1.Diwali- Festival of Lights

Diwali has a strong cultural and traditional importance in our culture. It is celebrated in the Kartika month of the Hindu calendar. It conveys the message of good over evil (Lord Rama over Ravana). It is the day when Lord Rama arrived in Ayodhya after defeating Ravana.  Also known as the ‘Festival of Lights’, this festival has not only a pan India presence but also an international presence. People begin this day with an auspicious pooja of Goddess Laxmi, they further celebrate by wearing new traditional clothes, preparing sweets and decorating their houses with glowing deeyas, garlands of electric lights and colourful rangolis. They also burst crackers at night to continue the celebrations in full swing. Bursting eco-friendly crackers is being recommended from few years so that it doesn’t have a harmful effect on the environment

2. Holi- The Festival of Colors

Holi is celebrated in the Phalguna month of Hindu Calendar. It marks the start of harvest season. It has a good presence in terms of celebrations all over the world. It is celebrated by applying and throwing colours (both wet and dry) on each other. At some places, flowers are also used. In the evening, people visit each other’s homes wearing new ethnic clothes to exchange sweets. Holi propagates the message of brotherhood, love and unity in integrity amongst people.

3. Christmas

The birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated with full joy every year on the 25th day of December around the globe. A Fantasy Legend has it that Santa Claus comes to homes and distributes gifts, which is very popular among children. People decorate Christmas trees in their houses with colourful and dazzling stars and hanging balls. They also pay a visit to the Church in order to seek blessings from Jesus.

4. Dussehra- Vijayadasami

Dussehra or Vijayadashmi is celebrated on the 10th day of navratri. This festival is celebrated because Lord Rama killed Ravana on this day. The burning effigies of Ravana and his two brothers is also a part of the culture of this festival. Ramleela (play of the story of Ramayan) is organised by various groups. Feats are also organised in cities and villages to celebrate this festival.

5. Durga Puja- Navaratri

Durga Puja is a major festival of Bengalis, and is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over the country. Pandals are set up with idols of Goddess Durga with other gods and goddesses. ‘Aarti’ of the gods is worth watching. The historical importance of this festival is that Goddess Durga killed the demon Mahishasur. A lot of different cultural activities are organised like singing, dancing to celebrate this auspicious event 

6. Janmashtami

Birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated as Janmashtmi, primarily in the northern part of India. Vrindavan and Mathura are the epicentres of the festivities. Every year, the temple priest reveals the idol of Shree Krishna at the time of his birth. Lots of people gather in the temple to be a part of the celebrations. Programmes are organised depicting different phases of Shree Krishna’ life in the forms of folklore, songs, plays and poems.

7. Ganesh Chaturthi

This festival is mainly celebrated in Maharashtra, but people from all over the country witness it and celebrate it in their own ways. It spans over a period of 10 days, while on the last day, the majority of celebrations are held. Huge idols of Lord Ganesha are carried to the seashore (or the river) in full joyous mood for the procession of Visarjan ( immersing the idol inside the water body, and wishing for the lord to return again the next year). All over the way, people keep on singing, dancing and throwing colours to enjoy. 

8. Eid-Ul-Fitr

Eid-Ul-Fitr is a major festival for Muslims in India and is celebrated with full enthusiasm by all people. People visit the mosque on this day for an auspicious prayer, and they wear new clothes and prepare delicious cuisines like sewainyan (vermicelli). Idi is given to children, a token of gift while elders hug each other and offer gifts to each other to celebrate this festival. Eid-Ul-Fitr is a festival which symbolises brotherhood among the humans. 

9. Onam

Onam is a very important festival in the southern state of Kerala in India. It is a very colorful festival indeed. It is a harvest festival which marks the new year for the Malyali people. Plays, Kathakali dances and other events such as boat races, tug of war are organised to celebrate this festival in full spirit. People also decorate their houses with flowers and rangoli and also wear new clothes.

10. Raksha Bandhan

This festival’s motive is to celebrate the pious bond of brother and sister. Sister ties a thread called Rakhi on her brother’s wrist as a symbol that he would protect her in life. In return, brother gives chocolates, dresses and most importantly a promise to protect her. Sweets and new traditional clothes are used to celebrate this festival of love and bonding.

The festival lasts five days as Dhanteras, Choti Diwali, Diwali, Goverdhan and Bhai Dooj. The third day is the actual day when Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped and this year it falls on 27.10.19. Celebrants clean, renovate and decorate their homes, offices and temples. They adorn themselves in their best outfit for the occasion and light the diyas and candles outside and inside of their homes and workplace. They pray to goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha for wealth and prosperity and after that share burn crackers and share gifts with their loved ones.

