Ambubachi Mela-A Portrayal of Endurance and Sanctification

Ambubachi Mela is the most significant and famed fiesta at the Kamakhya Temple in the capital city, Guwahati of the state of Assam. Widely renowned as the Ameti or the Tantric fertility festival, the Ambubachi Mela has a close connection with the tantric rituals and customs. The Ambubachi festival is intimately linked to the Tantric sect and is also celebrated as Kamkhya Devi Puja. It is supposed that Goddess Kamakhya goes through her menstrual cycle during these days and consequently the temple remains shut for three days. The Mela is celebrated with full pomp and show for four days.

History
The Ambubachi festival is one of the major attractions of the state of Assam. It is the celebration of the annual menstruation phase of goddess Kamakhya. It is understood that the superintending goddess of the temple, Devi Kamakhya, goes through her yearly stage of menstruation during this time stretch. It is also presumed that all through the monsoon showers the innovative and fostering supremacy of the 'menses' of Mother Earth becomes available to devotees at this place during the festival. No statue or figurine of the deity exists but she is worshipped in the outline of a yoni-like stone as an alternative over which a natural spring flows.

When is it Celebrated

Devotees in bulky figures linger outside the temple as the temple will be opens on the fourth day. Sanyasins from all around the world gather at the Kamakhya temple during this period. Every year tons and thousands of devotees hover around the temple of Kamakhya during the Ambubachi Mela in the month of Ahaar (mid June).

How is it Celebrated

During the festival of Ambubachi, it is very vital to allow Mother to rest. It’s like a Mother’s Day in India. We are supposed to take great care of our Mother for her unconditional love. Ambubachi is celebrated amidst 22-26 of every month, with the beginning of the monsoons. During this period, Assam turns into a mere water body with water all around it.

On the very prime day, a piece of cloth, preferably red silk is used to cover the altar or the idol in order to give Her some privacy. At this stage, she is considered to be extremely powerful, thereby cleansing and revitalizing the entire Earth, which in practice is Her body itself.

On the 4th day, the deity is bathed to reclaim limpidness and various rituals are performed. It is only after this procedure that the doors of the temple are unfastened to the devotees. According to the myths of Hinduism, after the death of His adored Sati, Lord Shiva was in great anguish and while flying through the skies, dropped her burnt body parts on the earth. The arena where her yoni resided is known to the world as Kamakhya.

Main activities:

As soon as the temple is opened, people hurry to the temple in order to grab the propitious Prasad which in practice, is small tits and bits of cloth, which becomes soggy with the menstrual fluid of Goddess Kamakhya. It is considered very commanding and fortunate if tied to the arm.

Ambubachi Mela has acquired the position of a nationalized festival with innumerable number of devotes and followers rushing to Guwahati in order to enjoy the auspicious festival. The festival also attracts numerous people from the foreign land as well who flock to the place to witness the fiesta.

As per the myths, during the three days when mother earth undergoes menstruation, devotees are bounded by some limits such as they are not allowed to cook or perform any sort of puja or indulge in activities such as farming.

Where all is it celebrated

The Ambubachifestival is celebrated in Guwahati with huge pomp and show. Situated at a considerable distance of about 5kms from Guwahati resides the temple complex of Kamakhya which witnesses the Ambubachi Mela. 

Gangasagar Mela, One of the Most Religious Pilgrimages of Hindus in India

Sagar is an Island located on the Muriganga River. This island is cut off from the mainland with this river. At present, the island is not linked with any road bridge and the visitors have to cross the distance with the help of ferry services that are available from the mainland. After reaching the island one has to travel some distance in order to reach the southernmost part of the island, where the holy shrine and the ashram of the renowned saint, Kapil Muni is placed. Gangasagar Beach holds vast and shallow water.

History
Gangasagar is a holy place where the sacred river Ganga meets the sea, Bay of Bengal. A dip in the place, where the Ganga River merges into the sea is regarded to have a religious significance, especially on the Makara Sankranti day when the sun makes a transition to Capricorn from Sagittarius. During this time, the town, Sagar holds huge fair, drawing visitors from all over India, which is one of its kinds. Many legends are associated with this fair, the most common one that the locals believe in is that the girls who take a holy dip during this time get good looking grooms and the boys will get pretty brides. After the ritual obligations are completed, they head to the nearby temple, Kapil Muni, to worship the deity as a mark of respect. Another legend that is associated with this mela is that before merging into the sea, Ganga River watered the human remains of King Sagar’s 6,000 sons, freeing their souls for eternity. The King’s sons were believed to have been burned by the rage of Kapil Muni, who got angry on getting disturbed during his meditation. The King’s sons had come to this place in search of their father’s Sacrificial Horse. The horse was stolen by Devraj Indra and tied it beside the hermitage of Kapil Muni. When they saw the saint at this place, they started blaming him for stealing the horse and thus, interrupting his meditation.

