Onam in Kerala, India

India is basically a agricultural country, and the majority of population depends on agriculture only. As a result most of the festivals are also related to the agricultural activities of the people. These festivals are celebrated with different names in different parts of the country. Onam is regarded as the harvest festival of South India, especially Kerala. It is one of the most important and most popular Hindu festivals.

The festival falls during the Malayali month of Chingam (Aug -Sep) and continues for the period of ten days. It is the time when people thank Goddess Earth and cattle for the wonderful harvest they have reaped. The festival marks the period of peace, happinesses and prosperity. Onam is dear particularly to farming community in the villages.

Onam is mainly celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, a legendary ruler of Kerala, who once ruled the land. According to the legends, Lord Vishnu once decided to test the charitable nature of demon Mahabali, so he descended on the earth in the form of the dwarf Brahmin, called Vamana. He went to King Mahabali palace and requested for the three feet of land to live there. The kind king agreed to offer him the land where ever he wishes. But as the Vamana began to grow, he covered the whole earth by one foot and the heaven by his other foot. Mahabali recognized the presence of the Lord and offered his head as the as the ground for the Vishnu's third step. This won the heart of Lord Vishnu who gave him the Kingdom of Pathala and the boon to visit to visit Kerala – his kingdom once in year to see his people at Onam.

Onam wishes and gifts are exchanged between family and friends and there are celebration within the family. Houses are cleaned and all the maintenance jobs are done before the festival. New clothes are brought for every member of household. Women decorate the central courtyard of their house with beautiful Rangolis, done with the rice flour and bordered with various colors. The grand feast- 'Sandhya' is held in which people thank each other for helping them in having good crops. People make visit to the temple to offer prayers to their Gods and perform traditional dances such as Thiruvathirakali and Thumbi Tullal on the occasion. The ten day Onam celebrations are meant for feasting, snake boat races, traditional dances and merriment to welcome their legendary King. The other highlights of the event are fireworks, raslilas, followed by the possessions of caparisoned elephants. Not to forget to savour at the feast are sumptuous traditional Kerala foods.

Onam 2009 is on September 2, Friday

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Ganesh Chaturthi

Jai Ganesha Jai Ganesha Jai Ganesha Deva
Maata Jaaki Parvati Pitaa Mahadeva
Ladoowan Ka Bhog Lage Sant Karen Sevaa
Jai Ganesh Deva
Eka Dant Dayavant Chaar Bhujadhari
Maathe Par Tilak Sohe Muse Ki Sawaari
Paan Chadhe Phool Chadhe Aur Chadhe Mevaa
Jai Ganesh Deva


This is one of the famous aartis that people sing on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi – the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha (who is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati). The religious festival is celebrated all over the India in the month of August/September. It is one of the most celebrated festivals for Hindus not only in India, but all over the world. Ganesh Chaturthi is about the joy, that the devotees feel for their beloved Bal Ganesha. The celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi lasts for the period of ten to eleven days marked by the large religious gatherings, preparation of delicious sweets and arranging Ganesha pooja's in the Ganesh temples.

Although the splendour of Ganesh Chaturthi can be felt through out the country. But the temples especially in Maharashtra, Gujrat and Andhra witness an extravagant celebrations on this occasion. Hindu mythology presents the fascinating chain of events that were to unfold around the time to bal Ganesha birth. His name brings joy because Lord Ganesha himself was a manifestation of joy in every way. He is the India's most cutest most lovable God.

On this auspicious occasion temples and homes are beautifully decorated and illuminated. Although the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi falls in the month of August but the preparations for the grand festival starts a month before. Fascinating idols of Lord Ganesha in various size and forms are made. The devotion and spirituality dominates the whole atmosphere. On the festive days these idols are kept in the house holds and pandals. Then the ritual of the Pranapratishhtha Pooja is performed in order to invoke the holy presence of Lord Ganesha into the idol followed by the worship in sixteen modes to show honour known as Shhodasopachara.

For the next ten days, the Ganesha temples, house holds and huge pandals echoes the name of Lord Ganesha, and the whole atmosphere touch the heights of devotional spirits. Through the day prayers are offered and religious hymns are sung in the temples. Plenty of sweets are made. Among them the laddus are most important as they are given in offerings. The priests chant the holy mantras and perform the other religious rites. On the last day of the festival the possession ceremony of the immersion of the idol of Ganesha in the water body is performed to see off the lord followed by the prayer that may God take away all this misdeeds along with him.

Dates
3rd of September 2008

23rd of August 2009

Book your tour to India this Ganesh Chaturthi

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Janamastami - August 14, 2009

Janmashtami is a Hindu festival, specially observed in the honor of Lord Krishna (the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. The day is celebrated with great fervor and devotion as it is the same day when Lord Vishnu was born to his mother Devaki in a prison cell. The festival usually falls on the eight day of the dark half of the month of Bhadraba.

Also known as Krishnastami or Gokulastami, Janamashtami is a day to rejoice, to pray to the almighty for the wellness. On the auspicious day devotees observe fast and keep vigil till midnight. Most of the people visit the nearby temples of Lord Krishna and offer prayers in large crowds. The prayers and worship starts in the evening and continues till midnight and the devotees offer fruits and specially prepared food to Bal Krishna. The festival of Janmashtami brings good luck and prosperity in every one's home.

