Prof. (Dr.) Ashiq Hussain asked:

HOLI – THE FESTIVAL O COLOURS

 

Holi is one of the major festival of the vast country, called India. No wonder, a number of traditions, customs and festivals have cropped up around this very important festival.

As the culture and language changes from one state to the other, nature, significance and the way these festivals related to Holi are celebrated also varies a lot. While in the state of Rajasthan women take the lead, men in Punjab have grabbed the festival as an opportunity to display their bravery and dare-devil skills. On the other hand, quiet and peace loving people of West Bengal celebrate the occasion in a dignified and charming fashion.

As the brief spring warms the landscape, northern India cuts loose for a day of hijinx and general hilarity. The festival of Holi is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year. Holi festival may be celebrated with various names and people of different states might be following different traditions. But, what makes Holi so unique and special is the spirit of it which remains the same throughout the country and even across the globe, wherever it is celebrated.

Originally a festival to celebrate good harvests and fertility of the land, Holi is now a symbolic commemoration of a legend from Hindu Mythology. The story centers around an arrogant king who resents his son Prahlada worshipping Lord Vishnu. Holi commemorates this event from mythology, and huge bonfires are burnt on the eve of Holi as its symbolic representation. This exuberant festival is also associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha.

Holi is an ancient festival of India and was originally known as ‘Holika’. The festivals finds a detailed description in early religious works such as Jaimini’s Purvamimamsa-Sutras and Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras. Historians also believe that Holi was celebrated by all Aryans but more so in the Eastern part of India. It is said that Holi existed several centuries before Christ. However, the meaning of the festival is believed to have changed over the years. Earlier it was a special rite performed by married women for the happiness and well-being of their families and the full moon (Raka) was worshiped. Holi  is now a days recognized as  one of the oldest Hindu festivals. Its reference can be found in religious scriptures and sculptures on walls of old temples. There are paintings, which show royal couple sitting on grand swing and maidens playing music and spraying colors on them. Whatever the scene and the theme, colors and mythology have always been an important part of these Holi depictions. However the most important myths and stories that have been associated with Holi are given below:

Story Of Radha and Krishna:

 Lord Krishna was dark while his spiritual love-mate Radha had fair-complexion. So child Krishna often used to complain about the injustice of nature towards him to his mother Yashoda and would ask her the reason. One day, Yashoda suggested Krishna to apply color on Radha’s face and changeher complexion in any color he desired. The naughty Krisha immediately set off to his mission and one can often see paintings and murals depicting Krishna throwing colors on Radha and other ‘gopis’. This lovable prank of throwing colored powder and water jets called ‘pichkaris’ soon gained favor with the people and it evolved into the tradition of Holi. This is the reason that people often carry images of Krishna and Radha through the streets. The Holi of Mathura region, where Krishna was born, has a special fervor.

Story of Dhundhi:

It was there was an ogress called Dhundi who used to scare and trouble children in the kingdom of Prithu. She has many boons, which made her almost invincible but due to a curse from Lord Shiva, she was susceptible to the shots, abuses and pranks of village boys. It is believed that on Holi day, these children united and made combined efforts to chase away Dhundi by shouting at her, abusing her and playing pranks on her and finally succeeded in their mission. This is the reason that young boys are allowed to use rude words on this day without anybody taking offence.

Story Of Holika and Prahlad:

There was a demon-king named Hiranyakashipu who won over the kingdom of earth and ordered everybody to worship him and not the God. However, his little son Prahlad refused to do so and continued to worship the almighty Lord Vishnu, the Hindu God. He tried many times to kill him but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. One of the sisters of the king named Holika had powers to walk through fire unharmed. Thus he ordered her to kill Prahlad by walking through the fire with him. However, Lord Vishnu came to his help and Prahlad was saved while Holika perished. Somehow, she didn’t knew that her powers were only effective if she entered the fire alone. Even today, bonfires are lit on the night of Holi in memory of the event and burning of the wicked aunt Holika.

