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Dear friends,

On behalf of India centre we are arranging a forum for debate and discussion.

"Our message to Prime minister of India - Mr. Narendra. Modi "

We will also be discussing the unfortunate rape case in India which hit the headlines and sparked an awareness campaign of a unheard magnitude in India and around the world. We will be debating on the ban imposed by the Indian government on the BBC documentary India's daughter.

The forum will consist of GP'S, child psychiatrists, forensic psychiatrists, psychologists, law enforcement officers, lawyers, students and general people who have lived in Delhi. We will also be discussing issues like domestic violence, how to keep our children safe, equality at work and gender equality in schools etc. We have also invited some Assembly members who have kindly agreed to attend.

Please do come and be part of this important event. We would love to hear your views too during the panel discussion.

At the end of it a message to the Prime minister of India and the British PM will be constituted on behalf of the forum and India centre.

Date and time: 22/3/2015 11:30 -13:30

The event is actually a celebration of International Women's day .

The forum will be at 12:00. There is also some cultural events and food stalls. Please stay and enjoy the entire event.

Thank you
Hindu cultural association
Cardiff.

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Dear all

The festival of colours

Holi will be celebrated at India Centre on Saturday 7 March with the programme as under:

6.30pm to 7.30pm Holi Milan
7.30pm to 8.30pm Holi Dhamaal
8.30pm Aarti
8.45pm Dinner

Tickets are subsidised to only 7 Pounds per person. 15 Pounds for family of 4. Children under 5 free.

Please confirm attendance for catering purposes.

For tickets and further information please contact;

Kamla Syal 07788 444491
Sunaina Purbey 07837 223687
Ravi Tewari 07863656308
Ravi Nannapenini 07795102624
Yogesh Nathdwarawala 07961482498
Vivek Goel 07739 584053

As the brief spring warms the landscape, northern India cuts loose for a day of hijinx and general hilarity.

The festival of Holi is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year.

Originally a festival to celebrate good harvests and fertility of the land, Holi is now a symbolic commemmoration of a legend from Hindu Mythology. The story centres around an arrogant king who resents his son Prahlada worshipping Lord Vishnu. He attempts to kill his son but fails each time. Finally, the king's sister Holika who is said to be immune to burning, sits with the boy in a huge fire. However, the prince Prahlada emerges unscathed, while his aunt burns to death. Holi commemorates this event from mythology, and huge bonfires are burnt on the eve of Holi as its symbolic representation.

This exuberant festival is also associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha, and hence, Holi is spread over 16 days in Vrindavan as well as Mathura - the two cities with which Lord Krishna shared a deep affiliation. Apart from the usual fun with coloured powder and water, Holi is marked by vibrant processions which are accompanied by folk songs, dances and a general sense of abandoned vitality.

Today Holi is an excuse for Indians to shed inhibitions and caste differences for a day of spring fever and Big Fun. Teenagers spend the day flirting and misbehaving in the streets, adults extend the hand of peace, and everyone chases everyone else around, throwing brightly colored powder (gulal) and water over each other.

In fact, on the days of Holi, you can get away with almost anything by saying, "Don't mind, it's Holi!" (Bura na mano, Holi hai.)

The festival's preamble begins on the night of the full moon. Bonfires are lit on street corners to cleanse the air of evil spirits and bad vibes, and to symbolize the destruction of the wicked Holika, for whom the festival was named. The following morning, the streets fill with people running, shouting, giggling and splashing. Marijuana-based bhang and thandai add to the uninhibited atmosphere.

Holi - the festival of colors - is undoubtedly the most fun-filled and boisterous of Hindu festival. It's an occasion that brings in unadulterated joy and mirth, fun and play, music and dance, and, of course, lots of bright colors!

Thank you
Hindu cultural association
Cardiff.

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Maha Shivaratri will be celebrated at India Centre,Cardiff

On Tuesday 17th February 2015

Morning Programmes as follows

09.00 am TEMPLE OPENS

09.00 am to 2pm SHIV PUJA

10.00 am, 11am, 12noon Naivaidya to Lord Shiva (11 Pounds /family)

Evening

6.00pm TEMPLE OPENS

6.30pm to 8pm SHIV PUJA

8.00pm Naivaidya to Lord Shva

followed by ABHISHEK

8.30pm AARTI followed by MAHA PRASAD

The evening puja is sponsored by Dr. Ravi Tewariji and family.

