It anticipated that gathering, congregations, and public celebration during upcoming festivals like Holi, Shab-e-Barat, Navaratri etc…reports Asian Lite News.
Even most of the daily routines of life have come back to normal, restrictions continue as of now great decline is not visible in the number of Covid cases. Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has directed that public celebration and gathering, congregation during upcoming festivals such as Holi, Shab-e-Barat, Navratri etc. will not be allowed in public places, including parks, markets, religious places. An order in this regard has been issued by Delhi Chief Secretary.
The decision has come hours after Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, who is also chairperson of DDMA, held a review meeting on increasing Covid-19 cases in the national capital on Monday.
“Situation of the Covid-19 in Delhi has been reviewed and it has been observed that a persistent rise in COVID -19 cases in NCT of Delhi during the last fort night. It anticipated that gathering, congregations, and public celebration during upcoming festivals like Holi, Shab-e-Barat, Navaratri etc. may pose a considerable threat of spread of virus and may cause setback to the appreciable gain made in the suppression of chain of transmission of Covid-19 cases in Delhi.
Considering this it has been decided that public celebration and all gatherings/ during upcoming festivals will not be allowed in public places,” an order issued by Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev read.
On Tuesday, Delhi saw its daily Covid tally rise sharply to 1,101, as against 888 on Monday, while there were four more deaths reported.
According to the Delhi health bulletin, 620 patients were reported to have recovered from the infection, while the total active cases in the city stands at 4,411 on Tuesday.
The positivity rate was 1.31 per cent, while the cumulative positive rate went up to 4.65 per cent, and cumulative cases to 6,49,973.
A total of 84,237 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of tests conducted in the city to 13,974,132.
Artists perform at famous Govind Dev Mandir during the ongoing Holi festival,in Jaipur ,March 23,2021 .(Photos: Pallav Paliwal)
Over 5000 youth from more than 20 countries participate in this unconventional 24-hour festival.
Youth from over 20 countries engaged in an immersive experience at the SRMD Global Youth Festival, organised by Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur and envisioned by founder Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai. The festival marked the dawn of a new world after the daunting COVID-19 pandemic, by channelising the power of youth productively and positively.
Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai, Founder, Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur, says: “Tremendous energy, enthusiasm, and power are the assets of today’s youth. They have the drive but need the direction. They have the wings and if given the eyes they can soar high and far in the spiritual skies.”
With an exceptional keynote address by Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai, the event marked the presence of revered saints such as Pujya Gyanvatsal Swami (BAPS) and Brahmakumari Sister Shivani who delivered stirring talks on self-inquiry, spiritual leadership, and inner growth.
Motivators like Dr Deepak Chopra, Mr. Ronnie Screwvala, Dean Idalene Kesner and Dr Aditi Govitrikar delivered inspiring sessions on self-development, determination, and stress management. Renowned music artists such as Kailash Kher, Kabir Café, Indira Naik, and Radhika Sood added to the cultural glory of the event.
The 24-hour festival was built on the holistic 5S approach of Satsang (Spiritual Wisdom), Seva (Selfless Service), Sadhna (Wellness Inside-Out), Sanskruti (Celebrating Cultures) and Sports.
Through a cutting-edge platform called Airmeet, the participants entered a virtual auditorium with over 25 exclusive ‘breakout workshops’ curated for personal learning and one-on-one interaction with individuals globally.
With over 500 breakout sessions conducted across 24 hours, these included: personal development workshops, mindfulness masterclasses, themed meditation and yoga, fitness bootcamps, networking opportunities through Q&A roundtables, baking and cookery sessions, trivia, standup comedy and games
Moreover, the proceeds from SRMD Global Youth Festival 2021 contributed to uplifting underprivileged tribal women of South Gujarat, through Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur’s Women Empowerment Initiatives.
The SRMD Global Youth Festival 2021 presented a powerful platform to converge global cultures and industries, to ignite a higher purpose, inspire new pathways, and invite a spirit of love, wisdom, and selfless service.
The Dubai’s Department of Tourism feels “very confident” to welcome visitors from all over the world to the Expo 2020 later this year.
