Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras 2013 Date

When:19th January - 12th February 2013
Where: New Orleans, USA

Mardi Gras is an incredible and almost indescribable celebration in New Orleans, USA. If you had to try though, you would call it One Big Party! It is absolutely unique and comes complete with parades, floats, picnics, music, dancing, costumes, beads, artists, amazing food and an all-round party atmosphere. Creative costumes, mini-parades, organised and impromptu entertainment, walking clubs, laughter, and street theater and much, much more is everywhere, especially on the Canal Street. Everybody dresses in purple, green and gold (the official colours of Mardi Gras), and you will bump into innumerable street musicians and artists as you walk around the city. All offices are closed on this holiday, since most roads are blocked anyway. There is an infectious air of excitement - be sure to catch this virus, because everybody there will be in high spirits!

Mardi Gras 2013 celebration

The Parades start about two weeks before the day of Mardi Gras. There are several types of parades; some are rolled out by traditional Krewes who have tableau balls, and an elected king and queen. These Krewes go back to the 1800's and have helped establish Mardi Gras traditions in New Orleans. The Krewe of Rex presents the oldest parade, which dates back to 1872. The King of Rex is the official King of Carnival.

This year, parades will start on January 19th. However, bear in mind that all parade activities will pause from January 28th – February 5th, due to the Super Bowl XLVII. Parade activity will resume as normal from February 6th – 12th.

Things to do at Mardi Gras

If you travelling with children, and want to enjoy outdoor picnics and watch the self-proclaimed ‘Greatest Free Show on Earth’, this is the place to be! While waiting for the parades, you can watch marching bands, listen to the music in the air, and catch toys, doubloons and beads that are being ‘thrown’!

You can sit down on your chair or right on the ground while revellers around you throw frisbees and walk their dogs. Watch for the approaching parades, grab some cotton candy and see if you can catch doubloons from the many celebrities that tend to make an appearance here!

When to arrive

Remember to not confuse Mardi Gras with Carnival! Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday and marks the final day of excitement before Ash Wednesday, which is when Lent begins. This year, Mardi Gras falls on February 12th - the date of Mardi Gras changes every year because it is connected to Easter, which falls on any Sunday between March 23 - April 25. Mardi Gras is scheduled to be 47 days before Easter.

The weekend before Fat Tuesday is the prime time to visit. This is when two of the biggest parades of the season, Bacchus and Endymion, cruise down the streets.

Don’t forget to look for great package deals on hotels that offer you a balcony view of the parades!

Trivia

The first Mardi Gras parade was held in New Orleans on February 24, 1857 by the Krewe of Comus. They began the tradition of presenting a parade with floats and following it with a ball for the Krewe and their guests.

Most krewes are named after figures from Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology; some are named after the neighborhood where they parade.

Each parade krewe decides upon its own theme each year, which can be kept secret until the parade.

Rex, the King of Carnival, selected the Mardi Gras colors and gave them meaning in 1892. Purple stands for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.

The tradition of float riders throwing trinkets to the crowds began in the 1870s. Typical ‘throws’ include beads, cups, doubloons, and stuffed animals.

Kumbh Mela 2013

Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 Date

When:27th January - 25th February 2013
Where: Allahabad, UP

Organised once every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh Mela is touted as being the greatest festival and pilgrimage destination in the Hindu religion. The celebration of Kumbh Mela takes places at four different locations, namely Prayag (Allahabad), Ujjain, Haridwar and Nasik; however, the Maha Kumbh Mela is held only once in twelve years in Allahabad. It is a cultural and religious spectacle that attracts visitors and pilgrims from all over the world.

The city of Allahabad is situated at the confluence of India's holiest rivers - the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati, known as the Sangam, where bathing is considered especially auspicious. The mela witnesses the largest gathering of Hindus, who all bathe in the holy water. According to the ancient Vedic texts, one who takes a dip in any of the four holy places during the Kumbh Mela, will attain ‘Moksha’ and gain liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Millions of saints, monks, and sadhus (sage) attend this grand festival. The Maha Kumbh Mela has been called "the world's most massive act of faith" – the largest congregation of devotees at one place, and is a once in a lifetime experience.

Sadhus at Kumbh Mela

Pilgrims and sadhus are an integral part of the Kumbh Mela. People arrive from around the world to see and listen to these holy men, in order to gain spiritual enlightenment. There are various ‘kinds of sadhus’ attending the festival. Here’s a quick guide:

Nagas - These are naked sadhus, with long matted hair. Their bare bodies are normally smeared with ash. Constant exposure to the cold weather makes them resistant to extreme temperatures.

Kalpvasis - These sadhus remain by the river banks and devote their time to performing rituals, meditating and bathing several times a day.

Parivajakas - These sadhus have taken a vow of silence.

Shirshasinse - These sadhus always remain standing and sleep with their heads resting on a vertical pole. They also meditate standing on their heads.

Urdhwavahurs - These sadhus have emaciated bodies due to years and years of rigid spiritual practices.

Kumbh Mela Rituals

Pilgrims usually start coming in to begin their ceremonial bathing in the holy waters of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati from around 3:00 am, which continues until late evening. The sadhus start their bathing rituals at sunrise, with vibrant processions from the Kumbh Mela grounds to the holy bathing area. Different sects of sadhus have different timings set for bathing.

It is impossible to entirely capture the essence of the Maha Kumbh Festival through words, photos, films or paintings, which can hardly do justice to something so massive and spiritual.

Auspicious dates for Maha Kumbh Mela 2013

The Maha Kumbh Festival 2013 is speculated to be one of the largest congregations in the history of mankind. This time, it will be held from 27th January to 25th February 2013.

