Ananya – The Dance Festival

Every year in the month of October, Delhi gets to witness a breathtaking display of talent in Indian Classical dances by some eminent personalities. I am talking about the newly started Ananya Dance Festival that is organized by Delhi Tourism department is association with a premier dance Organization called 'Seher'.

Knowing a little about 'Seher' will help you a lot in understanding what Ananya Dance Festival is all about. Seher is an organization which works in the area of performing and Visual arts. Founded in the year 1990. Seher has been known for its creativity and experimentation in group choreography.

Group performances with a difference is what you will get to see in the fast becoming famous Ananya Dance Festival. Held with Purana Quila as the brilliant backdrop, Ananya Dance Festival celebrates the beauty of various Indian classical dances in different styles. The daring choreography virtually thins the line between classical and contemporary by reaching for waters never explored before. It is a 5 day festival in which each day is set aside for different classical dances. The dance stresses on taking the dance to a new level, a unique one where it can cope with the changing demands of the spectators. Though one finds a lot of up gradations and experimentation, it has not invited any ire or discontent from enthusiasts who want the dances to retain its originality. It is because, in search of contemporary, the dances have not lost even a bit of the classical essence.

Having completed seven years, Ananya Dance Festival is slowly climbing the ladder to becoming the most famous dance festival in India. It certainly is the most unique already. Since last year it has started a new interactive session in between the festival where general public, scholars and enthusiasts can communicate directly with the artists. This way people get to participate more in the show and know more about different Indian classical dances; and artists get the platform to give a verbal expression to their art.

Ananya Festival left no stone unturned in creating a mesmerizing ambiance for the audience throughout the five days. It is an absolutely unique experience so do not miss the opportunity next year, to find a new face of Indian dances.

Etiquette And Customs

India is a vast country and different customs are followed in different parts of the country. The metros are usually more liberal and cosmopolitan than the countryside, where you may come across unusual customs as are preserved over thousands of years. In general, the attitude to life is vastly different from that in the western world. But Indians are very hospitable people


1 . Always remove your shoes before entering a holy place – a temple, gurudwara or a mosque. Gurudwaras will also require you to cover your head.

2. Do not touch any holy object with your feet or your left hand. Also do not accept or give or eat using your left hand.

3 . Public show of affection is generally disapproved of, particularly in smaller cities and villages.

4 . Avoid wearing skimpy and revealing clothes. Though metropolitan cities are liberal on this front, but in smaller villages, do not even wear clothes that bare hands and legs.

5 . Always follow rules written on notice boards at holy places. If they are written in local languages, make sure you get them clarified from the authorities there before you make a blunder. The rules sometimes can be pretty strict.

6 . Giving tips is customary but not mandatory.

Three Most Common Indian Rituals and their Meaning

One thing India is most known for is its rituals. You will find as many sets of traditions and rituals as their are cultures and religion in India. Although most of us follow these rituals, the are more often than not, done blindly. So why we do it and what is the significance of these rituals.

Let us look at three of the most widely practiced rituals in India.

1. Namaste
This is what has become the symbol of India to the outside world. The two palms are placed together in front of the chest and head is bowed along with saying Namaste. Namaste in Sanskrit is a conjugation of two words Namah + Te = Namaste. It means I bow to you. It has a spiritual significance of reducing the ego of a person. The Joining of palms has different meaning to it. It recognizes that the life force, the divinity, self and the lord are all one and the same. The bowing of head is saluting the divine being that is present in the person we are meeting.

2. Why Do We Ring Bells In a Temple
Too many versions of why we ring the bell in Temple are prevalent today. Some say it is to let the God know that we are here. Some are of the belief that it is done to ask permission to enter the pious premises of his abode. People also go to the extent of saying that it is wake up the god. If we consider what we believe god to be, all the above reasons seem absolutely absurd. God doesn't needs to woken up or informed, neither do we need permission to enter abode of God as he is present everywhere. So why do we ring the bell. It has to do more with the atmosphere than God. Ringing the bell creates the sound of Om, the universal name of the Lord. Listening to this sound purifies our within and outside. It also removes any disturbances and creates inner peace.

3. Why do we say Shaanti thrice
Shaanti literally means peace. We often misinterpret that to attain peace we have to do many strenuous things. In fact it is just the opposite way. To attain peace, we have to actually do nothing. Just sit in silence with closed eyes and thinking nothing; and instantly we are capsuled by an atmosphere of peace. But the problem is that in today's world, there are too many elements both inside and outside to shake that peaceful atmosphere away. To combat these elements, we make use of the physical form of peace, that is the word Shaanti. We speak Shaanti thrice to emphasize our deep desires for peace. The loudness comes down with every chant of the word. The first time is chanted out aloud, addressing the unseen forces. It is softer the second time, targeted to the immediate surroundings, and the last one is the softest, intended for oneself.

The Significance of Indian Traditional Wedding

More and more couples today are choosing for wedding that are more party and less rituals. Their view is that the rituals that have been a part of Indian weddings are for nothing and are of no use. However that is not the truth and every ritual that is carried out during a wedding have their own significance, whether symbolic or spiritual. Here are five of them that hold the most importance or let us say, made most important by wedding scenes in Bollywood flicks.

1. Kundali (Horoscope)
Matching of horoscopes of bride and bridegroom is what sets the ball rolling. In all arranged Indian weddings. The stars of boy the girl should match for the wedding to happen. Their horoscopes are matched on 8 accounts namely Varna, Vasya, Tara, Yoni, Gana, Nadi, Rashi Lord, and Bhakoot. All these aspects have different ratings and they total upto 36. A score of 19 is the minimum that should be attained to be qualified.

2. The Turmeric Anoinment
Both bride and bridegroom are anointed with paste of turmeric in their own houses. It is done on the day of marriage just before taking a bath. Turmeric is known to have medicinal values as a perfect skin conditioner. It open up the pores, cleanses the skin and gives it a shine and natural glow.

3. Walking Around The Sacred Fire
Fire in Indian marriages are considered to be holy witness to this event of joining of two souls in the holy matrimony. The bride and bridegroom walk around the fire seven times exchanging marriage vows.

4. The 'Saat Phere'
This is probably the most identifiable symbol of an Indian marriage. The seven steps taken around the fire which symbolize the seven vows affirming there mutual commitment at every rotation. These vows are regarding taking care of food and finance; taking care of household and children; mutual fidelity; wishing longevity and togetherness in all phases of life; truthfulness and abiding by the laws of Vedas.

5. The 'Mangalsutra”
Meaning the sacred thread. Mangalsutra is not just a piece of wedding jewellery, it holds a lot of importance and is supposed to be on the bride's neck at all times. It is a black and gold beaded necklace with a gold or diamond pendant. The bridegroom ties it around the neck during the ceremony. The Mangalsutra is believed to protect the bride from all evils.