Holi
Holi , The festival of colours is a popular Hindu spring festival
celebrated all over India in the later part of February or
early March every year. According to the Hindu Calender, it falls
on the Phalgun Purnima(full moon). Originally, Holi was an agricultural
festival celebrating the arrival of spring as all the trees have
sprouted tender leaves and blooming flowers. With the harvest having
been completed and the winter also just ended, it is pre-eminently
a festival of delight and cheerfulness. Gulal (colored powder) is
sprinkled on each other by elders and children, men and women, rich
and poor alike. All superficial social barriers are pulled down
by the all-round gaiety and laughter. Holi is associated with a
number of names in different states of India.
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Makarsakranti
Makara Sankranti is the day when the Sun-God begins its ascendancy
and entry into the Northern Hemisphere. People commence their day
by taking a dip in a lake, river, sea or pond and worship the Sun.
However, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, Pongal celebrations
are spread over 3 days.
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Navratri
'Nav' means 'nine' and 'Ratri' means 'night', thus, 'Navratri' means
'nine nights'. Navratri is one of the most popular and widely celebrated
festivals of Northern India. The first three days of navratri are
dedicated to Goddess Durga (Warrior Goddess) dressed in red and
mounted on a lion, next three to Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth
and Prosperity) dressed in gold and mounted on an owl and finally,
the last three to Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge) dressed
in milky white and mounted on a pure white swan.
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Pongal
Pongal is actually a mixture of rice, sugar, pulses and jaggery.
The most interesting ritual of the festival is the boiling over
of a pot of Pongal. It is believed that through this symbolic gesture
their homes shall be blessed with wealth and prosperity, so much
that it overflows. Cattle are washed and decorated as part of the
rituals and in some regions of Tamil Nadu another unusual ritual
called the Jallikattu is held..
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