FESTIVALS OF FESTIVALS OF INDIAINDIA

LipilekhaLipilekha Bengali AssociationBengali Association

DURGA PUJADURGA PUJA

DASSEHRADASSEHRA

DIWALIDIWALI

KALI PUJAKALI PUJA

RAKSHA BANDHANRAKSHA BANDHAN

BHAI PHOTABHAI PHOTA

JANMASHTAMIJANMASHTAMI

HOLIHOLI

EID UL FITREID UL FITR

BAISHAKHIBAISHAKHI

INDEPENDENCE DAYINDEPENDENCE DAY

REPUBLIC DAYREPUBLIC DAY

SARASWATI PUJASARASWATI PUJA

GANESH CHATURTHIGANESH CHATURTHI

CHRISTMASCHRISTMAS

PONGALPONGAL

ONAMONAM

MAHAVIR JAYANTIMAHAVIR JAYANTI

GURU NANAK JAYANTIGURU NANAK JAYANTI

BUDDHA PURNIMABUDDHA PURNIMA

FESTIVALS of INDIA. -

. DURGA PUJA : Celebratedinautumn,oJrleflyinBengaLTheDivineMother(good)isrepresentedastramplingunderfootthedemonMahishasur(evil)whoterrorizedtheearthuntilhewasslainbyher.HerimageeverywhereissurroundedbytheimagesofherchildrenGanesba( godofwisdomandthebestowerof success),Kartikeya(godofwar),SaraSwati(goddessof learningandthearts)andLaksbmi(goddessofwealthandbeauty).Peoplewearnewclothesandexchangegiftsofnewclothes.

. DASEHRA: Celebratedintandem.(atthesametime)withDurgaPuja,throughoutnorthernIndia.It is devotedtothememoryoithegreatheroRaroa,wholivedamillionandthreehundredthousandyearsago~ftomoneof India'sgreatestepicstheRamayana.ThefestivallaststendaysandtalesaretoldwithgreatpompanddramaaboutthetriwnphofRama(good)overRavana(evil)whowasawickedkingwhomRamavanquished.An annualpageant(procession)'~ Li1a~'ispresentedfortwobourseachdayforthetensuccessive4aYsoverwhichDasehraiscelebrated.

. DIWAU : Celebratedmainlybymerchantsinautumn,afterDasehra,chieflyinnorthernIndia.TheworddiwallcomesftomtheHindiworddeepavaliwhichmeans"rowof lights."Itlastsfurtwodays.Onthefirstdayfamilieslight"diye"inthehopethatLaksbmithegoddessofprosperitywill visittheirhomes.TheyalsopraytoGanesha,godofwisdomandgoodluck.Onthesecondnight,familiespray,feastandsetofffU'CworkstowardoffeviL

KALI PUJA :CelebratedinBengalatthesametimeasDiwali.Dwga'sincarnationKali isworshiped,andtheformof:fustivitiesismuchthesameasthatofDiwali.Lakshmiand ..Ganesharenotworshfedatthisfestivalhowever."

RAKSHA BANDHAN :A brother-sistercustomwhichiscelebratedduringa fullmoontowardtheendof July. Sistersbindtheirbrother'swristswith'rakbi';oramuletsconsistingof silkthreads,orsilverorgoldwire~cora1s)stringsofpearlsorevenpreciousjewels!Theamuletsaresupposedtoprotectthebrothersnomevilduringtheensuingyear,andpledge1hemtoprotecttheirsistersintimeofneed.ThistraditiondatesbackmorethanSOOyears,whensiSterstiedrakhisontheirbrother~swriststoprotectthemonthebattlefield.

.BHAIPHOTA: CelebratedinBengal.fewdaysafterKali Puja..;Thisisalsoabrother-sisterfestivalinwhichthesisterappliesaspotor"photaUonherbrother'sforeheadandrecitesaprayerforhisstrengthandimmortality(well-being).Giftsareexchangedbetweenbroth,ersandsisters;sisterscookgoodfOodforthcirbrothers. l'

JANMASHT AMI :Krishna"sbirthiscelebratedduringsummerthroughoutIndiabyHindus~In thehomesaspaceisclearedtorepresentthebirth-roorn,wherethejmageof thebabyKrishna(eightincarnationofVishnu,thePreserver,cametoearthtosavemanlcindhcastingol~bfassorplaster,issun:oundedbyalltheotherpeopleinhisinfancy.Sometimestheinfantisplacedinaswingingcradleanddecoratedwithgarlandsofftagrantflowers.Thismaybecomparedwithandis Vf:fYsimilartothewaythebirthof .JesusChrist(sonofGodinChristian.religionwhocametoearthtosavemankind)isdepictedduringChristmas.

