Durga Puja is the most important festival of Bengalis. Consisting of series of rituals this five day long homecoming welcome of Goddess Durga is close to every Bengalis heart and soul.Durga Puja means more to us than just a religious festival.It is a celebration of life, culture, popular customs and traditions ... it is a time for coming together, of reunion and rejuvenation, of the rebirth of our piousness and last but not the least, the season to love, to share and to care.
This year the goddess arrives on an elephant and departs on boat.
Mahalaya is an auspicious occasion observed seven days before the Durga Puja, and heralds the advent of Durga, the goddess of supreme power. It`s a kind of invocation or invitation to the mother goddess to descend on earth - "Jago Tumi Jago". This is done through the chanting of mantras and singing devotional songs. Seven days before the puja, from the day of Mahalaya starts Devipaksha. People take a holy dip in the river Ganga at dawn and pray for the departed souls - the act is called `Tarpan`.
`Nav` means `nine` and `ratri` means `night`, thus, `Navratri` means `nine nights`. Thereare many legends attached to the conception of Navratri like all Indian festivals but all of them are related to Goddess Shakti (Hindu Mother Goddess) and her various forms. Though it is one of the most celebrated festivals of Hindu calendar, it holds special significance for Gujratis and Bengalis and one can see it in the zeal and fervor of the people with which they indulge in the festive activities of the season.
In 1942, his ‘Quit India’ slogan was to serve as the final signal to British dominion in India. The partition of India and Pakistan came as a personal shock to Gandhi. When the nation was rejoicing independence (1947), Gandhi went to Naokhali to ameliorate the conditions of the communal riot victims. On 30 January 1948, Gandhi was assassinated in New Delhi.Between 1917 and 1918 Gandhi participated in two peasant movements in Champaran (Bihar) and Kaira (Gujarat) and in the labour dispute in Ahmedabad itself.
Kal means Darkness; Kali takes away that Darkness. She takes away the darkness from every individual who strives in the path of perfection by performing the spiritual disciplines of purifying austerities. Just as all the colors of the spectrum mix into black, yet still black remains black, so too, Kali, who is completely Dark, Unknowable, takes away all the darkness, yet She, Herself, remains unchanged.
Goddess Kali has always enjoyed a significant presence in our culture. She appears in various forms as an embodiment of Shakti, the eternal energy and cosmic power.
The month of Muharram marks the beginning of the Islamic liturgical year. The Islamic year begins on the first day of Muharram, and is counted from the year of the Hegira (anno Hegirae)—the year in which Muhammad emigrated from Mecca to Medina (A.D. July 16, 622). The new year in 2007 marks the beginning of A.H. 1428.
The Islamic new year is celebrated relatively quietly, with prayers and readings and reflection upon the hegira.
Muharram is the month with which the Muslims begin their lunar Hijrah Calendar.
Palani`s most important festival is Pankuni Uttiram in March-April on the day Uttiram star (nakshatra) is ascendant. This ten-day event at the Tiru Avinankudi temple, at the foot of the hill occurs in the off-season and so agriculturists and other rural folk participate in it and give offerings of paddy to the temple. Some of the monthly kârttikais draw a crowd of one lakh; the Kârttikai Dîpam and Vaikâci Vicâkam get two lakhs of persons each. The same may be said of Skanda Sasthi.
Thai Pusam celebrated in Tamil Nadu usually takes place in the temples dedicated to Kartikeya or Mariamman where trenches of burning coal are laid out for the devotees to walk over. It has been seen that people who volunteer to undertake this experience with faith, come away unharmed and unscathed.
A festival occurring in the Tamil month Thai (January - February), on the day of the star Poosam around Pournami (Full Moon) is celebrated as Thai Poosam. There are several legends about the festival Thai Poosam.
Maham comes in the month of Maasi and the images of gods and goddesses are taken out to the sea for a dip. In areas away from the coast, the rivers or the tanks are the centres for this float festival.
The Maham is an annual event. But once in twelve years, its importance exceeds bounds of imagination. When the planet Guru or Jupiter enters Simha sign, the Kumba Mela festival of south India is held at the famous Mahamaham tank at Kumbakonam. Vast crowds gather in Kumbakonam and ordinary folk have a dip in the tank, along with the saints and philosophers.
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday. On this day, Christians remember the day when Jesus was crucified on a cross.
