POPULAR HINDU FESTIVALS

POPULAR HINDU FESTIVALS(IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF HINDU/ENGLISH CALENDAR)

Hindu society has many festivals, ceremonies and customs spread all over the year, celebrating change of season, demonstration of respect/love for the spouse/children/parents, welcoming new bride into the household etc, all executed in a rather fancy style. Several objectives were clearly in the minds of our ancestors while designing these. Religious colours were given to these, to ensure that such celebration were adhered to. Providing opportunity for family togetherness and excitement, most of these Hindu festivals are directed towards spiritual purification and characterised by fasting and worship of gods & goddesses and are observed together with family and friends.

Given here are some of the popular Hindu festivals, alongwith dates on which these are oserved, as well as the rationale behind the same.

Note : Wherever exact dates are not given, these are decided in accordance with the Hindu Panchang, a system based on lunar cycle and there fore, determined on year to year basis.

LOHRI : JAN. 13

A festival for farmers f north India, particularly Punjab/Haryana, in celebration of promising crop, sown earlier in Sept/Oct, that would be completely mature around end Match. Celebration are around bonfire.

PONGAL : JAN. 14

The most important harvest festival for Tamils, in honour of sun & raind gods, celebrated over 3-4 days.

MAKAR SANKRANTI: JAN. 14

To earn a place  in heaven after death, by bathing in a river and praying the sun god, the day being considered auspicious according to overall planetary position.

BASANT PANCHMI : JAN/FEB

Prayer & pooja devoted to Saraswati Ji, the goddess of knowledge, coinciding with the time when winter is getting over in the north.

 MAHA SHIVRATRI : FEB/MAR

A festival celebrating the marriage of Shiv Ji & Parvati Ji. Women pray for prosperity in married lige. It is a particularly important  festival for Kashmiries.

HOLI : FEB/MAR

There is no religious aspect to Holi. People are cheerful after crops which have been cut & sold, and lots of money available. They play with colours and put these on faces of each other. One mythological story is associated with Holi. When Hiranyakashiup wanted to kill his son Prahlad  (also see page 42), he ordered his sister Holika to sit on the fire with Prahlad since Holika was blessed with a a boon that she can not get burnt. But surprisingly Holika died while Prahlad came out unscathed. This event is celebrated by burning bonfires, on the day preceding Holi.

SHIVRATRI : JAN/FEB

This is in worship of Shiv Ji
BHAIDOJ : FEB/MAR & OCT/NOV

This Festival occurs twice a year, following Holi & Diwali when married women go to their parental home for sometime and get a chance to get together with the family.

RAM NAVMI : MAR/APR

This is in celebration of the birth of Ram Chandr Ji, 7^th incarnation of Vishnu Ji.

BAISAKHI : APRIL 14

A festival of north India, it is all about thanking god for the year’s  first crop i.e. Rabi. For  Sikhs, it is a special day when their 10^th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh initiated ‘Panch Pyaras’. On this day, water is brought from various holy rivers and poured into the holy Sarovar at Hari Mandir ( Golden Temple, Amritsar).

NIRJALA EKDADASHI: JUNE

Ekadashi comes once every 15^th day on the 11^th day waxing moon as well as on the 11^th day of waning moon. Observing fast and doing charity on these days is understood to absolve one of any sin committed during the proceding fortnight days. This exercise twice a month was later changed to a stricter one i.e. fasting without water (nirjal) only once a year. It is also common that while people do not take water themselves, they establish water dispensing kiosks (pyao) for the poor, providing them sweetened cold waters. It is said that the custom of observing Nirjala Ekadashi once a year (instead of 24 ordinary Ekadashies) was first introduced by Pandav Bheem (of Mahabharat) who, being a glutton, found it more convenient.

GURU POORNIMA: JULY

This is in worship of sage Vyas who scripted Mahabharat and who was the original Guru on Vedas. Symbolically, all teachers, parents and elders are extended special rerspect on this day to seek their blessing, considering them gurus in their won right.

SINDHARA: JULY/AUG

It is a festival for daughters in law when sweets/fruits are sent to their parent’s home where the daughter in law is sent a day earlier. This is more importantly observed in the north, particularly in Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

TEEJ: JULY/AUG

Like Sindhara is for daughters in law, Teej is for daughters of the household.

RAKSHA BANDAHAN (Saluno): JULY/AUG

 
It is a rather sentimental festival where ties between brothers and sisters are restrenthened. Symbolically sisters tie a thread (Rakhi) on the wrist of the brother and the understanding is that he will always strive to protect her.

JANAM ASHTMI: JULY/AUG

To celebrate the birth of Krishn Ji in the Mathura prison one night & in safe custody of Nand & Yashoda in Gokul, next day.

GANESH CHAUTURTHI & CHOWK CHAKNI : AUG/SEP

It is community pooja of Ganesh Ji where his idol is worshipped and finally immersed in sea or river. It is celebrated more enthusiastically in Maharashtra. In the North, an offshoot festival Chowk Chakni is celebrated as a festival for boys who receive clothes, small wooden rods (chatiye), pencils and sweets from maternal Grandmohter’s home.

ONAM : AUG/SEP

In Kerala, it is in celebration of the return of king Bali (of Kerala’s golden period) to his land once a year as granted by Vishnu Ji (read details under Vishnu Ji’s 5^th incarnation.

DURGA POOJA (NAVRATRI/DEVIAN) : MAR/APR & SEP/OCT

Durga Ji, a manifestation of Maa Shakti and as wife of Shiv Ji, is worshipped twice a year by way of Durga Puja for nine days each time. According to legend when demon Mahishasur was causing trouble for gods, they prayed Maa Shakti to save them. She appeared as Durga and killed Mahishasur and other demons. It is in honour of this that Durga Pooja is celebrated. Reason for its celebrations twice a year is that Ram Chandr Ji, when going to war against. Demon King Ravan, wanted to pray Durga Ji for support and could not wait for Durga Pooja time to come. He did so at that very time (March). Thus started the custom of celebrating Durga Pooja twice a year. While pooja during Mar/Apr, is more of a private affair and done at home, the pooja during Sep/Oct is done more on a community basis with great pomp and show, more particularly in Bengal. Idols of Durga Ji are immersed in water, at the end of the 9 days celebrations.

DUSSEHRA/VIJAY DASHMI : SEP/OCT

It is the last day of  the 10 days  war, the day on which Ram Chandr Ji killed demon King Ravan. Ramayan is enacted in many places in most cities/towns. On the Dussehra day, effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran (brother of Ravan) and Meghnad (son of Ravan) are burnt.

KARVA CHOTH : OCT/NOV

It is the most important festival for Hindu women in the north, when they fast the whole day without food/water, for long life of their husbands. Fasting, which commences before sunrise, is porceded by eating some snacks (sargai). Late in the evening, moon is worshipped, followed by dinner.

DIWALI : OCT/NOV

This is celebrated in honour of Ram Chandr Ji who had earlier returned to Ayodhya after his victory over Ravan, coinciding with the end of the 14 year exile. It is celebrated with fireworks and lighting of homes. This day also marks the worship of goddess Lakshmi Ji.