RAMADAN (RAMZAAN)

>> Friday, July 3, 2009



Ramadan is a month long festival, celebrated by Muslims all over the world. It generally starts in the third week of August. The festival marks the auspicious time when the holy Muslim epic Quran, consisting of the tenets of Allah for his people, was revealed by Prophet Muhammad.

The five pillars of Islam, according to the holy Quran, ask the followers of Islam to believe in only one God Allah, to offer prayers five times a day, to fast during the month of Ramzaan called Roza, to pay annual tax called Zakat to be distributed to the poor and to go for pilgrimage to Mecca.

Being the third pillar of Islam, it is considered highly auspicious for the Muslims to pray to the Lord and observe fast during the festival of Ramzan, to show respect to Allah. It is the month when Muslims get into self introspection and resist their desires to devote themselves completely in the service of the Lord.

Celebrations of the festival include a thirty day fast broken in three parts, or Ashra. These are Rahmat or the mercy of God, Maghfirat or the forgiveness of God and Nijat which means salvation. Fasting starts with the dawn and is broken at dusk with family and friends. This meal is called Iftaar. Fasting not just includes resistance from food and water, but also need Muslims to abstain from greed, lust, gossips, backstabbing and sarcastic remarks that may hurt others. The auspicious festival requires purity of both thoughts as well as actions.

After the new moon is sighted on the thirtieth day, Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated to mark an end to the fasting month. The festival brings all family and friends together. People wear new clothes and enjoy lavish meals, enjoying some happy moments together. The festive meal generally includes a sweet milk preparation called sevai and non vegetarian dishes like korma and kababs. Children are given money by their elders, as blessings. It is called Eidi. Charity is important on this festival and food and clothes are donated to the poor. This is known as Zakat-al-Fitr.

On this festival, the mosques are filled with crowds of people, who visit the mosque to offer their prayers to the lord, called Namaaz. They cover their heads with white caps and their heads and generally wear white pathani kurta-pyjama. Ladies wear salwar-suits and normally wear a burqa to cover their faces. Women offer their prayers at home only.

Ramadan is falling on 21st of August, 2009.

-by Shikha Priyadarshini

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Teej festival in India

With the advent of monsoon, the season of vibrant festivals begins in India. Teej festival is one of the most popular festival of Northern India that falls in this season of incessant rains.

With the onset of monsoon, North-Indian people especially the ladies gets ready to celebrate the colorful Teej festival. It is one of the major feativals of Hindus and mainly celebrated in the states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pardesh and Bihar with utmost joy and gaiety.

Coming 24 and 25 July is the auspicious date for this year's Teej Festival. Every year in the month of Shravan, people celebrates this festival as the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga, who were united after a penance of 100 years. Due to this, Teej festival is also known as the Sawan festival.

The royal state of Rajasthan is the most important destination of India where Teej festival is celebrated with utmost joy and gaiety. Both married and unmarried women celebrates this festival with great enthusiasm. Married women keeping whole day fasting for the well being and prosperity of their husbands whereas unmarried girls keep fasting to get a suitable groom.

On this occasion, ladies dressed up in their new attire, sparkling jewelry and color their hands and feet with heena. Ladies worships the decorated idol of Goddess Parvati and sings traditional Teel songs on this occasion. Colorful swings which are hung on the branches of the trees and processions of embellished elephants are the attractions of the Teej festival.

Jaipur's Teej festival is completely different from the rest of the places of Rajasthan. Here, in Jaipur idol of Goddess Parvati is taken out in a royal procession, so that the common people have a look and pay their homage to the deity. Colorful bullock carts, elephants, chariots are also part of Jaipur's Teej festival.

So, try to visit Jaipur during monsoon season, so that you can enjoy these merrymaking moments and remember them for your entire life.


By Jolly Mazumdar

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About This Blog

This blog is on famous festivals in India. It would tell you about their cultural and religious significance in India.