India : Now a popular destination for Foreign Film Shoots

More than 90 foreign film productions have been cleared for shooting in different locations in India over the last three years. Permission was granted to 22 foreign film productions in 2006, 27 each in 2007 and 2008 and 17 already in 2009. Of these, 33 productions are of UK based organizations, 17 of US origin. The other productions relate to France, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Russia, Georgia, Italy, Israel, Bangladesh and Pakistan among others.

Among recent productions are proposals from M/s Mashorba Films Ltd; UK titled “Indian Summer”, “Eat Pray Love” from M/s Waveland Pictures Ltd; London, UK featuring Julia Roberts. The Oscar winning film “Slumdog Millionaire” was granted permission in the year 2007 under the original title of “Q&A”. The celebrated movie “A Mighty Heart”, featured at the Cannes Film Festival, was approved for shooting near Pune in 2006 with the star cast of Angelina Jolie among others.

Goa, Jaipur, Ludhiana, Pune, Panchmarhi, Mumbai, Thane, Madh Island, Versova, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad are some of the preferred locations for foreign film shoots in India. The Indian Economy has been benefiting with the spinoffs of such foreign productions in India which provide an employment opportunity to locals, giving a fillip to hotel industry as also contribute export earnings of goods and service remittances.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has streamlined the procedure for granting requisite permissions for shooting in India. The permission process normally takes not more than three weeks. The production houses are required to apply for permission of feature films/tele films in India to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting with details of their chosen locations and the script of the production.

Eid ul-Fitr is a day long celebration

Eid ul-Fitr, often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fiṭr means "to break fast"; and so the holiday symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period. It is celebrated after the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan, on the first day of Shawwal.

Eid ul-Fitr is a day long celebration and is sometimes also known as the "Smaller Eid" as compared to the Eid ul-Adha that lasts four days and is called the "Greater Eid".

Muslims are commanded by the Qur'an-e-Kareem to complete their fast on the last day of Ramadan and then recite the Takbir all throughout the period of Eid.

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting of Ramadan. This has to do with the communal aspects of the fast, which expresses many of the basic values of the Muslim community. Fasting is believed by some scholars to extol fundamental distinctions, lauding the power of the spiritual realm, while acknowledging the subordination of the physical realm.

The Islamic tradition also associates events with the occasion. For example, on Eid al-Fitr, the angel Gabriel descended with white clothes for each of prophet Muhammad's grandsons.

Prayer and reading of the Qur'an-e-Kareem

In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an-e-Kareem. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an-e-Kareem by means of special prayers, called Tarawih, which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an-e-Kareem (juz, which is 1/30 of the Qur'an-e-Kareem) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an-e-Kareem would be completed at the end of the month.

Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment, establishing a link between themselves and Allah through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involved the preparing of special foods and inviting people for the Iftar meal (the meal to open the fast).

In many Muslim and non Muslim countries with large Muslim populations, markets close down in the evening to enable people to perform prayers and consume the Iftar meal – these markets then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. A muslim should start fasting once reached the age of puberty, are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesess.

Fasting during Ramadan

The most prominent event of this month is fasting. Every day during the month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world get up before dawn to eat Sehri or Sahari (it means something we eat at Sahar), the pre-dawn meal, then they perform the fajr (or Sobh) prayer. They have to stop eating and drinking before the call for prayer starts until the fourth prayer of the day, Maghrib. Muslims open their fast at Magrib (at sunset) prayer time or Iftari. Muslims may continue to eat and drink after the sun has set until the next morning's fajr prayer call. Then the process starts all over..

Ramadan is a time of reflecting and worshiping Allah. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual activities during fasting hours are also forbidden.[Qur'an-e-Kareem 2:187] Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The fast is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised awareness of closeness to Allah. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,[6] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat). However, a certain level of self-control can be lost by those who suffer from eating disorders.[7]

The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.[8] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood, many children endeavor to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling(musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.[Qur'an 2:184] More specifically, Twelver Shī‘ah define those who travel more than 40 miles or 77km in a day as exempt.[7]

The elderly or those who suffer from a disability or disease and have no prospect of getting better in the future can pay the cost of Iftar for a person who cannot afford it, or else they can host him in their house and have him eat with them after sunset as a way of repaying for the days they could not fast. [Qur'an 2:184] A person who is observing Ramadan might break the fast accidentally, due to having forgotten it. In such an instance, one should spit out the food being eaten or cease the forbidden activity, immediately upon remembering the fast.

