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Computational Intelligence and Operations Laboratory (CIOL) 2

Public holidays in India

India

Public Holidays in India also known as Government Holidays colloquially, consist of a variety of cultural, nationalistic, and religious holidays that are legislated in India at the union or state levels. Being a culturally diverse country, there are many festivals celebrated in various regions across the country. There are only three national holidays declared by Government of India: Republic Day (26 January), Independence Day (15 August), and Gandhi Jayanti (2 October). Apart from this, certain holidays which are celebrated nationally are declared centrally by the Union Government. Additionally, various state governments and union territories designate additional holidays on local festivals or days of importance as holidays as per section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. == National holidays == National holidays are mandatory holidays declared by Government of India which is applicable for all states and union territories of India. == Central holidays == In addition to the three fixed national holidays, Union Government of India declares additional days as holidays which are largely followed by central government offices and affiliates. In addition to designated fixed holidays, few other days are designated optional from which select number of days can be chosen according to individual convenience. === Optional === == State holidays == In addition to the above, various state governments and union territories designate additional holidays on local festivals or days of importance as holidays as per section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. === Harvest festivals === === New year === === State days === === Birth and anniversary days === Banks have specific holidays according to the various states or union territories in addition to every second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions have specific term holidays according to the state or board.

Alta (dye)

India

Alta (Bengali: আলতা), Lakshaya Rasa, Alah, Mahavar is a red dye that is applied to the hands and feet of women, mainly in the Indian subcontinent. It is applied with a cotton swab or brush to the hands and feet during marriage ceremonies and festivals. Alta is originally produced from soaked betel leaves, although today it is mainly replaced with synthetic dyes. == Early history == Early mention of Alta comes from Upanishads where it is known as Lakshaya Rasa meaning red-lac dye pigment derived from lac resin as one of sixteen adornments of woman known as Solah-Shringar. == Cultural significance == === Bengali culture ===Alta has great cultural significance in Bengali culture. Regardless of religious beliefs, Bengali women traditionally adorn their hands and feet with alta for marriage and cultural festivals like Pahela Baishakh, Pahela Falgun and others. Wearing Alta on Durga Pooja is a common ritual for Odia and Bengali women. === Odia culture ===Alta is also significant in Odisha. It can be commonly seen worn by Odissi classical dancers on hands and feet while performing. It is especially prevalent during Raja or Mithun Sanakranti, which is a three-day festival celebrating womanhood (menstruation). During this festival, as a part of the ritual, women apply alta on their feet symbolising fertility and auspiciousness. Alta and turmeric is also applied during marriages in Odia culture. === Nepali === In Nepal it is known as 'Alah' and it is important part of wedding, religious rituals and festivals.

Baha parab

India

Baha parab or Baa parab is a spring festival of Ho, Santhal,Munda and other tribes in India. Baha or Baa means flower. At Baha parab or Baa parab men, women and children are attired in traditional clothes, Offering Flowers to God Marang Buru and Jaher Ayo, and Madal tamak(drums) are beat and tribal woman and man dancing. == Ritual == Marking the festival, the naikey or deurey (the priest) performs a ritual. A kula with flowers and leaves of the sal tree is offered to a Jaherthan (the altar) and devotees pray to Jaher Era, the god. After performing the rituals, the naikey along with others goes from door to door with the kula to bless everyone. People in the household, in particular young girls or women, offer food to the naikey. The naikey's feet are washed with water as he is welcomed by a family. After performing the rituals, the second part of programme start with dances, songs and archery practice. == Further reading == Bodding, P.O. (2001). Traditions and institutions of the Santals. Gyan. ISBN 8121206723. OCLC 728672614. Culshaw, J.W. Tribal heritage : a study of the Santals. ISBN 9788121208574. OCLC 904104068. == External links == Slideshow - Baha Parab, the Santal Flower Festival celebrating Man's Communion with Nature – West Bengal. www.indiantribalheritage.org. Retrieved 2017-05-19.

Bandna

India

Bandna (spelt as Bāndnā, Hindi: बांदना) is an agriculture-oriented festival in which domestic cattle and agriculture appliances are worshiped. The festival mostly observed in the state of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Assam, and celebrated annually as per Hindu calendar in the month of Amavashya of Kartik. == Overview == Bandna is a celebration of the paddy seeds that are sown by the region's agrarian communities. This festival is celebrated by the cultivator communities like Bagal, Rajuar, Kumhar, Bauri, Bagdi, Yadav, Kurmi, Kalwar, Ahir, Koiri, Gorai and several other communities of East India. It is one of many Indian festivals during which cattle are worshiped. == Ritual ==Bandna is a seven-day festival: the first three days are Chumaan; the fourth day is Goth Puja; the fifth day is Goriyaa Puja; the sixth day is Borod Khuntaan; and the seventh day is Budhi Bandna. The rituals of the first three days are sometimes extended to five days prior to Goth Puja. == Myth == Lord Shiva (Burha Baba) created men, he provided them with food. In due course, they multiplied into a sizeable population. Shiva advised them to produce their own food by cultivating the land. However, without agricultural implements and technology, farmers had many problems. They beseeched the lord for a solution. Shiva took pity on them and provided them with cattle. Initially, the relationship between the men and the cattle was cordial, but over time, it worsened and the cattle were abused. The cattle complained to Shiva. The complaint encompassed strenuous work, extended work hours, inadequate food, unhygienic shelters, beatings, lack of recreation and ingratitude towards their contribution. The lord assured them that he would inspect secretly on the night of Kartik Amavasya. The men became aware of the complaints, to the people cleaned their houses and cowsheds, and on the day of Amavasya, the cattle were properly washed while their horns and foreheads were smeared with oil and vermilion. The cattle were provided with fodder and the Gohal (cowshed) was illuminated with Diyas (earthen lamps). Bundles of grass were put along with Diyas on both sides of the entrance of the cowshed. Sohrai grass was placed on the roof to signify the availability of food for the cattle. On the second day, Shiva found the people worshiping Garaiya with special offerings, including a sacrifice made in their honour. On the third day, he observed that the cattle were in a merry mood, dancing with the people. The songs and the music filled the air with warmth, enthusiasm and harmony. On his way back, he found the Bagals/Dhangars (contractual header) playing with the cattle at the gochar (grazing land). This made the complaint invalid. The next season, the cattle complained again about hardships, prompting Shiva to inspect them on the same day. The lord made a secret visit, finding the cattle happy and content. Since then, the tradition continued and is annually celebrated as Bandna Parab. Karam == Further reading == Kumar, Shaktipada. Tracing the Cultural Tradition of Jangalmahal through Bandna Parab and Jawa-Karam Parab (PDF). Retrieved 15 October 2021. Behera, Dr. Lipika (2017). Major Festivals of Mayurbhanj (PDF). The Researchers' International Research Journal. 3: 37–38. ISSN 2455-1503 – via The Researchers. General, India Office of the Registrar (1967). Census of India, 1961. Manager of Publications.

Bhima Pushkaram

India

The Bhima Pushkaram is the Pushkaram river festival organized on the banks of the Bhima river. It is a Hindu festival, organized once every 12 years. Thousands of people dive in to take a bath as worship. The Rashi or the Hindu zodiac sign for this river is Vrishchika or Scorpio.

Bizhu

India

The Bizu festival is celebrated by the Chakma people in Bangladesh and India, as the traditional New Year's Day which falls on 13 or 14 April. == Bizhu == Bizhu is a three-day-long festival that commemorates the commencement of a new year for the Chakmas and is their most important festival. Bizhu marks the Chaitra-sankranti, which is the last day of the Bengali calendar, and the festivities span a period of three days starting on the day of the Chaitra-sankranti. It is thought that the festival lasted for a full fortnight in earlier times. Bizhu has close links to the practice of jhum cultivation among the Chakmas and is believed to have originated as a festival to propitiate the earth for a bounteous harvest following the first rains of the agricultural season. In recent years, the festival has lost some of its agrarian linkages and has become a social event for the Chakmas. The rituals associated with Bizhu too have been simplified over time. The festivities begin on the first day, also known as the Phool Bizhu, when Chakma households are cleaned out and decked with flowers. In the evening special prayers are made to the Buddha and lamps lit at the Chakmas' houses and Buddhist temples. The next day, Mul Bizhu, is a time for socialising as people visit others in their village, participate in traditional games and cook special curries and sweets for the day. According to Chakma belief, a person dying on the day of Mul Bizhu goes to heaven. The Mul Bizhu ends with a performance of the Bizhu dance. The last day, Gojjepojje din is set aside for the performance of various religious and social activities. == Bizhu dance == Bizhu dance is a dance performed by the Chakma people on their new year, Bizu and is one of the traditional dances of Chakma people. The Bizhu dance is a group dance with participants aligning themselves in a square or circular pattern. The Chakmas dress up in their traditional attire when participating in it. It is thought to have originally been a devotional offering performed within the precincts of the Chakmas' temples. The dance is unlike other dance forms in that it is marked by abrupt pauses during its performance. In recent years it has enjoyed a surge in popularity owing to its appealing rhythm and easy tunes. Through the Bizhu dance, the Chakmas bid adieu to the departing year and usher in the new year. === Attire === The women wear pinon and khadi and deck themselves in silver ornaments while the men wear a headgear called khabang and a dhoti and jacket. === Musical accompaniments === The dance draws some of its charm by virtue of the music that accompanies it. Flutes and drums accompanying the dance set its rhythm. The dhol, baajhi, khenggarang and dhuduk accompany the dance. Of these, the khenggarang and dhuduk are crafted from bamboo while the dhol is a percussion instrument and the baajhi a flute.

