha Purnima

Rakhi is also celebrated as Gamha Purnima in Orissa. On this date, all the domesticated Cows and Bullocks are decorated and worshipped. Various kinds of country-made cakes called Pitha and sweets mitha are made and distributed within families, relatives and friends. In Orissan Jagannath culture, the lord Krishna & Radha enjoy the beautiful rainy season of Shravana starting from Shukla Pakhya Ekadashi (usually 4 days before Purnima) and ending on Rakhi Purnima with a festival called Jhulan Yatra. Idols of Radha-Krishna are beautifully decorated on a swing called Jhulan, hence the name Jhulan Yatra.

Narali Purnima

In western India and parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa this day is celebrated as Narali Purnima. On this day, an offering of a coconut (naral in Marathi) is made to the sea, as a mark of respect to Lord Varuna, the God of the Sea. Narali Purnima marks the beginning of the fishing season and the fishermen, who depend on the sea for a living, make an offering to Lord Varuna so that they can reap bountiful fish from the sea.

Jandhyam Poornima

Jandhyam is Sanskrit for sacred thread, and Poornima denotes the full moon in Sanskrit.

The people of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, celebrate Raksha Bandhan and Janopunyu on the Shravani Purnima, it is a day on which people change their janeu or sacred thread. On this day, the famous Bagwal fair is held at Devidhura in district Champawat. Punyu in Kumauni means Purnima or full moon it is the purnima in which the sacred thread Janeu or Janyo is ceremonially changed. The Raksha Bandhan celebrations are similar all across North India. The thread changing ceremony is done all over India.

Kajari Purnima

In central parts of India such as Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkand and Bihar this day is celebrated as Kajari Purnima. It is an important day for the farmers and women blessed with a son. On the ninth day after Shravana Amavasya, the preparations of the Kajari festival start. This ninth day is called Kajari Navami and varied rituals are performed by women who have sons until Kajri Purnima or the full moon day. in the ramayan story it has been said that sita was the divine godess

Pavitropana

In parts of Gujarat, this day is celebrated as Pavitropana. On this day, people perform the grand pooja or the worship of Lord Shiva. It is the culmination of the prayers done throughout the year.

Jhulan Purnima, Poonal/Jandhya Poornima/ Janyu

According to Bengali Culture & Celebration, in the state of West Bengal (India), this day is also called Jhulan Purnima there pray & puja of Lord Krishna & Radha. Sister tied rakhi to Brother and bestowed immortality. Political Parties, Offices, Friends, Schools to colleges, Street to Palace celebrate today with a new hope for a good relationship. Brahmins in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Konkan, and Orissa change their sacred threads on the same day (Janayu, called as Poonal in Tamil, Jandhyam in Sanskrit)

Courtesy : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raksha_Bandhan

Amazing Indian Conjoined Twins : They Don't Want To Be Separated

2019-08-02T05:24:00.000-07:00

The pair, who were born in a tiny village near Raipur in central India, share two legs and four arms and work in tandem to get around. They have stunned doctors with their ability to wash, dress and feed themselves.

A local doctor told the family they were both healthy but he could not separate them. They are believed to share the same stomach but have independent lungs, hearts and brains.

Conjoined twins Shivanath and Shivram Sahu caused quite a stir when they were born in India, with some people in their village worshipping them as divine incarnations.

And while one doctor has said that it would be possible to separate the 12-year-olds, who were born joined at the waist, the duo are determined to remain together.

Shivram said: ‘We don't wish to get separated. We will stay like this even when we grow old. We want to live as we are.’

The Manchineel - World's Most Poisonous & Dangerous Tree

2018-10-11T00:32:00.000-07:00

The manchineel tree, Hippomane mancinella, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), and the only species in the monotypic genus Hippomane. Manchineel is native to Florida in the United States, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America.

The name "manchineel" (sometimes written "manchioneel") as well as the specific epithet mancinella is from Spanish manzanilla ("little apple"), from the superficial resemblance of its fruit and leaves to those of an apple tree. A present-day Spanish name is in fact manzanilla de la muerte, "little apple of death". This refers to the fact that manchineel is one of the most poisonous trees in the world.

