Holi Festival

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Holi Festival

***** Location: India
***** Season: Spring
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation




Thanks to sushil singh for introducing the following information.


Holi: Different Shades in Different Region

Holi is one of the major festivals of India and is celebrated in almost every parts with great fun and frolic. The joys of Holi know no bound. The festival is celebrated across the four corners of India or rather across the globe. However, each part of the country has its own way of celebrating Holi in a different way. Let's have a look at how Holi is celebrated in different part of the country:

North India
Holi is one of the major festival of India and is the most vibrant of all. The festival is filled with so much fun and frolic that the very mention of the word 'Holi' draws smile and enthusiasm amongst the people. Holi also celebrates the arrival of Spring, a season of joy and hope.

In North India, Holi is related to the life of Lord Krishna. He spent most of his childhood in Mathura and Vrindavana and it is believed that he was the one who introduced the modern form of Holi and thus it is celebrated with great enthusiasm at these places for about a week. Both the places are situated in Uttar Pradesh where temples, dedicated to Krishna and Radha, are amazingly decorated during the celebration of Holi. The festival is celebrated by getting drenched with colored water and is considered auspicious. Since Radha belonged to Barsana while Krishna belonged to Nandagaon, on the day of Holi, men from Nandagaon go to Barsana to celebrate Holi with the women there. The playful teasing of women and attempts to color them with 'gulal' and wet colors from 'pichkari' is returned by them by attempts to escape and beating the men with sticks to scamper them away.

Eastern India
In Bengal, Holi is called Dol Yatra (the Swing Festival) in which idols of Krishna and Radha are placed on swings and devotees take turns to swing them. Women perform devotional songs and dances around the swing as men spray colored water and 'Abeer' (colored powder) on them. Orissa has similar traditions as Bengal except for the fact that the idols of Jagannath is placed on the swing here instead of Krishna and Radha, who is believed to be another form of Krishna.

Read more HERE
©　February 14, 2006 / DesiDirectory.com





Holi In Different States of India

Bihar
Holi is celebrated with the same fervour and charm in Bihar as in rest of north India.Here too, the legend of Holika is prevalent. On the eve of Phalgun Poornima, people light bonfires. They put dung cakes, wood of Araad or Redi tree and Holika tree, grains from the fresh harvest and unwanted wood leaves in the bonfire. Following the tradition people also clean their houses for the day. Children and the youth take extreme delight in the festival. Though the festival is usually played with colours at some places people also enjoy playing holi with mud. Folk songs are sung at high pitch and people dance to the tune of dholak and the spirit of Holi. Intoxicating bhang is consumed with a variety of mouth watering delicacies such as pakoras and thandai to enhance the mood of the festival.

Delhi
Delhi being the capital and the heart of India, celebrates Holi with extreme enthusiasm. Being a metro city, an amalgamation of cultures and traditions can be witnessed here. Virtually all aspects of Holi as seen in various states are noticeable in the numerous pockets of Delhi. People move out in tolis and apply colour on each other till they become unrecognizable. Play with colors peaks up in the residential colonies as people usually do not go out with families beyond their neighborhood. Even public conveyances do no ply with usual frequency. Feasts, music, dancing and blasting parties are held all over the city to mark the festival of colours. People hug and greet each other by applying abeer as tilak. Any feeling of hardship or animosity is forgotten on the day. Is is said that even the enemies become friend on Holi. On the eve of Holi, bonfires or Holika are lit in the important centres of the city where people celebrate the victory of good over evil. Wood for burning Holika is collected weeks before the festival. Being a political hub of the country, Delhi sees huge enthusiasm even among the politicians. Holi is also celebrated at the Presidents and Prime Minister residences where people gather to play Holi. Cultural events and lots of fun mark the day.

Gujarat
The vibrant Gujarat reverberates with the chants of the folk song-'Govinda ala re, zara matki sambhal Brijbala..'. People, specially the youth of the state are high on the spirit of the festival. So much energy can be seen amongst the boys and girls of this state as they move in processions 'tolis'. Drenched in coloured waters boys cheerfully warn people to take care of their pots of butter and milk. The tradition has its origin from the legend of Lord Krishna who was known to steal butter and milk from any accessible house in his village. The state is famous for the tradition of breaking earthen pot full of buttermilk and tied high on a rope.
Hundreds of people participate in forming a human pyramid, in order to reach the pot. At places, there are also prizes for the group which successfully breaks the pot. The person who actually breaks the pot is crowned the 'Holi King' of the locality for the year. Participation of the onlookers is no less. They keep throwing buckets of water on the boys forming the pyramid.

Read more HERE
©　2004, 2005 DesiDirectory.com


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Worldwide use

New York

Although the Holi Festival originated in India, it has emigrated all over the world.

Yesterday, Sunday, March 11, 2012,
it was celebrated in the New York City borough of Queens, where I live. An estimated 20,000 people participated in the celebration.

Here it is an Indo-Carribean festival, also known as Phagwah. Queens is home to many people whose roots go back to Trinidad, Surinam and Guyana, and before that to India.

From a newspaper account of yesterday's festivities:

"Festival participants throw colored powder known as 'abrac' on each other to celebrate the approaching spring season and to chase away the winter grays. Festival-goers normally wear all white and throw bright pink, green and blue dyes and powders."


Holi Festival:
a flower blossoming
on every face!

Larry Bole


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Things found on the way


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Holi in Mathura Vrindavan
Holi is one of the most important festivals in India. ... The Holi of Mathura and Vridavan is extremely famous throughout the country.

Legend
It is said that the tradition of playing colors on Holi originated from the ‘leela’ of Radha and Krishna. As Krishna was always jealous of Radha's fair complexion, he teasingly colored Radha's face with color. In a mischievous mood, Radha also ran behind him badly annoyed and shouting. This was how the tradition of applying color came in being and is religiously followed till date. People of Mathura and Vridavan associate Holi with the divine love of Krishna and Radha.



Celebrations
According to mythological records, it is said that Mathura is actually the birth place of Lord Krishna, whereas Vrindavan is the place where he spent the early days of his childhood and left behind tales of mysticism and divinity. This explains the enigma of Mathura Vrindavan, where one can still feel the divine presence of the Lord. This is the place where Lord Krishna introduced the modern form of Holi. This is the reason that Holi is celebrated with great zeal here.

Thousands of people visit the place, in search of peace, every year. The Holi celebrations present another reason for the admirers of the Lord to assemble at Mathura Vrindavan. They come to be a part of the colorful amalgamation of festivity and divinity. The main aim behind the festival of Holi is to rejoice in the love and devotion for the Supreme Being. The color and water washes away all the man made distinctions based on caste, creed, and other differences created by the society. Holy here is spiritually enlightening.

