Hey fellow adventurers! Happy Indian Independence Day! This isn’t a normal day that I post but I had to say something about Independence Day today! Also, kudos to whoever made today’s featured image! That’s beautiful!
You might remember me talking about Indian independence from Britain in my history blog post but I’ll recap in case you forgot or haven’t gotten around to that one yet. The British Parliament signed the Indian Independence Act in August 1947 and it went in to effect on the 15th of August 1947. Also on this day, Britain split up what was then India into today’s India and Pakistan. However, we’re focusing solely on modern day India. I’ll talk about modern day Pakistan another month. Independence Day is observed as a national holiday in all Indian states and union territories.
On the morning of Independence Day, the current president of India (Ram Nath Kovind) gives a speech, the “Address to the Nation” and then hoists the Indian flag on top of the Red Fort. In his speech, the prime minister pays tribute to the leaders of the Indian independence movement, acknowledges India’s achievements over the past year, raises important issues and talks about the future of India. Twenty-one gun shots are fired for the occasion. They sing the national anthem “Jana Gana Mana.” After the speech, the have a parade to show off the Indian armed forces and paramilitary forces as well as showcase scenes from the independence struggle and India’s diverse cultural traditions. Independence Day parades aren’t limited to Delhi however, other parades will start popping up across India. Government and non-government institutions will hold flag-hoisting ceremonies and events. Some cities will have kite flying events. You’ll see the Indian flag everywhere as people try to show their allegiance to India. People will even try to match their clothing, wristbands, cars, household accessories to the Indian flag. Independence Day now a day is more of a celebration of all things India. Some cities outside of India celebrate today as well (specifically places with a lot of Indian immigrants).
Hey fellow adventurers! There’s going to be two posts today. The first is the usual post and the second is this one about Krishna Janmashtami since that takes place today, on the 14th. Hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Krishna Janmashtami, usually just referred to as Janmashtami, is a Hindu holiday that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the god of compassion, tenderness, and love. He is worshiped as the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right. Janmashtami is one of the largest festivals in the Hindu world, and is observed on a different day each year since the date is determined by the lunisolar cycle rather than the Gregorian calendar.
The festivities take place over forty-eight hours. For the first event, Krishan Ashtami, Hindus wake up before dawn to sing and pray in honor of Krishna. Some will also dance and preform dramatic rituals that tell the story of Krishna’s birth and life. A lot of Hindus will also fast in his honor. Vigils (staying awake during a time people normally sleep to keep watch or pray) are held until midnight when it is believed that the deity was born. Sometimes, people will also bathe and dress statues of the baby Krishna to commemorate his birth. On the second day, Janam Ashtami, Hindus will break their fast of the previous day with elaborate meals that often contain milk or cheese curds, said to be two of Krishna’s favorite foods.
Hey fellow adventurers! I love folktales! Some of the most creative and interesting stories are folktales. My favorite book as a girl was a kids’ version of One Thousand and One Nights (more commonly known as Arabian Nights). My favorite story being one of the lesser known “The Prince and the Tortoise.” However, even though Indian folktales influenced the Arabian Nights, maybe even slipped in to the books, that’s not what we’re talking about today. I’m going to talk about some of the more popular Indian folktales but I’m also going to leave out a lot of stories too. There are a lot of Indian folktales!
Jataka Tales
Originally written in Pali in 300 BCE, the Jataka Tales has since been translated and spread across the world. The stories were written to impart knowledge and morality on the reader. The tales mostly focus on the many births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form.
Panchatantra Tales
Originally written in Sanskrit and Pali, the Panchantantra Tales have been translated into multiple languages. These tales were compiled in the 200 BCE. It is believed that the stories were written by Vishnu Sharma and other scholars for the purpose of teaching moral values and governing skills to the young sons of the king. The tales consist of animal stories told in prose and poetry.
Hitopadesha Tales
The Hitopadesha Tales are a compilation of short stories composed by Narayana Pandit. Translated from Sanskrit, the stories are told in prose and poetry. A lot, if not all, of these stories are over 1,000 years old. The Hitopadesha Tales are often compared to the Panchatantra Tales. Unlike the Panchatantra Tales though, the Hitopadesha Tales was written for the common folk.