This can usually happen in the first or early days of Ramadan because that person might have not yet been acclimated into fasting from dawn till dusk.When Ramadan came to overshadow Ashura in importance, it took on some characteristics of the latter. According to a well-known hadith, the person who observes Ramadan properly will have all their past sins forgiven. According to another, "When Ramadan arrives, Heaven's gates are opened, Hell's gates are closed, and the Jinns are chained up" and who ever passes away will enter paradise.[9] There are exceptions in certain Muslim communities that deny practicing fasting in Ramadān such as Alevi people in Turkey.

Origins of Ramadan

The name 'Ramadan' had been the name of the ninth month in Arabian culture long before the arrival of Islam; the word itself derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like 'ramiḍa' or 'ar-ramaḍ' denoting intense heat [2], scorched ground and shortness of rations. In the Qu'ran-e-Kareem, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you".

According to the earliest hadith, this refers to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur.[3][4]

Sometimes referred to as "the night of power", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year, as it is the night in which the Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.) .[5] Muslims believe it to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadān, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th (in Sunni thought) or the 19th, 21st or 23rd (in Shi'a thought). Ramadan ends with Eid ul-Fitr on the 1 of Shawwal, with much celebration and feasting. During the month following Ramadan, called Shawwal, Muslims are encouraged to fast for a further six days, known as as-Sitta al-Bīḍ, or "the white six." When fasting is over, Muslims go to Mosques in nice clothes to pray the first Eid prayer. They give out presents to the young ones and greet their friends and families. They then thank Allah for what Allah has given them.

Ramadan is the month of fasting

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured; from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the Muslim patience, modesty and spirituality. Ramadan is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of Allah, and to offer more prayer than usual.

During Ramadann, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. As compared to solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving forward about ten days each year as it is a moving festival depending on the moon. Ramadan was the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were claimed to have been revealed [Qur'an-e-Kareem 2:185] to the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.L.W).

HARYANVI DICTIONARY

Hriyanvi is spoken in almost 50% of the districts of Haryana. Haryanvi has various dialects. Bangaru, also known as Jatu (literally, language of Jats) most widely spoken followed by the Haryanvi spoken in the Khāddar areas close to Yamuna, which is akin to Khariboli and is spoken by Rors. Haryanvi belongs to the Western Hindi family of languages. It is usually understood to be a dialect of Hindi and not a separate language; it has many similarities with Khariboli, the prestige dialect of Hindi.

HARYANVI DICTIONARY

Aala : A low level shelving unit
Aankh Dookhni : A viral/bacterial eye infection, no you can't fake this one easily!
Aarta : A kodak moment for the best looking female of the host family
Aldgoja : Flute, bansuri, aaj
Andy/Andi : It falls in to the same category as daaki but a modernized one.

B
Baankali : A serving made after the geets. It's the boiled chana with salt and very tasty.
Baarothi : A cinderella moment for the bride
Bachiya : Cow's female offspring
Bachra : Cow's male offspring
Bagad : An open inner courtyard
Baggi : Bull cart
Balad : Ox
Baladh : Bull
Baldakisu : Swear by ox!!!
Baliyaan : Baniyaan
Baraf : Local form of ice-cream
Baroola : A earthen home made pitcher with wider mouth then panndha water pitcher
Bateu : A generic term used for male guest and sometimes a synonym for jamaai
Bathua : Weed , used for human consumption also in saag and raita
Beejna : Hand fan
Bharota : Bundle of jowar/bajra
Bhojra : Small bushes generally in the corner of the field
Bhoond : Bugs
Bijaar : An abandoned bull
Bilaangani : Wall to wall string to hang almost everything.
Biloni : Earthen pot used to churn butter and make seet
Bilutane : Kittens
Bitoda : A triangular storage for gosay
Bookal Marna : To wrap around to get cozy
Botru : Baby male camel
Buggi : Cart pulled by a jhotta
Buhaari : Broom
BukChamassa : Rainy season/monsoon

