FESTIVALS OF INDIA

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DIWALI

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 "Diwali", the festival of lights, illuminates the
darkness of the New Year's moon, and
strengthens our close friendships and
knowledge, with a self-realization!
 Diwali is celebrated on a nation-wide scale on
Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight of
the Hindu month of Ashwin, (October/November)
every year. It symbolizes that age-old culture of
India which teaches to vanquish ignorance that
subdues humanity and to drive away darkness
that engulfs the light of knowledge. Diwali, the
festival of lights even to-day in this modern world
projects the rich and glorious past of India.

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 CELEBRATIONS
 Every year on the dark nights of Diwali the sound of firecrackers
announces the celebration of the favorite festival of Indians.
Homes are decorated, sweets are distributed by everyone and
thousands of lamps are lit to create a world of fantasy. Of all the
festivals celebrated in India, Diwali is by far the most glamorous and
important. Enthusiastically enjoyed by people of every religion, its
magical and radiant touch creates an atmosphere of joy and
festivity.
 On the day of Diwali festival, doorways are hung with torans of
mango leaves and marigolds. Rangolis are drawn with different
colored powders to welcome guests.
 Oil diyas are arranged in and around the house. Because of these
flickering lamps, the festival has acquired its name : Depavalli or
Diwali meaning 'a rows of lamps'. On this day, people buy
something for the house or some jewelry for the women of the
house.
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 EVOLUTION OF
DIWALI
 Diwali is the day when King
Rama's coronation was celebrated in Ayodhya
after his epic war with Ravana, the demon
king of Lanka. By order of the royal families
of Ayodhya and Mithila, the cities and far-
flung boundaries of these kingdoms were lit up
with rows of lamps, glittering on dark nights to
welcome home the divine king Rama and his
queen Sita after 14 years of exile, ending with
an across-the-seas war in which the whole of
the kingdom of Lanka was destroyed.
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 FIVE DAYS OF CELEBRATION
 Diwali celebrations are spread over five days. All
the days except Diwali are named according to
their designation in the Hindu calendar. The days
are:
 1. Vasu baras
 2. Dhanatrayodashi or Dhan teras
 3. Naraka Chaturdashi
 4. Lakshmi Puja
 5. Bali Pratipada and Govardhan Puja
 6. Bhaiduj

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 ONAM
 Onam is the biggest festival in the South Indian
state of Kerala. It falls during the first month of
Malayalee calendar which is Chingam (August–
September) and marks the homecoming of the
legendary King Mahabali. The festival lasts for ten
days and is linked to many elements of Kerala's
culture and tradition.
 For this festival, people wear new clothes: men a
shirt and mundu, (a full length off-white sarong) ,
women mundu and a golden bordered shoulder
drape called Nariathu.
 Onam is the harvest festival in Kerala.
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Significance

 Onam is an ancient festival which still survives in the

Modern times.
 According to the legend, Kerala witnessed its golden era
during the reign of King Mahabali. Everybody in the
state was happy and prosperous and the king was
highly regarded by his subjects
 However, impressed by his good character,
Mahavishnu granted him a boon that he could annually
visit his people with whom he was so attached.
 It is this visit of Mahabali that is celebrated as Onam
every year. People celebrate the festival in a grand way
and impress upon their dear King that they are happy
and wish him well.
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ONAM POOKKALAM

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 TEN DAYS OF
CELEBRATION
 On this day Houses are cleaned and decorated with
flowers and traditional lamps. A fabulous display of
fireworks turns the capital Thiruvananthapuram into a
veritable fairyland. Sumptuous feasts are prepared in
every household. The eldest member of each family
presents clothes to all the members of the family. Even
the poorest of the poor manage to find something for
himself to celebrate the national festival in his own
humble way. Keralites all over the world will be
celebrating this ten days with pomp and gaiety. They
wear new dresses, visit as many temples as they can,
perform dances like Thiruvadhira kali Thumbi Tullal

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 DURGA PUJA
 Durga Puja is an annual
Hindu festival in South Asia
that celebrates worship of the
Hindu goddess Durga. It
refers to all the six days
observed as Mahalaya,
Shashthi , Maha Saptami,
Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami
and Bijoya Dashami. The
dates of Durga Puja
celebrations are set according
to the traditional
Hindu calendar.
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 Durga Puja is widely celebrated in the Indian states
of West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Orissa and
Tripura where it is a five-day annual holiday. Not only
it is the biggest Hindu festival celebrated throughout
the State, but it is also the most significant socio-
cultural event in Bengali society. Apart from eastern
India, Durga Puja is also celebrated in Delhi,
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab,
Kashmir, Karnataka and Kerala. Durga Puja includes
the worships of Shiva, Lakshmi, Ganesha, Saraswati
and Kartikeya.

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 The pujas are held over a ten-day period,
which is traditionally viewed as the coming
of the married daughter, Durga, to her father,
Himalaya's home.
 On the eve of this festival Bengalis buy new
clothes and other gifts, which are worn on
the evenings when the family goes out to
see the 'pandals' (temporary structures set
up to venerate the goddess).

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 Durga Puja in Bengal is a carnival, where
people from all backgrounds, regardless of
their religious beliefs, participate and enjoy
themselves to the hilt.

 The capital city of Bengal is adorned with

lights. People from all over the country visit
the city at this time, and every night is one
mad carnival where thousands of people go
'pandal-hopping' with their friends and family.