The Expo was originally scheduled for October 20, 2020 – 10 April, 2021. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was rescheduled to this year – starting from October 1, 2021—March 31, 2022. Despite being postponed, organisers are keeping the name Expo 2020 for marketing and branding purposes.
In an interview with CNN, Helal Al Marri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing said that Dubai has a very clear plan on how to deal with the pandemic and will be ready to receive visitors for the Expo exhibition this year.
Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of the Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing to @CNN: #Dubai has a clear plan to deal with the Covid-19. pic.twitter.com/SagqlRJYyq
Dubai is going to be ready to “make sure that the growth starts this summer and by Expo in the quarter four, we look to welcome the world”, he said.
The UAE witnessed a heavy spike I Covid-19 cases after more restrictions were eased in November last year. This spike forced Dubai to reintroduce curbs on hotels and air travel.
Here, Al Marri blamed the spike on lack of compliance. “When we had a 98 per cent to 99 per cent compliance, we didn’t see any spike. When that dropped by four to five percentage points, we saw numbers go up,” he told the CNN.
Al Marri also said that UAE had about 560,000 visitors in December which is a third of the usual numbers, according to the report.
Till February 4, the UAE has administered more than 4 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines.
“Crossing the four million mark adds to the UAE’s track record and comes as part of the country’s keenness to provide vaccines to all members of the society,” said Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention.
Meanwhile, the Steering Committee of the College of Commissioners-General of Expo 2020 Dubai held its sixth meeting.
The virtual meeting gathered representatives of countries participating in the Expo, as well as the Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, and representatives of the Expo Organiser including the Director of the Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy.
The members discussed a range of points regarding the preparations for Expo 2020 Dubai, including the advancement of pavilions, logistical matters, content programming, and health and safety measures etc. that are being taken during the preparation phase as well as those planned for the Expo period.
All participating countries and partners will have the opportunity to exchange on the advancement of Expo preparations during the next International Participants Meeting, which will be held in physical format in early May.
Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, the Secretary General of the BIE, indicated: “The UAE, Expo 2020 Dubai and all International Participants continue to make progress in preparing for an exceptional and safe World Expo that will inspire visitors and instil optimism in creating a better future. The smooth progress of preparations moving towards the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai on October 1 this year is the result of continual and positive dialogue between the BIE, its Member States and the Expo Organiser.”
Reem Al Hashemy, said: “The UAE’s commitment to delivering a safe, responsible and exceptional Expo continues to be inspired by our partners, the BIE and the International Participants who are preparing for opening day, at pace. We are witnessing not only their pavilions taking shape but also their programme plans which we aspire will be a turning point for the international collaboration on issues of global priority.”
While Dubai has already made it to our 2021 travel bucket lists, the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is yet another reason to plan an early trip to the City of Endless Possibilities! Prep yourself for the very best mix of incomparable deals, delectable menus, retail therapy and top-notch entertainment. Beckoning travellers from all over the globe; all this and more makes DSF the must-attend festival to kickstart the year! Don’t miss out…writes Puja Gupta.
Big wins
If there is something, we truly need to ensure 2021 starts off right, it’s a big win! This year, DSF is bigger than ever as it holds the highest value raffle in history, valued at AED 6 million! The DSF Supercar Raffle gives people an amazing chance to own a car from W motors, the first manufacturers of high-performance luxury cars in the Middle East.
If this does not impress you enough, then INFINITI Mega Raffle sure will! This can be your shining chance to win a brand new sleek new INFINITI QX60 and AED 200,000 in cash. One lucky grand prize winner could even take home AED 500,000!
Dine under the stars
Watch Dubai’s skyline come to life with two themed drone light shows every day. High-tech productions decorate the sky and illuminate the coastline in beautiful hues. A huge hit with families, you can even pick an outdoor dining destination to treat your family to a wonderful dinner- right under the stars.
Heaven for shopaholics
Unbelievable discounts and offers make their way to you at this year’s DSF. From luxury brands like Hermes and Fenty to the magic of authentic Emirati artisans, there is a wide range of options that you can find here. Enjoy more than a month of extensive retail therapy by indulging in the best offerings from the choicest brands.
