Showing posts with label arts festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arts festival. Show all posts

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Diwali 2010 Festival of Lights Live in India

Diwali (also spelled Divali in few countries) or Deepavali is popularly known as the festival of lights. Its an important five-day festival in Hinduism and Jainism, occurring between mid-October and mid-November. For Hindus, Diwali is the most important festival of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes. Deepavali is an official holiday in India, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Myanmar , Fiji , and Suriname.

These live feeds will have coverage from all across India throughout Diwali 2010:


The name Diwali is itself a contraction of the word "Deepavali" which translates into row of lamps. Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps (divas) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. During Diwali, all the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends. Some Indian business communities begin the financial year on the first day of Diwali, hoping for prosperity the following year.

In Jainism, Diwali marks the attainment of moksha by Mahavira in 527 BC. In Sikhism, Deepavali commemorates the return of Guru Har Gobind Ji to Amritsar after freeing 52 Hindu kings imprisoned in Fort Gwalior by Emperor Jahangir; the people lit candles and diyas to celebrate his return. This is the reason Sikhs also refer to Deepavali as Bandi Chhorh Divas, "the day of release of detainees". Deepavali is widely celebrated in both India and Nepal.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Melbourne Webcam - International Arts Festival 2010

The Melbourne International Arts Festival (Melbourne Festival or MIAF) is a celebration of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia, outdoor and free events held for 17 days each October in a number of venues across Melbourne, Australia.

This live webcam is in Melbourne throughout the festival:

Melbourne webcam

Event Information:

Melbourne International Arts Festival is an important event on the Australian cultural calendar. Each Festival brings a range of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia and outdoor events from renowned and upcoming Australian and International companies and artists to Melbourne. It also offers a wide variety of free family-friendly events.
It was first established in 1986 by the Cain Government as a sister festival of the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto and the Spoleto Festival USA held in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Festival changed its name from the Spoleto Festival Melbourne to the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts in 1990, and adopted its current name, Melbourne International Arts Festival in 2003.

It has had a number of high profile Artistic Directors including Clifford Hocking, Leo Schofield, Robyn Archer and Richard Wherrett. Kristy Edmunds was the previous Artistic Director, curating from 2005-2008.