The date of Good Friday changes every year. See our main Easter page to find out why.
The date of the first Good Friday will never be known, but many scholars believe that the event took place on April 7th, A.D. 30. If they are right the calendar is wrong, by three years.
The Anglo-Saxon name for Good Friday was Long Friday, due to the long fast imposed upon this day.
Id-ul-Zuha, also called Bakrid, is a festival of great rejoice. It is a commemoration of Hazrat Ibrahim`s great test of obedience to Allah, who ordered him to sacrifice the person dearest to him. Ibrahim decided to sacrifice his son Ismail, at Mina, near Mecca. As the great religious leader was on the point of applying the sword to the throat of his dear son, it was revealed to him that the exercise was merely a test of his faith in Allah, and that he could sacrifice a ram instead.
Bakr means `sheep`, and on Bakrid, the affluent sacrifice one animal per member of the family, and distribute two-thirds of the meat among the poor.
Karwa Chauth is a fast undertaken by married Hindu women who offer prayers seeking the welfare, prosperity, well-being, and longevity of their husbands. The term `Chauth` means the `fourth day` and `Karwa` is an earthen pot with a spout - a symbol of peace and prosperity.
It is one of the most famous fasts among the Indian married women. The fast of Karva Chauth is of particular importance to Hindu women as they believe it ensures the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their husbands. The origin of this festival was based on a very noble idea.
Vishwakarma is known as the divine engineer since the Puranic age. As a mark of reverence He is still worshipped specially by the engineering community. The festival is observed on the "Kanya Sankranti Day", which follows the "Ganesh Puja", in every industrial towns. Towns present the grandest ceremony on the occasion depicting different fire works connected with modern technology.
The Mahabharata describes him as "The lord of the arts, executor of a thousand handicrafts, the carpenter of the gods, the most eminent of artisans, the fashioner of all ornaments .
Teej is the festival of swings. It marks the advent of the monsoon month of Shravan (August). The monsoon rains fall on the parched land and the pleasing scent of the wet soil rises into the air. Swings are hung from trees and decorated with flowers. Young girls and women dressed in green clothes sing songs in celebration of the advent of the monsoon. Teej is observed in the honor of Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva`s consort who rejoices in her conjugal union with Lord Shiva.
The swings are decorated with marigold and other bright flowers and mesmerize you with their divine beauty and fragrant aura.
This is an important festival of Mithilanchal for Sadhwa women of all castes and is performed for the well being and longevity of their sons and daughters. It is performed on Aswin Krishna Ashtmi prevailing in Pradosh time. They observe Nirjala fast on this day and break the fast next day on the expiry of Ashtami. At times when Ashtami begins in afternoon, they may have to fast for two days. Since nothing, even a spec of grass, is put in mouth, the fast is also called Khar Jitia. Those who escape severe accidents are believed to have the blessings of their mother having performed this brat.
The festival is especially significant for married women, who observe a two-day fast and offer prayers along with fruits and flowers to the Sun God.
People go to bathing ghats on riverbanks and pay obeisance to both the rising and the setting sun during the festival, which is celebrated on the sixth and seventh day after Diwali.
Traditional music forms an integral part of the festival every year.
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesh on the fourth day (Chaturthi) of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada month of Hindu calendar. It is among the most celebrated of the festivals in India, and perhaps the only one involving general public (others only involve families and friends and are celebrated privately). It is interesting to note that the festival was not celebrated until the times of Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who used it a great means to unite Hindus all over India and educate them the evils of colonization.
September 5 is Teacher`s Day in "India". It is the birthday of second President of India and teacher Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan. When Dr. Radhakrishnan became the president of India in 1962, some of his students and friends approached him and requested him to allow them to celebrate 5 September, his birthday. In reply, Dr. Radhakrishnan said, "Instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as "Teachers Day".
This is not a holiday in India.
Janmashtami is celebrated every year on the 8th day of the dark fortnight that is also known as the Krishna Paksh, in the Hindu month of bhadon (around July-August). The period usually coincides with the rainy season.
The festival celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna – the black God. Krishna is the eighth and most important incarnation of Vishnu (Preserver in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer of the Universe).
However the avatar of Krishna that perhaps overrides the sum total of his other manifestations is that of the omniscient charioteer who delivers the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjun before the great war of Mahabharata – a Hindu epic.
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