Story Of Kamadeva:

After the death of his consort Sati, Lord Shiva was so shocked and hurt that he went into a deep meditation and stopped looking after his worldly responsibilities. This led to many complications in the world’s affairs. Thus, gods conspired to bring him out of his trance with the help of Goddess Parvati, who wished to marry the great lord and Kamadeva, the God of love, passion and lust. Though, mindful of the consequences, Kamadeva undertook the task for the world’s good and shot one of his love arrows on the great Lord who had mastered all the worldly temptations. As Shiva’s eyes opened, he was furious by the trick of Kamdeva and directed the wrath of his third eye on him and burned him on the spot. However, later he did give him an immortal life. It is believed that Lord Shiva burned Kamadeva on the day of Holi and thus, many people worship him for his sacrifice and offer him a mango blossoms that he loved and sandalwood paste to cool off the pain of his fatal burns.

Rituals preparations of  Holi

Rituals of the ancient festival of Holi are religiously followed every year with care and enthusiasm. Days before the festival people start gathering wood for the lighting of the bonfire called Holika at the major crossroads of the city. This ensures that at the time of the actual celebration a huge pile of wood is collected.

Holika Dahan Celebrations

Then on the eve of Holi, Holika Dahan takes place. Effigy of Holika, the devil minded sister of demon King Hiranyakashyap is placed in the wood and burnt. For, Holika tried to kill Hiranyakashyap’s son Prahlad, an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana. The ritual symbolises the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of a true devotee.

Children also hurl abuses at Holika and pray pranks, as if they still try to chase away Dhundhi who once troubled little ones in the Kingdom of Prithu. Some people also take embers from the fire to their homes to rekindle their own domestic fires.

  Play of Colors

Next day, is of course the main day of Holi celebrations. The day is called Dhuleti and it is on this day that the actual play of colours take place. There is no tradition of holding puja and is meant for pure enjoyment. The tradition of playing colours is particularly rampant in north India and even in that region, there can be no comparison to the Holi of Mathura and Vrindavan. In Maharashtra and Gujarat too Holi is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm and fun. People take extreme delight in spraying colour water on each other with pichkaris or pouring buckets and buckets of it. Singing Bollywood Holi numbers and dancing on the beat of dholak is also a part of the tradition. Amidst all this activity people relish gujiya, mathri, malpuas and other traditional Holi delicacies with great joy.

Drinks, especially thandai laced with bhang are also an intrinsic part of the Holi festivity. Bhang helps to further enhance the spirit of the occasion but if taken in excess it might dampen it also. So caution should be taken while consuming it.

Holi Celebrations in South India

In south India, however, people follow the tradition of worshiping Kaamadeva, the love god of Indian mythology. People have faith in the legend which speaks about the great sacrifice of Kaamadeva when he shot his love arrow on Lord Shiva to break his meditation and evoke his interest in worldly affairs. After, an eventful and fun filled day people become a little sober in the evening and greet friends and relatives by visiting them and exchange sweets. Holi special get togethers are also organized by various cultural organizations to generate harmony and brotherhood in the society.

Any how in all where HOLI HAI… Come holi and the streets will reverberate with the chants of Holi hai…Colours will fill the atmosphere as people throw abeer and gulal in the air showing great joy and mirth in the arrival of this Spring Festival. Days before Holi, the markets get flooded with the colours of every hues. This aptly sets the mood of the people till the actual day of Holi. It is such a colourful and joyous sight to watch huge piles of bright red, magenta, pink, green and blue every where on the streets. Buying those colours seems as you are bringing joys and colour to your home and into your life. Children take special delight in the festival and demand every colour in loads. They have so many plans in their mind. They have to be the first to apply colour to Mama, Papa, siblings and a big bunch of friends in their colony. Nobody could miss being coloured by them and of course, they need colour for that. These days it is easy to buy colours from the market but still some people do take up the task of making colours at home, usually from flowers of tesu and palash. These home made colours, have a special fragrance of love in them. The other option is to buy gulal which comes in bright shades of pink, magenta, red, yellow and green. ‘Abeer’ is made of small crystals or paper like chips of mica. This is mixed with the gulal for a rich shine. Mischievous ones, however, go for silver and gold paints on which no colour could be applied. Whatever be the choice of colour, nobody remains in their original texture at the end of the play. And everybody takes delight looking at the other. Really, the other name of the festival is FUN.  And, it is not just children, but the young and the old alike who take delight in this joyous festival of colours. Seniors too, move in their tolis. Their enthusiasm is at times greater than that of their children as they forget the bars of age and follow their hearts. To youth, holi gives a chance to explore the heights of their enthusiasm as they climb the human pyramids to break the pot of buttermilk and to express their love to their beloved by applying colour. For, Holi knows no bars, everybody feels it is their right to enjoy and enjoy they do. Songs, dance, drinks, food everything goes in excess when it is time for Holi. It can be said, “Life turns Colourful” when it is time for Holi.

