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Pongal
(Jan
14th) |
Makara literally means 'Capricorn' and
Sankranti is the day when the sun passes from one sign of the zodiac
to the next. The Sankranti of any month is considered auspicious as
it signifies afresh start. However Makara Sankranti is celebrated in
the month of Magha when the sun passes through the winter solstice,
from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn. A
celebration of the harvest - Pongal is observed for three days
in January, in Tamil Nadu. Bhogi Pongal - the first day, is an
occasion for festivities at home. Flavoured rice is offered to
the Sun God on the second day. Mattu Pongal, the next day, is
celebrated in a more boisterous fashion. Village cattle are
bathed and decorated and cattle races enliven village
festivities.
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Republic
(Jan
26th) |
On Republic
Day regional identity gives way to national identity. Neither caste,
creed nor religion matter. What is predominant is the Indianness of the
people.Republic Day reminds us of the
fulfillment of the pledge that was made on the midnight of Independence as a
“tryst with destiny”. It is future-oriented, a vision of India that we nourish,
an acceptance of responsibility and making of promises as well as recapitulation
of the achievements. The act of framing the Constitution puts a spotlight on B.R. Ambedkar whose indefatigable labour and sharp insights helped the
preparation of the document. |
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Mahashivrathri
(
Mar 12th)
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Literally
'the great night of Shiva', celebrated on the moonless
night of the month of Phalguna, which is fourteenth day
in the dark half, this festival is specially dedicated
to Shiva, the destroyer.
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Holi
(Mar
28th) |
The colorful festival of
Holi, literally
'burning', is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of
Phalguna and heralds the spring season. The word probably originated
from a cry, shout or sound in singing. This festival is especially
celebrated in Northern states, as a kind of Hindu Sutranalia or
carnival and is very popular.Holi is
the time when people from all castes and social strata come together
forgetting all past differences and grievances. |
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Good
Friday
(Mar
29th) |
Good Friday is observed two days before Easter to
honor the martyrdom of Jesus Christ. It is a day of somber
ceremonies for all Christians. |
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Ugadi
(Apr
13th) |
Ugadi marks the beginning
of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in the moon's orbit.The New year
festival or Ugadi comes close on the heels of Holi. While the strong colors
of Holi start fading away, the freshness of spring lingers on with
sprightliness all around. The flame of the forest (trees with bright
red flowers that blossom) are in full bloom signifying an affluent
season.
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Ramnavami
(Apr
21st) |
Ramanavami celebrates the birth of Rama
or Ramachandra. The festival is celebrated on the ninth day of the
bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Chaitra. It was on this day
that Vishnu incarnated as Rama through Dasharatha’s wife
Kaushalya.
In some parts of India, it is a nine-day festival, coinciding with
the Vasanta Navaratri. It finds mention in ancient texts and
literature.This is an occasion for great rejoicing
especially for the Vaishnavas who celebrate it with due solemnity
allover the country. The ancient texts lays tress on fasting on this
day, and it is believed that anyone who does not will go to the
worst hell. It is also said that Rama fulfills the wishes of all
those who pray to him on this day. |
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Eid
(May
25th) |
Coming with the new moon, the festival marks the end
of 'Ramadan' - a month when Muslims fast throughout the day and eat only
at night Prayers, feasts and family get- together are the major highlights
of the celebrations. It was during this month that the holy Koran was
revealed. Eid means recurring happiness or festivity. Eid is celebrated in
India with much enthusiasm and fervor and Muslims from all strata of life
can be seen adorned in beautiful new clothes, visiting the mosques to
attend Salatul Eid (Eid prayers). Greetings of "Eid-Mubarak" or "a blessed
Eid" are exchanged. A very important aspect of eid is the charity, which
all the Muslims are expected to extend to the needy. Earlier, this was in
the form of gifts in kind but now cash is given to the needy. The first
Eid of the year is known as "Eid Al Fitr". Al Fitr literally means
breaking of fast. Thus Eid Al Fitr is celebrated on the first day of
Shawaal, the tenth month in the Muslim calendar, to mark the end of a
month long fast during the month of Ramadan. As the third "pillar" or
religious obligation of Islam, fasting has many special benefits. Among
these, the most important is that it is a means of learning self-control.
