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FESTIVALS OF INDIA

It is well known that no other country holds so many festivals of antiquity as does India. Each festival brings an episode of some remote past back to the memory. Owing to its religious and regional variations, India has a number of festivals.

There are said to be more number of festivals in India, than there are days in a year. The religious and national ones are celebrated with great gaiety. The cultural ones attract many great artists from all over India. Hardly a day passes without a festival taking place somewhere in India. They range from small one-day village or temple functions to weeklong art functions.

In India, during the pre-historic Indus valley civilization (3000BC to 1500BC) people had been celebrating various occasions of joy. This is evident from the archaeological excavations at Mohenjadaro and Harappa. Those practices continued during the Epic and Vedic times (800-300BC). During the Mauryan times functions like birthday, marriages, return from a victory were indeed a grand show of wealth and pomp. Festive assemblies like Utsavs were held by the Kings to entertain people where delicious food and drinks were supplied. Such social festivals continued to be popular during the imperial Gupta age too. Festivals accompanied the worship of Gods and Goddesses.

Only a few of the festivals take place on a particular date. Most of them follow the lunar calendar and hence the exact date of the festivals varies from year to year. Muslim holidays and Muslim festivals follow the Islamic calendar. Most of the cultural festivals take place during the winter season. Most of the days of the festivals are not determined by the pre-set dates of a linear calendar, but according to the waxing and the waning of the moon. Fairs and festivals are moments of remembrance and commemoration of the birthdays and the deeds of great gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, gurus, prophets and saints. Seasonal or secular festivals underline the unity that draws together seemingly diverse groups.

For the men, festivals mean display of valour and virility through various races like the boat races of Kerala, or wrestling matches and animal fights. For the women it means cleaning the house and decorating it according to their artistic inclinations and proving their culinary skills to satisfy their wards and their hubbies. For the children, it is a time to be away from the tedious schools, with savories to munch all the time, new costumes and plenty of free time to roam around with their friends. Festivals also reinforce the presence of God in the life of the individual, the family and the community as a whole.

 

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LIST OF FESTIVALS -2010

New Year's Day

1st, January

Tamil New Year 14th, April
Lohri 13th, January Easter 4th, April
Makara Sankranti 14th, January Id- Ul - Milad * 26th, February
Republic Day 26th, January Raksha Bandan 24th, August
Vasanth Panchami 20th, January Gokula Astami 8th, August
Maha Shivratri 12th , February Independence Day 15th, August
Id - Ul - Zuha * 16th, November Gandhi Jayanthi 2nd, October
Holi 28th, February Dussera 17th, October
Ram Navami 24th, March Diwali 5th, November
Mahaveer Jayanthi 7th, April Govardan Puja 5th, October
Muharram

7th, December

Guru Nanak Jayanthi 21st, November
Baisakhi 13th, April Id-Ul-Fitr * 16th, November
Good Friday 2nd, April Christmas 25th, December
                                                                                 

RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS OF INDIA (2010)

                                       Hindu Festivals                                                       National Festivals

Makara Sankranthi/Pongal
January,14th
Republic Day
Janaury, 26th
Maha Shivratri
Feb, 12th
Independence Day
August, 15th
Holi
February 28th
Gandhi Jayanthi
October, 2nd
Telugu New Year
March, 16th

  Christian Festivals

Tamil New Year
April,14th
Palm Sunday
March, 28th
Ram Navami
March, 24th
Good Friday
April, 2nd
Mahavir Jayanthi
April ,7th
Easter Day
April, 4th
Onam festival
September, 7th
Christmas Day
December , 25th
Gokula Ashtami
August ,8th

      Buddhist festivals

Ganesh Chathurthi
September, 11th
Paranirvana Day
February, 8th
Dussehra
October, 17th
Wesak(Buddha Day)
May,21st
Deepavali
November, 5th
Dharma Day
July, 7th

                                     Jewish Festivals                                                             Sikh Festivals

Purim
February, 28th
Birthday of Guru Gobind
January,5th
Passover 1st day
March, 30th
Baisakhi
April, 13th
Jewish New Year
September,8th
Martyrdom of ArjanDev
June,16th
Day of Atonement
September, 9th
Gurunanak Jayanthi
November,21st
Tabernacles
September, 23rd
TeghBahadur Martyr Day
November, 26th

                                     Islamic Festivals                                                           Other Festivals

Id-Ul-Zuha *
November,16th
Valentines' Day
February,14th
Al- Hijira( Muslim Newyear)
December, 7th
Doctor's Day
March, 30th
Moharram
December,7th
May Day
May,1st
Milad-Un-Nabi*
Feburary, 26th
Mother's Day
May,10th
Id-e-Milad
March, 1st
Father's Day
June,15th
Lailat-Al-IsrawaAl-Miraj
July, 9th
Friendship Day
August,2nd
Ramadan 1st
August, 11th
Teacher's Day
September,5th
Id-ul-fitr
November, 16th
Grand Parent's Day
September,13th
Ramzan Id
September, 9th
Children's Day
November,14th
* Subject to appearance of Moon

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