| Hindu
Festivals
2009 |
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Makar Sakranti |
Wednesday |
14/1/2009 |
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Vasant Panchami |
Saturday |
31/1/2009 |
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Maha Shivaratri |
Monday |
23/2/2009 |
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Holi |
Wednesday |
11/3/2009 |
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Hindi New Year |
Friday |
27/3/2009 |
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Ramanavami |
Friday |
3/4/2009 |
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Hanuman Jayanti |
Thursday |
9/4/2009 |
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Raksha Bandhan |
Wednesday |
5/8/2009 |
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Krishna Janmashthami |
Friday |
14/8/2009 |
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Ganesh Chaturthi |
Sunday |
23/8/2009 |
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Pitr-paksha |
Saturday |
5/9/2009 |
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Navaratri |
Saturday |
19/9/2009 |
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Saraswati Puja |
Saturday |
25/9/2009 |
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Vijay Dashami (Dasera) |
Monday |
28/9/2009 |
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Deepavali (Diwali) |
Saturday |
17/10/2009 |
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వినాయక చవిత కథ |
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వర
లక్ష్మీ వ్రతం |
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Telugu Festivals
India is mainly known for its culture,
tradition and festivals. India celebrates... all
the year round, in a joyous and colorful calander of festivals and fairs even though
there are many different regions, tradition and
also languages.But the reason behind to
celebrate festivals in honor of gods, rives,
trees, mountains, the comming of monsoon, end of
winter or first flush of spring.It means we
indians celebrating the festivals for saying
thanks to god, nature.In a land of vast
geographical distances and a variety of
languages and customs, the spirit and color of
the religious, seasonal or secular festivals
underline the rich legacy of traditions that has
been handed over from ages.
Andhra Pradesh is also one of the state where
all over the year so many festivals are
celebrated. Festivities here are charachterised
by colour, gaiety, enthusiasm, feasts and a
variety of prayers and rituals. Travellers and
tourists are struc by the scale and multiplicity
of the festivities that populate the cultural
scene of this land. |
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Mukkoti Aekadasi: Its also called as
Vaikunta ekadesi. It will occurs in hindu
calendar month of marghazhi or margasirsa(as per
English calendar-Late December-January). |
Makara Sankranti is the festival of
harvest all over the Indian Continent,
especially the Indian Union.
Every month the Sun moves from one zodiac
constellation to another and the day on which
Sun changes the constellation is called
Sankranti. Makara Sankranti (usually falls on
January 14), the Sun’s movement into Capricorn (Makara)
constellation is considered very important, as
it is the beginning of a six-month period of the
auspicious time of Sun’s northern course called
Uttarayana Punya Kaalamu. Bhogi is the day
preceding Sankranti and Kanumu is the day after
Sankranti. One month preceding Makara Sankranti
is known as Dhanurmasamu. During the entire
Dharnurmasamu girls decorate the mungili or
vaakili (the entrance to the house) with huge
muggulu (designs with sand of lime stone or rice
flour, turmeric and kumkuma) with Gobbemmalu
(globes made of cow dung and decorated with
flowers, turmeric and kumkuma, and incense) in
the center, and worship Gobbemma (Goddess) while
singing and dancing around the muggu (design).
On Bhogi day in the early morning a bon fire is
lit up with waste, before the traditional
special bath. In the evening Bommala Koluvu
(arrangement of images of Gods, toys and dolls)
and Bhogi pallu (Zyziphus fruits, floral petals
and coins) showers for children, Perantamu (gift
giving, that includes clothes, lentils, betel
leaves, betel nuts, flowers, turmeric and
kumkuma) for women are given. Pulagamu with
fresh rice from the harvest and a kalagalupu
koora (mixed vegetable curry) with chikkudu
(beans), vankaya (egg-plant or brinjal) and
other vegetables are prepared. Pongali (rice
pudding with milk) is an important item during
this festival. Special dishes like karapupusa,
chakkilalu (brittle salted and peppered
lentil-rice pretzels), palakayalu (hard fried
rice globules), ariselu (sweet rice cakes) etc.,
are also prepared. On Kanumu day animals are
decorated and races are held, sometimes the
banned cockfights, bullfights and ramfights are
included. Sun, Mahabali (a mythological king of
anti-Gods or asuras or danavas) and Godadevi
(Goddess Godadevi- see below) are worshipped
during this harvest festival.