Ramayana
Translated from Sanskrit, “Ramayana” is an epic poem that narrates the life of Prince Rama. The story follows him as he gets banished from his kingdom, travels across India with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, rescues his wife with an army of monkeys after she was kidnapped by Rakshasa the demon king of Lanka, and then eventually returns to his kingdom to be crowned king. Considered by many to be one of the most important literary pieces of ancient India, this piece has been influencing art in Southeast Asia for centuries. This story has been retold in multiple different art forms countless times. Below is the story being told through dance.
Mahabharata
Also translated from Sanskrit, “Mahabharata” is made up of almost 100,000 (ten times longer than the Iliad and the Odyssey combined), making it the longest epic poem known. The story follows the Kurukshetra War, the war between two groups of cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, over the throne of Hastinapur. It was announced earlier this year that Dr. B. R. Shetty invested $150 million (American) to produce “Mahabharata,” making it the biggest Indian motion picture ever. It’s going to be directed by V. A. Shrikumar Menon and will come out in two parts. The first part is planned to be released in 2018 and the second part in 2020.
If there were any folktales that you believe deserve mention, please tell me in a comment below. I would love to read about it! Until our next adventure!
Hey fellow adventurers! A lot of things come to mind when I think about India and spices are definitely one of them. India produces over 70% of the world’s spices. They love their spices! And I can’t blame them. I love using spices to make up for my terrible cooking skills. Now, I’m not saying Indians do this (Indian is my favorite food), but you can. When I’m talking about spices, I don’t just mean spicy spices but everything. I can’t handle anything spicy, personally. Unfortunately, I can’t talk about every spice that comes from India but I’ll cover the most popular.
Corianders Seeds (Dhania) and Powder
Corianders is sweet and tangy with a slight citrusy taste. It is commonly used in making pastries, bread, and fish. It is also occasionally used as a replacement for salt in savory meals and is a key ingredient in curry.
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
Cumin seeds have a nutty, somewhat bitter taste with a slight hint of lemon. It is used to flavor rice and stuffed vegetables, as well as add to a lot of savory dishes and curries (especially beef dishes). Often times, cilantro is also added.
Cardamom Black (Badi Elaichi or Kali Elaichi)
Cardamom is one of India’s favorite spices. It’s commonly used in curries, savory and sweet dishes, ice cream and custards. It is also the 3rd most expensive spice in the world. Cardamom has a sweet, lemony, eucalyptus flavor.
Mustard Seeds (Sarson/Shorshe/Rai)
Mustard seeds have a mild, somewhat bitter taste. Raw food can be cooked in oil flavored with mustard seeds or it can be poured over some dishes just before serving. They help emulsify liquids use in salad dressing recipes to help blend oil and vinegar and add a spicy zip. They are a popular addition to vegetable dishes, beans, pastries and pickles.
Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
Turmeric has a pungent, bitter flavor with scents of orange and ginger. It is one of India’s favorite spices and the 9th most expensive spice in the world. It is used in curries, fish dishes and with beans. Sometimes people use turmeric instead of saffron because of its bright, yellow color.
Red Chili Powder
Red chili powder is very hot because it is made from the hottest part of the chili, the dried, ground seeds of the chili. Unlike other chili powders, Indian chili powder is pure ground chilis.
Ginger (Adrak)
Ginger is both spicy and sweet. It can be used in sweet dishes, desserts, or in savory dishes such as hot curries and stir fries. It is considered an aphrodisiac.
Garam Masala
Garam Masala means “hot spices” and is made up of a mixture of ground spices (often cloves, cardamom, cumin, peppercorn, cinnamon, and bay leaves). The portions and spices change depending on what you’re making. Garam Masala is different for a fish recipe versus a beef or chicken recipe.
Cinnamon (Darchini)
Cinnamon is a sweet tasting spice and many find the smell of it to be calming. It’s the 5th most expensive spice in the world. It is available as a powder but a lot of people prefer it in stick form. Whole cinnamon is used for spacing hot drinks, ground – in cakes, sweet dishes, fruit pies (especially apples), as well as being used in more savory dishes, such as curries, and combines perfectly with chicken.
Cloves (Laung/Lavang/Grambu)
Cloves have been used in India for thousands of years, not only in cooking, but to sweeten the breath and to relieve the pain of toothache. They contain a mild anesthetic. It’s the 4th most expensive spice in the world. Whole cloves are frequently used to flavor meat dishes, curries, and soups.
Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)
Fenugreek seeds have a curry-like taste. In fact, it is one of the main ingredients of curry powders. It is also used to add flavor to meat dishes. And is considered an aphrodisiac.
Fennel Seeds (Saunf or Mouri)
Fennel seeds taste like a more bitter version of black licorice. It’s used to sweeten curry dishes and is sometimes paired with peanuts or citrus fruits. They’re most popularly roasted and eaten after a meal to freshen the breath.
Nutmeg (Jaiphal)
Nutmeg has a slightly sweet, nutty taste. It is the 7th most expensive spice in the world. Nutmeg is used to add sweet and savory flavor to dishes such as pies, custards, puddings, cakes, soufflés, vegetables, egg dishes, lamb, fish, and beverages.
Peppercorns (Kali Mirchi)
Peppercorns have a pungent, woody aroma and hot, biting taste. It is the 8th most expensive spice in the world. Pepper is the only spice that is used to flavor food before, during and after cooking. Whole or grounded peppercorns can be added to most savory dishes.
Asafoetida
Asafoetida is also known as devil’s dung due to its pungent smell while raw. Most commonly used in powder form, asafoetida gets a truffle-like flavor and garlicy smell once cooked. It is mainly used for digestive purposes due to its supposed antiflatulence properties.
Saffron (Zaffran)
a pile of saffron threads on a rustic wooden table
Saffron has a distinctively pungent, honey-like flavor and aroma. It is by far the most expensive spice in the world with one pound costing anywhere between $2,200-8,000. It’s available in either thread and powder form. The threads can be lightly roasted, crumbled in a hot water and left to infuse to bring out their full strength. Saffron is used to color rice dishes, sweets, puddings, sauces and soups to bright yellow.
If there’s any spices you think should have been on the list that wasn’t, please comment below! Until our next adventure!
Hey fellow adventurers! Today we’re looking and talking about Indian landmarks! If there’s any that you felt should have made this list but didn’t, please feel free to comment below. 😊
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal was commissioned in 1632 by Shah Jahan to be built as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took over twenty years to build and was inspired by Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture. It is one of the most celebrated structures in the world and seen to many as an embodiment of love and marital devotion. It was classified by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Site in 1983.
Golden Temple
The Harmandir Sahib, known to most as the Golden Temple, is the holiest Gurdwara (Sikh’s place of worship) of Sikhism. Inside the Harmandir Sahib, you’ll find the Adi Granth which is the early compilation of the Sikh Scriptures by Guru Arjan. You’ll also find the Akal Takht, one of five takhts. It is a place of justice, the highest seat of earthly authority of the Khalsa (the collective body of the Sikhs), and the place of the Jathedar (the highest spokesman of the Sikhs). The Harmandir Sahib was built so that anyone, regardless of religion, could worship God there. The four entrances represent the four directions and symbolize the openness of the Sikhs towards all people and religions. Over 100,000 people visit the Harmandir Sahib daily and enjoy the free meals there. If you want to learn more about Sikhism or want a better explanation for any of the Sikh terms used here, visit: http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Main_Page
Red Fort
The Red Fort is named such because of its massive walls made of red sandstone. It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal dynasty for nearly 200 years, as well as the place where they would hold ceremonial and political events that effect the Mughal state. Shah Jahan (↑the guy who commissioned the Taj Mahal↑) commissioned the Red Fort to be the palace for the capital of the Mughal state, Shahjahanabad. Today it consists mostly of museums and every Independence Day, the prime minister hoists the Indian flag from the main gate and delivers a nationally broadcasted speech from its walls. It was classified by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2007.
Humayun’s Tomb
The tomb was commissioned by Humayun’s first wife Empress Bega Begum. It was the first garden tomb on the Indian subcontinent and no structure before it had used as much red sandstone. The complex surrounding Humayun’s tomb also holds numerous other Mughals graves, including Bega Begum. This design was a huge leap in Mughal architecture that would later inspire Mughals to create more intricate architecture, such as the Taj Mahal. It was classified by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1993.
Gateway of India
The Gateway of India was originally constructed in 1924 to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay (Mumbai). The first recorded main event here was the First Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry in 1948 which is when the last of the British troops left India. This signaled the end of British rule. It is the most popular tourist attracted in Mumbai.
