Dussehra

The festival of Dussehra also called Vijayadashmi is celebrated every year by the Hindu people all over the country. It falls every year in the month of September or October before twenty days of Diwali festival. It is celebrated by the Hindu people in the happiness of winning of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana. The festival of Dussehra indicates the victory of truth over evil power. The day Lord Rama got victory by killing the demon king Ravana started celebrating as the Dussehra festival by the people from ancient time.

In the ancient time, Prince Rama was exiled of his kingdom of Auyodhya for 14 years to the forest. During the last year of his exile, Ravana kidnapped his wife, Seeta. It is said that Lakshman had cut the nose of sister of Ravana that’s why Ravana kidnapped Lakshman’s sister-in-law, Seeta. People celebrate this festival with lots of joy and faith.

Bonderam festival

Bonderam festival of Goa is celebrated on the Divar Island. This quiet little island is located at a distance of 12 kilometers from Panaji. The celebration of this festival has a unique history behind it. It is said that many years back, the villagers resented the rules that were adopted for settling disputes regarding the land issues. The Portuguese then set up flags to mark areas where the villagers were unable to take over the lands of the nearby villages. The villagers protested against this system by knocking down all the flags. The Bonderam festival is celebrated in the memory of those protests.

Every year in August, this small island becomes alive with bubbling activity of the Bonderam festival. The people residing here come together to celebrate this festival and a carnival like atmosphere is created here. Colorful tableaux are created by the people and a massive parade takes place. Every small community or a group of people come together to celebrate Bonderam festival in Goa. Do not miss to visit this place if you happen to be here during August.

There is elaborate feasting during the Bonderam festival and every household is decorated thus presenting a scenic and colorful picture. The villagers engage in a mock fight that represents the knocking down of the flags during the time of the Portuguese. Toy weapons made of bamboo stems are used for fighting and wild berries are used as missiles that are aimed at the rival group. All this is taken in good spirit and all the people come together after the mock fight to eat and drink merrily.

Pongal

Pongal

Pongal is one of the most popular harvest festivals of South India, mainly of Tamil Nadu. Pongal falls in the mid-January every year and marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayan - sun's journey northwards. Pongal festival lasts for four days. This four days long festival of Tamil Nadu is celebrated for showing gratitude to nature. The literal meaning of Pongal is "spilling over" and it had been named so, because of the tradition of boiling rice in a pot until it starts overflowing. Other traditions of the celebration include drawing of Kolam, swinging & cooking of delicious Pongal.

Pongal is an ancient festival of people in South India particularly Tamils. The history of the festival can be traced back to the Sangam Age i.e. 200 B.C. To 300 A.D. Although, Pongal originated as a Dravidian Harvest festival and has a mention in Sanskrit Puranas, historians identify the festival with the Thai Un and Thai Niradal which are believed to have been celebrated during the Sangam Age.

The celebrations of Sangam Era led to today's Pongal celebrations. As part of the festivities, maidens of the Sangam era observed 'Pavai Nonbu' at the time of Thai Niradal which was a major festival during the reign of the Pallavas (4th to 8th Century AD). It was observed during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January).During this festival young girls prayed for rain and prosperity of the country. Throughout the month, they avoided milk and milk products. They would not oil their hair and refrained from using harsh words while speaking. Women used to bath early in the morning. They worshiped the idol of Goddess Katyayani, which would be carved out of wet sand. They ended their penance on the first day of the month of Thai (January-February). This penance was to bring abundant rains to flourish the paddy. These traditions and customs of ancient times gave rise to Pongal celebrations.

Andal's Tiruppavai and Manickavachakar's Tiruvembavai vividly describe the festival of Thai Niradal and the ritual of observing Pavai Nonbu. According to an inscription found in the Veeraraghava temple at Tiruvallur, the Chola King Kiluttunga used to gift lands to the temple specially for the Pongal celebrations.

Lohri

Lohri

Lohri is a popular winter time Punjabi folk festival, celebrated primarily by Sikhs and Hindus from the Punjab region in the northern part of Indian subcontinent.The significance and legends about the Lohri festival are many and these link the festival to the Punjab region.Many people believe the festival commemorates the passing of the winter solstice.Lohri marks the end of winter season, and is a traditional welcome of longer days and sun's journey to the northern hemisphere by Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. It is observed the night before Makar Sankranti, also known as Maghi, and according to the solar part of the lunisolar Bikrami calendar and typically falls about the same date every year.

There are many folklores about Lohri. Lohri is the celebration of the arrival of longer days after the winter solstice. According to folklore, in ancient times Lohri was celebrated at the end of the traditional month when winter solstice occurs.It celebrates the days getting longer as the sun proceeds on its northward journey. The day after Lohri is celebrated as Maghi Sangrand.

In its origins, Lohri is an ancient mid winter festival, in regions near the Himalayan mountains where winter is colder than the rest of the subcontinent. Hindus traditionally lit bonfires in their yards after the weeks of the rabi season cropping work, socialized around the fire, sang and danced together as they marked the end of winter and the onset of longer days. After the night of bonfire celebrations, Hindus would mark Makar Sankranti and go to a sacred water body such as a river or lake to bathe.

The ancient significance of the festival is both as a winter crop season celebration and a remembrance of the Sun deity (Surya). Lohri songs mention the Indian Sun god asking for heat and thanking him for his return. Other legends explain the celebration as a folk reverence for fire (Agni) or the goddess of Lohri.

Yet another folklore links Lohri to the tale of Dulla Bhatti. The central theme of many Lohri songs is the legend of Dulla Bhatti and lived in Punjab during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar.He was regarded as a hero in Punjab, for rescuing Hindu girls from being forcibly taken to be sold in slave market of the Middle East.Amongst those he saved were two girls Sundri & Mundri, who gradually became a theme of Punjab' folklore. As a part of Lohri celebrations, children go around homes singing the traditional folk songs of Lohri with "Dulla Bhatti" name included. One person sings, while others end each line with a loud "Ho!" sung in unison. After the song ends, the adult of the home is expected to give snacks and money to the singing troupe of youngsters.