"Haridaasu (servant of Lord Hari/Vishnu)" is a
special attraction of this festival, just like
Santa for Christmas. These Haridaasus wake up
very early in pre-dawn hours, bathe, wear
special saffron clothes, and visit each home in
the village. They wear Vaishnavite markings on
the face, necklaces of rudraksha (probably seeds
of Guazuma tomentosa plant) beads, flower
garlands, tamboora (stringed musical instrument)
on one shoulder, chirutalu (castanets) in one
hand, anklets with bells, etc., and visit homes
while singing religious songs (Vaishnavite,
especially praising Lord Rama). They collect
alms (especially rice), provided by the
villagers, in a pot called akshayapaatra carried
on the head. Usually people belonging to
saataana, daasara, raaju etc., castes/tribes
practice this kind of lifestyle. Villagers
compete to give alms to these Haridaasus. |
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Vaikunta
Ekadashi: Vaikunta
Ekadasi is the Ekadasi that occurs in
the Hindu calendar month of Marghazhi
(corresponding to late December - January in
English calendar. Vaishnavism (Worship of Lord
Vishnu) culture believes that ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’
or ‘the gate to Lord's Inner Sanctum’ is opened
on this day. Special prayers, yagas, discources
and speeches are arranged at Vishnu temples
across the world on this auspicious day.
According to Vishnu purana, According to Vishnu
Purana, fasting on Vaikunta Ekadasi is
equivalent to fasting on the remaining 11
Ekadasis of the (Hindu) year.
According to
Padma Purana, the female energy of Lord Vishnu
slains demon Muran in the form of a damsel and
protects `Devas'. Impressed by the act, Lord
Vishnu names her as `Ekadasi' and gives her the
boon that those who worship `Ekadasi' on the day
of her victory over Muran would reach `Vaikunta'
(His abode). In Mahabaratha, Bhagavad Gita - the
conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna at
the beginning of Kurukshetra War is said to have
occurred on this day. |
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Maha Shivratri:
Maha Shivratri or Maha Sivaratri or Shivaratri
or Sivaratri (Night of Shiva) is a Hindu
festival celebrated every year on the 13th
night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha of the
month Maagha (as per Shalivahana) or Phalguna(as
per Vikrama) in the Hindu Calendar. The most
significant practices on this day are offerings
of Bael (Bilva) leaves to the Lord Shiva,
fasting and all night long vigil. In North India
and Nepal many people consume bhang lassi, which
they believe is lord Shiva's favorite
drink. |
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Ugadi: is the new year's
day for the people of the Deccan region of
India. While the people of Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka use the term Ugadi for this festival,
the people of Maharashtra term the same
festival, observed on the same day, Gudi Padwa.
Sindhis, people from Sindh, celebrate the same
day as their New Year day Cheti Chand. Ugadi is
celebrated on different day every year because
the Hindu calendar is lunisolar calendar. The
Saka calendar begins with the month of Chaitra
(March/April) and the Ugadi mark the first day
of the New Year. |
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Shri Ram Navami: is
falls on the ninth day of the Hindu lunar year
or chaitra masa suklapaksha navami, and is a
celebration of the birthday of the god Rama.Lord
Ram is seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who
takes birth on earth when Adharma over rules
Dharma. He protects all his devotes by vanishing
the roots of Adharama. Lord Ram was born on
earth to destroy the demon named Ravan. Hindus
normally perform Kalyanotsavam (marriage
celebration) with small murtis of Rama and Sita
in their houses, and at the end of the day the
deity is taken to a procession on the streets.
