Author Topic: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India (Read 1345 times)

khurram · « **on:** December 04, 2010, 03:25:04 AM »

Lohri is fundamentally an agricultural festival, filled with merry-making. It is celebrated in the state of Punjab on the on the 13th of January, which falls one day before Makar Sankranti. While Lohri is essentially a Punjab festival, it is celebrated in some other states of North India as well. In cities like Delhi, which have a predominant Punjbai population, Lohri is celebrated to denote the last of the coldest days of winter. The Punjab and other areas of North India get very cold in the month of January, and usually the period of the last week of December and the first couple of weeks in January are the coldest of the season. However, after Lohri, the temperature starts gradually rising.

During the day, children go from door to door singing songs in praise of Dulha Bhatti, the Punjabi version of Robin Hood, a thief who helps the poor and fights for their rights. These children are given sweets and savouries, and occasionally, money. These munchies that the children collect are known as Lohri, and they are distributed at night during the festival. Some may be offered to the sacred fire.

The festival of Lohri is celebrated outdoors. As it is usually very cold on the 13th of January, a bonfire is lit, and friends and relatives gather around. If there has been a happy occasion in the family, like the birth of a child or a marriage, Lohri is celebrated with much greater gusto. The happy family usually hosts a party to celebrate the first Lohri of the new child or couple.

Singing and dancing form an intrinsic part of the celebrations. People wear their brightest clothes and come to dance the bhangra and gidda to the beat of the dhol. Punjabi songs are sung, and everybody rejoices.

Sarson ka saag and makki ki roti is usually served as the main course at a lohri dinner. In the villages of Punjab, Lohri is an occasion where the entire village gets together and participates in the celebrations like one big happy family. The bonfire is lit in the main village square, and after a fair amount of song and dance, everyone eats a rich and fulfilling community dinner. During this time, the farmers are undergoing a period of rest because wheat, which is the main crop in Punjab, is sown in October and harvested in March or April. In January, the fresh crop has just started growing, and the farmers are ecstatic.

A prayer is made to Agni, the god of Fire, and Prasad is distributed. The prasad comprises of five main things: til, gazak, gur, moongphali (peanuts), and phuliya or popcorn. An offering is also made of this Prasad to the sacred fire.

Lohri is celebrated throughout the country in different forms, as a harvest festival. It is called Pongal in the South, Bhugali Bihu in Assam, Bhogi in Andhra Pradesh and Sankranti in the central part of the country. Modes of celebrating Lohri are also different, but the message conveyed by the festival, that of setting aside differences and rejoicing by celebrating the end of the harvest season and the chilly winter, is the same.

khurram · « **Reply #1 on:** December 04, 2010, 03:33:29 AM »

Hindu Festival Makar Sankrant in India

khurram · « **Reply #2 on:** December 04, 2010, 03:33:44 AM »

The meaning and significance of Makar Sankrant - the first Hindu festival in the beginning of every year.

Come January, Come Makar Sankrant. Sankrant is the first Hindu festival of the solar calendar year, falling on January 14. It is one of the most auspicious times for the followers of the Hindu religion. This festival coincides with the Sun's northward journey (Uttarayan). On Jan 14, the Sun enters the zodiac sign of Makar ( Capricorn). Sankrant means the movement from one zodiac sign to another. It is a special date when the day and night are of equal duration. Henceforth, the duration of the day becomes longer thereby providing a reason for celebration.

Significance and history

Sankrant symbolizes the onset of the harvest season and the end of winter. It has been celebrated as the harvest festival right from the times of the Aryans. The Sun God, Surya, is said to turn his back on winter with his chariot of seven horses marching forward. In Mahabharata too, the auspiciousness of this period is mentioned. Bhishma Pitamaha, in spite of being wounded and lying on a bed of arrows, waits for 'Uttarayan' to set in before breathing his last. It is believed that a person who dies in this period attains 'moksha' (salvation) and escapes the cycle of birth and death.

Celebration

There is a wide variation in the celebration of Makar Sankrant throughout India.

