Holi Festival of Colors

Holi Festival is a once-a-year event renowned for fun and ubiquitous color powder. It is one of the best occasions to experience hindu culture at its happiest. Though Holi is a Hindu religious festival, it has become popular among non-Hindus in many places in South Asia and even outside Asia, and has spread to many palaces in North America and Europe in the past few years as a celebration of love, joy and colors. It is hard to tell how many people celebrate Holi festival.

Do you know why Holi is Celebrated?

Hiranyakashipu was a king in ancient India who was like a demon. He wanted to take revenge for the death of his younger brother who was killed by Lord Vishnu. So to gain power, the king prayed for years. He was finally granted a boon. But with this Hiranyakashipu started considering himself  God and asked his people to worship him like God. The cruel king has a young son named Prahalad, who was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Prahalad had never obeyed his father’s order and kept on worshiping Lord Vishnu. The King was so hard hearted and decided to kill his own son, because he refused to worship him. He asked his sister ‘Holika’, who was immune to fire, to sit on a pyre of fire with Prahalad in her lap. Their plan was to burn Prahalad. But their plan did not go through as Prahalad who was reciting the name of Lord Vishnu throughout was safe, but Holika got burnt to ashes. The defeat of Holika signifies the burning of all that is bad. After this, Lord Vishnu killed Hiranyakashipu. But it is actually the death of Holika that is associated with Holi. Because of this, in some states of India like Bihar , a pyre in the form of bonfire is lit on the day before Holi day to remember the death of evil.

But how did colors become part of Holi? This dates back to the period of Lord Krishna (reincarnation of Lord Vishnu . It is believed that Lord Krishna used to celebrate holi with colors and hence popularized the same. He used to play holi with his friends at Vrindavan and Gokul. They used to play pranks all across the village and thus made this a community event. That is why till date Holi celebrations at Vrindavan are unmatched.

How is Holi celebrated?

In the night before Holi, people gather together, perform religious rituals usually in front of a bonfire, and then pray for the destruction of their internal evil. The next morning, people start the real carnival, by smearing each other with colored powders and drenching each other in open streets, parks, and grounds outside temples and buildings. And sometimes water guns and water-filled balloons are used for fun. I remember from our balcony throwing water balloons filled with color and water, and throwing it at people outside on the street. There are groups of people singing and dancing from place to place carrying drums and other instruments. People will also visit their families and friends to color each other, and then share Holi delicacies.

The Holi festival has a cultural significance among various Hindu traditions of the Indian subcontinent. It is the festive day to end and rid oneself of past errors, to end conflicts by meeting others, a day to forget and forgive. People pay or forgive debts, as well as deal anew with those in their lives. Holi is a spring festival to say goodbye to winters. In some parts the celebrations are also associated with spring harvest. Farmers after seeing their stores being refilled with new crops celebrate Holi as a part of their happiness. Because of this, Holi is also known as ‘Vasant Mahotsava’ and ‘Kama Mahotsava’.

Art Return Value

These days the question, I get from buyers is “if the Art has return value”. Art has been emerging as a new asset class for the well-diversified portfolio. The reported returns are enough to catch anyone's eye: the index of fine art sales, used by art consultants to sell art funds, shows an average annual return of 10% over the past four decades.

Art has long been considered an investment of passion, one that not only offers aesthetic pleasure but the potential for economic benefit. Only recently has art investing been viewed through the lens of modern portfolio theory and considered as a potential alternative investment in a portfolio of assets. Though research continues to shed more light on what has been historically an opaque market, studies show that art can offer long-term return potential that is uncorrelated with other asset classes.

Market paradigms have shifted dramatically over the last several decades, as newly created wealth in emerging markets such as China, Russia and the Middle East has increased the number of participants in the art trade, giving the market greater resiliency. Undeterred by a rough economic environment in recent years, collectors globally are paying record sums for top works. 

