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Festivals

Pongal
One of the most important festivals of South India, Pongal is a harvest festival in honor of the sun and the rain god. The celebration begins on January 13 and goes on for three days. The first is devoted to the rain god, the second to the sun god and the third to the worship of cows and oxen. Pongal marks the end of the farming season and provides the farmers a break from the hectic routine.
Four Days Of Pongal:

1. Bhogi Festival – The first day festival of Pongal which is celebrated to honour the the god of  rain’Lord Indra. In this festival people decorate their houses and enjoy the bon fire.
2. Surya Pongal – This is the second day of pongal honoured to the sun god. Women decorate their house and prepare rice and milk to be offered to the sun god.
3. Mattu Pongal – The third day of Pongal which is celebrated to honour cattle marks because they are most important part  in an Indian Farmer’s life. They are treated as family members and given a rest for the day. People paint their horns and take then to the fare in the village where all the farmers gather with their cattle where the devotees offer flower garlands and other offerings.
4. Kaanum Pongal – The fourth and the last day of Pongal. This is similar to Rakha Bandhan where all the women pray for the good health and prosperity of their brothers. People exchange gifts with the relatives and wish them good health.

Pongal ends with hopes of a fresh new beginning and peace and prosperity for the coming year.




Basant Panchami
Basant means Spring . A spring festival held in January celebrated by wearing yellow clothes and kite flying.Yellow  is the colour of the energy-giving Sun . It is one of the most colorful festivals of India. The festival is celebrated to mark the end of winters .People visit temple and offer their worship to gods. Puja is held in almost every house in India. The yellow flowers of mustard crop covers the entire field in such a way that it seems as if gold is spread over the land glittering with the rays of the sun.
 In West Bengal, Saraswati, the goddess of learning, is especially honored. Saraswati is the godess of learning the wealth of knowledge. Hindu mythology depicts Sarasvati as a pristine lady bedecked with white attire, white flowers and white pearls, sitting on a white lotus, which blooms in a wide stretch of water holding a veena.  Holy rituals are performed on the banks of saraswati river. Saraswati's vahan or vehicle is the hans or swan. Saraswati holds a pen in one hand, the power to manifest truth through words. The tulsi mala or the rosary made of tulsi beads represents perseverance and consistency in sadhna or bhakti.

Holi
Every year it is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March . This festival of colors is celebrated when the winters are about to end and people come out of coccons and enjoy the spring season. It involves people dousing each other with colored water and powder. Drinking bhang, a marijuana based drink, adds to the laughter, joy and merry-making during Holi. Holi is celebrated all over India. At this time you will experience the colorful beauty of this cultural country.
The origin of the festival is not entirely known though many link it with the story of Prahlada, the child devotee of Vishnu, whose evil father sought to have him killed by fire. Prahlada was of course saved by Vishnu and his father and aunt were killed instead. On the evening of the first day of Holi, a public bonfire is held, commemorating the burning of Holika. So Holi celebrates the triumph of good over evil.

 Maha Shivratri
Maha Shivratri is celebrated all over India. Maha Shivratri means ‘the night of Shiva’.  The day marks the nuptials of the ascetic god Shiva with Parvati, the daughter of the king of Himalayas. People throng to the splendidly lit temples till midnight. Celebrated some time in the month of February-March, the festival is of special importance to women as Parvati blesses them with marital bliss. In this festival people worship Shiva with  flowers , milk, fruit.
Some of the devotees get up early and meditate (chant the sacred Panchakshara mantra "Om Namah Shivaya") with splendid garlands and keep fast (Vrat) on this festival. The fast is broken with a big family feast only the next morning, after the nightlong worship. Married women pray for the well being of their husbands and sons, while unmarried women pray for an ideal husband like Shiva.

Naag Panchami
Naag Panchami is the festival of snakes.
One of the splendid Indian Festivals celebrated all over India to pay respect to snakes. Snakes are supposed to have power over rainfall and keep evil and ill-luck from homes as per the Vedas. A festival dedicated to Adisesha or Ananta (infinite), the serpent on whom Lord Vishnu rests between the dissolution of one universe and the creation of another. It is usually celebrated in July-August.

Some of the devotees worship live size cobras to seek their good will. To protect one self from snakebites, the snakes are bathed with milk. Haldi-kumkum (turmeric-vermicelli powder' is sprinkled on their heads. Finally, milk and rice are offered as "naivedya".One of the auspicious day for snake charmers.

