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Deepawali
Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is one of the most important festivals within Hinduism where it generally lasts five days (or six in some regions of India), and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin (according to the amanta tradition) and Kartika (between mid-October and mid-November).''The New Oxford Dictionary of English'' (1998) – p. 540 "Diwali /dɪwɑːli/ (also Diwali) noun a Hindu festival with lights...". It is a post-harvest festival celebrating the bounty following the arrival of the monsoon in the subcontinent. Diwali symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance".Jean Mead, ''How and why Do Hindus Celebrate Divali?'', The festival is widely associated with Lakshmi,Suzanne Barchers ...
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Tihar (festival)
Tihar (also known as Deepawali and Yamapanchak) is a five-day Hindu festival celebrated in Nepal and the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal, particularly the towns of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, which host a large number of ethnic Indian Gorkha people. Tihar is analogous to the Indian festival of Diwali, the festival of lights, but some significant differences. Like with Diwali, Tihar is marked by lighting '' diyo'' inside and outside the home but unlike the Indian festival, the five days of Tihar include celebration and worship of the four creatures associated with the Hindu god of death Yama, with the final day reserved for people themselves. According to the Vikram Samvat calendar, the festival begins with Kaag (crow) Tihar on Trayodashi tithi of Kārtika ''kṛṣṇa'' pakṣa (the 13th day of the waning moon) and ends with Bhai Tika on Dwitiya tithi of Kārtika śukla pakṣa every year. In the Gregorian calendar, the festival falls sometime between October and ...
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Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent. The term ''"Hindu"'' traces back to Old Persian which derived these names from the Sanskrit name ''Sindhu'' (सिन्धु ), referring to the river Indus. The Greek cognates of the same terms are "''Indus''" (for the river) and "''India''" (for the land of the river). The term "''Hindu''" also implied a geographic, ethnic or cultural identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent around or beyond the Indus River, Sindhu (Indus) River. By the 16th century CE, the term began to refer to residents of the subcontinent who were not Turkic peoples, Turkic or Muslims. Hindoo is an archaic spelling variant, whose use today is considered derogatory. The historical development of Hindu self-i ...
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Rangoli
Rangoli is an art form that originates from in the Indian subcontinent, in which patterns are created on the floor or a tabletop using materials such as powdered lime stone, red ochre, dry rice flour, coloured sand, quartz powder, flower petals, and coloured rocks. It is an everyday practice in many Hindu households, however the colours are preferred during festivals and other important celebrations as it is time consuming. Rangolis are usually made during Diwali or Tihar, Onam, Pongal, and other Hindu festivals in the Indian subcontinent, and are most often made during Diwali. Designs are passed from one generation to the next, keeping both the art form and the tradition alive. Rangoli have different names based on the state and culture. Rangoli hold a significant role in the everyday life of a Hindu household especially historically when the flooring of houses were untiled. They are usually made outside the threshold of the main entrance, in the early mornings after cleaning ...
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Bandna
Bandna (spelt as Bāndnā, Hindi: बांदना) is a agriculture-oriented festival of the Kurmali ethnolinguistic and other related communities, in which domestic cattle and agriculture appliances are worshiped. The festival mostly observed in the state of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Assam, and celebrated annually as per Hindu calendar in the month of Amavashya of Kartik. Overview Bandna is a celebration of the paddy seeds that are sown by the region's agrarian communities. This festival is celebrated by the Hindu and Tribal cultivator communities like Bagal, Rajuar, Kumhar, Kudmi Mahato and other Kurmali-speaking communities of East India. It is one of many Indian festivals during which cattle are worshiped. Ritual Bandna is a seven-day festival: the first three days are Chumaan; the fourth day is Goth Puja; the fifth day is Goriyaa Puja; the sixth day is Borod Khuntaan; and the seventh day is Budhi Bandna. The rituals of the first three days are sometime ...
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Sohrai
Sohrai is a harvest festival of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal. It also called cattle festival. It is celebrated after harvest and coincide with Govardhan Puja of Diwali festival. It is celebrated by Sadan, Oraons, Munda and Santal among others. It is celebrated on Amavasya of the Hindu month Kartik in the month of October–November. In this festival, people fast, paint house, prepared food. In night, they light earthen lamps in the cattle-sheds and offered sacrifice to deity of animals Gaurea also known as Pasupati. Names It coincides with Govardhan Puja of North India. It is also known as Bandna festival. Celebration Sohrai is harvest festival celebrated after harvest. The festival is celebrated on Amavasya(new moon) in the Hindu month of Kartik(October–November). The feast is celebrated in the honour of cattle especially bullocks, buffalos, goats and sheep. On the day people fast throughout the day, earthen lamps lits ...
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Swanti (festival)
Swanti (Devanagari: स्वन्ति, Nepal Script :𑐳𑑂𑐰𑐣𑑂𑐟𑐶) is a five-day festival of Nepal which is one of the year's greatest celebrations for the Newar people. It is the Newar version of Tihar or Diwali. The festival highlights the central role of women in the household, and the rituals are related to wishing for good fortune of the family members by presenting them auspicious items and praying for longevity by placating the god of death. During the festival, windows and doorways are decorated with flower garlands and lamps. Deities, animals, and people are honored as part of the celebrations. The festival is marked by both Hindus and Buddhists. It is held according to the lunar calendar so the dates are changeable. In 2017, the festival was 17–21 October. Lakshmi Pujā The first two days are Kwah Pujā and Khichā Pujā dedicated respectively to crows and dogs, both known as messengers of death. Goodies are left on the roof for the crows to f ...
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Bandi Chhor Divas
Bandi Chhor Divas ( Punjabi: ਬੰਦੀ ਛੋੜ ਦਿਵਸ ; meaning) is a Sikh celebration that commemorates the day the sixth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Hargobind released 52 prisoners from Gwalior Fort, who had been imprisoned by Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Emperor Jahangir had held 52 prisioners at the Gwalior Fort for several months. Gurdwara Data Bandi Chhor Sahib, is located at the place of the Gurus internment in the Fort. The day falls in autumn and often overlaps with Hindu Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated across Punjab. Historically, from the time of the third Sikh Guru Amar Das, Sikhs and Hindus of the time used the occasion of Diwali, Vaisakhi and other such festivals to congregate at the seat of the Gurus., Quote: "Since the time of Guru Amar Das it has been customary for Sikhs to assemble before their Guru on three of the most important Hindu festival occasions - Vaisakhi, Divali and Maha Shivaratri". In the late 20th century, Sikh religious leaders and the Sh ...
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Diwali (Jainism)
Diwali in Jainism marks the anniversary of ''Nirvana'' (final release) or liberation of Mahavira's soul, the twenty fourth and last Jain Tirthankara of present cosmic age. It is also celebrated at the same time as the Hindu festival of Diwali. Diwali marks the end of the year for the Jains and it likewise remembers the passing commemoration of their 24th Tirthankara Mahavira and his achievement of moksha. History Mahavira attained Moksha (liberation) on this day at Pawapuri on 15 October 527 BCE, on Chaturdashi of Kartika, as confirmed by ''Tilyapannatti'' of Yativrsabha. Mahavira, the 24th ''Tirthankara'' of this era, revitalised Jain dharma. According to tradition, the chief disciple of Mahavira, ''Ganadhara'' Gautam Swami also attained omniscience i.e. absolute or complete knowledge ('' Kevala Jñāna'') on this day, thus making Diwali one of the most important Jain festivals. Mahavira attained his nirvana at the dawn of the amavasya (new moon). According to the ''Śv ...
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Vishwakarma Puja
Vishwakarma Jayanti is a day of celebration for Vishwakarma, a Hindu god, the divine architect. The festival is observed primarily in factories and industrial areas, often on the shop floor. As a mark of reverence the day of worship is marked not only by the engineering and architectural community but by artisans, craftsmen, mechanics, smiths, welders, industrial workers, factory workers and others. They pray for a better future, safe working conditions and, above all, success in their respective fields. Workers also pray for the smooth functioning of various machines. In many part of India there is government holiday on 17 September for the celebration but it is not considered as a national holiday but as a "restricted holiday". It falls on 'Kanya Sankranti' of Hindu calendar. It is generally celebrated every year between 16 to 18 September, according to the Gregorian calendar, which is on the last day of the Indian Bhado month. The festival is also celebrated in Nepal. Haldi ...
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Bhai Dooj
Bhai Dooj, Bhaubeej, Bhai Tika, Bhai Phonta or Bhratri Dwitiya is a festival celebrated by Hindus on the second lunar day of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of Kartika, the eighth month of the Vikram Samvat Hindu calendar or the Shalivahana Shaka calendar. It is celebrated during the Diwali or Tihar festival and Holi festival. The celebrations of this day are similar to the festival of Raksha Bandhan. In the southern part of India, the day is celebrated as Yama Dwitiya. In the Kayastha community, two Bhai Doojs are celebrated. The more famous one comes on the second day after Diwali. But the lesser-known one is celebrated a day or two after Diwali. In Haryana and Uttar Pradesh a ritual also followed, a dry coconut (named gola in regional language) with klewa tied along its width for worshipping is also used at the time of doing ''aarti'' of a brother.In Bengal the day is celebrated as Bhai Phota, which comes one day after Kali Puja. Regional names The festival is known as: ...
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Indian New Year's Days
There are numerous days throughout the year celebrated as New Year's Day in the different regions of India. The observance is determined by whether the lunar calendar is being followed or the solar calendar. Those regions which follow the Solar calendar, the new year falls as Baisakhi in Bangladesh, Rongali Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Vishu in Kerala, Pana Sankranti or Odia Nababarsa in Odisha and Poila Boishakh in Bengal in the month of the calendar, i.e., Vaishakha. Generally, this day falls during 14th or 15th of the month of April. Those following Lunar calendar consider the month of Chaitra (corresponding to March-April) as the first month of the year, so the new year is celebrated on the first day of this month like Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Gudhi Padwa in Maharashtra. Similarly, few regions in India consider the period between consecutive Sankarantis as one month and few others take the period between consecutive Purnimas as a month. In Gu ...
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Balipratipada
, also called as ''Bali Padyami'', ''Padva'', ''Virapratipada'' or ''Dyutapratipada'', is the fourth day of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. It is celebrated in honour of the notional return of the daitya-king Bali to earth. Bali Padyami falls in the Gregorian calendar months of October or November. It is the first (or 16th) day of the Hindu month of Kartika and is the first day of its bright lunar fortnight. In many parts of India such as Gujarat and Rajasthan, it is the regional traditional New Year Day in Vikram Samvat and also called the Bestu Varas or ''Varsha Pratipada''. This is the half amongst the three and a half muhurats in a year.This is celebrated as the New Year's Day according to the "Vikram Samvat". The Balipratipada is an ancient festival. The earliest mention of Bali's story being acted out in dramas and poetry of ancient India is found in the c. 2nd-century BCE ''Mahābhāṣya'' of Patanjali on Panini's ''Astadhyayi'' 3.1.26. The festival has links to ...
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