National Indian Holidays: Description, Traditions and Rites

India is a multinational and multicultural country that has a unique flavor. It intrigues and attracts travelers from all over the world. Many people dream of getting acquainted with the culture of this country. Indian holidays are especially interesting. Bright and original, they are endowed with a deep meaning and are accompanied by interesting customs.

National holidays

The main state Indian holidays are as follows:

• Independence Day is a national holiday, which is celebrated on August 15. It is associated with the declaration of independence of the republic from Great Britain. On this day, cities and villages hold a ceremonial raising of the flag, politicians make speeches, and festive processions are held.

• Gandhi's birthday is a holiday that is celebrated on the second of October. This is the birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was an outstanding leader of the national liberation movement, as well as the Father of Nations. This holiday is celebrated in India everywhere. The main events are held in Delhi - in the place where part of the ashes of a statesman is buried. On this day, religious and political figures, as well as ordinary people, gather at the grave of Gandhi.

• Republic Day is a public holiday, which is celebrated on January 26 since 1950. A characteristic feature of this day is large-scale festive processions in the state capitals (the largest processions are held in Delhi). The parade is attended by politicians and local residents. The festive atmosphere is given by beautifully decorated holiday platforms.

Diwali

One of the main Indian holidays is Diwali. By its significance it can be compared with the European New Year. It symbolizes the victory of good over evil. It is about the victory of the god Krishna over the demon Narakasura, who kidnapped the Indian princesses. People met the winner with lit torches and lamps. It was this tradition that became the main one.

The Indian festival of Diwali is celebrated for five days. Their description is given in the table.

Interestingly, during the Diwali festival, interest in gambling (especially in northern India) is growing. Moreover, people do not play with the goal of winning, but simply for the sake of pleasure. This tradition is connected with the legend of the goddess Parvati and her husband Shiva, who played dice. The goddess said that everyone who begins to play on the Diwali festival will be safe throughout the year. They also say that one who will not play for the holiday will be reborn into a donkey in his next life.

Ganesha Chaturthi Festival

The Ganesha Chaturthi Festival is one of the brightest Indian holidays, which is organized in honor of Ganesha's birthday. The day of the festival varies annually depending on the lunar cycle. As a rule, it falls between August 19 and September 20.

God Ganesha is considered an assistant to the Indians. The festival is aimed at appeasing the deity. The celebration lasts ten days, but in some regions it can last up to two weeks. The beginning of the festival is marked by a meeting of people on the largest area of ​​the village. As a rule, many statues of Ganesha are installed in this place, which can be either gigantic or very small.

Priests gather around the sculptures and read prayers. Ordinary people bring gifts to Ganesha - milk, fruits, coconuts, sweets. But the believers themselves during the holiday can not eat these products. All this is done with the goal of establishing a close spiritual connection with the deity, in order to establish life and remove obstacles. At the end of the festival, the Ganesha statues are lowered into the water to help him return to heaven.

Vaisakhi

Among the Indian holidays and ceremonies, a special place is occupied by Vaisakhi - the harvest festival. It is held from April 12 to April 14 and symbolizes the beginning of a new year. The holiday begins in the early morning, before the sun has risen. People carry flowers to temples, after which they take a bath in the river. After visiting the place of worship of the Sikhs and a religious meeting, they eat kara prasadam. This is a sweet flour with butter. During the day, festive processions are held with the participation of hundreds of people dressed up in national clothes.

In a slightly different way, this holiday is celebrated in the countryside. People buy new elegant clothes, attend holiday fairs and concerts of folklore ensembles, and also prepare national dishes. Later, everyone goes out into the field, dancing and shouting loudly, congratulating each other on the New Year.

Holi

The beginning of spring symbolizes the Indian holiday of Holly. It existed as early as three hundred years BC, as evidenced by records in the Vedas, Sanskrit, and on stone slabs. The celebration is held during the full moon of the month of Phalguna (as a rule, this is the end of February - the beginning of March). Several legends are associated with the origin of the holiday:

• The name of the Indian festival of Holi is associated with the name of Holika - the sister of the evil king Hiranyakasipu. Prahlada, the son of the king, worshiped the god Vishnu, despite the protests of his father. Then the demoness Kholika persuaded her nephew to go through the fire in a sign of worship of Vishnu. She, like a witch, should not have been hit by fire. But to everyone’s surprise Prahlada came out of the fire unscathed (since Vishnu was saved), and Kholika burned to the ground.

• In another legend, Kholika acts as a positive character. She was the sister of an evil king who received immortality as a gift. Holika supported her nephew, who held true faith. For this, the evil king ordered his son and sister to be burned at the stake. In response to the prayers of the youths, the gods sent him a multi-colored scarf that saved him from the fire. The prince covered them with Kholik, but a gust of wind tore off the scarf and threw it on the young man. He survived, and Holika burned down. As punishment, the gods struck with lightning in the heart of the evil king.