Today Holi is an excuse for Indians to shed inhibitions and caste differences for a day of spring fever and Big Fun. Teenagers spend the day flirting and misbehaving in the streets, quite often adults males are seen to grab an opportunity to spark colour on girls. Thus the holy message of the festival is charred with the natural flavour.

It’s a festival of gaiety but then there are few who make this festival, a festival of evil. They do this by infuriating the strangers by forcefully throwing colours on them; some use colours that are difficult to remove and unsafe for skin and health. Many take it as a day of drinking alcohol but we should not forget that Holi is a festival of triumph of good over evil. We must try to wash away all the evils in our hearts along with the colours and allow the colour of love to stay there forever and ever. This is the true spirit of Holi.

        Dr. Ashiq Hussain

    Govt Degree College Kishtwar

     Email. drashiqhussain@rediffmail.com

               drashiqhussain@gmail.com

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Meenu Sharma asked:

India is considered to be the queen of all countries for its cultural heritage and historical significance. A huge number of tourists visit India every year, being attracted by the multilingual and multicultural image of the nation. Adam Smith said that it’s a country of “unity in diversity”. So, from time immemorial India has been in a pivotal place as to cultural tour in India.

Reach your destination. Shift to hotel. Rest of the day is at spare time. In the morning city tour Mumbai. Move to airport and leave by flight to Aurangabad. Arrive at Auragabad & transfer to hotel. A full day trip to Ajanta Cave gives you the antic of historical tours India. So, here from finally starts your India cultural tour.

Morning trip Ellora cave & city visit of Aurangabad. Move to airport & leave by flight to Udaipur. Arrive at Udaipur & transfer to hotel. Morning, you take pleasure in a boat ride on Lake Pichola. Afternoon is for city tour of Udaipur. Here you get the taste of historical tour India.

Excursion to Eklangi & Nagda makes you feel the fete of culture travel India. Transfer to airport & go away by flight to Jaipur. Arrive at Jaipur & shift to hotel.

Half day city tour of Jaipur including the elephant ride at Amber Fort is another important heritage tour India.

Depart by surface for Sawai Madhopur. Afternoon visit at Ranthombore Wildlife Sanctuary is the experience of best India tour and wild life safari India. You trip Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. Proceed to Agra for during the night stay. Entire night at hotel

You in City tour of Agra. Afternoon is to visit Fatehpur Sikri. It is the virtually India Forts Tour that gives you the taste of historical tours India. Move to airport & leave by flight to Khajuraho. Arrive at Khajuraho and shift to hotel. Afternoon is for city tour of Khajuraho.

Morning is for city tour of Khajuraho. Move to airport and go away by flight for Delhi. Arrival at Delhi & transfer to hotel

Morning is for city tour of Old & New Delhi. Afternoon is at time off. Evening, you take pleasure in from a marvelous sound & light show at Red Fort. You explore the India Culture Tour packages. Morning is free for self-determining actions. Later move to airport and depart by flight for Chennai. Influx at Chennai & transfer to hotel

Full day is for visiting Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram.

Morning is to city tour of Chennai. Shift to airport and depart by flight to Bangalore. Influx and shift to hotel. Morning is for city tour of Bangalore and you depart by surface for Hassan. You go on enjoying cultural tour India package.

Morning is for city trip to Belur & Halebid. Afternoon, you leave by surface for Mysore. Overnight at Hotel

Morning is for city tour of Mysore. Evening is to visit Brindavan Gardens. Overnight at hotel

Morning is at leisure. Afternoon you leave by coach for Bangalore. Turn up & leave by flight for Mumbai. Arrive at Mumbai & transfer to hotel. Early morning move to airport and take off for onward destination. You can join these packages as a cultural holiday tour India and if you are lucky a mere cultural tour India may manifest as a festival travel India.

festivals of India

Aman Kapur asked:

India has many wonderful festivals, which allows visitors to embrace the vibrant culture of the culture as well as the enjoyment of being a part of the customs and practices of the locals. Visiting India during any one of the many festivals will allow your family to embrace the wonderment and excitement that is India.

One of the most popular festivals in India is the Goa Carnival held 3 days and 3 nights in February. The carnival began during Portuguese rule and has grown from that day to be one of the largest festivals drawing people from not only all parts of India but also the world.

