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Rakhi or Raksha Bhandan is a
festival, celebrated to honor the emotional bond between brother and
sister. Sister ties a holy thread around her brother's wrist and
takes a commitment from her brother that he will always be there
beside her in hour of need. This thread, which vibrates with
sisterly love and virtuous sentiments, is rightly called the
'Rakhi'. A "bond of protection".
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Bhai-Dooj festival symbolizes
the brother and sister eternal love for each other. Whereas sister
prays for the long and prosper life of her brother by applying tilak
on his forehead and in return brother promises to provide a life
long protection to her sister. The festival falls on the second day
after Diwali and is celebrated all over the country.
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This hugely popular festival
falls on the 10 th day of the waxing moon during the
Hindu month of Ashvin (around September or October). There is a
fascinating array of myths and legends associated with Dussehra. On
this day, Rama (the god-king and the hero of the great Hindu epic Ramayana)
vanquished the evil Ravana – the 10-headed demon-king of Lanka
who had abducted Rama’s wife Sita.
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Deepawali or the Festival of Lights is perhaps the most popular of
all Hindu festivals. Religious fervour paralleled with ample fun and
merry-making marks the festival. Deepawali is celebrated in most
parts of the country with equal enthusiasm and fervour. Like most
festivals, Diwali, as it is more popularly known, comes with its own
bagful of mythological and historical references.
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Holi is celebrated at a time
of the year when everyone’s had enough of the chilly winter and
looks forward to the warmth of the sun. Trees get fresh new leaves
that are at their glossiest best, and flowers begin to pop
open and claim their share of fun in the sun. Even grandmothers
abandon their knitting for the glorious sunny days. They know that
it’s time to give in to good cheer, for the harsh Indian
summers are just round the corner.
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Eid Ul Fitar is the biggest Muslim festival. Eid is derived from
the Arabic word ‘oud’ or ‘the coming back’ to
signify the return of Eid each year. The festival is significant as
much for its timing as for its religious implications. It is
celebrated after the month of Ramzan (the month of fasting and
the ninth month of the Muslim year), on the first day of Shavval –
a month in the Hijri year (Muslim year). It is believed that the
Koran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed in the month of Ramzan.
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The people of Punjab, one of
the richest states in India, are in their element during the
festival of Baisakhi. Sikhism as a religion originated from this
northern state and is home to some of the most sturdy and fun-loving
people in this country. Hidden behind the celebration of Baisakhi
are the months of hard labour that have gone into the production of
the rabi crop, the first harvest of the year
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The azure sky with fluffy white clouds and a nip in the air marks
the advent of autumn. It is time for Bengal’s most popular
festival – Durga Puja or the worship of the Goddess Durga.
Actually the festival is celebrated twice a year – once in the
month of March or April (Basant), and again in the month of
September or October (Ashwin), during the moonlit fortnight. On both
occasions, the puja is a nine-day affair with the last day
coinciding with Rama Navmi and Dussehra respectively. The Mother
Goddess is venerated in one form or the other all over India, though
she is most popular among the Bengalis.
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