15 Most Amazing Ways to Tie Your Sneakers

2018-06-11T01:43:00.000-07:00

Amazing Way to Tie Your Sneakers

1. The lace is run straight across the bottom and emerges through both bottom eyelets

2. The laces then go straight up and are fed into the next set of eyelets up the shoe

3. The ends are crossed over and are fed under the vertical lace section on the opposite sides of the shoe before going straight up and into the next set of eyelets up the Shoe

4. At the top set of eyelets, the laces can once again cross over and pass under the straight section as shown. This not only looks consistent with the rest of the lacing but also forms a High Lace Lock, which tightens the lacing even more firmly.

1. The lace is run straight across the bottom and emerges through both bottom eyelets

2. The ends are looped back under the lace where it feeds under the side of the shoe

3. The ends are then crossed over each other, then they go under and out through the next set of eyelets up the shoe

4. Steps 2 and 3 are repeated until both ends reach the top eyelets.

1. The lace runs straight across the second set of eyelets from the top of the shoe

2. Cross the ends over and feed into the fourth set of eyelets, skipping the third set

3. Continue down the shoe, two sets of eyelets at a time

4. At the bottom, run the laces vertically between the bottom and second from bottom eyelets

5. Double back and work your way back up the shoe through the vacant sets of eyelets.

1. The lace is run straight across the bottom and emerges through both bottom eyelets

2. The left (red) end is spiralled up the left side of the shoe, with the end fed under and emerging from each eyelet

3. The right (orange) lace is spiralled up the right side of the shoe, at each eyelet looping through the left (blue) lace in the middle of the shoe before feeding under and emerging from the next eyelet.

1. The lace is run straight across the bottom and emerges through both bottom eyelets

2. One end of the lace (orange end) runs straight up the right side, is fed into and runs straight across the second set of eyelets

3. Both ends now run straight up the left side, each skipping one eyelet before feeding in two eyelets higher up

4. Continue running both ends across the shoe, then straight up two eyelets at a time

5. At the top of the shoe, the laces end up on the same side and the shoelace knot is tied at that point.

1. The lace runs straight across the bottom and the ends are fed into both bottom eyelets

2. One end of the lace (orange end) runs straight up the right side, emerges from and runs straight across the second set of eyelets

3. The other end (red end) runs diagonally underneath and, skipping the 2nd set of eyelets, emerges from and runs straight across the 3rd set of eyelets

4. Continue running each lace diagonally across and up 2 sets of eyelets until one end (orange in my example) reaches the top right eyelet

5. The other end (red in my example) then runs straight up the left side to emerge from the top left eyelet.

1. The lace runs straight across and emerges from the third set of eyelets from the bottom

2. Both ends run straight down and are fed into the second set of eyelets from the bottom

3. Both ends again run straight down and emerge from the bottom set of eyelets

4. Both ends now run straight up along the outside and are fed into the fourth set of eyelets (the first vacant pair)

5. The ends are crossed over each other, then they go under and out through the next set of eyelets up the shoe 6. Repeat step (5) until both ends reach the top.

1. The lace is run straight across the bottom and is fed into rather than emerging from both bottom eyelets

2. The ends are crossed over, then inserted into the next set of eyelets u the shoe

3. This process is repeated until both ends each the top eyelets and end up inside.

1. The lace runs straight across the bottom and emerges through both bottom eyelets

2. Skipping two sets of eyelets, cross the ends over and feed into the fourth set of eyelets

3. Both ends now run straight down one eyelet and emerge from the third set of eyelets

4. Continue up the shoe, each time crossing over and going up three sets of eyelets, then straight down to emerge from the next set of eyelets below.

1. The lace is run straight across the bottom and emerges through both bottom eyelets

2. The ends are twisted together with one complete twist in the middle of the shoe

3. The ends then continue across to the opposite sides, where they go under and out through the next set of eyelets up the shoe

4. This process is repeated until both ends reach the top eyelets.

1. The lace runs straight across the bottom and emerges from both bottom eyelets

2. Cross the ends over and feed into the 4th set of eyelets up the shoe (skip past 2 sets of eyelets)

3. Both ends now run straight up and emerge from the 5th set of eyelets

4. Cross the ends over and feed into the 2nd set of eyelets up the shoe (skip past 2 sets of eyelets)

5. Both ends now run straight up and emerge from the 3rd set of eyelets

6. Cross the ends over, feed under and emerge from the top set of eyelets (skip past 2 sets of eyelets).

1. The lace is run diagonally and emerges from the bottom left and the top right eyelets

2. The top (red) end of the lace is zig-zagged from the top set of eyelets down to the middle eyelets in a similar manner to the Shoe Shop Lacing

3. The bottom (orange) end of the lace is similarly zig-zagged from the bottom set of eyelets up to the middle eyelets.

1. Start with two pairs of different colour laces, preferably the wide, flat variety (I was lucky to receive two such pairs with my last runners!)