Live entertainment and performances keep the fun quotient high
There is never a dull moment in Dubai, much less when the city is hosting DSF. Encounter captivating entertainment across retail spaces in Dubai. Keep an eye out for Ocho the Octopus, a life-sized marvel and for other neon creatures that will put a smile on your face. Indulge in fun-filled live entertainment at pop-up markets of DSF.
Lip-smacking menus to compliment your experience
Sink your teeth into delectable savory items or taste authentic Emirati cuisine at various food stalls at all pop-up markets of DSF like Al Seef or Al Khawaneej. Explore the unique concept of SALT and Sugar, that will give you the golden chance to try out the best of both worlds- sweet and savory- in a one-of-a-kind dining concept.
Additionally, the streets of Downtown Dubai have been brought to life by a series of illuminations that take residents and visitors on an enthralling journey of light and discovery as part of Dubai Shopping Festival’s (DSF) Al Hai project in partnership with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Emaar.
Featuring immersive, innovative and sustainable art installations that were four months in the making, Al Hai is electrifying the buzzing Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, opposite the Address Downtown hotel, through specially installed lights and clever use of shadows. Al Hai is inspired by the urban layout and domestic landmarks that mark Emirati neighbourhoods that would be highlighted through a spatial play of light lines forming boundaries that would outline the essence of domestic and architectural events visually and metaphorically. The project’s concept embraces a deep-rooted longing to hold onto the rich heritage and history of Emirati homes, traditions and culture, even as Dubai strives for greater advances in modern life and adopts the latest technologies.
The sixth edition of the Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob curated by Oxford Bookstores and in association with Prabha Khaitan Foundation will stream LIVE on Social Media Platforms on January 15 and 16.
With the rising popularity of Social Media content and OTT platforms due to its worldwide reach, India’s first and only Bangla Literary Festival this year will transcend geographical boundaries and go digital, making it possible for the viewers to listen and interact with stalwarts of Bengali literature from the comforts of their homes.
Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob was conceptualized in 2015 at Oxford Bookstores. In subsequent years with growing interest in Bangla literature and enthusiastic participation of the audience, the festival moved to Apeejay Lawns and then to the heart of Bangla Literature, the abode of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Jorasankho Thakurbari.
Debashis Mukhopadhyay
ABSU inaugurated its unique theme song composed by the renowned Surojit Chatterjee in 2019. Going by the motto-digital is the new local- ABSU21 will be held online keeping in mind the ease of access, the broadening of participation, the availability of viewing the sessions at convenience and interacting with the delegates while observing health and safety norms.
The year 2020 has seen milestones with the birth centenary of Oscar Winning Filmmaker Satyajit Ray and the demise of legendary actor and writer Soumitra Chattopadhyay. Spread over two days with eight enriching discussions, the Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob pays a tribute to the two icons apart from discussions on digitization of content, literature for the teens, evolution of sports writing and the occult in contemporary writings and much more.
Prasenjit Dasgupta
This edition will also highlight new and upcoming voices from the world of Bangla writing while continuing with its legacy of celebrating literary voices from both the Bengals.
Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob 2021 include Ray researcher and journalist Debashis Mukhopadhyay; sports journalist Sabyasachi Sarkar; authors Prasenjit Dasgupta, Sayantani Putatunda and Sirsho Bandhopadhyay; writers Binod Ghosal and Debarati Mukhopadhyay; theatre artiste, Poulami Bose; Interdisciplinary artiste Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee; and writer Sadat Hossain from Bangladesh to name a few.
Debarati Mukhopadhyay
The sixth edition of ABSU will stream LIVE on the official Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob Facebook Page on 15- 16 January 2021, 4 pm onwards.
For more information, visit the Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob Social Media Pages:
The core objective of this year’s conference is to connect to a wider audience and promote positive mental health for all through Music, particularly during the pandemic…reports Asian Lite News
The 4th Annual World Music Conference, organised by the British Carnatic Choir, in partnership with the Consul General of India in Birmingham, held virtually. The event was hosted by Birmingham City University.
The conference is supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority, The Nehru Centre, London, Embassy of India in Romania and a host of premier institutions and corporates from across the UK and abroad. The core objective of this year’s conference is to connect to a wider audience and promote positive mental health for all through Music, particularly during the pandemic.
