Today all Hindus around the world are celebrating Deepavali (or Diwali). This colorful festival is also known as the festival of lights. The word “Deepa” means light and “Avali” means a row.

One important practice that the Hindus follow during the festival is to light oil lamps in their homes on Deepavali morning to welcome Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and prosperity.

The day of Deepavali begins with special bath with oil, wearing new dress, ritual of worship, special foods and in the night lighting the lamps and firing crackers to celebrate through the sounds of joy. The family and friends meet on this day to wish greetings and celebrate together.

There is an interesting legend associated with this festival. The story goes that Narakasura, a demon, ruled the kingdom of Pradyoshapuram. Under his rule, the villagers suffered a lot of hardship as the demon tortured the people and kidnapped the women to be imprisoned in his palace. Seeing his wickedness, Lord Khrishna set out to destroy the demon and the day Narakasura died was celebrated as Deepavali, the triumph of good over evil!

Happy Deepavali!

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After a month of fasting during Ramadan, Muslims celebrated Hari Raya Aidilfitri on October 1, 2008.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri (in Malay term) or Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr, often abbreviated to Eid, marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

Eid ul-Fitr is a time to celebrate all the good things in life and give thanks for all blessings. An important part of Eid ul-Fitr is performing acts of charity. During this time each household pays a small tax, usually in money but occasionally in food, which is given to the poor so that they may celebrate Eid ul-Fitr also. Homes are decorated and everyone wears new clothes. This is a time of giving and receiving and spending time with loved ones.

In the mornings of Eid ul-Fitr people wake very early and attend prayers. These prayers are held in mosques and large open areas. After prayers everyone goes home to eat breakfast. Once breakfast is finished, the visiting begins. Families welcome friends and neighbors to wish them a happy Eid ul-Fitr and eat special foods with them.

Children receive gifts on Eid ul-Fitr, but they do not receive toys; they are given money. Children may collect quite a large sum of money if many family and friends visit.

Eid ul-Fitr is also a time of reconciliation. Feuds and disputes are resolved. Obligations are fulfilled. Blessings are acknowledged. It is a time of happiness and good will among all people.

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Imagine if you don’t eat and drink from 5.40am until 7.15pm. It is about 13.5 hours!

Do you know that all Muslims around the world are fasting this month? This year, the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan started on September 1, 2008.

Ramadan, a month of fasting, characterizes one of the five pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam constitute the foundations in a Muslim’s life: ‘Shahadah’ (the declaration of faith), ‘Salah’ (prayer), ‘Zakah’ (required expenditure), ‘Siyam’ (fasting) and ‘Hajj’ (pilgrimage to Mecca).

For over a billion Muslims worldwide, Ramadan is a sacred time of the year. Ramadan was the month in which the first verses of the holy Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Mohammad. During Ramadan, Muslims fast everyday from dawn to dusk. It is a time for inner reflection, restraint, munificence, amity and devotion to God. The sighting of the new moon at the end of Ramadan heralds the celebration of Eidul-Fitr, a festival signifying the breaking of the fast. Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar (Al-Hijrah), is an annual spiritual occasion that encompasses the entire Muslim world in one religious season. Al-Hijrah, the Islamic calendar, is based on the lunar system, which has twelve months in the year.

The Ramadan fast is a divine sanction that is required of all able-bodied Muslims who are free from undeniable excuses: i.e. he or she must be an adult Muslim, sane, healthy, and not travelling. If a person fulfils these prerequisites, fasting becomes mandatory.

By fasting, a devoted Muslim works to control or change his or her habits that are acquired in everyday life. It trains the body and soul, rekindles life and encourages a spirit of sharing and giving.

Fasting strengthens family ties - together they congregate twice a day. They join once for ‘sahuur’, a light meal eaten just before dawn, and once for ‘iftar’, a breaking of the fast at sunset. In fasting, friendship is also strengthened, for Ramadan is known as the month of invitations and visits. Friends, family members and neighbors extend invitations to each other to come to their homes for ‘iftar’.

While fasting, the heart, the soul, and the body are conditioned with the virtues of patience, tenacity, and resolution. Patience is the summit of self-mastery, discipline, obedience and spiritual dexterity. Ramadan helps a serious believer remold, reshape, reform, and renew his physical and spiritual temperament and behavior.

Centuries ago, fasting was a symbol of sorrow, mourning, penitence for sins, a reminder of disasters as well as self-degradation in Judaism and Christianity. Islam modified this negative idea of fasting, into an enlightened concept of victory over the forces of evil. The month of fasting in Islam is a month of worship that Muslims hail each year with vigor, enthusiasm and pleasure; they are saddened only when the month concludes.

Ramadan offers a religious and spiritual opportunity for peace, consideration and acceptance for all mankind, as with Christmas, Thanksgiving and Yom Kippur.

Life is so beautiful!

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A party atmosphere is a feature of the Olympic Games. Each edition has an Opening Ceremony during which the sports stadium is filled with music, singing, dancing and fireworks.

The opening ceremony is an invitation to discover the culture of the country hosting the Games. Although most of the ceremony is creative and imaginative, there are some very strict rituals that have to be followed.

Most of this protocol had been established by the time the 1920 Games in Antwerp (Belgium). It has been added to over the years as the Games have evolved.

Here’s the protocol:

1. The entry of the athletes into the stadium with their delegations (in alphabetical order, except for Greece which goes first, and the host country which brings up the rear);
2. The declaration of the opening of the Games by the Head of State of the host country;
3. The address by the Games Organizing Committee President;
4. The speech by the IOC President;
5. The entry of the Olympic flag into the stadium;
6. The Olympic anthem;
7. The symbolic release of doves (a symbol of peace);
8. The oath sworn by an athlete and an official from the host country (respect for the rules);
9. The entrance of the flame and lighting of the cauldron (reference to the ancient Games).

For more information on 2008 Beijing Olympics: Click Here.

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Today is a very special day.

For Chinese the number 8 is considered lucky just like the number 7 in the West. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the 2008 Beijing Olympics starts on August 8, 2008 or 08-08-08 at 8.08pm (GMT +8).

The number “8″ is the favorite number for Chinese as it is pronounced as “Fai” - means rich in Chinese. Who don’t want to be rich?

You will observe that the Chinese will prefer to live on the 8th floor, or use the phone number with a lot of number 8, or having car registration number that have the number 8 etc. Since the number 8 is so much in demand, one will have to pay extra to have the number 8.

On today (08-08-08), it is predicted to be a record number of weddings, even surpassing the number of weddings on 07-07-07 (July 7, 2007). According to Chinese Astrology, the date 08-08-08 is in the year of the Rat (2008), the month of the Monkey (August), and the day of the Dragon. It just so happens that the Rat, Monkey and Dragon are in the same affinity group or trine. That means the three Chinese Zodiac animal signs are perfectly compatible with each other. It’s ideal!

For more information on 2008 Beijing Olympics: Click Here.

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