Time of Celebration
At Gangasagar, thousands of visitors take a holy dip annually during the time of Makar Sankranti, which generally falls on 14th or 15th of January. Gangasagar Mela or fair is arranged yearly but people from all over India come to this place throughout the year. There is a common believe among the Hindus that by taking a bath at this place will relief them from all curse and sins, thus, earning blessings from the God. The place is the ‘Punya Tirtha’ for Hindus.

How It Is Celebrated
GangaSagar Mela or fair is the second largest Mela after the Kumbh Mela in India.  Gangasagar Mela is one of the most popular Hindu pilgrimage centres in West Bengal. Every year, thousands of Hindu pilgrims come to this place to take a holy dip into the holy river of Ganga. A long fair is held from January to February annually. The fair is hoarded by large number of devotees on the Makar Sanskriti day. The popularity of this fair can be assumed with the involvement of more than million pilgrims, without any formal or informal invitation, endorsement and organizing authority.  Besides the general devotees, the fair also witnesses the attendance of Naga Sadhus.

Main Activities
The entire journey to this fair is tough, but this does not dishearten even the weakest. Large numbers of devotees hoard the beach night and day to occupy a space on the sandy beach. People move with the huge crowd along with the sounds of bells, blowing conch shells and chanting prayers. Several devotional songs can also be heard during this time. Huge number of stalls and shops are lined along the pathway, selling different varieties of vermillion, rudraksha, colorful beads, saffron clothes, conch shells and other religious items. The mela is not complete without the sight of Naga Sadhus, who sit naked in their little huts close to the temple, enjoying a chillum of ganja.

Almost every devotee takes their turn to take a dip on the auspicious day on the holy river, to purify their mind, body and soul from all the sins and receive the blessings of the God. A considerable number of marriages are also conducted on the beach on this day. As well as, many young girls get married to the sea on this day, as it is believed, that by doing so, they will never become widows, even if their men go through the roughest time in their life.

Every year, the fair is witnessed by millions of devotees in Sagar Island, which makes it quite tough for the pilgrims. Still they come to this place, to celebrate Makar Sanskriti with joy and devotion in their eyes.          

Karwa Chaut a festival of Women

It is usually a one day festival observed by married women who fast from sunrise to moon rise for a longevity, prosperity and safety of their Husband.Though it is widely observed throughout the nation but it is more famous and practiced thoroughly by northern Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, Uttarakhnad, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and other states.

History
It began with a magical tale of Droupadi who fasted for pandavas with a suggestion of Lord Krishna and from then onwards a people started following a culture and in modern days it has become more like a custom.

Legend of Karwa, it is historic and mythological tales of Husband devote Karwa who once threatened Yama to curse and destroy him because of his refusal to send a crocodile to hell that once caught Karwa husband. Seeing such a power and devotion Yama decided to send crocs into hell and bless Karwa and her husband who in turn enjoyed a blessed life till the end.The Story of Satyavan and Savitri is also a noted one in giving a birth to a Karwa Chaut.

When it’s celebrated
The festivals falls under fourth day after a full moon in the Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Kartik, in simple words it is celebrated 9 days before the call of diwali. This festival is also celebrated by unmarried women in desire to get their destined husband.

How is Celebrated
Proceeding of Karwa Chaut is very interesting as the women start off early by putting all the shringars and all the traditional decoration require to make puja a successful one. They buy all the essentials require for puja like Karwa, matthi, heena etc. before a crack of a dawn they prepare all the stuffs and have it before sun breaks the light and as the day progresses they start decorating their hands and feet with Heena mehandi.

































