FESTIVALS IN INDIA
SEPTEMBER
TARNETAR MELA (SAURASHTRA, GUJARAT) : IS AN EXCITING AND A UNIQUE FAIR HELD ANNUALLY AT TARNETAR IN SAURASHTRA. THE FAIR COINCIDES WITH THE FESTIVAL AT THE TRINETWSHWAR TEMPLE, CELEBRATING THE WEDDIND OF THE LEGENDARY MAHABHARAT HERO, ARJUNA WITH DRAUPADI. THE FAIR IS A KIND OF A MARRIAGE MARKET FOR THE LOCAL TRIBALS - THE KOLIS, BHARWADS AND RABARIS. THE TRADITIONAL COSTUMES, EXQUISITE JEWELLERY AND WONDERFUL TARNETAR"CHHATRIS" (UMBRELLAS) WITH INTRICATE EMBRODERY AND MIRROR ARE SOLD. AN ADDED ATTRACTION IN THE LIVELY FOLK DANCE PERFORMANCE SUCH AS - GARBA, RAS, HERO.
OCTOBER
NAVRATRI (ALL OVER INDIA) : NAVRATRI IS THE LONGEST HINDU FESTIVAL THAT CONTINUES FOR NINE CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS IN PRAISE OF LORD RAMA. CONTINUOUS CHANTING FROM THE GREAT EPIC RAMAYANA, ALONG WITH EVENING PERFORMANCES FROM THE EPISODES OF HIS LIFE, IS HELD FOR NINE DAYS. IT IS A COMBINATION OF MANY CONCEPTS. IT IS BELIEVED THAT DURGA, THE GODDESS OF POWER AND VITALITY, HAS NINE FROM CALLED NAVADURGA AND ON EACH DAY OF THE NINE DAYS, SHE TAKES A NEW FORM, CALLED NAVADURGA AND ON EACH DAY OF THE NINE DAYS, SHE TAKES A NEW FORM, WITH AN ARSENAL OF WEAPONS, TO RIDE A LION AND FIGHT THE DEMON MAHISHASURA. VIJAYDASHMI OR DUSSEHRA, THE 10TH DAY, IS CELEBRATED WITH FEASTING AND REJOICING AS HER DAY OF VICTORY. LORD RAMA IS SAID TO HAVE WORSHIPPED THE GODDESS, SEEKING HER BELOVED IN ORDER TO OVERPOWER THE EVIL FORCE OF RAVANA, THE ABDUCTOR OF HIS BELOVED SITA. THE MOST JOYOUS CELEBRATION OF NAVARATRI IS SEEN IN GUJARAT, KARNATAKA, TAMILNADU AND BENGAL. EVERY NIGHT PEOPLE GATHER IN COURTYARDS TO DANCE THE DANDIYA RAAS AND GARBA, A COMMUNITY DANCE IN WHICH MEN AND WOMEN DRESSED IN FESTIVE CLOTHES, DANCE IN PAIRS WITH DANDIYAS OR PAINTED WOODEN STICKS.
DURGA PUJA (BENGAL) : IS PERFORMED DURING THE NINE DAYS OF NAVRATRI. COMMUNITY PUJAS IN BENGAL ARE ORGANISED IN EVERY LOCALITY. FAMILIES VISIT EACH OTHERS TO SHARE FEASTS. ON BIJOYA DAY, THE IDOLS ARE TAKEN IN ELABORATE PROCESSIONS FOR IMMERSION IN THE RIVER OR THE SEA.
DUSSEHRA (ALL OVER INDIA) : IS CELEBRATED TO MARK THE HOMECOMING OF LORD RAMA. THE RAMLIA - AN - ENACTMENT OF THE LIFE OF LORD RAMA, IS HELD NINE DAYS BEFORE DUSSEHRA.
ON THE TENTH DAY, LARGER THAN LIFE EFFIGIES OF RAVANA, HIS BROTHERS MEGHNATH AND KUMBHKARNA FILLED WITH DIFFERENT FIRE CRACKERS ARE SET ALIGHT TO CELEBRATE THE VICTORY OF GOOD OVER EVIL. IN HIMACHAL PRADESH, A WEEK LONG FAIR AT KULLU IS A PART OF THE DUSSEHRA CELEBRATIONS. FROM THE LITTLE TEMPES IN THE HILLS, DEITIES ARE BROUGHT IN PROCESSION TO THE KULLU MAIDAN WITH LOT OF GAIETY, MUSIC AND COLOUR. THE PRESIDING DEITY IS LORD RAGHUNATHJI.
MYSORE IS ILLUMINATED WITH LIGHTS FOR DESSEHRA. MAJESTIC PROCESSIONS, A TORCH LIGHT PARADE AND DANCE AND MUSICAL EVENTS ENLIVEN THE TRANQUIL CITY.
MARWAR FESTIVAL (JODHPUR) IS A FESTIVAL DEVOTED MAINLY TO THE MUSIC AND DANCE OF THE MARWAR REGION. THE FESTIVAL WAS ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS THE "MAAN FESTIVAL". HELD FOR TWO DAYS ON FULL MOON-SHARED PURNIMA, FORK ARTISTS BRING TO LIFE THE MYTH, LEGEND AND FOLKLORE OF THE AREA.