Ganesh Chathurti
Ganesh Chathurti is celebrated by Indians on the birthday of Lord Ganesha. A festival held on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Bhadra (August/September) dedicated to Ganesh. It is celebrated with particular ardor in the state of Maharashtra , Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and many other parts of India.. A life like day model is placed in every homes decorated elaborately.
Many cultural events are organized (like fund raising , making ganpati idols , yummy Indian feast , and dance) . People gather in beautiful colorful clothes and worship Ganpati which is known for prosperity and wisdom. The artists who make the idols of Ganesh compete with each other to make bigger and more magnificent and elegant idols
The festivities end when the idol of the year is immersed in water (visarjan), accompanied by loud shouts of Ganapati Bappa Moraya!




Janamashtami
Janamashtami is a celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna is considered as a incarnation of Lord Vishnu.  It is celebrated at the midnight hour in the month of August. Tableaus depicting scenes from the life of Krishna crop up in every locality of every city and town in India with great fanfare. Another common practice is to dress little girls and boys as the eternal lovers Radha-Krishna. Devotees actually touch their feet to seek blessings and offer gifts or money.
Plenty of sweets are made (like laddus (yellu oonde), chakli, cheedai, payasam (kheer), and butter (Lord Krishna’s favoraite childhood food) ,plenty of milk products and wide variety of fruits are offered). Fasting, bhajans, pujas and many other rituals mark Janmashtami celebrations in India. The highlight of the Janmashtami festivities in Mathura is the "Krishna Janma Bhoomi Mandir", a grand temple that is believed to have been erected at the exact site where Lord Krishna was born.

Navratri
A nine-day divine  festival devoted to the worship of the goddess Durga. This festival is observed twice a year, once in the beginning of summer and again at the onset of winter..During these nine days the fasting take precedings over all normal daily activities among the Hindus. Beautifully made clay images of Durga are consecrated and worshipped for nine . In the evening Garba (Traditional dance) takes place for all nine days. People gather wearing beautiful and colorful traditional clothes for Garba where the tradional music is played.
Navratri is traditionally an auspicious time for starting new ventures.
It is believed that Ma Durga  will bestow wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity, knowledge, and other potent powers to cross every hurdle of life. On the tenth day the beautiful idol’s of Durga maa are immersed in water with a hope that god would bless them with prosperity and good health.

Ramnavmi
A major Hindu festival celebrated in April-March to mark the birth of Lord Rama. Lord Rama is considered as a incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Some people fast on this day in the honour of Lord Rama. The diet of such a person would include potatoes made in any form without haldi (turmeric), garlic, ginger or onion. People decorate their house and worship God early in the morning.
Temples all over India celebrate this festival for nine days. They start the day with Puja of Lord rama with beautiful garlands and perple offer fruits, milk products in the honour of Lord Rama.
Lord Rama was devoted to His one and only wife. Kings, then, use to have many wives. It is said that Rama fulfills the wishes of all those who pray to him on this day.

Dusshera
The tenth day after Navratri is called Dussehra. This 10-day festival in October marks the victory of Lord Rama over the demon-king Ravana. The entire Ramayana (see Scriptures & Folklore for details) is enacted during the nine days while the 10th is saved for the grand finale. Huge effigies of Ravana, brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnath are traditionally erected and then burnt down at dusk as a symbol of the victory of Good over Evil. The character dress like Ram and his brother Laksham fire lighted arrows to the large effigies, which are filled up with firecrackers.
This is based on the epic story of the Ramayana. On this day, Lord Rama believed to have defeated 'Ravana', his brother 'Kumbhakarna' and son 'Meghnatha'. In every state Dusshera is celebrated in different methods. Carnivals ar held in most of the places and some devotees do keep fast as well. Do not miss the Ramlila

Durga Puja
Durga Puja is one of the most auspicious occasion for Bengolis. It is celebrated in  October the month of October. Goddess Durga represents the female power, Durga Ma slays asura to reestablish peace and sanctity on earth again. Bengolis all over the world on this festival gather at their relatives and friends and rejoice the happiness of the occasion.
A competition is held in most of the places for the most beautiful idol. After the Durga puja ends the idol of Durga Ma is immersed in the water in the hope that she will again come next year and will bless her kids with good heath and prosperity.

Diwali
Diwali is one of the biggest festivals of Hindus. It is celebrated all over India. This day in November marks the homecoming of Lord Rama in the kingdom of Ayodhya, whose people are believed to have lit earthen lamps to welcome him. The practice continues till today as all homes are lit brilliantly and firecrackers burst in celebration. The festival also honors Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and is rather special for the trading and merchant communities of India.
Diwali is celebrated with full zest and show. On this day people decorate their houses and give gifts to their beloved. Gifts can vary from sweets, jewelry, apparels, kitchen appliances, books with lots of love. In the evening they worship Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesha. After the worship they lit their houses with candles and diyas later they burn crackers. Diwali is known as a festival of Lights.