India Gate
The India Gate is a war memorial for the 82,000 soldiers of the Indian Army who died between 1914–1921 in the First World War, in France, Flanders, Mesopotamia, Persia, East Africa, Gallipoli and elsewhere in the Near and the Far East, and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. It has the name of 13,300 servicemen that died during that time (some of which were from the U.K.). They began construction in 1921 and finished in 1931. It is often compared to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the Gateway of India in Mumbai.
Mysore Palace
Located in the heart of Mysore city, the Mysore Palace (AKA Amba Vilas Palace) was once the official residence of the Wadiyar dynasty who ruled the Kingdom of Mysore from 1399 to 1950. In 1897, the palace was destroyed by a fire and construction of the new palace was completed in 1912 (and later expanded in 1940). It is now the second most popular tourist attraction in India, behind the Taj Mahal.
Qutub Minar
Part of the Qutb complex (array of monuments and buildings, built to honor the Sufi saint Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki), the Qutub Minar is a 240 feet (73 meter) tall minaret. It has a spiral staircase with 379 steps. Built in 1193, the Qutub Minar is one of the oldest surviving pieces of architecture in India. It has been partially destroyed by earthquakes and lightening but the destroyed parts have been fixed up and the structure added to over time. It was classified by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1993.
Mehrangarh Fort
Rao Jodha, the fifteenth Rathore ruler, decided to move the capital from Mandore to Jodhpur which would be easier to defend. Mehrangarh Fort was built around 1460, resides approximately 410 feet (125 meters) above the ground and is one of the biggest forts in India. The fort has seven gates. You can still see the imprints of cannonballs fired by attacking armies of Jaipur on the second gate.
Hampi
Hampi is a village and temple located within the ruins of the city of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is believed that Hampi was part of the Maurya Empire in the third century BCE. It was classified by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1986.
Swaminarayan Akshardham
Swaminarayan Akshardham is a temple and a spiritual-cultural campus that officially opened on November 6, 2005 by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. On their website, they advertise: the Mandir (place to pray to the deities), Abhishek Mandap (place to pray for peace and fulfillment), 3 exhibitions (a show, a film and a boat ride), a water show and thematic gardens. For more information, go to their website: http://akshardham.com/.
Amber Fort
The Amer Palace, was created in the late 16th century, as a larger palace to the already existing home of the rulers. The older palace, known as Kadimi Mahal (Persian for ancient) is known to be the oldest surviving palace in India (believed to have been built in 967 CE). This ancient palace sits in the valley behind the Amer Palace. The palace was the residence of the Rajput Maharajas and their families. At the entrance to the palace near the fort’s Ganesh Gate, there is a temple dedicated to Shila Devi, a goddess of the Chaitanya cult, which was given to Raja Man Singh when he defeated the Raja of Jessore, Bengal in 1604. It was classified by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2013.
Hawa Mahal
Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Wind, was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh from red and pink sandstone. The structure was built so the women of the royal household could observe street festivals and everyday life while unseen from the outside. They did this because the women had to obey strict “purdah” (face cover). The building has 953 small windows. The lattice (openwork framework) not only allows women to look out unseen but also provides ventilation in the summer to keep it cool, even in hot temperatures. Many who look at Hawa Mahal from the street think that’s the front of the building, but it’s actually the back.
If you want to see where these are located in India, check out Google map:
Hey guys! There’s two posts today! One regular and one for Raksha Bandhan. Please enjoy!
Raksha Bandhan means “bond of protection” and is a Hindu festival, observed on the full moon day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Shravana. The festival celebrates the love between brothers and sisters, or any brother-sister type of relationship between men and women who may or may not be biologically related.
Rakhi ritual: Firstly, brothers and sisters dress up nice for the ritual. Then on the morning of Raksha Bandhan, in the presence of their family, they light a lamp or a candle (which signifies the fire deity), and begin the ritual. The sister and brother face each other so the sister can tie the rakhi (sacred thread) on her brother’s wrist. This symbolizes the sister’s love. The rakhi can be a simple thread or adjourned with charms. Once tied, the sister will wish her brother goodwill and happiness. If you need help figuring out what to say, go here: http://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/raksha-bandhan-2017-wishes-whatsapp-messages-quotes-to-share-with-your-siblings-1734132. Afterwards, the sister will apply a tilaka (a mark worn usually on the forehead). In response, the brother gives the sister a gift and offers to protect her and take care of her under all circumstances. The brother’s gift to the sister can be cards, clothes, money or something thoughtful. The sister then feeds the brother, with her hands, one or more bites of sweets (desserts), dry fruits and other seasonal delicacies. They hug, and their family ritually congratulate the festive celebration of brother-sister love and protection. The brothers wear the rakhi for the entire day, at school or work, as a reminder of their sisters and to mark the festival of Raksha Bandhan.
