Parvathy impressed the jury with her looks and quick wit and was one the five finalists out of the 109 contestants at the Sandton Convention Center. However, she was finally beaten by Miss Russia.

Miss Trinidad and Tobago was named the second runner-up. The others in contention in the final five were Miss South Africa and Miss Angola.

India boasts of Miss Worlds like Reita Faria (1966), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999) and Priyanka Chopra (2000).

Kantha

You can recognize a kantha pattern by the running stitch all through the fabric. Kantha is very often found on saris in light colours. The embroidery often takes the form of motifs, which vary from flowers to elephants and birds. A Kantha is a Bengali sari.

Patola

You can make out a Gujarati patola by its geometrical pattern and use of colour. The fabric can be reversible, as the pattern is identical on both sides.

Need splendid block-printed fabrics? Try Gujarati Ajrakh and Dhamadka. The overall pattern is often divided into geometrical shapes, the insides of which have shapes like dots, flowers and leaves. A total of painstaking 13 steps make Ajrakh come alive and stand out, unlike other surface printing methods.

Phulkari

As the name suggests, Phulkari is all about making your fabric bloom. The Phulkari like many other Indian crafts started as domestic art, and in Punjab, Phulkari is often worn at ceremonies. When a garment is heavily embroidered with Phulkari work all over, and when the cloth itself is barely visible, the fabric is called ‘Bagh’. On the other hand, Phulkari work shows the base cloth.

Madhubani

Madhubani is a work of art because it started as a painting tradition. The theme is usually mythological, and is interspersed with geometrical patterns and flowers. This rich style, born in Bihar, is now found not just on paintings but also on saris. Imagine a skirt with a Madubani painting all over it. Can you get more “designer” than that?

Kasuti

Karnataka is home to the single thread Kasuti art. Running stitch, cross stitch and back stitch are used to depict elephants, geometrical patterns, flowers, trees and temples. If you think color is life, Kasuti with its bright colors can be your style mantra.

Kashida

Kashida speaks of snow-capped mountains, gurgling rivers, chinar leaves and the beauty of Kashmir. This work, initially done only on shawls, can now be found on everything from jackets, coats to salwar-kurtas. Kashida is the name given to works like Zalakdozi (hook embroidery), vata chikan (button-hole stitch) and do-rukha (double side work). Although Kashida work is traditionally done on wool, it is now often found on cotton and synthetic fabrics too, so you don’t have the wait for the winter to wear a Kashida garment.

Diwali is a Festival celebrated universally in India, which in other wise marked with 100s of Regional festivals according to local cultures and traditions. India is a true diversified country which is having multiple languages and different cultures in different parts of India. As the Languages, the festivals also evolved from different parts of the country which makes the festivals totally different according to areas.

Even though different states celebrate Diwali in almost in the same way there is lot of local variations in the celebrations. Almost all over India the firecrackers are used to celebrate the Diwali. But in kerala uses Fire crackers mainly for vishu. In Diwali keralites main attractions are Diwali sweets and lot of extra sweet halls will be opened to sell Diwali sweets. In other parts of India celebrating Diwali with fire crackers and exchanging diwali sweets and wishes is one of the main traditions of diwali.

Regardless of caste or religion barriers, urban areas in India have people who love to have fun during these festivals. Shops and malls are decked with red and green items as Christmas draws near, even if there are relatively few Christians in the country. Winter collections and New Year sales are also a common feature of the holidays, although they are held much earlier. Fashion design is a healthy industry, with each year witnessing a new batch of brands and designers. Launching accessories and footwear is a relatively new concept, but one that the Indian people willingly embrace.

Raksha Bandhan heralds unique displays of materials and clothes available for everyone. Clothing geared to kids and the youth are interesting because of its fusion themes. This occasion is also a great time to give gifts, thus saris and dress materials are designed with blending patterns and embellishments.

