Invoking Mother Goddess this Navaratri (Part 2)
The appeal of the Mother Goddess had gained an additional dimension in the days of the national struggle for freedom when patriot-poets like Bankim and Bharati saw in Mother India the same Goddess of Sakti and sang the new mantras of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Om Sakti om'. May this triple Goddess bless this country that she might grow into Power, Plenty and Wisdom!
Read MoreEffect of Cultural Tourism at Shonibarer Haat
Shonibarer haat is a weekly Saturday afternoon bazaar set up by local artisans in Santiniketan, Birbhum district, West Bengal. It takes place on Saturdays in the khowai region, which is a geographical formation of small canyons resulting from constant erosion caused by wind and water. This place is characterised by Shyambati canal on one side and a patch of dry forest of Sonajhuri (Acacia Auriculiformis) trees on an eroded landscape of red laterite soil on the other side. Sonajhuri literally means “droplets of gold”.
Read MoreRamayana Parampara in Tripura
This is the third part in the series of articles on the Ramayana tradition in North-East India. The immensely rich cultural history and heritage of Tripura certainly brings forth the point that both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata had always been an integral and inseparable part of this heritage.
Read MoreRamayana Parampara among the Garos and the Jaintias of Meghalaya
Dadhi Mathan, the childhood story of Keli Gopal (Sri Krisnā) is the only play based on one of the episodes from the Mahabharata. Bhari Gan is mainly performed as a part of the different traditional modes of worship and rituals and ceremonies of the Rabhas and the Garos. In a full-fledged occasion of such traditional worship such as Bhar Puja, both the Dadhi Mathan and a Ramayana-based play are performed.
Read MoreDifferent Colours of Holi Celebrations from North-East India
Holi, for Hindus, is the time when we meet one another, play with colours, have fun, laugh, and most importantly, welcome the summer heat after the chilly winters. Holi in North-East India would perhaps remain incomplete without talking about the famous Doul Utsav festival of the culturally-rich Barpeta district in Assam.
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