2. With one colour (orange in my example), lace the shoe using either Straight (Fashion) or Straight (Lazy) Lacing

3. With the other colour (red in my example), start at the bottom of the shoe and weave the lace in and out of the other lace until you reach the top

4. Fold around the top lace and head back down, weaving out and in until you reach the bottom

5. Continue across the shoe until you're out of room or out of lace, whichever comes first

6. Tuckall the loose ends of the laces into the shoe.

1. The lace runs straight across the bottom and emerges from both bottom eyelets

2. Cross the ends over and feed into the 4th set of eyelets up the shoe (skip past 2 sets of eyelets)

3. Both ends now run straight up and emerge from the 5th set of eyelets

4. Cross the ends over and feed into the 2nd set of eyelets up the shoe (skip past 2 sets of eyelets)

5. Both ends now run straight up and emerge from the 3rd set of eyelets

6. Cross the ends over, feed under and emerge from the top set of eyelets (skip past 2 sets of eyelets).

1. Take two different colour laces, each a tiny bit longer than the correct length for the shoes

2. Cut them not quite in half, but offset by two or three centimetres. See below for how to calculate the difference in length between the two halves

3. Tie one shorter piece of one colour (orange in my example) and one longer piece of the other colour (red in my example) firmly together and trim off the excess. For extra security, add a dab of glue. Use the remaining pieces to make the bi-colour lace
for the other shoe

4. Pull the longer (red) end out through the bottom right eyelet, feeding from inside the shoe, until you reach the joining knot 5. Now lace the rest of the shoe as per
Straight (Fashion) Lacing.

The Royal Wedding 2011 : Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton Royal Wedding - 29 April 2011

2018-05-17T04:54:00.000-07:00

Royal Wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton - 29 April 2011

The Royal Wedding 2011

The wedding of Prince William of Wales and Catherine "Kate" Middleton is scheduled to take place at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011 at 11am. Prince William, who is second in the line of succession to Queen Elizabeth II, first met Middleton in 2001, while both were students at the University of St Andrews. Their engagement, which began on 20 October 2010, was announced on 16 November 2010.

After the wedding, the couple intend to continue residing on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales, where Prince William is based as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot.

On 16 November 2010, Clarence House announced that Prince William, elder son of the Prince of Wales, was to marry his long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton "in the Spring or Summer of 2011, in London". They were engaged in October 2010 while on a private holiday in Kenya; William gave Middleton the same engagement ring that his father had given to William's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales—an 18-carat white gold ring with a 12-carat oval sapphire and 14 round diamonds. It was announced at approximately the same time that, after their marriage, the couple will live on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, where Prince William is based with the Royal Air Force.

Prince William is the elder son of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, and grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As such, he is second, behind his father, in the line of succession to the throne in 16 independent states known as the Commonwealth realms. William was educated at Ludgrove School, Eton College, and the University of St Andrews, after which he was commissioned as an officer from Sandhurst in the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry. He later transferred to the RAF and went on to become a full-time pilot with the Search and Rescue Force at RAF Valley, Anglesey.

Catherine "Kate" Middleton is the eldest of three children born to Michael and Carole Middleton. She was educated at St Andrew's School in Pangbourne, Marlborough College, and the University of St Andrews. After graduating, she worked in retail and then as an accessories buyer/catalogue photographer at her parents' business. She is primarily of English descent, but with a few distant Scottish and French Huguenot ancestors. Her paternal family came from Leeds, West Yorkshire, while her mother's maternal family, the Harrisons, were working-class labourers and miners from County Durham.

The couple met while undergraduates at the University of St Andrews, where they both lived at St Salvator's Hall during their first year, after which they shared accommodation in the town for two years. They are fifteenth cousins—having Sir Thomas Fairfax and his wife, Agnes, as common ancestors—and are possibly twelfth cousins once removed, circumstantial evidence suggesting that they are both descended from Sir Thomas Leighton and Elizabeth Knollys.

