Blogs from Cuttack, Orissa, India, Asia

I can recall seeing a great Indian flic about an Indian Hindu wedding a few years ago - Monsoon Wedding - but never did I imagine that I would actually be at one in my lifetime. But lo and behold. I was. A friend of our host family invited Stan and I to his daughter's wedding celebration. First came the personally delivered invitation in glitter and gold, and then came the exuberant celebrations. At about the same time, we were also invited to the 2nd Death Anniversary of the wife of our NGO's Founder. Both of these rituals exposed us to some of the rich cultural traditions in India. The Hindus attach a lot of importance to marriages and the ceremonies are very colorful and extend for several days. An Indian Hindu wedding is not simply ... read more

The $64,000 question: When is the Hindu New Year? As with most things in India, it depends where you are and which calendar you are following. There is no one Indian New Year’s day. The numerous cultures that are part of Hinduism follow independent calendars (about 30) and the New Year Day in these calendars is based on seasons and the agrarian economy of the region. As a result of these cultural variations, festivals are celebrated at different times and in different ways. We happen to be in Orissa so the Hindu New Year fell on April 14 but there are about 30 different dates throughout India. Since Orissa has one of the largest tribal communities in India, the ceremony around New Years is very much steeped in the tribal cultures and traditions. We were privileged ... read more

Think of Halloween and Purim rolled into one big celebration and you start to get the spirit of the unique Hindu festival of Holi. Holi is steeped in legends of love and romance, observed in different ways throughout the country, but one main ingredient of the festivities is that everyone gets painted with colors as you walk along the street or visit family and friends. Stan and I did not escape the powdered and liquid colors which were thrown on us by friend and stranger alike and the phrase accompanying this bold act is “bura na mano holi hai” which means ”don’t take offence. It’s Holi”. It all started with legends. One legend is that it is a celebration of the love for Lord Krishna that was realized when an evil spirit Holika was burned. ... read more

The merriment of yesterday could not have been more greatly contrasted than with today's visit. Nothing I have seen last week could have prepared me for the dire situation that thousands of people face in the slums of Cuttack city, living in extreme poverty. Many of these slums have been here for decades, expanding over time. Often they are on Government-owned land which is vulnerable to reclamation for growing industrial uses. Unfortunately, the government simultaneously represent many conflicting interests, not least the need to grow this area economically by encouraging the development of industry, whilst at the same time the welfare of families who have made their homes here in these slums, desparately in need of safe water and sanitation. Some of the slums are officially recognised by the government, whilst others are not. Slum-dwellers are ... read more