The Indian Holi festival is widely celebrated throughout the country. They begin to prepare for the festival in a few weeks - they paint the walls of houses in bright colors, hang colorful garlands and other decorations, decorate the premises with flowers. Also, people pre-purchase multi-colored paints and spray bottles for water.

About two weeks before the main holiday, small festivals begin to take place in the villages, during which concerts and ritual games are held. Donations for the main celebration are also organized. The Indian festival of colors itself is held in three stages:

• On the evening of the first day, a huge effigy of Holiki is burned at the stake, after which people begin to walk on the coals.
• The second and third day is a noisy crowded procession, during which people sprinkle each other with colored powders and pour water over them.

Today, the Indian festival of colors is spread almost throughout the world. Of course, people do not give this action a religious meaning, they just like to shower each other with bright powders and enjoy the fun. Paint festivals are also held in Russia. It is worth noting that the organizers of the Holi festival are faced with resistance from Orthodox activists.

Krishna Janmashtami

The festival of Krishna-Janmashtami is the day of the appearance of Krishna, which is celebrated in India very widely. Everyone celebrates it, regardless of religion. But given the multinationality and multiculturalism of the country, it is carried out differently in each region.

In the southern regions of the country, Krishna-Janmashtami is a family holiday that can be compared to European Christmas. In the early morning, the statue of Krishna is washed and placed in a cradle, a rite of worship is performed. All relatives are trying to gather in one house to spend this special day together.

In the northern regions, Krishna Janmashtami is a vibrant and noisy holiday. In these places, Krishna is considered the god of dance, and therefore the celebration is accompanied by theatrical performances, in which a special place is occupied by the dance of young Krishna in the moonlight. The celebration may last several days.

In Maharashtra, this holiday is associated with the custom of dahi handi. It involves theatrical performances illustrating Krishna's pranks in childhood. Pour yogurt into clay pots and hang them high above the ceiling. Children build pyramids from improvised objects to get to the goodies. Meanwhile, the head of the main temple is fasting and praying. The next day, a festive procession is held, which ends with festivities.

Dushera

October 12 marks the Indian holiday of Dusher, which symbolizes the victory of good over evil, namely the victory of Rama (incarnation of the god Vishnu) over Ravana (the king of demons). Preparation begins a few weeks before the holiday. The venue of the demolition of the king of demons and his retinue is demolished. They are covered with colored paper, and clappers are put inside.

On the evening of October 12, a bustling Indian holiday begins. Thousands of people are being pulled to the venue. The figures of demons are set on fire, and settlements are lit up by a flame of fire, firecrackers and fireworks begin to explode deafeningly. The brightness of the fire is sometimes amazing. So, the flame in the central square of Delhi, as a rule, is brighter than dozens of spotlights. People have fun, applaud and wait until the flame completely absorbs the figure of Ravana. The ashes are not removed for several more days as a sign of hope that evil forces have left the earth.

Also, this Indian holiday is associated with the veneration of the goddess Durga. It was to her that Rama prayed for victory over Ravana. To please the goddess of good, he collected 108 rare blue lotuses for her. Durga decided to test Rama and hid one flower. Since there should have been exactly 108 gifts, he sacrificed his eye. In gratitude, the goddess endowed him with miraculous power. In honor of Durga, a sculpture is mounted on the squares, sitting on a lion. The statue has ten hands, each of which has 10 types of weapons.

Across the country, the Indian festival of Duser (Dusher) is accompanied by theatrical performances embodying the legend of Rama. Actors throw burning arrows at demons, and the audience joyfully rejoices. Children enjoy sweets that are distributed free of charge that evening.

Onam

Onam is a colorful Indian festival held in Kerala. It is dedicated to harvesting and falls at the end of August-beginning of September. The origin of the holiday is associated with the king of Mahabali. When he ruled India, the fields brought a huge harvest, and people were rich and happy. The people worshiped their king more than the gods. Even when the god Vishnu deceived and overthrew the king, people did not forget their beloved ruler and began to venerate him annually.

On a festive day, Indians richly decorate houses, lay paths from flower petals, dress in national dresses and take part in festivities. But the festival is held on a large scale and is accompanied by such customs:

• On the first day, people arrange a procession of elephants along the alley, decorated with colorful flags and lit torches. Later, a sacred dinner is held, consisting of 13 different dishes.

• Near the house, Indians make earthen mounds, symbolizing the Mahabali and Vishnu. They are decorated with fresh flowers and funny songs are sung.

• Throughout the festival, it is customary to lay out floral carpets. Between the rows of flowers, bright lamps are placed. Active participation in this process is taken by young children.

