festivals

Diwali Festival
India is the land of festivals but Diwali is one of the few grandest Indian festival celebrated all over India with equal enthusiasm and zeal. Diwali Festival is the abbreviation of the Sanskrit word 'Deepavali', which means 'rows of lights'. One of the major Hindu festivals, it is celebrated to commemorate the returning of Rama and Sita to their kingdom Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile. Though, Diwali is mainly a five- day festival but we can see people preparing Diwali weeks ahead by cleaning and decorating their households. The main festival day falls on the no-moon day of the dark half of Kartik, according to the Hindu lunar calendar.

Celebrated with vigour and gaiety by people of every religion Deepavali, its magical and radiant touch creates an atmosphere of joy and festivity. Innumerable lamps are lit on the roofs and windowsills of the houses, thus, giving an ethereal and almost divine look to the whole scenario. It is said that Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth roams the earth on this day and enters the house that is pure, clean and brightly illuminated. Young and old, men and women, all dress up in new clothes and buy new utensils on this day. They worship the deities, Lakshmi and Ganesha, and share sweets and gifts with their relatives and friends. It is also the beginning of the new financial year for the business community. However, it is the crackers and the fireworks that attract the kids the most and form the highlight of the festival.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesha-- The Hindu God With An Elephant's Head

Ganesha is India’s cutest god. He has the head of an elephant on which is perched a dainty tiara, four podgy hands joined to a sizeable belly with each hand holding its own symbolic object. One has a trishul, or a trident, the second, an ankush, or goad made from his very own broken tooth, the third hand elegantly holds a lotus and the fourth a rosary (which is sometimes replaced by modaks – his favourite sweet).

Ganesha is famous not only for being a trickster and for his sense of humour, but equally for his wisdom. He is the son of Shiva (Destroyer in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer) and Parvati (Shiva’s consort).

Ganesh Chaturthi or the birthday of Ganesha (the elephant-headed God of Wisdom and Prosperity) falls on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada (around August-September).

Holi Festival
Festivals of Colors

Holi is celebrated at a time of the year when everyone has had enough of the chilly winter and looks forward to the warmth of the sun. Trees get fresh new leaves that are at their glossiest best and the flowers begin to pop open to claim their share of fun in the sun. Even grandmothers abandon their knitting for the glorious sunny days. They know that it’s time to give in to good cheer, for harsh Indian summers are just around the corner.

The Great Legend
Originally, Holi was a fertility festival. All festivals must have a story, and ancient lore trace the roots of this festival to the story of Prahlad (a devotee of Lord Vishnu - Preserver of the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer). His arrogant father, the demon King Hiranyakashyap demanded to be worshipped by everyone. Being Vishnu’s devotee, Prahlad refused to comply with the king’s wishes. The king was outraged by his ward’s refractory attitude and ordered him to be put to death. It is said that the king used a wide range of techniques to kill Prahlad, including throwing him off a cliff. But Prahlad escaped each time without a scratch! In the end, the disgruntled demon king ordered Holika (Hiranyakashyap’s sister who was given a boon that made her ‘fire proof’) to sit on a burning pyre holding Prahlad in her lap. Terrified of her brother’s tyranny, Holika was left with no choice but to agree. As the story goes, Prahlad remained unscathed but Holika was charred to death. But that’s not all, the story goes on.

Then Vishnu, Prahlad’s saviour, appeared in the form of Narasimha (half lion and half man) to kill Hiranyakashyap at twilight in a porch. Why? Because Hiranyakashyap was blessed with a boon according to which he could neither be killed by man nor beast, neither during day nor at night, and he could not be killed indoors nor outside (phew!). Well, as is evident, this boon made him almost invincible. The operative word here is ‘almost’, and Vishnu understood this like no one else. Disguising himself as Narasimha at twilight, Vishnu chose the porch to do the honours and Hiranyakashyap became history. You know, gods find a way to get around things. Hence every year in spring, on the eve of Holi, a ritualistic bonfire is lit with much festivity and jollity to solemnise this legend.

Dussehra Festival
The Festival Time Begins With Dussehra

Come September and an intangible bubbling excitement begins to charge the Indian air. Folks go about their daily chores as usual. But hey, look closer and you’ll notice the little skip in their steps, the wider than usual smiles and basically a general lightness of spirit. Ask them why and you’ll be answered with a blank look. No, it’s not a secret but just a feeling, the feeling of ‘good times are here again’. It’s festival time; one after another, and the fever is just catching on. The first big festival of the season is Dussehra.


The Exciting Tales Associated With The Festival
This hugely popular festival falls on the 10^th day of the waxing moon during the Hindu month of Ashvin (around September or October). A fascinating collection of mythological legends and regional tales are embroidered around Dussehra. On this day, Rama, the god-king and hero of the great Hindu epic, Ramayana, killed the unrighteous Ravana, the 10-headed demon king of Lanka who had abducted Rama’s wife, Sita.

