A three-day
harvest festival and one of the most joyful events in the
South. In Tamil Nadu, newly harvested rice is ceremonially
cooked. In Karnataka, the festival is called 'Sankranti',
and cows and bullocks are gaily decorated and fed on 'Pongal'
( a sweet preparation of rice). In the evening, the cattle
are led out in procession to the beat of drums and music.
This Muslim
festival of sacrifice, Id-ul-Zuha (Arabic) or Bakrid in India
is celebrated all over the country. On this day Muslims
sacrifice a goat or Bakr (Urdu) to commemorate the sacrifice
of Prophet Ibrahim, who willingly agreed to kill his son at
the behest of God. This festival coincides with the Haj
pilgrimage in Mecca. Prayers are offered in the mosques and
the sacrificial meat is then distributed after the Id prayers.
Special delicacies are prepared and served among family and
friends on the occasion.
The Festival
of Muharram (Arabic: احتفال محرم or مناسبة محرم) is an
important period of mourning in the Shi'ite branch of Islam.
It signifies the Karbala tragedy when Husayn bin Ali, a
grandson of Muhammad, was martyred. Muharram is the first
month of Islamic lunar calendar. This marks the time when
Prophet Muhammed was driven out of Mecca. He, along with
Muslims, took refuge in the city Ya-Th'rib, which was later
renamed to Medina (City of Prophet). Though Muslims around the
world celebrate the new Islamic year, the Shi'ite sect has
most visible celebration proceedings.
Amongst
India's innumerable festivals, Holi ranks as the most
colourful. It celebrates the arrival of spring and death of
demoness Holika; it is a celebration of joy and hope. Holi
provides a refreshing respite from the mundane norms as people
from all walks of life enjoy themselves. In a tight knit
community, it also provided a good excuse for letting off some
steam and settling old scores, without causing physical
injury.
The Jain
community celebrates the birth anniversary of the 24th and the
last Tirthankara, Vardhman Mahavir, the founder of Jainism. On
Mahavir Jayanthi, Jain temples are decorated with flags. In
the morning the idol of Mahavira is given a ceremonial bath
called the 'abhishek'. It is then placed in a cradle and
carried in a procession around the neighbourhood. The devotees
make offerings of milk, rice, fruit, incense, lamps and water
to the Tirthankar. Pilgrims from all parts of the country
visit the ancient Jain Temples at Girnar and Palitana in
Gujarat on this day.
Good Friday is
a holy day celebrated by Christians on the Friday before
Easter or Pascha. It commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus at
Calvary. Special prayer services are often held on this day
with readings from the Gospel accounts of the events leading
up to the crucifixion. Mainstream Christian churches view
Christ's crucifixion as a voluntary and vicarious act, and one
by which, along with his resurrection on the third day, death
itself was conquered.
An important
religious festival among Christians; it commemorates the
Resurrection of Jesus after his Crucifixion. Easter is
celebrated on a Sunday in spring, and the season of Easter, a
time of rejoicing, continues for several weeks. The
penitential season of Lent is a time of preparation for
Easter.
The Hindu Solar
New Year Day. People bathe in rivers and go to temples to
offer puja (worship). Baisakhi is of special significance
to the Sikhs. On this day in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh organised
them into the 'Khalsa', brotherhood of man. In Punjab, farmers
start harvesting on this day with great fanfare. Villagers
perform the 'Bhangra' folk-dance.
The full moon of the month of Vaisakh has a three-fold
significance for Buddhists because this was the day when
Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and attained
Nirvana. Here is a look at the various ways in which Buddha
Purnima is celebrated and observed. Celebrations of Buddha
Purnima have been extensively written about in poems and
novels and depicted in paintings because Buddha Purnima is
not only a day of rejoicing; it is also a day for reflection
on the life and teaching of one of the greatest teachers the
world has ever known.
The birth anniversary
of Lord Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu and the author
of the Bhagavad Gita (Song Celestial), is observed all over.
It is celebrated with special eclat at Mathura and Brindavan
where Lord Krishna spent his childhood. Night-long prayers
are offered and religious hymns are sung in temples. Scenes
are enacted from Lord Krishna's early life.
Onam, a harvest festival, is celebrated in Kerala, a state
in India. It generally falls in the months of
August-September. Onam is a celebration to mark the annual
return of the spirit of the mythical King Mahabali to his
kingdom, and a commemoration of his benevolent rule and his
sacrifice. The festivities are intended to assure the King
that his people are happy and to wish him well.
Among the most popular of all festivals, it symbolises
the triumph of good over evil. Every region observes this
10-day festival in a special way. In the North, 'Ram Lila'
recitations and music recall the life of the legendary hero,
Rama. Large fire cracker--stuffed effigies of Ravana, symbolising
evil, explode to the cheers of thousands of spectators.
In Kulu against the backdrop of snow-covered mountains,
villagers dressed in their colourful best assemble to take
out processions of local deities accompanied by music on
pipes and drums. In Karnataka, Dussehra is celebrated with
magnificent pomp and pageantry. In Bengal and the East,
it is called 'Durga Puja'. Images of Goddess Durga are worshipped
for four days and, on the last day, taken out in a procession
and immersed in a river or the sea.
The festival
of lights is one of the most beautiful of Indian festivals.
It comes 21 days after Dussehra and celebrates the return
of Rama to Ayodhya after his 14-year exile. Countless flickering
oil lamps and lights are lit in houses all over the country
making it a night of enchantment. Worship of Lakshmi, the
goddess of wealth, and fireworks and festivities are an essential
part of the occasion.
Guru Nanak
Jayanti, it is the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak who founded
the Sikh faith. For two days and nights preceding the
festival, the 'Granth Sahib' (Holy Book) is read and on the
day of the festival, taken out in a grand procession. Guru
Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh faith, was born in the
month of Kartik (October / November) and his birthday is known
as Guru Nanak Jayanti. He was born in 1469 A.D. at Tolevandi
some 30 miles from Lahore. The anniversaries of Sikh Guru's
are known as Gurpurabs and are celebrated with devotion and
dedication.
Eid-ul-Fitr,
popularly known as the "Festival of the Breaking of the Fast",
occurs as soon as the new moon is sighted at the end of the
month of fasting, namely Ramadan. The festival is intended to
be a festive and joyous occasion. Special foods and delicacies
are prepared for the day and are distributed to neighbours and
friends.
This festival celebrates the end of Ramzan, the
Muslim month of fasting. It is an occasion of feasting and
rejoicing.
The faithful gather in the mosques to pray, friends and
relatives meet and exchange greetings. Prayers, family
get-togethers and feasts are the major highlights of the
festival.
Christmas the
birth anniversary of Jesus Christ, is celebrated in India with
great fervor all over India by the Christians. People decorate
their houses, erect Christmas trees, make cribs with figures
of baby Jesus, Mother Mary, Joseph, the three kings who come
to visit the baby and shepherd boys and their herds grazing
around depicting the scenes of Jesus's Birth in the Bible.
They decorate the Christmas tree, hang stars, gifts and
illuminate them.
This is the most important and the gayest
festival of the Christians. Other communities in India also
look upon it as a festival of goodwill and greetings. During
the British period it was celebrated on an All-India basis and
the ten days from the Christmas Eve i.e the evening of 24th
December till after the New year were declared as public
holidays. Children and youngsters looked forward to Christmas
holidays when they enjoyed themselves to their heart's
content. It was also during the British period that the
Christian missions penetrated to the interior of India even to
the tribal regions, resulting in the number of people who were
converted to Christian faith. This resulted in the Christians
becoming the third most important community in India.