Mr John Crabtree OBE, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands said, “Even during this most challenging of years – time has flown by and here we are again, celebrating the World Music Conference. As always, the event is a wonderful demonstration of the power of music to bring us together, calm our souls and leave us with a collective spring in our step. My very best wishes for your great endeavours.”
Mr Amish Tripati, Minister (Culture), Indian High Commission, UK & Director, Nehru Centre, London delivered the inaugural Keynote speech.
“As the Patron of the British Carnatic Choir, I would like to congratulate and convey my best wishes to the conference organisers and conference partners for organising this event amidst very difficult times. The conference theme focuses on music and yoga for positive mental health and wellbeing, which is particularly important during such challenging times.” Councillor Mohammed Azim, Lord Mayor of Birmingham
Dr A.R. Rahman
The Annual World Music Conference featured over 30 specialists in the domains of musical performance, Psychology, musicology, education and cultural management, sharing their experience and research on “Impact of Music and Yoga for Positive Mental health and Well-being.”. The conference is one of its kind to bring together professionals, artists, academia, and the community in a professional networking environment.
World Music Conference has received excellent support from the Grammy and Oscar Academy winning musician, writer and composer Dr A.R. Rahman, who is a strong advocate for mental health and believes in promoting positive well being through music. The conference features a special highlight from the amazingly talented young people of The Sunshine Orchestra, which is a marquee project of the AR Rahman Foundation and is led and mentored by Mr Srinivasa Murthy.
Other performances included the Psalmodia Byzantine Ensemble by the National University of Music, Bucharest, Chinese Buddhist Music by Master Je Rong and the Chinese Austrian Composer Maestro Jin Wang, Indian Classical Music, Gamelan by University of Northern Texas, Mbale All Schools Band from Uganda, to name a few.
The conference also received wonderful message of support from the renowned Indian Classical violinist Padma Bhushan Dr L Subramaniam. The pandemic and the lock down have challenged the physical as well as the mental health. The conference showcased recitals of traditional music, world music and professional music from over 18 countries.
“Music has a phenomenal therapeutic effect on mental health. Yoga and music therapy can help people to deal with stress and anxiety, and this is particularly useful now, during COVID-19. This unique, multidisciplinary conference aims to promote positive mental health and wellbeing for all and seeks to inspire the audience and to positively impact their wellbeing using World Music and holistic practices. “Dr Chithra Ramakrishnan FRSA, Fellow, Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Founder, Curator, World Music Conference ‘
“The festival is unique in its aim of bringing together artists, academics and music educators from across Africa, Europe, the USA and India.” Andy Street CBE, Mayor for West Midlands
“Music is a powerful language, that connects us all, irrespective of where we come from. I’m delighted to hear about the world music conference, an ideal opportunity, I feel, to applaud the talents in our diverse communities, but also a chance to remember the departed iconic music legends, whose legendary contributions shall forever remain in memory. “ said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“I send my best wishes to the organisers of the third world music conference. t is events like this that bring us together irrespective of our differences and which provide a platform for us to celebrate the sheer diversity, in terms of world music, that plays an important role in our daily life. “British Prime Minister RT Hon Boris Johnson
Actress Gauahar Khan will be getting married to boyfriend Zaid Darbar on December 25 this year. The actress shared the date of her wedding on social media along with a note and two pictures of the couple.
“#25thDec2020,” she wrote while with the images, along with a sparkling emoji.
In the note, she revealed that they will be celebrating the big day with their families.
“The year 2020 has been anything but ordinary, & our love story through it all has been nothing short of extraordinary! It gives us immense joy to announce that we are tying the knot and embarking on a journey of forever,” the note read.
“Keeping the current scenario in mind, we will be celebrating the big day with our family in an intimate ceremony. We seek your blessings & love & are eternally grateful for the constant support & the outpour of warm wishes we have received. We hope for every soul to find its mate & pray for every heart to find it’s reason to beat. ALL OUR LOVE,” it added.
In the images, Gauahar is seen happily posing with Zaid , and the two seem totally smitten in love. She is seen wearing an embroidered long skirt with hues of red, orange and pink, while Zaid looks elegant in a traditional attire.
