This section proudly features the articles written by the members of CKS Youth Group. CKS Executive Committee routinely asks our youth to write articles on varied topics, including festivals of significance in Karnataka, events of cultural significance, profiles of well-known personalities, etc.
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Saturday, 12 March 2011 00:00 |
What is Maha Shivaratri?
Report by Navya Prabhushankar
Vice President, CKS Youth Group
Shivaratri is an Indian festival meaning "the night of Shiva". It is in honor of Lord Shiva and the night he married Parvati. Festival of Maha Shivaratri has tremendous significance in Hinduism. According to the sacred scriptures, ritual worship of Lord Shiva on Shivaratri festival that falls on the 6th night of the dark Phalgun (Feb or March) 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.
Some people go on a strict fast (upawaasa) this day. In the evening, they will do a pooja for the Shiva Lingam by washing it with milk, honey, curd, etc and also offer the very special "bilwa" leaves. During this pooja, they will repeatedly say the mantra, "Om Namah Shivaya". After the pooja, the devotees keep vigil (jagarane) all night. This festival is a day where everyone can show their devotion to Lord Shiva and be rewarded by being freed from all sins.
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Tuesday, 08 February 2011 16:53 |
What is Sankranthi?
Report by Deepa Kote
President, CKS Youth Group
Sankranthi is a harvest festival usually celebrated on January 14th or January 15th every year. It is a festival of the Sun God and it is a very auspicious day. Sankranthi translates into "sacred change", because the sun changes zodiacs, and climate-wise, winter is over and the beginning of the harvest and spring starts in India.
We celebrate Sankranthi in Karnataka by making special foods like Ellu-Bella, sweet pongal and khara pongal, and we also draw rangolis and fly kites. We (the kids) dress up and give ellu-bella (seasame seed - jaggery - peanut mixture, sakkare achchu (Sugar candy), kabbu (sugar cane), fruits) to all our friends and families. The significance of doing this is to tell everyone that eat this ellu-bella and talk good or in other words it means lead a good life, be a role model to others.
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Fulfilling the catering needs during CKS events.