The Sacred Music Festival

In the month of June the ancient holy city of Fez in Morocco hosts the Sacred Music Festival where musicians from different faiths gather to pay melodious homage to their religion.

The festival originated after the first Gulf War as a humble attempt to wipe out the political differences and bring humanity together with the sound of music. The Sacred Music Festival aims at promoting love and peace between people of different religion caste and creed and in some way has been successful as those who attend it feel nothing but peace and contentment in their hearts.  Though words are foreign and not understood but the soulful rendition of the singers really touches the chords of one’s heart. At times the whole audience is in a trance and hatred and other ill feelings are totally forgotten.

The event lasts for 10 days Fez echoes with Pakistani Qawwalis, the whirling dervishes of Turkey, the Sufi chants of Morocco, Egyptian Madhi odes, the chants of ancient India and Christian Saeta. Every performance is unique and soul stirring and has made this festival so very special. The program ends with a joint performance as the musicians from different faiths and different countries find common grounds to unite.

A Sacred Music Festival is also held in Los Angeles USA after every three years. It also strives at connecting together people from different faiths. It is a major event of the city and for sixteen days churches, synagogues, temples; theaters and outdoor areas serve as stages for the music and dance performances. It provides an opportunity to understand the various faiths and sends a strong message that humanity is above all differences.

Similar events are hosted in Olympia, Washington and Michigan in the USA. Spain, Canada, France, England and India are other countries where World Sacred Music Festivals are held.

Father’s Day

Father’s Day is celebrated by the children in 60 countries of the world to show love and respect for their fathers. It is celebrated on different days; the third Sunday of June is the most common day. Father’s Day was initiated by a lady Sonora Dodd whose father, a civil war veteran, brought up his children after the death of his wife. Father’s Day is a way of showing appreciation for the troubles and toils a father goes through to provide his children the best in life.

Fathers are providers; the bread winners of the family. Their word is considered the final authority in all matters. They are a pillar of support for their children and “I will tell my dad” scares away the biggest bullies. A child is seen to be more attached to his mother than father as a father’s job keeps him away from home for a long time. Plus fathers are at times strict but that does not mean that they are cold hearted. Even a father’s heart cries out when his child is hurt. A smile from his little one cheers up dad. Although fathers do not show their emotions easily, they too are hungry for the words “I Love you Dad”.

So go ahead and tell him how much you love him on this father’s day.

Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts

Get set, get ready and go….to Glastonbury, the venue of the world’s biggest open air music festival of modern music. What started as the Pilton Festival on a farm by Michael Eavis in 1970, it is now a mega music event. This year, from the 23rd to the 27th of June, the town of Pilton in Somerset (England) will transform into a tented city where musical performances in every genre of contemporary music under the sun will take place.

Besides music, other forms of performing arts displayed here are dance, theatre, comedy, circus, and cabaret. There is a kids’ entertainment area, too.
The whole area is divided into 50 + stages with the Pyramid, Other Stage, Jazz World Stage, Acoustic Tent, Shangri-La, and Trash City being some famous ones. The number of people present at the venue can swell up to more than 177,000 and this year around 2000 performances are expected. This year some big names expected to thrill the audience are Stevie Wonder, Jack Johnson, U2, Muse, MGMT, Snoop Dogg, Vampire Weekend, Orbital, and many others.

To add color, sculptures are displayed at the venue. There are many food stalls as well, which sell a variety of food – from burgers to organic food.

Vibrant, entertaining, lively, and energetic are some words to describe the festival.

Bali Art Festival

Bali is a beautiful island of Indonesia. The island, with a predominant Hindu population, is the seat of art and culture. This land of scenic beauty hosts the Pesta Kesenian or an art festival annually at Werdi Budaya Art Center in Denpasar. The festival lasts for a month in which both local and international artists participate. A colorful opening ceremony marks the beginning of the festival in which participants from all the regions of Bali introduce themselves with a brilliant performance depicting their traditions and culture. The ceremony, usually officiated by the president of Indonesia, ends with a dance drama.

There are daily performances of dance and music which continue through out the day. Besides music and dance, various forms of art and handicrafts of this fabulous place are also displayed. Food is another thing that is representative. During the festival you can savor the mouth-watering cuisine of Bali.

Although there are many other festivals representing the performing art culture of the region, Bali Art Festival has a special place in the eyes of those who like such festivals. Bali Art festival is full of colors and life. It has everything to make it colorful and attractive for the music and performing art lovers.

Nativity of St John, the Baptist: June 24, 2009

Nativity of St John, the Baptist: June 24, 2009

Note: Some report the details of the event while in the womb differently.

Posted in Christian Festivals, Festivals in January, Festivals in June on 20. Jun, 2009
St John the Baptist was Jesus Christ’s cousin. He was born on June 24 as the first son of the Jewish priest St. Zechariah and Elizabeth. St John’s birth was a miraculous event. The celebration of St John’s nativity is one of the oldest in the Christian religion. The Church observed this day as the primary festival subsequent to Christmas and Easter. According to the Gospel of Luke, when Elizabeth was six months pregnant with St John, the Archangel Gabriel came to Mary and gave her the good news that she would conceive Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Luke narrates the first act of prophecy by St John the Baptist as his motion in his mother Elizabeth’s womb after listening about Mary’s conception once she came to greet Elizabeth on her pregnancy.
The nativity is celebrated depending upon the customs and rituals of the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran Churches. In Western Christianity an eminent liturgical feast day is traditional to commemorate the occasion. In Eastern Christianity St John is remembered as ‘John the forerunner’ and the feast is supplemented by all night vigil. St John is known as a ‘forerunner’ because he was born just before Jesus in order to pave the way for his arrival on earth.
The Orthodox Church observes the day on June 24th while the Armenian Apostolic Church memorializes the day on January 15th each year.

