Coming Up: #UtkalaDibasaQuiz! Win Grand Prizes!

The #UtkalaDibasaQuiz Contest is a humble attempt to popularize the beautiful culture and heritage-rich eastern Indian state of Odisha amongst netizens. 

Odisha is also known as Utkala or the Land of Utkarsha Kala (exquisite arts).

Starting from Odisha's Foundation Day (Utkala Dibasa) of 1st April, 2015, the #UtkalaDibasaQuiz will be on till 19th April, 2015. 

Participants can win 2 Grand Prizes - 2 nights/3 days stay in the beautiful Toshali Resorts of Puri or Ratnagiri in Odisha worth about Rs 11,000 and Rs 8,000 respectively, sponsored by Toshali Resorts!

There are 10 Consolation prizes too - lovely Odisha Tourism Souvenir Items sponsored by Odisha Tourism!

Toshali Sands Resort, Puri, Odisha

#Nabakalebara - English Translation of my #Odia poem ନବକଳେବର

This millennium’s first Nabakalebara Festival,

            Is coming up soon in my nation!

After nineteen years the four idols,

            Will undergo Transformation!

Superb art titled 'Niraakaara' by artist Jagdish Chandra Kanungo at recently held art exhibition related to Nabakalebara called 'Nilakandara' at Bhubaneswar

The Soul will be that old one,

            But the body will be brand new!

In the Lord’s Home, waves of spirituality,

            Will spread everywhere anew!

ନବକଳେବର (#Nabakalebara)

ଆସୁ ଅଛି ଏହି ଶହଶ୍ରାବ୍ଦର,

          ନବକଳେବର ପ୍ରଥମ  ।।

ଉଣିଶି ବର୍ଷ ପରେ ଚତୁର୍ମୂର୍ତ୍ତୀ,

          ହେବେ ପୁଣି ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ  ।।

Superb art titled 'Daaru Brahma' by artist Pramod Kumar Mallick at recently held art exhibition related to Nabakalebara called 'Nilakandara' at Bhubaneswar

 

ନବ ଦେହ, ନବ ଯୌବନ,

          କିନ୍ତୁ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ସେହି ପୁରାତନ  ॥

ଶ୍ରୀକ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ଖେଳିଯିବ,

          ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ଲଉଡ଼ି ନୂତନ ॥

What is Indian Culture?

A lot is opposed as being ‘against Indian culture’. What is Indian culture? #IndianCulture

Indian culture is a wonderful amalgamation of different food, clothing, festivals, religions, languages, dances, music, theatre, puppetry, art, architecture and I can go on and on! Culture refers to both the tangible and intangible aspects of our over five-thousand-year-old civilization. 

Tangible- Food, clothing, arts, crafts, architecture etc. are tangible aspects.

Intangible- Habits, mannerisms, dances, literature, music, theatre, oral traditions handed down since centuries etc. 

In fact, sense of appreciation for our tangible aspects of culture, is also its intangible aspect!

INDIA- A CULTURAL POT-POURRI!

India with 29 states and 7 UTs is a large country. Every state is considered a mini-India being a melting pot of people from different regions, religions, castes and so on. The majority group in one region mostly influences others’ cultural practices. Largely, this cultural pot-pourri has thrived successfully through continuous adaptation and suppleness. 

How my New Life Starts!

Every time I attend new events and talk/interact or listen to new people, I feel I have started a new life! Each of them are bold steps to refine me and add value to my life! Especially this year, my plate has been full by God’s grace! 

In January month I attended two Literary Fests back to back in Kolkata- The #AKLF- Apeejay Kolkata Literary Fest 2015 and the Tata Steel Kalam 2015. Both these were held in the sprawling and extremely beautiful premises of the Victoria Memorial. I felt rejuvenated! 

At #AKLF!

Narendrapur Loka Nrutya Group from Badakusasthali, Ganjam, Odisha

I had attended the LokaNritya and LokaBadya Utsav [State-Level Folk Dancesand Music Festival] at Bhanja Kala Mandap, Bhubaneswar recently from 25-26February, 2015. The folk dances and folk music performances from Odisha done there, were just outstanding. That there is so much talent brimming in our grassroot-level villages and towns, and more importantly they are working hard to preserve the heritage passed on by ancestors, filled me with optimism and hope for preservation of our vibrant cultural arts.

Indian culture is rich, diverse, glorious, brilliant and each state has its own distinct cultural flavours. The summation of all such brilliance, makes our India - #IncredibleIndia!

#MannKiBaat #YesWeCan E-Book!

I have been completely thrilled today! The moment I logged in to Twitter today morning and saw the following tweets under my Notifications, my happiness knew no bounds!

.@rocking_amsa your tweet has been mentioned on PM's #MannKiBaat under Educate and eEmpower youth 👍👍 pic.twitter.com/bhpZD7s3i1
— madmax mumbai (@madmaxmumbai) March 2, 2015

@rocking_amsa your tweet is mentioned in PM @narendramodi's ebook on #MannKiBaat. Great!! pic.twitter.com/Zz2y9Vii0X
— Tia (@tiasharma88) March 2, 2015

.@rocking_amsa Your msg for a Digital India is in PM @narendramodi's #MannKiBaat ebook http://t.co/D6aOMTNUcf pic.twitter.com/ugoI1vqYWK
— Action and Hope (@Action_Hope) March 2, 2015

.@rocking_amsa Wow! 2 of your #DigitalIIndia suggestions in PM @narendramodi #MannKiBaat ebook http://t.co/D6aOMTNUcf pic.twitter.com/jxlcsmK80z
— Action and Hope (@Action_Hope) March 2, 2015

.@rocking_amsa Another tweet about #DignifiedLife is in #MannKiBaat ebook http://t.co/D6aOMTNUcf pic.twitter.com/w7KXtsBjky
— Action and Hope (@Action_Hope) March 2, 2015

I sincerely thank @madmaxmumbai, @tiasharma88 and @Action_Hope for breaking this host of awesome news to me!

How I will Rebuild the World

Rebuilding the World is certainly not a simple task. It is not like erasing the sand art canvas with a brush of the hand...

'The Creator's Hand' - Snapshot taken from my video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9saZI7aa1s

And then creating another glorious new sand art image on it:

Sand Art made by prominent Sand Artist and Padma Shri Awardee Sri Sudarshan Pattnaik of Odisha in a function at Bhubaneswar

Rather remaking the world is a far more complex and an onerous task, given that so much hatred, anger and non-violence has already deeply penetrated it. Simultaneously, pollution is choking people and biodiversity to death, while man's greed, carelessness and climate change is causing disaster after sinister disaster. Today, values have evaporated while killing one another in the name of God is an accepted norm. Today, brother is the enemy of his own brother while daughter is killed by her own parents. Today, lies, corruption and deception rule, while the honest, the good, the pious suffer.