HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY - 2017

10 Facts Every Indian Must Know

- Earlier, January 26, 1930 was celebrated as India's Independence Day or Purna Swaraj Day, when the Declaration of Independence was officially promulgated. In a resolution passed by the Indian National Congress, it declared Purna Swaraj - complete freedom from the British Raj.

- However, in 1947, since August 15 became the official Independence Day, the Indian Constitution was adopted on this day in 1950, to mark the 1930 declaration.

- The first Republic Day was celebrated in 1950, three years after we attained independence.

- President Sukarno of Indonesia was the first chief guest at the R-Day celebrations held on January 26th, 1950.

- On January 26, 1950, the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad took oath at Durbar Hall of government house.

- Republic Day is not just a one-day celebration. The celebrations are spread over 3-days and end with the Beating Retreat on January 29.

- Rajpath wasn't always where the R-Day parade was held. During 1950–1954, the celebrations were organised at different venues including Irwin Stadium, Kingsway, Red Fort and Ramlila Grounds. It was only after the parade was held at Rajpath in 1955 that the venue became the permanent location for holding the celebrations.

- In 1955, Pakistan's Governor General Malik Ghulam Muhammad was the first chief guest for the parade held at Rajpath.

- Abide With Me, a Christian hymn by Scottish Anglican Henry Francis Lyte, is always played during R-Day parade because it was one of Mahatma Gandhi's favourite songs.

- It is on this day that the gallantry medals are awarded.

This year Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, will act as the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebration. The Republic Day parade will be led by a group of 179 soldiers from the UAE.

The National Security Guard (NSG) will debut in this year’s event and the 140 commando team will showcase its exceptional skills during the event. It is expected to sing the NSG anthem – Hain Na Hai Na Hum Hindustan, Hum Rang Rang Hain, Phir Bhi Sang Hain – penned by Gulzar. The anti-hijack team will also put in a performance as well as the anti-sabotage team.

The CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Explosives) team will be on show as well. This is a group of commandos who are advanced terror fighters and use radiation protective suits in order to protect themselves and others from the kinds of threats that have been mentioned above. The team of deep divers, who are capable of killing people underwater, will take part in the celebration as well.

Sherpa, an armoured vehicle that comes with bullet proofing and is an anti-hijacking car, will be introduced during the celebration. It can work underwater and also withstand strong blasts, and thus can be considered a significant addition to the NSG unit.

HAPPY LOHRI & SANKRANTI-2017

Every country in this world has different cultures and traditions- and as a result different festivals , but sometimes some festivals have same themes. 

One of that is the theme of a harvest festival. A harvest festival is generally a celebration of an annual harvest, which generally happens during the time of the main harvest of the particular region. 

 India celebrates its harvest festival in the form of Makar Sankranti on January 14, seven other countries also have their version of a harvest festival.

1) Thanksgiving in the United States of America: Thanksgiving  is essentially a U.S holiday that falls on the fourth Tuesday of November where individuals celebrate the day with their loved ones sharing a wholesome meal comprising a turkey and other items. It originated in 1621, when Pilgrims celebrated their successful wheat crop with a three-day feast where they shared their meal of patridge, wild turkey and fish with Native American tribes.

2) Rice Harvest in Bali, Indonesia: In Bali, Dewi Sri, the rice goddess is worshipped as rice is the staple crop here. And, during this festival, villages are decorated with flags and simple bamboo temples dedicated in honour of the goddess are erected in the most sacred corners of the rice fields.

3) Harvest Moon Festival in China: The Chinese Harvest Moon Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar in honour of the harvesting of the rice and wheat crops. During the Festival, families gather together to view the full moon, which is regarded as a symbol of harmony, luck and abundance. They consume different varieties of moon cakes with a good cup of piping hot Chinese tea and have an overdose of lanterns!

4) Sukkot in Jersulam, Israel: Celebrating Israel’s bountiful harvests, this festival recalls the time when the Israelites wandered the desert living in temporary shelters. As a result, families build makeshift huts, or sukkah with roofs open to the sky where they eat and sometimes sleep for seven days.

5) Madeira Flower Festival in Portugal: The flower festival celebrated in April fills the air with fragrance and marks the arrival of spring. Additionally, each of the island’s children brings a bloom to create the colourful Wall of Hope and the streets are lined with elaborate flower carpets.

6) Lammas Festival in the United Kingdom: Marking the beginning of the harvest season when food is in abundance and the light begins to wane, Lammas is a festival where Britons bake bread from the new crop to leave on church altars.

7) Makar Sankranti is an annual harvest festival that is celebrated in almost all parts of India and Nepal in various cultural forms to celebrate the arrival of spring. It is usually celebrated on January 14 every year with aplomb across the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent. For example, in Gujarat- it is celebrated by flying kites while in Punjab, it is celebrated with bhangra.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017

Some strangest NEW YEAR'S TRADITIONS from around the world.

1) In Denmark they save all of their unused dishes and plates until the 31st of December when they affectionately shatter them against the doors of all their friends and family.

2) In Ecuador they celebrate the New Year by burning paper filled scarecrows at midnight. They also burn photographs from the last year. All in the name of good fortune.

3) In Spain, if you can manage to stuff 12 grapes in your mouth at midnight you’ve achieved good luck for the next year.

4) In the Philippines it’s all about the cash. They believe that everything should be round so as to represent coins and bring wealth. Round food, round clothes, as long as it’s round.

5) In Japan they ring all of their bells 108 times in alignment with the Buddhist belief that this brings cleanness. It’s also considered good to be smiling going into the New Year as it supposedly brings good luck.

6) In Switzerland they celebrate the New Year by dropping ice cream on the floor.

7) In Romania they throw their spare coins into the river to get good luck.

8) In some parts of Puerto Rico they throw pails of water out of their windows to drive away evil spirits.

9) In Bolivia coins are baked into sweets and whoever finds the coins has good luck for the next year.

10) In Colombia they carry their suitcases around with them all day in hopes of having a travel filled year.

11) In Denmark people climb on top of chairs and literally “jump” into the New Year to bring good luck.

12) In Chile families spend the night in the company of their deceased loved ones by sleeping at the cemetery.

13) Just like in Belgium, Romanian farmers try to communicate with their cows. If they succeed, however, then it means bad luck for the year.

14) In Ireland they hit the walls with bread to get rid of evil spirits

15) In Finland people predict the coming year by casting molten tin into a bucket of water and interpreting the resulting shape.