Bohag Bihu

India

Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu also called Xaat Bihu (seven Bihus) is a traditional ethnic festival celebrated in the Northeastern Indian state of Assam and other parts of Northeastern India by the indigenous ethnic groups of Assam, and marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year. The festival is of mostly aboriginal origin comprising Tibeto-Burman and Tai elements. It usually falls in the 2nd week of April, historically signifying the time of harvest. Every year it falls on the 14th day of April. The holiday unites the different native communities of Assam regardless of their backgrounds and promotes the celebration of ethnic diversity. Rongali Utsav is a festival organised in Guwahati every year. The festival showcases tribal culture of Assam to the world. In Assam locally the onset of 'Bohag' (Assamese Calendar) marks the starting of Rongali Bihu. The three primary types of Bihu are Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu, Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu, and Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu. Each festival historically recognizes a different agricultural cycle of the paddy crops. During Rongali Bihu there are 7 pinnacle phases: 'Sot', 'Raati', 'Goru', 'Manuh', 'Kutum', 'Mela' and 'Sera'.Raati Bihu: This phase begins on the first night of the month of Sot and lasts till Uruka. This phase was usually performed beneath an ancient tree or in an open field illuminated by burning torches. It was celebrated in the villages and was meant as a gathering for the local women. The participation of men was mostly ceremonial where they played a pepa i.e. a buffalo hornpipe. Another notable musical instrument played in this phase was the bholuka baanhor toka which is a split bamboo musical instrument. Sot Bihu: Also called Bali Husori, this phase begins on the second day of the month of Sot Mah. On this day Bihu songs and dances are organized by the young at outdoor locations, fields or a naamghor bakori (yard of community prayer hall) till the occurrence of Uruka, the formal beginning of Rongali Bihu. Goru Bihu: This phase is related to the agricultural roots of Assam and the reverence of livestock which provided an ancient method of livelihood. On the last date of Sot month ie. the first day of Rongali Bihu is dedicated to the caring upkeep of livestock and a cattle show. Typically the collective cattle of a village are brought to a water source like a pond or a river. The cattle are washed with a combination of symbolic herbs : maah-halodhi (black gram and turmeric paste), whipped dighloti (litsea salicifolia, a plant with long leaf), makhioti (flemingia strobilifera, tonglati (a plant with flower like soft plastic butter-fly) and pieces of lau (bottle gourd) and bengena (brinjal). People sing the following passage: Dighloti dighal paat, maakhi marru jaat jaat; lau khaa bengena khaa, bosore bosore bardhi jaa, maare xaru baapere xoru toi hobi bor bor goru . This is roughly translated as : With our herbs and the leaves of dighloti, we drive away the flies which disturb you; we hope you accept our offering of brinjals and gourds, and continue to grow every year; and may you outgrow your parents. After washing the cattle, the remaining branches of dighloti-makhioti and lau-bengena chat etc. are hung on the roof of the cattle ranch signifying their participation. Games are organised which include collecting exho ebidh haak (101 types of vegetables), with variations of activities which may include specifics like gathering amlori tup (larvae of weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina), binding betel leaf plants, planting some bamboo roots, and many other symbolic harvest related ritual materials. There is also an occasional food fight, also known as Kori Khel, Paakha Khel and koni-juj. At Dusk, the cattle are paraded back to their ranches. The cattle are decorated with new harnesses, and are fed pitha (the typical Assamese confectionery). The day's end is marked by burning rice bran to create smoke.Manuh Bihu: The first day of the Bohag month marks Manuh Bihu ('Manuh' symbolises Elders and Ancestral Spirits). People give offerings to the elders and the ancestral spirits and ask for blessings. People have a special maah halodhi bath, put on new clothes and light saki at Gohai Ghor (the household prayer place). Manuh Bihu involves the tradition of seeking blessings from the elders in a family and presenting the ceremonial patch of Bihuwan or the Gamusa cloth, as a gift, to be worn as a symbol of cultural pride. A 'Gamusa' is an indispensable part of indigenous Assamese life and culture with its distinctive symbolic significance. The intricacy of its handcrafting symbolically historically heralded of the ideas of friendship, love, regards, warmth, hospitality and it is intimately woven into the social fabric of Assam. Kutum Bihu: The second date of Bohag Mah is Kutum Bihu (Kutum symbolises Kin). On this day people visit their families, relatives and friends and have lunch or dinner together and share news and stories. Mela Bihu: The third day of Bihu is marked by the celebration of Bihu with cultural events and competitions in outdoor locales (Mela symbolises Fair). In the ancient days, the King and his staff used to come out to such fairs or bihutolis to mingle in the Bihu celebrations. This tradition of events is continued till date with Bihu Melas or Bihu functions. The fairs are attended by people from all over Assam and are aimed at fostering an atmosphere of the communal brotherhood and the inclusion of everyone. Sera Bihu: Also called Bohagi Bidai, Phato Bihu it is the fourth and final day of Rongali Bihu. In different regions of Assam, people celebrate it differently but the common theme is wrapping up the celebrations with contemplation and future resolutions. It is marked by the exchange of Pithas made by different families during the Bihu week among their friends and relatives.

Chaand Raat

India

Chaand Raat (Bengali: চাঁদ রাত)(lit. 'Night of the moon') is a South Asian Cultural observance on the eve of the festival of Eid al-Fitr; it can also mean a night with a new moon for the new Islamic month Shawwal. Chaand Raat is a time of celebration when families and friends gather in open areas at the end of the last day of Ramadan to spot the new moon, which signals the arrival of the Islamic month of Shawwal and the day of Eid. Once the moon is sighted, people wish each other Eid Mubarak (Blessings of the Eid day). Women and girls decorate their hands with mehndi (henna), and people prepare desserts for the next day of Eid and do last rounds of shopping. City streets have a festive look, and brightly decorated malls and markets remain open late into the night. Chaand Raat is celebrated festively and passionately by Muslims (and occasionally non-Muslims as well) all over South Asia, and in socio-cultural significance, is comparable to Christmas Eve. == Etymology ==The term is derived from the Hindustani chānd rāt (Devanagari: चाँद रात, Nastaʼlīq: چاند رات), literally translating to 'moon night'. The two words in the term are derived from the Sanskrit words candrá (चंद्र) moon and rā́tri (रात्रि) night, respectively. == Background == Chaand Raat celebrations occur on the eve of Eid ul-Fitr, which is celebrated on 1 Shawwal. Originated in South Asia, the beginning of an Islamic month depends on the first sighting of the lunar crescent and thus the month of Ramadan can be of either 29 or 30 days. Chaand Raat occurs on the same evening on which first lunar crescent of the month of Shawwal is observed. As the exact day of Eid ul-Fitr is dependent on the moon sighting, Chaand Raat is often considered more festive on Eid ul-Fitr than Eid ul-Adha, which is known well in advance. == Festivities ==Once the new moon is sighted, announcements are made from mosques, television channels and radio stations. Festivities begin almost instantly and continue all night until the morning Fajr prayer. Entire families head out towards the local bazaars, markets and shopping malls. Shoppers usually purchase last-minute items for Eid, such as shalwar kameez, bangles, jewelry, bags, and shoes. Gifts and sweets are brought for friends while toys are brought for children. Barber shops and beauty parlors are also heavily visited in the evening in preparation for the following day. At home, women and girls decorate their hands with mehndi. People also decorate their homes and begin preparing food for the holiday. Decorative lights are put up in markets as well as government buildings, banks and mosques. Chaand Raat also gives a chance for people to meet with friends and extended family. According to historians, the festival of Chaurchan Puja became popular in Mithila during 16th century CE. There is a history related to it in regime of the King Hemangad Thakur of Mithila Kingdom. Once King Hemangad Thakur was arrested by Mughal for not paying tax to the Mughal emperor. He was brought to Delhi and sent to jail. In the jail he composed his astronomical text Grahan Mala which is the account of eclipses dates for 1088 years from 1620 AD to 2708 AD. It is said that Mughal emperor Akbar became very impressed with Hemangad Thakur for his work Grahan Mala, so he returned tax free Mithila Kingdom to the King Hemangad Thakur. When Hemangad Thakur came to Mithila with tax free kingdom, Queen Hemalata said Today the moon of Mithila has become free from stigma, we will see and worship it. After that the people of Mithila started celebrating the festival of Chaurchan Puja with larger enthusiasm. King Hemangad Thakur, with the consultations from Pandits, declared Chaurchan as Lokaparva (Folk festivals) of the Mithila Kingdom.

Chiithuni

India

Chiithuni Festival is a major festival celebrated by the Mao Naga tribe. The festival is usually held for 6 days from the 25th day of Chuthunikhro (January). The festival is held to mark the end of the harvest period and the beginning of a new period. == Rituals == Chiithuni Festival marks the end of a year and the beginning of a new year. The festival is held over a period of 6 days with each day holding an important function. It is believed that the rituals practised during the festival are a means for the villagers to request the gods and their ancestors to guide them throughout the year. The first day of the festival is the preparatory day known as Nisha. The villagers must prepare themselves with a clean heart. They also keep themselves extremely clean by taking regular baths and cleaning all their belongings. Rice beer is prepared beforehand on the 18th day of Chuthunikhro and neighbours sit around to taste it. The second day is known as Niji. It is on this day that the main feast takes place. Meat is cooked and distributed. The patriarch of the family then proceeds to offer some of the cooked meat to the gods. In the evening, a huge bonfire is created and the villagers' feast, sing, and dance. The third day, called Oshu Kope, is an important day in terms of the various ceremonies conducted. All the villagers gather in the morning and then go to the jungle to chase and hunt birds with their bare hands. The person who catches the first bird is considered the luckiest person of the year. The third day of the festival is also considered auspicious for women who are married. They are invited to their ancestral home and returned to their husband's home with a strip of meat and rice beer as a gift that signifies the eternal family bond. On the fourth, fifth, and sixth day of Chiithuni, festivities are held throughout the day. People feast, drink local-made rice beer and celebrate with songs, dance, and traditional games. On the first day of the following month, Chisiilopra (February), all the men and women of the village don their traditional attires with their weapons (for the men) and baskets (for the women). Then they go on a procession to a designated spot on a hill to mark the end of the festival. After reaching the spot, the young men play traditional games to show off their prowess and abilities. On this day it is believed that everyone must come home before the sun sets or there will be severe consequences that would lead to death in the village. With the acceptance of Christianity, the festival has taken a more toned-down level. The blessing of the gods and forefathers have been replaced with praying for blessings from God and many traditional games have been replaced by modern games

Cooch Behar Rash Mela

India

Cooch Behar Rash Mela (commonly known as just Rash Mela or Ras Mela; Bengali: রাস মেলা) is the annual winter carnival in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India which is organised on the occasion of Rash Purnima every year between the months of November and December every year since the rule of the 17th King of Koch Bihar Maharaja Harendra Narayan. It is being held every year except in 1912 due to the cholera outbreak and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The duration of the carnival varies between 15-20 days every year. == History == The exact date of inauguration of the carnival is not known but is widely accepted that it began during the rule of the 17th King of Koch Bihar, i.e. Maharaja Harendra Narayan, during 1783-1839. The evidence of this was found in the book Rajyopakhyan. The event was first held in Bhetaguri (formerly known as Vetaguri) after which it was organised in the complex of the Madan Mohan temple. Since 1912, it is being organised in the Rash Mela Ground. The festival was conducted elsewhere within a small scale in 1912 due to the cholera outbreak but it continued to be celebrated annually then after except in 2020. The carnival was also conducted after the theft of the idol of Sri Sri Madan Mohan from the temple in 1994. The event is currently organised by the Cooch Behar Municipality and the Debuttor Trust Board which is the temple trust. Rash Purnima is also celebrated with great joy in Nabadwip but unlike Nabadwip only Sri Krishna, the deity of the royal Koch kingdom is worshipped as Sri Sri Madan Mohan instead of the dual idol of Radha Krishna. People of all religions and backgrounds are welcomed in the event. The symbolic Rash Chakra is also constructed in the temple complex by a Muslim family from numerous generations which is rotated by people for seeking fortune and good luck. The chakra is made of bamboo and paper with floral designs and pictures of Lord Krishna. == Activities and events ==The event mainly consists of the programs held in the Madan Mohan temple and the main fair in the Rash mela ground. The event is inaugurated by the district magistrate of Cooch Behar every year. === Celebrations at the Madan Mohan temple === The main prayer and rituals are conducted in the Madan Mohan temple. The temple hosts the Rash Chakra along with a statue of Putana, a rakshasi (demoness) being killed by infant Krishna which is visited by thousands throughout the course of the event. Numerous kirtans and theatre plays called Jatra are organised during the night. === Fair at the Rash Mela ground === A fair is organised in the ground which hosts amusement rides like ferris wheel, mini-roller coasters among others. Along with this food stalls, handicraft stores, book stalls, household goods stalls, clothing stores and street game setups are organised. Traders from Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and nearby Indian states also visit the event. Apart from these a concert stage is set up in the middle of the ground which hosts numerous artists from around the region.

