Supermoon and Cultural Diplomacy!

This Full Moon is special, for scientific and spiritual reasons. Let us explore how it is important and how we can play our part in the sustainable growth of the world.

For Hindus, this full Moon marks the end of Ganesh Chaturthi and the start of Pitru Paksha. Ganesh Chaturthi is a 10 or 11 day festival honouring the god Ganesha that ends with this full Moon. Ganesha is easily recognized by his elephant head and is worshiped as the god of beginnings, wisdom, arts and sciences, and as the remover of obstacles. Throughout the festival celebrants offer food, sweets, and prayers to clay statues of Ganesha at home and on public stages. Traditions include chanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts, prayers, and fasting. On the last day (near the full Moon), people carry the statues to a nearby river or ocean and immerse them. As the clay dissolves, Ganesha is believed to return to his parents, the god Shiva and goddess Parvati, on Mount Kailash.

A variety of sweets and delicacies are shared and cooked in families and communities, modaks take centre stage! The steamed sweets are made of filling inside that consists of freshly grated?coconut?and?jaggery, while the outer soft shell is made from?rice flour.

Ganesh the Elephant headed God, is meant to be the symbolism of a true Leader. With the trunk representing Dexterity and big ears emphasising listening over speaking! Pitru Paksha – is the time to honour our ancestors. It is a 15 day’s long festival that ends with the new Moon. During this time, Hindus honour their ancestors with rituals, food offerings, and scripture reading.

Madhu Purnima – In Thailand the legend is that when the Buddha was trying to bring peace between two factions in a forest, an elephant and a monkey fed him, with the elephant offering fruit and the monkey offering a honeycomb!

Chuseok - In Korea … the festival is full of fun, festivities and most IMPORTAANTLY (FAMILY!!) To all my Korean Friends and colleagues .. its time to go home! Take a break!!! Be with your families.

Four generations of ancestors are venerated in this festival and .. the most important dish on the table is SongPyeon! Koreans celebrate?Chuseok?by making special foods, particularly a certain kind of rice cake called?Songpyeon.?Songpyeon?is made with finely ground new rice and the dough is kneaded into small round shapes and filled with sesame seeds, chestnuts, red beans, or other similar ingredients. The rice cakes are arranged upon layers of pine needles as they are steamed, filling the home with the delicate and fresh fragrance of autumn. On the eve of?Chuseok, family members gather to make?songpyeon?together, illustrating the importance of family in Korean society.

So What? One may ask…. Well…. This is so relevant in today’s times.

Science and Cultures helps us connect and collaborate!!! This will be a?supermoon!! The term "supermoon" was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 as either a new or full Moon that occurs when the Moon is within 90% of its closest to Earth. It is also a Partial Lunar Eclipse.

Eclipses are important times in Hinduism, Buddhism, The Bonn Religion, Ancient Christianity and in SCIENCE!!!

Well…. As we aim for a world that is driving towards sustainable and multilateral connected growth. We must learn what we can do for the environment and for each other! ,

Here are some of my simple suggestions:

·?????? Learn about our own culture and heritage, get familiar with the traditions (why do we use certain hyms, musical instruments? Why play certain board games?)

·?????? Spend time with family!! (in these competitive times, we sometimes fail to stop and dance in the rain!!)

·?????? Learn about other cultures and find similarities to build bridges! (learning about harvest moon celebration in other countries is enriching and guess what ?????? Songpyeon?is very similar to Modaks!!!)

·?????? Take time out to help in the community, whether it is a something as small as volunteering at the local foodbank or … if you are an employer, help your mentee/employee seek holidays to meet their loved ones.

·?????? Take time out to connect with Nature (help a few elephant charities, help a few people who can’t buy gifts for their families!)

·?????? Be emotionally available for the ones who are serving at this time – Police officers, paramedics, Soldiers in the armed forces (say a silent and healing prayers for them!)

?

?

?