“Taste of Telangana” Food Festival at Cayenne - Mercure Hyderabad KCP Hotel

Hyderabad: Mercure Hyderabad KCP start-off its well-known food festival “Taste of Telangana” at Cayenne (an all-day dining) from May 25 – June 3. Perfectly timed around the Telangana Formation Day, this food festival celebrates cuisine inspired by the different regions of Telangana.

The Chefs at Mercure have recreated a range of archetypal dishes in their most authentic form. As a part of their dinner buffet, the festival promises some of the best amalgamation of dishes most relished from the state including Mutton Pulao, OuuruKodipulusu, Talakayakura, Mutton Liver Fry, Dosakaipappu, Pachipulusu, Sakinallu, Jowar Roti, Kobbarilauzu, Pongali, etc.

Highlighting the rich heritage of the region, Soumitra Pahari, General Manager, Mercure Hyderabad KCP says, “We at Mercure believe in presenting authenticity on a platter for our clientele. Classic Telangana food is a quintessential blend of robust yet delicate flavours comprising many textures and is unique from other culinary traditions of India. Paying a tribute to the Telangana State Formation day and the beautiful heritage and culture of the state we have introduced ‘The Telangana Food festival’ for our guests to showcase the distinct, vibrant and traditionally charged delights from various regions of the state.”

Telangana Food Festival at Mercure is all set to recreate the magic with a confluence of spices and use of fresh ingredients. With its rustic flavours and earthy charm, the food festival is bound to instigate feelings of nostalgia. The hotel’s F&B team has worked very hard to ensure that they are able to bring alive decades of the culinary heritage of the beautiful state of Telangana. 

Treat yourself to some of the unique and flavoursome dishes of Telangana with Live Janapadalu and indulge in the well- seasoned, mouth-watering culinary extravaganza. The “Taste of Telangana” food festival will continue till June 3 every day at Cayenne restaurant.

‘Tis the season of college festivals!

It is that time of the year when colleges are busy prepping for their annual cultural festivals. Be it theatre and dance, science, psychology or business management, these fests provide a platform for students to showcase their skills and talent amid healthy competition. And in the weeks leading up to these events, the campus is buzzing with excitement, as the students get busy with preparations. In this edition of What’s Up, Campus?, we find out how collegians are getting ready for the upcoming fest season. 

Lots of bonding and healthy competition 

Practice and preparation makes for great bonding sessions. “Fergusson College is all set to organise a series of college fests with participation from different departments, which will all start later this month. There is so much energy and enthusiasm on campus right now, and a competitive spirit among the students, who want their event to be the best. There is no discrimination seniors and juniors and everyone unites to make sure they put their best foot forward. Each department's students will be seen sweating it out to make their fest the best,” says Prachi Gole, a first year BSc Computer Science student at Fergusson College. 

Another student who recently visited an Ivy League campus compares the atmosphere there to the one in Pune colleges during fests. “I attended Harvard University as part of a student exchange program last year. For them, college festivals are a serious affair. There’s a lot of competition between the Yale, Harvard and Duke Universities. However, the enthusiasm here in Pune is not different either; it’s on a different level altogether. Students work till late at night to ensure that they have the best props, sets and performances at the event. Such healthy competition is needed to bring out the best in students,” says Ashwin Kulkarni, who is studying English at Fergusson College. 
And this bonding and competition isn't limited to students from the city alone. Pune University International Centre is organising a food fest this February, where over 30 students from different countries will come together to present their national cuisines. One of the coordinators, Milad Ghiasi tells us, “We have already started preparing and everyone is in planning mode right now.” 

Of the students, by the students, for the students 
College festivals are a platform for students to showcase their creativity, talent, thoughts and leadership skills. For example, BMCC’s upcoming three-day college fest Troika – that kicks of on January 16 – is a completely student-run festival. 
“From making the props for plays to painting the sets and organising everything, students are the leaders and torch bearers of the fest. This year, we have six categories, including fine arts, sports, performing arts, tech and literature, and are also launching the Troika inter-city, wherein students from other colleges can also participate in our fest. So, it is going to be a grand event,” says Adhiraj Nimbalkar, from the Troika team. 

MIT’s annual fest Jalsa, which was recently organised by the Indradhanu Club of MITWPU, saw over 900 students participating. The fest also provided the students with experience in managing budgets and coordinating with different teams on a large scale.

At Modern College, the student organisation Modernise will be organising their annual fest in the coming month. “Students get to test their leadership skills during such events,” says assistant professor Manjusha Kulkarni.

Assistant professor Nandini Venkat Iyer, from the faculty of Applied Science at COEP, who is also the faculty advisor of their annual fest Impressions, adds, “We have five modules of dance, drama, music, filmmaking, and are expecting around ten thousand students to attend our fest this year on December 13, 14 and 15. Our students started preparing immediately after last year’s fest got over.” She continues, “This year, our theme is Bollywood 70mm, and the atmosphere is going to be filmy.”

What’s interesting is that the festival is fully funded by students. “So, they own the fest and treat it as their child,” says Nandini, adding, “Even our alumni are supporting us, so it is a great bonding experience for all the students.”