Diwali

India

Diwali (English: ), also known as Deepavali (IAST: Dīpāvalī), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions. It symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Diwali is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin (according to the amanta tradition) and Kartika—between around mid-September and mid-November. The celebrations generally last five or six days. Diwali is connected to various religious events, deities and personalities, such as being the day Rama returned to his kingdom in Ayodhya with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana after defeating the demon king Ravana. It is also widely associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and Ganesha, the god of wisdom and the remover of obstacles. Other regional traditions connect the holiday to Vishnu, Krishna, Durga, Shiva, Kali, Hanuman, Kubera, Yama, Yami, Dhanvantari, or Vishvakarman. Primarily a Hindu festival, variations of Diwali are also celebrated by adherents of other faiths. The Jains observe their own Diwali which marks the final liberation of Mahavira. The Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release of Guru Hargobind from a Mughal prison. Newar Buddhists, unlike other Buddhists, celebrate Diwali by worshipping Lakshmi, while the Hindus of Eastern India and Bangladesh generally celebrate Diwali by worshipping the goddess Kali. During the festival, the celebrants illuminate their homes, temples and workspaces with diyas (oil lamps), candles and lanterns. Hindus, in particular, have a ritual oil bath at dawn on each day of the festival. Diwali is also marked with fireworks as well as the decoration of floors with rangoli designs and other parts of the house with jhalars. Food is a major focus with families partaking in feasts and sharing mithai. The festival is an annual homecoming and bonding period not only for families, but also for communities and associations, particularly those in urban areas, which will organise activities, events, and gatherings. Many towns organise community parades and fairs with parades or music and dance performances in parks. Some Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs will send Diwali greeting cards to family near and far during the festive season, occasionally with boxes of Indian confectionery. Another aspect of the festival is remembering the ancestors. Diwali is also a major cultural event for the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain diaspora. The main day of the festival of Diwali (the day of Lakshmi Puja) is an official holiday in Fiji, Guyana, India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. == Etymology ==Diwali (English: )—also known as Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: dīpāvalī)—comes from the Sanskrit dīpāvali meaning 'row or series of lights'. The term is derived from the Sanskrit words dīpa, 'lamp, light, lantern, candle, that which glows, shines, illuminates or knowledge' and āvali, 'a row, range, continuous line, series'. == Dates == The five-day celebration is observed every year in early autumn after the conclusion of the summer harvest. It coincides with the new moon (amāvasyā) and is deemed the darkest night of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. The festivities begin two days before amāvasyā, on Dhanteras, and extend two days after, until the second (or 17th) day of the month of Kartik. (According to Indologist Constance Jones, this night ends the lunar month of Ashwin and starts the month of Kartik – but see this note and Amanta and Purnima systems.) The darkest night is the apex of the celebration and coincides with the second half of October or early November in the Gregorian calendar. The festival climax is on the third day and is called the main Diwali. It is an official holiday in a dozen countries, while the other festive days are regionally observed as either public or optional restricted holidays in India. In Nepal, it is also a multiday festival, although the days and rituals are named differently, with the climax being called the Tihar festival by Hindus and Swanti festival by Buddhists. == History == The five-day long festival originated in the Indian subcontinent and is likely a fusion of harvest festivals in ancient India. It is mentioned in early Sanskrit texts, such as the Padma Purana and the Skanda Purana, both of which were completed in the second half of the 1st millennium AD. The diyas (lamps) are mentioned in Skanda Kishore Purana as symbolising parts of the sun, describing it as the cosmic giver of light and energy to all life and which seasonally transitions in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik. Emperor Harsha refers to Deepavali, in the 7th-century Sanskrit play Nagananda, as Dīpapratipadotsava (dīpa = light, pratipadā = first day, utsava = festival), where lamps were lit and newly engaged brides and grooms received gifts. Rajasekhara referred to Deepavali as Dipamalika in his 9th-century Kavyamimamsa, wherein he mentions the tradition of homes being whitewashed and oil lamps decorated homes, streets, and markets in the night.Diwali was also described by numerous travelers from outside India. In his 11th-century memoir on India, the Persian traveller and historian Al Biruni wrote of Deepavali being celebrated by Hindus on the day of the New Moon in the month of Kartika. The Venetian merchant and traveller Niccolò de' Conti visited India in the early 15th-century and wrote in his memoir, on another of these festivals they fix up within their temples, and on the outside of the roofs, an innumerable number of oil lamps... which are kept burning day and night and that the families would gather, clothe themselves in new garments, sing, dance, and feast. The 16th-century Portuguese traveler Domingo Paes wrote of his visit to the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire, where Dipavali was celebrated in October with householders illuminating their homes, and their temples, with lamps. It is mentioned in the Ramayana that Diwali was celebrated for only 2 years in Ayodhya. Islamic historians of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire era also mentioned Diwali and other Hindu festivals. A few, notably the Mughal emperor Akbar, welcomed and participated in the festivities, whereas others banned such festivals as Diwali and Holi, as Aurangzeb did in 1665. Publications from the time of the British Raj also made mention of Diwali, such as the note on Hindu festivals published in 1799 by Sir William Jones, a philologist known for his early observations on Sanskrit and Indo-European languages. In his paper on The Lunar Year of the Hindus, Jones, then based in Bengal, noted four of the five days of Diwali in the autumn months of Aswina-Cartica [sic] as the following: Bhutachaturdasi Yamaterpanam (2nd day), Lacshmipuja dipanwita (the day of Diwali), Dyuta pratipat Belipuja (4th day), and Bhratri dwitiya (5th day). The Lacshmipuja dipanwita, remarked Jones, was a great festival at night, in honour of Lakshmi, with illuminations on trees and houses. === Epigraphy ===Sanskrit inscriptions in stone and copper mentioning Diwali, occasionally alongside terms such as Dipotsava, Dipavali, Divali and Divalige, have been discovered at numerous sites across India. Examples include a 10th-century Rashtrakuta empire copper plate inscription of Krishna III (939–967 CE) that mentions Dipotsava, and a 12th-century mixed Sanskrit-Kannada Sinda inscription discovered in the Isvara temple of Dharwad in Karnataka where the inscription refers to the festival as a sacred occasion. According to Lorenz Franz Kielhorn, a German Indologist known for translating many Indic inscriptions, this festival is mentioned as Dipotsavam in verses 6 and 7 of the Ranganatha temple Sanskrit inscription of the 13th-century Venad Hindu king Ravivarman Samgramadhira. Part of the inscription, as translated by Kielhorn, reads: the auspicious festival of lights which disperses the most profound darkness, which in former days was celebrated by the kings Ila, Kartavirya and Sagara, (...) as Sakra (Indra) is of the gods, the universal monarch who knows the duties by the three Vedas, afterwards celebrated here at Ranga for Vishnu, resplendent with Lakshmi resting on his radiant lap. Jain inscriptions, such as the 10th-century Saundatti inscription about a donation of oil to Jinendra worship for the Diwali rituals, speak of Dipotsava. Another early 13th-century Sanskrit stone inscription, written in the Devanagari script, has been found in the north end of a mosque pillar in Jalore, Rajasthan evidently built using materials from a demolished Jain temple. The inscription states that Ramachandracharya built and dedicated a drama performance hall, with a golden cupola, on Diwali. == Religious significance ==The religious significance of Diwali varies regionally within India. One tradition links the festival to legends in the Hindu epic Ramayana, where Diwali is the day Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman reached Ayodhya after a period of 14 years in exile after Rama's army of good defeated demon king Ravana's army of evil. Throughout the epic, Rama's decisions were always in line with dharma (duty) and the Diwali festival serves as a reminder for followers of Hinduism to maintain their dharma in day to day life. Per another popular tradition, in the Dvapara Yuga period, Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, killed the demon Narakasura, who was the evil king of Pragjyotishapura, near present-day Assam, and released 16000 girls held captive by Narakasura. Diwali was celebrated as a signifier of triumph of good over evil after Krishna's Victory over Narakasura. The day before Diwali is remembered as Naraka Chaturdashi, the day on which Narakasura was killed by Krishna.Many Hindus associate the festival with Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and wife of Vishnu. According to Pintchman, the start of the 5-day Diwali festival is stated in some popular contemporary sources as the day goddess Lakshmi was born from Samudra Manthana, the churning of the cosmic ocean of milk by the Devas (gods) and the Asuras (demons) – a Vedic legend that is also found in several Puranas such as the Padma Purana, while the night of Diwali is when Lakshmi chose and wed Vishnu. Along with Lakshmi, who is representative of Vaishnavism, Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Parvati and Shiva of Shaivism tradition, is remembered as one who symbolises ethical beginnings and the remover of obstacles. Hindus of eastern India associate the festival with the Goddess Kali, who symbolises the victory of good over evil. Hindus from the Braj region in northern India, parts of Assam, as well as southern Tamil and Telugu communities view Diwali as the day the god Krishna overcame and destroyed the evil demon king Narakasura, in yet another symbolic victory of knowledge and good over ignorance and evil. Trade and merchant families and others also offer prayers to Saraswati, who embodies music, literature and learning and Kubera, who symbolises book-keeping, treasury and wealth management. In western states such as Gujarat, and certain northern Hindu communities of India, the festival of Diwali signifies the start of a new year. Mythical tales shared on Diwali vary widely depending on region and even within Hindu tradition, yet all share a common focus on righteousness, self-inquiry and the importance of knowledge, which, according to Lindsey Harlan, an Indologist and scholar of Religious Studies, is the path to overcoming the darkness of ignorance. The telling of these myths are reminiscent of the Hindu belief that good ultimately triumphs over evil. === Other religions === Originally a Hindu festival, Diwali has transcended religious lines. Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Newar Buddhists, although for each faith it marks different historical events and stories, but nonetheless the festival represents the same symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. ==== Jainism ====A scholar of Jain and Nivethan, states that in Jain tradition, Diwali is celebrated in observance of Mahavira Nirvana Divas, the physical death and final nirvana of Mahavira. The Jain Diwali celebrated in many parts of India has similar practices to the Hindu Diwali, such as the lighting of lamps and the offering of prayers to Lakshmi. However, the focus of the Jain Diwali remains the dedication to Mahavira. According to the Jain tradition, this practice of lighting lamps first began on the day of Mahavira's nirvana in 527 BCE, when 18 kings who had gathered for Mahavira's final teachings issued a proclamation that lamps be lit in remembrance of the great light, Mahavira. This traditional belief of the origin of Diwali, and its significance to Jains, is reflected in their historic artworks such as paintings. ==== Sikhism ====Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas in remembrance of the release of Guru Hargobind from the Gwalior Fort prison by the Mughal emperor Jahangir and the day he arrived at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. According to J.S. Grewal, a scholar of Sikhism and Sikh history, Diwali in the Sikh tradition is older than the sixth Guru Hargobind legend. Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs, built a well in Goindwal with eighty-four steps and invited Sikhs to bathe in its sacred waters on Baisakhi and Diwali as a form of community bonding. Over time, these spring and autumn festivals became the most important of Sikh festivals and holy sites such as Amritsar became focal points for annual pilgrimages. The festival of Diwali, according to Ray Colledge, highlights three events in Sikh history: the founding of the city of Amritsar in 1577, the release of Guru Hargobind from the Mughal prison, and the day of Bhai Mani Singh's martyrdom in 1738 as a result of his failure to pay a fine for trying to celebrate Diwali and thereafter refusing to convert to Islam. ==== Buddhism ==== Diwali is not a festival for most Buddhists, with the exception of the Newar people of Nepal who revere various deities in Vajrayana Buddhism and celebrate Diwali by offering prayers to Lakshmi. Newar Buddhists in Nepalese valleys also celebrate the Diwali festival over five days, in much the same way, and on the same days, as the Nepalese Hindu Diwali-Tihar festival. According to some observers, this traditional celebration by Newar Buddhists in Nepal, through the worship of Lakshmi and Vishnu during Diwali, is not syncretism but rather a reflection of the freedom within Mahayana Buddhist tradition to worship any deity for their worldly betterment. == Celebrations == In the lead-up to Diwali, celebrants prepare by cleaning, renovating, and decorating their homes and workplaces with diyas (oil lamps) and rangolis (colourful art circle patterns). During Diwali, people wear their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with saaki (earthen lamp), diyas and rangoli, perform worship ceremonies of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared. The height of Diwali is celebrated on the third day coinciding with the darkest night of Ashvin or Kartika.The common celebratory practices are known as the festival of light, however there are minor differences from state to state in India. Diwali is usually celebrated twenty days after the Vijayadashami festival, with Dhanteras, or the regional equivalent, marking the first day of the festival when celebrants prepare by cleaning their homes and making decorations on the floor, such as rangolis. Some regions of India start Diwali festivities the day before Dhanteras with Govatsa Dwadashi. The second day is Naraka Chaturdashi. The third day is the day of Lakshmi Puja and the darkest night of the traditional month. In some parts of India, the day after Lakshmi Puja is marked with the Govardhan Puja and Balipratipada (Padwa). Some Hindu communities mark the last day as Bhai Dooj or the regional equivalent, which is dedicated to the bond between sister and brother, while other Hindu and Sikh craftsmen communities mark this day as Vishvakarma Puja and observe it by performing maintenance in their work spaces and offering prayers.Rituals and preparations for Diwali begin days or weeks in advance, typically after the festival of Dusshera that precedes Diwali by about 20 days. The festival formally begins two days before the night of Diwali, and ends two days thereafter. Each day has the following rituals and significance: Diwali has become more popular in other countries. In New York City lawmakers have passed legislation to make holidays in school. But debates over the holiday push back. In the future Diwali will be a holiday. === Dhanteras, Dhanatrayodashi, Yama Deepam (Day 1) ===Dhanteras, derived from Dhan meaning wealth and teras meaning thirteenth, marks the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin or Kartik and the beginning of Diwali in most parts of India. On this day, many Hindus clean their homes and business premises. They install diyas, small earthen oil-filled lamps that they light up for the next five days, near Lakshmi and Ganesha iconography. Women and children decorate doorways within homes and offices with rangolis, colourful designs made from rice flour, flower petals, coloured rice or coloured sand, while the boys and men decorate the roofs and walls of family homes, markets, and temples and string up lights and lanterns. The day also marks a major shopping day for buying new utensils, home equipment, gold jewellery, firecrackers, and other items. On the evening of Dhanteras, families offer prayers (puja) to Lakshmi and Ganesha, and lay offerings of puffed rice, candy toys, rice cakes and batashas (hollow sugar cakes). According to Tracy Pintchman, Dhanteras is a symbol of annual renewal, cleansing and an auspicious beginning for the next year. The term Dhan for this day also alludes to the Ayurvedic icon Dhanvantari, the god of health and healing, who is believed to have emerged from the churning of cosmic ocean on the same day as Lakshmi. Some communities, particularly those active in Ayurvedic and health-related professions, pray or perform havan rituals to Dhanvantari on Dhanteras. On Yama Deepam (also known as Yama Dipadana or Jam ke Diya), Hindus light a diya, ideally made of wheat flour and filled with sesame oil, that faces south in the back of their homes. This is