The celebrations of the festival go on for about a week in Mathura Vrindavan. One of the unique features of the festival here is that different temples of Lord Krishna celebrate Holi on different days. It is interesting as well as amazing, to watch devotees at the Banke-Bihari Temple of Vrindavan. The environment is filled with a unique thrill, with people passionately chanting the name of Lord Krishna and Radha. Interesting celebrations also takes place at Gulal-Kund in Braj where boys mock Krishna leela on the day of Holi.
source : festivals.iloveindia.com



flute music
in every street -
holi in Vrindavan

- Shared by Aurora Geet
Joys of Japan, March 2012


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HAIKU

HOLI HOLI ~

astral ciborium
shifts ~ earthlings
dance in colours

holi bhaang dancers
the Dionysian frenzy
colours sunlight

a meta equality
in tentative anarchy ~ human
kaleidoscope unfolds


erratic rhythm
erratic steps ~ but
still it is holi

rainbow colour
rhythms unfold light
on a pastel stream

"bhaang pio
naach nachavo
rang biranghi holi "
[Hindi]

"drink bhaang
dance dance dance on
coloury coloury holi "

"Bhaang": ordinary leaves of cannabis indica which are pasted mixed with milk and nutpaste, saffrom, elaichi (cardamom) sugar etc. The ensuing milk-drink is also called "bhaang" ~ it is specially drunk on Holi day.[ bhaang is a mild euphoric ]




holi ecstasy ~~
Yogi opens his eyes, smiles
closes them again

two butterflies too
join the seamless colours
of the holi dance

multi-coloured pekingese
shudders ~ spectral halo blooms
in morning breeze

holi din
cheelam me charas ~
shiv shambho
[ Hindi ]

holi day
hashish in the cheelam
"shiv shambho" ~

Notes ~

"cheelam" (chillum, or chilam) is the nearly conical smoking device made of clay:
a clean cloth is wrapped at the smoking end ~
People share cheelam and say "Shiv Shambho" near various Shiva temples under Banyan trees normally . Charas [ Hashish] is considered to be Shiv Bhutti [ "jo cheez Shiv ko priyankar hai" [That which is dear to Shiva ] ~ A north Indian cha'walla's definition. It is also called "Shiva Mooli" [ The Herb Of Shiva ] Shiva Jata [ The matted Locks Of Shiva ] in most Indian Languages including Sanskrit and Tamizh ~ Ganga and charas [ from the species Cannabis Indica] have been used in india from times immemorial especially by the Shaivites and Taantriks ~ .

holi evening
colours still linger on the man
puffing a cheelam

twilight horizon ~
a cow still rainbow-coloured
chewing the cud

Narayanan Raghunathan, India 2007

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holi —
shower of colours from above
love overflows

holi—
love in tides ebbs
old enmity

holi—
thick colours on young cheeks
no place to kiss

holi
drizzle of colours
for holy bath

Holi is great festival perhaps inviting the Spring on earth. It is celebrated all over India. It symbolises the struggle between the evil and good, where virtue triumphs. We wish Happy Holi to our friends all over the world, in Japan in particular.

Kumarendra, 2008


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holi ka dahan -
flames rise
cleaning the souls

(holi ka dahan - the bon fire made on Holi day)

B.Vadivelrajan, 2008


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Holi hai,
draped in colors
naked kids

painted faces
no one recognising-
mischief in air

street of Mathura
he slips on wet earth
soaked in colour

Prof NK Singh, 2008


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rainbow after shower -
a girl fully colored
after celebrating Holi

Shared by Satdeep Gill
Joys of Japan, February 2012


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colours of Holi -
I fail to recognise
my friend

sunil uniyal
Kigo Hotline 2012


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winds blowing north
fanning the smoke of incense -
festival of colours

saying farewell
to winter, housewives springclean --
Holi Utsav

- Shared by Brinda Buljore -
Haiku Culture Magazine , 2013


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colorless Holi
her widows' white remains
untouched


first Holi -
a bride's blush under
the tesu flowers

Angelee Deodhar
2013

Note
The color used to play Holi in ancient India was extracted from Tesu flowers which bloom during the spring season. It is believed that Lord Krishna played Holi with Radha using colors made from Tesu flowers.

Even today many of the temples in Vrindavan, Braj area and Mathura play Holi with traditional yellowish-orange coloured water extracted from dried Tesu Flowers.
source : www.hindu-blog.com



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Holi moon –
the neighbourhood echoes
with barks

Johannes Manjrekar



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Related words

***** Festivals of India, all are kigo



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Ambedkar Memorial Day - Dalit

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Ambedkar Jayanti, Memorial Day

***** Location: India
***** Season: Spring (April 14)
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

Ambedkar is revered as God in Maharastra.
Ambedkar Jayanti is celebrated with great pomp and devotion.

Kala Ramesh

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
(April 14, 1891 - December 6, 1956),
chief architect of the Indian Constitution, first Union Law minister of India and founder of Neo-Buddhism.

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14th of April is the day on which Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar had born. He was the man who wrote more than 90% of the Indian constitution and is called as father of 'Indian Constitution'. He fought for the upliftment of the Dalits (outcasts, untouchables).

Many people worship him like God. He played a crucial role in the achievement of the Indian Independence. He was one of the highly educated people in India, in those days. Hence was given the responsibility of writing the constitution.
http://www.punediary.com/html/jayanti.html

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Wikipedia LINKS

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B.R._Ambedkar


Dalit (untouchables)
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as "untouchable". Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions.

While the discrimination based on caste system (not the caste system itself) has been abolished under the Indian constitution, there still is discrimination and prejudice against Dalits in South Asia. Since India's independence, significant steps have been taken to provide opportunities in jobs and education. Many social organisations too have proactively promoted better conditions for Dalits through improved education, health and employment.

There are many different names proposed for defining this group of people including Panchamas (5th varna), and Asprushya (untouchables).

The word "Dalit"
comes from the Sanskrit, and means "ground", "suppressed", "crushed", or "broken to pieces". It was first used by Jyotirao Phule in the nineteenth century, in the context of the oppression faced by the erstwhile "untouchable" castes of the twice-born Hindus.

According to Victor Premasagar, the term expresses their "weakness, poverty and humiliation at the hands of the upper castes in the Indian society."

Mohandas Gandhi coined the word Harijan, translated roughly as "Children of God", to identify the former Untouchables. The terms "Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes" (SC/ST) are the official terms used in Indian government documents to identify former "untouchables" and tribes. However, in 2008 the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, noticing that "Dalit" was used interchangeably with the official term "scheduled castes", called the term "unconstitutional" and asked state governments to end its use. After the order, the Chhattisgarh government ended the official use of the word "Dalit".

