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Indian Festivals

Mar/Apr
Mahavir Jayanti : The Jain festival commemorates the birth of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism.

Ramanavami : Hindu temples all over India celebrates the birth of Rama. In the week leading up to Ramanavami, the Ramayana is widely read and performed.

Easter : The Christian holiday marks the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Apr/May

Buddha Jayanti : This triple blessed festival celebrates Buddha's birth, enlightenment and attainment of nirvana.

Eid Milad un Nabi : This Islamic festival celebrates the birth of the Prophet Mohammed.

June/July

Rath Yatra (Car festival) : Lord Jagannath's great temple chariot makes its stately journey from his temple in Puri (Orissa) to during this Hindu festival.

July/Aug

Naag Panchami : This Hindu festival is dedicated to Ananta, the serpent upon whose coils Vishnu rested between universes. Snakes are believed to have power over the monsoon rainfall and keep evil away from homes.

Raksha Bandhan : On the full moon day girls fix amulets known as rakhis o the wrists of their (not necessarily blood-related) brothers to protect them in the coming year. The brothers reciprocate with gifts. Some people also worship the Vedic sea god Varuna.

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Aug/Sep

Independence Day : Celebrates on 15 Aug, marks the anniversary of India's Independence in 1947. Main venue is Red fort, New Delhi.

Ganesh Chaturthi : This joyful festival celebrates the birth of the popular elephant-headed god, Ganesh, and has particular verve in Mumbai. On the last day of the festival clay idols of Ganesh, the god of good fortune, are paraded through the streets before being ceremoniously immersed in a river, sea or water tank.

Janmastami : Celebrates the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. Devotees fast all day until midnight and in Mathura (birthplace of Krishna in Uttar Pradesh) the festivities last longer.

Shravan Purnima : On this day of fasting, brahmins replace the sacred thread looped over the left shoulder.

Sep/Oct

Navratri : This Hindu festival leading up to Dussehra is dedicated to the goddess Durga who beheaded a demon. Goddess Lakshmi and Saraswati, of wealth and learning respectively, also gets special praise. Hindus takes part in rituals, fasting and prayer; then after sundown there is folk dancing with sticks, dandiya raas. Some regions also have nightly garbas (folk dancers without the sticks). You can enjoy the celebrations in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Dussehra (Durga Puja) : This festival celebrates Durga's victory over the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura and often ends with the burning of the images of the demon king Ravana and his accomplices, symbolic of the triumph of good over evil. It's also known as Ram Lila (life story of Rama), with fireworks and re-enactment of the Ramayana. It is mainly celebrated in West Bengal with mass submersions of Durga idols.

Gandhi Jayanti : It is the birth anniversary (2 nd Oct) of the Father of the Nation - Mohandas Gandhi - with prayer meetings at Raj Ghat, Delhi.

Onam : State festival of Kerala celebrated with folk dance and sadhya (lunch with variety of curries).

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Oct/Nov

Diwali (Deepavali) : During this happiest Hindu festival, oil lamps are lit to show Rama the way home from exile, sweets are given, and fireworks let off. The festival lasts five days. On day one, doorsteps are decorated with rangolis/kolams (chalk/rice flour designs); day two celebrates Krishna's victory over the tyrant Narakasura; three is spent worshiping Lakshmi; four commemorates the visit of the friendly demon Bali; and on day five men receive an auspicious tikka (forehead mark) from their sisters.

Ramzan (Ramadan) : This 30 day dawn to dusk fast marks the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the month during which the prophet Mohammed had the Koran revealed to him in Mecca.

Nov/Dec/Jan

Nanak Jayanti : The birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, is celebrated with prayer readings and processions.

Christmas : Christians celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Christ on 25 Dec.

Eid al Adha (Bakrid) : This Islamic occasion commemorates the Propjet Ibrahim's readiness to obey god even to the point of sacrificing his son.

Losar : Tibetan New year celebrated mainly in Mc Leodganj (Himachal Pradesh) with teaching sessions by Dalai Lama.

Jan/Feb

Republic day : It is the anniversary celebration of India's establishment as a Republic on 26 Jan 1950. The military parade along Rajpath in Delhi is the main attraction. Beating of the Retreat ceremony is celebrated three days after the Republic day.

Pongal : This four day festival marks the end of the harvest season. It's observed on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai, which is in the middle of January. Festivities include boiling-over of a pot of pongal (a mixture of rice, sugar, dhal and milk), symbolic of prosperity and abundance. On the third day, cattle are decorated and fed the pongal.

Vasant Panchami : Books, musical instruments, and other related objects are placed in front of the goddess Saraswati to receive blessings. Mainly celebrated in West Bengal and is traditional to wear yellow dress.

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Feb/Mar

Holi : It marks the beginning of spring and is celebrated (in North India) by throwing coloured water and gulal (powder) at one another. On the night before Holi, bonfires are built to symbolise the destruction of the evil demon Holika.

Muharram : An Islamic festival commemorating the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam.

