Atithi Devo Bhava Depicting the True Culture of India

Atithi Devo Bhava is a verse from Sanskrit, which means that guest is equal to god or be the person for whom guest is equal to god. This verse was obtained from an ancient scripture and has become a code of conduct in the Hindu societies. This explains the procedure between the host and his guest. Recently Indian Tourism Department took up this verse as their tag line to promote tourism in India. Taittiriya Upanishad comprises four mantras, namely athithidevo bhava, acharyadevo bhava, pitrudevo bhava and matrudevo bhava. The literal meaning of this mantras is , be the one for whom guest is equivalent to god, be the one for whom teacher is equivalent to god, be the one for whom father is equal to god, be the one for whom mother is equal to god. 

 

Atithi Devo Bhava Making India a Multifaceted Destination

In Sanskrit, Tithi refers to calendrical date. During ancient period, the route of communication was very limited and hence it was difficult for guest to inform their exact date of arrival and therefore atithi literally refers to ‘without fixed calendar time’. By euphonic combination, the term Devah was pronounced and written as Devo, which means God. Bhava refers to ‘Is or be’ – be the person for whom guest is equivalent to god. Indian subcontinent attracts millions of travelers from all over the world every year.  In order to attract more and more tourist, the Indian Tourism Department came up with their campaign carrying this verse with the central theme in the name of ‘Incredible India’. 

Incredible India – Journey of Your Lifetime 

This campaign was aimed to improve the social awareness in order to treat tourist with greater sense of humanity and friendliness. The campaign was targeted towards the public by focusing on stakeholders of tourism industry. Through this campaign, they provide various types of training and also orientation programs to police, immigration officers, tourist guides, taxi drivers and other personnel who are in the position to communicate directly with tourists. The various stages of this campaign are the sensitization process, screening process, process of induction followed by certification and then feedback from key stakeholders in order to develop the desired tourist-friendly ambience over gradual period. The culture of India is well known all over the world for its affection and warmth. This is the actual reason why millions of tourists love to visit India. Indian cuisines attract food lovers from all parts of the world. Indians display great hospitality and affection towards their guests.

 

The amazing Kerala boat race - a bewitching experience guaranteed.

Kerala, God’s own Country, is a land of boundless beauty. It is well bestowed with natural beauty that makes it heaven on Earth. Be it a rich culture, various forms of art, literature, history, unique architecture, Ayurveda or traditions that have been passed on for ages, Kerala has it all. Apart from this, Kerala is also famous for its various festivals and their celebrations. Boat race in Kerala attracts a lot of tourists from all over the worlds each year. The splendid and breathtakingly beautiful backwaters serve as venue for the boat races. Every year, participants gather in huge numbers from all over the state to participate in the boat race. It not only provides wonderful entertainment but also brings people closer, integrates them and strengthens the team spirit.

History

The history related to boat races in Kerala dates back over 400 years. Kings of Alleppey (Alappuzha) used to fight battles with neighboring regions in boats along the canals. Then, these kings started getting their boats designed to win wars. This was the beginning of boat races. Today, boat races are a huge event in Kerala and forms an integral part of Kerala attractions.

Famous Boat races

•    The famous Nehru Boat race is held every year on Alleppey's Punnamda Lake.
•    Champakkulam Moolam, the oldest and also the most famous race is held along the river at Champakkulam.
•    Payippad Jalotsavam is organized at Payippad Lake.
•    Aranmula Boat Race is held at River Pampa.
The boat races are generally held between the months of July to September. The exact dates of these races vary depending upon the moon’s phase. The Nehru Trophy Boat race, however, is held each year on the second Saturday of August. These boat races are the main attractions of the Onam festival. Held mostly with temple festivals of Kerala, the boat races also hold a lot of religious importance.

For a few months every year, Kerala is brought to life with brightly colored boats that are decorated elaborately and beautifully. The participation in the boat races is beyond compare and the enthusiasm of participants as well as the audience is worth watching. The captivating music, the traditions, the religious ceremonies and the sense of healthy competition transcends time. It is a completely different world altogether. The experience is magical, beautiful and captivating.

Aawo padharo mare des...Atithi Devo Bhava...are some well known sayings in India.

You might have heard about the hospitality in India but you can’t understand it completely if you have never visited India- the land of great Himalayas and the cradle of the Indus civilization. 

Atithi Devo Bhava

In ancient time, India used to be known for its spices and silk. But now (on a lighter note), people across the globe recognise India as the home of the popular cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (Indian Cricket God) or Amitabh Bachchan (Star of the millennium).

Well, it is not completely true. Today also we can say with our head held high that we have conserved our culture pretty well. In today’s world, we still consider our guest as God. I live in a country where all the religion has mixed up into my life instead of just being a spiritual practice.

I was in 8th standard when I first had an encounter with the ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ - a phrase in Sanskrit which says ‘the Guest is God’. Although, I wasn’t completely unaware of its meaning as being born and brought up in Baniya family, so, I had learnt how to honour our guest as God. This practise was not only incorporated by my family but you will be surprised to know that this is something which is completely blended into Indian Culture.

I found some traces of above mentioned sayings in the few T.V advertisements which are being made to promote the tourism in India. One such tag line was spoken by Amitabh Bachchan, the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism in an advertisement by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department is ‘Kabhi toh aao Gujarat mien’ means Come, visit Gujarat once in your lifetime.

India is the land of rich culture, spirituality, diverse ecology and silk-spice-yoga. Some of the world heritage sites such as Taj Mahal, Agra, Konark Sun Temple, Orissa, Ajanta and Ellora Caves in Maharashtra all reside in India. There are 30 such sites in India. So, tourism in India is always at its peak since it gives a vacationer diverse option of touring the country filled with mesmerizing beauty and architecture.

If I ever get a chance to explore India, I’ll start my journey with the enthralling J&K (Jammu and Kashmir), it holds beautiful landscape of Himalaya. I’ll get a chance to cherish the beauty of Ladakh having white sand (white dessert) along the river side. Then, I would like to move towards eastern sides along with the Himalayan ranges where I’ll get the pleasure of visiting some of the world’s best hill station such as Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Dharamshala, Kangra, Dalhousie, Khajjiar only in Himachal Pradesh.

Starting my journey towards west, I can witness the royal culture of rajputana in Rajasthan and also get a chance to live life of a nomad in the only hot desert of India. Gujarat, the neighbouring state of Rajasthan sprawls its world famous Somnath Temple. Then it’s party time...yes you are getting it right, I am talking about Goa: India’s all time party destination. Then after exhausting all my energy in travelling I’d like to meditate in Kerala. Kerala: a perfect place to relax in the lap of nature and Ayurveda.