It’s the time to celebrate with friends and family. It’s Christmas time!

MyBandra lists a few Christmas special things to do in Bandra.

Try the Christmas menu at the ‘Out Of the Blue’.

The restaurant has launched a simply to die for Christmas menu. It include the traditional Festive food with not so traditional festive food. You must try the classic smoke turkey breast with cranberry sauce and a Roast chicken with tarragon butter cream sauce. Want to try something different ? Choose from Lobster with coriander, Braised pork or Lamb shanks with balsamic sauce. You can very well end your dinner with mouth watering desserts including Christmas Pudding with Baileys cream sauce. Address - Out of the Blue, Union Park, From : 10-30 December, Ph No : 9324839393.

Death By Gelatos - Gelato Italiano has a variety of chocolate infused gelatos specially for this Christmas season and just for Rs50. at : Gelato Italiano outlets.

For restaurants around Bandra with special Christmas menu - Click here

Go for a traditional Midnight service with your family. Local churches hold midnight ceremonies, celebrating Christmas. Click here for Christmas Services in and around Bandra.

Try your hand on making some Christmas Sweets at home - click here for some simple recipes



In case you are not making your Christmas sweets at home this list will come handy to outsource the same.

CHRIS CATERERS: At : Chapel Road. It’s a family run joint selling all the traditional Christmas sweets.  Kulkuls Rs.250/kg, nankaties Rs.350/ kg, milkcream and marzipan Rs.550/ kg. Goan specialty Guava cheese Rs.300/ kg and nauries Rs.108 per dozen.Contact: Maria on 26436886

CAFE ANDORA: Marzipan (Rs170 for quarter kilo), Date and Walnut cake (Rs50 for a bar) and a bar of plum cake(Rs 85 for a bar).  Contact: 26433625.

CROISSANTS CAKE SHOP:
In case you don’t want the traditional Christmas sweets go for plum cakes coated with marzipan (Rs 550 a kg) and Santa shaped chocolates (Rs 50 onwards). Contact: 26425702

HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS GOODIES:
Jacqueline makes Traditional Christmas Fruit cake - 600/- per kg, Marzipan moulded sweets 700/-, Milk Cream Shells 700/-,Choc-nut Fudge 700/-,Date Rolls 600/-,Nankatiis 350/-, Guava cheese 350/-, Marshmallows 350/-, Nevries 500/-, Kulkuls 500/-. Also available on order are Gift boxes of Assorted homemade goodies in 1/2 and 1 kg. boxes.
Contact: 98207-57092

Is recession hitting you and need to save money ?

Free Hair Cuts And Eyebrows: Go and get a new hair do as Slender Gender is offering free hair cuts and eyebrows. At : Slender Gender, Bindiya CHS, Hill Rd, From 12 to 31st December, 10am to 2pm, Contact::9869458149.

Go Gift Shopping

DHOOP- 101 Khar Sheetal Apts, Ambedkar road, Contact: 26498646,

THREADS N HOMEZ- Shop1 Galaxy Apts, Bandstand, Contact: 32711511

Cheap Jack - Hill Road

Go Dress shopping

KARMA KOLA: Junction of 16th and 33rd road, opp. Mini Punjab Restaurant; Contact: 26040562

JUST PHAT: Manuel Gonsalves Rd, next to Gloria Jean Coffees; Contact: 26441488, ADAM AND EVE: Next to Candies at Union Park

Hues II : 33rd Road Bandra. Opp Mini Punjab.

Make your own Christmas tree - Click here

ENJOY ! Merry Christmas !




Diwali is one of my favourite festivals and I always look forward to it every year. The very sight of well-lit diyas all over the house especially during the night offers an enchanting sight for one and all to behold. I recently came across a family who has a fine blend of traditional as well as modern values. I learnt many interesting facts about Diwali from them. Diwali is not a festival just for bursting crackers and eating sweets. I would be very happy to share the interesting facts I learnt from them with you.

The first day is known as Dhanteras. It is considered to be a very auspicious day and we should buy gold, silver and other important things required for our home on this day. This is followed by the day of Small Diwali. People usually don’t wear black coloured clothes on any of the festival days as it is considered to be inauspicious.

We then have the day of Big Diwali. A single large diya is lit with oil while 7 small diyas accompanying it are lit with ghee and kept in the place where the pooja is to be conducted. The large diya is also filled with some shells. Besides these diyas, all the other rooms too are lit with diyas. Silver coins with the face of Goddess Lakshmi are also kept at the place where the pooja is conducted. The doors are kept open on Diwali night. All this is done so that Goddess Lakshmi feels welcome and visits every home she passes by. This is also an opportunity to open our hearts and welcome others. Kaajal which is formed in the big Diya is put by all the members of the family on the eyes. This includes the male members of the family too. This is done so that in the next birth, we are not born as any other inferior form of being. We would get a chance to be born as human beings again. The game of cards is also played with money during the whole night. This is once again done to honour Goddess Lakshmi.