Timings/Schedule of The Royal Wedding Day

At 6.00 am roads in and around the processional route close to traffic.
From 8.15 am, the main congregation, governors-general, prime ministers of Commonwealth realms, and diplomats, will all arrive at the Abbey.
Princes William and Harry are then due to leave Clarence House at 10.10 am, and arrive by 10.15 am, followed by representatives of foreign royal families, the Middleton family, and, lastly, the Prince's own family (the Princess Royal, the Duke of York, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall).
By tradition, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will be the last members of the Royal Family to leave Buckingham Palace, arriving at the Abbey for 10.45 am.
The bridal party will then leave the Goring Hotel in the former Number one state Rolls-Royce Phantom VI at 10.50 am, in time for the service to begin at 11 am.
The service is to finish at 12.15 pm, after which the newly married couple will travel to Buckingham Palace in a procession consisting of other royal family members, the parents of the groom and bride, the best man, and the bridesmaids.
At 1.25 pm, the couple will appear at the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch a fly-past consisting of Lancaster, Spitfire, and Hurricane aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, followed by two Typhoons and two Tornado GR4s.

Important Things and Information about The Royal Wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton

Archbishop of Canterbury

Meet Dr. Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church of England who will officiate William and Kate's wedding. A published poet and Simpsons fan, Dr. Williams follows in a long line of archbishops (he's the 104th) who've traditionally married the monarchs-to-be. Another claim to fame: Dr. Williams shares a birthplace (Swansea, Wales) with an Oscar winner, Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Bucklebury

Once the royal manor of 11th-century king Edward the Confessor and a station for troops during World War II, the quaint but affluent village 55 miles west of London where Kate Middleton grew up last made headlines in 2008, when Prince William landed a helicopter there to visit his girlfriend. Watch a guided tour of the place Kate calls home – and meet some of the town folk, who weigh in on its most famous resident's upcoming wedding to the future king of England.

Catherine

Though she goes by Kate, Catherine Elizabeth Middleton shares a name with an illustrious group of women, including five previous queens of England! The name (meaning pure in Greek) gained popularity during the Crusades and since then, many great Kates have made their mark on history – among them Catherine de Medici, Catherine the Great and Catherine of Aragon, a wife of Henry the VIII.

Dukedom

If tradition is to be carried down, William will receive a new title on his wedding day – a royal protocol observed when his uncles married: Prince Andrew became Duke of York when he said "I do" to Fergie in 1986, while Prince Edward earned the title of Earl of Wessex when he wed Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999. Many titles are still up for grabs – from the Dukedom of Sussex ( a front-runner) to the Duke of Cambridge – and it will be up to William's granny, Queen Elizabeth, to determine where he presides.

Ellen DeGeneres

With friends and hangers-on vying for an invite to what's to be sure the wedding of the year, the beloved talk show queen has a legitimate claim for an invitation: She's related to Kate Middleton! Sure, they are distant cousins – 15th! – but family is family, so says The New England Historic Genealogical Society, who traced their ties.

Fruitcake

The much-maligned dessert has a storied history, reportedly dating back to ancient Egypt, when it was placed on the tombs of loved ones going into the afterlife. Filled with fruits and nuts – symbols of fertility – it was even outlawed briefly in the 18th century for being sinfully rich, but the ban was short-lived as Victorian-era Britons demanded their cake during tea hour. Now, the sweet treat has become a wedding reception favorite among English couples, and Will and Kate could be the next to bite into it!

Good Luck Charms

Kate Middleton may be allergic to horses, but the princess-to-be could very well carry a horseshoe charm sewn onto the hem of her dress as a symbol of good luck – just as Diana had onto hers – when she weds Prince William. Or perhaps she'll carry a silver sixpence, as in "something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in your shoe," a practice that originated in Victorian times.

Harry

Now the most eligible royal bachelor on the market – and third in line to the British throne! – Prince Henry Charles Albert David Windsor is not only William's brother but also his best man. And he's been living up to both roles, in championing Kate Middleton ("I get a sister," he's said) and in continuing his late mother Diana's charitable works, all while serving his country as a lieutenant in the British Army.

Issa

The London-based designer of Kate Middleton's must-have, blue engagement dress has always maintained she designs clothes for real women – and apparently, for real-life princesses-to-be! Ten years after launching her label, Brazilian-born Daniella Helayel's signature draped jersey dresses have won over a Hollywood fan base that includes Madonna, Gwen Stefani and Scarlett Johansson. But it was Middleton's blue dress, which sold out almost instantly, that turned the label into an international household name.