* In Gujarat and Maharashtra, Makar Sankrant is a festival of the young and the old. In Maharashtra, all married women have a get together called 'Haldi-Kumkum' on this day. A 'puja' is offered after which women and their families exchange 'tilgud' - a sweet made out of sesame seeds as a gesture of goodwill and sisterhood. In Gujarat, kites take on a new meaning, as kite-flying fever grips everybody. The sky is dotted with kites of different shapes and colours as the fun- loving natives fly them with great enthusiasm. The spectacular symphony of colours is the best feature of this lively festival. Although tilgud and kite-flying were peculiar to celebrations in Maharashtra and Gujarat respectively, these features have become totally Indianised now. The Sankrant festival is a good example of the national integration of customs and traditions.

* In Punjab, Makar Sankrant is called 'Lohri'. A family get-together around a bonfire combined with a food fiesta and `Bhangra' (a famous Punjabi dance) mark this festival. Sugarcane, rice and sweets are tossed into the bonfire as an offering to the Sun God.

* In Uttar Pradesh, this period is celebrated as 'Kicheri'. Every year there is the famous Kumbh Mela at the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswati. Hordes of people throng to this mela and take a dip in the holy waters to cleanse themselves of their past sins.

* In the southern parts of India, Sankrant is the harvest festival 'Pongal'. The celebration of Pongal lasts for three days. On the first day, a preparation of rice boiled with milk is offered to the Rain God. On the second day, it is offered to the the Sun God and on the third day, the family cattle are given a bath and dressed with flowers, bells and colours. The cattle are honored for their hard work in the fields. It is regarded as the most important festival of

khurram · « **Reply #3 on:** December 04, 2010, 03:35:24 AM »

Maha Shivratri, as the name suggests, is in the honour of Lord Shiva, the third lord of the Trinity (Bramha-- the creator, Vishnu--the preserver and Shiva - the destroyer).

As the legend goes, once Lord Vishnu and Lord Bramha argued over each other's prowess. However, Lord Shiva challenged both of them. He appeared as a flaming linga and challenged the duo to measure the gigantic linga (phallic symbol of Lord Shiva). Lord Bramha, who took the form of a swan, and Lord Vishnu who became a boar and went to Netherland, were both unable to measure the Shivlinga. Then Lord Shiva came out of the linga and declared himself the most powerful. Maha Shivratri therefore means the grand night of Shiva. The devotees of Shiva fast during this day and pray to the lord throughout the night. This legend goes to prove the supremacy of Mahadev over other Hindu Gods.

When is Maha Shivratri celebrated?

This festival is celebrated in the month of Phagun, around a fortnight before Holi (which usually falls on a moonless night in February or March), as a homage to Lord Shiva. This festival also celebrates the union of Lord Shiva with Parvati.

The legend behind the union

Lord Shiva's first wife was Sati. Sati's father, King Daksha, opposed her marriage with Shiva. At a yagnya (holy sacrifice) the king ignored Shiva's presence and thereby insulted the latter publicly. Sati was so angered by this that she jumped into the sacrificial fire and ended her life. Lord Shiva unleashed his fury at the death of his wife by performing the violent dance, Taandav. He wiped out Daksha's kingdom, undertook rigorous penance and retired to the Himalayas. The Gods, who feared that the severity of Shiva's penance might bring an end to the world, revived Sati in the new avatar of Parvati. Shiva-Parvati married and this reunion is celebrated on Maha Shivratri.

Offerings

Lord Shiva is offered special food, made from fruits of the season, root vegetables and coconuts, during ritual worship. The Shivling (phallic symbol of the Lord) is bathed with the panchagavya (five sacred offerings of a cow including milk, sour milk, urine, butter and dung). Thereafter, milk, butter, curd, sugar and honey, (believed to be the foods granting immortality), are offered. Dhatura and jati, though poisonous fruits, are sacred to Shiva and therefore placed in front of him.

