The
Republic Day
which falls on the 26th of January
is a nation-wide celebration. Each state
celebrates it with colourful parade and
Delhi, the capital of India with spectacular
shows. Pongal is a festival
celebrated by the middle of January the
first day of Tamil month ‘Thai’
in Tamilnadu. This is celebrated
by the end of the harvest seasons and lasts
for four days. There is an in Tamil. “when
the month Thai omes in, all vistas for opulence
will open up” Pongal, a mixture of
rice, sugar, dhal and milk, the symbol of
prosperity and bounty, is cooked and served
through out. On the third day, mattu pongal
is celebrated. Animals, particularly bullocks
are washed and painted and they are even
worshipped because they are the tools of
success in agriculture. In Andhra this festival
is known as Makar Sankranti.
Holi
is one of the most colourful festivals celebrated
in most parts of India. This is a Hindu
festival; which befalls either by end of
February or by first week of March. People,
rich and poor alike join to celebrate this
festival. They throw coloured water and
powder on each other.
Sivarathri,
another Hindu festival falls in the month
of February. This is the day, the Hindus
believe, that Lord Siva transcends to the
earth to receive the offering made by the
devotees. People take fast throughout the
day, chant manthras and give offerings after
midnight.
March,
April are two months when many festivals
are celebrated throughout India by almost
all communities.
Mahavir
Jayanti, the birthday of Mahavir,
the founder of Jainism is one. Ramanavami
is another. This too is a Hindu festival.
In temples all over India the birth of Rama
is celebrated.
Good
Friday and Easter
the Christian festivals are celebrated during
the month of March. This is one of the major
festivals in the state of Kerala where there
is a larger population if Christians than
that of Vatican city.
Buddha
Jayanti the ‘tripple blessed
festival’ celebrates Buddha’s
birthday, enlightenment and attainment of
Nirvana. Monks carm the sacred scripts in
a procession on streets. The festival falls
on the full moon of the fourth lunar month.
Rath
yathra (car festival), Lord Jagannath’s
great temple Chariot makes its stately journey
from his temple in Puri, Orissa,
during this festival. Jaganatha is anther
name of Lord Krishna. This festival is similarly
celebrated in south India with more splendeur.
(June-July)
Raksha Bandhan
or Rakhi is celebrated
in many parts of India. Girls tie amulets
on the arms of their brothers to protect
them in the coming year. The brothers reciprocate
with gifts. Nag Panchami
another Hindu festival befalls during July-August.
Devotees worship Ananth Nag the carrier
of Lord Vishnu. Offerings are made to snake
images believing that they have the power
to keep evil away from homes.
Independence
day is celebrated on the 15th
August all along the country. It
was on this day in 1947 that India got freedom
from the Briton.
During
August-September Janmashtami,
Krishna’s birthday is celebrated throughout
the country. Children imitate Krishna in
artificial customes and take procession.
Vinayak Chaturthi, or Ganesh
Chaturthi is celebrated throughout
the country on this festival season. This
is one of the most important and popular
festivals in Maharashtra. In every village,
shrines are erected and a clay Ganesh idol
is installed. Fire crackers explode all
the hours. Each family buys and idol made
of clay and on the festival day it is immerced
in a river or sea which is called Ganapathi
visarjan.
Onam,
the most important national festival of
Kerala befalls during August-September.
Deepavali another Hindu festival of national
appeal fall during October-November. This
is the happiest festival for the Hindu.
It is believed that Rama, having annihilated
Ravana, returns home with his brother Lakshmana
and his friends. People lit oil lamps to
show them the way home. Devotees exchange
sweets.
Guru
Nanak Jayanti,
the birthday of Guru Nanak, the great guru,
social reformer and found of the sikh religion
is celebrated during November-December.
Christmas
in December is celebrated through out India
but very enthusiastically in Kerala.
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