International student food fest

While cultural festivals are going on full swing, students of Pune University International Centre are all set for their food fest which will be organised in February. One of the co-ordinators Milad Ghiasi informs, “More than 30 plus students from different countries will come together and present their national cuisine at the food fest and students have already started with the preparations. On campus it is all about discussion and planning that is happening this time. Students are fully involved and making sure they don’t go wrong with anything.”

Dasara fest at Wonderla Hyderabad

The month of October brings with it the promise of celebrations, fun and the beginning of festive season with Dasara. Wonderla, India’s most popular amusement park, is organising a host of cultural and fun activities till October 21 to make this Dasara more memorable.

Wonderla is home to a variety of thrilling and breathtaking rides. Organising special festivities is an effort to offer a rich experience to all visitors during Dasara. The event promises to be an astounding affair with a mix of cultural, as well as, fun-loving activities as a part of this grand spectacle.

Grand procession of many characters will be taken out twice, while cultural events involving visitors are planned towards the evening. Bhangra dance will ensure that the audience are entertained and visitors can also enjoy the free mehendi sessions by selecting unique designs.

If visitors are keen on checking their fortune, they can visit the parrot fortune-teller corner. Apart from this, there will also be a variety of live interactive games and competitions.

As no celebration is complete without food, Wonderla is also hosting a food festival throughout the celebration days. All food stalls will serve mouth-watering delicacies and savouries to gorge on.

Navratri : The festival's history, significance and importance

Navrati is considered one of the most auspicious times of the year. There is festivity in the air for these nine days and the occasion is celebrated with gusto across the country. The temples are vibrantly decorated and devotees start preparing for the festival days in advance. Interestingly, the festival has a beautiful history and significance. Here’s all you want to know about it.

Navratri: History, significance and more 
The word Navratri is derived from a Sanskrit word that translates ‘Nava’ as nine and ‘Ratri’ as night. Each day is dedicated to one of the nine avatars of goddess Durga (namely Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri) and every day has a colour significance associated with it. 

The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil. It is believed that goddess Durga fought with demon Mahishasur (who represents egoistism) for nine days and the final day, when the demon was beheaded by her, is called Vijay Dashmi. 

The Navratri falls four times in a year. However, the ones observed during September- October (called Sharad) and March-April (Vasanta) are considered the most auspicious ones and are widely celebrated across the country. 

The festival is known with different names in different parts of the country and rituals and traditions also vary from state to state. Navratri is celebrated as Durga Puja in various parts of Northeast India. In north and western parts of the country, devotees celebrate the festival by fasting, staging ‘Ramlila’ and conclude with Dussehra where the effigies of Ravana and his brothers are burnt, again signifying the victory of good over evil. In Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated as Golu and Gujrat is famous for its dandiya nights.

Navratri literally means nine nights. According to Hindu tradition, it refers to nine nights of prayers at specific times of the year. In an year, Vasanta Navrati and Sharad Navratri, that fall in spring and autumn, respectively, are celebrated widely across the nation. The dates change according to the Gregorian calendar every year as they are in accordance with the Hindu calendar. 

The way Navratri is celebrated varies in every state of India. The Navratri starting on 10 October is the Sharad Navratri and is also called Ram Navratri as it concludes with Ram Navmi, Lord Ram’s birthday, that falls on the ninth day of Navratri and Dusshera, the anniversary of the day Lord Ram defeated Ravana in the epic battle. This Navratri also marks the anniversary of the day Goddess Durga defeated the Rakshasa (demon) Mahishasura and is sought as a powerful symbolism of the restoration of dharma, the restoration of the balance of the universe. Depending on the state or culture, different tales support worshiping of different Gods but throughout these nine days, different prayers are conducted to seek blessings from the nine forms of the Goddess to purify home and mind.

The auspicious nine days of worshipping nine different forms and powers of Goddess Durga. Navratri 2018 starts from October 10 and will end on October 18 with Ram Navmi. Navratri falls twice in an year and the one that falls in the month of Ashwin is called Shradhiya Navratri. 

Auspicious time 
The time duration for offering prayer to the goddess this time is short and requires you to get up early in the morning. 
Those who wish to follow the ‘Brahm Muhurat’ for doing the navratri puja, the timings are - 4.39 AM to 7.25 AM. 
From 7.26 AM, the next date will start so the puja should be done early in the morning this time. 

Time for Ghat Sthapna: 
The auspicious time for ghat sthapana this time is - 6.22 AM to 7.25 AM. But, if for some reason you are unable to do ghat sthapana during this time, you can do it in the Abhijeet muhurat which is from 11.36 AM to 12.24 PM. 

Painting is my passion, don't eke out living by selling artwork

In an apparent attack on the BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said painting was her passion and she does not "eke out a living by selling her art work". The chief minister's reaction comes after BJP national president Amit Shah alleged on Tuesday that Banerjee's paintings were bought by chit fund owners for crores of rupees.

