Karwa Chauth-a festival for wedded bliss

India is a country full of fairs and festivals. Here, in India every season or month is attached with one or more festivals. People of every community celebrates these festivals with utmost joy and enthusiasm.

Just few days back we have celebrated the ten days long Dusshera and Durga Puja festivals and now, its time for Karwa Chauth. It is going to observe on 7th October, 2009.

Karwa chauth is a festival that is mostly solemnized by the married Hindu and Sikh ladies of north-western India. This glorified festival falls in Autumn season and observe on the fourth day after the full moon in Kartik month of Hindu calender ie October or November.

Mostly married women celebrates this festival for bestowing wedded bliss. It is a celebration that invigorate the eternal love and devotion between both husband and wife. Few days before, Karva Chauth ladies purchase some new Karvas, the spherical clay pots and decorate them with beautiful designs. They keep bangles, ribbons, home-made sweets, make-up items, and small clothes like handkerchief etc inside the pot.

There are variations within regions, groups, and communities in India about rituals of starting and breaking the fast, and worshiping the moon. In Punjab, mother-in-law gives or sent sergi to her daughter-in-law during wee hours, which includes sweets, dry fruits like cashew nuts, pea nuts, pista, almonds, clothes, red bangles, bindis, red vermilion and some gold jeweleries.

After savoring food items that are included in sergi before dawn, ladies take bathe, wear new sari and adorned their palms with henna and other accessories and worship to God. They keep a whole day long fast without consuming any food or water for the longevity and welfare of their husbands.

In late afternoon, ladies gather at a common place and listen to the Karwa Chauth Katha (the legend) which is narrated to them by an elderly lady. After the moon rise, the women see its reflection in a thali of water, or through a dupatta or a sieve. Thereafter, they offer water to the moon and seek blessings from God for the safety, prosperity and long life of their husbands. After this, women breaks their fast by drinking some water from husband's hand. This mark the end of a day long fast.

Posted by Jolly Mazumdar

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SARAS Mela at Dilli Haat, Pitampura

With the onset of Autumn season, the countdown for several fairs and festivals started in India. People residing in various parts of our country, completely immersed themselves in festive mood. This is the time known for Navratri ( the festival of nine day long fasting) and Durga Puja. People belonging to various age group, caste and creed enjoy both these festivals with utmost joy and gaiety, forgetting all their worries.

To add more color to this festive season, Ministry of Rural Department, Government of India, for the first time has organized a fortnight long (19th September to 4 October, 2009) SARAS Mela. It is an outstanding exhibition-cum-sale fair that provides a golden opportunity to the rural artisans to showcase their skill at a marketing platform.

Inaugurated by Ms Agatha Sangma, the Union Minister of State For Rural Development, this year's(2009) venue for SARAS Mela is at Dilli Haat, Pitampura. Rural artisans, craftsmen, BPL families and Self Help Group(SHGs) from all over the country come together at Pitampura's Dilli haat to exhibit their handcrafted creations.

Sprawling across an area of 6 acres of land, Dilli haat at Pitampura is a true copy of its counterpart,Dilli Haat,opposite INA market,on Sri Aurobindu Marg, South Delhi.It is a traditional craft and food bazaar.Thanks to its internal ambiance, Dilli Haat of Pitampura serves as a perfect choice for 2009's SARAS Mela.

For the past few years, the Union Ministry of Rural Development in collaboration with the Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), is organizing these SARAS Melas to provide a marketing platform to assist rural artisans in exhibiting and seling their products. This mela enable the poor and innocent artisans to get rid of the claws of middlemen, who always take away a hefty amount from their remuneration. This Mela also provides a helping hand to earn some additional money as well as wide scale direct interactions with the buyers and aid the artisians to understand the taste and preferences of the customers.

Around 195 SHGs representing 22 States and different parts of the county are participating in 2009 SARAS mela. Special attractions of this year's Mela are Metal work products from Madhya Pradesh, Sambalpur Saris from Orissa, Wood-works from Tamil Nadu, Bamboo Craft from Tripura, Madhubani paintings from Bihar, Terracotta’s from Chhattisgarh, Shawls & Carpets from Jammu & Kashmir and Kantha stitch work from West Bengal. Arrangements are also being made to set up attractive food stalls. Another major attraction of the mega event is the presentation of divergent cultural programmes of different States which will be held throughout the duration of the Mela.

