Some Great Hindu Festivals
16 Dec
The Hindus celebrate hundreds of sacred occasions by festive observances. All Hindu festivals are predominantly religious in character and significace. Many festivals are seasonal, some celebrate the harvest, some commemorate the birth, inauguration or the birth day of God or hero. Others are dedicated to important days, to famous incidents in mythology, according to the solar systems. A number are celebrated in honour of Krishna, Vishnu, Siva, Parvati, Rama, Ganesha, Gouri, Gayatri, Lakshmi, Saraswati and other deities. A festival may be observed with acts of worship, fasting, bathing, vigils, fairs etc. It is not posible to give a complete list of all Hindu festivals. Let us know some of the important festivals of the Hindus.
PONGAL
The four-day long harvest festival of Tamil adu, Pongal is all about thanksgiving to nature and takes its name from the Tamil word meaning “to boil” and is held in the mont of Thai (January-February) it is celebrated from January 13 to 16 every year. The festival marks a period of plenty, peace and happiness. While each of its days has a special religious significance, most urban people celebrate
second day as the main festival. Pongal is the only festival of Hindu that follows a solar calendar. On the first day known as Bhogi, people clean out their homes thoroughly and in the evening, all unwanted goods are lit in a bonfire. The second day is Perum Pongal, the most important. It is also called Surya Pongal because people worship Surya, the Sun God and his consorts, Chaya and Samgnya. Women decorate the central courtyard of their homes with beautiful kolams, done with rice flour and bordered with red clay. The third day, Mattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cows and buffaloes, as they are used to plough the lands. Jallikattu, a violent aming the bull contest, marks this day. On the last day, Kanum Pongal, people go out to picnic. During the Pongal season, people eat sugar canes and decorate the houses with Kolam. ‘Ponga’ literally means overflowing and is named so because of the tradition of
ooking the new rice in pots until they overflow, which is symbolic of abundance and prosperity.
SARASWATI PUJA(VASANT PANCHAMI)
Goddess Saraswati in Padmapurana describes being seated on a white Lotus clad in a spotless white apparel with a with a necklace of white beads, decked with white flowers and holding the Vina.
Vasant Panchami heralds the advent of spring. This festival that makes the first day of spring. Vasanta means the spring. The fields are mustard yellow with the ripening of crops. Yellow is of auspicious colour-a colour of sprituality.
In Bengal on Vasant Panchami, Goddess Sarawati is worship and is thus called the Saraswati Puja.
Vasant Panchami is also known as Shri Panchami. As Saraswati Puja, it is observed religiously almost in all parts of India especially in Bengal. Goddess Saraswati being pure and white and representing learning, no animal sacrifice is made to her. Idols of Saraswati are brought and worshipped.
In Rigveda it is said she represents a river and the deity presiding over it. In the later mythology, Saraswati was identified with Vach or Speech. The flowing one’ in allegorical sense may mean speech also; perfect speech which denotes intelligence. On this Vasant Panchami day, Brahma is said to have created Saraswati and infused speech into her and bestowed the Vina in her hands. She was thus named as ‘Veena Vandini (Vina player) and ‘Vani Dayyani’recipient of speech). As the spouse of Brahma and the goddess of wisdom and eloquence, She is known by various names such as Vinapani (due to holding the Vina), Sharada (giver of essence), Vagisvari (mistress of speech), Brahmi (wife of Brahma), Mahavidya (knowledge supreme) and so on.
HOLI
The festival of Holi is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year. In India the Spring Festival is called Holi the festival of colors. Celebrated in March or April according to the Hindu calendar. The festival mainly started to welcome the Spring season and win the blessings of Gods for good harvests and fertility of the land. As with all the Hindu festivals, there are many
interesting legends attached to Holi, the most popular being the story of Prince Prahlad who was a devout follower of Lord Vishnu and Holika. It is the second most important festival of India after Diwali. Holi in India is a festival of fun and frolic and has been associated with the immortal love of Lord Krishna and Radha. The exuberance and the festivity of the season is remarkable. Holi is one of the major festivals of India and is celebrated in most of the states of India. However, each region celebrates it according to their culture and traditions. Different states celebrate it according to their own customs.