They decorate their puja thali with all the necessary ingredients and meets with their friends and relatives and in evening they start to gather in front of local temple where they listen to a legendry tale of Karwa and at the same time perform songs and listen to prayers. And to the story teller they offer mud pot, a metal urn filled with water, flowers, an idol of Ambika Gaur Mata, Goddess Parwati and some fruits, mathi and food grains.
Amongst the essentials that are kept in thali are Sindoor, incense sticks and rice. During this event women’s wear a colorful and heavy saris mostly all are in red color which is a symbol of married woman beside that they wear  nose pin, tika, bindi, chonp, bangles, earrings etc.

And when it counts a time just when moon starts to raise all gathers in top of their building with thali and water and catch a glimpse of its ray through sieve and Dupatta. They offer water to moon and cry a prayer to bless their husband with a long life, safety and prosperity. That calls for an evening and women breaks their fast

Main attraction
An ambiance that comes with the festival is a main attraction of this festival; it is so much interesting to see how women gather in front of the temple or at local gardens to start their proceeding. In true words the festival in whole is most attractive thing.

The Colourful Pushkar Camel Fair of Rajasthan

Pushkar is considered as among the five pilgrimages that are highly placed in Hindu religion. According to the legends it is said that when Lord Brahma killed the demon named Vajra Nabh with a lotus flower, the petals of the flower floated down to the earth and landed in three places in and around Pushkar where lakes were formed.

According to the beliefs related to the fair, it is said that on the day of Poornima, all the 330 million deities of Hindu religion come to Pushkar Lake to bless the worshippers. Because of this belief, thousands of devotees gather for a holy dip at the lake on this occasion who consider that their sin will be washed away by doing so and pay their homage at the only Brahma Temple, situated in Pushkar and which is nowhere else in the world.

The Pushkar Camel Fair is truly the world’s biggest camel fair. During this hundreds of stalls are established in this region selling camels, horses, bulls, cows and other cattle. The fair provides perfect circumstances for the commercial growth as well as the religious faith of the people.

Timing
This popular fair is celebrated for five days from Kartik Ekadasi to Kartik Poornima. According to Hindu calendar, Kartik Ekadasi is the 11th lunar day in the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Kartik, and Kartik Poornima is the full moon day or the 15th lunar day of Kartik. Kartik Poornima is considered as the chief day of the Pushkar Fair, as according to the mythology it is believed that  on this day the petals of the lotus flower of Brahma had fallen on to the earth. On this holy day devotees take a bath in the Pushkar Lake to wash away their sins. According to the Georgian calendar this fair falls between the months of October to November.

Activities of the fair
Uncountable numbers of traders gather at this place during this fair. These set their shops which exhibit a wide range of various products like woollen blankets of Merta, bead necklaces of Nagaur, textile printed from Ajmer and Jodhpur, brass ware of Jodhpur and Jaipur and many more. During this fair cultural shows and exhibitions are also organized to add colour to the event. In addition to all these, movies are also shown and competitions are also held where poets recite the tales of heroism of the early days. Animal competitions and many other races are also held which fascinate the tourists.

The fair is initiated with a camel race, which is followed by music, songs and exhibitions. On this fair, one also gets a chance to taste a vast variety of Rajasthani delicacies. Vibrantly dressed villagers singing their folk songs also attract the tourists as they represent the true culture and tradition of Rajasthan. In addition to the wide range of shows exhibited during this fair, puppet shows are also organized, which also forms a unique form of attraction, as the puppet shows are quite rare these days.

DIWALI - THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

Hindu New Year starts on the commencement of this very festival, Diwali (a five day festival). The festival’s name Deeepawali (or Diwali) means “from the row (avali) of lamps (deepa)”.

This festival represents that it is always good which triumphs the evil. According to Hindu Mythology, Lord Rama, the prince of Ayodhya was sent by his father Dasharatha, to 14 yrs of exile in the forest along with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana. 
When one day Ravana, a demon king in every true sense happens to see Sita, he abducts her and takes her away to his kingdom of Lanka. Later Rama with the help of Hanuman and other monkeys marched the land of Lanka. Rama then killed Ravana, rescued his wife Sita and after 14 long years of exile they returned to their kingdom. The homecoming news of the prince made people of Ayodhya very happy and so they lighted earthen lamps (diyas). It also led to bursting of crackers which brightened the darkness of the night. Whole city was lit up by the decorations.

And so the tradition of celebrating Diwali with lights, crackers and fireworks began.