The next day of Diwali is followed by the Pooja of Annapoorna Devi. On this day a dish of 56 ingredients (Chappan bhog) is prepared. We worship Annapoorna Devi as she is responsible for giving us our foodgrains throughout the year. We also have a Gowardhan pooja on this day, which is basically giving respect to cow dung. The tava is not to be used on this day. We should avoid the use of onions and garlics too. We also have Khil, Batasha and Khilona (toys) made of sugar for the pooja. Five different types of fruits are also offered for the pooja. The idols of the Gods are placed in such a way, so that they face the east or west direction.

We finally have the occasion of Bhau Dooj, where the sister gives a gift to her brother and prays for the protection of her brother.

Weren’t these five days a nice opportunity for everyone to experience such wonderful Indian customs and traditions. Hope you all enjoyed Diwali.

Melser 
(Special thanks to the Katiyar Family for their valuable inputs)

More Blogs on Diwali

Click here for MyBandra Home page, Bandra Classifieds, Bandra Blogs and Dont miss Bandra Events,




 

Here is the schedule for the Times Bandra Festival.

DAILY PROGRAMMES 

Theatre – 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm

Kids  Play by Ekjute Theatre Group ( Age : 7 yrs to 12 yrs)

Plays & poetry reading sessions, Children’s workshop will be help by Nadira Babbar & Juhi Babbar.

6:00 pm – 7:30pm

The Actor’s Workshop ( Age 15 yrs plus) – Learn actiong, Voice Modulation, speech, body movements, diction, stage craft.

To register : call : 9221032774

Handicraft – Artist from all over India will sell handicraft, antiques, carpets, onyx items, glass idols, wooden product, candles, baskets, wall hangings and paintings.

Food – 4:00

Multi-cuisine stalls selling chaat, South Indian, pastries, patties, sandwiches, pizza, juice, ice cream and mouth watering snacks.

Also Tattoo and Mehendi artist.

 

Over and above the above Times Festival affers the following on the other days.

18^th October 2008 at the Bandra Festival organised by Times of India

Dance -  5:00 pm to 6:25 pm

        Bhav Abhivyakti – A Kathak performance by Pandita Uma Dogra

Music  - 8:00 pm www.mybandra.com

        Sufi – by Kailash Kher

Art – 4:00 pm – Rajat Dhar

Children – 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Card Making  & 6:00 – 7:00 pm – Moulding Craft, – workshops conducted by Hobby ideas

19^th October 2008 at the Times Bandra Festival

Music  - 8:pm

Artist – Shreya Ghoshal

Theatre – 8:00 pm

        Play – Ji Jaisi Apki Marzi – by Nadira Jahir Babbar

Art – 4:00 pm – Siddharth Chaudhary

Children – 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Ceramic Craft  6:00 – 7:00 pm – Origami Flowers, – workshops conducted by Hobby ideas

20^th October 2008 at the Bandra Festival by Times of India

Music  - 8:pm

        Qawwali – Munnawar Masoom

Theatre – 8:00 pm     

Play – Such , a short story by Razia Sajjad Zaheer, directed by Hanif Patni

Art – 4:00 pm – Manash Kamal Biswas

Children – 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Claay Modelling  6:00 – 7:00 pm – Mobile Pouch Making, – workshops conducted by Hobby ideas

21^st October 2008 at the Times Bandra Festival

Music  - 8:pm

        Fusion Santoor – Rahul Sharma

Theatre – 8:00 pm

        Play – Dayashankar ki Diary watch Ashish Vidyarthi in a play by Nadira Babbar

Art – 4:00 pm – Soumen Das

Children – 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm DIY Craft Kit  6:00 – 7:00 pm – Card making, Card Scissors, – workshops conducted by Hobby ideas

22^nd October 2008 programme at the Times Bandra Festival

Music  - 8:pm

        Gazals – Talat Aziz

Theatre – 8:00 pm

        Play – Juta, Hilarious short story by Razia sajjad directed by Hanif Patni

Art – 4:00 pm – Julius Macwan

Children – 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Suncatchers  6:00 – 7:00 pm –Wood Modelling, – workshops conducted by Hobby ideas

23^rd October 2008 Programme at the Times Bandra Festival

Music  - 8:pm

        Pentagram Rocks

Theatre – 8:00 pm

        Play – Bade Bhaisab – Premchands short story , directed by Santosh Tiwari

Art – 4:00 pm – Various Artists

Children – 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Scrapper Foil  6:00 – 7:00 pm –Paint your Hankies, – workshops conducted by Hobby ideas

24^th October 2008 Schedule at the Times Bandra Festival

Music  - 8:pm

        Classical recital – Suresh Wadkar

Theatre – 8:00 pm

        Play –Inteha, an evening with Mirza Galib, recitations and Urdu and english

Art – 4:00 pm – Rajat Dhar

Children – 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Gel Candles  6:00 – 7:00 pm –Diya Painting, – workshops conducted by Hobby ideas

25^th October 2008 Schedule at the Bandra Festival

Music  - 8:pm

        Artist – Abhijeet

Theatre – 8:00 pm

        Play – Sakubai  performed by Sarita Joshi  a play by Nadira Babbar

Art – 4:00 pm – Ganga Kadakia

Children – 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Coupage On Placement  6:00 – 7:00 pm – Cracked Coasters – workshops conducted by Hobby ideas.

