Diwali Celebration

Diwali is a 5 day festival, celebrated to mark the triumph of good over evil. It is observed each year at some point during mid-October to mid-November in many countries such as India, Singapore, Malaysia, and Nepal, or where there are large Indian communities living such as in Canada, Britain, South Africa and New Zealand.

Just as Christians regard Christmas as a special and important holiday, Diwali is a festival that has as much meaning for Hindus. Aside from Hinduism, other religions that celebrate this festival are Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Whatever your faith, you can join in the festivity that is "The Festival of Lights".

 

1)      Learn what Diwali is:

The thirteenth day from Poornima (Dhanatrayodashi or Dhanteras). This is the first day of Diwali. "Dhan" means "wealth" and teras means thirteenth day. This is the day for celebrating the goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. For some places in India, the lamps are kept burning for Lord Yamaraj, the God of Death.

2)      Go shopping:

 It is customary to buy utensils and ornaments on the first day of Diwali.

3)      Clean the house and business premises thoroughly before the first Diwali day, or the Dhanteras. Do the laundry, clean all the rooms and sort out your papers in both your home and business. It's like a spring cleaning of sorts, a "cleansing" ritual to rid yourself of any unnecessary elements in your environment. Draw small footprints using rice flour and vermillion powder over your house; this is a way of indicating that you're awaiting the arrival of the Goddess.

 

1)      Burn lamps every night during the festival:

In the evening, light small oil lamps (called "diyas") and place them around the home. Turn all the lights on and light some candles. The lamps symbolize knowledge or one's inner light, which brings about inner peace and fights off any traces of darkness and ignorance.

2)      Light some firecrackers and fireworks.

These are a common part of Diwali, used to symbolize warding off evil from your surroundings.

3)      Bake sweets, snacks, and savouries.

These are traditional offerings for Diwali and are given as gifts. Some ideas include: Make Burfi, Kulfi, Pongal, Rasgullas, Jalebi etc.

Karwa Chauth Celebration

Significance:

Karwa Chauth is a festival that provides an opportunity for all married women to get close to their in-laws. All married women observe fast that ensures the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their husbands. This Hindu festival has a cultural and social significance and all Indians celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm. Let's celebrate this festival with Chandrani Pearls today.

The Puja Process:

• The puja preparations start a day in advance. Married women buy the shringar or the traditional adornments and the other puja items like the karwa, matthi, heena etc.

• Early in the morning they prepare food and have it before sunrise. The morning passes by in other festive activities like decorating hand and feet with heena, decorating the puja thali and meeting friends and relatives.

• In the late afternoon women gather at a common place like temple or a garden or someones' place who has arranged the puja. An elderly lady or the pujarin narrates the legend of Karwa Chauth.

• The essentials of this gathering and listening of the Karwa Chauth story , a special mud pot, that is considered a symbol of lord Ganesha, a metal urn filled with water, flowers, idols of Ambika Gaur Mata, Goddess Parwati and some fruits, mathi and food grains. A part of this is offered to the deities and the storyteller.

• At this time the women wear heavy saris or chunries in red, pink or other bridal colors, and adorn themselves with all other symbols of a married woman like, nose pin, tika, bindi, bangles, earrings etc.

• Once the moon rises, the women see its reflection in a thali of water, or through a dupatta or a sieve. They offer water to the moon and seek blessings. They pray for the safety, prosperity and long life of their husbands. This marks the end of the day long fast. 

 

 

 

Memories of Pearl

When a tiny sandstone finds its way into an oyster shell, it becomes so irritating to the oyster that it starts working on the stone, and eventually one day the sandstone becomes a beautiful, smooth, shiny pearl. Pearls are costly to mankind. It takes a number of pearls to make just one necklace. No wonder they are priceless and precious to the one who finds them. They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but Indira a young and beautiful woman remembers the day she inherited her mother’s pearls. It was a beautiful ashtami morning. Like any other Bengali girl Indira was also getting ready in a saree, to go to the para pandal and look her best while doing that. While she was gazing at the mirror and was wondering about the jewellery that would match the saree, her mother came up with the box that contained their heirloom  jewellery and gave her to wear a string of pearls that belonged to her grandmother. From that day onwards pearls became her best friend, she cherishes the moment till date. Celebrate spirituality; make this puja special by investing in a timeless pearl jewellery set that will be cherished by generations to come.