Happy Republic Day- 2018

Republic day in India is celebrated every year with great pride on 26th of January to honour the Constitution of India as it came into force on the same day in the year 1950. 

CHIEF GUESTS ON REPUBLIC DAY OF INDIA, 2018

The chief guests on Republic Day of India 2018 were 10 Leaders of the 10 nations of the world (Heads of ASEAN states)

1. Sultan and incumbent Prime Minister Hassanal Bolkiah – Brunei
2. Prime Minister Hun Sen – Cambodia
3. President Joko Widodo – Indonesia
4. Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith – Laos
5. Prime Minister Najib Razak – Malaysia
6. President Htin Kyaw – Myanmar
7. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte – Philippines
8. President Halimah Yacob – Singapore
9. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha – Thailand
10. Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc – Vietnam

What was Special on 2018 Indian Republic Day

• India celebrated its Republic Day 2018 with the great leaders of all 10 Asean countries (Association of South East Asian Nations). This year in 2018, it happened for the first time in Indian history that 10 chief guests graced the Republic Day of India. It was very special because the Southeast Asian bloc completed its 50 years of formation (created on 8 August 1967) and India completed its 25 years of partnership (started in 1992) with the grouping in 2017.
• It is for the first time that ASEAN Flags were displayed through fly in the sky over Rajpath.
• It is for the first time that one of the floats showed “All India Radio” to display Prime Minister’s monthly address “Mann Ki Baat”.
• One of the floats from Income Tax Department displayed anti-black money drive (swachh dhan abhiyan).
• 113 BSF women performed motorcycle stunts such as pyramid, shaktiman, fish riding, seema prahari, bull fighting, etc.
• Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant was displayed by the Indian Navy which will be commissioned in 2020.
• “Nirbhay missile” and the “Ashwini radar system” from The Defence Development and Research Organization were displayed.
• “Airborne Early Warning and Control System (Netra) flown over the Rajpath.
• Group of students from Delhi school performed to represent Indo-ASEAN ties.
• Around 700 students from the guest countries performed in the parade other than the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy.
• A float by Punjab displayed under the theme “Sangat and Pangat” (Sangat means communal harmony; Pangat means community kitchen) representing love for humanity.
• Kathak and folk dances of many countries like Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, etc were also displayed.
• Around 61 tribal guests were invited to participate in the Republic Day celebration.

Happy Basant Panchami- 2018

A day when you don’t have to study

On Saraswati puja, you don’t have to study. That’s because your books will be at Goddess Saraswati’s feet for her blessing. This festival is popular in West Bengal and South India.

This day is also known as Vasant Panchami or the Festival of Kites. Children fly kites in Punjab. This year, the festival is on 22 January. It marks the start of spring.

Yellow is the colour of the day. It symbolizes spring, as yellow mustard flowers bloom during this time in Punjab. Everyone wears yellow clothes, including Goddess Saraswati. Yellow rice and yellow sweets like kesar halwa are made. Yellow marigold flowers are offered to the goddess. People put yellow coloured turmeric (haldi) as tilak on their forehead.

Saraswati is the goddess of learning, music, art and culture. Saraswati puja is celebrated as her birthday. Saraswati means purity and truthfulness. The deity Saraswati is always white, wearing a yellowish white saree that has been dyed with shiuli flowers (small white flowers with orange stems). She holds a veena showing her love for music. Saraswati holds a lotus flower (pure wisdom) and has a swan sitting beside her.

Three year old children are made to sit in front of the Goddess and they use the chalk, for the first time, to write on their slates. This is called haate khori. Sit and draw competitions are one of the popular activities of the day. In the evenings, children perform musical shows and act out plays.

PEACE DAY SONG

Importance of Makar Sankranti (2018)

Makar Sankranti denotes the entry of the sun into the zodiac sign of Makara (Capricorn) as it travels on its celestial path. 

The day marks the onset of summer and the six months auspicious period for Hindus known as Uttaarayan. The connection with Uttaraayan dates back to the mythological era of The Mahabharata when Bhishma Pitamah lay down on a bed of arrows and waited for the sun to be in Uttaraayan to breath his last.

Considered as one of the most ancient Hindu festivals, it is observed according to the solar cycles. Thus, it almost always falls on the same Gregorian date every year. The festivities associated with the day is known by different names in different parts of the country — Lohri by north Indian Hindus and Sikhs, Sukarat in central India, Bhogali Bihu by Assamese Hindus, and Pongal by Tamil and other south Indian Hindus.

The day is dedicated to the Hindu god surya (sun) and is observed to convey gratitude to nature for its resources. The significance of the sun god can be traced back to the Vedic texts, especially the Gayatri Mantra — a sacred hymn of the Hindus.

It is common for people to take a holy dip in rivers, especially Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari and Krishna. It is generally believed that such a practice would absolve them of their past sins.

In most parts of the country, the time preceding Makar Sankranti indicates the early stages of Rabi crop and agricultural cycle where the crops are sown and most of the work is done. Thereby the day is marked by people socialising with each other and enjoying each other’s company.

Story on Makar Sankranti for children- (Click on the given link)

The Kite Flying Festival

Story Books for children

On Seasons :-

1. Sunshine Makes the Seasons by Franklyn M. Branley

2. The Year At Maple Hill Farm by Alice Provensen

3. The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons

4. Red Signs from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman

5. When The Wind Stops by Charlotte Zolotow

6. Green Eyes by A. Birnbaum

7. Sky Tree by Thomas Locker

8. Around the Year by Tasha Tudor

9. Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit; A Book of Changing Seasons by II Sung Na

10. I Am a Bunny by Ole Risom