Olympic Day was introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on 23 June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris. The goal was to promote participation in sport across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic ability.
This is a question that has puzzled individuals for centuries.
However, the answer to this question varies from one person to the other. For some individuals, being religious is about following a set of rules and guidelines as dictated by their faith and their spiritual beliefs. For others, spirituality is a more personal and introspective aspect of their lives.
Religion is deeply rooted in our culture and society. Many people have been brought up with specific religious beliefs and have been raised to follow a particular religious practice. For some individuals, religion provides them with a sense of tradition and community. It gives them a set of moral and ethical guidelines to follow, which help them make decisions in their lives.
On the other hand, spirituality is more about finding your own connection with yourself and the universe. It is about finding purpose and meaning in your life. Spirituality is…
World Motorcycle Day is celebrated every year on June 21 as a day to promote freedom on the road. Since June 21 is the longest day of the year the holiday is always celebrated on that day. This day is dedicated to motorcycle enthusiasts and anyone involved in the industry.
World Motorcycle Day promotes the freedom of the road on the back of the Iron Horse. While the Motorcycle has been in existence for over a century now, the role it plays in the cultures of the world is timeless. Whether you’re using a motorcycle to get around on your daily commute or use it as a summertime hobby that takes you on the lonely back-roads of the world, World Motorcycle Day is for you.
Motorcycles have a surprisingly long history, with the first one being created in 1860 by one Pierre Michaux in Paris. This early motorcycle was steam-powered and was one of a few varieties that would spring up in the ensuing decades. 1885 would see the invention of the first internal combustion powered motorcycle, and from there on out things would explode as this popular form of conveyance entered the public consciousness.
Today motorcycles are used for an increasing number of applications, including delivery driving, passenger conveyance, recreation, and even just daily commuting. This is due, in no small part, to the incredible gas mileage these vehicles get, and how compact and easy they are to store even if you live in an apartment. Whether you’re using your motorcycle to get around from day to day, or are an enthusiast or hobbyist who goes on long rides as part of your yearly vacation, World Motorcycle Day is for you.
This year, the theme for International Yoga Day 2023 is ‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ effectively encapsulating our collective aspiration for ‘One Earth, One Family, and One Future.’
The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated annually on 21 June since 2015, following its inception in the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice which originated in India. The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in his UN address in 2014, had suggested the date of 21st June, as it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and shares a special significance in many parts of the world.
The Fête de la musique, also known in English as Music Day, Make Music Day or World Music Day, is an annual music celebration that takes place on 21 June. On Music Day the citizens of a city or country are allowed and urged to play music outside in their neighbourhoods or in public spaces and parks. Free concerts are also organized, where musicians play for fun and not for payment.
The first all-day musical celebration on the day of the summer solstice was originated by Jack Lang, Minister of Culture of France, as well as by Maurice Fleuret; it was celebrated in Paris in 1982. Music Day later became celebrated in 120 countries around the world.
The 2023 theme of World Refugee Day is “hope away from home.”
Each year on 20 June, the world celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution.
The Ratha Yatra of Puri, also rendered as the Ratha Jatra (Odia: ରଥଯାତ୍ରା) is considered the oldest and largest Hindu chariot festival celebrated annually, on the bright half of the lunar month of Ashadh (June-July).
The festival is held at the city of Puri in the state of Odisha, India and associated with the deity Jagannath (a form Vishnu or Krishna).During the festival, three deities (Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra) are pulled in three massive, wooden chariots to Gundicha Temple whereby they reside there for a week and then return to the Jagannath temple.Descriptions can be found in Brahma Purana, Padma Purana, the Skanda Purana, and the Kapila Samhita.
The presiding deities of the Jagannath Temple, Puri’s main temple, Jagannath, Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, with the celestial wheel- Sudarshana Chakra (ସୁଦର୍ଶନ ଚକ୍ର) are moved from the temple in a ceremonial procession to their chariots. The huge, colourfully decorated chariots are drawn by multitude of devotees on the bada danda, the grand avenue to the Gundicha Temple (Gundicha– King Indradyumna’s Queen), two miles away to the North. On the way the chariot of Jagannatha, Nandighosa (ନନ୍ଦିଘୋଷ) waits near the crematorium of Bhakta Salabega (ଭକ୍ତ ସାଲବେଗ), a Muslim devotee, to pay him tribute.
On their way back from the Gundicha Temple, the three deities stop for a while near the Mausi Maa Temple (Aunt’s abode) and have an offering of the Poda Pitha, which is a special type of pancake supposed to be the deity’s favourite. After a stay of seven days, the deities return to their abode.
The three chariots of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are newly constructed every year with wood of specified trees like phassi, dhausa, etc. They are customarily brought from the ex-princely state of Dasapalla by a specialist team of carpenters who have hereditary rights and privileges for the same. The logs are traditionally set afloat as rafts in the river Mahanadi. These are collected near Puri and then transported by road.
The three chariots are decorated as per the unique scheme prescribed and followed for centuries stand on the Bada Danda, the Grand Avenue. The chariots are lined across the wide avenue in front of the temple close to its eastern entrance, which is also known as the Singhadwara or the Lion’s Gate.
Around each of the chariots are nine Parsva devatas, painted wooden images representing different deities on the chariots’ sides. Each chariot has a charioteer (Sarathi) and four horses.
Have an auspicious day of the holi rath yatra festival starting today! 💐
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