From the Desk of your PCA Team ....
Have a wonderful holiday this Spring Break. Many of you may go north or out of town. Either place, hope the holiday's are good and safe. There are two major holidays that are coming up the following week. We thought we could share some information with you on that below.
Holi
A few of you may be going to the North of India, when you do, on March 24th, will be the festival of Holi in India. Holi or 'Phagwah' is the most colourful festival celebrated by followers of the Vedic Religion. It is celebrated as harvest festival as well as welcome-festival for the spring season in India.
Why Celebrate Holi?
The festival of Holi can be regarded as a celebration of the Colors of Unity & Brotherhood - an opportunity to forget all differences and indulge in unadulterated fun. It has traditionally been celebrated in high spirit without any distinction of cast, creed, color, race, status or sex. It is one occasion when sprinkling colored powder ('gulal') or colored water on each other breaks all barriers of discrimination so that everyone looks the same and universal brotherhood is reaffirmed. This is one simple reason to participate in this colorful festival. Let's learn more about its history and significance...
What is 'Phagwah'?
'Phagwah' is derived from the name of the Hindu month 'Phalgun', because it is on the full moon in the month of Phalgun that Holi is celebrated.
Holi in India
The month of Phalgun ushers India in Spring when seeds sprout, flowers bloom and the country rises from winter's slumber.
Meaning of 'Holi'
'Holi' comes from the word 'hola', meaning to offer oblation or prayer to the Almighty as Thanksgiving for good harvest. Holi is celebrated every year to remind people that those who love God shall be saved and they who torture the devotee of God shall be reduced to ashes a la the mythical character Holika.
The Legend of Holika
Holi is also associated with the Puranic story of Holika, the sister of demon-king Hiranyakashipu. The demon-king punished his son, Prahlad in a variety of ways to denounce Lord Narayana. He failed in all his attempts. Finally, he asked his sister Holika to take Prahlad in her lap and enter a blazing fire. Holika had a boon to remain unburned even inside fire. Holika did her brother's bidding. However, Holika's boon ended by this act of supreme sin against the Lord's devotee and was burnt to ashes. But Prahlad came out unharmed.
The Krishna Connection
Holi is also associated with the Divine Dance known as Raaslila staged by Lord Krishna for the benefit of his devotees of Vrindavan commonly known as Gopis.
Easter
At the end of the week, many will be celebrating Easter on the 27th of March. On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year for Christian churches.
Christians believe, according to Scripture, that Jesus came back to life, or was raised from the dead, three days after his death on the cross. As part of the Easter season, the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion is commemorated on Good Friday, always the Friday just before Easter. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, thus purchasing for all who believe in him, eternal life in Christ Jesus.
When Is Easter Season?
Lent is a 40-day period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline in preparation for Easter. In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent and the Easter season.
Eastern Orthodox churches observe Lent or Great Lent, during the 6 weeks or 40 days preceding Palm Sunday with fasting continuing during the Holy Week of Easter. Lent for Eastern Orthodox churches begins on Monday and Ash Wednesday is not observed.
Because of Easter's pagan origins, and also because of the commercialization of Easter, many Christian churches choose to refer to the Easter holiday as Resurrection Day.
Easter in the Bible
Easter is linked to the Passover and Exodus from Egypt recorded in the Old Testament through the Last Supper, sufferings and crucifixion of Jesus that preceded the resurrection. According to the New Testament, Jesus gave the Passover meal a new meaning, as in the upper room during the Last Supper he prepared himself and his disciples for his death. He identified the matzah and cup of wine as his body soon to be sacrificed and his blood soon to be shed. Paul states, "Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed"; this refers to the Passover requirement to have no yeast in the house and to the allegory of Jesus as the Paschal lamb.
Determining the Date of Easter
In Western Christianity, Easter Sunday can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25. Easter is a movable feast, always celebrated on the Sunday immediately following the Paschal Full Moon. I had previously, and somewhat erroneously stated, "Easter is always celebrated on the Sunday immediately following the first full moon after the vernal (spring) equinox." This statement was true prior to 325 AD; however, over the course of history (beginning in 325 AD with the Council of Nicea), the Western Church decided to established a more standardized system for determining the date of Easter.