Significance of Shivaratri

Festival of Mahashivaratri is the most important festival for the millions of devotees of Lord Shiva. The festival has been accorded lot of significance in Hindu mythology. It says that a devotee who performs sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivratri is absolved of sins and attains moksha.

Significance of Shivaratri in Hinduism

Festival of Mahashivaratri has tremendous significance in Hinduism. According to sacred scriptures, ritual worship of Lord Shiva on Shivratri festival that falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalgun pleases Lord Shiva the most. This fact is said to have been declared by Lord Shiva himself, when his consort Parvati asked him as to which ritual performed by his devotees pleases him the most.

Even till date, devotees of Lord Shiva perform the ritual worship of Shivratri with care and devotion. They observe day and night fast and give sacred bath to Shiva Linga with honey, milk, water etc. Hindus consider it extremely auspicious to worship Lord Shiva on a Shivaratri as it is believed that worship of Lord Shiva with devotion and sincerity absolves a devotee of past sins. The devotee reaches the abode of Lord Shanker and lives there happily. He is also liberated from the cycle of birth and death and attains moksha or salvation.

Significance of Shivaratri for Women

Mahashivratri Festival is also considered to be an extremely significant festival by women. Married and unmarried women observe fast and perform Shiva Puja with sincerity to appease Goddess Parvati who is also regarded as ‘Gaura’ - one who bestows marital bliss and long and prosperous married life. Unmarried women also pray for a husband like Lord Shiva who is regarded as the ideal husband

Thank you

HCA WALES

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Dear All

We are celebrating Republic Day of India at the India Centre, Sanquhar Street, Cardiff on Monday 26 January 2015

The program is as follows:

6.00pm: Doors Open
6.30pm: Welcome by Chairman
6.35pm: Flag hoisting and national anthem followed by speech by the chief guest.
6.50pm: Cultural programme
7.30pm: Aarti
7.45pm: Dinner

Shri Raj Aggarwal OBE, Hon Consul General of India for Wales is the Chief Guest.

Please attend with friends and family.

Indian Republic day parade 1950: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXJh5JoAbew

Samvidhaan: The making of the Constitution of India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atSSN6ZLzXQ

Dinner: 5 pounds/person and 10 pounds/family

Please remember the traffic diversion: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/major-cardiff-city-centre-road-8421475

In India, Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950 replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India.

The Constitution was passed in the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 and was adopted on 26 January 1950 with a democratic government system, completing the country's transition toward becoming an independent republic.

26 January was the date selected for this purpose because it was this day in 1930 when the Declaration of Indian Independence (Purna Swaraj) was proclaimed by the Indian National Congress.

It is one of three national holidays in India, other two being Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti.

Vivek Goel

Secretary, HCA Wales

Secretary@HCAwales.co.uk

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Dear all

You are invited to celebrate Shri Saraswati Puja and Vandana at India Centre, Sanquhar Street, Cardiff,CF24 2AA on Saturday, 24th January 2015 from 6:30 pm onwards

It wil start with Puja-Prarthana, Bhajan-Kirtan and followed by Mahaprasad.

If you would like to sponsor this Puja or any other puja, please contact:

Pandit Ji - 07999 267 068

Mrs Sunaina Purbey 07837 223 686

Please remember the traffic diversion: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/major-cardiff-city-centre-road-8421475

SARASWATI VANDANA

She, who is as fair as the Kunda flower, white as the moon, and a garland of Tushar flowers;and who is covered in white clothes

She, whose hands are adorned by the excellent veena, and whose seat is the pure white lotus;

She, who is praised by Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh;

O Mother Goddess, remove my mental inertia!

Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and arts, represents the free flow of wisdom and consciousness. She is the mother of theVedas, and chants to her, called the 'Saraswati Vandana' often begin and end Vedic lessons.

Saraswati is the daughter of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga. It is believed that goddess Saraswati endows human beings with the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus – the symbol of true knowledge – in the second.

The learned and the erudite attach greater importance to the worship of goddess Saraswati. As a practice, only educated people worship her for knowledge and wisdom. They believe that only Saraswati can grant them 'moksha' - the final liberation of the soul. Saraswati's birthday - Vasant Panchami - is a Hindu festival celebrated every year on the 5th day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magha. Hindus celebrate this festival with great fervor in temples, homes and educational institutes alike

Thank you

HCA WALES

CARDIFF

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Makar Sankranti

This special occasion will be celebrated at the India Centre, Cardiff

........................Wednesday 14th January 2014.........................

