The Overseas Women’s Club (‘ OWC’) of Bangalore organises regular events for expat ladies living in Bangalore. This month was a “speaker meeting” with Achala Moulik, the author of Dangerous Dispatches. It’s a very long time since I’ve been to a book launch or review so I decided to go along, after all it was something different to do in Bangalore. I had no idea what to expect. The meeting was scheduled to start at 10am. This is very early for Bangalore as commuter traffic is a nightmare. (Needless to say the meeting didn’t start on time!) I left at 7am to get there – missing the traffic and arriving early at 8:30am. My friend left at 8am and arrived at 9:45am. It’s a 10km journey.
The venue
I met my friend in the reception of one of the large hotels in Bangalore called the Shangri-La. It’s beautiful and the reception area always has a magnificent and huge flower display. This week it is star gazer lilies and the fragrance wafted through the air delighting the senses. We meandered up to the restaurant on the 18th floor where the meeting was to be held. We were immediately arrested by the magnificent view across Bangalore. The Palace grounds could clearly be seen in full as was the palace itself. We could see for miles. The eclectic mix of houses juxtaposed with the trees and the birds (kites) soaring through the warm therms really encapsulated Bangalore.
The Author
Archaea Moulik is a lady with a story to tell. She has lived through exciting times in the U.K.,USA and Italy. She has visited many countries (as we discovered during our talk) and has been a tough negotiator to get what she wants; a characteristic you would not anticipate from the slight framed physical appearance.
After graduating her career has been varied being the Education secretary to the Government of India, the Director General of the Archeological Survey of India, published 20 books on cultural history and archaeology, written a play called “Pushkin’s Last Poem” and written about Russian history and literature, as well as 3 novels. She has received the Pushkin medal and the Sergei Yesenia prize from Russia. (I was left thinking about my own career and achievements and wondering whether I’ve been slacking for some of my time on this planet!)
The meeting
A small group of ladies gathered around a table to meet Achala. The meeting organiser from the OWC introduced the author who then introduced herself, telling us all about where she had lived and what she had witnessed (e.g. being in America when JFK was demanding Cuba remove atomic bombs – also known as the Cuban Missile Crisis). Prompted by questions about her life and the book, ‘Dangerous Dispatches’, we discovered stories about crossing borders and exploring dangerous territories all in the aim of investigating the unknown which may be of some interest. “Just a little further” was a phrased Achala used when crossing the border into Afghanistan to explore some architectural wonder, pushing the boundaries of her ‘guards’ and permissions! It was fascinating. The people she has met and the adventures she has experienced all helped to shape this book. I could have sat and chatted with her for hours.
The book
The book is a story about a ‘frontline’ journalist (I think now we call them foreign correspondents) and his wife who is an archaeologist; their Russian friends (also a journalist and his wife), an Afghan prince and his wife and an English writer and his wife. It is set amongst some of the 20th century conflicts in Afghanistan, Iran, Bosnia and the Middle East and is about how their lives cross and how it shaped their destinies. It is clear that the characters and stories have formed from the authors own experiences and people she has met over the generations.
It sounds like a fascinating book (just like the author) and I can’t wait to get started on it. (It is available for a very cheap price of INR410.)
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Altogether a very different and enjoyable morning in Bangalore. Sometimes life provides inspiration and fascination in the most unexpected places – today was one of those days.
It’s been nearly 2 weeks since Prime Minister Modi announced the demonetisation of INR500 (£6) and INR1000 (£12) notes on TV. It is fair to say that daily life in a cash economy has become somewhat challenging as a result. Living with it we have just been adapting and getting on with it but I thought I would reflect on how life has changed over the last fortnight by providing a comparison and an explanation for the UK. It’s easier to explain it in terms that I am familiar with.
An explanation for the UK
To try and explain what has happened, and the impact of it, I will say what would have had to have happened in the U.K.
So The PM Theresa May announces on TV at 9pm that all £5, £10 and £20 notes will be illegal from midnight. The surprise announcement is to rid the economy of fake notes, money laundering and tax evaders. Only the Prime Minister, The Governor of the Bank of England and the Chancellor know. The PM has kept the rest of Parliament (and everyone else) in the dark. They have been planning it for 10 months.
You will only be able to pay for petrol and prescriptions with old notes for the next 3 weeks. You can bank old notes into your bank account or exchange up to £45 for cash at a bank for the next 2 months. Anyone banking £3000 or more will have to provide an explanation of where the money came from as well as being taxed on it and potentially fined, a lot. There is also the prospect of criminal proceedings should an explanation not be sufficient.
