India is home to an abundance of festivals that highlight its rich culture. Each festival holds special meaning.
Rakshabandhan, or Rakhi Bandhan in Hindi, is a beloved Hindu festival which honors the bond between brothers and sisters, often seen in Bollywood films.
Dussehra, India’s annual celebration commemorating the victory of good over evil, includes enacting Ramayana and burning large effigies of Ravana.
Navratri
Navratri, or Nine Night Festival in Hinduism, is celebrated throughout India and among Indian diaspora communities around the world. This nine-night celebration honors Durga – goddess of power, strength, protection and motherhood. Symbolizing triumphant goodness over evil this festival often precedes Dussehra festival which lasts 10 days after Navratri ends.
Each region holds their own festival, yet many aspects remain consistent across them all. Over nine nights, worship of various forms of the goddess takes place; each day is dedicated to one particular form until on Kali night her final form is honored as she takes form as Kali herself.
Many Hindus observe a fast during this festival, abstaining from eating meat or any food items deemed harmful or devoid of nutrients. Furthermore, this holiday carries strong fertility associations as the goddess is seen as the giver and nourisher.
Women come together and celebrate femininity during this festival, along with family, feasts and dance. One of the most beloved dances during this time is Garba, originally from Gujarat; people of all ages gather and perform circular movements while holding sticks (dandiya) that increase in speed over the night. The rhythm becomes increasingly foot-tapping!
One highlight of the festival is reenacting Rama’s epic story against Ravana in battle reenactments called Ram Lila pageants; these stories usually involve young actors with elaborate costumes and masks who tell it through elaborate songs and plays that culminate with burning large effigies of Ravana as an embodiment of victory for good over evil.
Travelers can participate in the festivities by visiting temples or attending cultural programs, volunteering at charity work events, giving gifts to needy, or giving donations in charity shops. Travelers are advised to focus on celebrating festivals without harboring negative emotions such as hatred, jealousy, or anger; being grateful for what you have will only enhance their experience of the festival further! Focusing on these positive aspects will add more joy and appreciation towards those you share it with!
Dussehra
Dussehra (also known as Vijaya Dashami or Diwali) is one of the most celebrated Hindu festivals, commemorating the triumph of good over evil and honoring Goddess Durga with nine-day festivities that include pomp and splendour.
Northern India celebrates this holiday as the day when Lord Rama defeated demon king Ravana and freed Sita from Ravana’s captivity with help from Lakshman, Hanuman, and a monkey army. Dussehra comes from two Sanskrit words which mean defeat of evil by good.
On this day, Ravana, his brother and son effigies are burnt to commemorate the victory of good over evil. Crowds gather in large numbers to witness this ceremony and cheer with unison when effigies of Ravana, his brother and son are set ablaze before being followed by an idol, food and handicraft fair. Kota in Rajasthan is famous for its Dusshera celebrations. Starting early morning with religious functions and lighting up towering Ravana effigies before King inaugurates festivities by lighting them all up to make way for fireworks that light up skies like never seen before! Kota in Rajasthan is famous for its Dusshera celebrations where towering Ravana effigies set up at religious functions before starting religious services, before King inaugurates celebrations by lighting them all up by lighting them all at once! Firecrackers from within them burst sky-lit up skies like never seen before! Many people are found in indulging in offline or online casino games like slot games on best slot sites or 온라인 슬롯사이트 on that day.
Celebrated to honor and respect the Goddesses of Knowledge and Power, many young children enroll in school during this festival day and a good number make investments on it.
Festival is also celebrated to pay our respects to Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of music, dance and arts. Therefore, it provides an ideal platform for you to show off your creativity and talent to the world. Devotees pray to her for protection against evil forces while celebrating victory of good over evil as well as homecoming of Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman after 13 year exile.
Durga Puja
Durga Puja is the Hindu festival celebrating Goddess Durga. According to legend, her story dates back to when Mahisasur, a powerful buffalo demon, received a boon from Lord Brahma that no power could defeat him; then began terrorizing humanity and uprooting them from heaven. Frustrated Gods combined their powers in order to create Durga. She had ten hands and rode on a lion as she battled off Mahisasur and won back heaven for them all – which led them all back home! Their victory is celebrated annually during Durga Puja!
Festival celebrations begin by creating large clay statues of the Goddess known as pandals. These idols, often dressed in vibrant clothing and jewelry, are created by several thousand artisans working around the clock. Once complete they can be placed for display in different pandals across the city.
Durga Puja began as an elite tradition during the 19th century, taking place only at mansions of wealthy businessmen and zamindars. However, during the 1910s and 1920s Durga Puja started becoming more inclusive – being organised on a community basis by clubs and societies such as Sanatan Dharmotsahini Sabha in south Calcutta in 1910, Shyampukur Sarbojonin in 1911, Adi Lake Pally in 1917, Bagbazar Sarbojonin in 1919 among many others – marking its beginning as becoming more accessible among commoners of Bengal.
People throng to pandals to meet family and friends while feasting on delicious varieties of food during this nine-day festival, reaching its height during Aarti on Saptami (Sept 5), Ashtami (Aug 8), and Navami (Nov 9). On Vijaya Dashami – the last day – clay sculpture idols worshiped are taken out for immersion at river or other water bodies to symbolize Goddess Parvati returning home – her cosmic home and marital home, Kailash.
Durga Puja provides women an opportunity to step outside their homes and meet each other – thus earning it its status as a women-only festival. Grandmothers meet their grandchildren while women make connections over gossipy chat.
Rakshabandhan
Raksha Bandhan, or Raksha Pundhan in Hindi, is an annual Hindu holiday that honors the relationship between brothers and sisters. Held each August 30th this year – this year on August 30th! – sisters tie a sacred thread called Rakhi around their brothers wrists while offering special prayers for their safety and wellbeing; in return their brothers promise their sister they’ll always protect her – thus the name “Raksha Bandhan.”
Hindus celebrate Diwali along with followers of Jainism and Sikhism, though its significance goes well beyond brother-sister relationships alone. While initially celebrated to commemorate brother-sister relationships, Diwali has evolved into a celebration of family bonds more generally; additionally it offers the perfect excuse to give gifts to loved ones.
Indian festivals celebrate Tikka ceremony with great joy and enthusiasm, the central ritual being Tikka ceremony during which sisters put tilak made of kumkum on the foreheads of their brothers and tie Rakhi bracelets around their wrists, praying for his prosperity and wellbeing while offering sweets with promises to protect her no matter what.
The Tika Ceremony is an integral component of this festival, believed to have originated from a story from Mahabharata. According to legend, princess Draupadi tied part of her saree to Lord Krishna as an expression of love and protection; Krishna was so moved by this gesture that he promised his commitment.
Scholars have described this tradition as an annual ceremony celebrated throughout North India and surrounding nations such as Nepal, Pakistan and Fiji. Additionally, Jainism and Sikhism also observe it, both sharing core beliefs similar to Hinduism. Furthermore, this festival has come to represent unity among Indians by honoring brotherly relationships regardless of blood relations.