Holi features cream and white shades. Dupatta with flowery embroidery and white odhinis are ideal for joining in with the festivities. Sankrath gives way to black or dark-hued clothes. Durga Puja and Navatri seasons are also very generous in giving way to various styles and trends. Fusion patterns can be seen in backless cholis, tank tops, and even in traditional bandhni made of cotton and silk. Men’s wear are also designed with mirror-worked jackets and topis embellished with shells. Diwali features dazzling designs because it is a very festive season. The Id festivals feature pieces made with Kashmiri silks, as well as satin suits. Artisans and fashion designers are busy designing veils, burrga, and a wide variety of handkerchiefs, socks, and cotton gloves.

Aside from pop culture, seasons can also have a very large impact on the fashion industry. Fashion statements are made with expert blending of traditional and modern, creating outfits that are festive and unique.

And let’s not forget Maruti’s first concept car. Saurabh Singh and Rajesh Gogu created waves at the recent Delhi Auto Expo. The duo designed the A-Star at Maruti Udyog’s Manesar plant. Soon, the car will be seen on European motorways. Maruti engineers have worked with Suzuki Motors to design Swift and Zen Estilo as well. “We hope to design and produce our own car model from India by 2011,” says C V Raman, chief general manager (engineering), Maruti Udyog.

From cars to tractors, refrigerators to laptops, made-and-designed-in-India is becoming a sought after label.

Khadi cotton is required to be starched so that it does not get easily crumpled. It comes in many colors and is not harmful to the skin as synthetic fabrics. This cotton is very soothing in summer season as ample amount of air ventilation is there, it has the capacity to absorb moisture therefore it easily soaks the sweat and keeps the wearer cool and dry. Khadi cotton comes in plain as well as in printed fabrics. The most common outfit of made from khadi cotton is the’Kurta’. Many types of apparel are manufactured from khadi cotton like saris, salwar suits, fabric yarns, western tops, shirts, trousers, skirts, handkerchief,etc. It is a very durable fabric.

In khadi silk, the ratio of khadi and silk fabric is 50:50. This fabric requires dry cleaning. It shrinks about 3% after the first wash. It is quite an expensive fabric. Khadi silk provides a royal and rich look. The various types of apparels made from khadi silk are salwar kameez, kurta pajama, saris, dupattas, shirts, vest and jackets. Apparels like kurta, jacket, sari blouses requires lining to be given to ensure its longetivity.

Previously khadi was dyed in earthy color tones and was used to make traditional garments but now designers are experimenting by dyeing khadi with striking colors like limegreen, violet, baby pink, turquoise blue, etc. Stylish garments like mini skirts, halter neck tops, racer tops, tunics, etc are made from khadi.

Khadi is hand woven and hand spun fabric which takes time to be made. It is mainly manufactured in rural areas of India. In previous times it was considered as the fabric for the poor rural workers & farmers. But wearing khadi is no more for the poor, many high profile personalities and economically sound people prefer to wear it. It is considered as one of the most beautiful Indian fabric. The khadi wearer gets a royal and distinguishable look due to its fall and style. It symbolizes luxury and uniqueness.

Indian women keep their skin impeccable diet by eating fish and high protein. They use the food rather than lotions or creams to achieve great skin. They also use care when they are in the sun. They wear hats or scarves to cover their faces. Sunlight causes the skin to age more rapidly than to be in the shade. An Indian beauty tip that most people are not aware of is for foot care. Indian women wear shoes that support the foot well, because they are not wearing 4-inch heels just look nice. Wearing shoes that are sound, rather than how they will look. They do not wear the same shoes every day.

The footwear of choice is made from natural materials, because it helps the foot breathe. Try to wear shoes or slip on the lace on the foot of your foot for comfort. Of all the beauty tips you can try these tricks at home beauty. If you have swollen eyelids, take a drop of castor oil cooler. To cool your eyes use slices of cucumber or cotton balls or pads soaked in milk. Put them on your eyes for a moment and relax. In an ideal world, we all get the ideal amount of sleep for our bodies every night, even if this does not necessarily mean eight hours. Sleep experts admit that some of us to prosper 4 hours per night, while others need at least 10 to feel their best. To find out how much is right for you, go to bed when you are tired and get up when you wake up for a week, and to calculate how much time you have spent in bed. Divide the week into total of seven - that is sleepload your best. If you find it hard to get to sleep, there are things that can help you.