When is Diwali Celebrated:
The date of festival depends on the cycle of the moon and is usually in the months of October and November. This year in India, Dhanteras (1st day of Diwali) is going to be on November 1. The festival comprises of five days and each day has its own way of celebration. However, the main celebration begins from the third day that is this year the main festivities of Diwali shall begin from 3rd of November (India).

Significance of each day in the five day festival:

1st Day, DHANTERAS: In the month of “Kartik” the thirteenth day is celebrated as Dhanteras also known as Dhantrayodashi. The word Dhanteras comes from the word “Dhan” which means wealth. On this day houses and business premises are decorated and Rangoli can be found at every entrance so as to welcome the Goddess of prosperity and wealth, Lakshmi.

2nd Day, NAKRA-CHATURDASHI: In the same month of “Kartik” the fourteenth day is celebrated as Nakra-chaturdashi also known as Choti Diwali. It is believed that it was on this very day that Lord Krishna killed the demon king Narakasur. People on this day light lamps and believe that it will expel the darkness and bring joy and happiness in their lifes. 

3rd Day, LAKSHMI PUJA: The third day is considered to be the most important day as Lakshmi Puja is performed on this very day. It is accompanied with devotional songs “Bhajans” and traditional sweets. It is considered very auspicious to begin any new business or venture on this day.

4th day, PADWA OR VARSHAPRATIPADA: This day “Gudi Padwa” is celebrated as a symbol of devotion and love between husband and wife. On this day newlyweds are invited for special meals. Everyone exchange gifts as a gesture of affection and oneness.

5th day, BHAI-DOOJ: This day is especially celebrated by brothers and sisters. It is on this day that brothers gift their sisters and sisters in turn “tilak” their brothers. This day is a symbolic representation of love in sister-brotherhood.

However, Diwali-the festival of lights is very enthusiastically celebrated and is one of the most awaited festivals.

Sonepur Fair-Biggest Cattle Fair of Asia

Also known as Harihar Kshetra Mela, Sonepur Fair is the biggest cattle fair of Asia which is conducted on full moon day of November (Kartik Poornima) in Sonepur of Saran district of Bihar. The venue for this celebration is on the meeting point of river Gandak and Ganges. Numerous visitors from across Asia and other parts of world are attracted to this festivity which elongates from 15 days to one month of time.

On the start of this festival, pilgrims take a bath in the early morning in the convergence point which continues for about 3 weeks, they do this inorder to wash away their sins and negativity. Herd of crowds than visit the temple to worship the lord. As of now, it has been organized by Bihar Tourism from 2012 inorder to draw more international and domestic tourists.Elephants, horses, dogs, donkeys, ponies, rabbits and goats are purchased by people in this trade fair.

History: Initially the cattle fair was held in Hajipur but later the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb shifted it to Sonepur where only the puja was conducted in Hariharnath Temple (supposed to be built by Lord Rama) at the time of cattle fair in Hajipur. The modern day temple was constructed by Raja Ram Narain during the Mughal era. At the venue of today’s day cattle fair, a great years and years of fight between King Indrayamuna (elephant) and Gandharva Chief Huhu (crocodile) who were turned to animals correspondingly due to the curse of sage Agasthya and Dewala Muni was ended when Lord Vishnu cut the head of Huhu at the pray of Indrayamuna. Both were taken to the sacred abode by Lord Vishnu after their curse was made over by the god.

Thus Hindus regard as a sacred site and apart from attending the cattle fair, they visit this place inorder to take a sacred dip at the convergence point and also to pay their homage to the shrine inside the temple. This celebration and trade fair can be date back to India's first Emperor Chandragupta Maurya who used to purchase elephants and horses for his armies from this place. 

Major Attractions and Activities:

•  Biggest Cattle Fair of Asia and among the biggest in world too.
•  Sights, sound and shopping.
•  Theatre and folk dances.
•  Sale of elephants, dogs, horses, donkeys, sheeps, ponies etc.
•  Sale of birds, poultries and diverse fishes.
•  Handicrafts, bamboo products, souvenirs and traditional art crafts on sale.
•  Swiss Cottage attracts mainly foreign visitors

Apart from these, stalls of garments, weapons, furniture, toys, utensils, agricultural implements, jewelry can be seen in different parts of this place along with magic shows which is another popular attraction for the kids.