27th Jan 2013 - Paush Purnima

06th Feb 2013 - Ekadashi Snan

10th Feb 2013 - Mauni Amavasya Snan

15th Feb 2013 - Basant Panchami Snan

17th Feb 2013 - Rath Saptami Snan

18th Feb 2013 - Bhisma Ekadashi Snan

25th Feb 2013 - Maghi Purnima Snan

How to get there

Allahabad is served by the Allahabad Airport and is linked to Delhi and Kolkata by JetLite and Air India Regional. Other airports in the vicinity are at Varanasi (Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport 125 km) and Lucknow (Amausi International Airport 238 km).

Allahabad houses the headquarters of the North Central Railway Zone, and is well connected by trains to all major cities in India.

You can also drive down. NH2 runs through the middle of the city.

Where to stay

The city of Allahabad offers many places to stay ranging from deluxe hotels to budget hotels; however, during the Maha Kumbh Mela, tented accommodation is usually offered on the grounds of the mela. Be sure to pre-book, or make arrangements to stay elsewhere well in advance. Considering the number of devotees that descend upon the city, it is wiser to pre-book a Kumbh Mela tour package.

Tips

- Make sure you pack good, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes

- Don’t forget insect repellent, socks and a warm jacket

- Women need to be fully clothed when they bathe in the Ganges. They will not be allowed to wear swimsuits.

Vivid Sydney Festival

Vivid Sydney Festival - A festival of light, music & ideas

When: 24th May - 10th June 2013
Where: Sydney

Vivid Sydney Festival is the largest international music and light show in the Asia-Pacific region that promises to enthrall the senses of all visitors and locals. The festival of light, music, art and ideas, Vivid Sydney Festival, transforms the city of Australia into a vibrant creative hub each year attracting thousands of visitors from all over the globe. The festival is designed to showcase the entire city as one big living canvas that runs from Hyde Park through Macquarie Street, Sydney Opera House and Circular Bay. Darling Harbour too is added in the list to host a few Vivid events.

This year, two new programmes (Vivid LIVE and the Song Summit) have been added on top of last year's four to deliver a fantastic winter. Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House will bring together the best contemporary artists and cultural interpreters while the Song Summit is a gathering of local and international songwriters and music industry experts.
Fire Water is a free event featuring three nights of flame, markets and food stalls at The Rocks. Creative Sydney is a series of debates and discussions, presentations and performances geared to educate and inform. X Media Lab, themed 'Global Media Cultures' is for the world’s leading expert in creative, business and technology to share ideas. Macquarie Visions is a free public event, celebrating the 200th anniversary and story of two visionary leaders, Governor Lachlan Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth.

Vivid Sydney Festival is every photographer's dream and an event definitely not to be missed!

Related Festival

Sydney Festival
Get ready to experience the summer of your dreams with Sydney Festival in January 2013, Australia – the largest summer festival of the country.

Sydney Festival 2013

 

Australia Summer Festival

When: 5th - 27th January 2013
Where: Sydney, Australia

Get ready to experience the summer of your dreams with Sydney Festival 2013, Australia – the largest summer festival of the country. Presenting a wide variety of cultural diversity ranging from parody circus to New York rap to Russian theatre; from contemporary dance to family programmes to traditional aboriginal arts practice – the Sydney Festival is one of the most loved events in Australia that sets the tone for summer in the city. Showcasing 388 performances and 98 events performed by over 1000 artistes including 11 world premiers at 30 of the finest venues in the city including Sydney Opera House, Seymour Centre, Riverside Theatres, and The University of Sydney, the Sydney Festival is an excellent way for both Sydneysiders and visitors to experience the best of performing, visual and experimental arts that Australia and the world has to offer.

Sydney Festival Program and Celebrations

Celebrations for the festival kick off with Festival First Night – a large scale free event in the parks, streets, and lane-lays of the city, which is an exclusive feast of music, dance, and visual spectacle on the streets. Reaching an audience of more than 200,000 people, the Festival First Night is celebrated on the first Saturday of the Festival while more free concerts await Sydneysiders and visitors on subsequent two Saturdays. The Sydney Festival creates a welcoming and unique global ambience which showcases the striking city of Sydney through a feast of world class performances in theatre, music, dance, fireworks, visual arts, and food. The peak celebrations of the festival are the Australia Day festivities on 26th January with ferry races and tall ship displays at the iconic Sydney Harbour. The festival with its wide range of free events and easy pricing policies for the shows with tickets ensures that everyone can participate in the Sydney Festival celebrations.

Tickets for the Sydney Festival 2013

With its ongoing commitment to make the Festival accessible to everyone, the tickets for the shows are priced at a reasonable rate of AUD $25 and are available only on the day the show is scheduled. Tickets can be purchased at the ‘Tix for Next to Nix’ booth situated in Sydney’s central business district.

Tips for the festival

Tickets can be purchased through cash only and no credit cards will be accepted.

You have to purchase the tickets in person and you can only purchase two tickets per person per day.

There is limited range of tickets available and the price may vary for each performance.

There will be no replacement of the tickets lost, stolen, or damaged so be careful if you want to catch a particular show.

The booth Tix for Next to Nix is opened daily from 8am to 12noon during the festival days, however the booth may close early if all the tickets get sold out before closing time.

Related Festival

Vivid Sydney Festival
The festival of light, music, art and ideas, Vivid Sydney Festival, transforms the city of Australia into a vibrant creative hub each year attracting thousands of visitors from all over the globe.