To understand what drives the art market, it is important to recognize the main motivations behind art buying. Art is unique as an investment in that there are many non-monetary investment reasons behind collecting. First, there are intangible values associated with having and enjoying a piece of art. Art provides collectors with social status and prestige— an outlet to signal their wealth or lifestyle to others. There are also the philanthropic benefits of purchasing art, from financing up-and-coming artists to building a collection to preserve cultural heritage. Chinese buyers, for example, have been repatriating cultural assets that have been in the hands of Western owners, which has contributed to a rise in values of Chinese works in recent years.The obvious monetary benefit is the opportunity to gain a return on investment, though investors also recognize art as a way to store value, to hedge inflation and to diversify their portfolio allocation.

People try to compare between art rentals and purchase. We should look at the benefits while we compare. An art object yields additional benefits if it is owned (and not just rented) because the art object’s ‘aura’ is there with appropriated. Consequently, neither are potential hirers willing to pay ‘market’ rents (covering capital cost, insurance, etc.), nor can present owners be sufficiently compensated by such rents for foregoing the art object when it is rented out. It may be argued that this holds for private collectors but not for galleries and museums. However, most owners of private galleries are art lovers themselves and often behave more like private collectors than like purely commercial enterprises. Indeed, many major gallery owners have a sizeable private collection of their own.

Museums and galleries with very few exceptions only exchange art objects among themselves, but do not unilaterally rent out. This leaves purely commercial galleries - usually organized in chains - where the owners are not subject to the ownership anomaly. We expect and predict that such firms will rent out paintings and other art objects in the future but that this market will remain unimportant compared to the major galleries where important and expensive art is bought and sold. Thus, the art rental market is not likely to inform us about the quantitative aspect of the psychic benefits of art.

References:
The Art of Investing in Art. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.jpmorgan.com/pages/jpmorgan/is/thought/magazine/3Q2013/art
The Art of Collecting an Art. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.thrillion.co/#!art/c136u

Thinking of buying a Mithila Painting? Get some tips !!

The process of decorating a home in any sort of style can be confusing. However, for those looking for the sophistication of artwork, the fine art world can be a difficult one to understand. Therefore, many people choose to focus on what is known as folk art instead. Traditionally, the term folk art has been used as a contrast to the term "fine art" or "high art." In general, it is made by the native peoples of a culture or the laborers and tradespeople of a civilization. Basically, folk art is created by those without any formal training in artistic creation. For this reason, folk art is also known by several other names such as "Self-Taught Art", "Outsider Art" and "Naive Art."

Mithila was the ancient country. It has been more frequently used for somewhat fluid cultural region than for a definite political or geographical unit. The land of it comprised the present districts of north Bihar, India and southeast of Nepal. The people living in this part are called Maithil, which was one of the names of Sita, princess of Mithila. It is supposed that Janakpur, a historical city in the southeast of Nepal was the capital of the ancient Mithila, the kingdom that was first to make contact with oriental cultures and consequently strengthened its own. At present Janakpur is the center of Maithili culture.

Mithila is the region of Maithili speaking people where ancient ritual practices have survived unhindered for centuries. Several traditions of women’s floor- and wall- art were associated with these ritual practices, and continue till recently in their orthodox form. W.G. Archer named a communal activity rooted in tradition the art of art in Mithila, as Mithila Art. Mithila art is inseparable aspect of Maithili culture. It is a part of family ceremonies, village festivals and religious celebrations. Maithili women whether literate or illiterate, the upper caste or lower caste make this art on these occasions. As more sophisticated art is practiced by upper caste (Brahman and Kayastha), the schedule caste or backward people draw very simple arts of animals like horses and elephants and different plants which are not complicated and complex but very innovative and unique in their designs and motifs.

The origin of this style of painting is related to the famous ‘Sita Kalyan’. It’s said that King Janaka, father of Sita, arranged quite a number of artists to create paintings of the marriage. According to history, this is when Madhubani style of painting was born.