Wedding Jewelry

Since the reign of Queen Victoria more than 160 years ago, Garrard has been the official crown jeweler. Though Queen Elizabeth distanced the royal family's ties to the esteemed London jewelry house in 2007, reportedly after being less than impressed with the company's racy new image, William and Kate could have their wedding rings made by jewelry house. After all, Garrard made the late Princess Diana's iconic sapphire engagement ring – the one that's now sparkling on Kate Middleton's finger.

Kenya

The country where William popped the question to Kate Middleton during a romantic fishing trip on Lake Rutundu is near and dear to the future king. "Africa is my second home," he has said of the continent where he spent his gap year and took his fiancée on safari early in their courtship.

Lady-in-Waiting

Traditionally friends or relatives, ladies-in-waiting serve as a right-hand woman to a royal, and for Kate, it seems her sister Pippa would be the perfect choice. The younger sibling, 27, will be Kate's maid of honor on the big day, but her responsibilities would expand once Kate becomes a princess, including traveling and attending official engagements with her. If Kate does secure Pippa as her lady-in-waiting, she'll be in good company: Both Princess Diana and Camilla Parker Bowles enlisted their sisters for help.

Mahiki

Will and Kate's favorite nightclub for Polynesian fun was once managed by the Prince's wingman Guy Pelly, who's also planning the royal bachelor party. But the Dover Street nightspot isn't the only exclusive London club frequented by the couple – they've partied till the wee hours at Chinawhite, Volstead and Boujis, the club in which the pair went on a secret date following their brief split in 2007.

North Wales

Instead of one of the many royal residences at his family's disposal, Prince William and Kate Middleton have made their home in a four-bedroom farmhouse in this quaint, sheep-laden region complete with a gastro pub and a Tesco supermarket where locals often catch a glimpse of the down-to-earth couple. And they'll be seeing more of the young newlyweds – the Prince has another two years to complete his duties as a helicopter pilot with the Royal Air Force.

Bruce Oldfield

A front-runner to design Kate's wedding dress, Bruce Oldfield is an established name among the royal and high society set. Plus, the 60-year-old couturier to William's late mum Diana has been backed as the perfect choice to design Kate's gown by none other than Elizabeth Emanuel, who outfitted the Princess of Wales on her wedding day 30 years earlier. Further fueling rumors that Oldfield could be The One: Kate's mum Carole and sister Pippa were spotted at one of his stores.

Philip Treacy

For two decades, the Irish milliner has enchanted Hollywood and real-life royalty, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Lady Gaga, Kate Middleton and Princess Beatrice, with his fanciful headpieces. While William and Kate will be the main event on April 29, the side show will most certainly be the parade of head-turning hats – from futuristic discs and a riot of floral toppers to a butterfly colony – adorning the heads of their wedding guests, a custom still observed by Britons for weddings and worship.

Queen Elizabeth II

At 84, she is Britain's oldest monarch, having ruled the throne since February 1952, when she was just 25 years old. But don’t be fooled, the octogenarian – who is known for her ingeniously discreet communication tactics – is very much in touch with modern times. You can find Her Majesty social networking on Flickr, YouTube, and yes, even Twitter.

The Royal Mint

Not invited to William and Kate's wedding? The average commoner can still celebrate the occasion – with the first-ever Royal Engagement coin issued by the Royal Mint to commemorate the young couple's betrothal. While critics argue the likeness of Kate Middleton on the £5 coin bears little resemblance to the actual princess-to-be, the design received the royal seal of approval from Prince William and Her Majesty the Queen. Luckily for Kate, it's a limited-edition coin.

St. Andrews

Known as the U.K.'s "top match-making university," is it a wonder the future king and queen fell in love there? The Scottish burgh is where they spent nights out at local pubs and a pizza joint, and also enjoyed dates under aliases at a boutique hotel restaurant. That occasion had Kate playing by the rules of many a college girl: Despite dating a British royal, when it came time for the check, the couple went dutch!

Tiara

When Kate Middleton walks down the aisle of Westminster Abbey to marry Prince William, she will certainly look the part of royalty. But no royal wedding attire is complete without a crown jewel befitting a princess-to-be. Queen Elizabeth and William's late mum Diana both wore stunning tiaras on their wedding days – and it's likely William's granny will at the very least loan (if not gift) one of the many glittering headpieces in the Windsor vault to his future wife.

Usher

Prince William has been an usher at some of his best friends' weddings, but sadly for them, they won't get the chance to return the favor. That's because the role of helping ceremony guests to their pews at Westminster Abbey will go to a 10-member group of paid Gentlemen Ushers, a tradition that dates back to the 15th century.