Marital Bliss

Unmarried girls are supposed to perform the Maha Shivratri pooja with great faith. They pray to the lord for eligible husbands. Moreover, married women pray to Lord Shiva for for marital bliss and a long prosperous married life

Why is the Belpatra so important to Shiva?

Legend has it that one night Lord Shiva's devotee, a hunter, lost his way in the forest. As he was wandering in the night, he heard a tiger growl. The frightened man scurried up the nearest tree that was a Bel tree. He spent the night up there, out of the reach of tigers. To keep himself awake, he kept plucking and dropping Bel leaves while chanting the name of Lord Shiva. The next morning, when the devotee climbed down, he had unknowingly dropped thousands of leaves on a Shiva linga. The night-long worship pleased Lord Shiva who saved the hunter from the clutches of a tiger. This legend is recited on every Maha Shivratri.

khurram · « **Reply #4 on:** December 04, 2010, 03:36:31 AM »

Celebration of Makar Sankranti Festival..

Makar Sankranti is known as Pongal in South India and as Maghi in North India. Know more about this enthusiastic festival.

Makar Sankranti is all about prayers, sweets, and kites. Festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated with great zest in all parts of India. On the day of Makar Sankranti, The sun starts its journey to the Northern Hemisphere. Speaking from astrological perspective, the sun enters Makar rashi (Capricorn, the sun sign). Devotees take dips in the holy water and offer prayers to the sun.

Makar Sankranti is a blissful festival celebrated by Hindus. All enthusiasts step out of their houses and enjoy flying kites. Colourful kites fill the sky on the auspicious day of Sankranti. The significance of Makar Sankranti is greater in Maharashtra. People send greeting cards to their friends and relatives. The day is started by offering prayers to various deities. People visit temples to bow their heads in front of supreme power.

Makar Sankranti

In Maharashtrian households Tilguls are the attraction of the Makar Sankranti. Tilguls are laadoos made of til (sesame seeds) and gul (jaggry). People greet each other Happy Sankranti by saying Tilgul Ghya Aani God God Bola (Take the sweets and talk sweet words). Distributing sweets amongst your loved ones signify your love and affection towards them. Makar Sankranti is all about forgetting bitter moments in the past by giving sweets.

Pongal

In South India Sankranti is celebrated as Pongal. Pongal is the festival of harvest. This is three days long festival and it is celebrated in the month January. Pongal is a sweet rice dish that is prepared on the occasion of Pongal. On the first day Pongal and prayers are offered to Bhogi for providing rain for the harvest. On the second day Pongal is offered to the sun. Devotees also offer water and flowers to the sun and they pray for spiritual growth and prosperity. On the third day Pongal is offered to cattle in the house.

Lohri

Lohri is the grand festival in Punjab. It is celebrate one day before Sankranti. On the chilly night of January 13, relatives and friends in the house gather around the bonfire to enjoy themselves. People wear traditional and colourful outfits on this cheerful occasion. Food and dance are the attraction of the Lohri celebration. People do Bhangra, The popular Punjabi dance and sing Punjabi songs. Sarson ka saag and makki ki roti is usually served as the main course at a Lohri dinner. Sankranti, the next day of Lohri is celebrated as Maghi in Punjab.

Wish your loved ones by sending them Makar Sankranti e-cards with a personalised message on it. Being one of the important festivals amongst all Hindu festivals, Makar Sankranti is a splendid celebration. Hope this Makar Sankranti brings happiness and prosperity in your lives. Wish you a happy Makar Sankranti.

khurram · « **Reply #5 on:** December 04, 2010, 03:37:51 AM »

Teej

Teej is a Hindu festival in which Indian women celebrate the bond of marriage, familial relationships and pray for the overall well-being of the household. It falls on the month of Shravan and is observed mostly in North India and Nepal. Teej is also celebrated with great gusto in states like Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab etc. and commemorates the arrival of the rains in India.

Let's see what makes this festival of India so special.

