While the pandemic played a huge part of poor tourist numbers in the Kashmir Valley, after two years Kashmir welcomes tourists back with week-long celebration to ring in the 2022 New Year. Many may know and most probably many are aware of Kashmir itself giving a splendid and panoramic view of the Himalayas.
The celebrations began last Saturday, on Xmas, at the twin tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
The series of celebration will end on the year’s last night 2021.
Normally, celebrating Xmas was usually for a day and then New Year for another single day.
This time, holding a grand weeklong festival, organizing it to send a message, welcoming hosting the tourists in the valley to visit Kashmir.
While the pandemic played a huge part in the lower tourism numbers in the Kashmir Valley, experts realized it has helped to revive winter tourism @ Gulmarg.
Gulmarg
After two dismal winter seasons, Gulmarg has witnessed a heavy rush of tourists coming to enjoy the winter sport activities this year. The ski resort of Gulmarg has the festive look from Saturday as it marked a white Xmas. While hotels and buildings are illuminated, a musical program enthralled the tourists attending the celebrations in large numbers.
Last year, most adventure hunger tourists couldn’t go to Europe because of the travel ban caused by the pandemic. The local Winter Sports Association brought to life by discovering the slopes of Gulmarg – the ski capital of India. Thus the locals spent their holidays there. The ski slopes of Gulmarg match any ski slope of Europe and are found inexpensive also. Perfect place to relax, recharging at the beauty of Kashmir this year as well.
Less tourists visited the valley in the three months of summer tourism season than in November when 125,000 tourists arrived to Kashmir and most of them headed over to Gulmarg. Xmas celebrations are also held at the Pahalgam health resort in South Kashmir.
Expecting a huge rush and congestion at Gulmarg this year, the J-K Tourism department has already planned to open two more tourist destinations @ Sonamarg and Dodapathri for winter tourism this year. (Travel restricted to these destination COVID-19 test required on arrival)
Invitation celebrating the power and inspiration of chess … chess connects us!
At Saturday, October, 9. 2021 as a hybrid event the Hungarian National Gallery gives home to the local events, those interested can take part in the festival from the comfort of their homes, through Youtube Live. Furthermore, online chess enthusiasts can login to a plethora of interactive digital activities.
This year’s focus is on Education and Innovation
Major Programs: Education Chess Summit (Live and streamed from the Hungarian National Gallery).
The speakers include experts from Hungary, Sweden, USA, Spain and France.
During the Educational Chess Summit demo classes will be given based on the Judit Polgar Method.
Special guest: Ernö Rubik, the inventor of the world-famous Rubik’s Cube, will share his thoughts on modern education. Creativity and Innovation … Talks (Live and streamed from the Hungarian National Gallery).
Noam Manella from Israel: the author of the highly successful book “Think Like a Machine”, on how to awaken the dormant creativity inside ourselves.
Indian engineerAshwin Subramanianon using biofeedback tools to explore what signals chess players’ bodies are sending while playing and how they can utilize these little cues in preparation.
Judit Polgar talks with the legendary Ernö Rubik, about his views and thoughts on creativity and innovation.
Judit Polgar will also share her thoughts on the role creativity played in her childhood and career. And how she implements creativity in her daily life and her various projects.
Norbert Fogarasi –Head of Morgan Stanley’s Budapest Office, speaks about the connection between chess, innovation and business.
Furthermore, there will be an unforgettable musical experience provided by Juga Di Prima – Chilean singer-songwriter performs five new “Chess Divas” songs that were composed in the spirit of gender equality and pay tribute to the best women chess players of history.
Other Programs: Interactive Chess Channel
Games, quizzes, masterclass, tournaments (Online Presentation of the Judit Polgar Method (at the National Gallery in Hungarian language).
Arts & Crafts for Children (at the National Gallery)
Winners of the Goodwill Ambassadors of Chess Awards announced (at the National Gallery) Simultaneous exhibitions with Judit Polgarand GM Zoltán Almási (Hungarian National Gallery)
For furthermore information visit the website. All programs are free!