Hindu mythologies and deities has always been a prolific presence in Mithila paintings and it still is. These paintings are mostly about Hindu deities like Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Lakshmi, Durga etc. At times, events like weddings have also made it to the canvas of Mithila paintings. Whatever space is left on the surface is never left alone and the space is filled with some simple paintings of flowers or even geometric designs.

Buying a Mithila Art can be sometime overwhelming since there are many different types and looks for this Art. Some Artists use only brush on the art, some use only pens and some use both. Artists also apply different color palates and patterns in designing this art now. Once a buyer decides which type of Mithila art he or she wants to purchase, the next choice involves which rooms to decorate in a folk art tradition and how. The good news is that Mithila art is literally displayed in every artistic medium one can imagine. This includes both decorative as well as utilitarian pieces. Therefore, it is easy to use Mithila art throughout the house for any and all decorating needs.

For many Mithila art buyers, discovering which piece is right for which room throughout the house can only be determined once the shopping process commences. Like buying other folk art, Mithila art is made by individually rather than mass produced. That means that what is available one week or month may not be there the next.

For that reason, it is important for buyers to know where to purchase Mithila art and get the best variety and prices. Traditional buying sources such as specialty retailers and art dealers will carry select works. As well, buyers may want to consider going to craft fairs where artisans may offer contemporary versions of pieces in any of the traditions listed above. However, these methods of buying Mithila art can be time consuming and offer no guarantee of success.

Educated buyers who use online purchase, on the other hand, can gain the benefit of some of the best Mithila art from all Mithila traditions, all in one easy-to-use space. However when buying these pieces online, quality and authenticity are key. Buyers must make sure to review a seller’s detailed ratings and history on different websites and reviews as a means to assess their legitimacy in claiming authentic pieces. Buyers may also want to consider contacting the seller directly to ask questions.

Source: ebay.com

Announcement to Customers

Contact:

Pasadena: Ranjit Saxena (626)859-0683 Kathmandu: Amiy Saxena (9849)-249012

March 27 2011

Janakpur Handicraft Center(JHC) Opens New Office in Pasadena,Los Angeles

Janakpur, Nepal - March 27, 2011 - JHC will open a branch office in downtown Pasadena in Los Angeles county on June 25, 2011 to provide local purchase services to clients of California. The opening will also enable JHC to market its products and services to other large production companies.

Nepal-based JHC is a manufacturer of arts and crafts, supports talented women artists by giving education, skill based training and employment opportunities.

For more information, contact Seema Parween at 626)859-0683 .

Some managerial tips

As a manager it's really very difficult to manage things around in your office. I had also face the same problem. But then i found some tips from Mr. Bard Bolton. Here are those tips which can help you too.A mark of a good leader is to be able to provide consistent motivation to his team encouraging them to attain excellence and quality in their performance. A good leader is always looking for ways to improve production and standards.

Leadership: Effective leadership allows any manager to transcend geographies, organizations, and cultures. It will produce desired results despite the ambiguity and level of risk. The key is to be a true leader.Observing employees at work, the procedures, interaction and work flow is foundational to implementing adjustments to improve results. To have credibility, a leader needs to be seen and be known to be up to date with what is happening in the work place.

Relationship building: Having a significant personal network of people will continue to be a smart way for managers to operate in their careers. Remember that relationships are the basis of personal credibility.

Monitor Employee Performance: Employee performance needs to be monitored in mutually accepted ways. Policies and procedures need to be clear. Conferencing should be on a regular basis and not just when there is a problem. Assessments and evaluations should not be merely all formality or viewed a necessary paperwork to be done and filed away. Individual and group conferencing should be undertaken not only to monitor performance, but with the expectation of on going professional development and support. There should be frequent encouragement and clear criteria for on going goals both for the group and individual.

Project management: The emphasis of the future has to be in the leadership and interpersonal skills that ensure sound project-management practices. Projects fail because relationships and expectations fail.