Bollywood composer Ismail Darbar’s son Zaid got engaged to Gauahar last month. He posted a photo with Gauahar on Instagram on November 5, with a red heart emoji and a diamond ring emoji, indicating their engagement. In the photograph, Gauahar can be seen holding a balloon which reads, “She said yes”.
The 10th Anniversary celebration of RadhaRaman Festival being held virtually this year…making it possible for audiences from all corners of the globe to take part in this ethereal experience, of three days and night long cultural enchantment. – reports Asian Lite news desk
A 10-year celebration of RadhaRaman Folk Festival based in Leeds is happening virtually this year on 27, 28, and 29 November 2020. The three-day festival, featuring some world-leading performers from all across the world has already created wide followers from the UK and Europe. More than 12 hours of exciting sessions of music, dance, poetry, and talk every day will be streaming live on the RadhaRaman Festival page on Facebook and youtube.
Fabian Hamilton the shadow secretary of peace and disarmament, a veteran member of British parliament said in a congratulation message for the 10-year celebration of the festival – “this is the best treat during Covid for the global audience, such a great line-up of folk music and dance from many cultural traditions, this is something that I am absolutely looking forward to.”
Sadia Islam Mou, Tanna Khan and Farhana Chowdhury performing for the festival
The festival curator , one of the founders of RadhaRaman Society, London, TM Ahmed Kaysher thinks, “The festival traditionally is promoting the joy of life through hosting the session around the lyrical nature of Leeds along with the formal art and community venues. This is one of the rare festivals where people from different cities, different traditions come together and enjoy the beauty of predominantly Bengali folk music and folk dance all day and almost all night. So, during Covid, the festival has a special significance because it is bringing happiness through a three-day long hypnotic presentation of arts and music by few world-leading artists. The festival will open a horizon of joy all three days from the mid-noon to 2am every day.
The inauguration will feature a panel discussion by three Leeds-based MPs Fabian Hamilton, Richard Burgon, and Alex Sobel as well as the former governor of Cayman Island Anwar Chowdhury. The planning minister of Bangladesh M A Mannan, the minister of state for cultural affairs KM Khalid, the member of Bangladesh parliament Muhibur Rahman will join the inauguration from Bangladesh along with other distinguished guests from the UK and abroad.
Parvathy Baul
The festival is bringing some finest performers from different traditions that include the Bhajan king Anup Jalota, the head of Banaras Gharana of Indian classical music Pt Kumar Bose, the finest violin player of this generation Vidushi Kala Ramnath, a leading Tagore singer of this time Jayati Chakraborti, Parvathy Das Baul, Raju Das Baul from India, prominent actor and the former culture minister of Bangladesh Asaduzzaman Noor, folk singer Ashik, Bengali experimental music composer Bappa Mazumdar, talented Tagore singer Shreetama Roy, dancer, and actor Aupee Karim, Sadia Islam Mou, Tanna Khan, Farhana Chowdhury and Nilanjana Jui of Nritya Shaily from Bangladesh.
Jayati Chakraborty, a leading Bengali singer from India said, “It’s a special honour to be invited to perform as part of the 10-year celebration of the festival. The idea of the festival is really intriguing, bringing the best of south Asian and global arts at the lap of the beautiful nature. Congratulations to the festival and the team during this 10-year celebration. I heard a lot on the beauty of Yorkshire Dales, and I look forward to joining physically at the festival.
Anup Jalota
An award-winning Scottish musician Simon Thacker, Lebanese-Canadian-Greek musician Lara Eidi, Moroccan Oud and Nai player Hassan Erraji, Schubert vocalist Eric Schelander, Persian Setar and Tambura player Niknaz Mirghalami, Persian dancer Lily Niloufar will also join different days in different talk and performance sessions.
The leading intellectuals and academicians from Bangladesh and India e.g. the former vice-chancellor of Assam University Prof Tapodhir Bhattacharjee, the former vice-chancellor of Rabindra Bharati university prof Pabitra Sarkar, the former vice-chancellor of Gauro Banga university prof Gopa Datta Bhowmik, the high commissioner of Bangladesh in the UK Saida Muna Tasneem, the former chairman of public service commission of Bangladesh poet Muhammed Sadique, the vice-chancellor of the University of Barishal Sadequl Arefin, the former director-general of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan will participate as the panellists for a discussion on folk music and its relevance with modernity.