This day also marks the end of the nine-day
utsavam called Chaitra Navaratri (Maharashtra)
or Vasanthothsavam (Andhra Pradesh) (festival of
Spring), which starts with Gudi Padwa
(Maharashtra) or Ugadi (South
India). |
Hanuman Jayanti: is
celebrated to commemorate the birth of Hanuman,
the monkey god widely venerated throughout
India. It is celebrated during the month of
Chaitra. Hanuman was an ardent devotee of Lord
Rama, and is worshipped for his unflinching
devotion to the god. From the early morning,
devotees flock Hanuman temples to worship the
monkey god.
The devotees will visit temples
and apply tilak of sindhoor to their foreheads
from the Hanumans body as this is considered to
be good luck. According to the legend Sita was
applying sindhoor to her head, Hanuman Ji
questioned why and replied that this would
ensure a long life for her husband. Hanuman then
smeared his entire body with sindhoor, in an
effort to ensure Rama’s
immortality. |
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Mahalakshmi
Vratam: is a sacred day in Hinduism.
More commonly known as "Varalaksmi Vratha" is
performed by Married Hindu ladies on the Friday
just before the full moon day in the month of
"Sravana" - July/August- according to Hindu
calendar. This is an important "Vratha", meaning
a vowed religious observance in Sanskrit.
"Varamahalakshmi Vratha" is performed more
commonly in Southern Indian States of Andhra,
Karnataka, Tamilnadu and also in parts of
Maharashtra and Orissa. Women clean their homes
and decorate their front yards with rangolis
(colorful designs traced on the floor) on the
day of Varalakshmi vratam. Later, they take a
bath and deck themselves with beautiful clothes
and jewelery. They then begin the process of
performing the vrata by first arranging the
kalasha or the sacred pot. They fill the pot
with rice and water which symbolize prosperity
and cover it with mango and betel leaves. They
then place a coconut smeared with turmeric and
vermallion on the kalasha and also decorate the
coconut with a new cloth. Some people decorate
the kalasha with many kinds of jewels to make it
look more beautiful. They place this kalasha on
a plate filled with rice. The main pooja begins
by worshiping Lord Ganesha who is believed to
drive away all obstacles and evil forces. Later,
goddess Mahalakshmi is invoked into the kalasha.
They then worship a couple of torams (a bunch of
nine threads with nine knots) and tie one to the
kalasha while the other one is tied around the
right hand wrist of the lady performing the
pooja. Later, they chant the Lakshmi Ashtottara
Shatanamam (a list of hundred names in praise of
the deity) with a lot devotion. They then offer
the goddess nine varieties of delicacies
including both sweets and savories. In
conclusion of the vratam, they sing hymns in
praise of goddess Varalakshmi and also invite
another married woman assuming her to be goddess
Varalakshmi and they invite all the neighboring laides to their
homes and offer them tamboolam (an offering
consisting of betel leaves, fruits, betel nuts,
vermillion, turmeric and dakshina [money]). They
also collectively sing songs in praise of
goddess Varalakshmi. |
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Krishna
Janmashtami: also known as
"Krishnashtami","Saatam Aatham", "Gokulashtami",
"Ashtami Rohini", "Srikrishna Jayanti", "Sree
Jayanthi" or sometimes merely as "Janmashtami",
is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of
Krishna, the eighth avatar (incarnation) of
Vishnu. Krishna Janmashtami is observed on the
eighth day of the dark half (Krishna Paksha) of
the month of Shraavana in the Hindu calendar,
when the Rohini Nakshatram is ascendent. The
Hindu calendar being lunar, these two events
[the day being the eighth of the waning moon
(Krishna-paksha Ashtami) and the Rohini
Nakshatram being ascendent] may overlap for only
a few hours. The pious begin the festival by
fasting on the previous day (Saptami, seventh
day). This is followed by a night-long vigil
commemorating the birth of Krishna at night, and
his immediate removal by his father to a
foster-home for safe-keeping. At midnight, the
deity of the infant Krishna is bathed, placed in
a cradle and worshipped. In the early morning,
ladies draw patterns of little children's feet
outside the house with rice-flour paste, walking
towards the house. This symbolizes the entry of
the infant Krishna into his foster-home. This
custom is popular in some communities of South
India. After ablutions, morning prayers and
worship, the devout break their fast with
Prasadam, food that has first been offered to
God. During the fore-noon hours. |
Vinayak
chavithi: (Vinayak chaturthu):
is a day on which Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva
and Parvati, is believed to bestow his presence
on earth for all his devotees. It is also known
as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi in
Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu and as
Chathaa in Nepal Bhasa. It is the birthday of
Lord Ganesha. The festival is observed in the
Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on
the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing
moon period). Typically the day falls sometime
between August 20 and September 15. The festival
lasts for 10 days, ending on Ananta Chaturdashi.
Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva
and Parvati, is widely worshipped as the supreme
god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune.
During the Ganesha festival, a household
worships a statue of Shri Ganesha. The worship
lasts an odd number of days (from 1 to 11 days,
sometimes 13). This festival starting with the
installation of beautifully engraved
(sculptured) Ganesh idols in colorfully
decorated homes and mantapas (pandals). The
mantapas has been depicted by religious themes
or current events. The idols are worshipped with
families and friends.
The main sweet dish
during the festival is the modak ([modagam]or
[modakam] in South India). A modak is a dumpling
made from rice flour/wheat flour with a stuffing
of fresh or dry-grated coconut, jaggery and some
other condiments. It is either steam-cooked or
fried. Another popular sweet dish is the karanji
([karjikai]in Kannada) which is similar to the
modak in composition and taste but has the shape
of the 4th day moon. |
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Vijaya Dashami also known as Dasara,
Dashahara, Navaratri, Durgotdsav… is one of the
very important & fascinating festivals of India,
which is celebrated in the lunar month of Ashwin
(usually in September or October) from the
Shukla Paksha Pratipada (the next of the New
moon day of Bhadrapada) to the Dashami or the
tenth day of Ashwin.
This festival is celebrated not only in India
but in almost all eastern countries like Java,
Sumatra, Japan etc... Dasara is Nepal’s national
festival.
Word DASARA is derived from Sanskrit words
“Dasha” & “hara” meaning removing the ten (10).
This is the most auspicious festival in the
Dakshinaayana or in the Southern hemisphere
motion of the Sun. In Sanskrit, 'Vijaya' means
Victory and 'Dashami' means 10th day. 'Thus
Vijaya Dashami' means victory on the 10th day.
Dasara is also known as Navaratri, as in the
first nine days the Divine Mother Goddess Durga
is worshipped and invoked in different
manifestations of her Shakti. The 10th day is in
honor of Durga Devi. The basic purpose behind
this festival is to worship feminine principle
of the Universe in the form of the divine mother
to remind the teachings of the Taitareeya
Upanishad, "Matru Devo Bhava." Essence of the
navaratri celebration at social level is to
remind & respect all the women, who are the
guardians of the family, culture, and national
integrity, to take lead in times of crisis to
guide the humanity towards the path of social
justice, righteousness, equality, love, and
divinity.
Durga is worshipped as the main deity of
Navaratri by all the segments of society
including tribal communities. Dasara coincide
with the period of rest & leisure of the farmers
after their strenuous hard work in their farms &
fields, hence they invoke blessings of Durga in
order to have a rich harvest in the next coming
season.
In India harvest season begins at this time and
as mother earth is the source of all food the
Mother Goddess is invoked to start afresh the
new harvest season and to reactivate the vigor
and fertility of the soil by doing religious
performances and rituals which invoke cosmic
forces for the rejuvenation of the soil.
On the day of Dasara, statues of the Goddess
Durga are submerged in the river waters. These
statues are made with the clay & the pooja is
performed with turmeric and other pooja items,
which are powerful disinfectants and are mixed
in the river waters. This makes water useful for
the farmers & yields better crops. |
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DEEPAVALI or Diwali means "a row of
lights". It falls on the last two days of the
dark half of Kartik (October-November). For some
it is a three-day festival. It commences with
the Dhan-Teras, on the 13th day of the dark half
of Kartik, followed the next day by the Narak
Chaudas, the 14th day, and by Deepavali proper
on the 15th day.There are various alleged
origins attributed to this festival. Some hold
that they celebrate the marriage of Lakshmi with
Lord Vishnu. In Bengal the festival is dedicated
to the worship of Kali. It also commemorates
that blessed day on which the triumphant Lord
Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana.
