Posts Tagged ‘India – Hungary’

30 Dec

In Kashmir Valley 125-y-old church opens again for prayers.

Posted by www.rollinginbudapest.com in For Travelers, Tourism, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , .

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With less than 1,000 Christians in the Kashmir Valley according to official estimates, St Luke’s Church was shut down for prayers before the onset of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. The church remained abandoned for decades until 2016 when the Christian community approached the J&K administration.

With Christmas around the corner, a dozen people gathered in Srinagar on Wednesday and offered prayers inside the 125-year-old St Luke’s Church — for the first time in over three decades.

With less than 1,000 Christians in the Kashmir Valley according to official estimates, St Luke’s Church was shut down for prayers before the onset of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

The church remained abandoned for decades until 2016 when the Christian community approached the J&K administration. The renovation work has started last year, halted for a while due to the pandemic, and restarted a few months ago.

Inside the  Church there is a library and people used to come and read there. But this was for the first time since the 1980s that prayers were held here and the church bells rang.

The church is being revamped with a budget of Rs 90 lakh as a Srinagar Smart City project under the Center’s Smart Cities Mission. There are no seating or heating arrangements in place yet. Therefore was no Xmas mass held this year.

The St Luke’s Church situated in the foothills of Koh-e-Sulaiman or Shankaracharya hill which was built in 1896 by Dr Arthur Neve and his younger brother Dr Ernest Neve, who were with a missionary hospital that mainly provided treatment to TB patients. The hospital and the church were built by British engineers. In the 1960s, the doctors handed over the hospital to the J-K government. The main reason for the closure (in the 1980s) was that the Christian hospital staff moved out of the Valley.

Source: Embassy of India in Hungary

Update Aggie Reiter

30 Jan

India 2021 Republic Day ceremonies were different this year.

Posted by www.rollinginbudapest.com in Hungary, India, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , .

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 guest but 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.

© Aggie Reiter

26 Jan

Celebrating 71st. Republic Day of India @ Budapest

Posted by www.rollinginbudapest.com in Budapest - Hungary, Entertainments, Gastronomy, Herald News for Hungarians who speaks English!. Tagged: , , , , , , .

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Many countries around the world today joined to celebrate India’s Republic Day, likewise in Budapest – Hungary.

The celebration was held on Sunday, January, 26. by HE Mr. Kumar Tuhin, Ambassador of the Republic of India & Mrs. Deepa Tuhin @ Heritage House’s Theater – Budapest.

Invited guests joined to celebrate India’s  71st Republic Day together with members of the DC, dignitaries, senior government functionaries, prominent representatives, the Indian community, Hungarian political, business and cultural scenes, also by India’s friends and supporters.

The  Republic Day commemorates the occasion on January 26, 1950 when India, after gaining independence from Great Britain in 1947, adopted its Constitution … 1949. January 26 was already an auspicious day for India because in 1930 it was declared as Independence Day by no less than “The Father of the Nation” – Mahatma Gandhi.

Republic Day also marks the completion of India’s transition from the British Raj to an independent republic. It also represents the anniversary of the declaration of Purna Swaraj, which translates to “complete freedom,” by the Indian National Congress in 1929.

Ambassador Kumar Tuhin conveyed his festive greetings to the audience and said that India’s relations with Hungary is steadily growing and the interaction in diverse sectors, especially in economic and commercial sector. Hungary had been one of the first to recognize India’s sovereignty and the two had established diplomatic relations in 1948. India was one of Hungary’s most important trade partners, and still today tit is continuing  exchange of Hungarian – India students in several fields of education. Also welcomed the cultural and economic relations between India and Hungary.

The Ambassador expressed his thanks to the guests for attending and celebrating this special day together.

The highlight of the evening was followed by the group rendered enchanting India music and dance performances.

After the entertainment program a reception followed having a taste of India’s traditional gastronomy delights.

Update and snaps © Aggie Reiter

8 Feb

ACMA India delegation visited Hungary 2019.