The area in which the fair is held is very difficult to cover for even a healthy guy, so visitors needs to stay for about 2 to 3 days for witnessing this grand festivity. The maximum crowd can be seen in the river where people bathe, the temple where they offer their prayers and lastly in the place where elephants are kept on sale.  

Kolayat Fair - Largest Cattle fair of Bikaner

Also known as Kappil Muni fair, Kolayat Fair is the largest fair of its kind celebrated in the city of Bikaner on the full month day of Kartik Purnima (November) in the village of Kolayat or Kapilayatan in Rajasthan. The village of Kolayat is positioned at a distance of about 50 km from the South-West of Bikaner. The village derived its name from a famed sage Kapil Muni who undertook a deep meditation for the fine sake of civilization. This festival is celebrated on this day as it is considered the holiest of days in Hindu calendar.

In the early mornings the Hindus take a dip in the lake which is believed to wash away all their sins and offer temple of sage Kapil with sugar drops and milk pudding. Hindus believed that a one day spend in this sacred abode of Kapil Muni is equaled to 10 years spent on any other pilgrimage site. A temple devoted to Kapil Muni known as Shri Kolayat Temple is situated on the Ghat with a marble statue of the saint where prayers and other edibles are offered to the sage. Thousands and thousands of devotees and tourists visit this place during this festivity to witness this grand festival and also to observe the unique rituals and traditional dances that are offered by the inhabitants of Rajasthan. The mesmerizing view of the hundreds of devotees leaving the illuminated camp in the lake is majestic enough.

The worship in the temple is performed by Sewag Brahmins who are hereditary priest. Aarti is offered two times in a day and then the bhog is offered.

History: Kolayat was the venue for the meditation of sage Kapil Muni who underwent into a deep meditation for the well sake of the humanity. According to legends, he shed his body under a peepul tree and meditated there for a long period of time. He was believed to be a descendent of Lord Brahma, and today in the same venue a temple devoted to him and a lake namely Lake Kapil Sarovar is established. The devotees take a holy dip in the lake and head on to the temple for worshipping.    

Main Activities & attractions:

• Beautiful decoration of the 52 Ghats.
• Unique rituals performed by the devotees.
• Offering of milk pudding and sugar drops to the deity.
• Leaving of illuminated oil lamps by devotees in the water of the lake which is known as Deep Malika in local dialect.  
• Cattle fair
• Mesmerizing culture and traditional dances performed by the inhabitants of Rajasthan.
• Captivating Folklore.
• Contests in the cattle fair

Cattle Fair: It is the one of the vital part of this festival and is the biggest cattle fair of Bikaner. People from varied parts of India visit this place during this festivity in order to trade camels, horses, buffaloes and other cattles in this fair. Contest also takes place in which awards are given to the best breeders present in this fair. 

For any tourists, it could be an interesting learning where you could learn about the ethics of Rajasthan in the best way.

Dussehra - Celebrating Victory of Good over Evil

Popularly known as Navaratri (India) or Dashain (Nepal), Dussehra is one of the major celebrations of Hindus all over the world. It is one of the many Hindu festivals symbolizing the victory of good over evil. The festival is celebrated on the tenth day of the Ashwin month of Hindu calendar corresponding to September/October of Gregorian calendar.



The first nine day of the festival is celebrated as Navaratri in which devotees worship each of the nine forms of Goddess Durga. And, at the end of the ninth day the tenth day is celebrated as Vijaya Dashami meaning victory on the tenth day referring to the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon buffalo Mahisasura on the tenth day. In many parts of India, Nepal and Bangladesh it also marks the harvest season and so the worshipping to Mother Goddess is performed to create fertility and vigor in the soil.  

The people celebrating Dussehra greet the festival by decorating their house in a colourful and vibrant way. Kids relish in shopping new clothes while the elders engage themselves in ornamenting their house by cleaning and decorating it with garlands.

History: There are many legend behind the celebration of Dussehra, of them the famed are the two one of Goddess Durga and the other of Lord Rama. Goddess Durga who is a divine form of energy booned by all the main three gods of Hindus including Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma killed the demon king Mahisasura when he created a havoc on the earth and won a war against the devas (gods). As per the legend, when strength of lighting from the mouth of three gods emerged, goddess was born. She rode on a lion and fought the demon but was unable to kill her until the end of nine day and nine nights, at the commencement of tenth day she killed her thus ending the havoc on earth.

