Chaitra Navratri or Chait Navratras, is the nine-day festival observed in Chaitra month. Chaitra Navratras starts on the first day in Chaitra. This is the Hindu New Year day as per Hindu calendar.   Chaitra Navratri is very popular festive season in North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, etc.

Chaitra Navratri is also called as Vasant Navratri or Basant Navratri. This festival marks the beginning of Vasant ruthu (spring season).

Navratri 2010 dates during Chaitra month are – from March 16 to March 24.

As per the legends mentioned in the Puranas and other Hindu scriptures, Chaitra Navratri is the actual Navratri during which Goddess Durga was worshipped. But during the time of Ramayan war, Lord Sri Ram worshipped Durga at the time of Ashwin month. Since then, Ashwin Navratri has become the main festive season to worship the Goddess.

In the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, the first of Chaitra month is celebrated as Gudi Padwa or Ugadi or Yugadi.

Gudi Padwa marks the beginning of New Year in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka. This festival is known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Gudi Padwa signifies the beginning of Vasant or the Spring season.

The Brahma Purana holds that it was on a Gudi Padwa that Lord Brahma created the world again after a devastating deluge and time began to tick from this day forth. The day marks the start of Satyug (era of truth and justice).

Gudi Padwa is said to be one of the 3 and a half days in the Indian Lunar calendar called ‘sade teen muhurt’. Every moment of this period is considered auspicious to start new ventures.

Gudi Padwa is specially dedicated to the worship of Lord Brahma. In Maharashtra, special flags known as ‘gudis’, also called ‘Brahmadhvaj’ or ‘the flag of Brahma’, are erected in honour of Lord Brahma.

A ‘gudi’ is a pole on the top of which an upturned brass or silver pot called a kalash is placed. The gudi is covered with a colourful silk cloth and decorated with marigold flowers, coconuts, and mango leaves that symbolise nature’s bounty.

People prepare for the New Year by cleaning and washing their houses and buying new clothes. On the festival day they decorate their houses with mango leaves and rangoli designs, and pray for a prosperous new year.

People Taking Bath During Kumbh Snaan

MILLIONS of people are making their way to the banks of Ganga in Haridwar for the Kumbh mela. They will take dips in the river on auspicious dates over three months beginning January 14, 2010 convinced that it will grant them salvation, ‘moksha’.

Raman Nanda feels light as he comes to terms with the cycle of life and death

My thoughts go back to the Mahakumbh 2001 in Allahabad where I finally ventured for a dip in the dirty, freezing cold waters for a transformative experience.

I asked a pujari about the holy bath and how one should approach it. “Stand in the river and do ‘aachman’ – collect some water with joined palms and throw it back over your head as an offering to your ancestors. When you dip your head under the water, think about your loved ones. Do take a few dips in the name of relatives who have not been able to make it to the Kumbh!”

Seemed simple. So, on the auspicious bathing day on a freezing cold January morning, I joined the stream of innumerable human beings headed for the river. I felt I was being carried to the river.

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If you want to be a part of the world’s largest confluence of faith and devotion, experience the spiritual fervour, take a holy dip in the Ganges, and purify your mind, body and soul then get prepared to immerse yourself in the sacred congregation of millions of devotees who will be attending the Kumbh mela to seek the divine blessings and eternal peace.

Kunbh mela snaan parv -2010 is being organised from 14th Jan 2010 till 28th Apr 2010. Be a part of world’s greatest confluence of faith and devotion.

Make sure you don’t miss this spectacular spiritual opportunity.

Also read the origin and importance of Kumbh mela at:

Kumbh Mela- Greatest Congregation Of Humanity

Durga Puja and Dussehra just got over but it’s time to look forward to Diwali (also called Deepavali) festivities.

Deepavali is a festival where people from all age groups participate. They give expression to their happiness by lighting earthen ‘diyas’ (lamps), decorating the houses, bursting firecrackers and inviting near and dear ones to their households for partaking in a sumptuous feast. The lighting of lamps is a way of paying obeisance to god for attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace, valor and fame.

It is one time in the whole year that children volunteer to leave their beds long before the day begins. In fact, the traditional oil bath at 3 a.m, is the only chore that stands between them and the pre-dawn adventures. They emerge, scrubbed clean to get into their festive attire, and light up little oil lamps, candles and scented sticks(agarbathis), the wherewithal for setting alight crackers and sparklers.

Who shall set off the first chain of crackers that go boom, bang and vroom? and who is the owner of the 10-minute ‘banger’ that steals the thunder from your little chain of needle-sized crackers? Does the boy next door have more crackers than me?

Competition is stiff, and even the little girl in silk frocks and their finery are watching out for the best sparklers and flowerpots, the rockets and Vishnuchakras, which light-up the night sky like a thousand stars.

Grown-ups are the soul of generosity. Gifts are procured and distributed in abundance to all friends, relatives, and other close acquaintances. Sweets, confectionery, garments, trinkets & jewelry are the preferred gift items. Festive bonhomie abounds.

More information about Diwali – History, Significance, How to celebrate etc. can be found at : http://www.hindilearner.com/diwali.html

A recent poll on university campus across the US put Mahatma Gandhi ahead of political figures anywhere in the world. The only man more popular than him among the student community was Bill Gates.

A Berlin school was renamed after after Mahatma Gandhi on demand of it’s students. A large number of US universities and colleges have of late introduced courses in Gandhism. Gandhi Society at the University of Exeter offers trips to India.

The American Academy of Motion Pictures awarded the film ‘Gandhi ‘ eight Oscars in 1983.

All this clearly is evidence of revival of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals. Indeed, the half-naked fakir of British imperial arrogance is capturing popular imagination about a world without violence.

Non-violence is not weakness. On the contrary, it is quite effective as it strips the adversary of all legitimacy. Gandhi demonstrated it’s success against imperial British. American civil rights movement of 1960s led by Martin Luther King Jr. culminated in political rights for African-Americans. Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe when confronted with non-violent resistance led by forces like Solidarity in Poland and Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia.

In 1986, a massive show of peoples power toppled Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship in Philippines. Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu played a major role in South Africa’s relatively peaceful transition from apartheid to a democracy.

Gandhi’s ideals of Truth and Non-Violence is as relevant as ever. Let us dedicate ourselves to the path shown by him to maintain peace and harmony in the world today.

Durga Puja and Dussehra are two different festivals yet have a common reason behind them. These are clubbed together for the simple reason that most Hindus celebrate both of them and at the same time.

These Hindu festivals are based on legendary tales of victory of good over evil. Dussehra is celebrated to mark the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama. Durga Puja is celebrated to mark the triumph of warrior Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon, Mahishasura.

Nav-Ratri & Vijay Dasami

The ‘Ramlila‘ – an enactment of the life of Lord Rama, is held during the nine days preceding Dussehra. On the tenth day (Dussehra or Vijay Dasami), larger than life effigies of Ravana, his son and brother -Meghnadh and Kumbhakarna, are set to fire. The theatrical enactments of this dramatic encounter are held throughout the country in which every section of people participate enthusiastically. In burning the effigies the people are asked to burn the evil within them, and thus follow the path of truth and goodness, bearing in mind the instance of Ravana, who despite all his might and majesty was destroyed for his evil ways.

The vibrant festivities of Durga Puja also last for ten days, of which nine nights (Navaratri) are spent in worship - the first three nights are dedicated to the worship of Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and prosperity, the next three nights to Saraswati, Goddess of learning and arts and the last three nights to embodiment of power Shakti (Durga). Beautiful idols of the Goddess are worshiped in elaborate pandals for nine days, and on the tenth day, these are carried out in procession for immersion (visarjan) in a river or lake.

Celebration

Dussehra is celebrated with great fanfare in Kullu, Varanasi, Mysore while Durga puja takes center- stage among people from Bengal and Nepal.

In Himachal Pradesh, a week -long fair in the hill town of Kullu, is a part of the Dussehra celebrations. From the little temples in the hills, deities are brought in procession to the ‘maidan’ in Kullu, to pay homage to the reigning deity, Raghunathji.

In Mysore, Karnataka the Mysore palace is illuminated for a whole month during Dusshera and caparisoned elephants lead a colourful procession through the gaily-decorated streets of the city. It is the most colourful celebration of Dusshera in world.

In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, families arrange dolls (Bommai Kolu) on artificially constructed steps and prepare an elaborate spread of lamps and flowers. Women traditionally exchange gifts of coconuts, clothes and sweets.

In Punjab, Navaratri is taken as a period of fasting.

In Gujarat, the evenings and nights are occasions for the fascinating Garba dance. The women dance around an earthen lamp while singing devotional songs accompanied by rhythmic clapping of hands.

In Northern India, the festival wears the colourful garb of Ramlila wherein various incidents from Rama’s life are enacted, as is the destruction of Ravana and Bharat Milap, that is the reunion of Ram and his estranged brother Bharat, on the former’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile.

Durga Puja and Dussehra are the most popular festivals in India. It is a Hindu festival, which is celebrated all over India. More information on Durga Puja and Dussehra and other Hindu festivals can be found here.

This year onam festival is from 23rd august 2009 to 2nd september 2009. The tenth and the important day of onam festival is thiruvonam.

The onam festival is celebrated as the harvest celebrations of kerala as well as a welcome festival to the season of spring. Onam festival is celebrated in memory of king mahabali, the king of erstwhile kerala whose ruling is said to be the golden era of keralites.

One of the traditions of onam festival is performance of dance forms that are native to kerala. Another major attraction during onam festival is the snake boat race (vallamkali) conducted at river pampa in kerala. Numerous athapookalam, or floral carpets, a major highlight of onam festival is displayed during athachamayam. Another gala event of onam festival is the thrissur elephant procession.

Onam festival is the biggest festival in kerala. The onam festival is celebrated in kerala, india, by all malayalees regardless of religious differences and caste. Onam festival is an example of religious harmony and provides for family get-together.

The much awaited ten-day long festival of Ganesh Chaturthi starts in a few days.

Day-one is marked by the sthapana of the Ganesh idol. The preparations for this begin in advance. The place where the idol is to be kept (puja premises) is cleaned and redecorated. The idol is carried from the market with their faces covered with a saffron cloth amidst chanting and sound of cymbals. By the evening, idol is seated in a majestic splendor in puja premises.

Lord Ganesha

The ceremony begins by placing the idol, usually made of terracotta, in the puja premises. The puja begins at the time designated according to calculations based on the Hindu calendar. The priest performs a ritual by which the idol is said to be imbued with life.

Next follows the traditional puja. The worshippers perform pranayama, bow and prostrate before the Ganesh idol and sip holy water. This follows singing of Ganapati aarti and atharvashirdha with the accompaniment of cymbals, bells and rhythmic clapping. The last rite for the day is offering of ‘modak‘ or prasad to the deity with flowers after which the prasad is distributed to the devotees.

Modak is prepared mostly by women at houses. One of the modaks contains salt inside it. It is believed that Lord Ganesh bestows special blessings on the person who gets the salty modak.

At the end of this ten day celebration, the idols of Lord Ganesh will be taken out of the pooja-mandap and immersed in water. This is known as visarjan. A procession is taken out from pooja mandap till the water point which is generally sea or lake available in the area.

It is worth watching the enthusiasm of people singing and dancing all the way during the procession. It’s somewhat akin to a carnival but with a strong religious flavor and of course no liquor is consumed.

Purpose: To  follow the teachings of Lord Krishna.

The picture above shows a child enacting the life of Hindu god Lord Krishna during Janmastami celebrations.

Janmastami is the birthday of Lord Krishna, the re-incarnation of Lord Vishnu who gave us the vital message of Bhagwad Gita – the guiding principles for every Hindu (for every human being – in my opinion).

Janmastami is observed on the eight day of the dark half (Krishna Paksh) of the month of Bhadrapad in the Hindu calendar. This month is considered the end of monsoon season too.

Usually, in this religious celebration, Hindus keep fast (do not eat food items made of grains and cereals but fruits, milk products, sugar products can be consumed) , decorate their home- temples with Krishna idols/pictures, sing devotional songs (bhajan – kirtan) and offer prayers till midnight (as Lord Krishna was born at midnight, as per Hindu religious scriptures).

I’m not really inclined towards religious practices. However, I’ve read Gita and find it relevant even today. From my personal experience, I can say that If you are able to follow it’s principles, you will be able to avoid making any serious mistake in life.

Janmastami – is being celebrated on 14th Aug this year, 2009.

The legendary pledge of security between a brother and a sister against all odds and misfortunes that may be in store for them is taken on Raksha Bandhan day that is celebrated on Purnima, i.e., the day of the full moon in the month of Sawan in Hindu calender. As per English calendar, it falls in July or August.

On this day sister ties “Rakhi” on the right hand of her brother. The delicate thread of a Rakhi signifies the toughest bond of them all – that of a brother and a sister. The simple unassuming act of tying a Rakhi on one’s wrist isn’t just a festive occasion. It evokes strong and intense emotions and symbolize that the brother will safeguard her from all kinds of difficulties throughout her life.

Raksha Bandhan is a very old Indian festival celebrated all over India. The unspoken pledge between the siblings to reinforce a protective bond transgresses even religions and borders instances of which can be easily found in ancient Indian literature as also in modern history books. It isn’t without surprise that Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs as well as Parsis are known to partake in the occasion that signifies sibling love irrespective of religion, race or community.

Another festival called “Narli Pournima”( festival of coconut) is also celebrated on the same day. On this day the fisherman & other persons whose business is related with sea, worship sea by offering it coconut so that the sea should remain calm throughout the year for their safety.