India is a country of diversity. Various religions of the Indian subcontinent celebrate Diwali for different reasons. Hindus believe that when Lord Ram defeated Ravana and returned to Ayodhaya after 14 years of exile, people welcomed them with lightning diyas and hence Diwali is celebrated. Another belief of Hindus is related to deity Lakshmi who is the giver of wealth and prosperity. They worship Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha as he is the remover of all obstacles. In Jainism, it marks the nirvana or spiritual awakening of Lord Mahavira on October 15, 527 B.C. In Sikhism, it marks the day that Guru Hargobind Ji, the Sixth Sikh Guru was freed from imprisonment.

The following day is celebrated as the new year when people visited each other houses and wished them for the season. The fifth day is celebrated as Bhai Dooj when sisters do tilak to their brothers and pray for their long life.
The five-day festival is an annual homecoming and bonding period not only for families but also for communities and associations.

 On the day of Dhanteras, worshipping of Yamraj, the god of death (Yama Puja) is also done. Buying gold-silver jewelry and utensils on this day is considered auspicious. Dhanteras is also a symbol of the beginning of the Deepawali festival. This is followed by Chhoti Diwali or Narak Chaturdashi, Badi or Main Deepawali (Diwali), Govardhan Puja and finally the festival of Bhai Dooj or Bhaiya Dooj.

When is Dhanteras celebrated?

The festival of Dhanteras is celebrated every year two days before Deepawali. According to the Hindu calendar, Dhanteras is celebrated on the 13th day of the month of Kartik. According to the Gregorian calendar, this festival falls in the month of October or November every year. This time Dhanteras is on 25 October.

Importance of Dhanteras

Dhanteras is also known as Dhantrayodashi, Dhanwantari Triodasi or Dhanvantri Jayanti. It is believed that Lord Dhanwantari appeared on the day of Kartik Krishna Trayodashi during Samudra Manthan, carrying Amrit Kalash in his hands. It is said that for the expansion and spread of medical science, Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of Dhanvantari. The festival of Dhanteras is celebrated to commemorate the appearance of Lord Dhanvantari. According to mythological beliefs, worshiping Lakshmi on the day of Dhanteras makes the house full of wealth. It is also considered auspicious to purchase and bring home a new idol of Lakshmi Ganesh on this day.

Often at times, when we wish a happy Diwali and its associated wishes to each other, we forget to wish a happy Diwali to ourselves. A wish that can set us right towards our goals. A wish, that we need to remind ourselves that how we need to keep going and not give up, no matter how hard our goal seems to be.

Therefore, this Diwali, when you set on to light up a lamp to light up your domain, make sure to light up a ray of hope in you. Hope for the better version of you, that you eagerly want to be. Hope to give yourself and to the people you love, a life that they truly deserve. Hope for a better society. Hope to stay honest to our work and importantly to ourselves, no matter how deceiving others seems to be. Hope for a better and prospering life. Hope for a better nation.

Therefore, light a lamp of hope this Diwali.

Wishing all our readers a hopeful and prosperous Diwali.
Have a green, safe and beautiful Diwali.

Sakshi Narang
(Communications and Editorial, Manager – Jugaadin.com).

wednesday | 12: 35 AM

The festival lasts five days as Dhanteras, Choti Diwali, Diwali, Govers tha actdhan and Bhai dooj. The third day is the actual day when Goddess Lakshami is worshiped and this year it falls on 07.11.18. Celebrants clean, renovate and decorate their homes, offices and temples. They adorn themselves in their best outfit for the occasion and light the diyas and candles outside and inside of their homes and workplace. They pray to goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha for wealth and prosperity and after that share burn crackers and share gifts with their loved ones.

India is a country of diversity. Various religions of Indian subcontinent celebrate Diwali for different reasons. Hindus believe that when Lord Ram defeated Ravana and returned to Ayodhaya after 14 years of exile, people welcomed them with lightning diyas and hence diwali is celebrated. Another believe of hindus is related to deity Lakshmi who is giver of wealth and prosperity. They worship lakshmi and lord Ganesha as he is the remover of all obstacles. In Jainism, it marks the nirvana or spiritual awakening of Lord Mahavira on October 15, 527 B.C. In Sikhism it marks the day that Guru Hargobind Ji, the Sixth Sikh Guru was freed from imprisonment.

The following day is celebrated as new year when people visited each other houses and wished them for the season. The fifth day is celebrated as Bhai Dooj when sisters do tilak to their brothers and pray for their long life.
The five day festival is an annual homecoming and bonding period not only for families, but also for communities and associations.

People thoroughly clean their houses to worship goddess of wealth, Lakshmi in the evening. Entrances were decorated with bandanwars, rangoli and beautiful diyas. In honor of Lakshmi and Dhanvantari, diyas are kept burning for whole night.
The day after Dhanteras is celebrated as Narak chaturdasi or choti Diwali. People light diyas for whole night glorifying Yama, the god of death.