To all, have a wonderful week off and enjoy time with your families.
Signing off for this week.......
Upcoming Events
April 4, 2016 - "Meet the Candidates" Session: - BBT - 8:45 to 9:45 a.m.
Have a wonderful holiday this Spring Break. Many of you may go north or out of town. Either place, hope the holiday's are good and safe. There are two major holidays that are coming up the following week. We thought we could share some information with you on that below.
Holi
A few of you may be going to the North of India, when you do, on March 24th, will be the festival of Holi in India. Holi or 'Phagwah' is the most colourful festival celebrated by followers of the Vedic Religion. It is celebrated as harvest festival as well as welcome-festival for the spring season in India.
Why Celebrate Holi?
The festival of Holi can be regarded as a celebration of the Colors of Unity & Brotherhood - an opportunity to forget all differences and indulge in unadulterated fun. It has traditionally been celebrated in high spirit without any distinction of cast, creed, color, race, status or sex. It is one occasion when sprinkling colored powder ('gulal') or colored water on each other breaks all barriers of discrimination so that everyone looks the same and universal brotherhood is reaffirmed. This is one simple reason to participate in this colorful festival. Let's learn more about its history and significance...
What is 'Phagwah'?
'Phagwah' is derived from the name of the Hindu month 'Phalgun', because it is on the full moon in the month of Phalgun that Holi is celebrated.
Holi in India
The month of Phalgun ushers India in Spring when seeds sprout, flowers bloom and the country rises from winter's slumber.
Meaning of 'Holi'
'Holi' comes from the word 'hola', meaning to offer oblation or prayer to the Almighty as Thanksgiving for good harvest. Holi is celebrated every year to remind people that those who love God shall be saved and they who torture the devotee of God shall be reduced to ashes a la the mythical character Holika.
The Legend of Holika
Holi is also associated with the Puranic story of Holika, the sister of demon-king Hiranyakashipu. The demon-king punished his son, Prahlad in a variety of ways to denounce Lord Narayana. He failed in all his attempts. Finally, he asked his sister Holika to take Prahlad in her lap and enter a blazing fire. Holika had a boon to remain unburned even inside fire. Holika did her brother's bidding. However, Holika's boon ended by this act of supreme sin against the Lord's devotee and was burnt to ashes. But Prahlad came out unharmed.
The Krishna Connection
Holi is also associated with the Divine Dance known as Raaslila staged by Lord Krishna for the benefit of his devotees of Vrindavan commonly known as Gopis.
Easter
At the end of the week, many will be celebrating Easter on the 27th of March. On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year for Christian churches.
Christians believe, according to Scripture, that Jesus came back to life, or was raised from the dead, three days after his death on the cross. As part of the Easter season, the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion is commemorated on Good Friday, always the Friday just before Easter. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, thus purchasing for all who believe in him, eternal life in Christ Jesus.
When Is Easter Season?
Lent is a 40-day period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline in preparation for Easter. In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent and the Easter season.
Eastern Orthodox churches observe Lent or Great Lent, during the 6 weeks or 40 days preceding Palm Sunday with fasting continuing during the Holy Week of Easter. Lent for Eastern Orthodox churches begins on Monday and Ash Wednesday is not observed.
Because of Easter's pagan origins, and also because of the commercialization of Easter, many Christian churches choose to refer to the Easter holiday as Resurrection Day.
Easter in the Bible
Easter is linked to the Passover and Exodus from Egypt recorded in the Old Testament through the Last Supper, sufferings and crucifixion of Jesus that preceded the resurrection. According to the New Testament, Jesus gave the Passover meal a new meaning, as in the upper room during the Last Supper he prepared himself and his disciples for his death. He identified the matzah and cup of wine as his body soon to be sacrificed and his blood soon to be shed. Paul states, "Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed"; this refers to the Passover requirement to have no yeast in the house and to the allegory of Jesus as the Paschal lamb.
Determining the Date of Easter
In Western Christianity, Easter Sunday can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25. Easter is a movable feast, always celebrated on the Sunday immediately following the Paschal Full Moon. I had previously, and somewhat erroneously stated, "Easter is always celebrated on the Sunday immediately following the first full moon after the vernal (spring) equinox." This statement was true prior to 325 AD; however, over the course of history (beginning in 325 AD with the Council of Nicea), the Western Church decided to established a more standardized system for determining the date of Easter.