C
Chhaj : Used for cleaning of wheat
Chhath : Roof
Chhathi : Celebrated on the 6th day after the birth of a boy .
Chhipkali : Lizard
Chhuchhak : Like a baby shower in the west
Chilaam : Earthen made sigar head hold tomacco and heat
Chontry : A bench near your doorstep, birthplace of grapevine
Choonghna : To chew
Chooran : A homeopathic concoction for all ailments
Choorma : A jat delicacy made of ghee, sugar and bread
Chotkar : Chilka, peel
Chubaara : Obra on the first floor
Chukchunder : Bat
Chulha Nyot : Everyone in the family is invited
Chyanhni : Funeral place

D
Daadas : Your husband's father's mother
Daak : Jump
Daaki : A mast guy who does great things are very popular
Damhooi : Double headed snake
Dandh : Teeth
Dandri : Childs teeth
Dangar : Animal stock
Dheed : End product of eye infection or drainage
Dheera : Headlice, big one ,adult louse
Dhiday : Eye
Dholaan : Plump baby girl
Dhooma : Smoke
Dhoti : Wrap skirt of tau
Dilli Suba : A term commonly referred to jat villages around Delhi
Doga/Baint : Tau's alter ego, a wooden stick
Dola : Divider between fields
Doob : Weed / grass
Dtc : Mode of transportation for jat boys and girls from dilli
Dust : Opposite of kabajhar: You have a high fever, perhaps malaria

E
Eendhi : Small ring made of cloth to carry pot on the head

G
Gaal : Gali, alley
Gaawdi : Cow
Gabha : Old, worn out clothes
Gabsua : Safety pin
Gandasa : Machine to cut fodder
Gande : Sugarcane
Gantha : A jat veggie delicacy, main dish,onion
Geendo : Ball
Geetan Aali : Lugaai with her congregation
Ghaiti : Neck
Ghoodchadhi : A kodak moment for the groom
Gobar : Cow dung
Gode : Knee
Gojh : Pocket
Gonda : Pathway between fields
Goodad : Old, worn out clothes, turned into a mattress
Goomdi : Mosquito bite turned septic
Goothi : Ring
Gosa : Dungcake (bit thick)
Gosay : Jumbo size cow dung cake
Guhera : Another type of chhipkali
Gulafu : Cheeks
Gunguna : Concentrated reet!
Gusalkhana : Bathroom/restroom
Guthali : Hard sheel seed in fruit

H
Haara : A clay oven (uses gosay)
Haart (Heart) Ki Beemari : O boy, this one needs attention!
Hailey : Place to keep domestic animals and store harvest
Harat : Persian wheel (for watering the fields)
Harduaar : The ultimate health spa, and place for redumption of all sins
Haryana : Birthplace of jat
Haryana Roadways : Space shuttle that connects haryana with dilli suba, and paar
Hooka : A community sigar of tau

J
Jaadaa : Cold winters
Jat : A handsome, brave, honest, hard working, stubborn, easily provoked, male of robust physique, found in Haryana, Paar, Dilli suba, and Rajasthan
Jatni : A female form of the above - only more beautiful... Also known as lugaai
Jeeli, Kassi, Kuhadi, Kasola : Agricultural implements \ also used as weapons at times
Jeevda : Rope
Jersey : Full sleeves sweater
Jewda : The rope made of sann to tie jhotta aur baladh
Jhaalra, Kanthi, Hasli : Jewellery, precious treasures of women
Jhakoi : A good sambodhan in haryanwi for the guy who is not going according to one's will or similar
Jhod : The village pond, swimming pool, and communal laundromat
Jhoti : Buffalo
Jhotta : Male buffalo
Jimanwwar : Invitation of food party during marriages
Joom : Mid size head lice - pupa
Jukhaam : When reet starts flowing freely

