Our new year start in Chaitra masa which we celebrate on the day of Holi in phalgun masa . To have a colour full start we have introduced the tradition of playing with colours. The dried weeds/shrubs are cut and burn as a part of Holika Dahan which symbolizes “ Burai ka naash “. The burning of those weeds makes environment bacteria free and pure. We also have a tradition of putting ubtan before Holika and burning the remains while Holika Dahan. Which keeps us in practice of cleaning our selves and gives us realization of burning the layer of dirt we deposit every year in our mind of hatred and other evil things. forgetting all grudges we play colours on holi. Then their is a tradition of going to our near and dear ones to meet, at least people in their busy life get a reason to meet and celebrate together. Making special sweet of Holi called Guzhia keeps the knowledge of the cuisine alive and gets transmitted generation to generation.
After Holi comes the other major festival in the month of
Bhadrapada called Rakshabandhan. It is a festival of brother and sister. It keeps the relationship between brother and sister alive. Sister pray for the well being of there brother, they promise to take care of their sisters life long. The festival keeps the feeling alive. The celebration brings people together. The tying of the Rakshabandhan on brother’s hand give him a feeling of there lives tied with each other by god as brother and sister.
In karttika masa comes karwachauth. This is a fasting come festival celebrated by all married women for their husbands. Its pooja is again done with a story telling which tells the importance of relationship between a husband and wife and how both compliment each other. The woman prays for husbands safety in our tradition and the husband takes care of his wife. The ceremony of husband feeding wife after her full day fast gives them the realization that they will need each other for there whole life and should celebrate together. The use of new rice for pooja is indication of the second harvest of rice.
The other festival in the same season is Ramnavami when the birth of Lord Rama is celebrated. At that time the whole epic Ramayana is recited in different forms and the tradition gets transferred from generation to generation. On the last day Ravan’s puppet is burnt to give message of “ Burai par achcahi ki vijay” i.e. irrespective of power the good conquers bad is the message. The practice of Ramlila keeps the old stage art culture of India alive. Also the craft of making puppets and stage for the same.
After that comes Dipawali which brings lots of joy of
celebration.In the month of Dipawali festival people take big decision, purchase properties etc as they consider the month auspicious. On the occasion of dipawali people clean there each tit bit of house and make it look new again. Lots of sweets are prepared. Tradition of making rangoli inviting Goddess lakshmi and doing lakshmi and Ganesh pooja are part of the dipawali celebration. As said that Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya on the day of Dipawali so people light up their homes with diyas and celebrate his victory. The whole festivals again brings people together.
Then comes Makarsankranti in the Magh masa which is celebrated on the occasion of new harvest. People pray Sun God on the occasion. Taking bath early morning and giving “arg” to Sun God is a important part of the festival. After that meal is prepared with the new rice and people eat that. Also tradition of flying kites on that day is very famous. The whole environment seems refreshing.
Again we wait for new holi, rakshabandhan etc. like this the whole year goes in hand from one festival to another. There are many other “vratas” and “tyoharas” which I have not covered here. But the Indian Festivals are major part of our Indian culture and tradition which keeps them alive in us. Apart from festivals there are lots of rituals which are like one time festivals, they are marriage, upanayan sanskar, janeyu sanskar etc. The article is in context with the festivals I have celebrated since my childhood, there are many more which I am aware of and have not covered here but all of them are again like a story of year for me.