believed to please Yama, the god of death, and to ward off untimely death. Some Hindus observe Yama Deepa on the second night before the main day of Diwali. === Naraka Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas, Chhoti Diwali, Hanuman Puja, Roop Chaudas, Yama Deepam (Day 2) ===Naraka Chaturdashi, also known as Chhoti Diwali, is the second day of festivities coinciding with the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin or Kartik. The term chhoti means little, while Naraka means hell and Chaturdashi means fourteenth. The day and its rituals are interpreted as ways to liberate any souls from their suffering in Naraka, or hell, as well as a reminder of spiritual auspiciousness. For some Hindus, it is a day to pray for the peace to the manes, or defiled souls of one's ancestors and light their way for their journeys in the cyclic afterlife. A mythological interpretation of this festive day is the destruction of the asura (demon) Narakasura by Krishna, a victory that frees 16,000 imprisoned princesses kidnapped by Narakasura. It is also celebrated as Roop Chaudas in some North Indian households, where women bathe before sunrise, while lighting a Diya (lamp) in the bath area, they believe it helps enhance their beauty – it is a fun ritual that young girls enjoy as part of festivities. Ubtan is applied by the women which is made up of special gram flour mixed with herbs for cleansing and beautifying themselves. Naraka Chaturdashi is also a major day for purchasing festive foods, particularly sweets. A variety of sweets are prepared using flour, semolina, rice, chickpea flour, dry fruit pieces powders or paste, milk solids (mawa or khoya) and clarified butter (ghee). According to Goldstein, these are then shaped into various forms, such as laddus, barfis, halwa, kachoris, shrikhand, and sandesh, rolled and stuffed delicacies, such as karanji, shankarpali, maladu, susiyam, pottukadalai. Sometimes these are wrapped with edible silver foil (vark). Confectioners and shops create Diwali-themed decorative displays, selling these in large quantities, which are stocked for home celebrations to welcome guests and as gifts. Families also prepare homemade delicacies for Lakshmi Pujan, regarded as the main day of Diwali. Chhoti Diwali is also a day for visiting friends, business associates and relatives, and exchanging gifts. On the second day of Diwali, Hanuman Puja is performed in some parts of India especially in Gujarat. It coincides with the day of Kali Chaudas. It is believed that spirits roam around on the night of Kali Chaudas, and Hanuman, who is the deity of strength, power, and protection, is worshipped to seek protection from the spirits. Diwali is also celebrated to mark the return of Rama to Ayodhya after defeating the demon-king Ravana and completing his fourteen years of exile. The devotion and dedication of Hanuman pleased Rama so much that he blessed Hanuman to be worshipped before him. Thus, people worship Hanuman the day before Diwali's main day. This day is commonly celebrated as Diwali in Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Karnataka. Traditionally, Marathi Hindus and South Indian Hindus receive an oil massage from the elders in the family on the day and then take a ritual bath, all before sunrise. Many visit their favourite Hindu temple. Some Hindus observe Yama Deepam (also known as Yama Dipadana or Jam ke Diya) on the second day of Diwali, instead of the first day. A diya that is filled with sesame oil is lit at back of their homes facing in the southern direction. This is believed to please Yama, the god of death, and to ward off untimely death. === Lakshmi Pujan, Kali Puja (Day 3) ===The third day is the height of the festival, and coincides with the last day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin or Kartik. This is the day when Hindu, Jain and Sikh temples and homes are aglow with lights, thereby making it the festival of lights. The word Deepawali comes from the Sanskrit word deep, which means an Indian lantern/lamp.The youngest members in the family visit their elders, such as grandparents and other senior members of the community, on this day. Small business owners give gifts or special bonus payments to their employees between Dhanteras and Lakshmi Pujan. Shops either do not open or close early on this day allowing employees to enjoy family time. Shopkeepers and small operations perform puja rituals in their office premises. Unlike some other festivals, the Hindus typically do not fast during the five-day long Diwali including Lakshmi Pujan, rather they feast and share the bounties of the season at their workplaces, community centres, temples, and homes.As the evening approaches, celebrants will wear new clothes or their best outfits, teenage girls and women, in particular, wear saris and jewellery. At dusk, family members gather for the Lakshmi Pujan, although prayers will also be offered to other deities, such as Ganesha, Saraswati, Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Hanuman, or Kubera. The lamps from the puja ceremony are then used to light more earthenware lamps, which are placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses, while some diyas are set adrift on rivers and streams. After the puja, people go outside and celebrate by lighting up patakhe (fireworks) together, and then share a family feast and mithai (sweets, desserts). The puja and rituals in the Bengali Hindu community focus on Kali, the goddess of war, instead of Lakshmi. According to Rachel Fell McDermott, a scholar of South Asian, particular Bengali, studies, in Bengal during Navaratri (Dussehra elsewhere in India) the Durga puja is the main focus, although in the eastern and north eastern states the two are synonymous, but on Diwali the focus is on the puja dedicated to Kali. These two festivals likely developed in tandem over their recent histories, states McDermott. Textual evidence suggests that Bengali Hindus worshipped Lakshmi before the colonial era, and that the Kali puja is a more recent phenomenon. Contemporary Bengali celebrations mirror those found elsewhere, with teenage boys playing with fireworks and the sharing of festive food with family, but with the Shakti goddess Kali as the focus.On the night of Diwali, rituals across much of India are dedicated to Lakshmi to welcome her into their cleaned homes and bring prosperity and happiness for the coming year. While the cleaning, or painting, of the home is in part for goddess Lakshmi, it also signifies the ritual reenactment of the cleansing, purifying action of the monsoon rains that would have concluded in most of the Indian subcontinent. Vaishnava families recite Hindu legends of the victory of good over evil and the return of hope after despair on the Diwali night, where the main characters may include Rama, Krishna, Vamana or one of the avatars of Vishnu, the divine husband of Lakshmi. At dusk, lamps placed earlier in the inside and outside of the home are lit up to welcome Lakshmi. Family members light up firecrackers, which some interpret as a way to ward off all evil spirits and the inauspicious, as well as add to the festive mood. According to Pintchman, who quotes Raghavan, this ritual may also be linked to the tradition in some communities of paying respect to ancestors. Earlier in the season's fortnight, some welcome the souls of their ancestors to join the family for the festivities with the Mahalaya. The Diwali night's lights and firecrackers, in this interpretation, represent a celebratory and symbolic farewell to the departed ancestral souls. The celebrations and rituals of the Jains and the Sikhs are similar to those of the Hindus where social and community bonds are renewed. Major temples and homes are decorated with lights, festive foods shared with all, friends and relatives remembered and visited with gifts. === Annakut, Balipratipada (Padwa), New Year's Day, Govardhan Puja (Day 4) ===The day after Diwali is the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartik. It is regionally called Annakut (heap of grain), Padwa, Goverdhan puja, Bali Pratipada, Bali Padyami, Kartik Shukla Pratipada and other names. According to one tradition, the day is associated with the story of Bali's defeat at the hands of Vishnu. In another interpretation, it is thought to reference the legend of Parvati and her husband Shiva playing a game of dyuta (dice) on a board of twelve squares and thirty pieces, Parvati wins. Shiva surrenders his shirt and adornments to her, rendering him naked. According to Handelman and Shulman, as quoted by Pintchman, this legend is a Hindu metaphor for the cosmic process for creation and dissolution of the world through the masculine destructive power, as represented by Shiva, and the feminine procreative power, represented by Parvati, where twelve reflects the number of months in the cyclic year, while thirty are the number of days in its lunisolar month.This day ritually celebrates the bond between the wife and husband, and in some Hindu communities, husbands will celebrate this with gifts to their wives. In other regions, parents invite a newly married daughter, or son, together with their spouses to a festive meal and give them gifts. In some rural communities of the north, west and central regions, the fourth day is celebrated as Govardhan puja, honouring the legend of the Hindu god Krishna saving the cowherd and farming communities from incessant rains and floods triggered by Indra's anger, which he accomplished by lifting the Govardhan mountain. This legend is remembered through the ritual of building small mountain-like miniatures from cow dung. According to Kinsley, the ritual use of cow dung, a common fertiliser, is an agricultural motif and a celebration of its significance to annual crop cycles. The agricultural symbolism is also observed on this day by many Hindus as Annakut, literally mountain of food. Communities prepare over one hundred dishes from a variety of ingredients, which is then dedicated to Krishna before being shared among the community. Hindu temples on this day prepare and present mountains of sweets to the faithful who have gathered for darshan (visit). In Gujarat, Annakut is the first day of the new year and celebrated through the purchase of essentials, or sabras (literally, good things in life), such as salt, offering prayers to Krishna and visiting temples. In Gujarat New Year is celebrated after the day of Diwali. In the early morning people take showers, do prayer at home, visit temples for worship and children in the evening visit neighbour's houses to say happy new year, shake hands, get mukhvas for dessert, and chocolate. === Bhai Duj, Bhau-Beej, Vishwakarma Puja (Day 5) ===The last day of the festival, the second day of the bright fortnight of Kartik, is called Bhai Duj (literally brother's day), Bhau Beej, Bhai Tilak or Bhai Phonta. It celebrates the sister-brother bond, similar in spirit to Raksha Bandhan but it is the brother that travels to meet the sister and her family. This festive day is interpreted by some to symbolise Yama's sister Yamuna welcoming Yama with a tilaka, while others interpret it as the arrival of Krishna at his sister Subhadra's place after defeating Narakasura. Subhadra welcomes him with a tilaka on his forehead. The day celebrates the sibling bond between brother and sister. On this day the womenfolk of the family gather, perform a puja with prayers for the well being of their brothers, then return to a ritual of feeding their brothers with their hands and receiving gifts. According to Pintchman, in some Hindu traditions the women recite tales where sisters protect their brothers from enemies that seek to cause him either bodily or spiritual harm. In historic times, this was a day in autumn when brothers would travel to meet their sisters, or invite their sister's family to their village to celebrate their sister-brother bond with the bounty of seasonal harvests. The artisan Hindu and Sikh community celebrates the fourth day as the Vishwakarma puja day. Vishwakarma is the presiding Hindu deity for those in architecture, building, manufacturing, textile work and crafts trades. The looms, tools of trade, machines and workplaces are cleaned and prayers offered to these livelihood means. == Other traditions and significance == During the season of Diwali, numerous rural townships and villages host melas, or fairs, where local producers and artisans trade produce and goods. A variety of entertainments are usually available for inhabitants of the local community to enjoy. The women, in particular, adorn themselves in colourful attire and decorate their hands with henna. Such events are also mentioned in Sikh historical records. In the modern day, Diwali mela are held at college, or university, campuses or as community events by members of the Indian diaspora. At such events a variety of music, dance and arts performances, food, crafts, and cultural celebrations are featured. === Economics === Diwali marks a major shopping period in India, and is comparable to the Christmas period in terms of consumer purchases and economic activity. It is traditionally a time when households purchase new clothing, home refurbishments, gifts, gold, jewelry, and other large purchases particularly as the festival is dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and such purchases are considered auspicious. According to Rao, Diwali is one of the major festivals where rural Indians spend a significant portion of their annual income, and is a means for them to renew their relationships and social networks. Other goods that are bought in substantial quantities during Diwali include confectionery and fireworks. In 2013, about ₹25 billion (US$300 million) of fireworks were sold to merchants for the Diwali season, an equivalent retail value of about ₹50 billion (US$600 million) according to The Times of India. ASSOCHAM, a trade organisation in India, forecasted that online shopping alone to be over ₹300 billion (US$3.6 billion) over the 2017 Diwali season. About two-thirds of Indian households, according to the ASSOCHAM forecast, would spend between ₹5,000 (US$60) and ₹10,000 (US$120) to celebrate Diwali in 2017. Stock markets like NSE and BSE in India are typically closed during Diwali, with the exception of a Diwali Muhurat trading session for an hour in the evening to coincide with the beginning of the new year. In 2020, the INDF ETF was launched to mark the start of Diwali. === Politics === Diwali has increasingly attracted cultural exchanges, becoming occasions for politicians and religious leaders worldwide to meet Hindu or Indian origin citizens, diplomatic staff or neighbours. Many participate in other socio-political events as a symbol of support for diversity and inclusiveness. The Catholic dicastery Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, founded as Secretariat for non-Christians by Pope Paul VI, began sending official greetings and the Pope's message to the Hindus on Diwali in the mid-1990s. Many governments encourage or sponsor Diwali-related festivities in their territories. For example, the Singaporean government, in association with the Hindu Endowment Board of Singapore, organises many cultural events during Diwali every year. National and civic leaders such as the former Prince Charles have attended Diwali celebrations at prominent Hindu temples in the UK, such as the Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden, using the occasion to highlight contributions of the Hindu community to British society. Additionally, cities across the UK show support of the celebrations through Diwali lights, decorations, and cultural festivities such as dance performances, food stalls and workshops. Since 2009, Diwali has been celebrated every year at 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British Prime Minister. Diwali was first celebrated in the White House by George W. Bush in 2003 and its religious and historical significance was officially recognized by the United States Congress in 2007. Barack Obama became the first president to personally attend Diwali at the White House in 2009. On the eve of his first visit to India as President of the United States, Obama released an official statement sharing his best wishes with those celebrating Diwali. Every year during Diwali, Indian forces approach their Pakistani counterparts at the border bearing gifts of traditional Indian confectionery, a gesture that is returned in kind by the Pakistani soldiers who give Pakistani sweets to the Indian soldiers. == Hazards ==The use of firecrackers on Diwali increases the concentration of dust and pollutants in the air. After firing, the fine dust particles get settled on the surrounding surfaces which are packed with chemicals like copper, zinc, sodium, lead, magnesium, cadmium and pollutants like oxides of sulfur and nitrogen. These invisible yet harmful particles affect the environment and in turn, put people's health at stake. The smoke created by firecrackers lit up on Diwali causes smog which sometimes takes days to clear. During Diwali, the levels of suspended particulate matter increase. When people are exposed to these pollutant particles, they may suffer from eye, nose, and throat-related problems. To produce colors when crackers are burst, carcinogenic and poisonous elements are used. During the 2023 celebration, New Delhi briefly took the top spot in the world for air pollution with an air quality index of 680 on one night. The use of fireworks during Diwali can also lead to burn injuries. One particular firework called anar (fountain) has been found to be responsible for 65% of such injuries, with adults being the typical victims. Most of the injuries sustained are Group I type burns (minor) requiring only outpatient care. Experts urge precaution around candles and fires and ask for children to be kept a safe distance from flames and to enjoy the festivity of Diwali. == Guinness World Record == In 2023, a Diwali celebration in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, broke the Guinness World Record for the largest display of oil lamps with 2,223,676 displayed on the eve of Diwali. == Notes == === Bibliography === == External links == The dictionary definition of Diwali at Wiktionary Quotations related to Diwali at Wikiquote The Ancient Origins of Diwali, India’s Biggest Holiday, Becky Little (2017) Deepawali Winter air pollution around Diwali and Asthma