Another legend says that, Rama the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu after gaining secret powers from Goddess Durga in Treta Yuga killed Ravana (king of Lanka) who kidnapped Sita. As per both the legends, it is believed that the celebration of this particular festival is observed as the victory of good over evil. 

Major Attractions of Dussehra:

• Ram Leela is major enactment in which the story of Lord Rama is told until the ninth day and in the tenth day the effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and his son Meghnada are set to burn. The person who plays the role of Lord Rama in the play shoots the burning arrow and set the effigies to burn.
• While burning the effigies, the people in and around are asked to burn the devil inside them.
• People pray to Goddess Durga to wash away all their impurities.
• Pandals with idols of Goddess Durga killing Mahisasura.
• Colourful streets and houses.
• Delicacies are prepared.

Indian City with Huge Celebration:

Kolkata: It stands atop all the Indian cities in the colourful celebration of Dussehra; one can see the most frantic celebration. Over crowded events, domes, minarets, huge pandals and great enthusiasm make Kolkata vibrant during Dussehra. The 4 daylong event of Kolkata is the most happening with each and every part of the city turning into colourful rainbow.  

Apart from this, Ahmedabad, Mysore and Karnataka are other major place for celebration of this glowing festival. 

Navratri Festival

Navaratri festival with ‘nav’ meaning nine and ‘ratri’ meaning nights, is one of the major festival of Hindu community residing all across the globe, the spirit of this festivity lies on the nine aspects of Goddess Durga which is celebrated on each of the nine days. In the autumn season with the pleasant and enjoyable air, before the onset of the festival house are cleaned and ornamented with various decorative items as it is believed that Goddess comes to every home and resides for nine days before advancing to her own abode. In India, it depicts the rich culture and traditions of Incredible India. 


History: There are many legends behind the celebration of this festival. One such is that, Mahisasura (the demon buffalo) got the power of immortality by worshiping Lord Shiva and that nobody could kill him. He started to kill lots of people on earth, so three gods namely Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma created Shakti with lots of divine feminine powers and potency to kill the demon. It is believed that the fierce battle between Goddess and the demon last for nine days and on the tenth day she beheaded him. So, to honor her victory over the demon i.e. good over evil, this festivity is celebrated.


Another legend says that, Lord Rama worshiped Goddess to gain all her powers to be able to fight with the mighty Ravana. He fought with him and killed the ten head Ravana on the tenth day. To commemorate his victory over Ravana, Vijaya Dashami/Dussehra is celebrated.  

According to another legend, this festival is celebrated for the nine days in which Sati (first wife of Lord Shiva) stayed at her parents’ home.

Key Attractions:

• Huge statues of Goddess divine form kept in various places to worship and offer prayer.
• Drama, dance and cultural performances conducted throughout the country.
• Garbha and Dandiya rasa in Gujarat.
• The huge procession for taking the idols to immerse in holy waters.
• Chariots and parades for the commencement of festival in some places.
• Jagrans to sing devotional songs (bhajan) in Punjab.
• Decoration of houses.



This festival has many names including Vijaya Dashami, Dussehra, and Dashain etc. and is celebrated mainly in the parts of South East Asia with various people from countries like India, Nepal, etc. celebrating this festival in the grandest way possible. It is celebrated twice in a year with one celebrated in March/April known as ‘Chaitra Navaratri’ and second celebrated in September/October called as ‘Sharad Navaratri’. Most of the devotees of Goddess Durga fast for nine days and some fast only for two days eating fruits, milk, coffee/tea, boiled potatoes etc.

The festival commence with prayers that are offered to the goddess along with a plate of five fruits and an lamp (Diya) which needs to be lighted day and night and should not be off so, it should be taken care. Offering of prayers should be done very morning and evening after a bath. The mother goddess is worshipped in all her forms which unite of all goddess like Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga.
Along with ornamentation of houses, various mouth watering delicacies are prepared like Aloo Tikki, Makhane ki Sabji, Sabudana Kheer, Kadhi, Kuttu ata roti with Kaddu sabzi or aloo sabzi etc.

Ganesh Chaturthi – Mumbai Resonates with the Sound Ganpati Bappa Moriya

Ganesh Chaturthi is a great Hindu festival celebrated on the birth day of the elephant headed god Lord Ganesha. It falls on the Hindu month of Bhadrapada i.e. late August or early September depending on the cycle of moon. It is celebrated for 10 days with heavy celebrations on the last day known as Anant Chaturdasi. Lord Ganesha is worshipped on this festival as he is believed to remove all the obstacles. This festival is celebrated with great pomp and show across the globe by Hindu communities, but the Indian city of Mumbai stands at the top for the greatest celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi.