Kerala is also famous for a few of their own festivals such as Onam, which is a celebration to pay homage to King Mahabali. The festival is marked by pomposity. The festival is a 10-day long event with a boat race as the highest point. Thrissur Pooram is celebrated in the month of Medam according to the Mayalam calendar, which is either April or May. This festival has unique elephant processions and a marathon. The Payippad Jelostsavan is a three-day festival, which is celebrated to commemorate the Prathista ceremony of Haripad Subramanya temple. The Attukal Pongala is held in February or March and is celebrated to pay homage to Goddess Bhagavathy.

The Vallamkali or Boat Festival is held in August to commemorate the lifting of the image of Lord Kriskna for consecration.

Mahashivratri is held in either February or March and is a celebrated commemorate the day on which Lord Shiva consumed the deadly poison to save the world from destruction.

Theyyam is an annual festival held in October or November. The festival is a dance festival with many cultural performances to worship Mother Goddess.

Nehru Trophy boat Festival is held in August on the second Saturday with various boat races.

Id-ul-Zuha is held during the 10th of the last month of Muslims to commemorate offering made by Abraham. During this festival, there are animal sacrifices and offering of prayers.

In April, Easter is celebrated not only in Kerela, but also in various cities across India to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

You can also find festivals in many other cities. In Maharashtra, you will find the Elephants Festival and the Ellora Festival.

In Rajasthan, they celebrate several festivals including Camel Festival, Gangaur Festival, Nagaur Festival, Mewar Festival, Kite Festival, Pushkar Fair, Elephant Festival, Desert Festival, Teej Festival, and Shekhawati Fair.

Punjab is home to the Baisakhi festival. Tamil Nadu is home to Pongal Festival, Silk Festival, Mamallapuram Dance Festival, and the Tea and Tourism Festival. In Uttar Pradesh, you will enjoy the Taj Mahotsav and Avadh Festival.

No matter what area of India you wish to visit you will find a festival that will create a lasting memory of your family vacation and provide you with a better understanding of the culture and atmosphere of India.

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Devendra Kundaliya asked:

Why is Deepawali Celebrated?

Deepawali is the much-awaited festival of Hindus in India. It is the blissful celebration of sparkling lights and the overthrowing of shadows of darkness. According to the Indian mythology, the festival is the biggest testimony ever of the victory of truth over the unjust. It is believed that Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya on this day after 14 years of exile. According to another legend, Deepawali is the auspicious commencement of the Hindu calendar and usually marks the beginning of the harvest season.

 

Traditional Way of Celebration

Deepawali is celebrated with full vigor and enthusiasm in each and every Hindu family of India. People lit continuous series of earthen diyas and candles signifying the victory of good over evil. The deity of wealth and prosperity, Goddess Lakshmi, is believed to shower luck and happiness on the people on this auspicious day, and therefore the puja of the goddess forms an inseparable part of the entire occasion. Lord Ganesha, who is believed to bestow wisdom to a person, is also worshipped. People also visit their friends and relatives and give them sweets and gifts.

Deepawali of Modern Times

Deepawali in modern times has surpassed the conventional way of its celebration. Now it is not just about diyas and sweets, but the celebration has gone modern with times. People decorate their houses with modern lightings and also enjoy firecrackers in the night. Sounds of firecrackers can be heard till midnight in the major cities of the country. On the whole, Deepawali is the biggest festival of India.

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Pooja Sharma asked:

India is particularly land of fairs and festivals. The word “Fest” literally means joy and celebration. India is a mix of diverse culture and religions and this is probably the reason India has more festivals than any other country. These festivals are mainly religious in nature, national in character or seasonal in occurrence. These festivals occur according to the calendars followed by different religions. However, the national festivals do occur on fixed calendar dates. 

In India mainly two calendars are followed to determine the festivals- the Hindu calendar or the Islamic calendar. Both these calendars are based on lunar months which correspond to the phases of moon. The lunar and solar positions mainly determine the festivals. 