All the banks and building societies will be shut the next day and cash machines will not be working. Bank staff are told they have to report to work to prepare for the change. All holiday is cancelled for bank staff until the end of the year.
You can pay for things with £1 coins only. A new £50 will be coming into circulation within the next 2 weeks (after it has been printed) but your cash withdrawal limit is £25 a day from a cash machine and anyway they are not configured for the new notes yet so your cash withdrawals will be in £1 coins.
Now add in to the mix the following. You can only pay for your bread, fish and delicatessen (cheese) items with cash. You can only pay your help at home (e.g.cleaner, gardener) with cash. Your gym membership, personal trainer or fitness classes (whichever you do) can only be paid with in cash. Your monthly electricity bill can only be paid in cash. Cash back, in shops or anywhere else, does not exist. Anyone on minimum wage does not have a bank account and operates solely with cash.
Just try and comprehend all of that and the fact that your money will be worthless pieces of paper within 3 hours. You can’t go anywhere in your car (our driver had gone home so let’s say your car is needing the RAC/AA before you can go anywhere). Your friends are in flight and arriving at Heathrow tomorrow morning. The cash they have with them will be worthless and the cash machines will not be working. The taxi drivers only take cash.
Don’t panic.
Trying to obtain cash
Immediately you will calculate that withdrawing the maximum amount allowed each day is not going to enable you to meet your bills. Everyone rushes to the cash point machines as soon as they are open and long queues form quickly – and I mean long – 200 people long. As the cash machines can only dispense £1 coins they run out of cash quickly – within 30 mins. The security vans can’t fill cash machines quickly enough and are working long days to meet demand. A hunt for a working cash machine with cash begins.
It takes four cash machines and an hour of driving before you find one with any money and a ‘short’ queue of just 30 people. You’re the only woman in a queue of agitated men with no sense of personal space – you are constantly brushed up against, shoved and touched accidentally. The temperature is 30C and you can’t leave the queue to get some water to drink. (I know that’s a difficult one to envisage in the UK but I couldn’t think of an appropriate comparison. Maybe -5C and you can’t get a cuppa?). You stand there patiently whilst men lean over your shoulder to try and see what is going on in front…for 45 minutes to an hour.
There are after all 30 people in front of you trying to withdraw £25 in £1 coins and then count them. There is a security guard stood next to the cash machine watching everyone’s moves. You get to the front of the queue and have to remove your sunglasses and mobile phones have to be put away (I have no idea why). You attempt to withdraw your £25 but it will only give you £20 as this bank is rationing the cash even more. Everyone, and I mean everyone, in the queue looks at you as you walk past them with your cash.
You have spent all morning obtaining £20 in cash and you will have to do it all again tomorrow. Except that you can’t as you haven’t got the time so you wait a day and try again. You’re not successful. You even drive to the nearest hospital to go to the cash point there but they ran out at 11:15am after it was filled at 10:45am. You drive to the shopping centre as soon as they open and try every single cash point there but of course they are all empty. Every journey now becomes a scouting mission too. You are constantly looking for cash machines and the queues at them – if they have cash.
You go to the bank to exchange your old notes. They want a copy of your passport and a utility bill before they exchange your £45. You’re made to complete a form and sign a declaration that you haven’t exchanged more than £45 in cash anywhere else. (They will be checking later when things have calmed down.) You sit in the bank for 30 minutes longer before the manager delivers the cash personally. He’s doing that with everyone. It’s a necessity as all the staff are processing the forms and requests. They’ve not had a day off since the announcement – working all weekends and until 8pm.
Adapting to the effects
You start sharing information about cash machines with cash with your friends and neighbours. Anyone who obtains cash immediately shares about £5 to friends, neighbours etc to help them out. They give £5 to their household help, gardener etc to keep them going (as they don’t have a bank account) and run out of cash quickly.
Apps appear trying to share information on location of cash machines and the ones with cash. Twitter has a # trending with cash machines with cash. Youths start offering a queue service for a 5% commission (in cash). They queue for you and call you when they are at the front of the queue – so you need to be close by having that cuppa.
Shops start refusing any cash sales as they don’t have any £1 coins to give as change. Shops start offering credit to minimum wage workers (who don’t have bank accounts remember) as sales drop through the floor. Street vendors see sales plummet. Shopping centres waive car park fees as there is no change available and nobody is coming to shop anyway – they’re all out looking for cash. Police waive on the spot fines as they only take cash and don’t have the change. The congestion charge is waived as that can only be paid in cash and no one has any change.
