Curiosity

We know why is it Independence Day. But several fail yo understand why is it Republic Day and the difference between them.  Reason: It's the day on which the country officially became a republic ;came into force with a constitution. In simple words, the day the constitution came into force. What Do People Do? Much effort is put towards organizing events and celebrations that occur on Republic Day in India. Large military parades are held in New Delhi and the state capitals. Representatives of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force and traditional dance troupes take part in the parades. A grand parade is held in New Delhi and the event starts with India's prime minister laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate, to remember soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their country. India's president takes the military salute during the parade in New Delhi while state governors take the military salutes in state capitals. A foreign head of state i...

Children all around the world need adults to help them, to protect them and to teach them their rights. Do you know what the Rights of the Child are? Every year, 20 November is Universal Children’s Day, a chance for all of us to learn how we can help the youngest, most vulnerable members of our communities. What was your childhood like? Childhood is a universal experience, something every adult across the world has gone through. For many, childhood is a time we are nostalgic for. It’s a time of curiosity, imagination, exploration and incredible development. The fact that you are reading this article possibly means that you had a fortunate childhood that shaped you into the motivated adult you are today – here, improving your English skills. But what helped to get you this far? Who inspired you along the way? For many of us, a special adult helped us to learn and grow as children and led us to love learning. For some, it was a great teacher or wise neighbour. Others had pare...

Diwali is a festival of lights which originated in South Asia and is celebrated over five days. The dates change every year, but it is always celebrated in October or November and is now celebrated around the world. Diwali comes from the word deepavali , which means ‘ rows of lighted lamps ’. During the festival, these lamps, called diyas , are used everywhere. They symbolise the victory of light over darkness, or good over evil. Diwali is celebrated differently in different regions and by different religions and is a bank holiday in many countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. It is often considered a Hindu festival, but in fact it is also celebrated by Sikhs, Jains, Newari Buddhists, Christians and Muslims too. Here are some of the things that happen during the five days of Diwali. Day One – Dhanteras, or Day of Fortune The first day has a focus on fortune, both good luck and money or valu...

October 31 is Halloween and is now celebrated in many countries around the world, but do you know anything about the origins of this scary special day?  The origins of Halloween If you think of Halloween, you probably think of scary carved pumpkins, all kinds of fancy dress and children asking for sweets. And if you think of a country that celebrates Halloween, you probably think of the United States first. Americans and Canadians have adopted Halloween in a big way, but Halloween traditions actually come from 16th-century Ireland, Scotland and England. The tradition of Halloween on 31 October comes from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain was the Celtic New Year and they celebrated it on 1 November because that was the end of summer and harvest time (life) and the beginning of winter (death). It was also the time for ghosts to return to earth for a day. People lit a big fire, wore special clothes made of animal skin and hoped to be safe from the ghosts and ...

Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that is celebrated for eight days, usually in December. It is also called the Festival of Lights. Read to find out why and learn about what people do to celebrate this special holiday. Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish celebration.  Its date changes from year to year, but it always takes place either in November or December. It lasts for eight days and is celebrated by Jews around the world. The menorah The most important part of Hanukkah is the lighting of the menorah (a special candleholder used in Jewish ceremonies). For Hanukkah, there is a special menorah with nine candles. Eight of the candles represent the eight days of the festival. The ninth candle is used to light the other eight. On the first day, only one candle is lit, on the second day, two candles, and so on, until all the candles are lit on the last day.  The candles are lit at sunset and should burn for at least half an hour...

Were you born in the year of the Dog, the Monkey or maybe the Rooster? Read on to find out more about The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated in some places in Asia. The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, so the date of Lunar New Year is different each year. However, it is usually in January or February. As well as being celebrated in China, Lunar New Year is also an important festival in many other places, including Vietnam, Singapore and Korea. Each year is named after one of 12 animals. A traditional story explains how this came to be. One day, the Emperor decided to have a race for all the animals in the country. Unfortunately, only 12 animals actually managed to get to the race. The Emperor rewarded them by naming the 12 years of the lunar calendar after them. The first to finish was the rat, so the first year is named after him. The other eleven, in order, were the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. ...