:Mantras,similartothePsalms,aresungatmidnight.Thereismusicanddancing.AndsinceKrishnaasachildwasveryfond:ofmilk,manyvarietiesofdairydishesarepreparedonthisholiday.Childrenaregivensweets,especia1lysincethechildKrislmaisworshipped.

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I HOLl: CelebratedinFebruaryorMarch-onthedayafterthefull-moon.InBengal,tbis

festivaliscalled''DoL7tAfterthewheatharvestisbrougbtinpeop1ehave'springfever'and'inagaymoodce1ebratethe"FestivalofColor"~Peoplewe~theirworstclothesandareinamoodtogetgoodanddirty!ProbablychildreninIndialovethisfestivalasmuchaschildreninthewesterncountriesloveHalloween.Everyonerobscoloredpowderoneachotherandalsodrencheachotherwithcoloredliquid.Thisgoesonuntillunchafterwhichpeopletakeabath.Sometimesit takesdaysuntilthecolorsarecompletelyremoved.TherearetwoancientlegendsthatexplaintheoriginofHoIi. OneisaboutKrishnaandRadhaandtheotherisaboutPrahladan(!HoIikathedemonogress.ThenameHoli isderivedftomHolika.

. EID UL-FITR : Celebratedaftertheninthlunarmonth,calledRamadan,bytheMuslims.TheyavoidfoodanddrinkbetweensunriseandsunsetdmingRamadan.Thentheycelebratetheendoftmsperiodof&stingwithBidut-Fitr,ajoyoustestivaIof feastingthatlastsforthreedays.At EidMuslimseatcelebratorymeals,givefoodtothepoor,visitrelationsandfriends,andexchangegiftsandcards.

. BAISHAKHI: TheBengaliNewYear,calledBaishakhi,iscelebratedinApril.It isaharvestfestival.Housesaredecorated,peoplewearnewclothesanddoorstepsarepaintedjntraditionalpatternsor 'a1pana~towelcomenewyear'svisitors,whoareservedsweets.Intown,shopkeeperssettlealltheiraccountsttomtheoldyear,decoratetheirshopswithflowersandstreamers~andhandoutsweetstochildren.ThehighlightofthecelebrationistheBaisbakhi'me1a'or fair,withamusement-parkrid.esandrowsof stallssellingeverythingimaginable.In Dhaka,thecapitalofBangladesh,thefairgoesonforanentireweek.At oneminutepastmidnightonNewYear~sDay,BengaJissetoff stringafterstringof firecrackers.Latertheygreetthefirstsunriseofthenewyearwithchoralsingingandpoetryreadings.OnNewYear'sDay,peopleJinethestreetstowatchthelongprocessionofmusiciansanddancersperform.

. INDEPENDENCEDAY: CelebratedonAugust15,whichistheanniversaryofthedayin1947whenindependencewasfonnallygrantedatmidnighttoIndia.PriortothistheBritishhadrolooIndiaforover200years.No battleswerefought,anduniquelytheindependencewasgainedbynon-violentnegotiationsandcivildisobedience.Thereisaflaghoistingceremonyinschools,institutionsandhomeswherethenationalanthem(writtenbyRabindranathTagore)issung.

. REPUBLIC DAY: CelebratedonJanuaxy26,whichistheanniversaryofthedayin 1950whenIndiastoodonitsownteet,separateatlastfromtheBritish,withitsownnewlywrittenconstitutionandgovernmentofthepeople'sownforming(elections).InNewDelhithet'elisalongparade,wherethearmedforces--- anny.navy,andairforce--- passinreview~fonowedbyfloatsnomthevariousstates,showinginpantomimeanddresssomeof thescenesftomtheirhistory.Theschoolchildrenmarchandsodocamelsandelephants!OnthisdayandonIndependenceDaythereisaspiritthatbasthesameunifyingeffectalloverIndia.Indiawasbeforea landofmanyprincelystatesthatwasfirstunifiedbytheBritish,andthencametogetherasaRepublicafteritsindependencefromtheBritishwithacommonconstitutionandsystemof government.