Due to the lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites
during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is given to
one's spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming closer to Allah.
Ramadan is also a time of concentrated worship, reading of the Quran,
purifying one's behavior, giving charity and doing virtuous deeds. |
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Independence
Day
(Aug
15th) |
On
the 15th of August, 1947, India became completely
independent. It was on this historic date that
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime Minister of India,
unfurled the Indian tricolor on the ramparts the
magnificent Red Fort, symbolically marking the end of
the British colonial rule.
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Onam
(Aug
21st) |
When the monsoon has
washed the land clean, when the harvest has been gathered, Onam
blooms in Kerala. With
one-third of the area low lying and covered with canals, lakes and backwaters,
the people take to their boats and country crafts to celebrate.The harvest festival of Onam
corresponds with the Malayalam New Year,
Chingam.
Depending on the position of the stars and the moon, the festival is held at the
end of August or beginning of September.
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Krishna
Janmastami
(Aug
30th) |
Janma
literally means 'birth' and ashtami means
the 'eighth day'. The eighth day of the dark fortnight
in the month
of Bhadrapad is celebrated as Krishna Janmashtami. It
commemorates
the birth of Krishna, born to annihilate Kansa, the evil
king of Mathura. According to the Puranas, Kansa was an
evil king of Mathura who had overthrown his father and
imprisoned him. His atrocities drove the gods to Vishnu
who promised to take his eighth incarnation in the human
world. He was then born as Krishna in the 28th year of
the Dwapara Yuga. Vishnu took his eighth incarnation of
Krishna to kill the evil king Kansa. |
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Ganesh
Chaturthi
(Sept
10th) |
This is a
ten-day festival, dedicated to Ganesha. Celebrated from the fourth
to the fourteenth day in the bright fortnight of Bhadrapad, it is
especially important in Maharashtra and is one of the cultural
highlights of the state.The festival begins on the fourth
day of Bhadrapad, which is celebrated as Ganesha Chaturthi in the
rest of India. This day is very important to all Hindus, who believe
that by praying to the remover of obstructions, people hope to
dispel all obstacles from their lives. Some people believe that this
was the day Ganesha was born.
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Gandhi
Jayanthi
(Oct
2nd) |
A
solemn celebration marking the birth date of Gandhiji,
the father of the nation.
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Durga
Pooja
(Oct
14th) |
This nine-day festival of the Hindus is celebrated
in the month of Ashvina in Bengal. It marks the victory of Goddess
Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura after a long battle,
signifying the victory of good over evil.
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Dusshrea
(Oct
15th) |
This
Hindu festival, celebrated on the tenth day of the bright fortnight
in the month of Ashvin, celebrates the victory of good over evil.
Effigies of the demon king Ravana, his son Meghanatha, and his
brother Kumbhakarna, are burnt amidst shouts of joy.
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Diwali
(Nov
5th) |
This
is one of the oldest Hindu festivals occurring in the month of
Kartik, which commemorates the return of Rama to Ayodhya after an
exile of 14 years. It also marks the beginning of the New Year and
is celebrated with the lighting of lamps. |
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Ramzan
(Dec
6th) |
Around 28th of this month, Muslims praying
together would be a familiar sight across the globe. This would be a
festival day called Ramzan-Id.Muslims are followers of the religion
preached by the Prophet Mohammed. Ramzan is the name of one of the
twelve months of the Muslim calendar year. It coincides with the
months of October-November. Ramzan is a holy month for Muslims.They fast during the day throughout that month.
They do not even drink water. Pious men among them spend the day
during the month in prayer and reading their holy book 'Quran'. They have their meal only at night. Some
Muslims spend the twenty-first and twenty-second days of this month
in mourning in memory of Ali, the Prophet's son-in-law, who died in
the cause of their religion. Muslims say their holy book came down
from heaven to the earth one night during the last ten days of this
month. When it came, the whole of creation praised Allah or God.
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Christmas
(Dec
25th) |
Celebrated
on the 25th of December every year to rejoice at the
nativity of Christ, Christmas is perhaps the most
important festival of the Christians.
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