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 …

Phuket, Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, where sun shines upon the golden beaches every day. Blue ocean waters and the scintillating charm of the never ending festive atmosphere are cherished beyond measure by everyone who steps on these shores. Seafood and laughter, good times galore will certainly mark the great holiday spent here in this land of absolute charm. Phuket has much more to offer to its visitors than the splendour of the beaches and the consequent oceanic entertainment, which quite definitely will be common to all beach cities around the world. The land is rich with culture and religion. The pulse of the people, who call this place their home, is felt in the rich celebrations and …

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 …

In hushed reverence and quiet veneration, the birth, enlightenment and the death of the Buddha is celebrated by Buddhists scattered the world over on the day of Vesak, the day marked as the most important on the Buddhist calendar. Bathed in the charm of this day, devotees find serenity sublime in the beautiful and symbolic celebrations and rituals that are faithfully followed on the day. In Singapore, where Theravada and Mahayana Buddhists together abide, the rituals followed slightly vary, while the common chord of peace and good deeds as well as repentance bind the hearts and minds of those who celebrate in strong and significant unison. The day of Vesak is celebrated on the 15th day of the 4th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar …

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 …