Indian Festivals
Makar Sankranti
Maker Sankranti is celebrated in January and it is the first Hindu holiday on the western calendar. It is observed in different ways in various regions of India and occurs when the sun goes into the zodiac sign of Makar, which makes the days longer.
Hindus in Maharashtra and Gujarat celebrate by flying kites. However, in Punjab, Makar Sankrant is called Lohri and they celebrate by making make large bonfires, having sweets and throwing rice. It is called Kicheri in Uttar Pradesh, where Hindus bathe in the rivers. The festival is called Pongal in Southern India, where it is celebrated for three days. Hindus in that region present rice boiled in milk to the God of Rain on the first day and the God of the Sun on the second day. They bathe cows and adorn them with flowers on the third day to honor their hard work in the fields.
Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri celebrations honor Shiva, destroyer of the universe. Unlike other Hindu celebrations, this one is celebrated the night and day before the new moon.
Hindus celebrate the night of Maha Shivaratri on the night that Hindu folklore says that Shiva performed a dance called the “Tandav.” The new moon symbolizes Shiva. Shiva’s followers prepare certain foods to offer him and the next morning they eat the offerings. Young women hope that by fasting in honor of Shiva, he will give them nice husbands. During the night, Hindus pray and sing to honor their lord.
Holi
Holi is the Hindu festival of colors. It marks the beginning of spring and all that spring symbolizes. Holi is not a religious holiday, although it does have a religious history. It is most commonly celebrated in Northern India and usually takes place in February or March. During this time (known as Phagun) Hindus build bonfires to help get the evil spirits out of the air and celebrate with gifts of food. It is a very happy time when Hindus are all recognized as equal with no difference in wealth, gender or age.
Holi, known as “The Festival of Colors,” is marked by vibrant celebrations where people playfully paint each other and throw Gulal, colored powder. Children use toys to apply paint on friends and family, symbolizing unity by erasing class distinctions. Originally celebrating fertility and harvest, Holi now also honors Hindu legends.
Ram Navami
Ram Navami takes place in April and celebrates the birth of Lord Rama. On this holiday, Hindus clean and decorate their houses with fruits and flowers. The youngest girl in the house leads the prayers (called puja) by putting a red mark (called a tilak) on her family. They put an image of Rama as a baby in a cradle, and at midday, they remove the cover of the cradle and feed a special food (called Prasad) to him.
Raksha Bandhan
Raksha Bandan celebrates love for comrades and brothers. Hindus celebrate it when there is a full moon. This usually takes place in August. Raksha means “protection” and Bandhan means “to tie.” During this festival, sisters put a bracelet called a rakhi on their brothers’ wrists as a symbol of their love and affection for them. The priests put rakhis on the wrists of members of their congregation and women put rakhis on the wrists of the prime minister. When a woman puts a rakhi on a man, the man has a duty to protect her. The bracelets usually have many colors and the people say a chant in Punjabi or Sanskrit once the bracelets are tied.
Krishna Janmashtami
Janmashtami is a festival celebrating Krishna’s birth. Krishna is the god that Hindus worship the most. They celebrate his birthday in August, eight days after Raksha Bandhan. The celebration lasts two days.
The first day is called Krishnashtami or Gokulashtami. The second day is called Kalastami or more popularly Janmashtami. Hindus usually do not sleep during these two days. They sing songs called bhajans and fast for the first day. They perform many songs, dances and plays of Krishna’s childhood to worship him.
Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, is a Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity associated with removing obstacles and wisdom. Lasting for 10 days, the festival concludes with the immersion of Ganesha idols in water. Falling in the Bhadrapada month, typically between August and September, the celebration marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati. Devotees bring clay idols into their homes or public pandals, conducting rituals, pujas, and aartis to seek Ganesha’s blessings for success and obstacle removal. Offerings, including modak, fruits, and flowers, are presented during the worship.
Navaratri
Navaratri, a festive and religious holiday in October, is a nine-day celebration where Hindus across India honor three goddesses: Durga, the goddess of valor; Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth; and Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. Devotees dedicate three days to each goddess, who represents different incarnations of Goddess Shakti. Some people fast during this period, while others visit temples to receive free food. The celebration concludes on the tenth day, Vjay Dashmi or Dussehra, marked by tossing idols of Goddess Shakti into rivers, symbolizing the end of Navaratri.
Dussehra
Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is a major Hindu festival celebrated in October. It marks the triumph of good over evil, commemorating the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana. The festival symbolizes the victory of righteousness, truth, and justice. In various parts of India, effigies of Ravana, his son Meghanada, and his brother Kumbhakarna are burned to represent the victory of virtue. Dussehra also concludes the nine-day festival of Navaratri, during which devotees worship the goddess Durga. The day is observed with prayers, cultural events, and processions, emphasizing the importance of righteousness in Hindu mythology.
Diwali
Diwali, the festival of lights for Hindus and Sikhs, spans five days, filled with sweets, fireworks, and illuminations. Signifying the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance, Diwali honors the Goddess of Wealth and marks a successful harvesting year. Celebrated in October or November based on the Hindu calendar, Diwali is characterized by the adornment of buildings with Diyas (oil lamps) guiding the Goddess Lakshmi. Homes are opened, lotus flower images drawn, and vibrant Rangoli patterns embellish the floors. The festival involves the exchange of gifts, particularly sweets, along with feasts and joyous celebrations, including traditional gambling.