After 2 weeks you finally manage to get hold of a new £50 note…but you can’t spend it anywhere as nobody has any change.
Politics and media
The sensationalist tabloids and hate mail run stories about how house prices have stalled and building projects have halted because cash flow has stopped. They bemoan the fact that the rich will have difficulty banking their cash and how it is needed to keep the economy moving.
The broadsheet newspapers run stories about the brave move to tackle money laundering and tax evasion. They also run stories on how it is affecting minimum wage workers, all of whom support the Prime Minister’s move to make tax evaders pay their tax. They also report about bags (literally) of money being dumped in lakes. A raid on an Government Minister’s home reveals a whole room full of cash. They are immediately arrested.
The opposition parties go on the attack about how it is effecting daily life and particularly the hardship the minimum wage earners are suffering. It is not well received by anybody. The majority of the population are happy to go through some hardship if the tax evaders pay their tax.
The Prime Minister makes a statement at a press conference asking for 2 months for things to settle down and cries in front of all the press. The support for the Prime Minister increases overnight.
Cartoons start appearing in newspapers. (This one appeared in The Hindu newspaper.)
The Hindu newspaper cartoonThe month end
The end of the month is less than 10 days away. You have the electricity bill to pay, your gardener and cleaner and your fitness coach. You’ve bought tickets to a Christmas Party and they need paying in cash. You’ve ordered some handmade Christmas presents and they need paying in cash. Even if you now manage to withdraw your allotted daily allowance of cash you will not have enough to pay all the bills coming due. What do you do?
Minimum wage staff cannot open a bank account in time even if they could find the time to go to the bank and queue to do so. They definitely need paying in cash. The Christmas party tickets need paying in cash . You arrange, at some length with a communication barrier, to pay for your handmade gifts via direct bank transfer. You arrange credit with your fitness coach until the situation is less critical. You investigate whether the electricity bill can be paid online. In the meantime you spend several hours everyday looking for a cash machine with cash and join the inevitable queue.
If you can find your chequebook you can drive, for an hour, to the bank branch you opened your account with, and cash a cheque for £250 – but only once a week. Yes, I did say chequebook. When did you last use that? Would you know where to find it?
Incredible India
It is difficult to imagine this happening in the U.K. New notes are introduced and old notes phased out over a period of years. There would be absolute uproar and no doubt a vote of no confidence in the Government in Parliament – immediately triggering a General Election. None of this has happened in India. Everyone has discovered that they can indeed survive on less. Purchases are being delayed or not made at all. India is a poor country and the poorest are used to hardship – which is perhaps why they are OK with this change. It is the middle class and the rich that are struggling. The economy may actually shrink until this is sorted. The best outcome will be the removal of black money from the economy and the tax evaders finally getting their comeuppance. That will be good for everyone. Corruption is a big issue in India. It will be several months before things return to ‘normal’. In the meantime the Cauvery water crisis has finally taken a back seat in the news and that’s not a bad thing either.
At 8:50pm on Tuesday 8th November, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, addressed the nation on TV. We just happened to be watching NDTV as The British Prime Minister Theresa May has visited Bangalore that day and our daughter Zahra had met her at school. The TV cameras from NDTV were there and we hoped to see her on TV meting the Prime Minister. It was therefore purely by chance that we had this news channel on when Mr Modi delivered his speech (in English).
It was with shock we listened as the Prime Minister declared that all Rs500 and Rs 1000 would be illegal tender from midnight that night. This is a cash economy and the majority of payments are made in cash. We had orders being delivered in a few days and people to pay the next day – and our money had just become worthless pieces of paper. It was alarming. We have never experienced anything like it before. In the U.K. when new currency notes are introduced there is a long period (1-2 years) during which the old notes are phased out of the system. The speed of this change was astonishing and there was nothing we could do. Banks were closed and our driver had gone home a long time ago so we couldn’t get to an ATM to withdraw Rs100 notes to keep us going.