Most probably not new information about India for many, but let’s go for a flashback to a little geography overview … India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural heritage. It has achieved all-round socio-economic progress since their Independence. Is is the 7th largest country in the world, India stands apart from the rest of Asia, marked off as it is by mountains and the sea, which give the country a distinct geographical entity. Bounded by the Great Himalayas in the north, it stretches southwards and at the Tropic of Cancer, tapers off into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west.
Republic Day has been celebrated every year in India on January, 26, since 1950 honoring the date. This year the country marked its 72nd Republic Day. In 1950 the Constitution of India came into effect. India was a colony of the British for over 200 years and thenafter, it became independent from the rule of the British Raj following the struggle of the Indian independence movement.
Overview: The Constitution was adopted by the Indian Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950 with a democratic government system, completing the country’s transition towards becoming an independent republic. Was chosen the date January, 26. as the date for Republic day because it was on this day in 1929 when the Declaration of Indian Independence (Purna Swaraj) was proclaimed by the Indian National Congress as opposed to the Dominion status offered by the British Regime.
January, 26 India celebrated R-Day by hosting the national flag, the parade of Defence and paramilitary forces, several festivities like parades are observed, which honours the Indian military forces and their cultural heritage. Each year the R-Day parade celebration starting point begins at Rajpath in New Delhi holding its way through from Rashtrapati Bhavan and end at India Gate. Unlike every year when the Republic Day parade are attended by thousands of people, this year celebrations were toned down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was the first to be organized amid the covid-19 pandemic which meant celebrations had to be taken with many changes, including a shorter route for the parade and much less public participation around the events.
Each year in he past were invited foreigner chief guest. However, this year’s celebration of Republic Day as a/m looked a little different due to the coronavirus. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited UK PM Borish Johnson for the 72nd Republic Day to be the chief guestbut he called off his India trip due to the mounting covid-19 cases at home caused by a virulent variant of the SARS-CoV2 strain that triggers covid-19.
The last time the parade did not have chief guest was in 1966 when Indira Gandhi was sworn in as PM on January,24 after the demise of Lal Bahadur Shastri.
India R-Day 2021
The ceremonial parade started off in the morning hours with the Presidential Guard escorting President Ram Nath Kovind from Rashtrapati Bhavan to the saluting dias. But this year, the parade … which usually start off from Vijay Chowk and winds its way down to the Red Fort and covers a distance of 8.2 kms … to terminate at the National Stadium. This meant that it was covered just about 1/3 or and distance cca. 3.3 km.
Missing this year at the parade were the veterans’ contingent that consists of ex-servicemen and women. Were absent the motorcycle stunts by troops of the army and the Central Armed Police Force personnel. Each member of the contingents were wearing their mask – as per the protocol laid down by the Indian government to prevent the transmission of covid-19. In keeping with the social distancing rules, the six-day Bharat Parv – showcasing cuisines of various states – usually organized on Rajpath lawns from January, 26-31 was neither to be held.
A new additions to this year’s parade was including the Territorial Army contingent of the Madras regiment from Andaman and Nicobar islands – the first time the island chain is being presented at a Republic Day parade in New Delhi.
This is another famous and classic easy recipe among Hungarian families.
The Hungarian “Bird’s milk” – “Madártej” is a vanilla custard containing foam dumplings whipped from egg whites, and originates from France. In 1834 this sweet dessert made from milk and eggs made its way to Hungary as deeply loved delight for sweet tooth individuals.
Bird milk is an imaginary name, more than probably a wandering term that originally referred to an imaginary food (its history dates back to antiquity).