On this day also Sri Krishna killed the demon
Narakasura.
In South India people take an oil bath in the
morning and wear new clothes. They partake of
sweetmeats. They light fireworks which are
regarded as the effigies of Narakasura who was
killed on this day. They greet one another,
asking, "Have you had your Ganges bath?" which
actually refers to the oil bath that morning as
it is regarded as purifying as a bath in the
holy Ganges.Everyone forgets and forgives the
wrongs done by others. There is an air of
freedom, festivity and friendliness everywhere.
This festival brings about unity. It instils
charity in the hearts of people. Everyone buys
new clothes for the family. Employers, too,
purchase new clothes for their employees.Waking
up during the Brahmamuhurta (at 4a.m.) is a
great blessing from the standpoint of health,
ethical discipline, efficiency in work and
spiritual advancement. It is on Deepavali that
everyone wakes up early in the morning. The
sages who instituted this custom must have
cherished the hope that their descendents would
realise its benefits and make it a regular habit
in their lives.In a happy mood of great
rejoicing village folk move about freely, mixing
with one another without any reserve, all enmity
being forgotten. People embrace one another with
love. Deepavali is a great unifying force. Those
with keen inner spiritual ears will clearly hear
the voice of the sages, "O Children of God!
unite, and love all". The vibrations produced by
the greetings of love which fill the atmosphere
are powerful enough to bring about a change of
heart in every man and woman in the world. Alas!
That heart has considerably hardened, and only a
continuous celebration of Deepavali in our homes
can rekindle in us the urgent need of turning
away from the ruinous path of hatred.
On this day Hindu merchants in North India open
their new account books and pray for success and
prosperity during the coming year. The homes are
cleaned and decorated by day and illuminated by
night with earthern oil-lamps. The best and
finest illuminations are to be seen in Bombay
and Amritsar. The famous Golden Temple at
Amritsar is lit in the evening with thousands of
lamps placed all over the steps of the big tank.
Vaishnavites celebrate the Govardhan Puja and
feed the poor on a large scale.O Ram! The light
of lights, the self-luminous inner light of the
Self is ever shining steadily in the chamber of
your heart. Sit quietly. Close your eyes.
Withdraw the senses. Fix the mind on this
supreme light and enjoy the real Deepavali, by
attaining illumination of the soul.
He who Himself sees all but whom no one beholds,
who illumines the intellect, the sun, the moon
and the stars and the whole universe but whom
they cannot illumine, He indeed is Brahman, He
is the inner Self. Celebrate the real Deepavali
by living in Brahman, and enjoy the eternal
bliss of the soul.The sun does not shine there,
nor do the moon and the stars, nor do lightnings
shine and much less fire. All the lights of the
world cannot be compared even to a ray of the
inner light of the Self. Merge yourself in this
light of lights and enjoy the supreme Deepavali.
Many Deepavali festivals have come and gone. Yet
the hearts of the vast majority are as dark as
the night of the new moon. The house is lit with
lamps, but the heart is full of the darkness of
ignorance. O man! wake up from the slumber of
ignorance. Realise the constant and eternal
light of the Soul which neither rises nor sets,
through meditation and deep enquiry.
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Naga Panchami: It is on
the fifth day of the bright half of the Shravan
that Naga Panchami, or the
festival of snakes, is celebrated. The setting
sun is witness to mile-long processions of
gaily-decorated bullock carts, cheerfully
trundling to the nearby Shiva temple. The
excitement and merry-go-round of a fair takes
over, lasting well into the night. The snakes
that the men had captured from the deep forests
the week before can now return to where they
came from.
On this day, the women draw
figures of snakes on the walls of their houses
using a mixture of black powder, cow dung and
milk. Then offerings of milk, ghee, water and
rice are made. It is believed that in reward for
this worship, snakes will never bite any member
of the family. |
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