Vows

For the ultra-modern among us hoping for self-penned vows in which William and Kate utter intimate, personal promises to one another, there will be disappointment. The couple will pick one of two sets of traditional vows on their wedding day: old verses from the Book of Common Prayer of 1662 or the not-so-old ones in The Book of Common Worship, which is widely used today in the Protestant Church of England.

Westminster Abbey

The Abbey has held close ties with the British monarchy since the days of King Edward the Confessor, who founded the 11th-century Gothic church. It's been the site of many glorious royal coronations, burials and weddings, with the earliest dating back to 1100, when King Henry I married Princess Matilda of Scotland. Queen Elizabeth, her daughter Princess Anne and son Prince Andrew all married at Westminster, so it's fitting that her grandson, Prince William, will follow in Windsor suit.

Kiss Me Kate Beer

Xoxo! With the biggest royal wedding since Charles and Di taking over London, leave it to Nottingham, England's largest beer company, Castle Rock Brewery, to toast the happy occasion in its own way – with a new, limited-edition ale! The royal tipple is described as "elegant, tasteful and British to the core" – much like Will and Kate. We'll drink to that!

Your Majesty

Don't call her that! When Kate becomes an official royal on her wedding day, the proper way to refer to her will be Her Royal Highness, or HRH – a "style" that commonly precedes the names of princes and princesses in the British monarchy. So, as of April 29, Kate will take on a much longer name: HRH Princess William of Wales, while informally, she'll be Princess Catherine. Here's hoping she registers for some new stationery!

Zermatt

It was here that William and Kate debuted their PDA during a weeklong Swiss Alps ski vacation at the resort town Zermatt in March 2007 – but just a month later the couple split. Relive the pair's famously private courtship and brief public breakup and see how, eight years after meeting as coeds at St. Andrews University in Scotland, they're making it all official.

Courtesy: http://www.people.com, http://en.wikipedia.org

Photos of Royal wedding dignitaries and VIPs

Photos of the royal wedding crowds

Photos of the royal marriage ceremony

Photos of Royal Couple Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton

Amazing Collection Of Albino Animals - Photos Of Most Amazing Creations Of The Nature

2018-05-17T02:33:00.001-07:00

Nature is a great designer, it always creates something special, like Albino Animals. Scientifically, pigments are the chemicals in our bodies that give us our colors. When a bird or other animal makes no pigments, the condition is called albinism, the animal being called an albino.

Albinism is the lack of melanin pigment in the eyes, skin and hair on living things. The condition is known to affect mammals (including humans), fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians. While the most common term for an organism affected by albinism is "albino

However, personally, I still believe it is an amazing creation of nature. Here is a collection of albino animals, probably one of the cutest galleries yet. Hope you enjoy.

Amazing Albino animal pictures

Gorilla

Albino Squirrel

Kangaroo

Albino Deer

Albino Elk

Albino Moose

Albino (White) Billy Goat

Albino (White) Llama

Albino Alpaca

Albino Camel

White Giraffe

Albino (White) Moth

Albino Hedgehog

Albino Cat

White Bengal Tiger

White Lion

Albino Ferret

Albino Bison

Albino Dingo

Albino Koala

Albino Seal

Albino Whale

Albino Fish

Albino Turtle

Albino Frog

Snakes

Albino Alligator

Albinism in Birds

Albino Mockingbird

Snowy Egret

White Heron

Albino Kookaburra

Albino Owl

Albino Ostrich

Albino Penguin

World’s youngest bodybuilder - Giuliano Stroe

2017-09-04T04:08:00.002-07:00

Giuliano Stroe, the world's youngest body builder. He is a 5 year old boy from Romania. Listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Amazing & EPIC Escape of Sea Iguana from Deadly Snakes

2017-05-01T00:17:00.000-07:00

This close-up video of a marine iguana hatchling escaping from many venomous and deadly snakes filmed by BBC Earth Unplugged for their episode "Planet Earth II: Islands" became very popular. It shows struggle of newly born sea Iguana run for its life to the safety. Watch the video below:

Incredible Art - "Piyush Vani" with Glue and Gum

2016-12-04T21:12:00.000-08:00

Piyush Goel is an incredible artist, he always surprises the world with his unique and creative pieces of art. Have a look some of the earliier posts with his creative ideas.