The month of January marks celebrations of harvest festivals throughout the country. Makar Sankranti which marks the celebration of spring time. Women distribute sweets and hold get-togethers. Around the same time in Gujarat and other western states National Kite Festival is celebrated. Lohri in the north of India is also a seasonal harvest festival. In the evenings families gather around bonfires, distribute sweets among friends and family. In Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh Pongal is celebrated. The harvest celebrations last for three days in honor of Lord Indra. In Rajasthan the colorful festival in Bikaner is celebrated, beautifully decorated camels, music and several competitions are the highlights of the Bikaner Festival. During the same time all over the country Id-ul- Fitr is celebrated which marks the end of Ramzan. Prayers are offered in mosques and Idgahs and elaborate festivities are held. On the 26th of January every year the country celebrates its Republic Day grand military parade and dance processions are held in the capital. 

The month of February mainly marks the celebration of fairs and carnivals. In Rajasthan Desert Festival of Jaisalmer is celebrated, this is three day long extravaganza of music, color and festivity. The highlight of the festival is the turban tying competition. In Haryana Surajkund Crafts Mela held for 15 days. This is an annual event which highlights some of the countries finest handloom and handicrafts. The Nagaur Fair is one of the largest cattle fairs in the country. The day begins with earnest bargaining’s between buyers and sellers, the day draws to an end with exciting games and camel races. In Rishikesh around the same time International Yoga Week is organized, demonstrations are held on the banks of river Ganga, various lectures and sessions on yoga are also organized. In Agra a 10 day carnival is held at Shilpgram near TajMahal known as the Taj Mahotsav. This festival commences with a spectacular procession, bedecked elephants and camels, folk artists and master craftsmen together recreate the glorious past of the Mughals. Around the same time Mardi Gras or Goa Carnival is celebrated. The processions last for three days and nights the streets come alive with colorful revelry.

The month of March one the biggest Hindu festival is celebrated- Holi. This is also known as the festival of colors. People throw colored water and powder on each other and make merry. Another attraction of the month is the Khajuraho Dance Festival. This is a week long celebration wherein classical dance performances are held at the Khajuraho temples. Around the same time another music and dance festival is organized in Maharastra known as the Ellora Festival, organized in the splendid surroundings of the Ellora Caves. In the south Hoysala Festival is celebrated this is also a dance festival held at the temples of Hoysala and Halebid. Yet another colorful festival is the Elephant Festival of Rajasthan. The highlights of the festival are the procession of elephants, camels and horses, followed by lively folk dancers. The most hilarious highlight of the festival is a tug of war between elephants and men.

The Hindu Solar New Year starts in the month of April. It is celebrated in the form various festivals throughout the country yet convey the same message of merry making. In the northern part of the country it’s celebrated as Baisakhi in Kerala the festival is known as Vishu and is Assam it is known as Rangali Bihu.

Mainly two festivals are celebrated in the month of June. Firstly, Ganga Dussehra, this festival is celebrated for ten days devoted to the worship of Holy River Ganga. Places such as Rishikesh, Haridwar and Varanasi where Ganga flows hold special significance on this day. Secondly, the Hemis Festival the courtyard of Hemis Gompa-the biggest Buddhist monastery in Ladakh is the stage for the famous ‘Hemis’ festival. Lamas called ‘chhams’ perform splendid masked dances and sacred plays to the accompaniment of cymbals, drums and long horns. of Ladakh.

Onam is the most important harvest festival of Kerala, celebrated in the month of August and is an attraction for thousands of people within and outside the state. Ranging from four days to ten days, all the activities during this season are cantered around worshipping, music, dances, sports, boat races and good food. 15th August the red letter day in the Indian calendar is celebrated as the Independence Day of India. On this day India finally achieved freedom from British rule. 

In the month of October, the festival of Dussehra is celebrated in many parts of the country. It is celebrated with great fanfare in most parts of North India and in the form of Durga Puja in West Bengal. Dussehra is a very popular Hindu festival, which marks the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama. Another important festival around this time is Diwali, the Festival of Lights, celebrated with fervor and gaiety among all races and religions. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness; darkness refers to ignorance and light refers to knowledge. During the same time in Rajasthan, Marwar Festival is celebrated. The festival has on display the music and dance of the Marwar region. The spirited folk dancers assembled here, perform with gusto and entertain the audience with Rajasthani folklore. in Jodhpur. 

In the month of November mainly fairs are celebrated throughout the country. Pushkar Fair of Ajmer, Rajasthan is perhaps the largest cattle fair in the world, it attracts more than one lakh people, from all over Rajasthan as well as tourists from different parts of India and abroad. Another fair celebrated around the same time is the Hampi Festival of Karnataka. The festival includes dance, drama, music, fireworks, puppet shows, spectacular processions; all combine to recreate the grandeur of the bygone era. 

