Maha Shivaratri
Maha-Shivaratri has its source within the Indian mythology and is widely known by the Hindus not only for their faith in Lord Shiva but also for its own scientific and spiritual significance. consistent with astrology, on this very day the Moon is nearer to the Sun, creating an ideal moment for the communion between two sustaining forces, one being the source of life with beauty, warmth and fervour and also the other being Shiva himself exuding light ,strength and energy. occurring a spiritual note, Maha-Shivaratri is an auspicious announcement of the divine descent of Lord Shiva. that the sincere worship of Lord Shiva is alleged to yield merits yet as spiritual growth for the devotees.
Holi Festival
The
Hindu Fire Festival, called Holi or Basaat is celebrated in India on the
fifteenth day of the Light Half of the Moon, in the Hindu month of Phalguna
(March). Holi is a spring festival for Hindus. Holi is a joyous holiday and is
celebrated by Hindus of all ages. Boys and girls squirt water pistols,
sometimes large pumps filled with saffron or red-colored water. The Hindus
favorite colors are red, crimson and saffron. In Bengal, the Holi festival is
associated with the life of Krishna, a Hindu god. In Bengal the colored powders
are used without the water, for the fun. Before indulging in a feast in honor
of Holi, the children change out of their sporty clothes that are covered in
red and put on fresh, clean garments. It is customary to exchange gifts in
honor of this spring festival.
Durga Puja of Kolkata
Broadly durga puja Kolkata are often divided
into four parts: East, West, North and South. While South and North host
majority of the simplest durga puja in Kolkata. a number of the durgapuja s are
famous for the idols of the Goddesses that are made by the foremost reputed
potters within the city, some pujas attract people for the decoration and
artworks inside and out of doors the pandals. Even there are some durgapujas
where thousands of individuals gather at midnight to enjoy the show of
colourful lights. The efforts made by the durgapuja committees, the potters,
the artists and therefore the electricians create a tremendous ambiance in and
round the place where the durga puja s are held and that is what attract the
people like magnets.
Diwali : The Festival of Lights
Diwali, is celebrated on the last night of
autumn, in October or November. It is a holiday which is celebrated throughout
India. It comes at the end of the monsoon rains, when the weather is nice and
mild, and lasts for five days. For this holiday, daughters return to their
parents' homes, houses are cleared; walls are decorated with designs drawn in
white rice flour water and then colored. Business account books are closed and
new ones are opened ceremoniously, new clothes are worn and friends are
entertained. Before the festival, special food is prepared to be offered in the
Hindu temples. In preparation and in honor of this festival of lights clay
saucers are filled with mustard oil and floating cotton wicks, giving a soft,
glowing light to the homes. These lights are called chirags, and are placed on
the window sills and rooftops of houses; along the roads, and on the banks of
rivers and streams. Women and girls who live in the sacred city of Banares,
take their chirags to the banks of the Ganges River. They quietly light them
and put them in the river to float along the water. They hope for their clay
boats to float to the other side with the wicks still lit. If they remain lit,
it is a sign of good luck. The reason for the lights is to direct Lakshmi;
goddess of prosperity to every home. There are a few versions of the origin of
this festival. In the northern part of India, it is associated with the autumn
season and the harvest. They believe that Lakshmi returns to the plains and lowlands
every autumn, after her stay in high country during the summer months. She
visits people's homes on that night and needs the light to guide her way. By
assuring that she reaches their homes they are assuring that their blessings
will be great and meaningful.
Dussera: The Victories of Rama
During
the ten day Festival of the Divine Mother a pageant is presented in every city,
town or village throughout northern India. The pageant is presented for two
hours each day, ten days in a row. This annual pageant is called Ram Lila,
based on the famous and sacred Hindu epic Ramayana, which consists of 24,000
stanzas. The Ram Lila shows some happening of the great epic that are well
known to all Hindus, adults and children. Every year the people in India gather
in the market places and watch the Ram Lila with excitement as if they are
seeing it for the first time. Towns compete to see who will put on a richer
display of costumes and better music. The pageant's story concerns mainly the
events in the wars between Rama, the seventh incarnation of the Lord Vishnu,
the Preserver, and Ravan, the cruel demon with ten faces and twenty hands, who
threatened to conquer the earth below and the gods in heaven. Rama's forces
were under the command of General Hanuman, a monkey. Hanuman led great
victories over enemies of mankind and gods. The most exciting part of the
pageant is a battle scene with Hanuman. The ten day pageant ends with the death
of Ravana, who is burned in effigy. An image of the dead demon is made of bamboo
and colored paper, and is placed on a platform and blown up with fireworks. The
audience stamps their feet and this symbolizes victory for Rama over Ravana;
good over evil.
Basanta: The First Day of Spring
On the first day of spring, in the Muslim calendar,
Basanta is celebrated. Basanta, which in Sanskrit means yellow, is the sac red
color of India and is the symbol of spring. On this festival everyone wears
yellow on parts of their clothing. Hindu poets of ancient days wrote poems
about spring. Many of them were to Basanta, and in some way connected the
arrival of spring with Saraswati, Brahma's wife, the goddess of the sixty-four
arts and sciences. On this holiday, the family fasts until noon and then they
go to a field for a picnic lunch and enjoy the outdoors. Offering of white
mango bloom or any white flower is brought for Saraswati. This begins the
season when boys and their fathers like to fly their flat tailless kites made
of colored tissue paper and bamboo.
Pongal : Harvest Festival of Kerala
Pongal
festival may be a series of 4 celebrations all rolled into one festival. The
Pongal festival series consists of Bhogi Pongal, Thai Pongal, Mattu Ponal and
Kanum Pongal. Each of those festive celebrations is exclusive in its concept
which has its own rituals and way of celebration. This festival is widely known
with great pomp and enthusiasm within which people clean their houses, wear new
clothes and make colourful rangoli (known as Kolam) at the most entrance of
their houses and cook delicious cuisine.
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