Mr Christmas

These are my pre -Christmas photos. Did not get an opportunity to publish them until now.

I was out shopping and saw a lady with this very seasonal shopping bag. (top photo)Yes in India people associate Christmas with snow and snowmen.

I took pictures of a wayside Christmas decorations stall.. Many of the buyers were from other faiths. My newspaper held a Christmas tree competition and everyone on the winners list were Hindus.

India is a very homogeneous country and people enjoy each other 's festivals. I just pray they may know the real message of Christmas.

China , a country not very favorable towards Christianity is flooding the world with Christmas decorations. In India they sell more than Indian made ones. China is exporting Hindu religious articles also.

Here is the story of one man who tries to celebrate Christmas all through the year.

Andy Park (Mr. Christmas)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Andy Park, is an electrician from Melksham, Wiltshire, England, who styles himself "Mr. Christmas" after claiming to have celebrated Christmas day every day since July 1993.

In 2001, it was estimated that since he started celebrating, he had got through 30 artificial Christmas trees,

10,000m of tinsel

and 10,000 balloons,

at a (then) estimated cost of £100,000.

In 2005, he released a single entitled "It's Christmas Every Day", with a video featuring Mike Read and produced by Andy Whitmore. There were suggestions in the media that much of the information released by Mr Park was false, and simply to attract publicity for the single:

"His local newspaper, “The Wiltshire Times” tell us it has given up trying to do any stories on this man. Apparently, their photographer has shown up at his house several times, unannounced, in hopes of catching him celebrating. Yet, Mr. Christmas has not even let him in the door. So what exactly is going on here? This might shed some light. His latest video for his latest Christmas single. And it is just about as bad as his Christmas sweater. So there it is , media hustler. We‘re obviously outraged on behalf of ourselves and all other media giants who got even slightly taken in by this clown."— Keith Olbermann[1]

He claims that each day he eats breakfast (turkey sandwich and mince pies),

then goes to work, until returning around at lunchtime to eat a full roast turkey dinner before watching a recording of the Queen's Christmas speech, sherry in hand.

In 2006, it was reported that the Queen had politely declined an invitation to broadcast her speech from his house.

In an interview published in 2006, Mr. Park was quoted as saying that over the previous 13 years, he had consumed

4,380 turkeys (one a day),

87,600 mince pies (20 a day),

2,190 pints of gravy (half a pint a day),

26,280 roast potatoes (six a day),

30,660 stuffing balls,

219,000 mushy peas,

4,380 bottles of champagne,

4,380 bottles of sherry

and 5,000 bottles of wine.

However, in 2001, he was warned by his doctor that the diet was affecting his health after his weight increased to 19 stone (121 kg).

He claims that, on the 25th December each and every year, he does not celebrate Christmas.

This story is just too bizarre. This man might be a hoax.

You can celebrate Christmas everyday if you have Jesus in your heart.

It will not cost you your health or money.

Barbecued Kebabs and Tandoori Bread

Sometime back I stopped by a roadside kebab shop to take photos and buy some of Haji 's delectable food.

These are called seekh kebabs - barbecued over a charcoal fire. He had a table fan on to stoke the fire. Haji had just opened shop for the evening.

The kebabs are wrapped around iron skewers.

They used to be very spicy and hot but these days they have toned down the spices and chillies - customer request I suppose. I like that.
My late Aunt Marjorie used to make excellent seekh (skewer) kebabs at home . She used to also sell them at church, school and charity sales.

Next to Haji 's eatry is a shop selling freshly baked Tandoori bread (rotis - flat bread like nans). This is the earthen tandoori oven.

Whole wheat dough shaped into balls and rolled out like thin pizzas.

The rotis are stuck to sides of the hot oven where they take a few minutes to bake.

Tandoori bread goes well with all kinds of non-veg food and curry.

I took these photos with my cell phone - they are not very clear.

I like to read blog improvement posts to learn how I can better my blog . I found this entry by Michael Hyatt helpful - Anatomy of an Effrective Blog Post

Don 't know whether my posts are effective or not.

Dusshera Mela

On Oct 13th there was a Dusshera Mela or fair in my vicinity. These fairs are held during the Hindu festival of Dusshera and Navratras ( nine nights) during which the goddess Kali or Durga is worshipped in her various avtars or incarnations.

This festival is celebrated with most enthusiasm by the people of Bengal.Besides the temples they erect worship venues or pandals ( elaborate marquees) where Durga is worshipped with music and dance. A nine day fast is also observed during which a special Navratra diet is consumed.
People are known to participate in various forms of black magic and sacrifices to ward off the evil eye and please the goddess (similar to voodoo).
In my city Dusshera is celebrated with street fairs and religious processions called Ramdal.
They begin a week after the birthday of god Krishna. The festival concluded yesterday with the burning of the effigy of the demon god Ravana and immersion of the idols of Durga.


I went to click some photos the procession with the pageants and floats comes out very late at night. An elephant makes the rounds.

There are stalls with cheap toys, jewelry and food and games and rides for children.

The chaat wala (street fast food)

Colorful glass bangles.

The bangle wala. Indian women are very fond of tinkling glass bangles. We used to buy lots when my sisters were all here.

Cheap sunglasses

Jewellery

Steel kitchen toy utensils for children.

A mother carrying her little one.

Pottery

Plastic dishes.

Fresh coconuts

Lamps and decorations

Plane ride

A boy selling bows and arrows for kids

Chinese noodles and burgers - vegetarian

A take away from a posh sweet shop

Vegetarian burgers called Pav Bhaji

Garlands to decorate idols

Artificial flowers

More jewellery

Stuffed toys

Naag devta or serpent god

Balloons

Hot pop corn made in a wok over charcoal.

Rice and sesame sweets called andarsay ( I bought some)

Sweet light

Laddus

Son papri ( sweet)

Peanuts being roasted.

Ornamental figures

Sweet and snack kiosk

Little purses

I hope you like these photos.