History and Significance of Teej

Teej has been celebrated in India since hundreds of years. It is believed that Goddess Parvati had to wait 108 births before Lord Shiva finally accepted her as his wife. And the three day festival of Teej marks this reunion of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Teej is of three types, Hariyali Teej, when women worship the moon, Kajari Teej, when women worship the neem tree, and Hartalika Teej, the most important one, when women observe a fast for their husband's well-being.

Teej marks the beginning of the monsoon in the northern parts of India and is therefore also called the 'Sawan' festival. Hariyali Teej gets its name from the greenery associated with the onset of the monsoon. Teej falls on the third day of the full moon in August each year.

Why Teej is celebrated

It is believed that the goddess Parvati prayed to Lord Shiva and had to wait 107 births in the human world before Lord Shiva finally accepted her in the 108th birth. Therefore, much like Karva Chauth, the spirit of Teej celebrates this very devotion of a wife towards her husband. Wives across the north pray for the well-being of their husbands as a mark of respect towards Goddess Parvati.

But this festival is not restricted to married women alone, as single girls also pray for a good husband on this day.

How Teej is celebrated

Women dress up in vibrant colours and traditional designs and clothes for Teej. Mehendi designs are a rage and beautiful and intricate mehendi designs are applied on the hands and feet. Many women visit their parents' home for this festival, and stay on till Raksha Bandhan, where women pray for their brothers. Teej is also considered an auspicious occasion for the in-laws to gift something to the married woman or the to-be bride.

Teej processions are seen commonly around north India. These processions are a sight to behold, because of the grand arrangements made for Teej Mata. Idols of Goddess Parvati, or Teej Mata, are decorated with gold ornaments and beautiful silks and taken around the city with music, dance and many devotees. Teej is a two-day festival in Jaipur and the markets are decorated and have a festive mood. Teej is also a popular attraction for tourists who travel to Jaipur to see the celebrations.

This is the way Teej is celebrated in India. Go ahead and celebrate this beautiful festival today and pray for your beautiful home!

khurram · « **Reply #6 on:** December 04, 2010, 03:39:57 AM »

Pongal Festival

Although Pongal was originally a festival of the farming community, today it is celebrated by all the people. Pongal is also celebrated with different names in other parts of India. It is the first festival of the year. Read on to know more about this festival celebrated in Tamilnadu.

What is Pongal?

Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by the Tamil people. In civilizations where agriculture plays a significant role, a good harvest is important for the prosperity of the people. Pongal is a festival celebrated at harvest time to thank the Sun God, the rains and all the farm animals. Pongal is a four day long festival celebrated as a form of Thanksgiving to nature. The Tamil month 'Thai' begins with the festival of Pongal.

When is Pongal?

The date of Pongal mostly remains the same. Pongal marks the resumption of the movement of the sun northwards. The day of Pongal is extremely auspicious as on this day the sun begins it journey northwards (Uttarayan) for a period of six months as against southwards (Dakshinayan) movement. From this time onwards, the day becomes longer and the duration of the night shortens in the Northern hemisphere.

Pongal Celebration

According to the Hindu mythology, this is the time when the day of the God begins after a night of six months. It is believed that at this time the Gods woke up after a six month long slumber.

The equipments which are used for ploughing the field and cutting the paddy are mainly the plough and sickle. On this day, sandalwood paste is applied on these equipments and after a special puja the paddy is cut with these sanctified tools.

Four Days of Pongal

Pongal is celebrated consecutively for a period of four days.

Bhogi or Bhogi Pongal

On the first day known as Bhogi Pongal, old clothes and other materials are thrown away and set on fire. On this day, people clean their house thoroughly and discard away unwanted stuff. Pongal is considered as a time to cast away the old and welcome the new. People worship Lord Indra on this first day.

A bonfire made of wood and cow-dung cakes known as Bhogi Mantalu is lit. Useless household articles are thrown into the fire and girls dance around the fire singing songs in praise of the God and the harvest.