When - 18^th Oct 2008 to 25^th Oct 2008

Passes / Tickets : Free invites to be collected from Vijay Sales Outlet -  Santacruz (W), S.V. Road and Planet M Stores at Shoppers Stop Andheri, JP Road Lokhandwala, Rizvi House Bandra, Phoenix Mills and fort.

Click here for more events inBandra on MyBandra.com: Dance & Music Programs, Workshops & Seminars, Theatre & Plays, Exhibition & Trade fairs, Parties & events, SALEs and Discounts

 

 

 




Navratri begins on Tuesday 30th September 2008. 

Dandiya Nights

Time : 7 pm

At : Essel World Gorai Island

Contact : 28452222 extn - 609

Daily passes - Rs. 350 /-

This Navratri dance to the beats of Surekha Patil,A popular playback singer from Gujrat and Bihari Hemu Gadhvi, a folk singer from Rajkot.

The amuzment park has decided to model a the venue like a village in Gujrat. Participants can enjoy Gujrati delicacies and visit bangle-making and pottery stalls.

 First Road Navratri Mahotsav

At : Jasodha Rang Mandir

Behind Bhaidas Hall, Vile Parle (W)

Contact : 32920378/0757

Season Passes - Rs. 1000/- and Rs. 1300/-

Organised by : Juhu Jagruti

Manish Parekh and his group will perform.

Sankalp Dandiya

At : Bhavans College Campus,

Dadabhai Road, Munshi Nagar

Andheri

Contact : Aradhana Mafatlal Showroom : 28788799

Parasmani Matching Centre : 20571088

Bawree Saree : 28880323

Rhythm House : 22842835

Sangeeta Dry Fruit and sweet store : 26102524 / 26148422

Satyam Collection : 9322677521 / 65706861

Sankalp : 26830814/20/22

Season Pass : Rs. 3000

Daily Pass : Rs. 400

Weekend Pass : Rs. 600

Falguni Pathak’s voice has long dominated the Navratri scene. As always Sankalp has roped in the services of the pop singer and her band.

Make friends this Navratri (find Friends): Click here

Bollywood Blogs: Click here

Zoom barabar Zoom

At : Kora Kendra, near Sumer Nagar flyover

S.V.Road Borivali (W)

Contact : 9322282366

Season Pass : Rs 1000/-  to Rs 1200/-

Daily Pass : Rs. 300 /-

Make friends this Navratri (find Friends): Click here

Bollywood Blogs: Click here

Kings the Beaters

At : Malpani Ground, Sai Baba Nagar

Borivali (W)

Contact : Dilip Bhuba 9987755998

Kings the Beaters featuring drummer Bipin Chunawala

and vocalist Manisha Savla perform.

Leena

 

Shopping Guide for Bandra: Click Here

Other festivals celebrated in Bandra

Make friends this Navratri (find Friends): Click here

Bollywood Blogs: Click here

Navratri – Longest Indian festival of nine nights.

Navratri means Nine Nights dedicated to the devi Durga maa, the godess of power and energy. Navratri falls in the month of Septembet – October (Ashvin Sud from 1-9). No other hindu festival is celebrated for such a long period of nine days.

On the very first day of Navratras, people prepare a small bed of mud in their Pooja Room and sow barley seeds on it. After 9/10 days the shoots are about 4 inches long and after the pooja, these seedlings are pulled out to be given to devotees as a blessing from god.

The initial days of Navratri are dedicated to Devi Durga. Devi Durga maa is the goddess of energy and power. Kumari, Parvati and Kali (3 manifestations of Devi Durga) are also worshiped. Kumari represent the child, Parvati the young girl and Kali the matured woman. They are 3 different phases of womanhood.

Devi Laxmi maa – the godess of peace and prosperity,  is worshiped during 4^th to 6^th day of Navratri.

Devi Saraswati – the godess of knowledge and art is worshiped on the fifth day – Lalit Panchami. Also on Ashtami, ie 8^th day of Navratri,  Saraswati maa is worshiped to acquire spiritual knowledge.

On Mahanavmi this colourful festival comes to an end with Kanya Pooja. Nine young girls representing nine forms of goddess Durga are worshiped. Their feet are washed and they are offered food, new clothes.

The 10^th day is VijayaDashmi. The idols of Goddess Durga are taken on a procession to be dipped in a water body. This day is also known and celebrated as Dussehra – to mark the return of Lord Ram back to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile.

Here is a color list representing the different aspects of Devi.

Sept 30th - Amba - Parrot Green

Oct 1st - Tara - Orange

Oct 2nd - Shorashi - Yellow

Oct 3rd - Bhavneshwari - Sky Blue

Oct 4th - Channamasta - Pink

Oct 5th - Bhairavi - Grey

Oct 6th - Dhoomavati - Green

Oct 7th - Bagala - Ink Blue

Oct 8th - Matangi - Royal Blue

Oct 9th - Kamala - Red

Leena

For latest events in Bandra click here

Job Consultants in Mumbai click here

Interesting Blogs on Bandra click here

Bollywood blogs click here