• On the main day of the festival (Thiruwonam), Indians thoroughly clean their houses, decorate yards with flowers and garlands, and prepare a delicious dinner. The oldest member of the family gives relatives new clothes.

• The fifth day of the festival is marked by river races and other competitions.

• During the festival, lamps are lit in the temples, and the entrances are decorated with palm posts. They are burned on the last day.

Navaratri

Translated from Sanskrit, the Indian holiday of Navaratri means "nine nights." It lasts ten days and nine nights during which female deities are honored (Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Maha-Gauri, Siddhidatri). There are five varieties of Navaratri in the year, but the main Indian holiday falls on the autumn autumn month of Ashwin (September-October).

Navaratri festival is held differently in different regions of India. Namely:

• North Indians fast for nine days, and a ritual dance is performed every night.

• In West Bengal, the main Indian holiday is marked by the installation of statues of the goddess Durga in the temples. They are richly decorated and worshiped for five days. On the sixth day, the statues are lowered into the river.

• Punjab has been fasting for seven days. On the eighth day little girls are invited to the houses and worshiped like goddesses - they wash their feet, give jewelry and offer refreshments.

• In Maharashtra, grains are planted in a clay pot and grown for nine days. Women worship him as a deity, decorating with garlands of flowers and bringing offerings.

Thrissur Puram

Thrissur Puram, or elephant festival - the largest national Indian holiday. These animals are very important for the inhabitants of the country. They are common in all regions and are faithful companions and assistants to the Indians. Thus, the festival of elephants is a tribute to and respect for these gigantic animals. In addition, the elephant is the personification of the god Ganesha, so the festival has a double meaning. Thousands of tourists from all over the world come to see this grandiose action.

The holiday is held in the city of Thrissur and lasts as long as 36 hours. It begins early in the morning with several processions, in which 15 elephants take part. On the back of the main animal in a column is a statue of the god Krishna, in another column - a statue of the goddess Devi. Each of the temples sends 15 elephants to the festival, which will take part in the main holiday.

All groups of decorated animals gather near the main temple and stand opposite each other to the hypnotic music of the orchestra. On the back of each elephant sits a man, rotating a silk umbrella. Periodically, men grow to their full height, performing ritual movements in time with the music. Elephants also take part in the dance - they move their ears and trunks.

The culmination of the festival takes place with the onset of darkness. Multi-colored fireworks and bright lanterns are launched into the sky.

Mahashivaratri

Mahashivaratri, or the Great Night of Shiva, is one of the main holidays in India. He is religious. Its date is floating and depends on the lunar cycle. As a rule, it falls on February-March. Legend has it that this night the wedding of Shiva and Parvati took place. It was at this moment that the worship of the god Shiva possesses the greatest strength and energy.

On the eve of the holiday, believers observe strict fasting, meditate and pray. At night, the whole of India is filled with the sounds of mantras dedicated to Shiva. In the afternoon, people drink a drink of milk, hemp and almonds. But not everyone observes this rite. Only people who have devoted their lives to the service of Shiva and are ascetics adhere to it. Ordinary people on this holiday pray for family well-being and prosperity.

A bit about Indian cinema

In the search for information about the holidays, you will probably come across films in the names of which this word is present. So, the painting "The Fatal Holiday" is quite popular. An Indian film from the year 2000 tells the story of a guy who died at the hands of a terrorist group - the brother of beautiful Rupa. Miraculously, the surviving girl vowed revenge on the killers. The main character of the Indian "Fatal Holiday" understands that it is difficult for a weak girl to cope with bandits, and therefore it is necessary to act by cunning. Having met with the kind, romantic and judicious guy Kishan, she decides to bring him to her revenge at all costs. For this, the girl is playing love. What will come of it?

In 2011, the Feast of Love saw the light of day, an Indian film about chef Michael Velayudam. A charming man loves beautiful girls, but avoids serious relationships and responsibilities in every way, because he has a completely different dream - to work on the New York Stock Exchange. Nevertheless, Michael's views on life change when he falls in love with the beautiful Mira Chatry. Young people enjoyed love until the girl received a job offer. The world needs to go abroad, and lovers break up. But this is only the beginning of a fascinating story.

Conclusion

India is an amazing country. Here glaring poverty is closely adjacent to incredible wealth. India is frightening some, astonishing some, perplexing others, but it is simply impossible to remain indifferent to it. Despite all the hardships, the Indians are a people with a cheerful character and rich culture, and this is reflected in original traditions and bright holidays. Colorful festivals have spread around the world. But true seekers of the unusual seek to visit real holidays in India itself.

If you, as an avid traveler, plan to go to India during national or religious holidays, you should know that at this time many rural residents come to large cities. Therefore, you should take care of the accommodation in advance and book a hotel room.