Shivaratri : This day of Hindu fasting is dedicated to Shiva, who danced the tandava (cosmic dance) on this day.

Kumbh Mela : It is the largest religious congregation on earth, attracts tens of millions of Hindu pilgrims, including masses of holy men, especially Nagas (naked sadhus) of militant Hindu monastic orders. A sea of tents is set up for the pilgrims during the mela. Nagas are the first to take the holy dip. The next Kumbh Mela is due in 2010.

According to Hindu creation myths, the gods and demons once fought a great battle for a kumbh (pitcher) containing the nectar of immortality. Vishnu got hold of the container and spirited it away, but in flight four drops, spilt on the earth - at Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain. Every three years, one of the four sites chosen by the holy drops takes its turn throwing the fantastical event known as (Maha) Kumbh mela.

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Work for the welfare of animals , in India.

Snakes are revered all over India as it is related to Lord Shiva and Vishnu. Nag Panchami festival is for worshipping snakes. Killing of snakes is a non bailable offence attracting 7 years in jail as per Wildlife protection act 1972.

During rainy season snakes may come out in open. Majority of snakes (95%) are non poisonous. Do not harm snakes. They too have the right to live on earth.

If you have any complaints or doubts about animal rights ask to Mrs Menaka Gandhi at www.peopleforanimalsindia.org for quick and responsible action.

National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi

If you have any complaints or doubts about Human Rights in India, visit
http://nhrc.nic.in

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Monsoon time prone to infectious diseases and accidents

1. Drink boiled water always.
2. Avoid food from outside sources where unhygienic conditions suspected/exist.
3. Water borne diseases viz viral hepatitis (jaundice), typhoid, acute gastroenteritis (loose motion) are on the rise. Avoid outside contaminated food, cold drinks, ice creams and water.
4. Two/Four wheeler drivers to exercise extra caution to view potholed wet and slippery roads.
5. Wear helmet and raincoat.
6. Do not use mobiles while driving.
7. Stay away from telephone/electric poles during thunder/lightening.

Enjoy the magic season of monsoon. If you are coming to Maharashtra, visit Lonavla near Pune and Mahabaleshwar.

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Glossary of Indian words

acharya - revered teacher
adivasi - tribal person
agarbathi - incense
Agni - major deity in the Vedas (fire)
ahimsa - discipline of nonviolence
air cooler - big, noisy water filled fan
Ananta - snake on which Vishnu reclined
Andhaka - 1000 headed demon, killed by Shiva
apsara - heavenly nymph
Arjuna - Mahabharata hero, third among the Pandavas
Aryan - Sanskrit for 'noble'; those who migrated from Persia and settled in northern India
ashram - spiritual community
ASI - Archaeological Survey Of India, an organisation involved in monument preservation
attar - essential oil used as a base for perfumes
auto rickshaw - noisy, three wheeled motor vehicle
avatar - incarnation of Vishnu
ayah - Children's nurse
Ayurveda - the ancient and complex science of Indian herbal medicine and healing
azad - free (Urdu)

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baba - term of respect, religious master
bagh - garden
baksheesh - tip or bribe
Balarama - Brother of Lord Krishna
bandar - monkey
baniya - moneylender
Bhagavad Gita - a part of Mahabharata, Krishna's lessons to Arjuna
bhajan - devotional song
bhangra - rhythmic Punjabi dance
bindi - forehead mark worn by women
Brahma - Three headed Hindu god
Brahmin - Highest in Hindu caste (the four castes are Brahmin, Kshatriya, the Vaishya and Shudra), temple priest
Buddha - originator of Buddhism, regarded by Hindus as 9th incarnation of Vishnu
bugyal - high altitude meadow
burka - one piece of garment used by conservative Muslim women to cover themselves from head to toe
bustee - slum

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cenotaph - a monument honouring a dead person whose body is somewhere else
chaam - ritual masked dance performed by some Buddhist monks in gompas to celebrate the victory of good over evil and of Buddhism over pre existing religions.
chaitya - Place of Buddhist worship with a hall divided into central nave and two side aisles by a line of columns, with a votive stupa at the end
chakra - disc like weapon of Vishnu
Chamunda - form of Durga; a real terror.
chappals - sandals
Char Dham - four pilgrimage destinations - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri
charas (hashish) - resin of the marijuana plant
chogyal - king
chorten - stupa (in Tibetan)
chowk - town square

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dargah - tomb of Muslim saint
darshan - viewing of a deity
darwaza - gateway
Dasarath - father of Lord Rama (7th incarnation of Vishnu)
devadasi - female temple dancer
dhaba - basic restaurant
dharamsala - pilgrim's rest house
dhobi - washer man
dhol - large two sided Punjabi drum
dholi - man carried portable chairs
Digambara - naked Jain saints
dikpala - temple guardian
dowry - money and goods given by a brides parents to their son-in-law's family. Giving and taking of dowry is illegal but still exists
Draupadi - wife of the five Pandava princes
durbar - royal court
Durga - a beautiful, fierce woman (Shiva's wife) riding a tiger