Posted by www.rollinginbudapest.com in Budapest - Hungary, Herald News for Hungarians who speaks English!, Hungary. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

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“A delegation of Automotive Component Manufacturer’s Association (ACMA) visited Hungary on 5th February 2019. During their stay they had a meeting with H.E. Ambassador Kumar Tuhin at the Embassy of India. Then the delegation visited the Hungarian Parliament and had a meeting with Mr. Péter Cseresnyés, President of the Hungarian-Indian Parliamentary Friendship Group, followed by a guided tour in the building. Thereafter, they had a B2B Meeting organized at the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency. On this occasion the delegation also signed a Letter of Intent with the Hungarian Automotive Component Manufacturers Association.” (Embassy News)

A “Networking Seminar” took place at the Budapest’s Marriott Hotel organized by the India Embassy ended the day with the presence of H.E. Ambassador Kumar Tuhin –  Embassy of India, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry for Innovation and Technology – Péter Cseresnyés, Dénes Szabó -Major of Nagykanizsa and a body of 10 professional leaders from Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA). The auto component leaders of tomorrow said the automotive market is witnessing rapid technological transformation, therefore to fulfill further required needs,  their visit is looking for technological whereabouts, where both countries can implement. At the meeting was present the major of Nagykanizsa, who talked about the possibilities and the intellectual capacities of the region.  It was also said by president of ACMA Mr.Ram Venkataramami their study visit to Hungary is mainly collecting market data and the whereabouts in the territory of Hungary to assess the possibilities to establish a base for ACMA here in Central Europe where in the future production of the required components are feasible. Also added that in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia gaining overall information will be forward to the 633 members to the association and they will evaluate and decide on the future. It was also said to keep in mind that in a little over a decade or two from now digital technologies will make up hold the value of an automobile. Mechanical complements will give way to electrical, electronic and digital systems presenting new opportunities to both incumbents firms and new entrants. The consumer will ultimately benefit with a range of choices hitherto unseen in the industry…Exciting times are ahead.

Beside visiting Hungary, the group had visited in the same theme Poland and will head from Hungary to Slovakia to assess the opportunities.

Update and snaps Aggie Reiter

11 Jun

The 4th International Day of Yoga and 3rd Ganga-Danube: Cultural Festival of India

Posted by www.rollinginbudapest.com in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

June, 23 till 24 2018.

The 4th International Day of Yoga & 3rd Ganga-Danube: Cultural Festival of India is coming up again thanks to the awesome support, initiative by Indian Embassy in Hungary.

On June 21, we celebrate International Yoga Day worldwide.

The following the successes of the past three years, the Hungarian Embassy in India working together with local prominent yoga schools with different programs to draw attention to the health conscious life style among the people who follow India’s traditions, all the arts, both in the field of ancient healing.

The festival will be rolling in throughout 21 cities in Hungary! It will be a Week-End full of Yoga, Indian Dance, Music, Food, Henna and much more! Do not be surprised in the cities below when hearing traditional music from India.

Here are the cities to join Enjoy – Yoga: Saturday, June, 23. at the Margaret Island Athletic Center (Margitszigeti Atlétikai Centrum) – Budapest. Outside the Capital same timing at different cities from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. may join the Yoga Festival at the following venues: Alsóörs, Balatonfüred, Békécsaba, Eger, Esztergom, Kecskemét, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nagykőrös, Nyíregyháza, Somogyvámos (Krisna Valley), Sopron, Szeged, Szentendre, Veszprém and Zalakaros.

Sunday,  June, 24.,  the Yoga goes on at  the cities of: Pécs, Sárvár, Debrecen and Győr during: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

During this year’s holiday series, local yoga schools will showcase the ancient practice of yoga, which has a Common Protocol called Yoga. The program is jointly Ankita Sood yoga expert who worked in the local schools of yoga, who is the Embassy of India, Yoga expert delegate to Budapest.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) will send two ensemble this year’s festival; 10-member Namame Gange Bharatnatyam Society and 10-member Manipuri Folk Dance Group.

NamameGange Bharatnatyam dance troupe perform a dramatic choreography of India’s holiest river, the Ganges what has been revered as sacred since ancient times and is culturally dominant for the whole of India. The topic of the lecture India and Hungary symbolic cultural integration via the two rivers, the Danube and the historic holy Ganges.

Manipuri folk dance group – Cholet Pung, which is a big artistic rarities and specially choreographed stage show. This is the first time that North East India folk dance group coming to Hungary.

Music and dance programs, public yoga classes will be organized by the Indian Embassy of the aforementioned cities across the country. There will be Bollywood film screenings as well. Indian art in high levels experienced Hungarian artists are also included in the series of programs

To participate at any of the a/m cities is free of charge. Everyone who already practise Yoga and the newcomers, interested in the India traditional culture are more than welcome.

Update Aggie Reiter