You can try to put a drop of pink in the eye before you go to bed, you refresh the eyes. To stop your lips chapping fermentation use hot water on your lips, then use Vaseline and honey. You can use this solution three times a week. To prevent hair loss, there is an Indian thing, you can use and that is to use a drink rich in biotin. Blend a few bananas with honey, yogurt and low-fat milk. Drink this for a few weeks, it should do the trick.

Saree – Always Trendy, Always Appropriate Over the years, the saree has evolved to suit the changing lifestyle and preferences of its wearer. In spite of the growing popularity of western wear, saree still holds its ground firmly. Being the only garment that conceals figure flaws and brings out the best in any woman, saree is equally admired by both wearers and designers. It is considered the most sensuous, stylish and sophisticated attire even today. From Shimmering Silks and Elegant Chiffons to Flowing Crepes and Georgettes, available in vivid colors and embellished with the most intricate embroidery work, saree comes in the most mesmerizing avatars one can imagine. Such wide-ranging variety makes it suitable for all occasions – from weddings to formal functions and official meetings to social get-togethers. Moreover, it looks gorgeous on women of all ages and builds.

Tips for Saree Wearers

* Heavier women should wear fabrics like Chiffon, Crepe, Georgette and avoid Organza, Tissue and Cotton. This rule applies vice versa for very thin women who want a fuller look.
* Large prints and sarees with broad borders make one look shorter.
* Heavier women should wear straight cut, non-flare petticoats underneath the saree.
* Cotton sarees should be starched and ironed properly before wearing.
* For office wear, one should choose cotton sarees in subtle colours and prints. These should be worn with the pallu folded in pleats and pinned on the shoulder.
* Heavy silk sarees with golden thread work should be wrapped in a saree cover before storing.
* Always wear sandals before draping the saree.

Endless Draping Possibilities

A saree can be draped in innumerable innovative styles. Few of these styles have originated as regional preferences – Bengali style, Gujarati style, Maharashtrian style, and others like the Airhostess style to suit professional requirements. Rest are purely inventive ways of wearing the same fabric differently. Most popular style of draping a saree is the Nivi drape (reverse style). Here the saree is tied around the waist, close to the navel, with 6-9 pleats tucked into the petticoat at the front and the pallu draped over the left shoulder. One can choose to either pin up the pallu loosely over the left shoulder or try a more professional look with a pleated pallu firmly put in place on the shoulder.Another popular style is the Gujarati drape. It is different from the reverse style, in the way the pallu is draped. Instead of the left shoulder, the pallu is brought to the front over the right shoulder and the left corner of the pallu is tucked near the left hip.Then there is the charming Bengali style where the sari is tucked in at the left side and then stretched back to the right hip from the left shoulder. The pallu is then encircled around the back to come out below the right arm and thrown again on the left shoulder. Interestingly a heavy key is used to keep it in place.

These are just a few of the possibilities in saree draping styles. With a little creativity, it is possible to experiment and create different styles for different occasions.

However they wear Indian wedding sari, the type of Indian wedding sari also come in styles which are quite common to the place. To introduce the Indian wedding sari, it is a cloth with a certain length which is being wrapped around the body which follows a design or a pattern which is intricate.

The only thing that holds the Indian wedding sari are pins. It keeps the Indian wedding sari tucked in the body especially in the waistband. When it is wrapped around, there is a remaining part which is draped over the shoulder of the bride.

The “pallu” is known as the remaining length of the cloth when the sari has been wrapped around the body. This is known as the Indian wedding style of the dresses. The Indian wedding sari may come in a variety of colors depending on the theme of the wedding.

There are some Indian wedding saris that are cheap because the cloth that is used has a simple fabric while some of the Indian wedding saris are too expensive because of the property of cloth that is being used. Sometimes, some of the Indian wedding sari is being passed on as tradition goes.