The Announcement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the formal announcements in his speech. It included the following:
1. All 1000 and 500 notes illegal after 12:00 Tonight (Tuesday 8th November)
2. Rs500 and Rs1000 notes banned from today (Tuesday 8thNovember) midnight to keep the black money market in check.
3. Rs500 and Rs1000 notes can be deposited between 10 Nov to 30 Dec into banks and Head Post offices
4. Corruption, fake currency and terrorism are festering wounds, holding back the Indian economy
5. On November 9 and in some places November 10, ATMs will not work
6. Rs 20,000 weekly cap on exchange of Rs 500 & Rs 1,000 notes
7. Those unable to submit notes by Dec 30 will be given a chance to submit notes by giving declaration to The Reserve Bank of India
8. For 72 hours (until 11 Nov midnight), Rs500 & Rs1000 currency notes would be acceptable in the hospitals
9. There will be no change in any other form of currency exchange be it cheque, DD, payment via credit or debit cards etc
10. All banks will remain closed on 9th November for public work
There was an acknowledgment that there would be a few days of hardship and inconvenience but that it was worth it for society as a whole as black money was removed from the economy.
Why is this necessary?
Fake rupee notes of high currency have increased and they look the same as the real notes but without security features. It is difficult to decipher the difference. It is alleged that the fake notes are used for “anti-national” and illegal activities (used by terrorists and those hoarding black money). As India is a cash based economy it has been difficult to tackle the fake notes and black money.
Exchanging currency
Currency will be exchanged exactly i.e. on a like for like basis but with a limit of Rs4000 per person cash with the remainder deposited into your bank account. Everyone is being encouraged to use cheques or electronic banking for any transactions requiring more than Rs4000. Exchanges can take place at branches of commercial banks, the Reserve Bank of India and at post offices. It does not need to be your own bank to exchange up to Rs4000 in cash but for amounts more than that it has to be at a branch of your own bank to facilitate a deposit into your account. ID proof is required to exchange notes.
Advertising change
Advertisers seized on the opportunity Formal Government flyersOfficial Government flyerAdvert from the Reserve Bank of India showing what the new Rs2000 notes will look like
Advert by the Reserve Bank of India indicating what the new Rs500 note will look likeGovernment advert regarding the change
Further announcements followed clarifying which places would still accept Rs500 and Rs1000 notes until 11th November. These included hospitals, chemists, petrol stations, LPG gas cylinders, railways and metros, crematoria and burial grounds and authorised milk booths.
We were able to fill up with diesel on Wednesday 9th and paid using Rs500 notes. Change was not being given (they simply didn’t have any) so the tank was filled to the nearest Rs500 and no more.
All banks announced that they would remain open on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th to facilitate the demand for exchanging notes.
The Finance Ministry announced that deposits would not fall within the tax immunity scheme and all deposits of Rs500 and Rs1000 notes would be taxable (sort of the whole point of this exercise really). They also announced that they would be tracking accounts into which 2.5 lakh (thousands) and above were deposited.
The Reserve Bank of India issued Rs2000 notes in large boxes and asked banks to ration the distribution of them from Thursday 10th. They would be only available from branches, and not ATMs, for a period of two weeks.
ATMs resuming operations in Friday 11th November would dispense Rs100 and Rs50 notes only.
Thursday 10th November
The day the new notes were expected, banks opened and some ATMs were working. Well that was the theory anyway. In reality banks had huge queues (as expected) and ATMs were not working and new notes were not available. Instead the old Rs500 and Rs1000 notes, subject to a maximum of Rs4000 per person, could be exchanged for Rs100 notes. Photo ID (passport) and FRRO copy was necessary for the transaction. A form had to be completed with the amount of notes and value being exchanged and a declaration signed to say that it was a maximum of Rs4000 and you hadn’t exchanged any money anywhere else. After completion of the forms, copy signatures taken, signing the copy ID documents and money taken, I was asked to wait for 10 minutes whilst they processed everything. It did only take 15 minutes before the clerk returned and handed me a wedge of Rs100 notes. At least I had money to spend.
I returned to the house and was immediately asked by the gardeners and housekeeping ladies to see the new notes. They were disappointed to discover that they were not yet available. There was then a general discussion about who would take Rs2000 notes when Rs1000 notes were already difficult to spend. Such high value notes are not appreciated by shopkeepers or roadside sellers who usually carry very little change.
As I had cash I was also immediately asked for small loans (Rs200-Rs500) so people could buy rice and vegetables for their dinner. It was revealing that people really do live day to day and do not stock up on essentials such as food. Also notable that the impact on daily wage labourers was immediate and harsh – they were using all their small change and low currency notes to get by and to buy tiny amounts of food.
The news reported that ATMs would be operational from Friday 11th November but would only dispense Rs100 and Rs50 notes. Newspapers reported that toll booths were free until midnight on 11th November, police fines were being waived, bus conductors were turning people away and chaos at tourist destinations as no one had any change. Low value currency notes were a precious commodity suddenly. Shopping streets were deserted and restaurants had low attendance as they were refusing to accept the old notes (rightly).