RAM NAVAMI
On Ram-Navami, the bright ninth in Chaitra (March-April) is celebrated the birth of Rama, and it is observed by Hindus with fasting and rites of worship. Stories from ‘The Ramayana’ are narrated and worship paid to Sri Ram for nine days, It is especially popular in Nortern India.
VISHU
Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in Kerala. It falls around April 14 of the Gregorian year.
NABO BARSHA (Bengali New Year
The first month of Hindu Calendar)
Rongali Bihu (mid-April, also called Bohag Bihu), the most popular Bihu celebrates the onset of the Assamese New Year (around April
15) and the coming of Spring.
SITALSASTHI
The marriage of Shiva and Parvati is celebrated as Sitalsasthi. It is celebrated as a carnival, in which people and artists from different walks of life participate, making it more beautiful and bringing out the true colour of life.
GURU PURNIMA
Guru Purnima is the day devotees offer puja (worship) to their Guru. This was also the day when Rishi Vyasa, author of the Mahabharata was born.
RAKSHA BANDHAN
When we talk of the festival Raksha Bandhan we usually think of the date on which it is celebrated. Every year normally in the month of August, the auspicious day of Shravan Purnima, or full moon day in the month of Shravan according to the Hindu calendar, the festival of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated. Rakhi is celebrated in various ways in different parts of the country. Different regions have different cultural significance. Rakhi Purnima is known by different names in different parts of the country.
RATH YATRA
The world famous festival of Orissa is known as car festival or Ratth-Yatra. This festival falls on the second lunar day of the bright fortnight in the month of Asadha. The Rath-yatra of Lord Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra as celebrated with great splendour at Puri. Three cars, constructed anew every year and draped with cloth, blue,red and white for Jagannath, Subhadra and Balaram respectively. Th cars (rath) are adorned with floral wreath, flags and festoons are dragged over the broad path with the king (Raja) of Puri sweeping the road before the car moves. The return journey takes place amidst like splendour eight days later. Car festival of Puri is most famous of its kind, where millions of people used to attend the festival.
KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI
Krishna Janmaashtami is the Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna. It is actually called as Krishna Jayanthi. The date falls not only on the eight day of the waning moon, but always on Rohini Nakshatra.
GANESH CHATURTHI
This festival is celebrated on the forth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Bhadrapada (August-September) commemorating the birth day of Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is worshipped for two to ten days. The elephant mouthed god Ganesha is the god of good luck and learning. He is the remover of all obstacles, who is worshipped at every auspicious occasion at the out-set. Ganesh-Chaturthi is especially popular in Western and Central India. The gaiety of the puja ends with immersion of the image in water.
NAVARATRI
The nine nights festival of Navratri begins on the first day of Ashwin of the bright fortnight. The festival comes to an end on the tenth day of Vjay Dashmi or Dussehra, when the idols of the Goddess Shakti are immersed in the river. Dussehra, is considered as an important festival. Though the festival celebrates the worship Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati but all three Goddess are the incarnations of Goddess Shakti (the Mother Goddess). The festival signifies power, wealth, prosperity and knowledge.
DURGA PUJA
Durga puja is regarded as the most important festival of West Bengal. The city of Kolkata dresses up in a new look for the five days of the festival. Durga puja festival is also regarded as one of the biggest social event of India. Today it is celebrated not only as a religious festival but it has a cultural and social significance as everybody takes part in its celebration. People from all religious background participate in it. It is celebrated as a secular festival. The Durga Puja continues for a period of ten days, although these ten days happen to be the spirit for all the Bengalis throughout the year. Actual worship starts from the sixth day and is restricted to four days only. But Devi paksh starts right from the day of Mahalaya (i.e. when Goddess Durga starts her journey to earth), and the everlasting spirit of Duragapua persists till ‘Diwali’, when the goddess is worshipped in another form called ‘Kali’, an embolization of
supreme power.