"Adi Dravida", "Adi Karnataka","Adi Andhra" and "Adi-Dharmi" are words used in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab respectively, to identify people of former "untouchable" castes in official documents. These words, particularly the prefix of "Adi", denote the aboriginal inhabitants of the land.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_(outcaste)

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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

dalits:
holding their heads high
look up to Ambedkar

Kala Ramesh

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spring sunshine--
Dalits have laboured for eons
let them labour more

Shared by Manu Kant
Joys of Japan, February 2012



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Related words

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Pipal tree (Ficus religiosa)

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Peepul Tree and Fruit

***** Location: India
***** Season: All Summer
***** Category: Plant

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Explanation



Pipal, Peepul, Peepal, Peepil or Bo tree (Ficus religiosa)

Pipal tree (Ficus religiosa), a native tree of India, held sacred by the Buddhists, who believe that Gautama Buddha received enlightenment under a Bo tree at Bodh Gaya.
The Bo tree attains great size and age; the leaves, which hang from long, flexible petioles, rustle in the slightest breeze.
Pipal is also spelled peepul or pipul. All parts of the Pipal tree, including roots, bark, leaf and fruit, are useful. The botanical classification of the Bo tree is:

Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Urticales
Family: Moraceae.

Description of the Plant: Large tree. Flower color red. Flowers in February. Fruits in May / June. Widely found in uplands and plain area.

Plant Parts Used: Root / Bark / Leaf / Fruit.
© http://www.haryana-online.com/Flora/pipal.htm

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quote
Cotton Threads
of various colours like red, yellow and white are tied around Pipal tree trunks especially in Northern and Western parts of India. This ritual is performed especially on the Vat Savitri puja day (May – June). During Vat Savitri Puja, the Banayan or Pipal Tree symbolically represents Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The root of Vat Vriksha is Brahma, the stem is Vishnu and the upper part is Shiva.

The Pipal tree plays an important role in the famous story of Satyavan Savitri. It is believed that Satyavan spend his last moments under a Vat or Banyan tree on the full moon day in month of Jyeshtha. And Yamraj appeared here and Savitri pleaded with Yamraj under the Banyan tree.



In memory of this event, women go round the Banyan tree for 108 times tying threads and fast for the health and longevity of their husbands.

There are also other hidden symbolic meanings – one such meanings is narrated by Bhagwat Shah of Pushtimarg :

The Pipal tree represents the tree of life and is sacred in Hindu Religion. It supports life of all sorts and is famous for its long life. The pipal tree also has the property to purify air.

The cotton thread is just the opposite The cotton thread represents the fragile nature of life, love, trust, faith – and all things that go on to make up a relationship. A single thread may be weak, but, when it is wound 108 times around the trunk, it becomes strong. It is no longer so fragile and no longer easy to break.

By walking around the tree 108 times, the wife contemplates on these matters. Love can only be strengthened by trust, faith and desire to make it work! With each step, the woman strengthens her relationship with her husband. She prays not just for her husband’s long life, but an enduring relationship that will last beyond this life and into the next.
source : www.hindu-blog.com


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Bodh Gaya was the place, under the pipal or Bo tree, where the Buddha was enlightened after practising meditation for several years.

Nirvana Ceremony (Nehan-E　涅槃会)
a kigo in Japan




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Worldwide use

Japan

bodai no mi 菩提の実（ぼだいのみ）linden fruit
..... bodaiju no mi 菩提樹の実（ぼだいじゅのみ）
..... bodaishi 菩提子 (ぼだいし)
Tilia miqueliana. Lindenbaum
Ficus religiosa. Pepulbaum, Bo-Baum. Buddha-Tree

. WKD : fruit kigo for late autumn .


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figs, ichijiku　無花果
kigo for late autumn

118 Japanese haiku about the fig, ichijiku　!!! 　

Fig called "Chinese Persimmon" toogaki 唐柿　とうがき
Click HERE for photos.

Japanese sweet with figs, hororoishi　ほろろいし
Click HERE for photos.


kigo for all summer
aoichijiku, ao ichijiku 青無花果 (あおいちじく) green fig




BONSAI
Willow Leaf Fig (Ficus salicifolia)

Click for more photos !



無花果を裂けばほどなく雨の音
ichijiku o sakeba hodonaku ame no oto

preparing a fig
and shortly thereafter
the sound of rain

Oki Takako (Ooki) 大木孝子


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Mongolia 　


Buddha
merges in fallen leaves-
late autumn

- Shared by Zaya Nergui -
Haiku Culture Magazine, 2013



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Turkey　

Fig, Figs, Ficus carica


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

smoldering heat
the peepul tree covered
with suspended gold plates

Kala Ramesh, India, September 2006

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Buddha meditating
under great Peepul tree
sheltering each other

Aju Mukhopadhyay, India, October 2006


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autumn leaves
a million sunsets
in my ficus

Vidur Jyoti, India, October 2007


sudden shower
whole sky in a puddle
under the peepal


sacred thread
going around the peepal
her shadow

Vidur Jyoti, India, November 2007


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Peepal - ਪਿੱਪਲ -पीपल


drowsy dew-trickle
down the peepal leaves
jal-trang on the tin-roof

Hardilbagh Singh Gill



Jal-trang is a musical instrument.
The Jal Tarang (Hindi: जल तरंग, Urdu: جل ترنگ), Jaltarang, Jal-tarang, Jal-yantra, Jalatarangam or Jalatharangam,
is an Indian melodic percussion instrument. It consists of a set of ceramic bowls tuned with water. The bowls are played by striking the edge with beaters, one in each hand.
Jal-tarang finds its first mention in Sangeet Parijaat.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !




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barren village -
a sparrow’s feather
under the peepal

dry sawan -
an empty swing
under the peepal

- Shared by Sandip Sital Chauhan -
Joys of Japan, August 2012


"The rainy season is beautiful;
the months of Saawan and Bhaadon bring bliss."
. Month of Sawan (Savan) in Punjab .


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Related words

***** Banyan Tree, Barh (Ficus bengalensis)

Banyan is viewed by Hindus as the male plant to the closely related peepul or bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa).

WKD : Banyan Tree


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Food from India

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Food in India

***** Location: India
***** Season: Various, see below
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

Indian food, who would not remember the smell of curry in the air!
It varies a great deal from North to South and here we will explore same samples of it.
The list will grow as we go along. Please add your favorite dishes and haiku to this article.

As long as there is no other mention,
the food will be considered a non-seasonal topic for haiku.

Gabi Greve

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Quote from "http://www.food-india.com/"
Etiquette in Indian Restaurant

The basic etiquette for any restaurant is very similar such as leaving a nice tip for good service, and being courteous to your host. Many Indian restaurants are not very formal. Yes even those considered best (Indian restaurant are usually very similar). The etiquette for Indian (or any ethnic South Asian) restaurants might be little different from other restaurants.
Below I have provided some basic rules.