The word bird milk has appeared with different names in many European languages since the middle of the 18th century. The Hungarian name as Bird’s milk – Madártej is known in the world having named differently …
The dessert made its success all through the Continent. It can be found in almost all the countries in Europe and even in India … e.g. “Oeufs á la neige” – (eggs on the snow) or “Ile flottante” – are often available in French bistros. The floating islands are known by the English speakers and also for Spaniards. In addition to us, the Romanians also follow the bird’s milk line. The Austrians go on calling it canary milk “Kanarimilch”. In India, “Rasmala” is made without eggs and cardamom, which is also flavored with pistachios and saffron.
Receipt – Ingredients – for 4 person – peparating time: 20 mins.
For the basic cream … 6 eggs separated, pinch of salt, 150 g sugar, 1 liter milk, 12 g vanilia sugar (1 packet), 3 tbs flour, 10 dkg raisins Instead of the 1 packet of vanilla sugar or a little aroma, if possable choose 1 real vanilla stick, it’s worth it, it gives the bird’s milk a yummy taste.
Step-by-step Cooking … Meringues beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add 3 tbs of sugar and beat until stiff. Bring half of the milk and scraped seeds of vanilla stick to boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer. Scoop up egg-sized peices of beaten egg white mixture and gently slide into the simmering milk. When the meringues rise, carefully turn them and cook on the other side. (about 1 min. egy side) Set then after aside.
For the vanilla sauce… add the rest of the milk into the pot and let it start to simmer again. Mix the yorks with the remaining sugar and flour. Add the vanillia suger to the simmering milk. Remove from the heat, pour slowly – ladia-by-ladie – into the york mixture, whisting constannly. Then pour the mixture in the warm milk. Add thróe raisin Place the pot back on to the heat and cook over low heat until the sauce sóbegins to ticken.
To assemble and serve, spoon meringues into a glass bowl. Pour the vanilla souce on top sprinkle with raisins. Best is when cold, so store in the fridge for a while before serving, but maybe in between someone has discovered it and many are missing. Then off you go it only take 20 mins to get this yummy dessert ready again.
Struggling for days out of ideas as for many just “sit and wait” for their lockdown to end … Below is a riport/update shared for the rollinginbudapest readers to enloose a bit and enjoy the reading.
Riport based on … gain through Webniar on the Life and Art of Amrita Sher-Gil at the Indian Cultural Center in Budapest. During the Webinar several India art professionals joined the gathering and spoke about the legendary artist life. Amrita Sher-Gil, as a Hungarian and an Indian, a European and an Asian, belonged to both cultures, creating a synthesis between modern European and traditional Indian painting.
Amrita Sher-Gil was an extraordinary painter of the 20th-century whose legacy stands on a par with the Masters of Bengal Renaissance.
About the name of the Indian Cutural Center – Budapest … in 2013 a ceremony was held to name the cutural institution to be Amrita Sher-Gil. At the time being, Ambassador Malay Mishra and art historian Katalin Keserü spoke about the naming Amrita Sher-Gil at the event, which also celebrated in time India’s 67th anniversary of independence. The culture center is just a few steps from the Embassy of India – Budapest.
A flashback to her early life and history: Amrita Sher-Gil born January, 30. 1913 in Budapest, Amrita’s father was an Indian Sikh aristocrat with a deep scholarly interest in Sanskrit and astronomy. Her Hungarian-Jewish mother Marie Antoinette Gottesmann was an opera artist. Throughout the short years Amrita Sher-Gil led a life as compelling and unorthodox as her art. The Indian artist spent her early life in a village of Hungary and at the age eight her family shifted to Shimla which was considered as a stunning hilly venue of India. Shimla was the place which marked the beginning of Amrita’s love for art and there she began receiving formal education on the subject of art from an Italian sculptor. The painter moved to Italy in 1924 and Amrita, along with her mother, followed him. Soon enough, she joined a Roman Catholic institution called Santa Anunciata. This was the place where she witnessed the miraculous works of Italian artists and got inspired from them. Showed interest and took formal lessons completing her formal studies at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris at the age of sixteen. Sher-Gil painted her airly Bohemian life in Paris, a series of self-portraits, which showed her grappling with her own identity caught between Europe and India. In Paris, she was greatly influenced by European painters like Paul Cézanne, Amedeo Modigliani and Paul Gauguin. Despite in 1929 her early success in Paris, she increasingly longed for India and finally returned to her home country in 1934, finding the inspiration she needed as she traveled around the country and reconnected with its people. At this point, was ways of seeing changes radically in India. This was the beginning of her life-long journey of trying to decode the traditions of Indian art. She deeply thought her new style diverged greatly from her previous works learned in Paris, but she realized that Europe belonged to the art likers of Picasso and Matisse while India belonged to her. The influence of Western painting traditions are apparent in her early works, most notably seem to evoke the poverty, sadness and monumental gravity of the people she saw around her.
