Ganesh Chaturthi

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!

            Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi is celebrated nation wide to celebrate the birth of Lord Ganesha - the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. Ganesh is widely worshipped as the God of wisdom, prosperity, good fortune and at the beginning of a auspicious event or a journey.

Legend:

Stories tell us that Lord Ganesh was created by goddess Parvati out of sandalwood paste that she used for her bath and breathed life into the figure. She then set him to stand guard at her door while she bathed. Lord Shiva returned and as Ganesh didn't know him, he didn't allow him to enter. Lord Shiva became enraged and ask his followers to teach the child a lesson. Since Ganesh was born of Parvati, he was an embodiment of shakti and all powerful. He defeated Shiva's followers and declared that nobody was allowed to enter while his mother was bathing. Sensing a growing turmoil, Narada and Saptarashi went to appease Ganesh but it was in vain. Angered, Indira attacked Ganesh with his entire heavenly army and they lost too. During this fight, Shiva severed Ganesh's head. This made Parvati weep with sorry and angry with Shiva. She vowed to destroy the universe where her son was killed. The Gods prostrated before her and Shiva promised to get Ganesh back to life. The trinity hunted the world for a head and came across a mother elephant crying for her dead baby. They consoled the mother and promised to fix the head of the baby elephant in place of Ganesh's head. Lord Shiva declared from that day that the boy would be called Ganesha. In this way, Lord Ganesh came to be depicted as the elephant-headed God. 

                                                          

Thank You KPK!

KPK Technologies is a Michigan(Detroit area) based company. They are primarily into Information Technology Consulting; in business since 1998. They are a full service IT company with Project Development, Consulting and Training. They help hundreds realize their dreams in building careers in IT. Please do go to their website - KPK Technologies to read more and to contact them.

KPK was generous enough to sponsor the Fresher's party for Fall 2012 and ISA sincerely thanks them for their donation.

Teachers Day!

In many countries, Teachers' Days are intended to be special days for the appreciation of teachers, and may include celebrations to honor them for their special contributions in a particular field area, or the community in general. The date on which Teachers' day is celebrated varies from country to country. Teachers' days are distinct from World Teachers' Day which is officially celebrated across the world on Oct 5.

Did you know whose birthday is celebrated as Teacher’s day in India? Well, it is the birthdate (5 September 1888) of an academic philosopher, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He was the second President of India and the first Vice President of India. One of India's most influential scholars of comparative religion and philosophy, Radhakrishnan built a bridge between the East and the West by showing how the philosophical systems of each tradition are comprehensible within the terms of the other.

From the era of the gurus to the modern teaching era, teachers have always set an example in molding us to what we are today. 

Lets all wish our teachers from all over a very Happy Teacher's day!

Onam

Onam is a Traditional Malayali Festival celebrated by the people of Kerala, India. The festival commemorates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu and the subsequent homecoming of the legendary Emperor Mahabali. It is the state festival of Kerala and falls during the month of Chingam (August–September) and lasts for ten days. The festival is marked by various festivities, including intricate flower carpets, elaborate banquet lunches, snake boat races, Puli Kali, Kaikottikkali etc.

Pookalam: A flower carpet called 'Pookalam' is laid in front of every house to welcome the advent of the vanquished king, and earthen mounds representing Mahabali and Vishnu are placed in the dung-plastered courtyards.

Sadya: Traditional rituals are performed followed by a lavish feast called 'Sadhya'. Onam also means new clothes for the whole family, sumptuous home-cooked delicacies on plantain leaf and the lingering aroma of the sweet Payasam.