Do Not Ask for Beef or Pork:
Many Indians are either Hindus or Muslims. In Hinduism, the cow is considered a sacred animal so it cannot be eaten. Similarly, Muslims consider the pig to be a very filthy animal so it cannot be eaten. Most Indian restaurants do not serve any beef or pork products. Many restaurateurs might get offended if you ask for beef or pork, when you do not see it on the menu. If you see it on the menu, it is okay to ask.

However, both of those meats are not really an Indian specialty, so the safest bet for meat is chicken meat followed by lamb meat. Please also note that some Indian restaurants are purely vegetarian and do not serve any meat. Vegetarian restaurants are usually marked vegetarian from outside. Please do not offend a vegetarian owner by asking for meat.

If it is not wet or messy, it is okay to eat with hand:
Many Indian food such as naan (flat bread) can be enjoyed by eating with hand. The proper technique would be to break the bread, dip or take small piece of condiments such as chutney, or vegetable curry and eat it. So, it is perfectly fine to use your hands while eating. The basic rule of thumb is if you do not make a mess by eating something with your hands (such as liquid, grains of rice) it can be enjoyed with your hands if you wish.
The philosophy behind this is that eating is a very sensual thing and one should be able to enjoy eating with as many senses as possible – tasting, smelling, looking and touching.

Concept of ‘Jutha’:
’Jutha’ means something that came in contact with your mouth, your saliva or your plate (while eating). It is basically something that directly or indirectly came in contact with your saliva. It is considered very rude and unhygienic to offer someone else your ‘Jutha’ unless you are very close family, couple or close friend. So, avoid doing this if you are not sure how your other Indian diners feel about it.

Alcoholic Drinks:
Many Indian restaurants would not serve alcoholic drink. Even they serve alcohol, few restaurants have any range to choose from. Indians do not have any wine and dine culture, so best would be to go dry and try something like mango lassi for a refreshing alternative.

Paying Bill
For many Indians, when they invite you to a restaurant, it generally means they are the host and they are going to pay the bill. It however depends on the individual and nature of the invitation. Many Indians feel awkward asking new acquaintances or friends to ask for payment if they invited them. Even if they want to pay you, when offered money, they will say no at least once. So, please be double sure if they want to share.
Similarly, when you invite your Indian friend to Indian restaurant they might think you will be paying it. If you want to go dutch, rather than inviting them, just use words as “lets go Xyz” or “lets us both try Xyz”
http://www.food-india.com/indianCuisine/1001_1050/1014_Indian_Restaurants_Etiquette.htm

Find your favorite recipe here:
http://www.food-india.com/index/recipeIndex/index.htm

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Worldwide use

Japan

Curry Rice, or rather karee raisu カレーライス, it to be found everywhere.

WASHOKU
Curry (カレー, karee)


When I want to tease my Japanese friends asking about our stay in India, I tell them:
"We ate rice and curry for breakfast, curry and rice for lunch and later rice and curry for dinner."

Gabi Greve


Food of Japan, by Naomichi Ishige
A very detailes history of Japanese food !


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Things found on the way

Malai Koftha



Read the recipe here:
http://www.chennaionline.com/food/recipes/malaikoftha.asp

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HAIKU

Memories of a party
by Narayanan Raghunathan

confusing scents~
perfumes from paris fuse
with mughali cuisine

party accident~
malai koftha on
benaras silk

Malai Koftha is a North Indian delicasy prepared with vegetables cream and spices. To be eaten with roti, chappathy, poori etc. [Types of Indian wheat main-dishes.]

the feast over ~
flies take over
the residual worlds

neon lights~
farewells~a bird song
in the astral cover

... ... ...

Here is my story about Indian food.

One day in Bombay we went to a very elegant and expensive restaurant. The tables with white linnen, silver candle sticks, tea service of silver and crystal, flower vases highly decorated, delicate music in the background, all in the Great British Tradition.

A table was set with elegant plates and glasse and then a group of six businessmen came in to take their lunch. All in suits and neckties of the latest fashion, elegant shoes, attachee cases, Rolex watches, you name it, the expensive crew...

They sat down and their meal came.
So, they pushed up the sleeves of their right arm just a little and started to partake <> with the fingers of the right hand, as is the old Indian tradition. (The left hand serves quite a different purpose, once the meal is digested.)

After the meal they were served water in a crystal glass bowl with silver lining each, a sliver of lemon in the water to wash the hands and the finest linnen towles to dry.

My husband and I at the table next to this elegant finger eaters could not help but smile at the power of assimilating certain things and keeping others of the own tradition, and then we eat with our fingers too .... mjami!

I am sure I will prepare a memory curry today!

Gabi Greve

... ... ...

In Kenya too, fingers are best (and are so skilled...!), and spoons are used a lot. Knives and forks hardly ever make an appearance. And I too, having lived in Kenya (and having tasted Japan...) use just one knife, for cutting up things in the kitchen -- then eat with chopsticks, hands and spoons as the case (and the food!) may be.
Which sometimes poses a problem when friends drop in and I cannot find the forks...

laotian ebony --
everyday tableware
in belgium

An Irish friend who had lived in Cambodia, gave me two sets of simple Laotian ebony chopsticks, when I returned to live here in 2000 and found it hard to get back to European cutlery. Little did she think that I would be using them, day by day, year after year, from then on... No doubt they are quite rare and precious now -- ebony must be under protection...

And Narayanan san, we have chapatis in Kenya, samosas, biryani,bhajia, masala tea -- all of them made Kenyan style, a bit different from Indian style -- and all of them excellent nevertheless!

Isabelle Prondzynski


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rural open kitchen
grinding chutney
a scarlet scarf

Harvinder Dhaliwal, Punjab



. WKD : Punjabi Food .
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਪਕਵਾਨ

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- quote
Kofta
is a Middle Eastern, South Asian and Balkan meatball or meatloaf. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat—usually beef or lamb—mixed with spices and/or onions. In India, Pakistan, Turkey and Iran, koftas are usually made of lamb, beef, mutton or chicken, whereas Greek and Cypriot varieties are usually made of beef, veal, pork or mixtures of them.
Etymologically, the word ""kofta"" is from kuftan in Persian Kūfte: In Persian, کوفتن (Kuftan) which means "to beat" or "to grind" or meatball.
Curries of Gujarat
there are several common kofta dishes which, of course, substitute vegetables or ground nuts for meat.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


homecoming--
an extra dollop of cream
in the kofta* curry

* delicious indian cottage cheese balls

Arvinder Kaur, Chandigarh,India

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Related words

***** . Rice Vrihi (Oryza sativa) .

***** . Papad Bread .
papadam, poppadom, papadum, and appalam
- - - - and
Chapati, Chapatti
Roti

***** . Pilaf, pilau, plov - rice dish .


***** Hot Drinks, a List


. The Spices of India .