The festival will also feature the performances of some finest UK based artists Gouri Chowdhury, Sanjoy Dey, Sumana Basu, Sufi Amir Muhammed, Amith Dey, Sohel Ahmed, Sonia Sultana, Laboni Barua, Indrani Ghosh Sen, Jessy Barua, Poppy Shahnaz, Jahangir Rana, Arundhati Mukherjee as well as some child prodigies Tanisha Chowdhury and Anvita Gupta.
Kumar Bose
“The festival aims to promote the joy and happiness of life through folk music and dance. This has been promoting the lyrical landscapes of the North by hosting sessions of music, dance and networking in the middle of the forest like Otley Chevin, by the Scammonden Lake etc. along with other formal art and community venues”, said Kaysher.
RadhaRaman society propagates the glory of Bengali secular philosophy and deep humanism through folk music, dance and other collaborative art forms. It engages young people, socially excluded women, too, into the pride-worthy cultural heritage of Bengal through highly connecting art activities and deliberately play a vital role to combat growing religious fanaticism. It’s annual folk festival is already considered now as the biggest Bengali cultural and art festival in the North which connected the audience from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Oldham, Bradford, Rochdale etc. on top of the local audience from mainly the east as well as other areas of Leeds.
Jayati Chakraborty
An extraordinary poet himself, Kaysher is also well known as one of the founding members of Saudha, society of poetry and Indian music, and the Gronthee, an experimental bilingual poetry magazine. He adds, “RadhaRaman Festival drew the attention of the audiences from different cities of the UK because of its unique nature of hosting sessions all day and all night. The audience ends up with a memorable experience of witnessing music and dance performances happening all day all night, sometimes at the deeper forest while barbecuing, sometimes at the bank of the lake while networking with people from one tradition to another, one corner to another. The audience goes home with tears after three days of human-bonding that arts and music creates in the lap of lyrical nature of the North.”
Supported by one of the leading Indian classical music promoters in the UK Saudha Society of poetry and music, the Gronthee, the Nehru Centre, SAA UK, Sangeet Foundation, and many prestigious organisations from all across the world, the festival will run from 2 pm (UK time) each day.
Radha Raman Folk Festival (UK) starts from 2 pm-2 am daily, Friday, 27th November – Sunday 29th November 2020
Diwali celebrations this year will be a low-key affair for most Bollywood celebrities owing to the ongoing pandemic. For some, the pandemic has barred them from reuniting with their families in their hometowns. For others, Diwali will be more of a low-key homely affair as they plan to avoid attending big parties to ensure social distancing.
Aparshakti Khurana is rooting for a green Diwali this year owing to health scare of Covid patients. “As much as we all want this Diwali to be like other Diwalis, we have to remember that we are in the middle of a pandemic. Therefore, we should wear masks and take other precautionary measures. Also, I always encourage a green Diwali, but this year we need to have a green Diwali more than ever. Because there are Covid patients for whom pollution can be dangerous. So, being empathetic about the people around us is how we should celebrate this Diwali,” he said.
For Ishita Dutta, Diwali will be a low-key affair at home with family members. “Just like Ganpati Utsav, Navaratri and Durga Puja, Diwali is also going to be different. Generally for Diwali there are a lot of parties in the city where friends and families get together but this year is going to be very different so we are keeping it very low key. We are doing a small pre-Diwali party at home where only family members will be present. We will make sweets at home and decorate the house. Even if we are not going out, we will still dress up at home, light diyas and make rangolis to keep up with the festive spirit. But we will not burst crackers as I’m totally against it,” she told IANS.
For Manav Kaul, this Diwali brings the pain of not being able to meet his family in his hometown as he is unable to travel. The actor shared: “Due to the pandemic, this Diwali l can’t visit and spend time with my mom, who stays in Indore with my brother. I like Diwali with less noise, so hopefully people won’t use loud firecrackers. I will be at home and will cook for my friends. That will be my Diwali with lots of light and good music.”