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 Eid ul-Fitr
 Eid al-Fitr
 often abbreviated to Eid, is
a Muslim holiday that
marks the end of Ramadan
, the Islamic holy month of
fasting (sawm).
 . It is celebrated after the
end of the Islamic
month of Ramadan, on the
first day of Shawwal.
 Eid ul-Fitr lasts for three
days of celebration (or
more, depending on the
country)
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 Muslims are commanded by the Qur'an to complete
their fast on the last day of Ramadan and then recite
the Takbir all throughout the period of Eid.
 Common greetings during this holiday are the Arabic
greeting ‘Īd mubārak ("Blessed Eid")
 When the local imam declares Eid Al-Fitr everyone
greets and hugs each other.
 During the morning, men usually wear thawb, jubba,
sherwani, and women usually wear salwar kameez.
Men and women go to the mosque for the Eid prayers,
after which people greet each other. After this many will
go to a local cemetery to pay respect and to remember
the deceased. When they return home they will greet
family, friends, other Muslims and visit relatives across
the city. People cook traditional food for their relatives.
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 It is regarded as especially important to honor
elderly citizens by kissing their right hand and
placing it on one's forehead while wishing
them
 Special celebratory dishes in Pakistan,
Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, and Fiji
include sivayyan, a dish of fine, toasted
sweet vermicelli noodles with milk and dried
fruit.ayram greetings.

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 In India the some popular places where Muslims
congregate to celebrate Eid at this time are the Jama
Masjid in New Delhi, in Kolkata there is a prayer held
on the Red Road. People can be spotted in thousands,
there is a lot of excitement in the celebration of this
festival. Eid is a public holiday and is celebrated all
over India. Even non-Muslims visit their Muslim friends
on this occasion, to convey their good wishes.

 Idul Fitri is a very joyous day for children as the adults

give them money. They also celebrate by lighting
traditional bamboo cannon firecrackers known as
meriam bambu Ramadhan, using kerosene in large
hollow bamboo tubes or Chinese imported crackers.

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GANESHA CHATURTHI
 Also known as Vinayaka
Chaturthi, is the Hindu festival
of Ganesha, the elephant-
headed son of Shiva and
Parvati, who is believed to
bestow his presence on earth
for all his devotees in the
duration of this festival. It is
the birthday of Lord Ganesha
who is widely worshiped as
the god of wisdom, prosperity
and good fortune.

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 The festival date usually falls between 20
August and 15 September. The festival lasts
for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi
(fourteenth day of the waxing moon period).

 Before 1893, Ganesh Chaturthi used to be an

important family festival during the Peshwa
rule in Maharashtra, but that year, Indian
freedom fighter and social reformer
Lokmanya Tilak transformed the annual
festival into a large, well-organized public
event

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 Ganesh Chaturthi starts with the installation of these
Ganesh statues in colorfully decorated homes and
specially erected temporary structures mandapas (
pandals) in every locality. The pandals are erected by
the people or a specific society or locality or group by
collecting monetary contributions. The mandapas are
decorated specially for the festival, either by using
decorative items like flower garlands, lights, etc. or are
theme based decorations, which depict religious themes
or current events.
 For 10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the
Ananta Chaturdashi, Ganesha is worshipped. On the
11th day, the statue is taken through the streets in a
procession accompanied with dancing, singing, and
fanfare to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing
a ritual see-off of the Lord
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 All join in this final procession shouting
"Ganapathi Bappa Morya.
 Public celebrations of the festival are hugely
popular.
 The festival is also the time for cultural
activities like singing and theater
performances, orchestra and community
activities like free medical checkup, blood
donation camps, charity for the poor, etc.

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CHRISTMAS

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 Christmas is one of the biggest celebrations for the people
belonging to the Christian faith. But it would be wrong to
assume that it is only celebrated among the Christians.
 With the world becoming a global village, Christmas is
now celebrated in many countries around the world.
Caroling, feasting, and gift-giving along with the prayers
and wishes - Christmas is celebrated with high spirits in
various parts of the world.
 Though the mode of celebration, the dates and the
traditions vary, the spirit remains the same everywhere.
 While most of us celebrate it as a festive season
spreading over a week, for some it is a month long festival
that starts with the Advent on Sunday next to November
26 and ends on January 6 with the feast of Epiphany.

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 CHRISTMAS IN
INDIA
 India is a secular nation and houses every
community.
 Christians are a minority here but still there
are about 25 million christians in India.
 Moreover, the occassion is celebrated not
only by Christians but by people of other
religions as well.
 On this occasion presents are given to one
another and "Merry Christmas" is wished.

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 Like in many other countries, Christmas is
observed in India on 25th December. Everyone
gears up for the festival from nearly a week
before.
 Business stores are decked up for the occasion
with every gift shop packed with Christmas
trees, presents, ornaments and other items of
decoration that are bought by millions of
enthusiastic celebrants of the festival.
 Every year, on the night of 24th December, all
members in Christian families visit their local
churches to attend the Midnight mass. On this
night, churches in India are decorated with
Poinsettia flowers and candles. 26
 Nativity plays are staged in many
schools(mainly the Christian ones) and
churches on Christmas morning.
 The perfomances by young children depict the
birth, life and actions of Jesus Christ and
usually end with the singing of hymns and
carols and the visit of a person dressed as
Santa to distribute candies/toffees to kids.
 In the metros a smiling Santa Claus,
entertaining children at departmental stores
with toys and gifts, is not an uncommon sight.
Caroling processions on streets and
thoroughfares can also be seen on 24th night.
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 DECORATIONS

 It is a delight to watch their homes during

Christmas.
 Giant star-shaped paper lanterns are hung
between the houses so that the stars float
above you as you walk down the road. There
is a provision of sweets, mainly home-made,
in every household to welcome visitors during
the occasion.

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Thank you

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