More disturbing was the reports of Hawala operators making large margins. These people are effectively money exchangers and brokers in a system based on honour and trust. The Hindu newspaper reported that Rs500 notes were being exchanged for Rs350 and Rs1000 notes were being exchanged for Rs700. That’s a huge cut for any daily wage labourer to suffer. (Daily wage labourers are least likely to have a bank account).
My phone was awash with text messages from stores confirming that they would not accept Rs500 and Rs1000 notes in line with the Government’s announcement. Flipkart, Big Basket and Amazon messaged advising that they had stopped the cash on delivery option.
Tackling the black economy
It is a bold move by Prime Minister Modi and one which caught everyone off guard. Media outlets had no idea. It was a very well kept secret. The effect is immediate. Anyone with a stash of cash is going to have to deposit it and explain themselves or be stuck with a pile of worthless paper. Questions will be asked and of course tax will have to be paid on the deposits made. It has been greeted gleefully by those at the poorer end of society, who see it as a great move to rid the economy of black money and make the middle classes and the rich pay their taxes.
Anecdotal hearsay is that some people have already been approached by their landlords to bank cash on their behalf. Thankfully tenants are refusing and rightly stating that they would not be able to justify having such large amounts in their possession considering the job they do and the wage they receive. Those unscrupulous tax avoiders are having to face the reality that black money is not acceptable and everyone has to pay their taxes. It will hit some people hard and immediately – and that is not a bad thing.
Hopefully the reliance on cash transactions will diminish as a result and transparency will prevail. Only time will tell but it is a laudable aim and a very bold move which is to be congratulated.
A law is being introduced in the state of Karnataka, India to protect “Good Samaritans” who assist in road traffic and other accidents and emergency situations. The bill is called “Karnataka Good Samaritan and Medical Professional (Protection and Regulation during emergency situations) Bill.* It is to ensure that there is quick medical attention for accident victims and encourage people to offer first aid to victims without the fear of legal proceedings.
Proposed Provisions
The bill encourages citizens to offer assistance without fear of criminal or civil liability, or be forced to be a witness. The examination of a volunteer as a witness shall be done only on a single occasion and without harassment or intimidation. It will ensure that Good Samaritans are not repeatedly summoned to attend court and other legal proceedings. State government will institute a system of reward and compensation to encourage more bystanders to be Good Samaritans. It provides for action to be initiated against officials or police violating these guidelines. Hospitals have to provide treatment without waiting for usual procedures.
In addition the bill has a provision to reimburse expenses incurred by a Good Samaritan who assists an accident victim, including a taxi fare to take the victim to hospital. The state has allocated Rs5 crore** for this purpose.
Commentary
These statements are in itself very revealing as to why people do not get involved in accidents. Coming from the UK it is difficult to imagine having to deal with these issues. We are taught from a very early age to dial 999 in an emergency and request the appropriate service (ambulance, police, fire or coastguard). These services are ‘free’ and paid for through taxation. There is also legal protection for those called as witnesses in legal cases with employers compelled to give the time off.
I have discussed with staff previously about reluctance to get involved in accidents and offer assistance. They quite clearly stated that they would be liable for ambulance and hospital charges (be thankful for the NHS UK citizens) and the obligation to go to court meant that they may lose their jobs as days off have to be taken to attend and they do not get paid for loss of earnings or travel costs.
I hope that the introduction of this law will indeed mean that people will help their fellow citizens in accident and emergency situations and the world (or at least the state of Karnataka) will become a kinder place to live.
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* I am intrigued that a state in a Hindu nation is naming a bill after a parable in the Bible.
Deepavali or Diwali is celebrated with much gusto here in India. Fireworks (or firecrackers as they are known here) are set off everywhere by everyone. I imagine it’s what a battlefield would sound like. The booms and bangs are loud and relentless as people celebrate. Businesses are booming at this time of year.
When is it?
Deepavali falls on the darkest moonless night of Amavasya on the fifteenth day of the month of Kartik. In 2016 this is 30th October. Deepavali begins from the the thirteenth day of Kartik, known as Dhanteras. In south India the fourteenth day is celebrated as Narka Chaturdashi. It’s called Choti Diwali by children.
What is it?
In Hindi Deepavali means ‘row of lamps’ and it is for this reason that the festival is known as the festival of light. It is celebrated by Hindus the world over and markets the beginning of the new year in North India.