One of her paintings The “Group of Young Girls” a powerful work done in earthy colors portraying three, young girls waiting pensively for their future received Gold medal at Grand Salon Paris – 1933., and also won a Gold medal from Bombay Art Society – 1937.
Overall, on one hand, Amrita was passionate about everything life had to offer and on the other hand, she harbored a deep sense of melancholy. Amrita Sher-Gil was often referred as India’s Frida Kahlo.”The Two Fridas” play was introduced in the UK as storytelling through dance and music. (Writer’s note … Would be great to bring the UK’s preformance over to Budapest Hungary!)
In the year 1938, Amrita married her Hungarian first cousin, Dr. Victor Egan. Afterwards, she moved to the city of Gorakhpur, where her paternal family resided, with her beloved husband. Later on, the couple decided to move to Lahore which was a part of the undivided India. Sadly, in the year 1941, Amrita Sher-Gill left the world and gone ahead.
Amrita Sher-Gill was the first and youngest only Asian artist. Her works show a considerable amount of influence from the west and her deep passion, along with a great sense of understanding towards colors, shows why the artist is considered remarkable even in today’s times.
The masterworks of this artist have been declared as National Art Treasures by the Government – India and a majority of her creations adorn the beauty of the famous National Gallery of Modern Art – capital of India.In addition to this, as paying respect to the great artist, there is a road by the name of Amrita Sher-Gill Marg in Delhi.
In 2001 the Ernst Museum Budapest held an exhibition on Amrita’s painting which were introduced to the Hungarian art lovers for the first time in Hungary.
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary (2013) of her birth was seen on the fence at the Hungarian National Museum giant tableau 50 arts namely “exhibition fence.” In January of the same year, was erected a marble plaque at her birthplace District I, Budapest: Szilágy Dezső Square. Also in 2013 UNESCO announced to be the international year of Amrita Sher-Gil.
During her short but productive career, she influenced generations. Amrita left behind 175 substantial body of works of which 95 works are at the National Museum – Delhi and some are at private collectors. However, the artist has been overlooked for decades, only the past recent times receiving the recognition she deserves.
“India Hungary Dialogues” is an interview-based video series created by the Embassy of India to bring out salient aspects of India Hungary bilateral relations.
This video series, prepared in the format of a dialogue with accomplished Hungarian personalities and experts, covers many fields within co-operations to make the general public aware of the significant work being undertaken in both countries to strengthen their partnership and also throw light on many important but perhaps yet unknown aspects of this vibrant and dynamic bilateral relationship.
“India Hungary Dialogues” is being launched from November, 18. 2020, the day of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Hungary. The series would be broadcast and disseminated on television as well as social media platforms in both Hungarian and English languages.
The series would consist of a dozen episodes which will be regularly released. Topics will be providing an incisive, in-depth interview series where India experts from different fields in Hungary would be interviewed to share their knowledge & experience about their field of India study. So beside a/m mentioned others such as insights through art and music, building cultural ties through networking relations with Indian partners, friendship and goodwill, tourism, culture, yoga, etc. In each episode, the interview aims open up different elements that bind India and Hungary together.
Update in the frame of press release by the Embassy of India – Hungary.
Dates and channels timing about the dialogues to be announced.
Rolling in Budapest 