The month of December marks the celebration of mainly two festivals. Firstly, this is a Muslim festival of sacrifice. On this day Muslims sacrifice a goat to commemorate the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim, who willingly agreed to kill his son at the behest of God. This festival coincides with the Haj pilgrimage in Mecca. Secondly, Christmas birth anniversary of Jesus Christ. Christmas celebrations vary in different parts of India. In some parts, small clay oil-burning lamps, mango leaves etc are used as Christmas decorations and mango and banana trees are decorated.

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Cdmohatta asked:

Indians celebrate Diwali with great passion. They fire lots of firecrackers and eat sweets and wear new clothes. Why is Diwali so important in India?

Diwali is the day when it is said that Lord Rama returned to his kingdom Ayodhya after conquering Lanka. Lord Rama was asked by his father Dashrath to go to the wild forests for fourteen long years. In the forest Ravana, the king of Lanka, abducted his queen Seeta. Lord Rama was along in the jungle with only his brother Laxaman with him. In the forests Lord Rama met the monkey king Sugriva.

Sugriva sent monkeys around the world to search for mother Seeta. Finally Lord Hanumana found Seeta in the kingdom of Ravana at Lanka. He burnt Lanka and came back to inform Lord Rama about mother Seeta. Lord prepared a large army of monkeys and bears and invaded Lanka. Ravana was defeated. Vibhishan the brother of Ravana had joined Lord Rama in the battle. After defeating Ravana Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya his kingdom after fourteen long years.

Indian Hindus celebrate Diwali as a day of celebration. Candles are burnt in every home. People clean their homes and wear new clothes. Sweets are shared and people wish each other. Diwali is the biggest festival of India that celebrates the victory of good over the evil. Indians all over the world celebrate Diwali and it is also the beginning of new year as per the Hindu calendar.

Related link :- Discussindia Forum

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Sumit Singh asked:

Come and celebrate the flavors of Indian cultures and traditions! The festival tours in India are best to take up to experience colorful festivities, whose roots lie deep in the age-old traditions and customs of India. The celebrations of the special occasions here can be said to be a mirror reflection of the beliefs and faith of the locals of India, which they are following since such a long time.

On a tour to India, if you really wish to know the real India, then a festival tour is must for you. The festival tours in India cover regions in north, south, east and west. Each region has something distinct to offer to its onlookers. It is up to you which region you would like to explore first. However, some of the special festivals in India, which are celebrated at a large scale and a delightful sight to witness, are Diwali, Pushkar Camel Fair, Snake Boat Race on Onam, Dussehra Festival and many more.

However, before embarking on festival tours in India, if you want to know little bit about some of the special ones, then glance through the following.

Diwali

 

Known as the festival of lights, Diwali is observed in every part of India at a large scale. There are many beliefs associated with the celebration of this colorful event. However, as far as celebration is concerned, you will discover that during this festival people light every corner of their homes and burst firecrackers.

Pushkar Camel Fair

 

This is one of the famous festivals in India. Tourists in large number arrive here to witness the revelry of this particular festival. This is an important cattle and religious fair celebrated once in every year. During the festivities of this event, you will come across numerous stalls of handicrafts and traditional items. Dance and music also forms the major attraction of this event.

Snake Boat Race on Onam

 

Water parades and snake boat race are the highlights of this festival in south. This event is celebrated in connection with the harvest festival of the region known as Onam.

Dussehra Festival

 

The festival of Dussehra has religious as well as moral connotations. This event is observed to signify the triumph of good over evil. During this festival, three large effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarana and Meghnad, the three mythical demon characters, are burnt by a young kid attired as Lord Rama, the famous Hindu god.

Teej Festival

 

The Teej festival in India is celebrated mainly by the married women. On this day, the women offer prayers to the Hindu goddess Parvati in order to receive blessings for their husbands’ well being and long life. Colorful attires, dance and music form the major attractions of this event.

Khajuraho Dance Festival

 

In the backdrop of the Khajuraho temples, the Khajuraho Dance Festival is the celebration of Indian dance heritage and culture. The festival is organized in the month of February or March. This festival represents different dance forms of India including Bharat Natyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Odissi, Kuchipudi and Manipuri.

 

 

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