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WASHOKU ... Japanese Food SAIJIKI


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Towns of India

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Towns of India

***** Location: India
***** Season: Non-seasonal topics
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

Names of towns can be used as topics for haiku.

Utamakura, place names used in Haiku

Placenames and Haiku / WKD LIST



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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

Parimala Rao :

Sundown…
The hillock temple bell echoes
The peace of Chamundi*

*Goddess on a lion - slayer of a demon called Mahisasura.
More details here .




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Flying through the smog,
Birds on a green pilgrimage
Congregate at the Lalbagh*

*Lalbagh- historic botanical garden of Bangalore

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Malini Gargeshwari :

On the somaari katte*,
Retired men discuss
Their sons’ hi-tech jobs

*Somaari Kattes of Mysore – literally benches (Katte) for the lazy (Somaari). Stone benches in public spaces where people (usually older people) gather to chat and watch the city buzz. An entertaining essay on the somaari katte is here.
Mysore is also known as ‘Pensioners Paradise’



To smell the jasmine coils
At the stall by the garbage,
She bends closer

Roadside flower stalls are very common in India and in the south Indian cities like Bangalore, Chennai etc., a very popular flower is the jasmine that is woven into long strands sold by an arm’s length and arranged in coiled pyramids.
These flowers are carried in baskets by vendors on foot or small make-shift stalls can be found anywhere – on the sidewalk, bus stands, street corners etc. Picture1, picture 2


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Hardwar
Hardwar is a composite of 2 words
Hari (God) and Dwar (Gateway) - so it literally means Gateway to the Gods.




A million lit-up hopes
On a journey to the divine –
Ganga arati*

*Ganga arati -
The most sacred river of India is the Ganges, which Hindus literally believe flows from heaven to earth for the purification of all whom its waters touch. To the Hindu the Ganges is divinity in the form of a river. Originating high in the Himalayan mountain range, the Ganges emerges on the Indian plains at the holy city of Hardwar. Every night at about 6:00 p.m. there is worship (arati) of the Ganga here. The arati-worship consists of an elaborate ritual of offering large and small lamps to the Ganges accompanied by the loud banging of ceremonial gongs, the playing of musical instruments and the singing of hymns in praise of the Ganges.


INDIA SAIJIKI : Ganges


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coal dust wafts in the air-
Asansol with mines, industries;
busy in turmoil.

. . . CLICK here for Asansol Photos !



sea bound Contai;
smell of fish wafts in the air-
busy fish mongers, tourists-

. . . CLICK here for Contai information !




Outcasts' sing-song life;
Leapers in hilly hot Sambalpur-
Under the tree.

. . . CLICK here for Sambalpur Photos !


Aju Mukhopadhyay, 2008


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skyless city lanes
struggling to walk out
into the horizon

Raju Samal, Mumbai, June 2008



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Related words

***** . Amritsar and the Golden Temple .

***** . Benares - Varanasi .

***** . Bombay, Mumbai .

***** . Delhi, Old Delhi, New Delhi .


and more ... INDIA SAIJIKI


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THE INDIA SAIJIKI

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Himalaya

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Himalaya Mountains

***** Location: Indian Subcontinent
***** Season: Non-seasonal Topic
***** Category: Earth

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Explanation

The majestic Himalayan Mountains!



On the road to Keylong!

I hope we will collect a lot of haiku about them!

Gabi Greve

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- quote
The Himalayas, also Himalaya,
( Sanskrit, him (snow) + ālaya (dwelling), literally, "abode of the snow" is a mountain range in Asia separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau.

The Himalayan range is home to the planet's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. The Himalayas include over a hundred mountains exceeding 7,200 metres (23,600 ft) in elevation. By contrast, the highest peak outside Asia – Aconcagua, in the Andes – is 6,961 metres (22,838 ft) tall.
The Himalayas have profoundly shaped the cultures of South Asia. Many Himalayan peaks are sacred in both Buddhism and Hinduism.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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MCLEOUD GANJ:
This village hangs on a mountain ridge over the city of Dharamsala, far in north India, in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is beautiful, cool, and as the center of the Tibetan Government in Exile a constant source of travelers, tourists, and those on religious sojourn. Above it are enclaves of beautiful town homes and villas that are reminiscent of Switzerland. It is a perfect place for your “mountain retreat home.”
http://www.bootheglobalperspectives.com/article.asp?IDarticle=14

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The pride of every Indian – the dream of every trekker – the great Himalayas has kindled our imagination in every possible way - in all art forms.
Rishikesh, Bandrinath, Kedarnath, Manasa Sarovar, Mt. Kailash, Nanda Devi and other holy places, deeply embedded in India’s heart-beat are situated in these great mountains.

India is a land of stories - Katha . . . which is evident in our epics - Ramayana and the Mahabharata. As children we have grown up on these tales of heroism and valour …. of fantasy and family bondage.

Kala Ramesh


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Himalaya-
there behind a fog expect
severe mountains

- Shared by Gennady Nov -
Haiku Culture Magazine, 2013



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Gangotri
The Ganga — called the Bhagirathi at Uttarkashi — flows down the Himalayan range. We hear her through the day and through the night. We're staying in a small cottage, up somewhere hidden amongst the trees.

The owner is a middle-aged man who was brought up in these hills. He learnt mountaineering as a young child from his father, before it became a professional course in colleges, he proudly claims. He tells us that there is a Sanskrit quote which talks about the Ganga playing hide and seek with the mountains—here now, gone the next moment into a crevice, only to appear far away, continuing with her water song.

from the horizon
the rhythm of waves—
Stray Birds

Read the haibun by Kala Ramesh
source : haibuntoday.com


Gangotri (Hindi: गंगोत्री)
is a town and a Nagar Panchayat in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi. It is on the Greater Himalayan Range, at a height of 3,100m.
Gangotri, the origin of the River Ganges and seat of the goddess Ganga,
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !



. River Ganges, Mother Ganga .

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Peaks of Punjab Himalaya

Punjab is a region in South Asia shared by India and Pakistan. Most of the Punjab is an alluvial plain, bounded by mountains to the North. The high peaks are accessible from Rawalpindi, Pakistan or from Srinagar, India. Srinagar is the capital city of Jammu and Kashmir, which has long been a popular resort area because of its relatively temperate climate in an otherwise torrid region. The highest peaks of this region are Nanga Parbat (26658 ft./8125 m) and the towering twin summits of Nunkun.