King Mahabali: This is the history and story of King Mahabali-

A long long time ago, an Asura (demon) king called Mahabali ruled Kerala. He was a wise, benevolent and judicious ruler and beloved of his subjects. Soon his fame as an able king began to spread far and wide, but when he extended his rule to the heavens and the netherworld, the gods felt challenged and began to fear his growing powers. Presuming that he might become over-powerful, Aditi, the mother of Devas pleaded with Lord Vishnu to curtail Mahabali's powers. Vishnu transformed himself into a dwarf called Vamana and approached Mahabali while he was performing a yajna and asked for alms. Pleased with the dwarf brahmin's wisdom, Mahabali granted him a wish. The Emperor's preceptor, Sukracharya warned him against making the gift, for he realized that the seeker was no ordinary person. But the Emperor's kingly ego was boosted to think that God had asked him for a favor. So he firmly declared that there is no greater sin than going back on one's promise. He kept his word.

The Vamana asked for a simple gift — three paces of land — and the king agreed to it. Vishnu in the guise of Vamana then increased his stature and with the first step covered the sky, blotting out the stars, and with the second, straddled the netherworld. Realizing that Vamana's third step will destroy the earth, Mahabali offered his head as the last step. Vishnu's fatal third step pushed him to the netherworld, but before banishing him to the underworld Vishnu granted him a boon. Since he was attached to his kingdom and his people, he was allowed to return once a year from exile. Onam is the celebration that marks the homecoming of King Mahabali. It is the day when a grateful Kerala pays a glorious tribute to the memory of this benign king who gave his all for his subjects.

Kathakali: iIt is one of the oldest theatre forms in the world. Kathakali is a group presentation in which dancers take various roles in performances traditionally based on themes from Hindu mythology, especially the two epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha.

Boat Ride: One of the main attractions of Onam, is the 'Vallamkali' or boat races of Karuvatta, Payippad, Aranmula and Kottayam. Hundreds of oarsmen row traditional boats to the rhythm of drums and cymbals. These long graceful Snake Boats called 'Chundans' are named after their exceedingly long hulls and high sterns that resemble the raised hood of a cobra.

Eid

Eid-ul-Fitr, "Eid-ul-fitr", Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr (Arabic: ‎عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr), often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm). The religious Eid is a single day (a Muslim is not permitted to fast that day), but it is usually celebrated for 3 days. Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast". The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The first day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day of the month Shawwal. This is a day where Muslims around the world try to show a common goal of unity.

Eid al-Fitr has a particular salat (Islamic prayer) consisting of two raka'ah (units) and generally offered in an open field or large hall.[1] It may only be performed in congregation (Jama’at) and has an additional extra six Takbirs (raising of the hands to the ears while saying "Allahu Akbar" [God is Great]), three of them in the beginning of the first raka'ah and three of them just before ruku' in the second raka'ah in the Hanafi school.[2] This Eid al-Fitr salat is, depending on which juristic opinion is followed, Fard (obligatory), Mustahabb (strongly recommended, just short of obligatory) or mandoob (preferable).

Muslims believe that they are commanded by God, as mentioned in the Qur'an, to continue their fast until the last day of Ramadan[3] and pay the Zakat and fitra before doing the Eid prayer.

Independence Day!

Krishna Janmashtami

Krishna Janmashtami is Lord Krishna's Birth day. It is also known as Krishnashtami, Saatam Aatham, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti, Sree Jayanti or sometimes merely as Janmashtami, is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, an avatar of the god Vishnu. Lord Krishna is the eight son of Devaki and Vasudeva.

Mathura was led by Kansa a wicked king. He had a sister Devaki, who was married to Vasudeva. It was predicted that Sri Krishna would be born to Devaki and would kill the wicked king Kansa. This enraged Kansa and he had all the male child of Devaki killed, after imprisoning Devaki and Vasudeva. But since the eight avatar of Lord Vishnu was bound to kill Kansa, Sri Krishna was born in midnight. All the other children born to Devaki, except Krishna were killed.

Vasudeva managed to save the child from the cruel clutches of Kansa and he exchanged child Sri Krishna with female child of Yashoda. Krishna lived in Gokul during his infancy till the age of eleven years to hide himself from the clutches of his maternal uncle, Kansa. Finally, Sri Krishna kills Kansa. Jai Shri Krishna!