Please take an opportunity to share goodwill and join the sponsorship group for the meal(prashad) for this auspicious day which is only £25. Puja thali will be provided to all contributors.

Punditji 07999 267 068 , Mrs Sunaina Purbey 07958 568 387.

Makar Sankranti is one of the most important festivals of the Hindu calendar and celebrates the sun's journey into the northern hemisphere, a period which is considered to be highly auspicious. There is a wide variation in the celebration of Makar Sankranti thoughout India, in particular the name.

Significance Of Makar Sankranti.

The festival of Makar Sankranti is associated with much cultural significance:

The Puranas say that on this day Sun visits the house of his son Shani, who is the swami of Makar Rashi. This day symbolizes the healthy relationship of father & son. It is the son who has the responsibility to carry forward his fathers dream and the continuity of the family. It was on this day when Lord Vishnu ended the ever increasing terror of the Asuras by finishing them off and burying their heads under the Mandara Parvata (Mountain). So this occasion also represents the end of negativities and beginning of an era of righteous living.

In different Indian regions

In Gujarat and Maharashtra, Makar Sankranti is a festival of the young and the old. Colourful kites are flown all around.

In Punjab, Makar Sankranti is called Lohri. December and January are the coldest months of the year in Punjab and huge bonfires are lit on the eve of Sankranti. Sweets, sugarcane and rice are thrown on the bonfires and friends and relatives gather together.

In Uttar Pradesh, this period is celebrated as Kicheri. It is considered important to have a bath on this day and masses of people can be seen bathing in the Sangam at Prayagraj where the rivers Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswathi flow together.

In Southern India it's the harvest festival Pongal and lasts for 3 days. On the first day, rice boiled with milk is offered to the Rain God. On the second day, it is offered to the the Sun God and on the third day, the family cattle are given a bath and dressed with flowers, bells and colours, to honour them for their hard work in the fields.

Hindu cultural Association

Caridff

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Lohri on Tuesday, January 13th

We will celebrate with typical punjabi lorhi songs and bonfire and authentic lohri food(Kamlaji has made special efforts for Sarson ka sag)

Please take an opportunity to share goodwill and join the sponsorship group for the meal(prasad) for this auspicious day. The sponsorship is only £25.

Lohri marks the culmination of winter, and is celebrated on the 13th day of January in the month of Paush or Magh, a day before Makar Sankranti. For Punjabis, more than just a festival, Lohri is also an example of a way of life. Lohri celebrates fertility and the spark of life. People gather around the bonfires, throw sweets, puffed rice and popcorn into the flames, sing popular songs and exchange greetings.

On this day children go from door to door to collect funds for community bonfires which are lit up in the evening. The gatherings and celebrations make Lohri a community festival.

Lohri1.jpgAn extremely auspicious day, Lohri marks the sun's entry in to the 'Makar Rashi' (northern hemisphere). The period, beginning from 14 January lasting till 14 July, is known as Uttarayan. It is also the last day of the month of Maargazhi, the ninth month of the lunar calendar. The Bhagawad Gita deems it an extremely sacred and auspicious time, when Lord Krishna manifests himself most tangibly. And so, across India, people celebrate the month and the prodigious harvest it brings - Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Bihu inAssam, Bhogi in Andhra Pradesh and the Sankranti in Karnataka, Biharand Uttar Pradesh.

The focus of Lohri is on the bonfire. The traditional dinner with makki ki roti and sarson ka saag is quintessential. The prasad comprises of six main things: til, gazak, gur, moongphali, phuliya and popcorn. There is puja, involving parikrama around the fire and distribution of prasad. This symbolises a prayer to Agni, the spark of life, for abundant crops and prosperity.

The first Lohri of a newly wed bride and a new born child is considered very auspicious and important.

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Diwali Mela

Dear All,

We hold Diwali Mela every year in National Museum, Cardiff CF10 3NP. The event this year is on Saturday 1/11/14 from 11AM till 3PM. It will be a cultural extravaganza with dances, songs and fashion show alongwith stalls. I enclose the poster for Mela with the details.

Look forward to seeing you on the Saturday, 1st Nov. at 11AM