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As the Indian festival of Navratri concluded last week, a host of other events — many of them historic — occupied centerstage for many countries: Japan took a historic step with its military, a charismatic young Canadian followed in his dad's footsteps and the United Nations celebrated 70 years since it convened its first ever General Assembly (but where did that happen?). And a bit more, of course:
Women participate in 'Kolattam' during 'Bathukamma' — the Telangana government's official 'Festival of Flowers' at the Tank Bund in Hyderabad — on Tuesday. 'Bathukamma', meaning 'life giver', signifies both life and immortality for women in line with a traditional story where an incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi is born as a daughter on earth and survives many accidents. Another mythological version says this was the day Sati — after her death — returned as Parvati to Lord Shiva. The festival lasts for the entire nine days of Navratri and more than ten floral varieties are used in celebratory decorations. ~ Photo: Nagara Gopal/The Hindu
Devotees of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine walk among fire crackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand, on October 18. The festival, featuring face-piercing, spirit mediums and strict vegetarianism, celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. ~ Photo: Jorge Silva/Reuters
U.S. Film director Francis Ford Coppola bows after receiving the 2015 Princess of Asturias award for the Arts from Spain's King Felipe during a ceremony at Campoamor theatre in Oviedo, northern Spain, on October 23. The ceremony has been held annually since 1981 to reward scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanitarian work done by individuals, work teams and institutions. It was established by the then twelve-year-old ruler and was something of a spinoff of the Nobel Prizes. This year marks the first time in the awards' history that it would be called the Princess' Awards (instead of the Prince's) to reflect the new heir to the Spanish throne — nine-year-old Leonor, Princess of Asturias. ~ Photo: Vincent West/Reuters
Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force escort ship Kurama appears from the smoke during a fleet review in the waters off Sagami Bay, south of Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, October 18. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's public approval ratings declined after the passage of legislation allowing Japan to send troops to fight in overseas conflicts for the first time since World War II. ~ Photo: Shizuo Kambayashi/AP
Thousands of people from Kerala and Tamil Nadu climbed the Rayiranellur Hills at Koppam, near Pattambi in Palakkad, as part of the Rayiranellur Malakayattem festival on October 18, 2015. A statue of Naranathu Brandhan (a figure in Malayam folklore who is considered to have feigned lunacy whilst being enlightened) and a Durga temple are located on top of the hill. It is believed that Goddess Durga appeared before Naranathu Brandhan and blessed him on the first day of the Malayalam month of Thulam. Commemorating the event, people climb the hill to get the blessings of the goddess. This annual festival is to commemorate the legend of Naranathu Brandhan and the ‘Panthirukulam’ (twelve clan) myth. As the legend goes, Naranathu Brandhan starts rolling a big boulder to the peak of a hill every morning. By noon, he reaches the top from where he lets the boulder roll down. This is done to show the fate of people who hoard wealth intending to live the rest of life peacefully. When they have enough wealth, God asks for their life – the same fate of the descending boulder. ~ Photo: K.K. Mustafah/The Hindu
No, this is not a shooting for a Hollywood film. Migrants are escorted through fields by police and the army as they are walked from the village of Rigonce to Brezice refugee camp on October 24, in Rigonce, Slovenia. Thousands of migrants marched across the border between Croatia into Slovenia as authorities intensify their efforts to attempt to cope with Europe's largest migration of people since World War II. ~ Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers practicing during a training camp ahead of their foundation day celebrations at historical Iqbal Maidan in Bhopal on Sunday. Dussehra festival marks the foundation day of the RSS. This year marks 90 years since the organisation was founded by K.B. Hedgewar, a Nagpur-based doctor who at one point was charged with sedition during British rule in India. ~ Photo: PTI
In this file photo dated June 25, 1980, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (left), Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (center facing left) and his son Justin, aged 8, speak outside No. 10 Downing Street, in London. On Monday, Oct. 19, 2015, Canadian voters reclaimed their country's liberal identity, sending Justin Trudeau to the prime minister's office and ending 10 years of conservative leadership under Stephen Harper. At 43, he becomes the second youngest prime minister in Canadian history. ~ Photo: Lawrence Harris/AP
This aerial photo shows Shiite pilgrims, gathered between the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (right) and the holy shrine of Imam Abbas, (left) during the Muslim holiday of Ashoura in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 80 kilometres south of Baghdad, on Saturday, October 24. Ashoura is the tenth day of the Islamic month of Muharram, commemorating the Battle of Karbala in the 7th century when Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was killed in present-day Iraq. ~ Photo: Hadi Mizban/AP
A fan dressed as an Imperial Royal Guard character from "Star Wars" poses for a photo in front of five hundred replicas of Stormtroopers at the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall of China during a promotional event for Star Wars: The Force Awakens , on the outskirts of Beijing on October 20. ~ Photo: Jason Lee/Reuters
This composite image shows the front view of the Methodist Central Hall (left) located in Westminster, London, which was compeleted in 1911 and served as a multipurpose venue for many events and political rallies (people such as Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi and Winston Churchill have delivered speeches here). Between January 10 and February 14 in 1946, the methodist congregation shifted to another venue as they had let out their central hall for an important gathering — the first ever general assembly of the newly formed United Nations. In 1995, a plaque (right) commemorating 50 years since the UN first met was put up on this very building. One of the first things the UN voted on was to fund the repainting of the walls of the church in light blue, in return for using the central hall. Last week (Oct 24, 2015) marked 70 years since the UN was founded with 51 representative members. That number has gone up to 195 at present. ~ Photo: Wikimedia Commons