When a woman is going to get married, some of the elders will pass on the Indian wedding sari that they have used during their wedding. This is the reason why Indian wedding sari is kept after the wedding ceremony. This makes it more memorable and for them, it brings some luck that can be passed on to the newly wed.

If you are not Indian but want to wear have an Indian wedding sari, you can have it if you want. However, it is quite hard to look for the sari fabric because you need to go to India in order to buy it. Some are sold in other boutiques especially from Indian boutiques. Most Indian wedding sari is colored red because it is the traditional color of a wedding sari.

The red color also represents happiness and good luck to the couple who are getting married. White Indian wedding sari will represent mourning for the Indians that is why they don’t go for it. No matter how you want to wear a white Indian wedding sari, you cannot wear it in India because for them, it represents sadness.

If you have been used to white wedding gowns, you will be surprised to see Indians wearing Red Indian wedding sari but its how they look at it. Indian wedding sari has been worn for a long time ago but nowadays, a lot of people are wearing saris and you can even see them everywhere.

Now that you know how a red Indian wedding sari is important to the Indian people, you can try looking for it if you want to have a wedding the Indian way. After all, wedding gowns have been common so why don’t you try to give it another taste. Wear Indian wedding sari on your wedding and wear it red.

A festival or a celebration is never constrained to a family or a home. The whole community or neighborhood is involved in bringing liveliness to an occasion. Likewise, an Indian wedding is a celebration of union, not only of the bride and groom, but also of two families, maybe cultures or religion too! Similarly, in times of sorrow, neighbors and friends play an important part in easing out the grief. Over the ages, India has experienced hundreds of years of foreign invasions and influence, yet it still manages to absorb and change everything the world cares to impose on it, remaining at its core untouched. If anything, it has developed into a multi-linguistic, home for masses of many religions.

Although India has modernized to a great extent, old traditions and ancient cultural rhythms continue to have a strong hold over the functioning of the nation. Since ancient times, the spiritual land of India has displayed varied hues of culture, religion, race, language, and so on. This variety in race, culture, religion, etc., accounts for the existence of different ethnic groups who, although, live within the sanctums of one single nation, and profess different social habits and characteristics. Regional territories in India play an important role in differentiating these ethnic groups, with their own social and cultural identities.

The religions that are prevalent in the country are Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism, with the freedom for citizens to practice any religion they want to. The Constitution of India has recognized 22 different languages, out of which, Hindi is the official language and is spoken in most of the urban cities of India. Other than these 22 languages, there are hundreds of dialects that add to the multilingual nature of the country. India is a land of festivals and fairs. Virtually celebrating each day of the year, there are more festivals celebrated in India than anywhere else in the world.

Each festival pertains to different occasions, some welcome the seasons of the year, the harvest, the rains, or the full moon. Others celebrate religious occasions, the birthdays of divine beings and saints, or the advent of the New Year. A number of these festivals are common to most parts of India. However, they may be called by different names in various parts of the country or may be celebrated in a different fashion. Some of the festivals celebrated all over India are mentioned below. * Janmashtami * Holi * Dassehera * Christmas * Rakshabandhan * Deepawali * Id-ul-Zuha * Ramnavami * Guru Nanak Jayanti

In response to the culling of more than a million chickens across India, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) allotted $1.8 million to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory for the development of an indigenous H5N1 vaccine for poultry. In his announcement, Pawar congratulated the scientists who developed the vaccine, and said it would be released at “an appropriate time.”

Before development of the vaccine, India relied on vaccines from the Netherlands to help curtail bird flu deaths. Since February’s outbreak, cullings had resulted in huge losses for Indian poultry farmers.

“The indigenous vaccine would go a long way in tackling bird flu effectively,” said Dr. Mangala Rai, ICAR director general. He hopes introduction of the vaccine can rid the country of bird flu within just six months.

Although there have been no confirmed human cases of bird flu in India yet, the World Health Organization reports that it has killed 132 people worldwide since 2003. Scientists still fear that H5N1 could mutate into a form easily transmitted between human beings.