CELEBRATING FESTIVALS
The word festival means feast day, festive celebration. As kids,
when there used to be festivals the only thing that came to our
minds was holidays and sweets that in turn meant lots of fun. India
being a society of may religions there are a lot many festivals.
For the Hindus there is diwali, for the Muslims there is id, for
the Christians its Christmas and for the Parsis its the New Year
and apart from all these days there are two other days that are
celebrated by all Indians irrespective of cast, creed or sex. Yes,
its 26th January and 15th August. i.e. republic day and the
Independence Day
LOHRI THE FESTIVAL
OF HARVESTING
The Lohri festival is celebrated both in Punjab and Haryana. It
is one of the most popular harvest festivals of Punjab. This
harvest festival is celebrated in the month of January and marks
the end of the winter season.
FESTIVAL OF COLOURS
Holiis another festival that is celebrated by all communities. Its
a festival of colours. It marks the beginning of summer season and
so water balloons are burst to beat the heat.
Hiranyakashyap wanted everybody in his kingdom to worship only
him but to his great disappointment, his son, Prahladbecame an
ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana. Hiaranyakashyap commanded his
sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap.
Holika had a boon whereby she could enter fire without any damage
on herself. However, she was not aware that the boon worked only
when she enters the fire alone. As a result she paid a price for
her sinister desires, while Prahlad was saved by the grace of the
god for his extreme devotion. The festival, therefore, celebrates
the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of
devotion.
BAISAKHI
The most important festival which is harvesting season. The
word Baisakhi is dcelebrated in Punjab is Baisakhi, which marks the
arrival of the erivedfrom the month of Vaisakha (April-May) in
which the festival is celebrated. This festival is celebrated on
the 13th April every year, a time when the farmer returns home with
his bumper crop, the fruit of his whole years hard labour. The
people of Punjab attired in their best clothes perform the Bhangra
dance to express their joy.
Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the two Muslim festivals which are set
down in law. It is a festival of great celebration and in Islamic
countries is marked by a public holiday.
Ramzan Id is the most important festival in the Muslim
calendar. A month long fasting and prayers is followed by Ramzan
Id. Its said that during this month all the prayers and wishes of
an individual comes true.
15th august is celebrated by all Indians because on this day in
the year 1947 India received independence from the British rule in
India
Dusshera in India is another festival celebrated by the Hindus.
It marks the victory of good over evil. On that day lord ram killed
the evil Ravana. On dusshera an effigy of Ravana is burnt at many
places.
DIWALI
DIWALI THE FES TIVAL
OF LIGHTS
Diwali festival is a 5 day Hindu festival in India which occurs on
the fifteenth day of Kartika. Diwali when translated means "rows of
lighted lamps" and the occasion is also referred to as the Festival
of Lights. During Diwali, Indian homes are cleaned and windows are
opened to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Lamps, lights and
candles are lit as a greeting to Goddess Laksmi.
Gifts are exchanged and sweets, festive meals are prepared during
Diwali. Because there are many castes and regions in India, there
are myriad manifestations of the Diwali festival.
Christmas in India- Christmas marks the birth of Jesus Christ
on 25th December every year and is an inseparable part of
Christians all over the country and the world. Santa Claus, gifts,
cakes, cookies, and the beautifully decorated Christmas tree with a
midnight mass depicts he beginning of Christmas.
Some other festivals that are celebrated happily all over the
country are Onam, Baisakhi, Pongal, MahavirJayanti, Buddha Jayanti,
Guru Purnima, RakshaBandhan, Krishna Janmashtami, Gandhi Jayanti,
KumbhMela, Childrens day, Ganesh Chaturthi and many many more
festivals.
Festivals bring joy and happiness in our lives. If we celebrate all
festivals alike we can spread the message of joy, happiness,
brotherhood and humanity among one another and live as one family
and community
Name the festival of harvesting?
Name two states where festival of colors is celebrated with
fun?
Name the goddess worshipped on Diwali.
When do we celebrate Christmas?
Which festival is celebrated by Muslims?
RECAPITULATION
COLLECT PICTURES ABD INFORMATION AND
M AKE A COLLAGE OF THE FESTIVALS CELEBRATED IN INDIA
ACTIVITY
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
NAME THE FESTIVAL CELEBRATED BY MUSLIMS?
NAME THE FESTIVALS OF COLOURS AND LIGHTS
NAME THE STATE WHERE BAISAKHI IS CELEBRATED.
WHEN DO WE CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY?
WHY DO WE CELEBRATE DUSSHERA?
ASSIGNMENT
