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  1. #1
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    Default Festivals and Events in India

    India celebrates its diversity through its festivals. Year long there is sprit of celebration in some or the other corner of the nation. As there are several religions, which have an interesting mythology there are several opportunities to celebrate which are called as festivals. All festivals In India are commemorated for religious causes, either to celebrate the victory of good over evil or to remember a god or goddess. Further, every state has its own culture thus have their own festivals. However there are many festivals which are celebrated through out the country.

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    Christmas in India


    Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. It is celebrated on the 25th of December each year. The celebrations for Christmas start from December 24th to January 1st, the New Year Day. Prayers, plays, parties, carols and fun filled get together are the items of Christmas Festival, India. Also other issues like cakes, Christmas trees, gifts and Santa Claus are also included. The festival is celebrated with lot of happiness and fanfare all over the world. Christians and non-Christian community took part in great enthusiasm in the different festivities linked with it. Balls, Christmas trees, delicious cakes and Santa Claus distributing goods to the children are the main attractions of the festival.

    Christmas in India

    Christianity was brought to India in 52 A.D. Twenty years after the crucifixion of Christ, one of his apostles, St. Thomas, is thought of to have landed on Malabar Coast. He established a few churches and converted many local people in Kerala. This was the initial Christian settlement in the subcontinent. In Christmas Festival, India, the towns and villages get ready to do brisk business and offer discounts and sales on articles. Markets are packed with huge crowds. People buy gifts for their loved ones with great thought and affection, decorations and number of items to cook. The ambience of the houses is made festive by decorating their homes to the hilt with Christmas trees, wreathes with bright red decorative baubles, festoons, bells and small trinkets. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, people hang stunning star-shaped paper lamps of different colors and sizes outside their homes. Such star lamps in Kerala are more beautiful with some patterns or cutwork designs on them. About a week before Christmas, the church, club and school choirs are greeted by people with cakes and other eatables. Christmas carols are sung in different local languages all over the country.

    Prayers:

    In Christmas Festival, India churches hold a special Midnight Mass, which is attended by most people of the community. This is looked at as not only a sacred prayer but also an important social event as well. Members of both sexes wear new clothes and remain present for the Mass, looking their absolute best. The Mass continues for a few hours and remembers the Savior who gave up his life so that they may live. The ceremonies held in Calcutta, Kottayam, Delhi, Sardhana, Martandam, Aizawl, Kohima, Shillong, Panaji and Pondicherry deserve special mention.

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    Diwali Festival India


    India is a land of festivals and the country celebrates the maximum number of religious festivals in the world. This is primarily because of the presence of different religions and communities in the country. Every festival celebrated in India has a specific significance and is celebrated with great pomp and gaiety. India is pre-dominantly a Hindu country and a large number of Hindu festivals are celebrated across the nation. The largest Hindu festival is Diwali - the festival of lights.

    The Sparkle of Diwali

    Diwali festival, India is celebrated throughout the nation in different ways and patterns. However, there are certain rituals and traditions associated with Diwali that are commonly followed throughout the country. The festival is celebrated in the months of October or November and marks the defeat of evil Ravana at the hands of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The festival is celebrated for five consecutive days and also marks the end of Narkasura at the hands Lord Krishna. The festival is mainly celebrated to mark the end of the evil and disperse darkness and spread the light of peace, goodwill and knowledge. Diwali also consists of Lakshmi Puja, wherein Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of power, prosperity and wealth is worshipped. In most parts of the country, the five days of Diwali begin with Dhanatrayodashi or Dhanteras on the first day (auspicious for making purchases), Narkachaturdashi (when Lord Krishna killed the demon Narkasura), Lakshmi Puja, Varsha Pratipada or Padwa (beginning of a new year for the traders and businessmen) and Bhaiyyadooj (celebrates the brother-sister affection).

    Diwali festival, India is more than just a Hindu festival and has cut religious boundaries to be celebrated at a national level. For Diwali, people clean their homes and adorn them with bright and colorful lanterns of various shapes and sizes. The homes are also adorned with numerous oil lamps and other colorful electric lights, which illuminate the homes and make them, look very pretty. One of the major attractions of Diwali is the firecrackers and aerial fireworks, which are especially popular among children and youngsters. It is the time when families indulge in shopping for new clothes, appliances and other home décor. The magnitude of the festival has grown in size and the festival is now celebrated even in different countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and several other countries.

    Diwali Festival, India is the festival, which every Indian eagerly looks forward to every year.

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    Dusshera Festival India


    India is considered as the land of festivals because of more than 70 festivals being celebrated all throughout the year. The rich diverse cultural heritage of India is responsible for such huge celebration. The secular nature of the Indian constitution allows people from all the culture and race co exist. The amalgamation of so many cultures led to celebration all throughout the year. But there are few of the festivals, which are considered as prominent by the Government of India and a public holiday is being announced on that. Dusshera is one of such festivals that commands immense popularity all over the country and thus earns a public holiday. Dusshera is a Hindu festival celebrated during the month of September and October.