This festival was introduced in Mumbai by Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja but it was freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak who transformed it into a public event in 1893 to fill the gap between different communities, castes etc. The main reason behind it was to unite all the people living in Mumbai. The tradition is carried on till today with more people participating on it and competing to put the best idols in their area. 

In Mumbai not only the people of Hindu community but large number of people from varied communities come together to celebrate this festival and make it into a grand success. The whole city is adorned with decorative along with their home; each and every Mumbaikar can be seen in a festive mood during the celebration. The top places in Mumbai where this festivity is celebrated with great grandeur are Mumbaicha Raja, Andhericha Raja, and Khetwadi Ghanraj etc. In these places the idols are decorated using golds and diamonds and are made up to a height of 40 feet. 

On the first day the idol is kept over a base that denotes a throne and it is tracked by a priest who performs the rituals devoted to the idol. Before offering Modak (sweetened ladoo) along with incense and flowers to god, it is dipped in the holy water. After days, the idol is being worshipped with Ganesh Stuti and devotional songs (bhajans) in the sunset and sunrise. Along with programmes which are organized at various places, people also set up idols at homes and pays their greetings to god and ask for wishes.  During this festival season everywhere you will hear the resonating sound “Ganpati Bappa Moriya, Mangalmurti Morya”.

On the tenth day farewell procession for taking the idol into the watering bodies are accompanied by lots of famed singers, priests and dancers as it is believed that god leaves for heavenly abode after visiting. Sweets, ladoos, aarti, flowers and other delicacies are offered to god before immersing in the Arabian Sea. People enchant saying ‘Ganapati Bappa-Maurya’ following the farewell procession. The most famous immersion takes place on Chowpatti Beach which is positioned 1 km away from the Marine Drive, large number of people flock to observe the majestic Visarjan.

Negative Impact of Ganesh Chaturthi:

The grave impact of the festival on the atmosphere is due to the immersion of idols made of Plaster of Paris into various sources of water including sea, lakes, rivers etc. It takes place on the last day of this festival. With the contamination of water sources which affects the environment, the floras and faunas are also hugely affected as lakes and rivers are used by them for water sources. Animals, birds, marine life along with people of rural area are mostly affected. Heavy metals like mercury and cadmium which are used to adorn the idols cause water pollution. Among others, noise pollution is also the outcome of this festival. Traffic jams is another problem and above all these problems, security is the major problem during the festival season as the festival is celebrate with great vigor and pomp, but every individual has the fear of terror attack. With such a huge crowd coming together, it becomes very difficult for the management to provide security, but even though, India government put all its efforts to avoid and ensures that such unexpected incidents does not occur.

Janmashtami - Celebration to Remember the Wordly Facade of Lord Krishna

Janmashtami Also known as Krishnasthami, it is an annual celebration of Hindu deity Lord Krishna, the eight avatar of Lord Vishnu. It is celebrated by Hindus and is observed with great pomp and show in particularly in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and in some parts of Caribbean. It is celebrated in the eight day of the Krishna Paksha of the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). Mischievousness, adorableness, compassionate friendship and romanticism are the major aspects of him which are celebrated on this particular day. 

Janmashtami memorializes the worldly facade of Lord Krishna. It is one of the biggest religious festivals in the world celebrated approximately by 930 million people around the world with 2 million alone in the US. To devotees, it’s the completion of running year and commencement of a fresh year. Homes and streets are ornamented with beautiful decorative, all the people of Hindus community and also of other communities comes together to celebrate this annual event.

In various parts of India, kids dress like Krishna whether to take part in some fancy dress competition or to break the ‘matka’ during a societal celebration. People fast all through the day and show their affection and fondness to the Lord and break fasting at the midnight, it is celebrated with devotional songs, dances, pujas, aarti, blowing of the conch, and rocking the cradle of the baby Sri Krishna. Actually, the celebration takes place during midnight as he was believed to be born on a gloomy, fiery, and blustery night.

