INDIAN FESTIVALS (JANUARY)

                               CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIAN FESTIVALS

                  INDIA IS A LAND OF FESTIVALS AND FAIRS. EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR THERE IS A FESTIVAL CELEBRATED IN SOME PART OF THE COUNTRY. SOME FESTIVALS WELCOME THE SEASONS OF THE YEAR, THE HARVEST, THE RAINS, OR THE FULL MOON. OTHERS CELEBRATE RELIGIOUS OCCASIONS, THE BIRTHDAYS OF DIVINE BEINGS, SAINT, AND GURUS (REVERED TEACHERS), OR THE ADVENT OF THE NEW YEAR. A NUMBER OF THESE FESTIVALS ARE COMMON TO MOST PART OF INDIA. HOWEVER, THEY MAY BE CALLED BY DIFFERENT NAMES IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY OR MAY BE CELEBRATED IN A DIFFERENT FASHION.

                                           INDIAN FESTIVALS JANUARY

                                                               JANUARY

                 MAKAR SANKTRANTI : (MAHARASHTRA, KARNATAKA  AND ANDHRA PRADESH) IS A CELEBRATION OF SPRING ON THE OCCASION OF THE 'ASCENT' OF THE SUN TO THE NORTH (UTTARAYANA). IN MAHARASHTRA, KARNATAKA AS WELL AS PART OF ANDHRA, MAKAR SANKRANTI IS A DAY OF GOODWILL AND FRIENDSHIP. SESAME LADOOS AND SUGAR DROPS ARE DISTRIBUTED AS A SYMBOL OF THE NEED TO BE GENEROUS AND KIND TO EVERYONE. WOMEN WEAR NEW CLOTHES, NEW GLASS BANGLES AND HOLD-GET-TOGETHER TO SHARE SWEETS AND GIFTS. A NEW BRIDE IS GIVEN ORNAMENTS MADE OF SUGAR DROPS AND HER NEW RELATVES ARE INVITED TO MEET AND WELCOME HER AT A HALDI KUMKUM CELEBRATION.

              LOHRI (PUNJABI) : IN THE NORTH MAKAR SANKRANTI IS CALLED LOHRI. IT IS THE ONLY HINDU FESTIVAL WHICH FALLS REGULARLY ON THE 14TH OF JANUARY EVERY YEAR. LOHRI IS THE TIME AFTER WHICH THE BITING COLD OF WINTER BEGINS TO TAPER OFF. ON THIS DAY THE CHILDREN GO FROM DOOR TO DOOR TO COLLECT FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY BONFIRES WHICH ARE LIT IN THE EVENING. LOHRI IS MORE OF A COMMUNITY FESTIVAL, WHERE THE BIRTH OF A SON OR THE FIRST YEAR OF MARRIAGE IS CELEBRATED FESTIVALS, WHERE THE BIRTH OF A SON OR THE FIRST YEAR OF MARRIAGE IS CELEBRATED WITH GREAT FUN AND FROLIC. PEOPLE GATHER AROUND THE BONFIRES AND OFFER SWEETS, CRISP RICE AND POPCORN TO THE FLAMES. SONGS ARE SUNG TO THE BEAT OF VIGOROUS CLAPS AND GREETINGS ARE EXCHANGED. 

                PONGAL : (TAMIL NADU, ANDHRA PRADESH): IN THE SOUTH SANKRANTI BECOMES PONGAL. IT IS A CELEBRATION OF THE HARVEST WHICH IS OBSERVED FOR THREE DAYS IN TAMIL NADU AS WELL AS IN ANDHRA PRADESH. THE FIRST DAY IS THE BHOGI PONGAL WHICH IS CELEBRATED AS A FAMILY FESTIVAL. SURYA PONGAL,THE SECOND DAY, IS DEDICATED TO THE SUN (SURYA) WHEN PONGAL (RICE COOKED IN MILK AND JAGGERY) IS BOILED BY WOMEN AND OFFERED TO THE SUN.  FRIENDS GREET ONE ANOTHER BY ASKING "IS IT BOILED"?, AND THE ANSWER IS GIVEN IS "IT IS". IT IS FOLLOWED BY GREAT REJOICING. MATTU PONGAL, THE THIRD DAY, IS A DAY DEDICATED TO THE WORSHIP AND VENERATION OF CATTLE (MATTU). THE PONGAL THAT HAS BEEN OFFERED TO THE LOCAL DEITIES IS GIVEN TO THE CATTLE TO EAT. THE CATTLE ARE BATHED AND DECORATED. COLOURED BALLS OF THE PONGAL ARE ALSO MADE AND LEFT IN THE OPEN FOR BIRDS. IN MADURAI, TIRUCHIRAPALLI AND TANJORE, A KIND OF BULLFIGHT, CALLED THE "JALLIKATTU" IS HELD. BUNDLES CONTAINING MONEY ARE TIED TO THE HORNS OF FEROCIOUS BULLS, AND UNARMED VILLAGER TRY OT WREST THE BUNDLES FROM THEM. WITH INGREDIENTS PROVIDED BY THE FRESHLY GATHERED HARVEST, COMMUNITY MEALS ARE HELD AT NIGHT.

