Diwali

Diwali (or Deepavali, the "festival of lights") is an ancient Hindu festivalcelebrated in autumn
(northern hemisphere) or spring (southern hemisphere) every year.[3][4] Arguably the most important
festival in Hinduism, it is an official holiday in Fiji, Guyana, India,[5] Pakistan,
[6]

Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar,Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness or good over evil, knowledge over
ignorance, and hope over despair.[7][8][9] Its celebration includes millions of lights shining on housetops,
outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings in the communities and countries
where it is observed.[10] The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five-day period,
but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu
Lunisolar month Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and midNovember.
Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate, and decorate their homes and offices. [11] On Diwali night,
Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and
outside their home, participate in family puja (prayers) typically to Lakshmi the goddess of fertility
and prosperity. After puja, fireworks follow,[12] then a family feast including mithai(sweets), and an
exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Deepavali also marks a major
shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.[13]
The name of festive days as well as the rituals of Diwali vary significantly among Hindus, based on
the region of India. In many parts of India,[14] the festivities start with Dhanteras (in Northern and
Western part of India), followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on second day, Deepavali on the third
day, Diwali Padvadedicated to wifehusband relationship on the fourth day, and festivities end
with Bhau-beej dedicated to sisterbrother bond on the fifth day. Dhanterasusually falls eighteen
days after Dussehra.

Holi
Holi (pronunciation: /holi/; Sanskrit: Hol) is a Hindu spring festival in India[4] and Nepal, also
known as the festival of colours or the festival of sharing love.[5][6] Holi is a two-day festival which
starts on the Purnima (Full Moon day) falling in the Bikram Sambat Hindu Calendar [7] month
ofFalgun, which falls somewhere between the end of February and the middle of March in
the Gregorian calendar. The first day is known asHolika Dahan or Chhoti Holi and the second
as Rangwali Holi,Dhuleti, Dhulandi or Dhulivandan.[8]

It is an ancient Hindu religious festival which has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of
South Asia, as well as people of other communities outside Asia.[9]
It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, and other regions of the world with significant populations
of Hindus or people of Indian origin andNepalese diaspora. In recent years the festival has spread to
parts of Europe and North America as a spring celebration of love, frolic, and colours. [10][11][12]
Holi celebrations start on the night before Holi with a Holika bonfirewhere people gather, do religious
rituals in front of the bonfire, and pray that their internal evil should be destroyed as the bonfire
starts. The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi - a free-for-all carnival of colours,[9] where
participants play, chase and colour each other with dry powder and coloured water, with some
carrying water guns and coloured water-filled balloons for their water fight. Anyone and everyone is
fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children and elders. The frolic and fight
with colours occurs in the open streets, open parks, outside temples and buildings. Groups carry
drums and other musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance. People visit family,
friends and foes to throw coloured powders on each other, laugh and gossip, then share Holi
delicacies, food and drinks. Some drinks are intoxicating. For example, bhang, an intoxicating
ingredient made from cannabis leaves, is mixed into drinks and sweets and consumed by many.[13]
[14]

In the evening, after sobering up, people dress up and visit friends and family.[1][15]

Holi is celebrated at the approach of the vernal equinox,[9] on the PhalgunaPurnima (Full Moon). The
festival date, which is determined by the Hindu calendar, varies from year to year on the Gregorian
calendar, typically coming in March, sometimes in February. The festival signifies the victory of good
over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and
laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships, and is also celebrated as a thanksgiving
for a good harvest.[9][16

Vijayadashami
Vijayadashami (Sanskrit: ) also known as Dussehra (Sanskrit: )
or Ayudhapuja (Sanskrit: ), is an important Hindu festival celebrated in a variety of ways
in Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and parts of Pakistan.[2] "Dussehra" is derived
from Sanskrit; Dasha-hara is a form ofDashanan ravan ("Ravana's defeat").[3]
The day marks the victory of Durga over the demon Mahishasura. The goddess fought with evil for
ten days and nine nights. "Vijayadashami" is derived from the Sanskrit vijaya-dashami (victory on
the dashami: the tenth day of the Hindu month). Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated twenty
days after Vijayadashami.

Vijayadashami is celebrated on the tenth day of darker fortnight the month of Ashwin according to
the Hindu calendar, corresponding to September or October of the Gregorian calendar. The first nine
days are celebrated as Navratri(Devnagari: , "nine nights"), culminating on the tenth day as
Dussehra.
Since the harvest season begins in India and Nepal at this time, the Durga is invoked by religious
rituals to begin the harvest season and renew the fertility of the soil. Many Hindus observe the
festival with social gatherings and food offerings to the gods at home and in temples throughout
India and Nepal.

