Celebrating the spirit of the community through unity and diversity
Eid-al-adha, the second Eid celebration, which also signifies the end of the holy pilgrimage of Hajj. The picture above of two children’s unconditional greeting depicts how the festival transcends barriers and celebrates unity and togetherness. This Eid, the Here and Now 365 team wishes everyone Eid Mubarak!
This week particularly has been packed with festivals with Onam and Raksha Bandhan coming together. But one thing which ties both of them is celebration of culture but more than anything the bond of unity and protection and along with that comes hope and support as well, which is why this Onam and Raksha Bandhan we at Here and Now 365 #StandWithKerala during their time of need.
Raksha Bandhan Anecdotes:
The origins of the festival are hard to trace, but there are many legends, myths and folklore associated with the festival which go back centuries in time. One of the most popular historical legends is that of King Puru and Alexander‘s wife Roxana. When the Great Alexander was on his invasion spree and came to conquer India in 326 BC, King Puru gave him a tough fight. Roxana heard of the Indian festival- Raksha bandhan; she sent King Puru the holy thread of bond and protection, and in return King Puru accepted her as his sister. He promised her that if ever through the course of battle he encountered Alexander, he would not kill him by his own hands.
Another royal legend is tied to the great bond of love and protection between Rani Karnavati of Chittor and Mughal Emperor Humayun. Rani Karnavati sent the Mughal emperor a rakhi and also asked him for protection of her fort in Chittor when they were under attack by Sultan Bahadur Shah. It is believed that Humayun set off with his troops to defend his beloved sister during the perilous time.
The Bank Holiday weekend is here, and though rain has been forecast, one thing it won’t dampen is the spirit of Carnival, with Notting Hill Carnival celebrating Caribbean culture, heritage and art here in the UK. And that’s not all, over the years Notting Hill has grown into being one of the most multicultural events, with people from all backgrounds coming to celebrate at Europes biggest street party. So, if you have no weekend plans yet, you know where to head.
Last weekend saw one of the biggest celebrations of South Asian food, culture and entertainment at the Zee London Mela 2018 – right in the heart of the community at Southall Park. Joining the community on this fun family day out was supermarket Morrisons, which gave people a chance to sample what their world foods section has to offer; Lebara, who ensured people got Unlimited of everything – be it smoothies from a cycle, calls to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and fun; Zee Network who gave people a chance to pose with their Bollywood rickshaw booth and audition for Saregama and lastly State Bank of India UK, who has been partnering the community since their journey began in this country. With the weather on their side and performances by Jay Sean and Zack Knight, Zee London Mela sure made last weekend one to remember.
Here and Now 365 has always prided itself for promoting multiculturalism and celebrating the ethnic diversity of the UK.
