Indians are festival lovers. India celebrates every festival with much love, unity, and enthusiasm. The principle that Indians adhere to unites all religions that festivals bring people together to exchange and enjoy religious or cultural traditions despite differences. In India, there is a festival every month of the year.
Diwali Festival
Diwali is an annual Hindu festival of lights that is observed in India and other countries with major Hindu populations. This festival is observed in the month of Kartik, which often falls in October or November. The festival represents the triumph of good over evil and lights over darkness. On this day Lord Shree Ram returned to his kingdom Ayodhya with Mata Sita and younger brother Laxman after defeating Raavan-the demon king. In the happiness of their arrival, the people of the kingdom welcomed them by lighting lamps in the whole kingdom on that day. From that day people celebrate this day by decorating their homes with lights and candles.
People create beautiful rangoli in their homes. They exchange sweets and gifts. Two days before Diwali on the day of “Dhanteras,” people worship Lord Ganesha and Mata Laxmi at their residences for good health, wealth and prosperity. Diwali is considered to be a very auspicious day for starting any new projects and making purchases, such as buying jewelry or brand-new appliances. In North India, people get at least 3 days and, in south, east, and west India people get 1 day of holiday during Diwali. However, at this same time, the Bengali community people celebrates Kali Puja.
Holi
Holi is a colorful Hindu festival every year celebrated in India. The festival is celebrated just after the Dol Utsav. Falguni Purnima or Dol Purnima is a very auspicious day for Indian Hindus. On this Falguni Purnima in Vrindavan, Shri Krishna used to play with Radhika and other Sakhis (Female Friends) with colors. Since that time, the swing festival Dol Utsav and Holi has been in vogue.
Holi is celebrated not only among Indians but in other countries also it is celebrated in Hindu majority populations. On this day Lord Shree Krishna and Shree Radha It is also known as the “festival of colors” or the “festival of love” that is observed in the spring, often in February or March. On this beautiful day, people apply colorful Gulal (color powder) to each other cheeks, sing and dance as well as consume sweets and beverages. The event honors the passing of winter and the victory of good over evil.
From Bhagavad Purana (Hindu scripture) we get to know that when Hiranyakashipu’s sister Holika tries to burn Prahlada who was her nephew and a devotee of Lord Vishnu, Holika herself is set ablaze but the devotee Prahlada was unharmed. Indians observe the festival of Holi to celebrate Prahlada’s survival and the destruction of the bad. To know the complete real story please read the Bhagavad Purana Book. Please refer to this site https://www.bhagavad-gita.org/ if anyone is interested to read about Srimad Bhagavad Geeta Purana online.
Maha Shivratri
Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the most important deities in Hinduism. “Maha” means “great” and “Shivratri” means “night of Shiva.” The event is held on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Phalguna, which typically occurs between February and March. On this day devotees of lord shiva keep fast and worship him with flowers, incense, prayers and chants. Many people stay up all night on that day and worship Shiva.
People also visit Shiva temples to offer water, coconut water, milk, honey, ghee, turmeric and other offerings to the Shivling, which is the symbol of Lord Shiva. On this day, worshiping Lord Shiva is considered to be very auspicious and believed that bring luck, wealth, and happiness into one’s life. Many unmarried girls worship him to get a husband like him. Lord Shiva is the destroyer of evil.
Navaratri
In India, Hindus celebrate Navaratri throughout the span of nine nights and ten days. On this day people worship Goddess Durga, who is considered to be the almighty feminine power. People wait for this festival with great anticipation throughout the year. Not only in India Many areas of the world celebrate this occasion with love and enjoyment. The Sanskrit words “Nava,” which means nine, and “ratri,” which means night, are combined to form the word “Navaratri.” The festival takes place in the Hindu calendar month of Ashwin, which usually falls in September or October.
During Navaratri, people worship the nine incarnations of the goddess Durga, commonly referred to as Navadurga. Every day of Navaratri is devoted to one of the nine forms of Durga, and during that time, worshippers pray, perform rituals, and keep fast for 9 days continuously.
Durga Puja
People from different parts of India celebrate this festival with different names. For example, the Bengali community from West Bengal and Tripura of India calls this festival as Durga Puja. Over there people perform this puja for 5 days. The first day is called Shashthi, the second day is called Saptami, the third is Ashtami, then the ninth is Navami and the last day is called Vijaya Dasami, the day when the mother is bid farewell.
From Hindu Scripture, we got to know that the demon Mahishasura was torturing and killing saints of earth. To save those saints from this demon goddess Durga come down to this earth and fought with him straight 10 days. The mighty goddess was an insurmountable challenge for the demon. The nine days of battle are now celebrated as Navaratri, while the tenth day—the day of victory—is known as Vijaya Dashami.
It is believed that through these nine days, the goddess come down to this earth and bless her followers with a lot of prosperity, money, and wellness. The festival is celebrated with immense enthusiasm and passion.
People visit pandals (large tents used at social events or festivals mainly made of bamboo or wood) dressed in new clothing to pray and to get a glance at the structure of the Durga idol made by different artists. The pandals get decorated with stunning lights, flowers, and various themes.
