Pongal

To give another reason of festivity around and another cause to enjoy the life to its fullest yes a four day long festival called pongal, it is celebrated with big enthusiasm and joy. Pongal is much awaited festival of people, it is mainly celebrated by the people of Tamil Nadu" Pongal is also known as the name of "Harvest Festival" in India. It is celebrated from January 13 to 16 every year and it goes on for four days.



Pongal has got it special religious significance, as the four days are very important, most of the urban people celebrate the second day as a main festival. The first day is called as Bhogi on this day people use to clean their houses very properly and in the evening time there is a bonfire where all thew unwanted goods are lit, second day is known as Surya Pongal.

This day begins with the celebrations, it falls on the very first day of Tamil month Thai, Lord Surya is worshipped, the preparations starts before sunrise as the women make Korum patterns on their doorways they are very beautiful, and are made up of with coloured rice flour to welcome Sun, every one feels immense pleasure by wearing new clothes, their is a pplacment of new utensils as well.

The meaning of pongal is overflowing, as there is a tradition of cooking new rice in pots till they over low, it symbolises prosperity, happiness and abundance.A dish called Venpongal is made up from rice, sugar and various sugar that is eaten with the combination of samhar, brinjal, idli, and vadai. Third day is called as Maatu Pongal that is basically for cattle, bulls and cows were decorated in various villages bull fights are occurred, Kaanum Ponga is the fourth day there is a occassion when younger members pay honour and homage to elder ones.

Bandi Festival

Festivals are really important for our lives life is really incomplete without festivals, one of the most famous and wonderful festival of Sikh Community is Bandi Festival This festival is very popular and well known all over the India mainly in Punjab. People welcome it with great enthusiasm and fun as it fills them with new energy and gives them a wonderful reason to celebrate life.

Bandi Festival comes in the month of October and November, very significant festival of Sikh Community. this festival is celebrated on the occasions of the arrival of very famous Sikh Guru to Amritsar, he reached there on the day of the Diwali so this is the another important reason, making Bandi Festival the most important festival of the Sikh Community.



On this day there is great joy every where,in fact it is called Diwali of Sikhs. The day begins with wonderful preparations as the people clean their houses and do so much of decoration like they put flowers and beautiful lights on the houses. There is a wave of happiness and pleasure around.

On this day the people gather and perform so many activities like they celebrate the day with the traditional folk dance Bhangra s every one wants to celebrate this festival with true spirit. People got to the temple and perform long prayers specially to Golden Temple, and pray for the blessings for well being of the family. In the evening time the people use to add more pleasure to this festival by playing with crackers and fireworks.

Guru Purab or Guru Nanak Jayanti

Guru Purab or Guru Nanak Jayanti is a festival that is celebrated wit great enthusiasm specially in North India Punjab and Haryana, this festival is basically followed by Sikh Population, but people through out the India have great belief on it .This day is known as the Birth Day of Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev ji, and one of the most sacredfestival of Sikhs, all the festivities of Sikhs revolve round 10 Sikh Gurus..



The Gurus were the first responsible for shaping and giving new directions to the beliefs of sikhs, there is a spread of divinity everywhere because their birthdays are known as Gurpurabs, a big occasion for celebrations, as their is festivity all around. Founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev ji was the first Guru, he was born on 14 April 1469, in the present Shekhupura District of Pakistan, in Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi.

Now it is called Nankana Sahib, the birthday falls on Kartik Poornima, that is the day of the full moon, GuruNanak's Birthday usually comes In the month of November. On this day big procession of Guru Granth Sahib is wonderfully decorated with beautiful flowers, large crowd is there to follow the procession with religious songs. This procession is led by Panj Pyaras.

They carry Sikh flag that is called Nishan Sahib along with the palki, there are 'Gatka' teams (martial arts) that shows their amazing swordmanship, with all the devotees that sing the chorus. Their is afree communal lunch called "Langar", the religious societies serve the food and sweets, that is offered to people so many volunteers and people join this to spread the divine feeling of Seva and Bhakti.

Mahaveer Jayanti

Most important festival of India, and very significant festivals of Jains. This festival is celebrated in the month of March and April every year. Lord Mahaveer was born on this day, he was the founder of Jain religion . On this very pure and divine day people go to temple to perform prayers, they worship tirthankars along with their religious Gurus like acharya bhikshu, acharya 108 Sri vardhamansagarji muni maharaj ,mahapragji and , swasti sri charukeerthi bhattaraka swamiji, .



Mahaveer Jayanti is celebrated with full enthusiasm and joy all over the India, people from all parts of the country come and visit Girnar palitana in Gujarat,Parshwnath temple in Calcutta. Lord Mahaveer is the son of Trisala and Siddhartha, his father Siddhartha a king of kundalpur.Queen trishala was known as priyakarni..Their is a story behind as Lord Mahaveera left his palace, parents, friends and money.