•Gumburanjo - 17388 ft./5300 m.
•Lal Qil'ah - 20830 ft./6349 m.
•Leo Pargial - 22362 ft./6816 m.
•Mount Debachen - 20554 ft./6265 m.
•Mun Peak - 15256 ft./4650 m.
•Nanga Parbat - 26658 ft./8125 m.
•Nun Kun - 23410 ft./7135 m.
source : www.peakware.com



. India Saijiki : Punjab INTRODUCTION .


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

A Haibun by Kala Ramesh
August 2006

SUMMER SNOW

caught unaware-
the thickness of rain
on the road

I see her pack the bare minimum . . . "I don't need more, Ma," she says emphatically. "I need to carry that load, you understand?"

It's a Himalayan trek of 12 days; you need to take some medicines-- some energy food. What do you think the organizers will provide?

She keeps packing--almost nothing

I get a call from her from the base camp at Kulu Manali. In spite of bad connectivity, I can sense her excitement. She's at 4,500 ft. "It's tough; I hope I have the will-power," she says haltingly.

Next, she calls from 11,000 ft. "Ma, I'm holding snow in my hands."
"Ho!" She says casually, "It's just like our freezer box!"

She calls from 13, 500 ft. "Ma, we've reached Saurkundi Pass. From here I can see the highest peak of the Himalayas. I've climbed 13,500 ft. above sea level, Ma. It's snow everywhere."

She calls from 8,000 ft. "Ma, we slid down the snow. It was such fun that five of us climbed up again to slide down once more!"

I see the great Himalayas through her eyes.

mango moon--
a squirrel's half eaten fruit
nestles in the earth

First appeared in Simply Haiku - Autumn 06

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HAIKU

whiff of clouds
in my morning tea ~
Himalayan summer


Himalayan valley ~
another mountain grows
autumn clouds ~

Narayanan Raghunathan

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Himalayan peaks
Jagged, smooth, twinned, all unique.
Like people who trek.



Read a great photo journal about a Himalaya trip
by Karen Rusiniak
http://www.mtsobek.com/features/Himalaya/p_journals/t_bhutan/photoJournal2.htm

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great mountains . . .
stand in lofty heights
alone

Kala Ramesh

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Himalayan Foothills -
the Dalai Lama
within hand's reach

Gabi Greve, McLeoud Ganj, 1979
(at the performance of the Tibetan opera in his honour, when we had the opportunity to sit just one row below His Holiness.)

prayer flags
in thin air
trembling lips in worship

prayer wheels
in wrinkled hands -
Himalayan bus ride

Parts of the Indian Himalaya are inhabited by Tibetan tribes, for example Ladakh and Lahaul.
I remember a pass of more than 5000 meters, climbed slowly by a weak old bus full of local people with prayer wheels ratteling ... and we all made it safely down to the other side of the moon ...



Gabi Greve, Keylong, November 1979

Keylong is located on a fertile plain and is a place to break the journey from Leh to Manali. Keylong is the capital of Lahaul & Spiti.
http://www.indyahills.com/hp/lahaulspiti.html

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falling snow flakes
ready to melt
in my open arms

© Photo and Haiku : N.K.SINGH, India, 2006

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Haiku about Ladakh

Pacsoo's haibun ON TOP OF THE WORLD, where the writer ends a brilliant piece of sustained prose about a visit to Ladakh with the following haiku:

Flour blows where we
can't go towards mountains
which guard Tibet

http://home.clara.net/nhi/mg0084.htm

.......................................

This one was born during a trip in Ladakh:

temple drums
small children play
with a bottle

Andrea
http://tinywords.com/haiku/2006/08/30/?comments=all



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source :　Buddha Bless You - facebook
Phugtal Monastery in Ladakh


temples on the cliff
endure rain and wind -
hundreds of years

- Shared by Hideo Suzuki -
Joys of Japan, September 2012



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Ladakh is a tribal region in Kashmir,
a cold desert surrounded in snow covered peaks. Barren, ragged passes, where, over the years, the wind has given strange shapes even to stones. The dust colored wind swept mountains can be mistaken as huge dunes of sand.

Not a soul would come in sight even after days of travelling. Across the passes, its a cold, frozen world. A few miles from the mighty Tanglang La pass, there is More Plains, a huge expanse of lush green grass, a wonder hidden in itself.

Last June, on my way to Leh, I stopped the jeep there for a while.

Wild horses were nibbling on the lush grass, running around in a frezny. Nearby, some young monks were moving around. In a small crooked corner of a huge boulder, a middleaged monk was sitting, meditating on his prayer wheel, eyes open, and a smiling face. It was a strange but beautiful way of meditaion.

He told us that the wheel's called "Khorlo" and the buddhist mantra, "om mani padme hum" is engraved around it. He again started meditating. The prayer wheel emits a harsh, but captivating low frequency sound. As we sat, the sun was setting behind us, the mighty brick colored mountain above was glowing a bright red in its fading light. The plain was being covered in patterns of light and shade........!

whistling wind
the evening slides from under
the horses hooves

- Shared by Ajay Pal Singh Gill -
Joys of Japan, 2012




Festivals in Ladakh, all are KIGO
The Ladakh Times 　


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Haiku about Mount Kailash




Mount Kailash (also Mount Kailas) is a peak in the Gangdisê Mountains, which are part of the Trans-Himalayas in Tibet, it is considered to be the abode of Lord Shiva and a place of eternal bliss.
The mountain lies near Lake Manasarowar and Lake Rakshastal in Tibet.

Kaila..aa..ash
in the eternal silence
whispers wind

Sarbjot Singh Behl


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Related words

***** Ganges, the Holy River Ganga flowing down from the Himalaya

***** . Prayer flag, prayer flags .

***** Himalayan Bearded Vulture chicks India
Gypaetus barbatus aureus


***** Sierra Nevada, North America


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Contributions - INDIA SAIJIKI

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Contributions for the India Saijiki

Please add your submissions as a comment!
I will pick them up from there.

Gabi Greve

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THE INDIA SAIJIKI PROJECT



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Haiku in Nepal

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Haiku in Nepal

....................... Haiku Poets from Nepal


. Haris Adhikari .


. Mukul Dahal .


. Dr. Ananda Raj Joshi .


. Janak Sapkota .


Bamdev Sharma


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Mohan Bahadur Kayastha

Senior litterateur Ram Kumar Pande Friday released two books – Phoolko Varsa, a collection of Nepali Tankas by Vishnu Bahadur Singh and
Tareli, a collection of Haikus by Mohan Bahadur Kayastha –
amidst the function in Kathmandu. Haiku, a popular form of poetic expression in Japan, has been in vogue in Nepal since the last four decades while the tanka that is similar to haiku in structure and theme, is the recent literary experiment in the realm of Nepali literature.