Piyush Goel now-a-days writing his own published book "Piyush Vani" with the help of Glue and Gum,before this Piyush Goel has completed 15 Books in Mirrror Image, with Pen, Needle, Mehndi Cone,Iron Nail,Carbon Paper, now he is doing with Glue&Gum.

Happy Thanksgiving Day - A joyous family festival celebrated with lot of enthusiasm in US, Canada and several other countries

2016-11-23T23:00:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Traditionally, it has been a time to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. While it may have been religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday. It is sometimes casually referred to as Turkey Day.

In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October, which is Columbus Day in the United States. In the United States, it falls on the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving Day is also celebrated in Leiden, in the Netherlands. A different holiday which uses the same name is celebrated at a similar time of year in the island of Grenada.

Thanksgiving Day is a joyous family festival celebrated with lot of enthusiasm in US, Canada and several other countries. Thanksgiving Day Festival commemorates the feast held by the Pilgrim colonists and members of the Wampanoag people at Plymouth in 1621. On this day people express gratitude to God for his blessings and give thanks to dear ones for their love & support. Feasting with family is an integral & most delightful part of Thanksgiving Day celebrations.

Origin of Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is America's preeminent day. It is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in the month of November. It has a very interesting history. Its origin can be traced back to the 16th century when the first thanksgiving dinner is said to have taken place.

Journey of Pilgrims

The legendary pilgrims, crossed the Atlantic in the year 1620 in Mayflower-A 17th Century sailing vessel. About 102 people traveled for nearly two months with extreme difficulty. This was so because they were kept in the cargo space of the sailing vessel. No one was allowed to go on the deck due to terrible storms. The pilgrims comforted themselves by singing Psalms- a sacred song.

Arrival in Plymouth

The pilgrims reached Plymouth rock on December 11th 1620, after a sea journey of 66 days. Though the original destination was somewhere in the northern part of Virginia, they could not reach the place owing to winds blowing them off course. Nearly46 pilgrims died due to extreme cold in winter. However, in the spring of 1621, Squanto, a native Indian taught the pilgrims to survive by growing food.

Day of Fasting and Prayer

In the summer of 1621, owing to severe drought, pilgrims called for a day of fasting and prayer to please God and ask for a bountiful harvest in the coming season. God answered their prayers and it rained at the end of the day. It saved the corn crops.

First Thanksgiving Feast

It is said that Pilgrims learnt to grow corn, beans and pumpkins from the Indians, which helped all of them survive . In the autumn of 1621, they held a grand celebration where 90 people were invited including Indians. The grand feast was organized to thank god for his favors. This communal dinner is popularly known as “The first thanksgiving feast”. There is however, no evidence to prove if the dinner actually took place.

While some historians believe pilgrims were quite religious so, their thanksgiving would've included a day of fasting and praying, others say that the Thanksgiving dinner did take place.

Turkey and First Thanksgiving Feast

There is no evidence to prove if the customary turkey was a part of the initial feast. According to the first hand account written by the leader of the colony, the food included, ducks, geese, venison, fish, berries etc.

Pumpkin and Thanksgiving Feast

Pumpkin pie, a modern staple adorning every dinner table, is unlikely to have been a part of the first thanksgiving feast. Pilgrims however, did have boiled pumpkin. Diminishing supply of flour led to the absence of any kind of bread.

The feast continued for three days and was eaten outside due to lack of space. It was not repeated till 1623, which again witnessed a severe drought. Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of thanksgiving in the year 1676. October of 1777 witnessed a time when all the 13 colonies joined in a communal celebration. It also marked the victory over the British.

After a number of events and changes, President Lincoln proclaimed last Thursday in November of thanksgiving in the year 1863. This was due to the continuous efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor. She wrote a number of articles for the cause.

Thanksgiving Day Symbols

Thanksgiving symbolizes the joy of loving, caring, sharing. It is all about togetherness and merry making. The festival stands for the 'Oneness' of people. It epitomizes peace, harmony and union. People world over thank the Lord almighty for all the blessings and material possessions bestowed on them.

A symbol is an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance. Special thanksgiving symbols prevalent world over are:

Pumpkin

Pumpkins are a Thanksgiving favorite for about 400 years.Another modern staple at almost every Thanksgiving table is the customary 'Pumpkin Pie'. It is not sure whether pumpkin was one of the dishes in the first thanksgiving dinner. Pilgrims probably made a pumpkin dish sweetened with honey or syrup. They were however a part of all traditional meals long before the arrival of pilgrims. Pumpkin leaves were also used as salads. According to historians, other seasonal vegetables included squash. People at that time were not particularly fond of vegetables, they were mostly meat eaters. Pumpkin is one of the important symbols of the harvest festival and has been an American-favourite for over 400 years now.