Hey fellow adventurers! India has 22 official languages but Hindi is the most commonly spoken, and Hindi written in the Devanagari script is an official language of the Government of India (the other official language of the government is English). And because of that, we’re going to focus on Hindi today! Hindi is descended from Sanskrit and has been influenced by various other languages, including Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Portuguese, and English. It is the fourth most spoken language in the world (after Mandarin, Spanish, and English). Unlike the French blog, I have zero experience with Hindi so we’ll be learning this together! 😊 Now, on to learning the language!
I’m most likely going to start off every language blog with a video on pronunciation because I know that really helps when learning French. I can’t vouch for how accurate any of it is though because of my zero experience with Hindi but I’ll do my best. I watched multiple pronunciation videos and I liked YouTuber Anil Mahato the most. I’m only going to share one of his many videos about learning Hindi. If you’re interested in learning more about Hindi, I highly suggest checking out his YouTube channel. He has videos other than teaching Hindi that look fun to watch too.
This cool site has a list of everyday phrases translated from English to Hindi and it’s easy to follow:
I talked about this last time but I’ll quickly mention it again: Duolingo. Duolingo is an awesome, free app that helps you learn a foreign language. And yes, it has Hindi! I checked! So, if you’re serious about learning Hindi or are just curious and want to learn a few words, check it out!
Hey fellow adventurers! First of all, I’m really sorry that this was posted so late! I didn’t realize how long it would take to write this blog post and I promise, I’ll try to keep this a one-time occurrence. Thank you so much for being patient as I write this!
India has a long and convoluted history but I’ll try my best to cover it accurately while still making it an amusing read. India has been orally passing down information from kin to kin since before the writing system was developed. And because of that, there are people still preforming rituals from 3,000 years ago. 3,000 years! Most of the information we know about the preliterate period comes from a large body of texts written in the 5th century BCE called the Vedas. This body of texts was written by priests, philosophers and poets and stores previously undocumented works from 1500-500 BCE. If you want to learn more, check the links below. I got a lot of the last part of the timeline from this source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12641776.
India is a country in South Asia. It is the world’s largest democracy and second most populous country. Though some believe that India will become the most populous country (#1 right now is China) in a little over ten years. In 1991 India became one of the fastest-growing major economies and is now the sixth largest in the world (measured by gross domestic product or gdp).
The Good:
Is officially Polio-free
Is one of the world’s largest contributors to clean energy
Has the second largest network of paved highways
Has the largest postal network in the world
Has the world’s third largest standing army
So many people attend the Kumbh Mela (a huge Hindu religious festival) that you can see it from space
Created the concept of shampoo
Produces the most amount of spices in the world
Is one of the only three countries that builds its own super computers
Was the one that found water on the moon
Has the largest number of vegetarians in the world
Is the biggest producer and consumer of mangoes
The Bad:
There are more road deaths in India than anywhere else in the world
Most Indians live on less than $2 a day and 35% live below the poverty line
Every 2 hours, a woman dies in India due to an unsanitary abortion
There are more men than women in India, partly due to “gendercide” (the practice of aborting female fetuses)
Diarrhea is common in India because of contaminated drinking water
Has the most amount of slaves in the world
Almost 50% of Indian children are considered malnourished by the Indian government
Cases of rape and molestation have been increasing since 2012
A lot of Indians don’t have quick access to a hospital
Has the highest amount of street children in the world (and 35% of those children are dealing with substance abuse)
Hey fellow adventurers! It’s the end of July! Which means this is the last post about France. However, there’s so much about France that I couldn’t cover in this triweekly blog. If any of the subjects I mentioned intrigued you and you want to learn more, I highly recommend checking out some other blogs. I did some research and looked around to find the best blogs about France and this is what I found:
If I didn’t mention a blog that you feel deserves to be on this list, please comment below! I hope you enjoyed this month’s blog posts! It’s time to move on to a different country now. Au revoir, France! Bonjour India!