June 24: Rath Yatra – A festival to worship Karishna

June 24: Rath Yatra – A festival to worship Karishna
Posted in Festivals in July, Festivals in June, Hindu Festivals on 20. Jun, 2009
Rath Yatra, a major Hindu festival is celebrated with zeal in the Eastern state of Orissa in the Puri District. The festival commemorates the memories of Karishna’s return to his native town, Virndavan, after a long separation from his people. In Hindi Rath means chariot and Yatra means pilgrimage.
This festival is celebrated during the monsoon season between June and July every year. During this festival people worship Lord Karishna, Baladiva and their sister Subhadra. The worship is not limited to the temples, but takes to the streets so that everyone can see the richly decorated chariots. Devotees from all over India and beyond participate in the huge procession with a desire to touch the rope of the chariot. For them it’s a virtuous act. Temple shaped chariots are carried to the Gundicha Temple in a huge procession where devotees play religious songs with drums and tambourines.
The festival gives a unique opportunity to Non-Hindus and foreigners who cannot visit the temples during the routine rituals to get a glance of these chariots. In 2008, approximately 10 million people visited Puri to attend the festivities of Rath Yatra. This year millions of people are expected to gather in Puri to perform their rituals for Rath Yatra.

Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev on June 16

Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev on June 16
Posted in Festivals in June, Religious Festivals, Sikh festivals on 15. Jun, 2009
The Sikhs around the world commemorate the martyrdom of their first martyr, the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev every year on June 16 since his death which took place in 1606 during the Mughal Era. According to Sikh Historians, prior to the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev, Sikh had enjoyed peace and non-violence as their Gurus educated them in the worship of one God, showing compassion, love for humanity, dedication, hard work and a staunchness toward amity and harmony between every individual around the globe.
Guru Arjan existed during the time of the great Mughal Emperor Jahangir. During his guru-ship, he attracted and converted thousands of Hindus to Sikhism . Poor and illiterate Muslims were among those that became the followers of this Guru. They started to crowd in Govindwal, the hub of Sikhism during the late 16th Century. Sikhism flourished during the time of Emperor Akbar who was liberal regarding religious issues. He was the one who introduced ‘Deen-e-Islam’ a  blend of Hinduism and Islam intended to earn sympathies of Hindus and expand his Kingdom. In contrast, Emperor Jahangir was a hardcore Muslim who was not happy with the gatherings of Muslims at Govindwal. He felt there was a threat to Islam in the Sub Continent. Hence, Guru Arjan was tortured on the orders of the angst-ridden Jahangir and died on June 16.

Regatta of St Ranieri, Pisa-Italy on June 17, 2009

Regatta of St Ranieri, Pisa-Italy on June 17, 2009
Posted in Festivals in June on 13. Jun, 2009
The Regatta of St Ranieri at the Palazzo Medici, Pisa, Italy is celebrated every year on June 17 in memory of the saint of Pisa. The regatta is a 1,500 meter race up the Amo River comprised of four slender rowing boats manned by eight oarsmen, one steersman and a climber. The rowboats are painted in assorted colors to symbolize Pisa’s four districts. The colors correspond to the four districts in this way: the southern part of the city, which is Saint Martin, is represented by white and red; Saint Anthony is represented by white and green; the northern part, Saint Mary is embodied by white and blue; and Saint Francis is signified by white and yellow. The climber in each rowboat is an expert at scrambling up a 10 meter long rope to clutch the flag of victory, commonly known as Palio, which is located at the finish line.
The winners of the Regatta receive gifts in the shapes of animals like oxen, a roosters, sheep or pigs. The Eve of June 16 is celebrated as a feast day of the Saint Ranieri. On the very day, the buildings alongside Amo River are illuminated with approximately 75,000 small glass candle holders in such a manner that they give the look of a fairyland. In addition to this, thousands of illuminated candles in these holders are floated on the River Amo giving an awe-inspiring look.

June 4, 2009: International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression

June 4, 2009: International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
Posted in Festivals in June, Global Festivals on 04. Jun, 2009
Everyone always cherishes the smiles and giggles of children, and no one wants to see children in anguish and weeping. However, in today’s global situation where we see war, misery, refuge, poverty and hunger, children are among the most affected beings distressed by all sorts of aggression around them. Whether it is the war victims of Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan or the ongoing sufferers in Somalia or Ethiopia, these events have snatched the chortles of children.
In order to support such innocent children who are victims of aggression the UN decided to memorialize June 4th every year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression in 1983. This act was undertaken on the back of the agony and sufferings faced by Palestinian and Lebanese children victims of Israel’s belligerence. Looking at the uprooted people across the globe, more than 80 million people are refugees and are displaced within their own country and more than half of them are children. Currently children in Pakistan too are a victim of such displacement, which has mushroomed due to the military operation in Swat and Malakand. It is our duty to support them en masse.