    Significance of the Festival

    Dusshera Festival, India is celebrated to mark the victory of good over the evil. The celebration is based on the mythology that Goddess Durga won over the demon Mahishasura somewhere in the southern parts of India. Another mythology attached to the Dusshera is the victory of Lord Rama over the demon Ravana because he abducted his wife Sita. Thus from ages the festival is celebrated with equal zeal as it was there with the victorious. The festival is also called as "Vijayadashami" because this word signifies victory in the Sanskrit language.

    Celebrations of Dusshera

    Dusshera Festival, India follows the ten-day Navratri festival. The Navratri festival is marked in different style in different parts of India. Generally in many parts of India this festival see worshipping of various forms of Goddess Durga. The culmination of the ten-day festival results in the Dusshera. On this day the idol of the goddess is drowned in the local water body. The other important part of the celebration is the burning of the effigy of the demon Ravana. In the interiors of the country the countrymen stage a show called Ram Leela. Generally the actors of this show enact the story of Ram fighting against Ravana and emerging victorious.

    Dusshera Festival, India is one of the biggest festivals celebrated all over the country with almost all the regions participating. It brings along joy and happiness for all and sundry.

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    Eid El Fitr India


    India is one of the greatest examples of secularism and is home to almost all the religions of the world. The nation is the birthplace of religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism while it has a strong presence of religions like Islam, Christianity and Jews. The Hindus mainly dominate the country with almost 80% of the population being Hindus. The second largest religion in the country is Islam and hence Islamic culture and traditions are practiced greatly all over the country. The Islamic festivals are celebrated with equal zest and enthusiasm with Eid-El-Fitr, India is the most important festival for the Muslims.

    Eid-El-Fitr - Fasting Month

    Eid-El-Fitr, India marks the end of the fasting month of Ramazan. During the month of Ramazan a Muslim must fast from sunrise to sunset and must not indulge in acts like consuming alcohol or smoking during that time for an entire month. This month of fasting ends with Eid-El-Fitr, which mainly celebrates forgiveness, brotherhood and unity. On the day of Eid, every Muslim is expected to wake up early and attend the regular dawn prayers. After the prayers, the followers must eat in small quantities, which is a symbolic gesture of ending of the Ramzan fast. After breaking the fast, the Muslims again attend special ceremonial prayers that are held in the vast open courtyards of the mosques. After these prayers, the worshippers greet and wish their loved ones by embracing each other.

    The Eid-El-Fitr, India symbolizes the end of Ramazan, which is considered to be the most holy and sacred period of the year by the Muslims. The Ramazan marks the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is marked by strict fasts, charity, self-accountability and religious observances. Hence, after practicing fasts and praying regularly during Ramazan, the festival of Eid also marks moral victory and self-control. Every Muslim must donate money or food to the poor on Eid-El-Fitr according to their financial capacity. The Muslims usually dress in new clothes and also present gifts to the children of the family and even to other members of the family, friends and relatives.

    Eid-El-Fitr, India celebrates the true Islamic spirit of self-control, devoutness and brotherhood and is one of the most eagerly awaited festivals in the country.

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    Gandhi Jayanti India

    India is called as the land of festivals. Some part or other of the nation has some festival or other, either small or big, those of various religions, beliefs, races and cultures. But few of these are celebrated on a national scale. One of these is Gandhi Jayanti, which is celebrated on the second of October every year in India. Gandhi Jayanti, India marks the birth of the father of the nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. 2nd October is one of the 3 officially declared national holidays of India and is observed in all states and Union territories of India.

    About the Mahatma

    Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was given the title of Mahatma (great soul), which he indeed was. He was and is called fondly as gandhiji. His ideologies and philosophies are like none other on earth. He was the pioneer of satyagraha- the resistance of tyranny through mass civil disobedience, and also firmly founded upon ahimsa or total non-violence-, which lead to India's independence. Gandhiji said that, u can hit me, u can kill me, u can insult me, but u can never forget me. It is almost impossible that gandhiji's name will be wiped out from the pages of history. The Indian currency notes have a picture of his, every city in India has a street named after him and statues of the Great Mahatma are made at many places. He believed in simplicity, truth, non violence and spiritual and practical purity. His highly effective ideologies still inspire people from all over the world. On Gandhi Jayanti, India a national holiday is declared.

    Celebrations

    2nd of October every year is marked by prayer services and tributes all over India, especially Raj ghat, which is Gandhi's memorial in New Delhi where he was cremated. Celebrations include prayers, commemorative ceremonies in different cities by colleges, local government institutions and socio-political institutions. In schools, painting and essay competitions are held and best awards are awarded for projects in schools. Themes are generally of glorifying peace, non-violence and Gandhi's effort in the Indian freedom struggle. Gandhiji's favorite song named Raghupathi Raghava Rajaram is sung in memory of his on this day. No wonder that the government of India saw a need to declare a national holiday for just the birthday of such a person. He was none other than Mahatma Gandhi, the man of the previous century.

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