04-30-12
Hey guyz! im very sorry for the late update from india. its been more than a month already since i came back from india.
this time i wanna share the story about holi festival.
people in india and other countries with large hindu populations celebrated Holi, the Festival of Colors. Holi is celebrated as a welcoming of spring, and a celebration of the triumph of good over evil. what that translates to in action is an enthusiastic dropping of inhibitions, as people chase each other and playfully splash colorful paint, powder and water on each other. people also attend bonfires to commemorate the story of Prahlada, a hindu figure and devout follower of lord vishnu who prevailed over his father and the demoness holika with the power of his devotion.
After about 2 years collecting all info about this superb culture celebration, finally i manage to capture it with my camera. im not gonna tell all the details, let the pictures tell the story. hoho. we did spend about 4 days in mathura n vrindavan area to get the exact info about this event. i might say that this event is one of the toughest coverage ever. u got to be prepared. seriously well prepared… not only your gears but mind and body also. we traveled to the most remote place in india so that we can get the most original event, no tourist, only just a few traveler and some local photographer.
all the shots above are originally from my camera, just a lil bit of cropping and leveling.if u do like the story, pls do share it with ur frens and family. i love to share my picture to all… as this is the way im expressing my self to the things that i love to do… and i will continue to do it so as long as i got money and time to travel. the more u travel, the more u will learn and the more u will appreciate ur life. trust me on this one… till next time! =)
regards,
azimzainudin, india march 2012
03-26-12
Kusti is India’s traditional wrestling on soil. This ancient sport used to hold great importance in Indian societies of the past, its popularity over the recent years however, has dwindled tremendously.
At present Kusti is only practiced in a handful of pockets around India. Even in these places the future of the sport is uncertain. The government constantly pressures traditional Kusti schools to abandon ways of the past, embrace international wrestling standards and win medals at the Olympics.
Kushti is India’s traditional wrestling on soil. This ancient sport used to hold great importance in Indian societies of the past, its popularity over the recent years however, has dwindled tremendously. At present Kushti is only practiced in a handful of pockets around India. Even in these places the future of the sport is uncertain. The government constantly pressures traditional Kushti schools to abandon ways of the past, embrace international wrestling standards and win medals at the Olympics.
A practitioner of this sport is referred to as a Pehlwan, or a Pahalwan, same to our Malaysia hero that we called ‘Pahlawan’. while teachers are known as Ustad or Guru. The undefeated champions of the country will hold the title Rustam-i-Hind, meaning “the Rostam of India”.
In Kushti, physical training is meant to build strength and develop muscle bulk and flexibility. Exercises that employ the wrestler’s own bodyweight include the ’surya namaskara, shirshsan and the dand, which also found in Yoga, as well as the bethak.
In New Delhi, this Kushti wrestlers continue the rigorous schedule of waking up at early morning six times a week and practicing more than 6 hours every day in the morning and evening. They live together in one small room near the arena and their only belongings are a blanket, and a few items of clothes. They have been compared to holy men because of their dedication to this sport.
regards, bob.
02-27-12
It’s astounding how much of the Malaysian culture is hidden from the public eye. Although I used to travel a lot outside malaysia, this is my 1st time to
experienced my own local indigenous culture by mah meri tribe. mah meri tribe are one of the tribe that used to live in Carey Island, situated about 140km
from kuala lumpur. Carey Island is a large palm oil estate that is owned and operated by the Malaysian palm oil conglomerate Golden Hope Plantation. If you
were hoping by the name that Carey Island was a white sanded beach with miles upon miles of clear blue waters, then you’d be sadly mistaken.=)
The main appeal of Carey Island is the indigenous tribe, the Mah Meri. This small tribe has managed to sustain its existence for almost a century. While the
world around it grows with skyscrapers and shopping malls, the Mah Meri has kept its unique traditions of wood carvings and self sustainable living off the
land. Though not adverse to changes, the Mah Meri are well versed in local Bahasa Malaysia and some of them can even speak English.
every year, mah meri tribe celebrates ‘Ari Muyang’, a unique celebration for them giving thanks to the spirits for all the good things that had been bestowed
upon the villagers. On this special day, they will have a ritual ceremony where a shaman uses rice powder based solutions, mixed with flowers and leaves to
mark the foreheads and forearms. After the ritual caremony, some of them will perform a traditional dance called ‘main Jo-oh’. the dance will be accompanied
by a ritual traditional songs and music perfomed by the older generation of the tribe using bamboo, viola, drum and guitar.
It’s astounding how much of the Malaysian culture is hidden from the public eye. Although I used to travel a lot outside malaysia, this is my 1st time to experienced my own local indigenous culture by Mah Meri tribe. Mah Meri tribe are one of the tribe that used to live in Carey Island, situated about 140km from Kuala Lumpur. Carey Island is a large palm oil estate that is owned and operated by the Malaysian palm oil conglomerate Golden Hope Plantation. If you were hoping by the name that Carey Island was a white sanded beach with miles upon miles of clear blue waters, then you’d be sadly mistaken. =)
The main appeal of Carey Island is the indigenous tribe, the Mah Meri. This small tribe has managed to sustain its existence for almost a century. While the world around it grows with skyscrapers and shopping malls, the Mah Meri has kept its unique traditions of wood carvings and self sustainable living off the land. Though not adverse to changes, the Mah Meri are well versed in local Bahasa Malaysia and some of them can even speak English.
Every year, Mah Meri tribe celebrates ‘Ari Muyang’, a unique celebration for them giving thanks to the spirits for all the good things that had been bestowed upon the villagers. On this special day, they will have a ritual ceremony where a shaman uses rice powder based solutions, mixed with flowers and leaves to mark the foreheads and forearms. After the ritual ceremony, some of them will perform a traditional dance called ‘main Jo-oh’. the dance will be accompanied
by a ritual traditional songs and music perfomed by the older generation of the tribe using bamboo, viola, drum and guitar.
next week we will be close for a month. a new road less traveled journey will begin.
wish us the best of luck.
regards, azim.zainudin
