Caught Red Handed #BarAThon

Young Kanha (Lord Krishna) and his friends looked around for the pot of butter. Krishna loved butter. But today they could not find any pots.

Yashoda maiya (mother) had cleverly tied them together suspended from the ceiling.

As Krishna and his friends contemplated their next move, a little bit of butter slipped from one of the pots. The treasure had been found.

The young boys climbed on each other's shoulders and reached those elusive pots of butter. Then followed a butter feast.

Yashoda maiya was returning on home and on hearing her footsteps the young lads ran. The door opened and maiya gazed in anguish at the pots of butter and at young Krishna.

Caught red handed the young Kanha cautiously licked the last of the butter off his face.

"Did you eat the butter?" demanded an annoyed maiya.

"Mein nahi makhan khayo" (I did not eat the butter) said young Krishna with the most innocent of faces and the most endearing of eyes.

"Open your mouth" demanded maiya. Lord Krishna opened his mouth and showed her the entire Universe.

Janmashtami is the festival to celebrate Lord Krishna's birth.

When I was young, the residents of the lane where I lived would tie a pot of yoghurt with some  money. People would simulate Lord Krishna and his friends to get at the pot.

They heralded their arrival with the song "Govinda Ala Re Ala" (Govinda = Lord Krishna, has come)

I really enjoyed watching them but I believe this is now banned in Mumbai.  Such a pity. This is one childhood memory that is etched in my mind.

Here is a video of a Bollywood movie depicting the festival.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z60TE_JDsJE


Share a memory of a festival you really enjoy.


I am participating in the Blog-a-rhythm Blogathon. A 7 day blogging festival. 
I am with Team #CrimsonRush
Day 4 prompt is Caught Red Handed

Warm Regards


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#MondayMusings #IMC Halloween Or A Drink At The BAR

Do you celebrate Halloween?

I must confess that it's not a festival I have an affinity for. We never celebrated in India where I grew up though I had heard of it.

Here in New Zealand it doesn't seem to be that popular either at least where I live. Earlier there were many American and Canadian families in my street and while they were around there was a lot of Halloween activity. But the last few years it's been quiet and I don't see many kids going door to door. Nevertheless I keep a bag of lollies handy just in case.

Going door to door with bag in hand is not my scene and my kids weren't that keen on it either. But one year when my son was little, all the shops in a nearby mall held a Halloween evening for the kids. My daughter took him there and he enjoyed that.

On quite a different subject. The Blog-A-Rhythm group started by Shailaja Vishwanath who blogs at The Moving Quill, turned 1 on October 25th. So here's a cheers to the BAR. Through this group I have made many online friends and discovered new blogs. If ever I need someone, there is always someone who will reach out and show some love. And my blogs receive a lot of love too.  Thank you to all members.

picture source: Blog-A-Rhythm

So happy first birthday to Blog-A-Rhythm and Happy Halloween to those who celebrate.

Written for:
#IMC - Halloween
Blog-A-Rhythm's 1st Birthday

Linking to:
#OpenSlather
#MondayMusings
#MicroblogMonday


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Favourite Holiday Traditions

Favourite Holiday Traditions is the topic for this week's Thursday Writer's Post

Christmas is one of the major holidays that I enjoy but there are others too, so I will take the liberty of writing about those as well.

Christmas

Each year the kids select an ornament that they like for the tree. It's fun to look at them over the years. And each year we choose a colour theme for the tree. We chose Red and Gold this year but ran short of a few so added the purple ones from some years ago. And then there are 6 little teddies and no matter what the colour scheme, these teddies must be on the tree. 

The night before, the kids leave a glass of milk and cookies for Santa.  When they were little they made lists now they just ask for a surprise. (I'm sure Santa breathes a sigh of relief). We open the gifts first thing on Christmas morning and I love watching the kids as they pull each gift out of the sack. Santa never fails to please!

And then there is the Christmas lunch. We usually have some ham and roast lamb or chicken and vegetables. We often invite friends who are alone at Christmas so that they have a place to go to and celebrate.

And then we watch a biblical movie on TV together - there is always a movie on the life of Jesus. A nice reminder of what Christmas is really about. 

For me the giving of gifts is more than a Santa thing - it's about showing the love you feel for another at an auspicious time of year.

And then zooming back to the school days,  I just loved the Christmas Carols.  My favourites are "Silent Night", "Mary's Boy Child",  "Oh Holy Night / Night Divine",  "Oh Come All Ye Faithful".

Diwali

Diwali is also another festival that we celebrate with great joy. For us it signifies the end of a year and the beginning of a new one that is filled with hope and peace.

When I was little we were given new clothes on our birthday, to celebrate an occasion (like a wedding) or a festival like Diwali. Our Diwali clothes were traditional Indian clothes and this was the time when we could select some nice piece of jewellery out of my mother's jewellery box to wear on the day. 

On Diwali day, one member of our very extended family would host a Diwali gathering - often this was at my place or at my grand aunt's place as my grandmother and her (sisters) were the oldest surviving members of the family at the time. It was a grand occasion - beautiful clothes, lots of food and sweets to eat - and family bonding.

I miss those days now. All of us have moved to different parts of the world. Our "families" are now our friends and these festivals are usually celebrated quietly. We usually make Diwali traditional sweets and savouries and exchange these with our friends.

This year however I had a party for my mother's birthday a couple of days before Diwali so I combined the birthday and Diwali celebrations.

 Raksha Bandhan

This is another Indian festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. On this day sisters tie a Rakhi (a sacred thread) on their brother's wrist. It symbolises a sister's love and prayers for the well-being off her brother and her brother's lifelong vow to protect her. Hence Raksha - to protect   Bandhan - to tie.

In our family this is symbolised by the tying of the Rakhi and by the sister giving her brother his favourite sweets (my brother loves chocolates and chocolate cake) and the brother giving his sister a gift.

With my kids however we changed the tradition a little with both kids receiving gifts from each other. 

I think this is a beautiful tradition that brings brothers and sisters closer and reinforces the loving bond that siblings have. 

I think the tradition originated sometime in the 1500s when soldiers went to war, their families tied a sacred thread to bless them for success and thereby protect the families and villages.

Enjoy your holidays.

Warm Regards


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