Dusshera
The idols of Goddess Durga are immersed in water on the last day of the celebration, which is known as Vijayadashami or Dussehra. Dusshera is also a festival celebrating Lord Shree Rama’s victory who was an avatar of Vishnu. Lord Shree Ram killed the 10-headed demon king Ravana who kidnapped Mata Sita. The festival name is derived from the Sanskrit words dasha (“ten”) and Hara (“defeat”).
Krishna Janmashtami
A beautiful festival called Krishna Janmashtami is a celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna, who is considered as supreme power among all the deities. As per the Hindu lunar calendar, this festival is celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Bhadrapada (August/September).
Dahi Handi is a very popular event associated with Krishna Janmashtami that is celebrated with full of a lot of enjoyment and vivacity. It is like a beautiful game where everyone tries to break the curd pot which is hung high above the ground and for that everyone stands around like a tower one on top of the other. When Shree Lord Krishna was a child, he used to mischievously break the earthen pots of people’s houses and steal all the curds and butter and eat them and this Dahi Handi symbolizes the same.
Overall it can be said that Janmashtami is very popular among Indians and Indians celebrate this festival with tremendous joy.
Ganesh Chaturthi
Another very popular festival among Indians is Ganesh Chaturthi. Indian Hindus celebrate Lord Ganesha’s birthday as Ganesh Chaturthi. He is the elephant-headed god of knowledge, wealth, and prosperity. People often call him “Vighnaharta” which means “trouble eliminator”, Vighna means – Trouble and Harta means – Eliminator. This festival lasts for ten days during the Hindu month of Bhadrapada (August/September) and it is one of the biggest celebrations among Indians, especially in west India (Maharashtra).
Huge idols of Lord Ganesha are made during this time and everyone brings idols to their house for worshiping him. This festival is observed for 10 days by Indians with great devotion and love. With a lot of colors and musical procession on the eleventh day, the idol is taken out to immersed in a nearby body of water, such as a river, lake, or sea, and bid farewell to return to its original destination, Kailash.
Chhath Puja
Chhat Puja is a Hindu festival celebrated to worship the Sun God (Lord Surya) also known as Dala Chhat or Surya Shashthi. It is mainly celebrated in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh as well as parts of Nepal. This festival usually takes place during the month of Karthik (October or November). Devotees fast and worship the sun god during this time to seek blessings for good health, wealth and happiness.
On this day, people take a holy dip in the river or pond in front of the rising and setting sun to offer pray. A few of the special dishes they prepare on that festival include Thekua (a sweet made from wheat flour and jaggery), and Litti-Chokha (a traditional dish made from roasted gram flour and vegetables). Nowadays, not only in India, but this festival has become popular in many parts of the world where the number of Indian residents is more.
Makar Sankranti
A Hindu celebration called Makar Sankranti is observed every year on January 14 or 15, depending on the position of the Sun. On this day the Sun transits to the zodiac sign Capricorn from Sagittarius. In different parts of India, this festival is called by different names and is observed with a lot of enthusiasm as well as joy. It is celebrated as Lohri in the northern regions of India, Pongal in the southern regions, and Makara Sankranti in the eastern regions.
It’s a common and popular tradition to fly kites in the sky on this day. Everyone wakes up early that day, takes a bath and worships the Sun in the backyard with various fruits, flowers and sweets. This day is considered very auspicious for starting any new work. People love this festival and enjoy the day with family get together.
Christmas
In India, mainly in the states of Goa, Kerala, and other regions of North-Eastern India, Christmas is a highly observed festival. Some places in West Bengal, India like Parkstreet celebrates this day with great pomp. All boys and girls roam around all day wearing Santa Claus hats and masks. The roads are decorated with different kinds of mini beautiful lights. People spend this holiday by doing shopping, eating outside, and watching movies in the theatre.
People also decorate their homes as well offices with Christmas trees, lights and exchange gifts-chocolates with family or friends. An example of how enthusiastically Indians celebrate Christmas can be seen in Goa. People of Goa never sleep at that time and there are various programs going on throughout the night. The local markets bustle with activity and the streets are illuminated throughout the night. At that time, a lot of travelers go there to enjoy the beach with the festival.
In Kerala this festival is known as “Bada Din” and they celebrate it with prayer by keeping fast. Some places in northeast India also celebrate it with music and songs.
Eid al-Fitr
Eid-ul-Fitr is a Muslim festival celebrated on the last day of the month of Ramadan and at that time they observe fasting. The sighting of the new moon, which determines the date of Eid al-Fitr, can be different depending on the location. Muslims across the world enjoy a joyful celebration of Eid al-Fitr. Early on this day, Muslims unite for special prayers typically in a mosque or open area.
Indian Muslims as well as Muslims from other country spends this holy day reading Muslim scripture. Celebrations and meals are shared with friends and family, and gifts and sweets are given to children. Prepared meals are shared with friends and family as well as gifts and sweets are given to children. This festival is the time of forgiving, reconciling, and spreading kindness and it is also a time when they practice generosity towards other.
Indians are very festival-loving and that is why India celebrates major festivals as well as many smaller festivals like – Pongal, Poila Baisakh, Ugadi, Lohri, Maha Jayanti, Rakhi, Bhai Dooj, Teej, Saraswati Puja, Vishwakarma Puja, Bihu, Buddha Purnima and the list is endless.
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