Sunday, June 22, 2014

Tara's World Cup Birthday.....

Go, Go, Go and its a GOAL...yeah....everybody in and out of stadium is jumping and cheering for their favorite team who just led their team to make the match interesting and nail biting. While the men folk and cheering and gulping down their can of beer and are closely monitoring every move of the match, the scenario in the women hive is bit different. In the ninety minutes of the match men give their undivided attention to their screens which somehow become a source of oxygen for men, but the attention of women are somewhat divided...Just in case the match happens to be on Sunday it might be a relaxing day for both the genders.The attention of a women is divided especially if they have a baby. The baby or the toddler or the kid constantly seeks attention making it impossible for the women to concentrate passionately. Oh, did i mention the cell phones. The constant updates of social networking sites are the biggest platforms to opine and define about every match and move of the players.
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Well, i somewhat got deviated from my topic. We are in a busy Birthday party of my little neighbor Tara, who is absolutely dolled up in a fairy tell dress. Happy Birthday dear Tara. May your life be full of joy and happiness always. She likes everything about her dress and is proudly showing off it everyone around her. Even though her birthday was sometime in mid week, the celebrations are today. Poor parents! They did not realize that there was an important World Cup match before deciding for the party. The giant TV screen in the hall has a magnetic approach to men. As the families came in and wished lil Tara, the men almost immediately rushed to grab a chair and some foodies and participate in the heated match. The kids are obviously left to their Mom's who rush to the play area as well. The attention of the women are divided amongst the sounds of music, football, children and of course 'gossip' (cheekily)

As poor Tara is almost tired now of running in her dolled up attire her parents are patiently waiting for those crucial 90 minutes to get over so that Tara can get all the attention while she blows the candles and cuts the cake. In the meanwhile the kids are having one helluva time in indulging candies and other eateries.Luckily the hall had a free wifi zone and what better way and time to jot my visuals.

The match is almost drawing to a close now and the parents are getting the cake and table ready. The hyper and excited kids are wearing party hats and wondering as when will the cake arrive. Well, let me join the celebration as well. Now please don't ask me which celebration. The match and the party  both are equally gorgeous. All it matters is your spirit to celebrate any occasion....Enjoy

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Football World Cup 2014

It's a dull, boring weather today. But the colorful, bright, opening ceremony of World Cup Football 2014 surely pepped up the day. Happy faces all round the stadium cheering for their teams. Oh, what an absolute delight to people happy irrespective of all differences dancing and cheering and singing to the tune of one song~ love for football.

The football fever has gripped the entire world and the ardent followers are definitely going to sacrifice their sleep for their love for football. So guys, stock on your chips, popcorn and sodas or your favorite beverages and and soak yourself in the festive season of World Cup Football 2014.

Yes, yes, i am coming...My microwave is screaming. My popcorn is ready. I am just adding some more chips and salsa to the table & bingo we are ready to enjoy the matches. Come on teams, give your best...May the best team win. Cheers!!!

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Jamai Shosti

'Jamai Shosti', a homely but an important occasion for  all the son-in-laws of Bengal. Bengali's have a special designated day for their son-in-laws who get pampered on this day. Mother-in-laws wait for this special day of the Bengali calendar to treat their son-in-laws with best possible hospitality and food.

Legend says that the women folk used to worship Goddess Shosti for the welfare of their children. Over the years, the celebration of 'Jamai Shosti' has attained more popularity. On this day women folk wake up early, bathe and worship the Goddess for the prosperity and bliss of their children. It is also commonly believed that the son-in-laws are given special attention for the marital bliss of one's daughter. Every parents on this world want to see their daughters happy and leading a prosperous life.

On this day when the daughter of the house arrives with her husband they are welcomed by mother. The mother-in-law applies a small dot of curd on the forehead and ties a thread on the wrist of their son-in-law. Then he is given six different types of fruits and blessed with a type of grass which is known as 'durba' in Bengali and 'dhan' (paddy seeds). The ritual is accompanied with ' ulu dhani' (sound made by tongues) and sometimes conch shells as well. Gifts are exchanged between mother-in-laws and son-in-laws.

The biggest part of any Bengali celebration are their elaborate spread. A detailed menu is prepared for the son-in-laws ranging from different types of fries to fish curry to meat items and of course the sweet dish. Fish and sweets are integral part of Bengali's and no occasion can be complete without these two items. A flash back. Before the advent of electricity mother-in-laws used to fan when their son-in-laws would sit for lunch. The hand fan which is still popular in Bengal used to be part of this festival.

Festivals are meant for fun and gatherings. But the most important message the festivals carry is our love for them and how much we value our relations. In this smart age when human beings are heavily dependent on smart products to get smarter, these festivals are a gentle reminder that spare some time for these occasions. No apps are still made which can give you the contentment to be a part of these festivals. The love, the attention and most importantly the bonding are only to be felt and downloaded in heart.
image courtesy www.resultspie.com

On a lighter note, if you heavily want to participate in a Bengali festival or occasion just ensure your digestive system is in a good condition. Bengali's love food and will never settle with a two course meal. Their meal will be long and elongated with special emphasis of non vegetarian dishes. By the way spare some space for some sweets as well. The dessert section can almost be a full course menu. So just forget about the harsh words like calories and burning them. Just gorge on them and enjoy. Cheers!!!!