NOVEMBER
SHARAD PURNIMA : (ALL OVER INDIA) IS A HARVES FESTIVAL WHEN LAXMI, THE GODDESS OF PROSPERITY, VISITS ALL HOMES TO BRING FORTUNE AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL. KOJAGIRI, THE SPECIAL NIGHT, IS CELEBRATED WITH ICE-COLD, SAFFRON-FLOVOURED SWEET MILK, SHARED IN THE COOL MOONLIGHT. THE FULL MOON NIGHT IS CALLED NAVANA PURNIMA OR THE MOONLIT NIGHT FOR NEW FOOD. THE NEWLY HARVESTED RICE IS OFFERED TO THE GODS AND LAMPS ARE LIT BEFORE THE FULL MOON.
DIWALI : (ALL OVER INDIA) : THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF INDIAN FESTIVALS. IT COMES 21 DAYS AFTER DESSEHRA AND CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF LORD RAMA TO AYODHYA AFTER HIS 14-YEAR EXILE. HOMES ARE DECORATED, SWEETS ARE DISTRIBUTED BY EVERYONE AND THOUSANDS OF LAMPS LIT IN HOUSES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY MAKING IT A NIGHT OF ENCHANTMENT. DOORWAYS ARE HUNG WITH TORANS (A DECORATIVE GARLAND FOR THE DOOR) ARE DAWN WITH DIFFERENT COLOURED POWDERS TO WELCOME GUESTS. WORSHIP OF GODDESS LAKSHMI, THE GODDESS OF WEALTH, AND FIREWORKS AND FESTIVALS ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE OCCASION.
GURU PURAB (NORTH INDIA) : THE BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF GURU NANAK = THE FIRST GURU OF THE SIKHS WHO FOUNDED THE SIKH FAITH, IS CELEBRATED WITH GREAT FERVOUR. THE "AKHAND PATH" - RECITATION OF THE SIKH HOLY BOOK, GURU GRANTH SAHIB, IS HELD IN GURDWARAS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. TAKING THE HOLY BOOK OUT IN PROCESSION, IS ALSO AN INTEGRA PART OF THE CELEBRATIONS. LANGARS (COMMUNITY FEASTS) ARE ORGANISED WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL CASTES SIT TOGETHER TO EAT AND SING HYMNS FROM THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB. THE CELEBRATIONS AT AMRITSAR ARE ESPECIALLY IMPRESSIVE.
KA POMBLANG NONGREM : (MEGHALAYA) IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FESTIVAL OF THE KHASIS IN MEGHALAYA. THIS FIVE DAY LONG FESTIVAL, HELD ANNUALLY NEAR SHILLONG, IS AN OCCASION FOR THANKGIVING FOR A GOOD HARVEST AND THE TIME TO PRAY FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY. KHASI MEN AND WOMEN, DRESSED IN TRADITIONAL SPLENDOUR, PERFORM THE FAMOUS NONGKREM DANCE.
SONEPUR FAIR : (SONEPUR BIHAR) ASIA'S BIGGEST CATTLE FAIR IS HELD AT SONEPUR, ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER GANGA. DURING THIS MONTH-LONG FAIR, CATTLE, DECORATED FOR THE OCCASION, SWARM THE VENUE.
PUSHKKAR FAIR : (PUSHKAR, RAJASTHAN) IS HELD EVERY YEAR AT PUSHKAR, NEAR AJMER. THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS COME TO BATHE IN THE HOLY WATERS OF THE PUSHKAR LAKE. TRADING OF CATTLE, CAMEL RACES AND DAZZLING DISPLAYS OF BANGLES, BRASSWARE, CLOTHES, CAME SADDLES AND HALTERS ARE THE MAJOR ATTRACTIONS OF THIS COLOURFUL EVEN WHICH LASTS FOR TWELVE DAYS.
HAMPI FESTIVAL : THE MAGNIFICENT RUINED CITY OF HAMPI, ONCE THE CAPITAL OF THE VIJAYANAGAR EMPIRE, COME ALIVE ONCE AGAIN DURING THIS LIVELY FESTIVAL OF DANCE AND MUSIC, HELD IN THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER.
DECEMBER
CHRISTMAS : ( ALL OVER INDIA) IS CELEBRATED BY THE CHRISTIANS AND NON-CHRISTIANS ALIKE WITH SPECIAL ENTHUSIASM. ALL THE MAJOR INDIAN CITIES WEAR A FESTIVE LOOK. SHOPS AND BAZAARS ARE DECORATED FOR THE OCCASION AND OFFER ATTRACTIVE BARGIANS. CAROL SINGING, GET-TOGETHER AND THE EXCHANGING OF GIFTS ENHANCE THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT, CHRISTMAS PARTIES LAUNCH OF CELEBRATIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR, THUS RETAINING THE FESTIVE MOOD FOR AT LEAST A WEEK.
KONARK DANCE FESTIVAL : (KONARK, ORISSA) KONARK FESTIVAL IN THE SUN TEMPLE, KONARK, OFFERS AND UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE EVERY DECEMBER 5TH. A HOST OF CELEBRATED DANCERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY PERFORM ON THE TEMPLE PLATFORM OR BEACH.
THE SOUND OF GHUNGROO BELLS, FLUTE AND PAKHAUJ FILL THE AIR AND A MARVELOUS CRAFTS MELA, WITH A VARIETY OF HANDICRAFTS AND DELECTABLE CUISINE, ADDS TO THE FESTIVE MOOD.
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