It is believed that Lord Rama’s brother Lakshmana, along with an army of monkeys, fought a colossal battle that lasted 10 days. Rama, who was a devout believer of Durga, the Goddess of War, prayed to her for the first nine days of battle and killed the evil Ravana on the 10^th day. He shot Ravana with a bow that pierced his navel. Out flowed the nectar of immortality that was stored in a pot in his navel, thus destroying his invincibility. Ravana’s own brother Vibhishana (being the sensible one, he had switched sides) had divulged this secret to Rama. Rama also slew Ravana’s brother Kumbhkarna (more famous for maintaining a lifestyle worthy of a record in the Guinness Book – he hibernated for six months at a stretch each year!). Lakshmana killed Ravana’s son, Meghnath. and Dussehra is the festival that commemorates this triumph of Good over Evil. To this day Rama Lila (the enactment of the Ramayana, or literally the saga of Rama) is staged in towns and villages across the length and breadth of the country.

Another legend that is linked to Dussehra is that of the Goddess Durga slaying the buffalo-demon, Mahishasura. According to popular mythology, the gods were compelled to grant Mahishasura indomitable powers for his unparalleled meditation. As expected, the omnipotent buffalo-demon Mahishasura raised hell at the gates of heaven, astounding the gods with his mammoth dominion. The infuriated gods then created Durga. It is believed that Durga was actualised by the combined effort of all deities. Durga possesses a weapon of each god and is said to be more powerful than all of them put together.

In Bengal the festival is known as Durga Puja and is the single most important festival for the Bengalis. But that is another story.

Onam Festival

Tbe Land of Kerala
The Tourism Department of Kerala calls this narrow strip on India’s western coast ‘God’s Own Country’. Whoever decided upon this line must be a gifted person. Kerala is God’s own country. The Arabian Sea has carved inroads deep into its terra firma giving rise to life and a people profoundly connected to this land. Its people have so imbibed the character of this leaf-shaped piece of earth that today they constitute one of the most progressive and literate communities in India.

Malayalis (the people of Kerala) are as simple as they are progressive and their centuries-old traditions reflect this simplicity. Kerala was once home to King Mahabali (the grandson of Prahlad, see Holi), the most dynamic ruler in the history of Kerala, and whose reign is referred to as Kerala’s glorious Golden Age.

According To Mythology
The Bhagwat Purana (ancient Hindu scriptures) tells the engrossing story of Mahabali. He was a noble and virtuous king. Although he was an asur (demon) king, he was known far and wide for his generosity and good sense. It is said that if a person asked Mahabali for something, he never returned disappointed. The story goes that once Mahabali decided to perform the Ashvamedha Yagna (a horse-sacrifice in order to be proclaimed the most powerful and distinguished king in the three worlds – heaven, earth and the nether world). The devtas (gods) felt especially threatened by this ritual for as noble as Mahabali could be, he was after all an asur. The devtas rushed to Lord Vishnu (the Preserver in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer) imploring him to rein Mahabali in.

The Interesting Tale of Mahabali and The Dwarf
These are celestial matters and we should leave the gods to work in their own mysterious ways. Coming back to Mahabali and the elaborate preparations of the Yagna; the venue of the Yagna was to be the banks of the holy Narmada River. It is believed that while Mahabali was proceeding to Narmada, a charming little boy holding an umbrella stopped him. Seeing the boy who was actually a dwarf, Mahabali realised that this was no ordinary fellow. Mesmerised, he told the dwarf to ask him for anything he desired. The dwarf simply asked him for the measure of area he would cover in three strides. Taken aback by such a trivial wish, Mahabali asked him to demand something more substantial. The dwarf did not change his mind and again repeated his wish. Mahabali had little choice but to agree. The dwarf assumed his original self – Lord Vishnu who had appeared in his fifth avatar or manifestation (the fifth reincarnation of Vishnu in the form of a dwarf is called Vamana).

Christismas Festival
Christianity came to India in a.d. 52. Twenty years after the crucifixion of Christ, one of his apostles, St. Thomas, is said to have landed on the Malabar Coast, established a few churches and converted a number of local inhabitants in Kerala.

This was the first Christian settlement in the subcontinent – the Syrian Church. Today the ‘Syrian Christians’ (as they are known, owing to their spiritual practices and adoption of the Syrian liturgy) form the oldest Christian community in India.

The Syrian Orthodox Church functions as an autonomous body under its Indian prelate but remains loyal to the spiritual preeminence of the Patriarch of Antioch (the ancient capital of Syria).

Advent of Christianity In India
The 15^th century was marked by the advent of the Europeans and the beginning of a slow but sustained missionary activity that gained momentum in the 16^th century.

The first church in North India was established in Lahore (now in Pakistan), under the rule of Akbar (1556-1605) the greatest Mughal emperor, known for formulating the Din-i-Illahi (‘Universal Religion’, formulated by combining the salient features of various religions).