Mamta Sharma is missing her mega Diwali shopping and is upset as she won’t be able to hug her near and dear ones while wishing them on the festival owing to social distancing. The singer expressed: “I have always loved Diwali! I love phooljhari, sweets and shopping. This time I really missed out on the freedom of shopping due to the pandemic. I did a little bit of shopping for Diwali but did not enjoy it like I do every year. Another sad part is that I won’t be able to embrace my loved ones while wishing them Happy Diwali as I will have to follow social distancing. So, this Diwali is different from the other years.”
The singer added: “I really want this pandemic to go away very soon and once that happens, I would want to celebrate the real Diwali once again.”
Diwali celebrations however, remain unaffected for those who generally stay away from ringing in the festival of lights in a big way. Talking about the same, actress Aahana Kumra shared: “My Diwali will be the same this year apart from the fact that I usually go and visit friends. This year I will be home and I have already done all the lighting, rangoli and other decoration to prepare my home. I am not somebody who likes to hop around too much ,and like to be in my cosy home. So this year will be not much different for me.”
Wedding designer Ambika Gupta has shared details from the wedding of filmstar Kajal Aggarwal, giving an idea of all that went into making the day special amidst the pandemic.
Kajal married Gautam Kitchlu on October 30 and Ambika was chosen by Kajal’s family to create the wedding experience. The entire wedding was designed around the theme ‘Kashmir to Kanyakumari’ by Ambika. The post-lockdown scenario was naturally a challenge for the wedding designer.
“Kajal and her family were extremely particular about safety and we rigorously followed all protocols without compromising on the aesthetics and the keen eye for detail, they wanted. We observed Covid-19 precautions as specified by the Maharashtra government and the 60-70 guests and members of the crew who were present at the wedding had to go through health clearances beforehand,” Ambika said.
How Kajal discovered the Chennai-based Ambika is also an interesting story.
“It was completely serendipitous. Kajal’s sister Nisha took a brief look at my portfolio, and after a few calls and meetings we were on,” Ambika reecalled.
“Not a flashy person herself, Kajal wanted her wedding to be understated but elegant. Keeping that in mind and noticing their roots in the respective cultural legacies that she and her husband share, I came up with the complete idea. During the question-answer round Gautam told me that he is from Kashmir and hence I came up with the ‘Kashmir to Kanyakumari’ theme and we brought it all to life in just over 35 days,” she added.
Drawing from diverse cultural references, Ambika ideated and designed the ambience of ‘Brijwasi Krishna bagh’, a Radha and Krishna-themed puja at Kajal’s home.
For the Haldi and Mehendi, a French bistro at Churchgate was transformed into a Kitsch Mandi as a tribute to the artisans of India who have been hard-hit by the onset of Covid-19.
“Kajal wore a specially handcrafted weave by Madhurya creations, which is an initiative to support weavers and revive traditional crafts. She has a soft spot for the unsung weavers of India and her wedding was the perfect opportunity to give back to them in some way,” said Ambika.
Kajal has always urged her fans and followers to support small businesses, and she urged Ambika’s team to convert the French ambience into an authentic artisanal experience. They curated and designed a backdrop made of Pettis, or traditional contraptions used by coconut tree climbers.
Other aspects that drew attention were the Kutch workmanship in furnishings, traditional dry palm weaves all round, and also a Chettinad console, and brass pots with banana leaves.
The wedding venue was the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, where Kashmiri design details were incorporated as a nod to Gautam’s heritage, since the groom is a Kashmiri. The theme was ‘Shikara: Voyage of Love’, and it drew from the beauty of Kashmir, by mirroring mountain ranges and the Dal Lake.
“The mandap was majestic and reminiscent of a pyramid. This was an ode to hilly terrains of Kashmir and also representative of the merging of the self and the soul. It was held together by gold frames and translucent baby pink screens. The mandap also bore intricate details of a Shikara, with panelling reminiscent of Kashmir’s houseboats with their wooden jaalis. Adding to the warmth were powder blue pashmina embroidery pieces captured in diamond set frames. Each guest was given a silver bell with a personalised note,” Ambika said.