K
Kaag : Crow
Kaatna : Make thread on charkha
Kabaj : When you can't do jungle!
Kaka : Uncle
Kaki : Aunt
Kalaash : Home made black eye color
Karelkant : Chameleon
Kassan : Utensil
Katiya : Buffalo's daughter
Katra : Buffalo's son
Khaancha : Kichadd, when it gets slippery and muddy after rain
Khaaj/Khasotni : Itching
Khaat : Cot or chaarpaai (Typically, woven jute)
Khaata Ghol : Process by which a favorite seasonal recipe (raabdi) is made
Khaatee/Peetay Ghar Ka/Ki : A polite description of a plump boy/man/woman
Khasra : Measles
Khatooli : A smaller version of khaat
Khausde : Old worn out shoes
Khandaka : Turban of tau
Khoota : You all know this, i hope
Khooti : An in-built, multipurpose wooden hanger, found throughout the jat dwelling
Kiwaad : Door
Kolhu : Device to take out juice from sugarcane and make gud.
Kootru : Dog
Kudta/Jamphar : Designer shirt of tai
Kui : Well a water reservior of house serves few people with nerrow mouth
Kunda/Kundi : Door lock
Kuwaad/Darwja : Door

L
Lakad : Wood
Lapsi : Dish
Lath : Jat's missile defence system...a wooden log - if you see one run for your life...
Latoor : Hairs
Latte : Clothes
Lattu Chasna : Switch on the light bulb
Lawara : The young of buffalo or jhotta generally upto 4-5 months only
Leetre (Khonsde) : Worn out footwear
Lhasi/Seet : Home made skimmed milk
Lheekh : Nit -larva of head lice
Lihaaf : Quilt or rajaai
Londhon : As in england, description of an exotic place

M
Maata : Chicken pox
Mail Khora : Earthen made scrubber
Meeh : Rain
Mori : Same as patnaal
Motijhaara : A childhood communicable disease
Moulasara : Your husband' mother's, brother
Muh Dikhai : A belated fee for the 3d view of the bride
Munji : Kanjoos (miser)

N
Naahu : Nails
Naakasi : Kind of local prade of the groom around the village with songs
Naariya : Ox
Nakta-Nakti : A person having small nose
Nandau : Your husband' sister's husband
Nasti : Nose
Nayonda : Invitation
Neeju : Rope
Neol : Mongoose
Noon : Salt
Nyaar : Fodder
Nyam-Shyam : A free thing from the shopkeeper along with the bought material

O
Obra : Smaller room adjacent to saal
Olay : Hails
Oot : Naughty

P
Paadkala : Staircase
Paar : Another name for up
Palpatton : Small grape size fruite
Palwa : A small bowl with a long handle used to take hot milk out of 'kadhawni'
Pandha : Earthen local made water pitcher
Pansli Mai Darad : Reet has entered your lungs and you need to see a doctor
Paras : Community resthouse of village
Peedha : A smaller version of the Khaat, to sit on
Phookni : Metal pipe used for blowing air in chulha
Phupsara : Your husband' father's sister's husband
Pilurae : Puppies
Puni : Jab reet naak mein latka kare us ne puni kaha kare.

R
Raach : Things.
Raasa/Raasi : Home made rope
Reet : Snort
Rohtak : Lifeline of haryana "Texas"

S
Saag : Vegetable
Saakal : Door nob
Saal/Dalaan : Master bedroom facing bagad
Saangad : Pointed metal part of jeeli
Saanni : A delicious mixtures of fodder for pets like jhotta, baladh etc
Saanp : Snake
Sagaai : Ring back guarantee is no longer effective
Saud : Quilt
Shyaana : Clever (but not popular) person
Sir Mai Bhadak : Genuine headache
Sir Mai Darad : Commonly used excuse
Suthani : Underwear/shorts
Suthra-Suthari : Handsome - beautiful

T
Taand : A high level shelving unit in the saal
Taang : Leg
Taap : You don't have fever yet, but can use the excuse
Tai : An elderly woman traveling along the same route as tau
Taisara : Your husband's father's older brother
Takthi : Slate children used to carry to school
Tau : An elderly man, with lot of time on hand, often found traveling in haryana roadways, asking directions for Rohtak, Jind or Hissar
Teekda : Jumbo chana bread
Thaali : Large bowl used to cool and drink milk
Thaansre : Dry fuel (hay) used in chulha
Thepdi : Dungcake (bit thin)
Thheka : Huge container to store grains
Thoodi : Chin
Tookani : Shiny (made with brass) designer water pitcher
Tubal : Tubewell

Y
Yadi : Friend

Daffodils

I wonder’d lonely as a cloud
That flat on high over vales and hills
When all at once I saw a croud
A host of golden daffodils
-William Wordsworth