In each and every part of the country Janmashtami is celebrated in its own way. But the celebrations of Janmashtami is somewhat different in Mathura, where Lord Krishna was born. The festival is celebrated with lot of splendour and continuous for the period of three days The first two days are celebrated in a colourful manner. On the second day of the festival the popular ceremony known as 'Dahi Handi' takes place where the matka (pot) containing curd, milk and other ingredients is broken by the youths. During the puja (prayer) the image of infant bala Krishna is bathed with Panchamrit and than decorated with new costumes and other makeup. During the midnight the aarti is performed by blowing conch and ringing of bells. As soon as the aarti is over. Prasad is distributed among devotees after the birth ceremony. Janmashtami creates an ambiance of devotion and happiness among the devotees.

As the Lord Krishna was very fond of the butter and other milk products, so his devotees make sweets that are specially made of the milk products such as Dooddhachi kheer, Pedha, Gopalkala or the Gulabjamun. Apart from that Shrikhand and Singhare Ki Poori are the other delicacies.

The main highlight of this three festival are the Jhankis or tableaus. These Jhankis portray the various scenes that are related to the Lord Krishna's childhood stories. It is the kind of melodrama where small children play the role of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha followed by the long possession of people from various parts of the country. The raslilas include Birth of Lord Krishna in jail, Vasudev carrying Krishna in a bucket and crossing the Yamuna River, Vasudev's return to the jail, Kansa killing Yashoda's daughter and lastly the little Krishna in a cradle in Gokul. ongs and Bhajans are are sung by the people accompanied by dancing in praise of their favourite 'Krishna Lala'. Another prominent part of the Janmashtami celebrations are the Jhulans (cradles) for the bala Krishna.

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INDEPENDENCE DAY - August 15

Each year, on 15th of August the Indian Flag is hoisted on the broad channel of Red Fort of New Delhi. This marks the opening ceremony of India's Independence day. On 3rd June 1947, Lord Viscount Lord Mountbatten, the last British Governor General of India, announced the partitioning of the British Indian Empire into two Countries – India and Pakistan. It was after the rule of 100 years over India, that the Britishers were leaving India; that too divided into two parts. That was the biggest Irony of India – Freedom came but with a death toil which could one entire new Nation. Grieved and befeated, the nation stood on its foot at the midnight. And so came the slogan – Freedom at Midnight.

Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru was sworn as the first Prime minster of India by Lord Louis Mountbatten. With the sworing of the Prime Minister came his famous words -

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance..... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.

The then Deputy Prime Minister of India Sardar Valabh Bhai Patel Invited Lord Mountbatten to work as the Governor General of India till the entire country was united with complete formalities. And so under the leadership of Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel 565 princely states were united into 24 states and 7 union territories.

And so finally on 15th August, Lord Mountbatten gave back all the powers to Vallabhbhai thus making India a completely free Nation. And so each year on this day, the Indian Independence day is celebrated with fanfare throughout the country. Indian Flag is hoisted on each of the Government Buildings, Hospitals, Schools, Colleges and such other important organizations.

Red Fort is decorated and the Prime Minister of India gives a welcome speech on this day about the achievement of the country till date. The formal salutation is given to the Flag by the three Armies of the Country and every Indian National.

And so the by the way of celebrating Independence Day, a homage is paid to all those young men and women, children and old people who fought to bring Independence to our country.


* Indias Independence Day is a National Holiday and everything is closed on this day.

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Rakshabandhan in India

Come 16th August and the entire country will be celebrating Rakshabandhan or Rakhi. There is a lot of significance in the Indian Customs.

RAKHI is nothing but a simple colored thread. Numerous silken threads are woven to make a single thread which is tied on the hand of brother by his sister. This little band signifies that the brother will always stand by her sister and protect her from all the ill wills of this universe.

And like most of the stories, this festival too has a story behind it :
In the Vedic period, on a 'Shravan Poornima' day (Full Moon Day of the Hindu month of Shravan), the deities and the demons were fighting a battle against each other. Unfortunately the demons were in a stronger position as compared to the deities. The king of the deities, Lord Indra, was very much worried about the result of the battle. His wife Indrani (also known by the name Shashikala) could not see him worried and prayed to the almighty. Being religiously inclined, Indrani prepared a Talisman with her religious power and tied it around Indra's right wrist. She believed that this Talisman will safeguard Indra from the attack made by the demons. As it is said when the faith is true, the results come out as per the faith. And so did it happen, Lord Indra came out unhurt. From that day, the festival of Rakhi is celebrated throughout India with full faith.

As the time stands, many of the Kings have kept with their words for a simple thread. As the history tells even the Muslim Leaders have run to save their Hindu Sisters when time demanded. Same runs today. The only difference lies in the time. Today there are no Kings and Queens but the ideology remains the same.

Every year brothers and sisters travel covering long distance to maintain this ideology. A simple thread and a thousand thoughts. As a gratitude the brother presents the sister with a gift as she ties rakhi on his hand. The sister on the other hand, offers sweets to the brother, after putting tilak on the forehead of her brother – be it elder or younger.

Though the ceremony of Rakshabandhan is not a huge one, still it is one of the most important festivals of India.

* Each year Rakshabandhan comes two months before Deepawali (Diwali).It is celebrated all over India, especially in North Indian States like Delhi, Allahabad, Haridwar, Uttarkashi and Agra.

Book your tour to India this Rakshabandhan

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