Don't waste time any more and visit the red stone premise of Dilli Haat, Pitampura during this auspicious time, with all your family members.

Posted by Jolly Mazumdar

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Dusshera Festival in India

Dusshera is a popular Indian festival, also known as Vijaydashmi (vijay means victory and dashmi means the tenth day). Dusshera is celebrated all over the country by almost every religion, and its the special festival for the Hindus. There is a mythological story behind the celebration of the festival as it is believed that on this day Lord Rama returned from 14 years of exile after killing the demon Ravana and rescued his wife Sita.

Dussehera is the festival that actually signifies the triumph of the good will. When we will see the celebration in the country then we can find that the festival is celebrated in different ways. Like I am taking up Northern India, here huge dummies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarana and Meghanath is placed in the vast ground and in that fireworks and crackers are placed inside the dummies.

Similarly if we see the parts of Eastern part of India this day is celebrated as the Durga Puja. The day is celebrated as the end of Durga Puja. The ten days celebrations of Durga Puja is named as Navaratri. This eastern part of the country the day of Vijaydashmi is dedicated to the goddess of strength that is Durga which is said to be the combined manisfestation of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and from all other gods who created Durga to kill the demon Mahishasura and freed the world from terror. On this day of Vijaydashmi the idols of goddess is created. Similarly in the Southern part of India in Tamil Nadu and Kerela Vijaydashmi has the special significance. Although the day is celebrated in different ways in the country but the motive behind every celebration in this day is the same- to spread good will and to celebrate victory over the evil.

When it is Celebrated?
Dussherra is celebrated on the 10 th day of the famous Navratri festival, celebrated for nine days, according to the Hindu calendar 'Ashvin' (September- October). The festival is dedicated to the goddess Durga and to her nine forms. The last three days of Navratri is believed to be very auspicious and holy as goddess Laxmi and goddess Saraswati is worshiped along with goddess Durga.

Religious Significance of Dusshera:

The Dusshera festival has a special significance in the country. As India is diverse country therefore, the festival is celebrated in various ways. The northern part , involves the Ram Lila along with Navratra Puja, a drama that depicts the life of Lord Rama. On the tenth day of Ram Lila huge number of crackers are burnt and the dummies of Ravana and the two brothers Kumbhakarana and Meghanath is also burnt.


The country celebrates the festival in various ways as in West Bengal the day is celebrated as Durga Puja, and is celebrated in five days across the state. Devotees wear new clothes and celebrates the day with great enthusiasm. The cultural programmes, which takes place during the festival are popularly known as Dandiya Raas and Garba Raas, and people also observe Jaagran (waking through the night).

Legends of Dussehra:
As we all know that the festival has the various types of legends connected with them. In Hindu mythology the Lord Rama has killed the demon Ravana who has abducted his wife Sita with the help of his brother Laxman and his follower Hanuman and came home after the 14 years of exile. Therefore, the victory of Lord Rama is celebrated as Vijaydashmi.

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Teacher's Day on 5th September.

Teacher's day is a time of commemoration and celebration for Teachers. Different countries celebrate Teacher's day on various days of the year, in India 'The Teacher's Day' is celebrated on 5th September every year. It is the birthday of teacher and second President of India - Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan. When he become the President of India, his students requested him to celebrate his birth day on 5th September. In reply Dr. Radhakrishnan said “Instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as “Teachers Day”.

Teacher's Day is a time of honoring your favorite teachers, surprising them with gifts and crayon scribbled 'I lOVE YOU's'.

Teacher's day holds the great significance in the heart of every student. It is the opportunity for the students to express the gratitude for the hardships the teachers bear in educating a child and preparing them to face the world. A number of ancient cultures pay tribute to the teachers as the Goddess. An old saying in India ranks teacher on the 3rd position even before the God : Mata, Pitha, Guru, Daivam, that means mother, father and Teacher is God.

Teachers shape up the life of the students as the educations received from the teachers remains with the students throughout their life, that helps them in taking the right decision and chasing the right path. Teachers spend most of their lives in teaching the students so they should always be respected. Teachers need encouragement from the society to feel that their commitment and devotion to students is rewarded.