Drupka Teshi

India

Drug-pa Tse-zhi is a Buddhist festival celebrated to observe Buddha's first preaching of the Four Noble Truths at the deer park in Sarnath. It falls on the fourth day of the sixth month in the Tibetan calendar, around August or July.

Durga Puja, Bihari

India

Durga Puja at Basuki Bihari North village is a ten days annual grand celebration for the worship to the Goddess Durga in Hinduism. The place of the Durga Puja is located at the campus of the Maharani Sthan in the village of the northern part of Basuki Bihari in Madhubani district of the Mithila region in Bihar, India. It is continuously celebrated every year since more than 37 years ago. The Goddess Durga of this village is locally also called as Bihari Wali Maiyya which translates as Mother of the Bihari village. == History == The formal celebration of Durga Puja started in 1987 by the villagers of the village. Initially the celebration started from a hut temple. Later a grand temple for the celebration of the Durga Puja was built by the villagers. In 1989, with the efforts of former state education minister cum professor Yogeshwar Jha and Munmun Singh along with the cooperation of the villagers, the Durga Puja was started by making idols of Goddess Durga and other deities in the temple. Later a cultural and social organisation called as Durga Puja Samiti was formed by the villagers to organise the grand Durga Puja celebration. == Description == On the occasion of the Durga Puja festival, every evening the women of the village flock here to light clay lamps at the campus of the temple from the first day of the installation of the Durga Puja urn known as Kalshathapna. Similarly every evening at the campus of the temple, a grand group Aarti is performed by the people of all the sections of the society during the ten days festival. Every day from noon to evening competitions of speeches, verses, songs, dances and essays, etc are organised among the children of the village. On the last day a ceremony of awards and consolation prizes is held in the presence of the prominent officials and scholars of the region. Due to the popularity of the rituals of the Durga Puja at the temple, a huge number of devotees from the region participate in the Puja to pay salutations in the faith of Goddess Durga.

