Eternal India Encyclopedia

FESTIVALS AND FAIRS

Eternal India encyclopedia

NAGALAND The tribes of Nagaland celebrate festivals like the Sekrenyi Moatsu, Tuluni and Tokhu Emong. The Naga tribes celebrate the Sekreni Genna. TRIPURA Karchi Puja (July), seven-day festival at Agartala at Chaturdash Devta temple followed by Ker Puja. Tripureshwari temple Festival (November) held during Diwali at Udaipur. Other festivals celebrated are Ker Puja, Garia Puja , Ganja Puja , Durga Puja and Pans - Sankranti Mela.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH The major festivals are Losar, Khan, Nyokum, Orankum Garkuyo, Boori Boot, Dree, Si-Donyi, Mopin, Solung, Aran, Tamladu, Sahgken, Ren, Oriah, Loku, Ojiele and Mol. ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLAND Onam is celebrated with gaiety, when carpets of flowers are laid and dances with lyrics recalling the golden reign of King Mahabali are sung. Boat races are organised. Kali puja is done during Dussehra. Pongal is also celebrated with preparations made of rice and offered to Surya (sun god). Sankranti is celebrated in a few areas. Christmas and Easter are celebrated in a festive mood. Ramzan, Muharram and Bakrid are also celebrated with significance.

CALENDAR OF FESTIVALS AND FAIRS

January International Film Festival: Held in Delhi in odd years (1993, 1995 etc). In other major cities (Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad and Bangalore) in even years. Park Circus Arts Fes- tival. Calcutta. Thyagaraja Music Festival. Thiruvaiyaru, near Thanjavur. Makar Sankranti : A festival with triple significance - astronomi- cal, meteorological and religious. Bathing on banks of holy rivers and meeting points like the Triveni Sangam in Allahabad. Til (Ses- amum) seed is believed to destroy sins and so applied before bathing, offered to fire, mixed with water and distributed. as sweets. In Bengal and south India, people fast that day, rice is given importance. In Tamil Nadu, Pongal is celebrated for 3 days. In Punjab on Lohri day, rewari (sweet) with til and sugar is distrib- uted. Women exchange red powder, bangles, combs, pots etc. and on the seventh day (Ratha Saptami) milk is boiled in the courtyard within a pot painted red and offered to the Sun. International Kite Festival (13-15 Jan) : The special event in Ahmedabad - Gujarat on Makar Sankranti day. The best kites are available in Manak Chowk and Tankshala Kalupur. Kites keep dotting the sky even after dusk, when they carry lamps within them - a panorama of ethereal beauty. Lohri. : Mid-January. Punjabi festival marking the height of winter. Rimpa Music Festival, V aranasi. Republic Day, (Jan 26) cele- brated all over India in state capitals but best in Delhi where a spectacular military parade is held. Folk Dance Festival is held in Delhi on January 27-28 as part of the Republic Day celebrations followed by the Beating the Retreat ceremony on January 29. Ravidas Jayanti : Birthday of Saint Ravidas (15th Century), who spent his life meditating on the banks of Ganga performing miracles, was a sudra and so worshipped mainly by Harijans and others with huge processions terminating at the temples accompanied by music. January/February Teepam (Floating Festival): Madurai. The full moon night at Maramman Teppakulam tank decorated and illuminated. Images of Meenakshi and her consort beautifully dressed are brought in proces- sion and floated on raft with flowers and lamps accompanied by chantings of hymns.

Desert Festival. Jaisalmer. Livestock Fair. Nagaur, near Jodhpur.

Vasant Panchami. Celebrated in the north where it marks the first day of spring and in Bengal where it honours the goddess of learning, Saraswati. Field sports and kite flying are organised in the celebrations. February Carnival. Goa: Carnival begins three days prior to the period of Lent. The Portuguese began the festival in 1510 A.D. Folk dances, KoVikani songs, dramas, centring round interesting incidents, tradi- tional music with drums and "rombat", bullfights and fancy dress balls, decorated cars, carriages and floats. Tansen Music Festival. February in Delhi and December in Gwalior in honour of the great 16th century musician Tansen who was a member of Akbar's court. Lucknow Arts Festival., Lucknow- attracts India's top musi- cians and dancers. Dhrupad Music Festival. , Delhi and Varanasi last week of February. Maharaj Kalka Bindadi; Kathak Dance Festival. Delhi. F ebruary/March Shankar Lai Music Festival. Delhi. Shivaratri. devotees of Shiva, Shaivaites spend the whole night worshipping Lord Shiva, all over India but best at important Shiva temples at Khajuraho, Varanasi, Mandi and Chidambaram. Holi celebrating the advent of spring, in a big way in north India. Everybody sprays everyone else with coloured water and red powder. March Khajuraho Dance Festival , Early March. Khajuraho. Seven - day dance festival. Top dancers perform classical dance drama against temple backdrops. JamshedNavroz. New Year's Day for Parsees following the Parsi calendar. Best witnessed in Maharashtra (Bombay) and Gujarat. March/April Gangaur. This festival is held in honour of Gauri the goddess of abundance and fertility. Rajasthan especially Udaipur and Jaipur. Also in Bengal and Orissa where it is called Doljatra.