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GANESH CHATURTHI: Celebrated mainly in Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh as the birth of Lord Ganesh who is worshiped by the Hindus for his ability to remove obstacles and bring good fortune.The exact time of the festival is determined by the lunar cycle and it is celebrated for ten days, sometime in August or September. The deity is worshiped both in private and in community sites. At the end of the ten days, the idols are immersed to the sound of drumbeats and devotional songs.

CHRISTMAS: Celebrates and honors the birth of Jesus Christ on the 25th of

December. This date is not thought to coincide with the actual date of birth of Jesus of Nazareth and may have been chosen because of the fact that ancient Roman solar festivals were celebrated on that day. Modern customs of the holiday include church celebrations, the singing of Christmas carols and display of various decorations including Christmas trees, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes and holly. Santa Claus is a popular mythological figure and he is associated with the giving of gifts. Christmas gifts are also exchanged between family members and donations are given to charity. Christmas is celebrated by the Christians of India but is also celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. Interestingly enough, local Indian customs and traditions have had an impact on Indian Christians. This may be visible in their mode of decorations when houses are adorned with mango leaves or when small clay lamps are placed on the rooftops and walls of houses. Also Indians may decorate banana or mango Christmas trees instead of a traditional pine trees.

PONGAL: Celebrated in Tamil Nadu sometime in January or February, at the end

of the harvesting season for four days."Ponga" literally translated, means "overflowing", and the festival is named thus due to the tradition of cooking the new rice in pots until they boil and overflow the pot. This is symbolic of abundance and prosperity. During Pongal people give their thanksgiving to nature. Briefly, on the first of the four days called Bhogi, the people clean out their homes and light an evening bonfire; on the second day called Perum Pongal or Surya Pongal, they worship Surya and this is the most important day;on the third day called Mattu Pongal people give thanks to the cows and buffaloes and on the last day people go for a picnic.

ONAM: Celebrated in Kerala either in the end of August or at the beginning of

September. It is a harvest festival. Also according to popular belief the spirit of Kerala's beloved and legendary King Mahabali is said to visit his beloved State(Kerala) at this time and all preparations are made to give him a royal reception. Flower mats adorn courtyards and a sumptuous feast is cooked in order to welcome him. The Onam carnival lasts ten days and is secular in nature.Folk songs, elaborate dances, energetic games, elephants and boats are a part of Onam. The Government of India has recognized Onam as a dynamic and spectacular festival. It promotes Onam in a big way internationally as "Tourist Week" in Kerala. Thousands of tourists, both domestic and foreign visit Kerala during Onam.

MAHAVIR JAYANTI: Celebrated by the Jains in late March or early April to

commemorate the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira who taught that complete non-violence and the practice of austerity was the path to spirituality and salvation. Grand chariots and processions with the images of Mahavira are taken out, rich ceremonies are held in the temples and fasts and charities are observed. The Jains visit sacred sites such as ancient sites in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Bihar.

GURU NANAK JAYANTI: Celebrated by the Sikhs sometime in November as

the birthday of the founder of Sikhism. The celebrations are especially colorful in Punjab and Haryana. Sikhs do not worship idols and their festivities revolve around the ten Sikh Gurus. These Gurus were responsible for shaping the beliefs of the Sikhs and their birthdays, known as Guruparabs are occasions for celebration and prayer among the Sikhs.On the day of the Guruparab, hymns,lectures and recitations are performed in honor of Guru Nanak. Following this, a special community lunch is arranged at the Gurudwara by volunteers. The idea behind the free communal lunch is that people should be offered food in the spirit of service (seva) and devotion (bhakti).

BUDDHA PURNIMA: Celebrated by Buddhists to commemorate the birth

anniversary of Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha was born on a full moon night in Vaishakh which usually falls in April or May, he attained "nirvana" or enlightenment on this day and he died on this same day at the age of eighty. Thus Buddha Jayanti or Buddha Purnima celebrates the three most important events in Gautam Buddha's life. Siddhartha, who later became Gautam Buddha was born a prince, and lived in the lap of luxury. Upon perceiving old age, disease and death he renounced worldly pleasures and wandered around in search of enlightenment. Lord Buddha attained enlightenment under a "pipal" tree in Bodh Gaya.Pilgrims from all over the world congregate there to participate in the Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti celebrations that highlight prayer meets, recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation, processions and worship of the statue of Buddha on the site.