To all, have a wonderful week off and enjoy time with your families.
Signing off for this week.......
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April 4, 2016 - "Meet the Candidates" Session: - BBT - 8:45 to 9:45 a.m.
April 4, 2016 - Begin Board of Directors' Election Week
April 5, 2015 - PCA Meeting in BBT - 8:45-9:45
April 5, 2015 - KPA Meeting in BBT - 2:30- 3:30
April 7, 2016 - Japanese Cooking Demo - The Westin Velachery
April 9, 2016 - Design Saturday at ES Discovery Studio - 10:00 - 1:00
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"There is no wi-fi in the forest but you will find a better connection." A visit to the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in Kerala, part of the magnificent Western Ghats, will connect you with Nature and its curious inhabitants. A boat ride through the reservoir offers a chance to watch Elephant herds and other wildlife. Guided treks by tribals, who now work as forest guides, will help understand and appreciate the role played by forest ecosystems and the need to protect them. While spotting Sher Khan's (of Jungle Book fame) Malayali cousin is a matter of luck, which is true of all wildlife sightings, you never know when the two of you may cross paths! It is an experience that you and your family will not forget in a hurry. Kerala and Tamil Nadu have a host of such special interest experiences on offer. Experience the best of both these destinations with The Traveling Gecko. For more details, write to mail@thetravelinggecko.com or call us on +91 9940458435.
Follow us on Facebook for travel ideas and stories- facebook.com/TheTravelingGecko.
+91 9940458435/+91 9995561519 | mail@thetravelinggecko.com | facebook.com/TheTravelingGecko
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April 5, 2015 - PCA Meeting in BBT - 8:45-9:45
April 5, 2015 - KPA Meeting in BBT - 2:30- 3:30
April 7, 2016 - Japanese Cooking Demo - The Westin Velachery
April 9, 2016 - Design Saturday at ES Discovery Studio - 10:00 - 1:00
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Connect Magazine
AISConnect magazine comes out in the month of April this year. It is a magazine created by the parent community for the parent community. If you have an interest in writing, editing, creating layouts for this magazine, please email us at pca@aisch.org.
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PCA Ball Update
Last week we completed the survey for the price of the PCA Ball. This time, we had over 200 responses. Thank you all for voting for the Ball Ticket pricing. The Ticket pricing results are below. The A-La-Carte option, this time around has won hands down. Thus, the ticket price will be Rs.3800/person for the ball.
Last week we completed the survey for the price of the PCA Ball. This time, we had over 200 responses. Thank you all for voting for the Ball Ticket pricing. The Ticket pricing results are below. The A-La-Carte option, this time around has won hands down. Thus, the ticket price will be Rs.3800/person for the ball.
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For Your Spring Holiday
"There is no wi-fi in the forest but you will find a better connection." A visit to the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in Kerala, part of the magnificent Western Ghats, will connect you with Nature and its curious inhabitants. A boat ride through the reservoir offers a chance to watch Elephant herds and other wildlife. Guided treks by tribals, who now work as forest guides, will help understand and appreciate the role played by forest ecosystems and the need to protect them. While spotting Sher Khan's (of Jungle Book fame) Malayali cousin is a matter of luck, which is true of all wildlife sightings, you never know when the two of you may cross paths! It is an experience that you and your family will not forget in a hurry. Kerala and Tamil Nadu have a host of such special interest experiences on offer. Experience the best of both these destinations with The Traveling Gecko. For more details, write to mail@thetravelinggecko.com or call us on +91 9940458435. Follow us on Facebook for travel ideas and stories- facebook.com/TheTravelingGecko.
+91 9940458435/+91 9995561519 | mail@thetravelinggecko.com | facebook.com/TheTravelingGecko
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References
1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi
2) http://hinduism.about.com/od/holifestivalofcolors/a/celebrateholi.htm
3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter
4) http://christianity.about.com/od/holidaytips/qt/whatiseaster.htm
4) http://christianity.about.com/od/holidaytips/qt/whatiseaster.htm
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