Sarkarai Pongal or Veethu Pongal

The second day of Pongal is the main day. It is also known as Sarkarai Pongal or Veethu Pongal. It is celebrated by preparing a sweet dish made from rice, milk and jaggery. The moment when the rice boils and bubbles start to erupt there are shouts of 'Pongallo Pongal' by the people which is a tradition followed. Watching the rice boil over is considered a good sign as it signifies that good luck and prosperity will follow.

The sweet dish known as Sarkarai Pongal is offered to the Sun as a sign of thanks to the Sun God and nature for prosperity.

Mattu Pongal

The third day of the festival is known as Mattu Pongal. On this day thanks is offered to the cattle. Cattle are of great help in the farm. On this day, cattle are adorned with paint, flowers, bells, etc. The horns of the cattle are painted and they are washed clean. On this day, cattle are given a day of rest and they are pampered. They are fed with sweet rice and sugar cane.

In some villages in Tamil Nadu, 'Jallikattu' is held. Jallikattu or taming the wild bull is a contest held wherein bundles of notes are tied to the horns of the fierce bulls which the farmers try to recover.

Kaanum Pongal

The last and the final day of Pongal is known as Kaanum Pongal. On this day, people visit their relatives and friends. On this day, people offer food to the crow. People keep food outside on a banana leaf for the crow to eat. People visit the temples and offer respects to their elders.

On this last day, the sun is worshipped. Sun plays a major role to sustain life on Earth and to help crops and plants grow well. Without the Sun, there cannot be life and there can be no prosperity in agriculture. Hence, on this day people worship the sun. Freshly cooked food along with sugar cane, coconut and the sweet dish 'Sarkarai Pongal' are first offered to the Surya.

Pongal in other parts of India

Similar festivals are celebrated in other parts of India coinciding with Pongal. In the north, in Punjab and Haryana, the harvest festival Lohri is celebrated and in the states of Maharshtra and Gujarat it is celebrated as Makarsankranti.

khurram · « **Reply #7 on:** December 04, 2010, 03:40:54 AM »

Lohri Festival

Lohri is the harvest festival of Punjab. Read about the Lohri celebrations and customs and traditions. Find out about origin of Lohri and history of Lohri festival. Lohri is an important festival for Punjabis and is celebrated by lighting a bon-fire and singing and dancing around it. The songs are sung in praise of Dulha Batti.

Lohri is a harvest festival and is celebrated in the land of Punjab. Lohri is mainly a festival of Punjabis, but it is also celebrated by people of other Northern Indian States like Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Lohri is the most popular harvest festival of Punjab and is celebrated amidst great gaiety and splendour.

History of Lohri

The festival Lohri has a very old history. The festival marks the end of the cold chilly winter and welcomes the arrival of spring and New Year. It is believed that Lohri is the longest night of the year. After Lohri, the days become longer and the nights shorter.

Lohri is celebrated in remembrance and praise of Dulha Batti. Dulha Batti was a Muslim robber who lived during the era of King Akbar. He was a robber but a good person. He would steal from the rich and distribute the wealth among the poor. He rescued girls who were being forcibly taken away. He arranged marriages of young girls with Hindu Boys and paid the dowries. He was a hero among the local Punjabis there who loved and respected him. Most Lohri songs are sung in praise of Dulha Batti which expresses their gratitude to him.

Lohri marks the movement of the son towards the north (Uttaryan) as opposed to the south. (Dakshinayan). It is considered to be an extremely auspicious time as the sun enters the Tropic of Capricorn from the Tropic of Cancer. It is a festival dedicated to the Sun God and fire.

How Lohri Got its Name

There are many assumptions as to how Lohri got its name. Some believe that the name Lohri is derived from Loi, who was the wife of Sant Kabir. Some others believe that the word Lohri comes from the word Loh which is an appliance used for making chappatis in community feasts. Another belief says that the festival Lohri is named after Lohri who was the sister of Holika. It is believed that Holika perished in the fire while her sister survived. Some others believe that the items til and rorhi were merged together to form the word tilorhi which eventually got shortened to Lohri.