                THAI PUSAM (TAMIL NADU) : THE FESTIVAL USUALLY TAKES PLACE IN THE TEMPLES DEDICATED TO KARTIKEYA OR MARIAMMAN WHERE TRENCHES OF BURNING COAL ARE LAID OUT FOR THE DEVOTEES TO WALK OVER. IT HAS BEEN SEEN THAT PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER TO UNDERTAKE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH FAITH, COME AWAY UNHARMED AND UNSCATHED. THE CHIEF PRIEST OF THE TEMPLE AND THE TWELVE "HERO-YOUTHS", WHO ARE TO PERFORM THIS FEAT, FIRST GO OUT IN A PROCESSION FROM THE TEMPLE TO BATHE, SMEAR THEMSELVES WITH TURMERIC, POWDER, AND BEGIN THE DANCE. THEN THE WALK OVER ALONG PIT COVERED WITH BURNING AND COME OUT UNSCATHED. THIS IS FOLLWED BY SINGING AND FEASTING WHICH CONTINUES TILL LATE NIGHT.

                 FLOAT FESTIVAL : (TAMIL NADU) : THIS MAGNIFICENT FESTIVAL IS CELEBRATED IN MADURAI ON THE NIGHT OF THE FULL MOON. THE ORNAMENTED ICONS OF THE TWO DEITIES, THE GOD SUNDARESA (INCARNATION OF SHIVA ) AND THE GODDESS MEENAKSHI (INCARNATION OF PARVATI), WITH PEARL CROWNS ON THEIR HEADS AND RIDING ON A GOLDEN BULL ARE TAKEN OUT IN A SPLENDID PROCESSION FROM THE MEENAKSHI TEMPLE. THE GOD ALAGAR (INCARNATION OF VISHNU) GIVES HIS SISTER MEENAKSHI, IN MARRIAGE TO SUNDARESA AMIDST GREAT REJOICING. DEVOTEES CLOTHED IN YELLOW AND RED DANCE AMONG THE PORCESSIONISTS AND SPRAY COLOURED WATER ON THEM. THE ICONS ARE FLOATED IN THE TANK ON A RAFT DECKED WITH FLOWERS AND FLICKERING LAMPS.

               NATIONAL KITE FESTIVALS (GUJARAT) : IN GUJARAT AND OTHER WESTERN STATES THE CHANGE IN THE DIRECTION OF WINDS ON MAKAR SANKRANTI IS MARKED BY THOUSANDS OF COLOURFUL KITES OF ALL PATTERNS AND DIMENSIONS WHICH DOT THE BLUE SKY. THE KITES MEN VIE WITH EACH OTHER TO WIN COMMUNITY KITE-FLYING COMPETITIONS. THE KITES ARE HAND MADE AND THE THREAD IS GIVEN A COATING OF GLASS POWDER MIXED IN EITHER RESIN OR A PASTE MADE OF REFINED WHEAT FLOUR. THE DAY ALSO WITNESS KITE FLYING TOURNAMENTS IN WHICH HANDSOME CASH, CUPS AND SHIELDS ARE AWARDED AS PRIZES TO THE WINNERS. SPECIAL KITES WITH PAPER LAMPS FILL THE NIGHT SKY WITH MYRAID FLICKERING LIGHTS.

               KERALA VILLAGE FAIR : MID-JANUARY IS THE TIME FOR CULTURAL EVENTS IN THE LUSH VILLAGES AROUND KOVALAM, EVERY YEAR. TRADITIONAL THATCH HOUSES ARE DECORATED DURING THIS TEN DAY LONG FESTIVAL AND ARE THE VENUE FOR FOLD DANCES, MUSIC AND FESTIVALS.

             BIKANER FESTIVAL : THE FESTIVAL STARTS OFF WITH A MAGNIFICENT PROCESSION OF BEDECKED CAMELS. IT IS A COLOURFUL SPECTACLE OF BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED CAMELS THAT FASCINATES THE ONLOOKERS WITH THEIR CHARM AND GRACE. SEVERAL COMPETITIONS ARE HELD, MARKED WITH TYPICAL RAJASTHANI COLOUR, JOYOUS MUSIC AND LILTING RYTHMS AND GAY FESTIVITIES.

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