Good Decision Making: Good leadership is characterized by the ability to make good decisions. A leader considers all the different factors before making a decision. Clear firm decisions, combined with the willingness and flexibility to adapt and adjust decisions when necessary, create confidence in the leadership.

International cultures: Globalization and the offshoring of jobs to foreign countries require that we learn to work with and understand international cultures. The "American way" won't always bring success in how we run our business or in how we develop and nurture our relationships.

Listening: Probably the least understood skill is that of listening. Managers need to hear what's not expressed in words--the body language, the tone being used, etc. Too often, we're busy determining what we're going to say next, rather than understanding what's being said.

Change management: This is a necessity, as change becomes our steady diet. Managers won't be able to lead others through changing times and situations if they can't learn to change themselves first.

Producing results: Successful leaders will get results by setting the direction, aligning the people, and motivating them to produce results. It can no longer be done by just commanding people to do work.

Business Tips

I have a friend who does teaching and its taken him 20 years to build a following . I own a company and chose to still continue it now however its so slow. I make crafts regularly and as long as you love what you do it will sell. As with all service businesses, you can either stick to what you know or change with the tides.If you're going to do this for the long hall I'd suggest you stick with what you know and add inexpensive things until you find something that you like. Your customers like each area, are different. I use to live in Nepal and what sells there for big money.Budgeting is a very vital task that you have to master if you want to succeed in any of your business venture. You have to be conscious about everything that you have to allocate funds to. And this includes printing prices and other considerations when it comes to your marketing tools.

With the tough economic times and as it gets tougher every day, you have to make sure that you will thrive in the industry you are in. But no matter how hard times are, you must never stop from advertising. You can pause a while if you really cannot afford to move forward. But make sure to create a bang the next time that you are in it again.

You don't want to commit the mistake of being mistaken as non-existent. Remember that there are many businesses that come out each time that you fail to make any move to reinstate your place in the industry. If you are going to be lax, time may come when you have lost everything that you have worked so hard for, including the patrons that you thought were loyal to you.
So go and get your budget fixed. Here are some aspects that you may want to look into to help you with this goal.

1. List down all elements in your business that requires you to allocate funds to. Write down the estimates of the total cost that you may incur in the process. Look closely at what you've written and weigh things out. For example, do you really have to opt for the broadcast medium when print can give you same output without having to spend too much?

The idea here is to list down your options and choose the best that suits what you have without going overboard. If you have set your eyes on the print medium, canvas on other considerations like printing prices. Look at the choices and decide on the ones that fit your budget right. If you have a need for many materials at one time, then it will be better if you will avail your materials in bulk. Such project will be processed through the offset method of printing that will create more savings for you and your business.

2. Hire a professional to help you in budgeting. This is important especially in dealing with money. One wrong move or miscalculation can lead to bigger troubles. So it will be best if you will get down with business knowing that you have every aspect of it ironed out.

3. Look at your expenses. If there are unnecessary purchases, make sure that you avid doing such in the future. This is important so that you will learn to handle your finances accordingly. This will also help you in learning the art of self-control especially now that you have your business to tend to.

Knowing the range of printing prices is only one way for you to start on to the right budgeting tricks। As you stay longer in the industry, you will reap the rewards of your hard work and will learn to appreciate the value of the money invested and allocated correctly.

Email: rsaxena@mithilanepal.com

Explore the Mithila region and Mithila Art & craft in Nepal at Janakpur Handicraft Center

MithilaNepal

Mithilanepal is a website if JHC designed with an aim to promote Mithila Region, the people and the Mithila Art & craft.A number of people have been engaged with JHC for the promotion of Art & Culture of Mithila. JHC has a group of experienced artist, writer, businessman, social worker etc who are working for Mithila and contribute in development of Nepal.To know mithilanepal.com more closely please log on to www.mithilanepal.com