 Key Places for Celebrations in India:

Mathura and Vrindavan: Mathura is the birth place of Krishna and is one of the major places for Janmashtami celebration. He was grown up in Vrindavan. A total of 8 lakhs visitors visit this city during this celebration. The major celebration takes place in the actual place of Lord’s birth which is now turned into a mammoth temple, Krishna Janma Bhoomi Mandir. The birth of Lord is celebrated with Pooja, bathing with milk and curd and then rocked in a cradle. Raasleelas (dance drama which is offered by professionals and amateurs), Jhanki (it depicts the activities of Lord like Janmlila, Shankarlila, Putanalila and Naglila), Jhulanotsav (swings are set to welcome his birth) and Ghatas (temples and all other decorations including Lord’s attire are done with a selected or same colour) are carried out after the birth ceremony. Kheer, Laddoo, Shrikhand etc. are deliciously prepared on this day. Securities are tightened at various temples of Mathura and Vrindavan during this celebration.     

Mumbai: Numerous residents of Mumbai come alive to celebrate the Janmashtami with larger than life ceremony; every Mumbaikar (resident of Mumbai) celebrates this festivity with great enthusiasm. ‘Dahi Handi’ event is organized at various venues and societies which are also attended by Bollywood personalities. Enchanting the tune ‘Govinda ala re’, the participants for the event prove their mettle by breaking the ‘Matka’ which is places at the top of the by lanes of metropolis. They form like a human pyramids and stood up on top of one another to break it. The participant efforts are dissatisfied by the people congregated in the venue by wetting them with water. The idea behind this event is the boy-hood trick of stealing butter from a suspended earthen pot by Lord Krishna.

Manipur: It is celebrated by Manipuri as Krishna Janma; disciples congregate at various temples including ISKCON, International Society for Krishna Consciousness Temple and Govindaji Temple. Raasleelas are performed by them, in Manipuri style.

Apart from Mumbai, and Mathura it is well celebrated in Northern and Western India, South India etc. It is celebrated with equal zest and joy in all of India chanting ‘Hare Rama Hare Rama Hare Krishna Hare Krishna’.

Rakshan Bandhan - An Eternal Bond of Love Shared by Brother and Sister

History of Rakshabandhan

The meaning of “rakshabandhan” is the union of defense. There are many stories behind this festival. From the origin of India there are some histories.First one belongs to the God of rain, Indra dev, once there was a war between Gods and Demons where Indra dev was defeated and the Indra consulted his guru Brahaspati. The wife of Indra tied the sacred thread which was originated from various chanting and mantras. Then the Gods defeated demons and had a victory. Another one was of Lord Krishna and Draupadi. When Krishna was having a wound because of the battle he fought Draupadi torn a strip of her silk dupatta and tied around the hand of Krishna. He was touched by her action and declared her sister without any blood relation. He promised her to take care and protect her from all the odds in her life. Being the daughter of such a great king and wife of five exceptional warriors she was totally dependent on Lord Krishna. The story of Yama and Yamuna, Yama (the lord of Death) was brother of Yamuna and on this special occasion he was so touched by this ritual of tying rakhi, that he affirmed that whosoever gets a rakhi tied by his sister and promise her to protect will become immortal.

Celebration of Rakhi

The raksha bandhan is celebrated as one of the festivals in India and also in some parts of Pakistan and Nepal. Not only the Hindus but also the Sikhs and Jains celebrate this festival. The festival is celebrated by tying the rakhi from the sisters (shreya) to their brothers (shaurya) on this occasion after doing their puja known as arati. This ritual is performed by almost in 90% of India. The people also first tie the rakhi to Ganesha and then to their real brothers as well as cousins. The home is also decorated with flowers and the environment becomes festive. The sweets are also one of the important parts of this festival. After tying the rakhi the sister makes the brother eat the sweets.

Specialty of Rakhi

The rakhi is not only a holy thread but also known as the thread of love that love which bonds the brother to his sister. The specialty of rakhi is that the brother promises his sister to take care of her in any condition and protect her in each and every possible way he can. This defines a relationship of brother and sister and bonding between them. It’s not only about tying a rakhi but also accepting one’s responsibility with full dedication and making them work. Now a day the importance of rakhi had been increased because of the nuclear families where only 2 brothers or sisters are there it bounds the family as the sisters revolve around to tie rakhi to their cousins or the get together is organized by family. It not only works as refreshment but also allow the people to meet and interact with their dear and near ones.