The spirit remains fresh till ‘Bijoya Greetings’ are over, when each one of the Bengalis exchange good wishes, regards along with the tunes of celebration.. The first day of the celebration starts with Bodhon on Maha-Shashti, which is like welcoming Goddess Durga and ends with immersing the idols in the nearby rivers, lakes and seas on the evening of Dashami. However, it is considered to immerse the idols in the sacred waters of the River Ganges. According to mythology Goddess Durga descends to the Earth on Shashthi and returns to her abode on Dashmi. The clear blue sky, the cool pleasant air, the beautiful fragrance of Shiuli (a type of flower of this season), the lush green fields and chanting of mantras and shlokas of Goddess Shakti, all sum up together to create the perfect ambience for the celebration of Durga Puja, the greatest festival of the Bengalis. The preparations for the festival are done way in advance as beautiful pandals are build in different areas of the city these are mainly community pujas, which are mainly financed by the local people or sponsorship from big corporate houses. Even the idol making also starts way in advance. Clay idols of Bengal are famous worldwide for the traditional way in which they are made. The people of Bengal start preparing for the festival
from Mahalaya (the starting of the festive season) they decorate homes, buy gifts for fiends and relatives and new clothes for themselves and relatives for the festival. The shopping plaza and markets are totally packed up from one month before the festival.
DIWALI
According to legends it is also said that Lord Rama returned from exile to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile. To commemorate his return to Ayodhya, his subjects illuminated the kingdom and burst crackers. Goddess Kali is also worshipped during this time.
The festival of Diwali reminds us of the festive season of joy, splendor, enthusiasm and happiness. It is the festival of lights and is celebrated with great excitement by all Indians all over the world. The uniqueness of the festival is that it is celebrated for five days and each of the days has a special significance and importance. Each of the five days is based of five varied philosophies, with each
day to a special thought or ideal. The first day of Diwali is called the Dhanteras, Dhanwantari Triodasi or Dhantryaodashi, which falls on the thirteenth day of the month of Ashwin. On this day, Lord Dhanwantari came out of the ocean with Ayurveda for mankind. This day marks the beginning of Diwali celebrations. On this day at sunset offerings are made of sweets during worship time to Lord Yama (the Lord of Death) for the protection from untimely death. It is mainly done near a Tulsi tree (basil tree) or any other sacred tree.
The second day is called the Narak Chaturdasi. It is the Choti Diwali celebration. On this day Lord Krishna killed the demon Narakasur and made the world free from evil power. It falls on the fourteenth lunar day of the dark fortnight of the month of Kartik and the eve of Diwali. The third and the most important day of Diwali is marked with Lakshmi Puja. It is the main day of celebration. On this day
Goddess Laxmi is worshipped. All the Hindu family clean their house and themselves and join with their families and relative the puja of divine Goddess Lakshmi to achieve the blessings of wealth and prosperity, the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Diwali marks the last day of financial year in traditional Hindu business and businessmen perform Chopda Pujan on this day on the
new books of accounts. Any new business or venture starts with Diwali puja. The fourth day of Diwali is called Padwa or VarshaPratipada and Govardhan Puja, that marks the coronation of King Vikramaditya and Vikaram-Samvat was started from this Padwa day. On this day, Govardhan Pooja is performed. Many thousands of years ago, Lord Krishna caused the people of Vraja to perform Govardhan Pooja. From that time onwards every year Hindus worship Govardhan. This day is also observed as Annakoot and prayers are offered in the temples.
The fifth day of Diwali is celebrated as Bhai Duj or Bhatri Dooj. This is the day after Goverdhan Pooja is performed and normally two days after Diwali. It is a day dedicated to brothers and sisters. The rituals are more or less like Raksha Bandhan where the sisters pray for the well being of their brothers. The celebration of Bhai Dooj marks the end of the five days of Diwali celebrations. This is also
known as Bhai fota among Bengalis. Bhai fota is an event especially among Bengalis when the sister prays for her brother’s safety,
success and well-being.
KUMBH MELA
The Purna (complete) Kumbh takes place every twelve years, and is an ordinary large Kumbh Mela. The Ardh (half) Kumbh Mella, a smaller Kumbh Mela, is celebrated every six years. The normal Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 4 years. The Maha (great) Kumbh Mela, a special large Kumbh Mela, occurs every 12 ‘Purna Kumbh Melas’, or 144 years.
Above festivals are highly useful from the standpoint of religion, national solidarity and economics. From times immemorial, they have been woven into the very texture of our culture and lofty spiritual idealism.
Ranjana Banerjee
Fashion Designer from Kolkata (India), Expertise in all kind of Indian Ethnic Women Dresses....