Commenting on the works, senior literary figure Muktinath Sharma said that Singh and Kayastha had contributed to enlarge the scope of Nepali literature by bringing out collections of tankas and haiku.

Pande shed light on the history and tradition of haiku and tanka. “Both are short forms of poetry and reflect the universal elements of human life and nature. Love, natural beauty and human predicament find place in them.”

“It is new experiment in Nepali poetry,” said Singh, author of anthology of tankas. He said that new experiment led to the birth of new things.

Kayastha said that he composed the haiku to express inner human feelings and sentiments.

Literary figures Pushkar Lohani and Chet Nath Dhamala also expressed their views at the function jointly organised by the Haiku Study Nepal and the International Nepali Literary Society.
© Copyright 2005. Gorkhapatra Sansthan.
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/pageloader.php?file=2005/05/21//topstories/main21



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Taba Maru, Amogha Tamrakar

the literary nickname of Amogha Tamrakar, a poet, born on 1956 at Kathmandu.
His publications include Lakasan lanpu hila bi and memegu bakhan ( Environment will change its way and other short stories) (1992), Newa Haiku (1993) and Birahaya Mye, Thwa Gazal / Gazal collection (2002), Jigu Aela (2002), Padhya Kewa (2002), Jigu Kawita (2002) and Chivar'ya Mikhaye (2002).
http://www.poetrypoems.com/tabamaru/

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Vihod Gauchah

We are
from the country
where dogs are worshipped.

I have a desire
to wear
a garland of desires

Nowadays
life pinches
even in a dream

Quote from an interview:
He explained the first haiku as "satirical, we are like dogs", the second as "never been fulfilled", and the third as "painful".
His haiku were philosophical and at the same time satirical protesting against the darker side of Nepali life.

From Tanka and Haiku in Nepal
by Noriko Mizusaki, 2003
http://www1.odn.ne.jp/~cat32320/mag5/haiku-nepal-en.htm


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National Haiku Festival

The National Haiku Festival will be organised for the first time in Nepal on February 25, 2006 to mark the golden jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan. Books on Haiku will be displayed and a book titled
Andha Alchhi (Haiku collection)
will be released at the festival, which will be organised by the Royal Nepal Academy (RNA) and Nepal Nippon Research Centre.

Two committees have been formed under the chairmanship of Ram Kumar Pandey and coordination of RNA member Bhuwan Dhungana to mark the occasion.
http://www.southasianmedia.net/cnn.cfm?id=270914&category=Culture&Country=NEPAL

RSS
KATHMANDU, Feb. 25, 2006:
The first national Haiku Festival held on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and the Kingdom of Nepal concluded here today.

The festival was organized jointly by the Poetry Department of Royal Nepal Academy and Nepal-Nippon Research Centre with the objective of promoting Haiku in Nepali.

Some 25 haiku poets recited around 50 haiku at the festival where compilation of haiku and books related to haiku were on display.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor of Royal Nepal Academy Prof. Dr Basudev Tripathi said like gazal haiku has become a part of the Nepali literary traditions and enjoys popularity among the readers.

Second Secretary at the Embassy of Japan Daiji Sasai lauded the efforts made by Nepali men of letters in promoting the core aspect of Japanese literature such as Haiku in Nepali language as well and expressed the confidence that such programme would further deepen the cultural relationship between the two countries.

Coordinator of the Festival Bhuvan Dhungana, General Secretary of the Research Centre Prof. Ram Kumar Pandey and other speakers expressed their views at the programme chaired by litterateur Ram Dayal Rakesh.

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Nepalese Haiku Online

Saawan ko mausam
Mehgai ko rimjhim
Varsha ko bhel.

Anjuli bhari
Aashirvaad sath rahyo
Purai umer bhari

Bhok le ranthan
Chhapro ko ghar
Khuldaina Aal-Maari

Naaz

... ... ...

1.
Silence--a strangled
Telephone has forgotten
That it should ring
-Michael R. Collings

2.
A mountain village
under the pilled-up snow
the sound of water.
-Shiki Masaoka

3.
धर्तीको आँसु
पुछ्नु पर्ला भनेर
लुकेछ सुर्य
-रत्न शम्शेर थापा

4.
लाशको नदि
माझीको ढडियामा
फिस्स हाँस्दछ
-गोविन्द गिरि


surendras and online haiku forum


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BOOKS

Empty Moon: Belly Full.
Haiku from India and Nepal
by John Brandi

Using the medium of haiku poetry, John Brandi, poet, essayist and passionate traveller, shares his experiences, insights and observations from his years on the road as a traveler in India and Nepal.


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Things found on the way


The Haiku Scene of India　


. WKD : Haiku from Nepal .


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Lingam

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Lingam

***** Location: India
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

The Lingam (also, Linga, Ling, Shiva linga, Shiv ling,
Sanskrit लिङ्गं liṅgaṃ, meaning "mark" or "sign")
is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples. The lingam is often represented with the Yoni, a symbol of the goddess or of Shakti, female creative energy. The union of lingam and yoni represents the "indivisible two-in-oneness of male and female, the passive space and active time from which all life originates". A complementary theory suggests that the Lingam represents the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva.



The Lingam has been interpreted by some Western scholars as a symbol of male creative energy or as a phallic symbol. However, to practising Hindus the Lingam represents the inseparability of the male and female principles and the totality of creation.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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The Lingam is a stone with an oval shape and it represents the abstract form of God.
During Maha Shiva Raatri, Hindus in Trinidad observe fasting.
They abstain from eating and drinking forbidden foods and they will make all the necessary preparations for the Pooja which begins at sunset.

WKD : Shiva Ratri Day / Night


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

cold winter night -
humans celebrate
the divine erection

Gabi Greve

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Climbing high through
rough pathways and stony cold--
the melting lingam

. Sequence by R.K.SINGH



Searches thorn apples
to propitiate lingam:
snake in sanctum

R.K.SINGH

“Lingam” is well contrasted with snake. It is a phallic image that stands for the divine power and creation. In both the haiku, snake is in coiled position which in Japanese is termed as “Toguro O maku”.

By Rajni Singh, India


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Related words

***** . Faith and Prayer in Haiku .


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P K Padhy

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Pravat Kumar Padhy, India

Born in India, professionally a Petroleum Geologist, poems widely published and anthologized. Literary work referred in Spectrum History of Indian Literature in English, Alienation in Contemporary Indian English Poetry etc. Short Poems, Haiku and Tanka appeared in number of literary journals (both print and web) in USA, UK,Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Africa including World Haiku Review, LYNX, Akita International Haiku Network, Poetry Pages, The Notes From the Gean, The Four Seasons of Haiku, Poetbay, Dreamer’s Reality, Anglo-Japanese Society (Tanka Online), Ambrosia, Sketchbook , Atlas Poetica and others.
A short write-up on haiku appeared on Blogging Along Tobacco Road.