Turkey

Turkey is an inseparable part of Thanksgiving celebration. The celebration of Thanksgiving will be incomplete without the legendary Turkey. It derives its name from the 'turk turk' sounds it makes when scared. Turkey was at one time being considered as the national symbol of America. Benjamin Franklin felt that turkey was the right choice because it was a good runner and had a sharp sight. A bald eagle later became the national symbol of America.

First Thanksgiving Feast

The famous 'Turkey' adorns the table of every household as a main course during the celebration. The customary dinner reminds of the 'Four Wild Turkeys' served at the 'First Thanksgiving Feast'.

It is said, that pilgrims had a feast consisting of cooked turkey after their first harvest in the year 1621, which popularly came to be known as 'First Thanksgiving Feast'. It continued for three days and included ninety Indians. There is however no evidence to prove that turkey was cooked during the first feast. It could have been Venison-flesh of a deeror wild goose meat.

According to folklore Queen Elizabeth of 16th century England was chewing a roast goose during a harvest festival. During the meal, she got to know that the Spanish Armada, on its way to attack England had sunk. In the joy of good news, she ordered for a second goose. Goose became a favourite bird at harvest time in England. However, when the pilgrims arrived in America, they replaced the roasted goose with roasted turkey as main course as it was easier to find and in plenty.

Today, every house cooks turkey as the main dish during the celebration. It is the main mascot of the modern-day thanksgiving. The festivity completes with the customary 'Turkey Song'.

Thanksgiving Day Turkey Song

O turkey dear

How lovely are thy feathers

O turkey dear

There could be nothing better!

We celebrate Thanksgiving Day

By putting your carcass on display.

O turkey dear

You thought we were friends who came to greet you.

O turkey dear

We gathered here to eat you!

O turkey day

The family is all together

O turkey day

We've over come bad weather

Seeing the family is so fab

We'll see ya'll again in rehab.

O turkey day

We'll drink away your memory.

Corn

Corn were a part of first thanks giving feast & are popular till date. Corn is one of the popular symbols of thanksgiving. It came in many varieties and colours-red, white, yellow and blue. Some Americans considered blue and white corn sacred. It is said that native Americans had been growing corn a long time before the pilgrims arrived in their country. The oldest corns date 7000 years back and were grown in Mexico. Americans taught pilgrims how to grow corn and help them survive the bitter winter of 1620. It is certain that corn were a part of the first thanksgiving dinner.

The tradition continues and corn finds its place on every dinner table world over during thanksgiving dinner. Ornamental Corncobs are quite popular during the festival. They are used to decorate dining tables and make harvest wreaths- A popular gift item among Americans. Ornamental popcorns are also widely used. Corn reminds us of the importance and heritage of the famous harvest festival. It also remains America's foundation of 'Modern-Agriculture '.

Cranberry

Cranberry sauce is turkey's favorite thanksgiving feast partner. Cranberry, is a symbol and a modern diet staple of thanksgiving. Originally called crane berry, it derived its name from its pink blossoms and drooping head which reminded the pilgrim of a crane. The name was later changed to what is popularly known as Cranberry. Pilgrims soon found out a way to sweeten the bitten cranberries with maple sugar. Ever since cranberry sauce is a permanent companion of turkey during thanksgiving feast.

Cornucopia

Cornucopia is a horn-shaped basket filled with fruits & goodies. Cornucopia is the most common symbol of a harvest festival. A Horn shaped container, it is filled with abundance of the Earth's harvest. It is also known as the 'horn of plenty'. The traditional cornucopia was a curved goat's horn filled to brim with fruits and grains. According to Greek legend, Amalthea (a goat) broke one of her horns and offered it to Greek God Zeus as a sign of reverence. As a sign of gratitude, Zeus later set the goat's image in the sky also known as constellation Capricorn.

Beans

Beans are regarded as the third of the Indian Three Sisters. Beans are a special symbol of thanksgiving. Native Americans are believed to have taught the pilgrims to grow beans next to cornstalks. This was so that beans could grow and use cornstalks as their pole. Thus American beans are also known as 'Pole Beans'. Famously known as one of the 'Three sisters', beans are a part of thanksgiving feast.

Courtesy : http://www.thanksgiving-day.org/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving