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Miscellaneous Festivals

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Miscellaneous festivals

There are some other miscellaneous festivals which are celebrated here and there in India. Some of them are given here.

Indra Dhwaj Utsav
In this Utsav, a flagstaff is raised in honor of Indra to appease him to bring rain on the Poornimaa of Ashwin Month, after the festival is brought down.

Gujaraat

Garabaa
Garabaa is not a festival as such, it is a type of dance which is very common amon Gujaraatee cmmunity and it is regularly performed in Aashwin Nava Raatri days. It can be performed by both men and women, boys and girls. I is performed with two sticks.

Kerala

Onam
Onam festival is celebrated in Kerala.

Pongal
Pongal festival is celebrated on 14th January - on Sankraanti day.

Panjaab

Baisaakhee
Baisaakhee is celebrated in Panjaab or among Panjaab people. It falls on 13th April. In fact this is another Sankraanti, Chitra Sankraanti and Vishuv Yog.

Lohadee
Lohadee is celebrated among Panjaab people It falls on Makar Sankraanti - 14th January. It is very famous and is celebrated with a very great enthusiasm especially the first Lohadee of a newborn child and a newly wed couple.

Tamilnaadu

Brahm Utsav or Brahmotsav

Pongal
Pongal is another name of Sankraanti falling on 14th January every year. This is called thus in Tamil Naadu.

Thai Poosam
Thai Poosam is an important festival dedicated to Lord Murugan or Kaarttikeya. This festival falls on Paush Poornimaa. It is celebrated mostly by the Tamil community, wherever it is, on the Full Moon day in the Tamil month of Thai (January-February). This festival is also referred to as Thai Pooyam. The word Thaipusam has been derived from the month name "Thai" and "Poosam", which refers to a star that is at its highest point during this festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when Paarvati gave Murugan a Vdel" (spear) so he could vanquish the evil demon Shoor Padm. There is a misconception among people that Thai Poosam marks Murugan's birthday; however, it is believed that Vaikhasee Vishakam, which falls in the Vaikhasee month (May-June), is Murugan's birthday.

Varalakshmee Poojaa
This festival is very popular in Tamilnaadu state. It is celebrated on the previous Friday of Shraavan Poornimaa.

Yugaadi or Ugaadi
This is pronounced as Ugaadi or Yugaadi which means "the starting day of Yug". It is an important festival of Southern India. It falls between the end of  March and the beginning of April

Others

The following three celebrations are of Christian origin.

Christmas
It always falls on 25th December and is celebrated in a great pomp and show with lights, good food (especially turkey), new clothes, gifts, sweets etc. It may be compared to Hindu's Deepaavalee in a way. It is supposed to be the birthday of Jesus Christ. Story of St Nicholas is related to this festival and he is known as Santa, who brings presents for little children. Lately the appearance of a Christmas tree has also been in fashion in all houses of Christians under which all the gifts are kept and next day are opened with great enthusiasm. Most close relations try to come home in these holidays to celebrated the festival together with their family. They decorate their house with lights (nowadays little bulbs) and Christ's life's events according to their status. They organize grand parties and sing and play Christmas songs. Churches organize special services at midnight. In fact Christmas is not only a festival, it is s season which normally start from after 1st December and lasts up to New Year Day. During this period when people meet, they wish each other as "Happy Holidays", "Season's Greetings", "Merry Christmas" etc greetings. Although people are not of one opinion on how and when all this started, still it is the most important festival of Christians.

Is it a ancient Pagan Sun festival. who was really born on December 25th? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjGkRFFBd0A - there are three videos in this series, see them all.
Religion Comes From Ancient Astrology and Sun Worship: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD9f0XU_S78

Good Friday and Easter Monday
This is another important festivals of Christians. Friday is the day on which it is believed that Jesus Christ was sentenced to death. And as it is believed, that he rose on the 3rd day, the Easter Monday is celebrated in a happy mood. Good Friday is not a celebration, but Easter Monday is. Children go for egg hunt, organized by their areas, on this day and get gifts of chocolate. At some other places people go for picnics.

New Year
It is not a festival, but just a celebration as a beginning of the New Year, with lots of parties on the New Year Eve (31st December), waking up to 12 AM to wish "Happy New Year" to one's relations and friends. In most countries fire works are shown on special spots of the city. Happy New Year wishes are exchanged even till one month. It is so much in vogue that most countries celebrate it and exchange greetings on this day. Its main reason is to adopt the Gregorian calendar worldwide.

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 3/15/05
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 09/29/13