Rice constitutes a staple in most South Asian countries and while in nations such as Thailand, rice is only a component of a meal, in countries such as India and Sri Lanka, rice tends to be the primary focus of any meal and all other curries are considered subsidiary or complementary. Given the radical importance placed by most South Asian and South East Asian countries on this type of grain, it is no surprise that a number of traditional ceremonies conducted throughout centuries tend to focus on the ploughing season. Most such nations place a great degree of importance on celebrating the beginning of the season, the reaping of the grain and often, communities pledge the first meal made from rice, to the gods or …

Football is a sport that connects communities and countries and is seen as one of the more engaging sports in the world. From the FIFA World Cup to the UEFA Champions League which sees the cream of football’s giants gather to showcase their skills, football has etched its presence as a global language that continues to draw in hordes of passionate followers. English football for that matter is held in high regard as it never fails to enthral viewers who eagerly await the dawn of every new season. The FA Cup is rated as the oldest football cup competition in the world and has seen the ‘underdog’ triumph on many an occasion over the more illustrious and rampaging teams. Evidence of this fact was revealed …

Music, movement, colour and culture; those are the ingredients that make Balinese dance somewhat hypnotic in its effect as it sweeps you out of this world. Like the lush natural beauty that adorns this quaint and remarkably picturesque island, culture has an almost artistic touch in Bali. Be it song, dance or a mere religious ritual there is so much of essence in each performance. Bali being an island etched with rich culture boasts an array of dance performances. Largely dramatic, these performances give you a taste of authentic Bali like nothing else. The Balinese dance is in fact an ancient tradition that goes way back in time. It is primarily religious in nature, but there are those performed merely for entertainment as well. The …

Known to be the largest International Trade Fair for Beauty Products, Cosmetics and Perfumery in the Middle East, the Beautyworld Middle East is once again being held in 2014 from 27th May to 29th May 2014, allowing all those beauty conscious individuals a chance to truly explore the world of cosmetics. Finding   accommodation in Dubai during this period will not be an issue since Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa is a reputed Palm Jumeirah hotel that is known to cater to every single need of discerning travellers. Evolving steadily over the past 17 years since its inception, this show-stopping beauty show features a wide range of cutting edge products and services from around the world, thereby serving as a one stop destination for all your beauty needs, …

Scheduled to be held over three days, from 5th to 8th May 2014, the annual Arabian Travel Market or ATM is the premier travel & tourism event that assists travel and tourism professionals to gain access to the inbound and outbound travel market in the Middle East region. The trade show is one of the biggest travel events in the world. The Dubai International and Convention Centre will play host to more than 16,000 participants and showcase more than 2,000 products from over 70 exhibitors related to the travel and tourism industry in 23,500 sq metres of space. New products relating to the industry have been successfully launched at previous events therefore there is reason to believe several new products will be released this time …

Paying tribute to a millennial tradition, the Lotus Lantern Festival held with the aim of paying tribute to Buddha’s coming into the world, is a grand and vibrant event celebrated over a period of 3 days. It would be a good idea to seek out an appropriate Seoul apartment to fully soak in the activity during this period. Somerset Palace Seoul is a recommended Somerset Palace Seoul offers comfortable Seoul serviced apartments that would prove to be ideal for the purpose. According to Buddhist beliefs, lanterns, more importantly light signifies wisdom. Therefore, the lantern festival is held in respect for the Lord Buddha, who brought immense wisdom and enlightenment to his followers. Bringing throngs of foreign and local tourists together, Seoul sees hundreds and thousands of magnificent lotus lanterns …