How is it celebrated?
There are a LOT of fireworks! There are also oil lamps lit, candles, tea lights etc are placed at the entrance of houses and inside. Coloured lights decorate homes and streets. There are lots of sweets and chocolates, big feasts and much celebrating. Gifts and cards are exchanged and more money is supposed to come to people. (It is traditional for every worker to receive a months salary as a bonus at Deepavali). In fact the celebrations are very similar to Christian Christmas celebrations but here people also buy new utensils, metal objects and ‘holy’ items during this period. The belief is that these things will wards off ill health and evil for a whole year.
Every year on 5th November we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night as it is also known. Friends and families gather together to watch a bonfire burn, usually with a ‘Guy’ on top, light fireworks and eat traditional food.
Who is Guy Fawkes?
Guy (or Guido) Fawkes (born in York in 1570) was a catholic who plotted to kill King James 1 (King James VI of Scotland) at the State Opening of Parliament in 1605. During his military service Guy Fawkes was trained in the use of gunpowder and how to ignite it.
The Gunpowder Plot
Guy Fawkes was introduced to Robert Catesby on 20th May 1604. Robert Catesby was assembling a group at ‘The Duck and Drake’ (a pub in The Strand in the centre of London) to blow up the King of England. King James 1 had introduced anti Catholic legislation so Roman Catholics became an increasingly marginalised and persecuted group.Robert Catesby was a Catholic activist who plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and destroying the entire English establishment in one go. He had three co conspirators: Tom Winter, Jack Wright and Thomas Percy. The plot (or plan) was to place barrels of gunpowder (rowed in boats across the Thames) in tunnnels dug beneath the Houses of Parliament. Guy Fawkes would lie in wait until the King’s arrival, for the State Opening of Parliament, light the slow burning fuse and escape down the tunnel back to the Thames.
The plot was discovered and the cellars of the Houses of Parliament were searched by the Yeoman of the Guard in the early hours of 5th November. Guy Fawkes was discovered with a lantern, a watch, slowburning matches, touchwood and 36 barrels of gunpowder. He was immediately arrested and taken away to be tortured in the Tower of London. He was tried in January 1606 in Westminster Hall and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered.
To the present day, the Houses of Parliament are searched by the Yeoman of the Guard before every Sate Opening of Parliament.
How do we celebrate?
Burning ‘Guy’
Each year we light bonfires to celebrate the capture of Guy Fawkes on 5th November and the failure of the Gunpowder Plot. It has become known as Bonfire Night. It is usually accompanied by the ceremonial burning of an effigy of Guy Fawkes or an unpopular public figure of the day on the top of a large bonfire. There are fireworks. Large public displays have overtaken small family bonfire parties in recent years primarily due to safety and cost – fireworks are heavily controlled and are very expensive in the U.K. Nevertheless, fireworks are an important part of the celebrations whether large or small. At family gatherings there is usually apple bobbing for children. This involves lots of apples in a bowl full of water. Children have to pick up an apple using only their mouth and hands have to be behind their backs so there is no cheating! As you can imagine, children get very wet and much fun is had by all.
There is usually lots of heart warming food. November in the U.K. is very cold and as most of the time is spent outdoors hot warming food is a must – as well as hats, scarves and gloves. Traditional bonfire food is usually jacket potatoes with beans and cheese, tomato soup and mushy peas (with or without mint, depending on which part of the UK you are from). Sweets (or desserts) consists of treacle toffee and Parkin cake (made mainly from treacle, syrup, oats and flour). Everyone gathers around the bonfire to keep warm and watches the fireworks whilst eating. It is really a lovely gathering of friends and family as well as great fun – for young and old alike.
Chhat Puja is a major festival of Bihar and in some parts of Eastern India. It falls twice a year during the months of Baisakh and Kartik. This festival is celebrated in the honour of the Sun God and the ceremonies of this festival last for three days.
In Bihar, the womenfolk start preparations for Chhat Puja weeks in advance. They carry six baskets of food , flowers and clay elephants as offerings to the Sun god. They dip all the items in the river or lake and chant mantras standing in the water. The menfolk make temporary shrines from stalks of sugarcane. There the entire family gathers to sing hymns in praise of the Sun god.
For the fulfilment of their wishes, the womenfolk pay reverence to Sun god. Some women take more severe vows to fulfill their wishes.The Chhat festival symbolises brotherhood, harmony and the spirit of sharing among the community.
Expat Life in Bangalore 