P K Padhy BLOG

http://pkpadhy.blogspot.com/2010/01/pearls-of-word.html



Akita International Haiku Network
3.11 Haiku from P K Padhy, India / 2011/10/22


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creation is mystical
vast value of life
compressed in a seed

World Haiku Review, vol. 7,Issue 2, August, 2009


Dog is misspelled
the child discovered
the Great

LYNX-Aha Poetry, XXV:1 February, 2010



desert land
measuring sand dune height
a lone lizard

The Notes From the Gean, Vol.2, Issue 1,June 2010



petals smile
honey reaches hives
bees muse

The Writer’s Literary Muse, Vol.1, Issue 1, June 2010



rainy day
mud escapes
between toes

Ambrosia, Journal of Fine Haiku, Issue 5, Summer 2010


fruit seller
returns with light weight
late evening

Sketchbook, July-August, 2010



merry time
children in the open ground
collecting rain

Kokako – 13 (In Press)


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crow sails
on the rhino’s back
a new journey

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frogs--
colour jumps
across the pond

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drenched hair
musing her impression
first rain

The Four Seasons of Haiku, Spring, 2010

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winter clouds
warmth of coffee cup
all squeeze closely

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early dawn hour
a gap in the milky way
first tooth fall

The Four Seasons of Haiku, Winter, 2010


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proudly declares
a lonely leaf on top of the tree
it’s still alive

Akita International Haiku Network, January, 2009


sudden wind
falling leaves meet
in one corner

Berry Blue Haiku, September, 2010 (In Press)



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Haiku Poets from India



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Koel, Koil, Kuil bird

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Asian Koel, Koil, Kuil, Koyal

***** Location: India
***** Season: Spring
***** Category: Animal

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Explanation

quote
The Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)
is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. It is found in South Asia, China, and Southeast Asia. It forms a superspecies with the closely related Black-billed and Pacific Koels which are sometimes treated as subspecies. The Asian Koel is a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of crows and other hosts, who raise its young.
They are unusual among the cuckoos in being largely frugivorous as adults.
The name koel is echoic in origin with several language variants and the bird is a widely used symbol in Indian poetry.



The Asian Koel is a large, long-tailed, cuckoo.

The word "Koel" is derived from the Hindi word which is onomatopoeic in origin. The Sanskrit root is "Kokila" and the words in various Indian languages are similar. It is traditionally held in high regard for its song and held in reverence with the Manusmriti, an ancient decree protecting them from harm.
The Vedas, Sanskrit literature dated to about 2000 BC referred to it as Anya-Vapa which meant "that was raised by others". This has been interpreted as the earliest knowledge of brood parasitism. Being familiar birds with loud calls, references to them are common in folklore, myth and poetry.

It has been chosen as the state bird by the southern Indian state of Pondicherry.

These birds were once very popular in India as cagebirds. Feeding even on boiled rice, these hardy birds lived in captivity for as long as 14 years.

This bird has a strong association with the traditional new year celebrations of Sri Lanka. In the literature around the festival, the song of the bird regarded as a heralding of the traditional new year. This bird is known as the koha in Sri Lanka by the Sinhala speaking community.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


Listen to its voice HERE:
source : www.youtube.com


Especially the "first koel song" is a sign of spring.

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Worldwide use

Japan

oni kakkoo オニカッコウ "demon cuckoo"


. Cuckoo (kankodori) - little cuckoo (hototogisu) .


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU


koil sings ~
hibiscus splashes
sunlight reds



kulir thennalil
kuil paattu ~ kaalai neeraada
pohum pen'manigal
[Tamizh ]

in the cool breeze
kuil's song~ women going to
bathe in the morning

Narayanan Raghunathan


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misty dawn -- the koel's call louder than the muezzin's

scudding clouds
the koel's notes trip
over each other

baked earth
a koel's rippling call
cuts through the noon haze

Johannes Manjrekar



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spring sunshine
the song of a koyal
echoes the sky

Shared by Sandip Sital Chauhan
fb, March 2012


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Koel's song
a touch of nostalgia
through my heart

- Shared by Arvinder Kaur -
Joys of Japan, 2012


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morning light...
with my deep breath
a cuckoo's song　

Kala Ramesh

. Haiku Culture Magazine - 2013 . 　　


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summer draught . . .
the mango tree heavy
with koel cries　

Sandip Sital Chauhan

. Haiku Culture Magazine - 2013 . 　



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Related words

***** . Haiku from Punjab .



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Marathi New Year's Day

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Marathi New Year's Day

***** Location: India
***** Season: Spring
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

The Hindu (Indian) calendar as a whole is based on the phases of the moon (lunar calendar). Traditionally it is called chandramana. However some of the Indian states celebrate according to the solar calendar.
Ugadi (Telugu) or Yugadi (Kannada) or gudipadva (Marathi) is the new year day of those ethnicities of India who celebrate the new year according to lunar calendar.
(UGADI : literally - the start of an era).

On this day in Telugu households Ugadi Pachadi, a traditional cuisine consisting of mango, dried neem petals , jaggery, tamarind, a bit of salt and one or two chillies is prepared. It is first offered to God and then taken as Prasad (sacred offering). It has all the six traditional tastes (shdrasas) in it. This reinforces the fact that life is an amalgam of a variety of tastes (experiences) and one has to take it in one’s stride.

The first month of the traditional new year is chaithra. Ugadi signifies the arrival of Vasantha Ritu (Spring season) the first of the six prime seasons in the traditional Indian calendar. The season is also famous for the “sonnets” of the cuckoos. On this day In the house holds and in the Temples and other holy gatherings the recital and narration of the traditional almanac (Panchagam ) is done. This ceremony is called “Panchaga Sravanam”. People crave to know about their rasi phalam (Fore cast based on traditional zodiac signs) for that year. Children wear new clothes and take the blessings of the elders.





This is the season when Jasmines start blossoming. With the taste of raw mangos enticing you and the flavours of Jasmine enchanting you, this festival ushers in tenderness and freshness. It is the most inspiring season for the poets too. Even a lay man turns into a poet. Believe me the festival is a delightful indulgence. No need to say, verses written eulogising the festival are as beautiful as the festival itself.
source : in.ygoy.com/






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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

sunset . . .
the cuckoo repeats
his morning song

Kala Ramesh
2010


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Gudi Padwa . . .
her new sari with
the yellow border

Gabi Greve, 2010


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Related words

***** Andhra festival and "Ugadi"

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