Haurvat, Healers’ Day in Iran

Haurvat, or Haurvatat, is celebrated on the 18th of June. At this moment the Sun is in the 28th grade of the Gemini zodiac sign.

It is known as the healers’ day. The true healer is the one who heals the body, the soul and the spirit. In the Slavic myth, there is dead water and living water. Dead water resurrects and living water fills with energy. This day, water obtains healing capacities. It can cleanse from any kind of filth and it reconstructs the structure of our cells. This is the so called “dead water”. If you drink water on this day, you fill yourself with harmony, get rid of any kind of splits, physical pain and psychic contradictions. Haurvat resurrects faith, restores the lost values, purifies and transforms your soul.

The main element of this day is water. The color is blue. The quality is perfection.

On this day, people must unify themselves for the purpose of peace, help and selflessness. Everyone is supposed to drink from the same bowl – be it juice, milk, water or any other drink. It is good  to eat first fruit. The holiday is celebrated from dawn till sunset. They also burn four candles on this day. 

It is believed that on this day it is possible to look inside the Haurvat bowl and see a better world inside it. 

                                                                      

                            Zoroastrianism: An Introduction (I. B. Tauris Introductions to Religion)

70 years ago Walt Disney's Bambi was shown on big screens

Bambi

The animated film "Bambi" based on the book by an Austrian author Felix Salten, was Walt Disney's favorite film. The story tells the life of a beautiful deer, its parents, its friends and its foes.
Disney started the creation of the film in 1936, but because of technical issues had to put it off till 1942. During the work the animators had to study hard the habits, the movements and the anatomy of different animals. For this purpose, two four-month-old deers were sent to Disney from the zoo. Soon the studio turned into a real zoo. There were two skunks, squirrels, birds, rabbits, chipmunks, owls and other forest animals. During the work on the film about four million drawings were made.
The opening night took place on June 14, 1942. "Bambi" was nominated in three categories: the best song, the best music and the best sound. The film got no award. The first year of the film was a failure. Yet, it became popuar later on and with time, became a cult film. In 1948 the cartoon received the Golden Globe Award.
One copy of "Bambi' was Disney's gift to the USSR (now Russia).

 

Bambi (Two-Disc Diamond Edition)

Birthday of Gojko Mitic

Gojko Mitic

Gojko Mitic is a Serbian actor, director, author, stuntman. Gojko is well-known for his roles of Indians.
He was born on June 13, 1940, in the family of a Serbian farmer, Kingdom of Yugoslavia. From his childhood, Gojko  loved sports, was passionate about football and gymnastics. He dreamt of becoming a sports trainer.
From 1960 he worked as a stuntman in the cinema. His debut in the cinema began with the English movie Lancelot and the Queen.
At the beginning of 1960s Red Westerns featuring Native Americans became popular in Europe. It was at this time that the actor moved to Berlin where he worked for DEFA studios. In 1965 Gojko played the part of an Indian chief in the movie "The Sons of Great Mother Bear". The film was a big success. The next movie was "Chingachgook, the Big Snake", adaptation of the novel by Cooper.
Clear silhouette, great body, courage and nobility, proud glance, excellent body management and acting talent made Gojko favorite of millions of viewers. In 1980s and 1990s some movies with Gojko were taken to the USA.
Gojko has also worked in theater, tried his hand at directing of children's movies and sports program hosting.
He lives in Berlin.

 

  The Sons of the Great Bear

102 Years Ago John Wood Campbell Was Born

John Wood Campbell was an American science fiction writer and editor-in-chief of the famous magazine "Astounding Science Fiction". He actually created the range of works that are admitted as modern classical science fiction.
John Wood Campbell was born in Newark, New Jersey. He started writing being a student at Massachusetts Technology University. In 1932 he received the diploma of a physician and by that time he had become a famous science fiction writer.
His first story was published when he was 19. The first stories of Campbell were about cosmic adventures. Then, he took a pseudonym Don A. Stuart and began publishing a different kind of stories. The most famous story of that time is "Who Goes There?" which is till now believed to be one of the best thriller stories.
In September 1937 Campbell became editor in chief of the magazine "Astounding" and began to reform it by bringing it to a new level. He introduced the "mutant" column for unusual stories and renamed the magazine from "Astounding Stories" into "Astounding Science Fiction".
Campbell published stories of the new writers: Asimov, Van Vogt, Robert Heinlein. Very often these stories were authors' debuts. What Campbell did resembled a revolution but he was never wrong.
In 1940s "Astounding" became the best science fiction magazine. Later on, Campbell founded another magazine called "Unknown", which was fully dedicated to fantasy.
During years of his work Campbell didn't write, dedicating himself to publishing of others' stories. But the time spent was worth it. He became part of the world literature.

