Tag Archives: India

Independence Day, 15 August

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15th August is a glorious day in Indian history. This day in 1947 India got Independence. India was colonised by British Empire for more than 200 years, and after a prolonged struggle for freedom, India got Independence on 15 August, 1947. This has come at a price, as India was divided into two parts, Hindu dominated -India and Muslim dominated-Pakistan. This unfortunate event is known as ‘partition’.
There are many men and women, who sacrifice their whole life for attaining freedom. Today is the day to remember all these people, who fought for this cause.
On this auspicious day, festival type atmosphere is found every where. People eat delicious Jalebi and Poori. Kites are flown today. In fact, Kite flying is an Independence Day sport in India.
Here are some glimpses of the olden/golden time.
Pandit Nehru

Pandit Nehru

Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru taking oath as India’s first Prime Minister
Nehru taking oath on first independence day

Nehru taking oath on first independence day

 
Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru with Lord and Lady Mountbatten
 

Prisoners being released on Independence Day

prisoners being released

Wedding of frogs

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Wedding of frogs

Sounds strange, but this is true. Frogs are married in some part of india, according to a mythological ritual. There is a purpose behind this. In extreme summer, when there is no sign of rain, a yagna is performed to please Lord Indra. In Hindu Mythology, Indra is the person responsible for rains.

This yagya is nothing, but wedding of frogs are per the hindu rituals. Vermilion is applied on the forehead of female frog to mark her as the life partner of the male frog. This is an age-old tradition that if frogs are wedded, then Indra Dev will be pleased and monsoon will come. People attend the wedding in large numbers.

Wedding of frogs - for rain

Wedding of frogs – for rain

This wedding is performed with artifical frogs as well as with real frogs. The rationale behind this tradition is that during rainy season, frogs came out and croak to please Lord Indra. The wedding is performed for the same reason and this is thought that frogs will be pleased and welcome rain gods.

Read this article for a frog wedding in Varanasi.

This is not limited to India. The same ritual, wedding of frogs has also taken place in Bangladesh. The objective is the same, to bring rain on earth.The “bride” and “groom” came from two neighbouring villages 110 kilometres (68 miles) north of the capital Dhaka, according to the Bengali paper Jugantor. Villagers organised the wedding ceremony because the region was suffering a water shortage as it waited for monsoon rains to arrive, according to school teacher Noor Mohammad Kalon, who was a guest on behalf of the “groom.” More than 250 men, women and children came to the wedding. We all danced and sang,” the teacher, 42, told AFP by telephone, adding that the guests were served a traditional wedding feast of rice, lentils, fish, beef and sweets.
“The bride and groom were in special wedding dress. We blessed them in the ceremony and released them in a nearby pond afterwards.

Read the full bangladesh wedding story of frogs.

The most recent wedding of frogs has taken place inTakhatpur, India.  This is also celebrated in remote part of Assam.