Celebrating Teachers day is the historical tradition in India. The day is not granted as the holiday in India. On this very day students go to school, dress up like their teachers and take lecturers. As the day passes the students perform the regular activities that are practiced by the teacher's every day. Sometimes the teachers also sit in the class and behave like the students, to make the students realize what they go through every day.

The day strengthens the bond between the students and the teachers. Teachers day is the opportunity for the students to convey the message that we respect and care for our teachers as much as they do. Apart from the celebrations the day promoted the healthy interactions between the students and teachers. Very often we forget to thank our teachers. So Teachers Day nice time to tell how special they are for you.

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MAHA KUMBH FAIR 2010

The most awaited religious fair for the Hindus, Maha Kumbh, offers a one of a kind experience. Kumbh mela takes place in four destinations of the country namely Ujjain, Allahabad, Haridwar and Nasik, owing to the mythological significance that these places hold, with Allhabad being the most sacred destination and the only one where Maha Kumbh is held.

Prayag in Allahabad witnesses a gathering of millions of devotees from all over the world during the Maha Kumbh. These also include Naga Saints, Urdhwavahurs, Parivajaks, Shirshasins, Kalpvasis etc who believe in taking severe penance to reach their ultimate goal of salvation. One can see priests performing yagyas, bathing in the Triveni waters, saints having long matted hair and skin covered with ashes, meditating for long hours on their heads.

TIME AND DURATION:

Maha Kumbh takes place once in every 12 years, the next one lined up in 2013. The festival goes on for more than a month, with Amavasya being the most important day for the holy dip into the Triveni waters.

MYTHOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:

The origin of Kumbha Mela has been linked to the formation of the Universe with Samudra Manthan. It is believed that Gods were losing their powers, as a result of a curse, which made them lethargic and rendered them incapable. It was at this time that the creator of Universe, Lord Brahma, announced that only amrit or nector stored deep within the ocean can bring back their powers. For this, the Gods decided to churn the ocean using a mountain called Meru, as a churning stick and a snake named Vasuki, as a rope.

It was a tedious task which the Gods could not accomplish alone, so they decided to take the help of demons. They played a trick on them and promised them their share of nectar if they made their contribution. The demons agreed and as a result of the exercise, they successfully excavated nectar out of the ocean.

When Gods attempted to run with the amrit, demons fought for it, which led to falling of some drops of nectar on Earth at four places, namely Allahabad, Ujjain, Nasik and Haridwar, where Kumbh fair takes place every year. Gods drank the nectar but its droplets are still considered to be present in these sacred places, one of it being the Triveni waters of Allahabad.

RITUALS:

The site where the Maha Kumbh takes place, once in fourteen years, is called the Triveni Sangam, which is the point of confluence of the three most sacred rivers of India namely Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. The water is considered to have droplets of nectar that fell during the formation of Universe and it is a famous belief of the people that a bath in its waters can cure several diseases and can free humans from the cycle of birth and death. A scientific reason for the healing properties of the river waters in that during the time of Maha Kumbh, Triveni waters are positively charged by electromagnetic radiation of the Sun, Jupiter and Moon.

Apart from the most important ritual of the fair, the holy bath, devotees also engage themselves in singing devotional songs and participating in morning and evening artis. Feeding the priests, saints and the poor is also considered as a sacred exercise that purifies one's souls.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS:

Apart from the Kumbh and Maha Kumbh fairs that make Allahabad the holy place of attaining Moksha or Salvation, the city is dotted with some of the most important tourist attractions of Uttar Pradesh. Someshwar Temple, Hanuman Temple, Nagbasuki Temple and Patalpuri temple are the important Hindu temples located in the city. Allahabad Fort which dates back to the 16th century, is one of the best examples of Mughal forts. Anand Bhavan, with rich historical memoirs of the Nehru family and the Allahabad Museum with its archaeological jewels of the 3rd century AD can give the traveler an insight into the various layers of Indian history.

The most important dates are 14 Jan, 12 & 13 Feb, 15 Mar and 14 April 2010

Please read the important details - http://www.kumbh2010haridwar.gov.in/bathdates.htm

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RAMADAN (RAMZAAN)

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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