Maha Shivratri

Maha Shivratri 

Maha Shivaratri a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of God Shiva. There is a Shivaratri in every luni-solar month of the Hindu calendar, on the month's 13th night/14th day, but once a year in late winter (February/March, or Magha) and before the arrival of Summer, marks Maha Shivaratri which means "the Great Night of Shiva".

It is a major festival in Hinduism, this festival is solemn and marks a remembrance of "overcoming darkness and ignorance" in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, doing Yoga, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as self-restraint, honesty, noninjury to others, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva.The ardent devotees keep awake all night. Others visit one of the Shiva temples or go on pilgrimage to Jyotirlingams. This is an ancient Hindu festival whose origin date is unknown.

According to a few God realized Yogis, Maha Shivaratri was the day when Shiva drank poisonous negativity to protect the world. The Maha Shivaratri is mentioned in several Puranas, particularly the Skanda Purana, Linga Purana and Padma Purana. These medieval era Shaiva texts present different mythologies associated with this festival, but all mention fasting and reverence for icons of Shivasuch as the Lingam.

Different legends describe the significance of Maha Shivaratri. According to one legend in the Shaivism tradition, this is the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation and destruction.The chanting of hymns, the reading of Shiva scriptures and the chorus of devotees joins this cosmic dance and remembers Shiva's presence everywhere. According to another legend, this is the night when Shiva and Parvati got married.A different legend states that the offering to Shiva icons such as the linga is an annual occasion to get over past sins if any, to restart on a virtuous path and thereby reach Mount Kailasha and liberation.

The significance of dance tradition to this festival has historical roots. The Maha Shivaratri has served as a historic confluence of artists for annual dance festivals at major Hindu temples such as at Konark, Khajuraho, Pattadakal, Modhera and Chidambaram. This event is called Natyanjali, literally "worship through dance", at the Chidambaram temple which is famous for its sculpture depicting all dance mudras in the ancient Hindu text of performance arts called Natya Shastra.Similarly, at Khajuraho Shiva temples, a major fair and dance festival on Maha Shivaratri, involving Shaiva pilgrims camped over miles around the temple complex, was documented by Alexander Cunningham in 1864.

Krishna Janmashtami

Krishna Janmashtami 

Krishna Janmashtami (Devanagari कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी, Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī), also known simply as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindufestival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.It is observed according to Hindu luni-solar calendar, on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Shraavana of the lunar Hindu Calendar and Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapad of the lunisolar Hindu Calendar, which overlaps with August and September of the Gregorian calendar.

It is an important festival particularly to the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism.Dance-drama enactments of the life of Krishna according to the Bhagavata Purana (such as Rasa lila or Krishna Lila), devotional singing through the midnight when Krishna is believed to have been born, fasting (upavasa), a night vigil (jagarana), and a festival (mahotsava) on the following day are a part of the Janmashtami celebrations. It is celebrated particularly in Mathura and Brindavan, along with major Vaishnava and non-sectarian communities found in Manipur, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and other regions.

Krishna Janmashtami is followed by the festival Nandotsav, which celebrates the occasion when Nanda Baba distributed gifts to the community in honour of the birth.

Krishna was the son of Devaki and Vasudeva and his birthday is celebrated by Hindus as Janmashtami, particularly those of the Vaishnavism tradition as he is considered the eighth avatar of Vishnu.Janmashtami is celebrated when Krishna is believed to have been born according to Hindu tradition, which is in Mathura, at midnight on the eighth day of Bhadrapada month (overlaps with August and 3 September in the Gregorian calendar).

Krishna was born in an era of chaos, persecution was rampant, freedoms were denied, evil was everywhere, and when there was a threat to his life by his uncle King Kansa.Immediately following the birth at Nathdwara, his father Vasudeva took Krishna across Yamuna, to foster parents in Gokul, named Nanda and Yashoda.This legend is celebrated on Janmashtami by people keeping fast, singing devotional songs of love for Krishna, and keeping a vigil into the night.After Krishna's midnight hour birth, statues of baby Krishna are washed and clothed, then placed in a cradle. The devotees then break their fast, by sharing food and sweets. Women draw tiny foot prints outside their house doors and kitchen, walking towards their house, a symbolism for Krishna's journey into their homes.

St. Francis Xavier🕇

St. Francis Xavier, referred to as “Goencho Saib” (Lord of Goa) by Goans, is the Patron Saint of Goa. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is a feast held every year on the 3rd of December – the day he was buried – after nine days of prayer, called the Novena. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier hosts a variety of ceremonies to honor the Saint’s death. Over 2 lakhs devotees from across the country as well as overseas attend the Feast, which has a Pontifical Mass executed by a congregation of superior clergy.

The whole set-up is changed overnight during the yearly novenas and Feast of St. Francis Xavier. Pilgrims come together on the Bom Jesus Basilica from far-away Kerala and Tamil Nadu, from neighboring Karnataka and Maharashtra, as well as from the most distant corners of the Peninsula, and even from distant countries. The crowd reaches its zenith on the Feast day when all the roads in Goa lead to the Basilica.

Thousands of people assemble to Old Goa on the occasion of the Feast on St. Francis Xavier and make a mock of the transport system that is provided disgustingly insufficient to cope with the rush. The gardens and wide open spaces that are generally deserted are, during these days, crowded with pilgrims symbolizing the whole mosaic of Indian races and religions. St. Francis Xavier is often conjured up by his followers for his curative powers.