Dwijing Festival

India

The Dwijing Festival, also known as the Aie River Festival, is an annual river festival held on the banks of the Aie river near the Hagrama bridge in Chirang district (within the Bodoland Territorial Region) in the Indian state of Assam. The festival takes place over a period of 12 days from December 27 to January 7 every year. == Etymology == The name Dwijing derives from the Bodo language (dwi - water, jing - riverbank), spoken locally. The festival is celebrated on the banks of the Aie river, which translates to 'mother' in Bodo. The river has a significant impact on the lives of the locals. == History == The festival, a joint project of the Assam Tourism Department, Assam Tourism Development Corporation and Bodoland Tourism, was launched in 2016 with the objective of promoting local river tourism and highlighting the culture and customs of the Bodoland Territorial Region. The fourth and most recent edition of the festival was organized from 27 December 2019 to 7 January 2020. == The festival == The festival is held near the Hagrama bridge, the longest rural river bridge in Assam. It features ethnic trade, culture, cuisine, tradition, games and sports, adventure activities, river rafting, helicopter rides and cultural extravaganzas, among others. It also emphasizes on underlining the beauty and cultural richness of the Bodoland Territorial Region. Multiple Bollywood celebrities have performed at the festival. The festival further aims to generate employment opportunities, provide livelihood to the locals and ameliorate economic conditions. List of festivals in India

Galdan Namchot

India

Galdan Namchot is a festival celebrated in Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia and many regions of Himalaya, particularly in Ladakh, India. It is to commemorate the birth as well as parinirvana (death) and the Buddhahood of Je Tsongkhapa (1357–1419 AD), a famous Scholar/teacher of Tibetan Buddhism whose activities led to the formation of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Galdan Namchot also marks the beginning of the new year celebrations in Ladakh. == History == Je Tsongkhapa was born in the city of Tsongkha in Amdo, Tibet (present-day Haidong and Xining, Qinghai) in 1357. He was a famous teacher of Tibetan Buddhism whose activities led to the formation of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. On the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, Galdan Namchot is celebrated to commemorate birthday and Buddhahood of Je Tsongkhapa. Galdan Namchot also marks the beginning of the new year (which falls after five days of the Galdan Namchot festival and continues till the Dosmoche festival in February). Ladkahi's follow the Tibetan lunar calendar. Historically Losar, thereby Galdan Namchot were celebrated in the twelfth month in the Tibetan lunar calendar. Owing to a war in Skardu during reign of Raja Jamyang Namgyal (1595–1616 AD), Ladakh started celebrating Losar two months before in the tenth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. == Celebrations == As a part of the Galdan Namchot festival, monasteries, public and residential buildings are lit up. Butter lamps are also lit up which symbolizes the annihilation of darkness. Traditional dishes such as Thukpa, Momo and Butter tea is prepared and served in households. Khatak, a traditional ceremonial scarf is gifted by Ladakhi people. == Schedule == Since Ladakh follows the Tibetan lunar calendar and Galdan Namchot festival comes on the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month Tibetan calendar, every year the festival falls on different dates of the Gregorian calendar. Losar

Govardhan Puja

India

Govardhan Puja (IAST: Govardhana-pūjā), also known as Annakut or Annakoot (meaning a “mountain of food”), is a Hindu festival celebrated on the first lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartika, on the fourth day of Diwali. Devotees worship Govardhan Hill and prepare and offer a large variety of vegetarian food to Krishna as a mark of gratitude. For Vaishnavas, this day commemorates the incident in the Bhagavata Purana when Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill to provide the villagers of Vrindavan shelter from torrential rains. This incident symbolizes God offering protection to devotees who take singular refuge in him. Devotees offer a mountain of food, metaphorically representing the Govardhan Hill, to God as a ritual remembrance and to renew their faith in taking refuge in God. The festival is observed by most Hindu denominations all over India and abroad. It is an important festival in Vaishanava sects, such as the Pushtimarg Sampradaya, Gaudiya Sampradaya and Swaminarayan Sampradaya. == Origin ==Krishna spent most of his childhood in Braj, a place devotees associate with many of Krishna's divine and heroic exploits with his childhood friends. One of the most significant incidents, described in the Bhagavata Purana, involves Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill, a low hill situated in the middle of Braj. According to the Bhagavata Purana, forest-dwelling cowherds living close to Govardhan used to celebrate the autumn season by paying respect to Indra, the god of rain and storm. Krishna did not approve of this since he desired that the villagers worship only one Purna Parmatma and not worship any other deities and stone, idols, etc. Indra got angry with this advice. Krishna, though being younger than almost everyone in the city, was respected by everyone due to his knowledge and immense power. So, the people of Gokul agreed with Krishna's advice. Indra was angered upon seeing the villagers' devotion diverted away from him and toward Krishna. Indra decided to initiate thunderstorms and heavy rains in the city because of his anger. To protect the people from the storms, Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill on his little finger and provided shelter to all the people and cattle of the city. After seven days of continuous storms, seeing the people of Gokul unaffected, Indra accepted defeat and stopped the storms. This day is therefore celebrated as a festival that paid respect to Mount Govardhan by preparing a giriyajna- a great offering of foods and delicacies to the mountain Krishna then assumed the form of a mountain himself and accepted the villagers' offerings. == Rituals and Celebrations == Govardhan has since become a major pilgrimage site in Braj for devotees of Krishna. On the day of Annakut, devotees circumambulate the hill and offer food to the mountain—and old ritual in Braj, established by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The circumambulation consists of an eleven-mile trek dotted along the way with several shrines, before which devotees place flowers and other offerings. Others may circumambulate the mountain by offering dandavats (full body prostrations) which can take ten to twelve days. Families create an image of Govardhan Hill from cow dung, adorning it with miniature cow figures as well as grass as twigs, representing trees and greenery. In the days leading up to Annakut, fifty-six food items (chappan bhog) are typically prepared and offered in the evening. A member from the cow-herding caste officiates the ritual, circling the hill with a cow and a bull, followed by families in the village. They partake in the sanctified food after offering the food to the hill. The festival often draws a large crowd, including the Chaube brahmins of Mathura. Annakut is celebrated on the fourth day of Diwali. Therefore, the rituals surrounding Annakut are closely linked with the rituals of the five days of Diwali. While the first three days of Diwali are days of prayer to sanctify wealth and invite greater wealth into the devotee's life, the annakut day is a day of offering gratitude for Krishna beneficence. === Govardhan Puja === Govardhan Puja is a principal ritual performed during Annakut. Although some texts treat Govardhan Puja and Annakut as synonymous, the Govardhan Puja is one segment of the day-long Annakut festival.There are many variants of how Govardhan Puja is performed. In one variant of the ritual Krishna is made out of cow dung in horizontal position. After completing the structure, it is decorated by earthern lamps (deepak or diya), seenkh (a material used for broom chaffs), and candles. After worshipping, the structure of the god is fed by devotees, and women fast. Prayers are also made to Govardhan. === Annkut Festival === Vast array of vegetarian foods is traditionally arranged in tiers or steps in front of the deities. Usually, the sweets are placed nearest to the deities. As the tiers descend, other foods such as dal, vegetables, pulses, and fried savory foods are arranged. A mound of cooked grains, symbolic of Mount Govardhan, is placed in the center. In Swaminarayan shikharbaddh mandirs, sadhus begin to arrange the Annakut in the morning and finish before noon. Many Hindus throughout the world celebrate Annakut as a part of Diwali and, most frequently, pair the Annakut celebration with the Govardhan Puja performed on fourth day of Diwali celebrations. Hindus also view Annakut as a time to transmit religious and cultural values to children, ask for forgiveness from God and express devotion towards God. Annakut is celebrated with diyas (small oil lamps) and rangoli, decorative art on the ground made from colored rice, colored sand, and/or flower petals. Many distinct food items, sometimes numbering in the hundreds or thousands, are offered to deities during Annakut. For example, 250 kilograms of food were offered to Krishna at the ISKCON temple in Mysore, India in 2009. Although Annakut is most often associated with Krishna, other deities are also focal points. At the Shree Mahalakshmi Mandir in Mumbai, India, 56 sweets and food items are offered to Mataji and then distributed as prasad to more than 500 devotees. The Annakut festival is also celebrated annually at approximately 3,850 BAPS Mandirs and centers throughout the world in a day-long event. During the festival, Swaminarayan devotees prepare and offer a large variety of vegetarian food to Hindu deities including Swaminarayan and Krishna, among others. The Annakut festival at BAPS mandirs is often the largest festival of the year. Visitors learn about Hinduism, offer prayers for the new year, partake in the prasad, or sanctified food, and engage in other devotional activities. A devotee at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Leicester, England, which organizes the Annakut festival every year, describes Annakut as being a forum where spiritual aspirants can reaffirm their appreciation for the role God plays in their lives. These gatherings also represent an opportunity to reaffirm a sense of community. At the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, England in 2004, 1247 vegetarian dishes were assembled and offered to the deities during the Annakut celebrations in 2000 at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, England. The Guinness World record for the largest Annakut ever held was on October 27, 2019 (Diwali) in BAPS Atladra Mandir in Gujarat with over 3500 vegetarian dishes. === Thaal === In all Swaminarayan mandirs, sadhus and devotees then sing thaal - kirtans or devotional hymns composed by the poet paramhansas of Swaminarayan. These kirtans describe the food items, and are about praying to the deities to accept the food. The singing lasts for about an hour, and is followed by a grand arti. Afterwards, devotees do puja and circumambulate the deities and the offered food. In some mandirs, arti is performed several times in the day as long as the annakut offerings remain before the deities. In the evening, devotees take portions of the Annakut as prasad, sanctified food, that has been offered to God and is received as his mercy. In certain mandirs, especially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the murtis are also given a milk bath before being and dressed in elegant clothes and ornaments. === Vishvakarma Puja === Some craftsmen pay reverence to their tools and machinery on the day of Annakut.