Lohri Celebrations

Like any other festival, Lohri brings together family, relatives and friends. People meet each other and exchange sweets. It is a harvest festival and especially important for farmers, but it is celebrated with great fervour by all Punjabis. On this day, they light a bon fire and dance around it. People throw rewaries, sugar-candy, popcorn, sesame seeds, gur, etc into the fire and sing and dance around it. People wear their colourful and brightest clothes and dance the Bhangra or Gidda to the beat of the Dhol. Lohri to farmers signifies the commencement of a new financial year.

Every year Punjabis who are far away from Punjab and live in other cities of India also celebrate Lohri. In places like Mumbai, Punjabis get together to light a bon fire and celebrate Lohri.

The First Lohri

Lohri is great importance for newly weds and newborn babies.

First Lohri of a New Bride

The newly married women wear bangles, new clothes, wear a colourful bindi, apply mehendi on their hands and try to look their best. The husband also dresses up and wears new clothes and a colourful turban. The bride's in-laws gift her with new clothes and beautiful jewellery.

A grand celebration is arranged for the newly wed couple where a lot of guests are invited. The bride is made to sit along with her husband and the parents-in-law gift her clothes and jewellery during this ceremony. Other guests like family, neighbours and friends also come and present clothes or cash to the newly wed. The couple also seeks blessings of the elders on this day.

First Lohri of a New Born Baby

The first Lohri of a new born baby is also considered to be an important occasion. The new mother sits decked up in heavy clothes, a lot of jewellery and with mehendi applied on her hands. She sits with the baby in her hands and the family and close ones gift her with clothes or cash. The baby's maternal grandparents also send gifts of clothes, fruits, sweets, peanuts, etc.

Lohri in Today's time

Nowadays, people are combining Lohri celebration with a bit of modernization. Instead of gifting the traditional gajaks and til (sesame), people gift chocolate cakes with til and chocolate gajaks. People are also growing more conscious about environment protection and preservation during Lohri. As cutting of trees for the wood is required to light bon-fire during Lohri, some students and people compensate for the same. They try to plant new trees and saplings to compensate for the trees which have been cut.

khurram · « **Reply #8 on:** December 04, 2010, 03:41:47 AM »

Festival of Baisakhi

Baisakhi is a festival of harvest celebrated by the Sikh community of India. It also indicates the merriment of the beginning of new solar year as well as the new harvest season also. It is one of the most significant festivals of Sikhs and they consider this day as the commencement of the Sikh New Year. Read on to know about the significance and celebration of the festival.

On this auspicious day of Baisakhi many people, besides Sikhs visit Gurudwara, the place of worship for Sikhs. They bring flowers and offerings and visit the temples and Gurudwara before dawn. Baisakhi usually falls on April 13 or April 14. There is a holiday in the state of Punjab on that day.

Significance of Baisakhi

Baisakhi is celebrated because it is on this day that the Khalsa Panth was established. It is considered as the community of the pure ones and was started on the day of Baisakhi by the last Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh. Long before that, the third Guru of the Sikhs had started celebrating Baisakhi as a special festivals of Sikhs community.

Celebration

Whatever the history says, today Baisakhi is celebrated with all pomp and show. The Sikhs, rural and urban celebrate this festival with full enthusiasm and vigour. It is a social festival and involves lot of religious activities also. The main part is dancing, eating, enjoying and merry making. They wear colourful dresses and perform their special dance form called Bhangra, which depicts full energy and passion.

In the rural areas, it is the time for the farmers to enjoy their fruits of hard work and so is a remarkable occasion. They have all the rights to enjoy and have the benefits of their whole year's extreme hard work. In fact the entire North India celebrates this day and people visit their near and dear ones also. Nowadays people give and take gifts on Baisakhi and show their love and care to friends and relatives.

Traditionally there used to be 'Baisakhi mela' which means a carnival and this is still followed in many villages in Punjab. There are plenty of things to enjoy there including different types of swings, tasty and spicy food items and dance performances as well. This festival is celebrated with family and those who stay away from their families try to reach their homes to enjoy the happiness and heartiness of the occasion.

