69th Independence Day (India)

Independence Day, observed annually on 15 August, is a National Holiday in India commemorating the nation's independence from the British Empire on 15 August 1947. India attained independence following an Independence Movement noted for largely nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience led by the Indian National Congress (INC). Independence coincided with the partition of India, in which the British Indian Empire was divided along religious lines into the Dominions of India and Pakistan; the partition was accompanied by violent riots and mass casualties, and the displacement of nearly 15 million people due to sectarian violence. On 15 August 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru, who had become the first Prime Minister of India that day, raised the Indian national flag above the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi. On each subsequent Independence Day, the prime minister has raised the flag and given a speech.




Celebrations: Flag Hoisting, Parades, Singing Patriotic Songs and the national anthem, Speech by the Prime Minister and President of India

HAPPY  HOLI

Holi (Sanskrit: होली) is a spring festival also known as the festival of colours or the festival of love, It is an ancient Hindu religious festival which has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities outside Asia.

Holi (Hindi: होली, Nepali: होली, Punjabi: ਹੋਲੀ) is also known as Phakuwa or Phagwah (Assamese: ফাকুৱা), Festival of Colours, or Doḷajātra in Odisha, and as Dol Jatra (Assamese: দ’ল যাত্ৰা) or Basantotsav ("spring festival") in West Bengal and Assam. The customs and celebrations vary between regions of India.

Holi is of particular significance in the Braj region, which includes locations traditionally connected to the Lord Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandgaon, Uttar Pradesh, and Barsana, which become tourist destinations during the season of Holi.

Outside India, Holi is observed by the minority Hindus in Bangladesh, Pakistan as well in countries with large Indian subcontinent diaspora populations such as Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Mauritius, and Fiji. The Holi rituals and customs outside South Asia also vary with local adaptations.

May the magic of Christmas brings you Happiness, Cheers and fun into your life Merry Christmas to you
 n Happy New Year

Diwali also known as Deepavali and the "festival of lights", is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November


Diwali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji.



This is how people wish each other Happy Diwali in different Languages:

"Shubha Deepawali" शुभ दीपावली: Greeting in Nepali, Hindi and Sanskrit.

"Shubh Diwali" / Diwali ki Shubhkamnayein (दीवाली की शुभकामनाएं): Greeting in Hindi

Diwali Mubarak (દીવાળી મુબારક): Greeting in Gujarati

Shubh Diwali / Diwalichya hardik Shubhechha (शुभ दीवाली / दीवाळीच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा ): Greeting in Marathi

Deepavali Nalvazhthukkal (தீபாவளி நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்) :Greeting in Tamil

Deepavali Shubhakankshalu (దీపావళి శుభాకా౦క్షలు) :Greeting in Telugu

Deepavali Aashamsagal ( ദീപാവലി ആശംസകൾ): Greeting in Malayalam.

Deepavali Habbada Shubhashayagalu (ದೀಪಾವಳಿ ಹಬ್ಬದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು): Greeting in Kannada

Diwalechi Parbi,दिवाळेची परबी in Goan dialects of Konkani,diwaliche shubhashayu दिवाळिचे शुभाशयु,in dialects of Konkani in Karnataka and Kerala

Tuhanu diwali diyan boht boht vadhaiyan (ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਦਿਵਾਲੀ ਦੀਆਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧਾਈਆਂ ਹੋਣ ): Greeting in Punjabi

Subho Deepabalir Preeti O Subechsha (শুভ দীপাবলীর প্রীতি ও শুভেচ্ছা) :Greeting in Bengali

Deepavalira Anek Shubhechha (ଦୀପାବଳିର ଅନେକ ଶୁଭେଛା) :Greeting in Oriya

"Happy Deepavali!" :Greeting in English

Banknotes issued prior to 2005 to be withdrawn: RBI Advisory

The Reserve Bank of India has today advised that after March 31, 2014, it will completely withdraw from circulation all banknotes issued prior to 2005. From April 1, 2014, the public will be required to approach banks for exchanging these notes. Banks will provide exchange facility for these notes until further communication. The Reserve Bank further stated that public can easily identify the notes to be withdrawn as the notes issued before 2005 do not have on them the year of printing on the reverse side.

source:   http://rbi.org.in/scripts/BS_PressReleaseDisplay.aspx?prid=30458

Wishing you a very Happy New Year 2014

***Merry  Christmas***

************************