Guru Purnima

India

Guru Purnima (Sanskrit: गुरुपूर्णिमा, romanized: Gurupūrṇimā) is a religious festival dedicated to offering respect to all the spiritual and academic gurus. It is celebrated as a festival in India, Nepal and Bhutan by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists. This festival is traditionally observed to honour one's chosen spiritual teachers or leaders. It is observed on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Ashadha (June–July) according to the Hindu Calendar. It is also known as Vyasa Purnima, for it marks the birthday of Veda Vyasa, the sage who authored the Mahabharata and compiled the Vedas. == Etymology == The word guru is derived from the Sanskrit root words, gu and ru. Gu means darkness or ignorance, and ru means dispeller. Therefore, a guru is the dispeller of darkness or ignorance. == Observances == === Hinduism === The celebration of Guru Purnima is marked by spiritual activities and may include a ritualistic event, Guru puja, in honour of the guru or teacher. Gurus are believed by many to be the most necessary part of life. On this day, disciples offer puja or pay respect to their guru. In addition to having religious importance, this festival has great importance for Indian academics and scholars. Indian academics celebrate this day by thanking their teachers as well as remembering past teachers and scholars. Hindu Gurus are revered on this day by remembering their life and teachings. The festivities are usually followed by a feast for the disciples, shishya, where the prasada and charnamrita (nectar of the feet), the symbolic wash of Guru's feet, which represents his kripa (grace) is distributed. Special recitations of the Hindu scriptures like the Guru Gita are held all day. Apart from the singing of bhajans, hymns and of special kirtan session and havan at many places, where devotees from all over gather at the ashrams, matha or place where the seat of Guru, Guru Gaddi exists. This day also sees the ritual of padapuja, the worships of Guru's sandals, which represent his holy feet and is seen a way of rededicating to all that a Guru stands for. Disciples also recommit themselves on this day, towards following their teacher's guidance and teachings, for the coming year. This day is also seen as an occasion when fellow devotees, Guru Bhai (disciple-brother), express their solidarity to one another in their spiritual journey. In Vedic Hindu tradition, the day is celebrated in honour of the sage Vyasa, who is seen as one of the greatest gurus in ancient Hindu traditions and a symbol of the guru-shishya tradition. Their recitations are a dedication to him and are organised on this day, which is also known as Vyasa Purnima. Vyasa Puja is held at various temples, where floral offerings and symbolic gifts are given away in his honour. Hindu ascetics and wandering sanyasis observe this day by offering puja to their guru, during Chaturmasya, a four-month period during the rainy season, when they choose seclusion and stay at one chosen place; some also give discourses to the local public. Students of Indian classical music and Indian classical dance, also celebrate this festival. === Buddhism === As per Buddhist tradition, the festival is celebrated by Buddhists in honour of the Buddha, who gave his first sermon on this day at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India. In the yogic tradition, the day is celebrated as the occasion when Shiva became the first guru, as he began the transmission of Yoga to the Saptarishis. Buddhists observe uposatha, i.e., to observe eight precepts on this day. Rainy season vassa also starts on this day, lasting for three lunar months, from July to October. During this time, Buddhist monks remain in a single place, generally in their temples. In some monasteries, monks dedicate the Vassa to intensive meditation. During Vassa, many Buddhist lay people reinvigorate their spiritual training and adopt more ascetic practices, such as giving up meat, alcohol, or smoking. === Nepal === In Nepal, Guru Purnima is a big day in schools. This day is teacher's day for Nepalese. Students honour their teachers by offering delicacies, garlands, and special hats called topi made with indigenous fabric. Students often organize fanfares in schools to appreciate the hard work done by teachers. This is taken as a great opportunity to consolidate the bond of teacher-student relationships. == Significance == === Hinduism === This was the day when Vyasa – author of the Mahabharata – was born to sage Parashara and a fisherman's daughter Satyavati; thus, this day is also celebrated as Vyasa Purnima. Veda Vyasa did yeoman service to the cause of Vedic studies by gathering all the Vedic hymns extant during his times and dividing them into four parts based on their characteristics and use in rites. He then taught them to his four chief disciples – Paila, Vaisampayana, Jaimini and Sumantu. It was this dividing and editing that earned him the honorific Vyasa (vyas = to edit, to divide). He divided the Vedas into four parts, namely, Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. === Buddhism === Gautama Buddha went from Bodhgaya to Sarnath about 5 weeks after his enlightenment. Before he attained enlightenment, he gave up his austere penances. His former comrades, the pañcavargika, left him and went to Ṛṣipatana in Sarnath. After attaining Enlightenment, the Buddha left Uruvilvā and travelled to the Ṛṣipatana to join and teach them. He went to them because, using his spiritual powers, he had seen that his five former companions would be able to understand Dharma quickly. While travelling to Sarnath, Gautama Buddha had to cross the Ganges. When King Bimbisara heard of this, he abolished the toll for ascetics. When Gautama Buddha found his five former companions, he taught them the Dharmacakrapravartana Sūtra. They understood and also became enlightened. This marked the establishment of the mendicant Sangha, on the full-moon day of Asadha. The Buddha subsequently spent his first rainy season at Sarnath at the Mulagandhakuti. The bhikshu sangha soon grew to 60 members; then, Buddha sent them out in all directions to travel alone and teach Dharma. === Jainism === According to Jain traditions, special veneration is offered to one's gurus and teachers on Guru Purnima. The day falls at the beginning of Chaturmasya. On this day, Mahavira, after attaining kaivalya, made Gautama Swami his first disciple (ganadhara) thus becoming a Guru himself. Guru

Hanuman Jayanti

India

Hanuman Jayanti (Sanskrit: हनुमज्जयंती, romanized: Hanumajjayantī) is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of the Hindu deity, and one of the protagonists of the Ramayana and its many versions, Hanuman. The celebration of Hanuman Jayanti varies by time and tradition in each state of India. In most northern states of India, the festival is observed on the full-moon day of the Hindu month of Chaitra (Chaitra Purnima). In Telugu states Anjaneya Jayanthi celebrate on every Bahula (Shukla Paksha) Dashami in Vaishakha month according to Telugu calendar. In Karnataka, Hanuman Jayanti is observed on Shukla Paksha Trayodashi, during the Margashirsha month or in Vaishakha, while in a few states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated during the month of Dhanu (called Margali in Tamil). Hanuman Jayanti is observed on Pana Sankranti in the eastern state of Odisha, which coincides with the Odia New Year. Hanuman is regarded to be an ardent devotee of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, widely known for his unflinching devotion. He is revered as a symbol of strength. == Birth ==Hanuman is a vanara, born to Kesari and Anjana. Hanuman is also known as the celestial son of Vayu, the wind-god. His mother, Anjana, was an apsara who was born on earth due to a curse. She was redeemed from this curse upon giving birth to a son. === Telugu origin story (Japali Thirumala) === In Venkatachala Mahatyam and Skanda Puranam, it was explained that Anjana Devi, mother of Hanuman, approached sage Matanga seeking a way for her to be blessed with a son. She was advised to do penance on Venkatachalam. After several years of penance, she was blessed with a son. The place where she did penance and where Hanuman was born, had become famous as Anjanadri. Varaha Purana and Brahmanda Purana, it was clearly explained that after Hanuman was born, he leapt into the sky assuming the rising Sun as a fruit to satiate his hunger. The place from where he made the jump was Venkatagiri. After Lord Brahma and Lord Indra attacked him with their weapons, he fell down and Anjana Devi started crying for her son. To pacify her, the gods descended on Venkatachalam and bestowed several boons on Hanuman and said the place would be called Anjanadri Hill. That's why in seven hills Thirumala one hill got Anjanadri. === Kannada origin story (Hampi) === The Valmiki Ramayana states that his father, Kesari, was the son of Brihaspati, the king of a region named Sumeru, located near the kingdom of Kishkindha near Hampi in present-day Vijayanagara district of Karnataka. Anjana is said to have performed intense prayers lasting twelve years to Shiva to bear a child. Pleased with their devotion, Shiva granted them the son they sought. Eknath's Bhavartha Ramayana states that when Anjana was worshiping Rudra, King Dasharatha of Ayodhya was also performing the ritual of Putrakameshti under the guidance of Sage R̥śyaśr̥ṅga in order to have children. As a result, he received some payasam (Indian pudding) to be shared by his three wives, leading to the births of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. By divine ordinance, a kite (bird) snatched a fragment of that pudding and dropped it while flying over the forest where Anjana was engaged in worship. Vayu, delivered the falling pudding to the outstretched hands of Anjana, who consumed it. Hanuman was born to her as a result. == Worship == Hanuman is worshipped as a deity with the ability to gain victory over evil and provide protection. On this festival, devotees of Hanuman celebrate him and seek his protection and blessings. They join in temples to worship him and present religious offerings. In return, the devotees receive prasadam. People who revere him read from Hindu texts like the Hanuman Chalisa and Ramayana. Devotees visit temples and apply a vermillion to their foreheads from Hanuman's murti. According to legend, when Hanuman found Sita applying sinduram to her forehead, he enquired about this custom. She replied that doing so would ensure a long life for her husband, Rama. Hanuman then proceeded to smear his entire body with vermillion, thus ensuring Rama's immortality. === Southern India ===In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on the new moon day in Margali (Dhanu) month. Famous Hanuman temples in these states like Nanganallur, Namakkal, Suchindram, Thrikkaviyoor and Alathiyoor celebrate this day with pomp. In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated for 41 days, beginning on Chaitra Purnima, and concluding on the tenth day during Krishna Paksha in Vaishaka. === Maharashtra === In Maharashtra, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day (pūrnima) of the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra. A special feature of Hanuman Jayanti is that according to some religious almanacs (panchāngs) the birthday of Hanuman falls on the fourteenth day (chaturdashi) in the dark fortnight of the month of Ashvin, while according to others it falls on the full moon day in the bright fortnight of Chaitra. On this day in a Hanuman temple, spiritual discourses begin at dawn since Hanuman is believed to have been born during sunrise. During the time frame of birth, the spiritual discourse are halted and the offering of food (prasadam) is distributed to everyone. Spiritual discourses are organised in most of the Hindu temples of the region on this day. === Odisha === In Odisha, Pana Sankranti (April 13/14/15) is believed to be the birthday of Hanuman. Devotees visit temples and chant the Hanuman Chalisa throughout the day. Reading the Sundara Kanda book of the Ramayana on this day is also said to be a pious exercise. The day also marks the beginning of the New Year in the traditional Odia Solar Calendar. The festival occurs in the solar Odia calendar (the lunisolar Hindu calendar followed in Odisha) on the first day of the traditional solar month of Meṣa. Narasimha Jayanti Rama Navami Krishna Janmashtami Anjaneya Temple, Nanganallur == External links == Media related to Hanuman Jayanti at Wikimedia Commons

International Bodo Festival

India

International Bodo Festival is a traditional festival of the Bodo-Kachari people. It is held every year in different parts of Northeast India. Many tribesman of the Bodo race performs at this festival. It includes Bagurumba dance of Bodo people, Wangala dance of the Garo people and Bohuwa dance of the Sonowals etc. == External links == www.internationalbodofestival.weebly.com

Jashn-e-Chiragah

India

Jashn-e-Chiragah is a festival of Lights established by Akbar the Mughals King around 400 years ago. It is a version of Deepavali.

Jaya Parvati vrat

India

Jaya Parvati Vrat or Gauri Vrat, is a Hindu festival observed in the month of Ashadha whereby unmarried women fast for five days and worship the Hindu goddess Parvati in order to seek an ideal husband. Foods containing salt are not eaten; instead, items such as wheat flour, milk, ghee and fruits are consumed. The festival is observed mainly in the state of Gujarat. == Description == Jaya Parvati vrat katha (the story or legend of Jaya Parvati vrat) is associated with a Brahmin woman who observed this vrat to get her husband free from his curse(was not really a curse). The divine couple Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati is worshipped during this vrat. Gujaratis also worship Goddess Gauri in Ashadh Maas as Gauri Vrat. There is a legend behind the Jaya Parvati Vrat. There was a Brahmin couple. They were devotees of Lord Shiva. They had everything in their life but a child. They used to worship Lord Shiva every day in the temple. Lord Shiva was propitiated with the devotion of the couple and there was a revelation which said My Shiva Linga is at a certain place in the jungle. No body is performing its puja. If you go there and perform its puja, then your wishes will be fulfilled. The Brahmin couple was pleased when they heard this. They went to the jungle and found out the place where Lord Shiva's Shiva Linga was. The couple found the Linga and the Brahmin went in search of flowers to perform the puja, where he was bitten by a snake and fell unconscious. His wife got worried as her husband did not return and went in search for him. She prayed intensely for her husband's safety. Lord Shiva saw the true devotion of the Brahmin woman and brought her husband back to consciousness. Later, the couple prayed at the Linga and they had a son. == Vrat == When observing Jaya Parvati vrat, one cannot eat tomatoes, spices, salt, and vegetables. It is believed that Jaya Parvati vrat brings happiness and blesses the girl with a good husband and a happy married life. On the first day of the vrat, wheat seeds (javaara) are planted in a small bowl/pot and kept by the temple in the house. Prayers are then offered to the javaar pot. A nagla (a necklace made from cotton wool) is decorated with vermillion (kumkum). This ritual is carried out every morning and the wheat seeds are watered. On the last day, the women who have observed the fast have to remain awake the whole night of the fifth day called jagran. On the sixth day, the javara are taken out of the pot are immersed in the holy waters of rivers or ponds after taking a bath and wearing beautiful dresses; offer prayers at Mataji's temple and break the fast by eating a full meal consisting of salt, chapaatis made of wheat, and vegetables.