In a counter attack, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, on Wednesday, dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah to prove the allegation against her. Launching a calendar featuring some of her sketches at the inauguration of International Kolkata Book Fair here, Banerjee said, "A friend told me that some people in Delhi may make adverse comments on the calendar. I said I would send copies to them anyway."

The chief minister said her only source of income was the royalty she received from her published books. "I have been a Parliamentarian seven times, but I don't take a single anna of MP's pension. I don't even take MLA allowance. I paint because I am passionate about it, not because I want to make a living out of it.

"My only source of income comes from the royalty I get from my published books," she stated. The chief minister also came down heavily on 'jealous people' saying they don't have an idea about Bengal's rich tradition of celebrating all important festivals.

"It does not matter to the people of Bengal whatever these jealous people might say. Do they (jealous people) have an idea how from Durga Puja, Christmas to Boi Mela (book fair) every festival has been celebrated enthusiastically for ages by people of Bengal? Do they know Lakshmi and Saraswati pujas are being held in crores of households all over the state?" the chief minister asked. Banerjee said she wants to "foil" the designs of "jealous people" who cannot appreciate Bengal's secular spirit.

Seven books of the chief minister, including one on the current political scenario, was published at the fair Thursday, taking the total number of her published works to 87. Talking about the book fair, which entered its 43rd year, Banerjee said the event has no parallel in the world.

"The book fair is a ground for people to meet and share thoughts and opinions. It is an integral part of Kolkata's culture," she added. Asserting that printed matter will never cease to attract people across all ages, she said, "Though these days stories and poems are posted on social network sites including Facebook, the very charm of reading literature will never yield place to the virtual text. Book fair unites minds, dispelling ignorance and superstition."

The book fair is the place to browse through titles, to physically feel titles, to know about the world, she said. He asked the people to ensure no "mischief maker" spoils the atmosphere of the book fair till the last day.

Bathukamma Festival: The Celebration of Telangana Identity

Telangana immerses itself in the famous Bathukamma festival(Festival of Flowers). This hugely popular festival ,unique to Telangana region only, has transformed into a symbol of Telangana’s sub-regional identity.

It was the portentous weapon during the movement for separate state for Telangana. In the name of reasserting the cultural identity of Telangana, the traditional Bathukamma, literally meaning goddess of life, festival where women offer flowers to a goddess and seek her blessings, was organised and celebrated as public protest. Along with long-established Bathukamma songs, which have patriarchal overtones, new ones on the plight of Telangana and in praise of those who died for the cause of a state were composed and sung in public celebrations.

Similar to Tilak using Ganesh Chathurthi to mobilise masses in the freedom struggle, Bathukamma was effective in galvanizing peoples movement for Telangana state, given its mass participatory character. Pitted against the national party the congress, the TRS after coming to power has accorded Bathukamma the status of state festival and officially organises celebrations in a bid to further consolidate its identity politics. KCR’s daughter under the aegis of Telangana Jagruthi, an NGO, spearheaded the Bathukamma celebrations before and after the formation of state. Thus the Bathukamma festival is a significant case study in cultural politics.

Sankranti is the popular festivals in the coastal Andhra as it is an agricultural harvest festival and the region especially the Krishna ,Godavari basin is known for its agrarian prosperity. On the contrary, Bathukamma festival is the more prominent festival compared to even Sankranti. This difference helped the Telangana activists to use the festival as an identity of Telangana.

The Bathukamma festival has several noteworthy features that even any region should emulate. It fosters a spirit of community and collective consciousness as the villagers en masse converge to sing and celebrate the festival. The themes in the Bathukamma songs denote the rich cultural traditions and the struggle for life of the people. The festival is also the celebration of womanhood as it is female centric .

Besides, the festival has lot of environmental importance too. The colourful flowers attractively arranged in tiers provide a visual feast besides purifying the air and water with their medicinal properties. Thus the festival is not a demonstration of pomp and show but intimately attached to nature . The inherent lesson the festival offers is to protect and preserve the nature for the larger good of the humanity .

Flowers like Cassia, Celosia, Marigold, Chrysanthemum, Lotus, Cucurbita leaves and others from uncultivated and barren plains of the region are used to decorate the Bathukamma indicating the richness of life and tradition.

It is widely believed that when hundreds of Bathukammas are immersed in the water bodies like tanks , the concentration of the medical properties increases in water leading to the death of bacteria, fungi and protozoan’s. This helps in preventing water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea along with some skin diseases.

The Thangedu (Cassia auriculata )has antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiprotozoal properties. Gunugu (Celosia argentea ) is useful in treating jaundice, diarrhoea , gonorrhoea , wounds , fever and diabetes. Lotus (Tamera ) strengthens heart and helps in maintaining blood sugar levels . Banthi(Marigold) is used in treatment of allergic reactions, eczema and bruises. Chamanthi (Chrysanthemum ) helps in detoxification and clear vision.

However , this does not mean that these flowers should be directly used. Further research is needed to study the significance and scientific content of flowers used in the Bathukamma festival . But, the festival practises tell us the immense value of nature and how humanity can be benefited from it.