Today, India is home to 23 million Christians, 50% of whom live in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Christians constitute 2.3% of India’s total population and form the third most prominent religion in India after Hinduism and Islam.

Christians form a majority of the total population in the eastern states of Mizoram and Nagaland, a third of the population of Goa and a quarter of the population of the coastal state of Kerala. But the influence of Christianity can be seen and felt through the length and breadth of the country.

Pushkar Fair
The annual Pushkar fair in Pushkar, Rajasthan is celebrated with great enthusiasm. The festival is an obeisance to lord Brahma, the creator of this world. Situated in Pushkar is the only temple of Brahma in the world. Celebrated on the occassion of Karthik Purnima (November), it is believed that Lord Brahma, Vishnu and others come down to Pushkar to bath in the lake Pushkar. So it is considered very holy to bath in the Pushkar lake on this auspicious occassion. The festival becomes a hub for the cultural activities of Rajasthan. People come from far places to take part in the festival celebrations. They stay in there tents, named after the village they belong to. They also bring herds of cattles along. These cattles are here for a show and for trading. Other cultural events of Rajasthan also takes place during the festival.

Festival Attractions

Cattle Fair
The cattle fair is synonimous to the Pushkar fair. The villagers and the merchants meet at Pushkar and barter. The cattles are decorated in very colorful manner to attract the buyers and the tourists.

Navratri Festival

Festivals in India epitomise the religious, cultural and social aspirations of the people, and are occasions to reaffirm one's gratitude and allegiance to one's family. Most Hindu festivals are a soul-purifying experience for the believer. and festivals are instrumental in diluting the humdrum of everyday life by adding their special touch to it.


Navratri Celebrations
Navratri Festival coincides with the end of the rainy season. This season is considered to be an auspicious one as it is generally associated with the sowing of seeds, and watching new seeds sprout - a sign of prosperity and abundance. Most people consider it the best time of the year to undertake or start new ventures.

Durga- The Holy Deity
The Navratri festival is dedicated to the Mother Goddess. Known by other names such as Durga, Devi, she occupies a special place in the Hindu pantheon. She represents Shakti, the cosmic energy that animates all beings, and is also considered to be prakriti (nature), the counterpart of purusha. Together, they are responsible for the creation of the world according to the Puranas and Vedas (ancient Hindu Scriptures).
Durga puja is the most prominent festival of Bengalis and Calcutta turns a new city during the last four days of the festival from Maha-Shashti (the sixth day), the day of Bodhon on Maha-Shashti to the day when the idols are immersed in the rivers, lakes and seas on the evening of Dashami. However, it is considered to immerse the idols in the sacred waters of the River Ganges. It is believed that the Mother Goddess descends to the Earth on Shashthi and returns to her abode on Dashmi. The fresh and cool air of the pleasant winters, the clear skies, mildly fragrant Shiuli (a type of flower), the bountiful harvest in the fields and chanting of mantras and shlokas to worship Shakti, all collectively set up the scene for the ten-day long festival of Durga Puja. The preparations are done long before the festival to clean and decorate homes, buy gifts for fiends and relatives and new clothes for the celebrations and prepare mouth-watering delicacies for the occasion.

However, Durgapuja festival is not merely religious in nature. With time, it has acquired the status of the biggest social even of the region as Bengalis use this time to socialize and make big plans for the four days of Durga Puja. Dances and performances organized, feasts and music reign the festivities and it is also the time for the teens and youths to catch up on the latest fashion trends, designer clothes, trendy footwear and catchy accessories. Businessmen sure cash in the festival and sales, discounts, free gifts jazz up the spirits of the people. Shopping spree and traditional Bengali sweets help to loosen up the festive side of the peole. In short, Durga Puja is not only for the transition from the dull to a life of fun and gaiety but also to share this joy and happiness with friends and relatives.

Independence Day Of India

Independence Day, August 15, commemorates the day in 1947 when India achieved freedom from British rule. It is celebrated with flag hoisting ceremonies and cultural programs in the state capitals. The Prime Minister's speech at the Red Fort in Delhi is the major highlight.

All Government Organisations have a holiday as 15th August is a National holiday . In the capital New Delhi most of the Government Offices are lit up. In all the cities around the country the Flag Hoisting Ceremony is done by politicians belonging to that constituency.

In various private organisations the Flag Hoisting Ceremony is carried out by a Senior officer of that organisation. On Television, various Independence related programs are telecasted, reminding us of the hard times faced by the freedom fighters.

In almost all the schools and colleges around the country, no academic work in done on this day, but all the students and staff members are present on this day and there is a sort of gathering of the entire school/college within their respective premises and the flag hoisting ceremony takes place,(usually in the presence of the principal)and singing of the National Anthem. After this there are various cultural activities held in the school / college and the celebration continues till late evening.