SmartSurat  #  Hinduism

Dussehra (Sept./Oct.)

This festival occurs at the end of Navaratri and means `the tenth'. It celebrates the defeat of the demon King Ravan in the story of the Ramayan, and the death of Ravan along with his brother and son. Huge images are often carried through the streets and then burnt. It is a festival to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, like many Hindu festivals. Also at this festival, the power of the deity departs from the statue of Durga and the murti is immersed in the river taking with it all unhappiness and misfortune. The friendship involved in the rescue of Sita from the hands of Ravan is also embodied in this festival and Hindus try to make up any quarrels and renew loyalties. It reminds them of the importance of God's love and protection. The festival is a special time for puja in the home and temple and for wives to worship their husbands, as Sita did with Ram. So in some parts of India wives wash their husbands feet, put a tilak on their foreheads, put garlands around their necks, give them offerings, and bow down to them. In the north of India the festival actually overlaps with that of Ram Lila, `Ram's Play', suggesting a possible convergence of festivals for both Durga and Ram.

Ganesh Chaturthi (Sept.)

At this festival the elephant-headed God Ganesh, God of good fortune is worshipped. Model images of the God made in clay are carried through the streets and then dropped in the sea or lake, taking misfortune with them.       Days of remembrance also occur for more contemporary Hindus such as Swami Vivekananda, a modern preacher and leader who introduced the Rama-Krisna movement in America. The birthday of Sri Ramakrishna, the nineteenth-century saint and reformer, is also celebrated in March

Krishna Janamasthami (July/Aug.)

This celebrates the birthday of Krisna who was born at midnight.The baby Krisna is greeted with singing and dancing all night long. In the temple, sweet foods are eaten by everyone. Fasting follows in the daytime and a feast in the evening, while stories about Krisna are told, sung and danced.

Mahasivaratri (Feb./March)

Each lunar month is divided into two parts, the light part when the moon is waxing and the dark part when the moon is waning. Mahasivaratri is celebrated on the thirteenth day of the dark part of every month. This day is sacred to Siva, the creator/destroyer God, and is thus called `The great Night of Siva'. On this day there is a fast until 4.00 p.m. and then puja is offered to Siva: Afterwards no cereals or curries are eaten but sweet potatoes and cucumbers are a favourite substitute. Since the festival celebrates Siva's marriage to Parvati, married women worship Siva with requests for the welfare of their husbands and, traditionally, unmarried girls who keep vigil throughout the night hope that a suitable husband will be found for them by Siva. The following day is one of feasting. The festival is sometimes called Chaturdasi, ' the fourteenth ', after this feast day on the fourteenth.

Navaratri (or Durga Puja) (Sept./Oct.)

This is a nine-day festival, devoted to the goddess Durga. Navaratri means ' nine nights ' and so celebrations take place in the evenings. People dance around the shrine of Durga and many fast, having one meal of fruit and sweet foods made with milk each day. The festival remembers the time when Ram turned to Durga for help when his wife Sita had been stolen by the demon king Ravan. The festival may once have been a harvest festival since sticks, perhaps representing sickles, are a prominent feature of the dances. Since Durga is the divine Mother, married daughters return home to their mothers. The festival is associated with the Spring and Autumnal equinoxes but the major festival has always been the Autumn event, the Spring festival being a minor occasion.

Raksa Bandhan (July/Aug.)

This festival has always been associated with the Brahmin class. It takes place when the rainy season has begun and has ideas of protection and security built into it. It is a time when members of the twice-born classes replace their sacred threads with new ones. In addition male Hindus may be given a bracelet of string or tinsel which they wear on their right wrist. This has its significance in another Indian myth in which the wife of the god Indra tied a magic string around the wrist of the demon Bali, adopting him as her brother so that he would not kill her husband. Sisters tie such rakhis on their brothers' wrists and girls on the wrists of men who are their protectors. The males are expected to reward the girls with a present, and protect them wherever they may be.

Ram Navami (March/April)

This is the birthday of Ram, the avatar of Visnu. The day is a fast day when certain usual foods cannot be eaten, but unusual delicacies are eaten instead. The reading of the Ramayan is particularly important at this festival.

Ugadi (March/April)

Divali forms the New Year Festival for some Hindus but the real New Year Festival is Ugadi. Ugadi is the real time for turning over a new leaf, and renewal and change are the hallmarks of the festival. People get up much earlier on the day of the festival in order to clean the house thoroughly and decorate it with patterns of flour or rice which is hoped will bring good luck and happiness. Then a purifying bath is taken and sweet scented oils are rubbed onto the body. New clothes are worn and the rich will often buy new clothes for the poor at this time. The sacred thread of the three twice-born classes is also renewed. Many Hindus consult astrologers to discover what will happen in the year ahead.