Victory of Rama over Ravana[edit]

Ravana burning in effigy withsparklers in Manchester, 2006

On this day Rama (the seventh avatar of Vishnu) killed Ravana, who had abducted Rama's
wife Sita to his kingdom Lanka. Rama, his brother Lakshmana, their discipleHanuman and an army
fought a battle to rescue Sita. The story is recorded in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana.
Rama invoked Durga, who gave him secret knowledge of how to kill Ravana. On the day of Ashvin
Shukla Dashami, Rama defeated Ravana and rescued Sita. Based on inferences
from Valmikis Ramayana, Klidsas Raghuvaa, TulsidasRamcharitmanas and Keshavdas' Ram
chandrika, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya on the 30th day of Ashwin (1920 days
after Vijayadashami). To celebrate Rama's return, in the evening the city's residents lit millions of
earthen lamps (deepak); the day is celebrated in India as Deepawali (Diwali).
Observers recite Sundara Kanda (the fifth book of the Ramayana) for five days. Yajnas are thought
to keep the household clean and healthy. Some perform yajnas and Sandhyavandanam three times
a day to keep the heart, brain and digestion balanced in the absence of adequate winter sunlight.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesha Chaturthi (also known as Vinyaka Chaturthi, Gaa

Chaturth or Vinyaka Chaviti) is the Hindu festival celebrated in honour of the

elephant-headed god, Ganesha. This is a very auspicious day celebrated to pray to the
god so that every new activity that is started is successfully completed without any
obstacles (Vighna = Obstacle).
Chaturthi (Hindi ) means "fourth day" or "fourth state". Celebrations are
traditionally held on the fourth day of the second fortnight (Shukla Chaturthi) in every
month and is also know as "Vinayaka Chathurti", but the biggest annual celebration in
the month of Bhaadrapada in the Hindu calendar, usually is August or September in
the Gregorian calendar. Badrapad corresponds to Virgo (simha/avani-tamil) in solar
calendar. The festivalgenerally lasts ten days, ending on the fourteenth day of the
fortnight (Anant Chaturdashi).
The festival is celebrated by families at home, by people at their places of work and in
public. The public celebration involves installing clay images of Ganesha in
public pandals (temporary shrines) and group worship. At home, an appropriatelysized clay image is installed and worshipped with family and friends. At the end of the
festival, the idols are immersed in a large body of water such as the sea, river or a
lake. The clay idols disintegrate over time in the water.
It is celebrated throughout India, especially in the states of Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh and Telangana. There is a grand celebration in the state of Maharashtra by
traditional instrument called dhol and tasha. It is also celebrated in the other parts of
India such as Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala,Goa,[1] Odisha, Madhya
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and other parts of western[2] and southern India.[3] Abroad,
Ganesha Chaturthi is observed in Nepal and by the Hindu diaspora in the United
States, Canada and Mauritius.[4]
At homes in Maharashtra, families install small clay statues for worship during the
festival. The idol is worshiped in the morning and evening with offerings of
flowers,durva(strands of young grass), karanji and modaks.[7][8] The worship ends with
the singing of an aarti in honour of Ganesha, other gods and saints. In Maharashtra
the Marathi aarti "Sukhakarta Dukhaharta", composed by the 17th century
saint ,Samarth Ramdas is sung.[9] Family traditions differ about when to end the
celebration. Domestic celebrations end after 1, 1 12, 3, 5, 7 or 11 days. At that time
when the idol is ceremoniously brought to a body of water (such as a lake, river or the
sea) for immersion. Due to environmental concerns, a number of families now avoid
bodies of water and let the clay statue disintegrate in a barrel of water at home. After a

few days, the clay is spread in the home garden. In some cities a public, eco-friendly
process is used for the immersion.[10] In Maharashtra, Ganeshotsav also incorporates
other festivals, namely Hartalika and the Gauri festival, the former is observed with a
fast by women on the day before Ganesh Chaturthi whilst the latter by the installation
of idols of Gauris.[11]
In Goa, Ganesh Chaturthi is known as Chavath in Konkani and Parab or Parva
("auspicious celebration");[12] it begins on the third day of the lunar
month ofBhadrapada. On this day Parvati and Shiva are worshiped by women, who
fast.[1] Instruments such as ghumots, cymbals and pakhavajs are played during the
ceremonies.[13] The harvest festival, Navyachi Pancham, is celebrated the next day;
freshly-harvested paddy is brought home from the fields (or temples) and a pujais
conducted. Communities who ordinarily eat seafood refrain from doing so during the
festival.[1]
In Karnataka the Gowri festival precedes Ganesha Chaturthi, and people across the
state wish each other well. In Andhra Pradesh, Ganesha idols of clay (Matti
Vinayakudu) and turmeric (Siddhi Vinayakudu) are usually worshiped at home
with plaster of Paris idols.