 

Who Goes There

Bach Festival in Leipzig

Bach, Johann Sebastian

Bachfest Leipzig is one of the most prestigious festivals in Germany dedicated to the work of the famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach. It is held annually in the middle of June and it lasts for approximately 10 days. Every year in Germany several festivals dedicated to Bach are held but the most important is Leipzig Bach Festival. It welcomes Bach music lovers from all over the world.
The city of Leipzig is known for its culture. Its name is related to the names of Mendelssohn, Schouman, Schiller. As for Bach, the most creative period of his life was spent in Leipzig. He performed in the church of Saint Foma for 20 years and directed the boys' choir. Here, the monument of Bach is erected at the entrance. And the composer himself is buried near the alter.
Bachfest Leipzig is a festival of long lasting traditions. It took place for the first time in 1904. The slogan "Lepzig - the city of music" appeared in 1920s.
All in all, during the festival about 100 concerts and performances take place. The preference is given to the music of the 19th century but there are also jazz concerts and concerts of modern music. One of the remarkable events of the festival is medal handing to the best musicians of the year. This medal is made of Meissen china.
Every year, several festivals dedicated to Bach's music take place in Germany. Bach's music makes us think about evil and good, life and death, the question why we are here...

 

Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068: II. Air

Pressing Iron Patented 130 Years Ago by Henry Seely

Coal iron

200 years before the invention of Henry Seely irons were made of cast iron and heated  in stoves. They lost their heat quickly and were not good for ironing of  delicate tissues. To iron one single dress, laundresses had to use several irons of different sizes and stay next to a hot stove. Soon after that, to heat an iron, they began to put coals right inside it. 

In the second half of the 19th century new irons appeared. These ones worked on gas and oil. They were not safe but they lost their heat slower. 

First electrical irons were much more efficient that their predecessors. They were heated by an electric arc. Despite this advantage, these irons were dangerous. They burned the clothes because there was no temperature regulation and they often overheated. 

In the 20s of the 20th century new type of irons appeared. These ones had temperature regulation and could be used for various kinds of tissues: silk, cotton, wool and linen. In the second half of the 20th century the steam function appeared. From that time on, quick progress took place. 

Modern irons have versatile functions including steam regulation, self-cleansing, automatic switching off and other useful functions.

Hamilton Beach Smart Lift Iron with Built-In Stability

Birthday of Thomas Chippendale, English furniture producer

Thomas Chippendale was an honoured furniture designer. His name became the synonym of London of the 18th century.  It was also the highest quality trademark of the epoch. The furniture constructed by the designs of Chippendale was graceful, comfortable and long lasting. 
Thomas Chippendale was born on June 5, 1718 in Otley, Yorkshire, where he lived for 21 years. He studied the craft of his father learning the secrets of joiner's work. Then he moved to London working as wood cutter. He got very passionate about this craft and later on became a very famous designer and wood cutter.
In 1749 Thomas opened his own workshop in London. The workshop of Chippendale was relatively small compared to other workshops. But he managed to create different kinds of furniture thus gaining clients. He made the stylish rokoko furniture. Also, he was able to create his own style, in which he brought together the functionality of forms, the clarity of the structure and delicate lines and pattern, using Chinese motifs combined with gothic style and rokoko. It was this style that brought him fame and memory of his name for the future generations.

A table on Chippendale's house in Otley

Chippendale wrote a book that explained furniture making from red wood - The Gentleman & Cabinet-Maker's Director. 
Thomas also worked as interior designer, creating skeches and furnishing Harvard palace near Leeds. 


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Chippendale Lowboy