It always makes one feel happy and contented to show love, care and respect to their family members and friends. On the other hand the recipient feels that he or she is very special in the eyes of his family. The main reason behind sending and receiving gifts is to express love. Today, if you are unable to reach your hometown on this auspicious occasion, you can send gifts so that your loved ones get a little relief, as they will miss you on this occasion.

The Baisakhi mela has its own significance and it helps people meet and congregate at least on this occasion. It provides a platform where people can meet forgetting the rivalry, if any, and enjoy the fruits of harvest together.

Besides the Sikh community, Bengalis mark it as new years day or Naba Varsha and this day has also great significance in Buddhism. In Buddhist faith, it is believed that Lord Buddha attained enlightenment on this very day. The reasons are many but the celebration is only related to eating, dancing and merry making along with thanks giving to God.

khurram · « **Reply #9 on:** December 04, 2010, 03:42:38 AM »

Significance of Nag Panchmi

Many people celebrate Nag Panchmi without knowing the significance of this festival. There are some myths and facts behind the celebration, worship and offerings that are given to the snake God. It is a festival celebrated all over India with same vigour and devotion. Read on to learn why Hindus celebrate Nag Panchmi and what are the reasons behind celebrating this festival.

Nag Panchmi is a Hindu festival on which snakes are worshipped. Hinduism is a religion of faith and is surrounded by common search of truth. For Hindus all this means a way of life and worshipping forces of nature has been a part of Hinduism from ancient times. Nag Panchmi is celebrated throughout India and falls on the fifth day of the moonlit fortnight of the month of Sravana, which falls in the month of July or August.

The main reason of celebrating this day must be that snakes are a great threat to mankind during these months. They usually come out of their holes as rainwater seeps in and while looking for shelter they might harm humans. However, this is why they are worshipped this day and fed with milk.

Reason behind celebrating Nag Panchmi

It is believed that Krishna, a Hindu God had saved the lives of people from the harassment of Kaliya, the snake. It is believed that one day, when Krishna was still quite young, was playing by the side of river Yamuna and his ball got stuck in the branches of a tree that was just by the side of the river. While trying to get that ball, Krishna fell into the river. When Kaliya, the snake attacked him, he fought and after some time the snake understood that he was not an ordinary child. This was when he pleaded Krishna not to kill him and Krishna spared him by taking a promise that he will not harass the people anymore. Nag Panchmi is celebrated as the victory of Krishna on Kaliya, the most dangerous snake.

Ways of worshipping in various states of India

People do not dig the earth this day and offer cow's milk, fried paddy, rice's breed and durva (tip of a special grass) in front of the pictures of Nag or make its idol of mud and sand and worship it. This festival is celebrated all over India and more or less the way of worshipping is same.

People believe that Lord Shiva, a Hindu God, loves and blesses snakes and so by worshipping the snakes they also try to please him. Lord Shiva is believed to be one of the most short-tempered Gods and can even ruin your life if he gets angry. Some people even worship live cobras on the Nag Panchmi day and offer them milk and other offerings as feed.

India is a country with different cultures and so the celebration varies from one state to state. In Maharashtra, a group of people asks alms and clothing by taking a dormant cobra in a plate and visiting as many houses as possible. In kerela, people prefer visiting the snake temples and worship the stone or metal icons of snakes and pray so that they and their families are saved from any snakebite throughout the year.

There are many different kinds of belief behind offering milk and flowers to the snake God and the names also vary. Young girls pray and offer milk to cobras with the intention of getting married to a good person so that they live their lives happily. It is believed that snakes remember the faces and they take revenge with the whole family even if one of the member harms it. So, married women pray to save their families from any kind of harassment that can happen due to the snakes.

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Author Topic: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India (Read 1345 times)

khurram

The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India

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Re: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India

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Re: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India

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Re: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India

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Re: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India

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Re: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India

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Re: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India

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Re: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India

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Re: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India

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Re: The Most Famous Hindu Festivals in India