He gave up all his wealth and beacame a monk, lord Mahaveer gave up all his wealth to the poor and the needy, ,he sacrificed his life helping those who are in need, he went to Jungle, Lord Mahaveer was very kind and his nature was very simple, his life was very pure and simple, he followed the path of truth and lived his life with full honesty .

Lord Mahaveera has a view people can take their souls and make them more near to the god by practising non violence, Jainism has two sects shvetambaras and the digambaras, further divided into deravasis and sthanakvasis, the Deravasis worship statue of Mahaveer and Sthanakvasis believe on internalisation of the faith.On Mahaveer Jayanti people from Jain community form parties and various type of programs are to be organised by them.

Akshaya Tritiya

Among the Hindus there are "Golden Four Days " who really termed as very auspicious they are Akshaya Tritiya, Vijayadashami, Balipaadyami and Ugadi. THe devotes pray for their good luck and fortune following and observing certain rituals. These festivals give them a chance to get the right energy and power to commence their life with a new spirit. Akshaya Tritiya is termed as very auspicious day for Hindus.



The word Akshaya Tritiya has a meaning Akshaya means something that never diminishes and Tritiya means the third day, the significance is that it falls on the third day of Vaisakha, it is the first month of Hindu Calendar, this day brings the sun and the moon bright simultaneously. Akshaya Tritiya is popularly known by several names as Akshaya Trutheeya, Akshaya Trithi and it is world wide famous as Akha Teej.

This day is so divine and considered as most important day for the beginning of new business etc. This day brings ultimate luck, fortune and prosperity , any one can start any of his activity from this day as this day is considered as very fortunate, Vedic Astrologers form the belief that on this day wedding can be conducted any time and there is no need of any particular Shubh Mahurat .

Akshaya Tritiya is very divine day, the hindus wait for this whole year and they look forward to commence new things from this very day, on this day temples of Char Dham Yatra and Badri Kedar Yatra are opened for devotees, they offer prayers and good luck and blessings for the whole of their life, there are so many reasons that make this day so divine the legends mention that.

Culture, fairs and festivals of India

Fairs and festivals brings new energy and charm in our lives they bring us a reason to smile and celebrate. Festivals are major attractions of the country they reflect the vibrant culture, India is a large country preserving the culture and heritage, it proudly reflects the feeling of togetherness of people through the means of celebrating festivals. Indian tourism industry gives a significant place to fairs and festivals are people from across the globe come and witness its proudly preserved and cared heritage and culture.



Festivals are deep rooted in traditions, myths and religious beliefs. They bring colours to our life. In India every season comes with a gift of festival, as spring season brings Holi and Mewar festival , when the monsoon arrives it brings Teej the most awaited festival of Rajasthan. In south parts Bihu in Assam and Onam in Kerala are celebrated with great enthusiasm in occassion of harvesting season.

There is a chain of festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Christmas, Durga Puja, Janmastami. There is konark Dance Festival that specifically promotes culture of India. Other popular festivals of India are Ram Nabami and Vasant Panchami, some different festivals like Elephant Festival and Desert Festival.The festival that shows love and affection of brother and sister is Raksha Bandhan. Special and world known festivals of India are Dusssehra and Diwali .

There is a variety of festivals and a large number of fairs occur from time to time, they are world wide people from all parts of world specially plans their vacations to come here and enjoy the warmth of these beautiful festivals.Surajkund Crafts Fair, Pushkar Fair and Urs Ajmer Fair are hot favourites, grand Goa Carnival and Kumbh Mela are most awaited festivals of people.

Baisakhi

With a different accent and flavour, spreads fun everywhere well this is a festival of Baisakhi, that is celebrated all over the India.It comes on the first state of Baisakh, actually this is the time when all the harvest is gathered in and the farmers enjoy the pleasure of their hard work, their is merry making every where, as this fir symbolises coming of prosperity accompanied by dancing and singing every where as everyone enjoys the fruits of his hard work.Punjab's most famous dance is quite enough to add glitters, well this is Giddha and Bhangra.

There are so many fairs that are held near shrines of pirs and tombs, they express the true feelings of Saints, the most important of these fairs is the Jarag fair, Roshni fair of Jagranyan and the Chhapar fair. In northern part Baisakhi indicates the beginning of new year, it comes on the fixed date that is April 13th, in Tamil Nadu it is called as Puthandu. Baisakhi is called as "Vishu". The day starts with the bath and dip in holy rivers, on this day Sun enters Aries it indicates the coming of new year.



Particularly in Punjab farmers start cutting of their harvest as the fields are full of nature and greenery, they dressed themselves in typical Punjabi attire well this is done by both men and women, people made groups and performed Bhangra and Gidda, with fun and frolic around sweets are distributed all the worries put to an end and there is a feeling of joy everywhere.

In 1969 Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa Panth , people wait for this festival year long, through this festival they give thanks to Almighty and wish god luck for themselves,on this day delicious meals along with sweets are served to one another. On Baisakhi day, water is collected from all the sacred rivers of India, as it is believed that this water is poured into a big tank that surrounds Golden Temple.