Jharkhand International Film Festival Awards

India

The Jharkhand International Film Festival Awards (also known as the JIFFA) are a set of awards presented annually to film makers and artists for theirs contribution to Cinema. It aims to provide common platform for cinemas of world to project excellence of film arts. It supports filmmaking and promotion of all genres. == History == The first Jharkhand International film festival had held on 2018 in Mega Sports Complex of State capital of Jharkhand in Ranchi. == Awards ceremonies == The following is a list of Jharkhand International Film Festival Awards ceremonies since 2018. == Awards == === Global/Hindi === Films on Mahatma Gandhi (Documentary, Short, Feature) Short Films Documentary Films Student / Diploma films Feature Films Animation Films === Indian Regional === Short Films Documentary Films Student / Diploma films Feature Films Animation Films Music & Video Albums === Jharkhand Regional === Short Films Documentary Films Student / Diploma films Feature Films Animation Films Music & Video Albums Cinema of Jharkhand Cinema of India

Jhulan Purnima

India

Jhulan Purnima, Jhulan Yatra or Hindola is a Hindu swinging festival that is dedicated to Hindu god Krishna and goddess Radha. It is popularly celebrated by the Hindu Vaishnava sect in the month of Shravana (July-August) which falls under the monsoon season in India when the weather is hot, humid and slightly breezy. This festival is known for its display of decorated swings, songs and dance. It is a joyful festival which celebrates the amour of divine couple Radha and Krishna along with the romantic fervor of the rainy season in India. == Etymology == Hindola or Hiṇḍōla (हिंडॊल) is a Sanskrit word which means a swing or swinging cradle. Hindola is also known as a special musical tune (raga) designed to accompany the act of swinging. == Origin == Jhulan Yatra has been inspired from the swing pastimes of Krishna with the Gopis in Vrindavan. These pastimes are mentioned in literature such as the Bhagavata Purana, the Harivamsa, and the Gita Govinda. The metaphor of the swing of the monsoon or 'Sawan Ke Jhuley' have since been used by poets and songwriters to describe the romantic feeling that permeates the rainy season in the Indian subcontinent. The popular Krishna literature Hari Bhakti Vilasa (Performance of Devotion to Hari or Krishna) mentions Jhulan Yatra as part of the various festivals dedicated to Krishna: …the devotees serve the Lord during the summer by placing Him on the boat, taking Him out on a procession, applying sandalwood on His body, fanning Him with chamara, decorating Him with jeweled necklaces, offering Him palatable foodstuffs, and bringing Him out to swing Him in the pleasant moonlight. == Celebrations == === Mathura, Vrindavan, and Mayapur === Of all the places in India, Mathura, Vrindavan, and Mayapur are most famous for Jhulan Yatra celebrations. During the thirteen days of Jhulan— from the third day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Shravan (July–August) until the full moon night of the month, called Shravan Purnima— thousands of Krishna devotees throng from around the world to the holy cities of Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, and Mayapur in West Bengal, India. The idols of Radha and Krishna are taken out from the altar and placed on heavily decked swings, which are sometimes made of gold and silver. Vrindavan's Shri Rup-Sanatan Goudiya Math, Banke Bihari Temple and Radha-Ramana Temple, Mathura's Dwarkadhish temple, and Mayapur's ISKCON temple are some of the major places where this festival is celebrated in their greatest grandeur. === Orissa === In the Jaganath Temple, Puri and other shrines and mathas in Orissa, Jhulan Purnima is celebrated by swinging the image of Lord Jagannath to the accompaniment of music and dance. This is celebrated in the month of August for a week leading up to the full moon or Shravana Purnima. === ISKCON === Many Hindu organizations, especially the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, observe Jhulan Purnima for five days. At Mayapur, the world headquarters of the ISKCON, deities of Radha and Krishna are decorated and placed on an ornate swing in the temple courtyard for devotees to swing their favorite deities using a flowery rope while offering flower petals amid bhajans and kirtans. They dance and sing the popular hymns 'Hare Krishna Mahamantra,' 'Jaya Radhe, Jaya Krishna,' 'Jaya Vrindavan,' 'Jaya Radhe, Jaya Jaya Madhava' and other devotional songs. A special 'aarti' ritual is performed after the deities are placed on the swing, as devotees bring their 'bhog' or food offerings for the divine couple. Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, prescribed the following rituals to honor Krishna on Jhulan Yatra: During these five days the deities' clothes should be changed daily, a nice prasad (food offering) be distribution, and sankirtan (group singing) should be performed. A throne may be constructed on which the deities (Radha and Krishna) can be placed, and swayed gently with accompanying music. === Pushtimarg === In the Pushtimarg Vaishnava sect, Hindola is celebrated for 15 days during the monsoon season. Elaborate hindolas or swings are decorated with different material for each day. == Music == The songs that are sung in the accompaniment of this festival is sung in a special raga or metre called hindola. Hindola, which were sung by saints like Premanand Swami, are sung accompanied by musical instruments during this festival. == External links ==

Kaanum Pongal

India

Kaanum Pongal or Kanum Pongal (Tamil: காணும் பொங்கல்) is the fourth and the final day of the four-day Pongal festival. According to the Gregorian calendar it is celebrated on 17 January. Though the name of the festival is specific to Tamil Nadu, it is also celebrated in other southern Indian states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka as the festival is significantly popular in South India. The day of Kaanum Pongal is often acknowledged as the Thiruvalluvar Day in remembrance of the great historic Tamil writer, poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar who was known for writing the world famous Thirukural. The day is also popularly treated as the sightseeing day as well as the Thanksgiving day. People believe Kaanum Pongal is an auspicious day to arrange marriage proposals and to kick start new bonds and relationships. == Naming and celebrations == The word Kaanum means 'viewing and seeing'. Kaanum Pongal is the day of relaxation and enjoyment as it implies that people spend their time by arranging family trips, picnics, visiting neighbours and relatives houses. In the state of Andhra Pradesh, the festival is earmarked and celebrated as Mukkanuma and the auspicious festival is observed in Andhra by worshipping the cattle. In the state of Tamil Nadu, the day of Kanum Pongal is also referred to as Virgin Pongal or Kanni Pongal, the word Kanni implies virgin/maiden/unmarried girl. Unmarried girls celebrate the festival by playing in the water at the river banks and pray the god to have a very successful matrimonial life. Kanni Pongal is celebrated coinciding Kaanum Pongal for the wellbeing of unmarried women and for the fertility. Kaanum Pongal for women offer special prayers towards the Sun god for the wellbeing of their brothers and as per the customs and traditions, women visit the brothers places.

Kabir Jayanti

India

Kabir Jayanti, also known as Kabir Praakat Diwas, is celebrated to commemorate the manifestation of Kabir, a famous poet and mystic saint in India. It is celebrated once in a year on the full moon day in the Hindu month Jyeshtha, which is the month of May or June according to the Gregorian calendar. Worshipers believe that Kabir was born on this day in the year 1398 A.D. Kabir Jayanti was celebrated on 24 June in 2021 , the 2022 date will be 14 June and 2023 date will be 4 june. == Significance == Kabir Jayanti celebrates the day Kabir was born, the full moon day of Jyeshtha month of the Hindu calendar in 1398 A.D. It is disputed as to how he appeared on Earth. Some believe that he took birth from Muslim parents, while others insist that he himself appeared on a lotus flower in lake Lahartara. In fact, there is a Kabirpanth on the Lahartara lake today which reinforces this very belief. == Legend == Kabir is said to have appeared on a lotus flower in the year 1398 (Samvat 1455), on the full moon day of Jyeshtha month at the time of Brahmamuharta. Kabir is said to have come from Satlok by assuming the body of light and incarnated on a lotus flower. Rishi Ashtanand was the direct witness of this incident. == Celebration == The anniversary is celebrated in India as a special Jayanti. It is celebrated in different parts of India.On this day, his followers remember his teachings and recite his poems together. Many Bhandaras are also held throughout India by many Kabirpanthis. Kabir was also a social reformer, so much social work is also done by his followers on this day. Kabir Jayanti was celebrated on 5 June in 2020 and the 2021 date will be 24 June. Ravidas == External links == kabir das history in hindi [1]

Kankaria Carnival

India

The Kankaria Carnival is an annual festival celebrated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Commencing in the last week of December, the carnival has been a significant part of Ahmedabad's cultural festivities since 2008. It features a broad spectrum of activities including cultural programs, art exhibitions, amusement rides, and social initiatives. == History == Initiated in 2008 to coincide with the renovation of the Kankaria Lake area, the carnival has seen various additions and changes over the years, adapting to circumstances such as the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic when the event was held virtually. Annual activities include performances by artists, amusement rides, and a food court. The event emphasizes Gujarat's cultural heritage, offering a platform for local artists and entertainers. The carnival plays a role in promoting tourism and fostering community spirit in Ahmedabad, contributing significantly to the local economy and cultural landscape. It is organized by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

Lhabab Duchen

India

Lha Bab Düchen (Tib. ལྷ་བབས་དུས་ཆེན་, Wyl. lha babs dus chen) is one of the four major Buddhist festivals commemorating four events in the life of the Buddha, according to Tibetan traditions. Lha Bab Düchen occurs on the 22nd day of the ninth Tibetan lunar month and celebrates Buddha's return to the human realm after teaching his mother for three months in the Gods realm. It is widely celebrated in Tibet and Bhutan. The festival is also celebrated in other Buddhist Asian countries, including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, where it is celebrated a few weeks earlier. Lha Bab Duchen is a Buddhist festival (duchen) celebrated to observe the Buddha's return from the Gods realm, referred to as Indra's realm, as Tushita, as the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, and as Trāyastriṃśa heaven. His return to the human realm is considered one of The Eight Great Events in the Life of Buddha. According to events in the Buddha's life, the Buddha ascended the Gods realm at the age of 41 in order to give teachings to his mother, who had been reborn in Indra's realm. He stayed for three months to repay her kindnesses, while also benefiting the gods in that realm. He was exhorted by his disciple and representative Maudgalyayana to return, and after a long debate and under a full moon the Buddha agreed to return. He returned to the human realm a week later by a special triple ladder prepared by Viswakarma, the Hindu-Buddhist god of machines. On Lha Bab Duchen, the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied ten million times. It is part of Tibetan Buddhist tradition to engage in virtuous activities and prayer on this day. Abhidhamma Day == Notes == During this day, positive or negative actions are multiplied 100 million times. http://www.fpmtabc.org/prayers_mmdays.php https://fpmt.org/media/resources/dharma-dates/ and select November Buddhist Art News https://web.archive.org/web/20160304214148/https://buddhistartnews.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/lhabab-duchen-the-day-buddha-descended-from-tushita-heavens/ Legge, James, tran. A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1886; reprint, New York: Dover Publications Inc.,1965. Chapter XVII. == External links == Professing Faith: Story of the Tibetan Buddhist festival of Lhabab Duchen

Losoong Festival

India

Losoong marks the end of harvest season, of the Bhutia tribe, celebrated every year in December. == Tradition == Based on the Tibetan Lunar CalendarLosoong falls on the 1st day of the 11th month, when farmers celebrate the harvest. It is a traditional festival of the Bhutias. It is a time when the farmers rejoice and celebrate their harvest. The Lepchas also celebrate it and call it Namsoong. It is celebrated by inviting friends and family with traditional gaity and celebrations. The festival have been adapted from the traditions and rituals of the Tibetan New Year, Losar. The festival is preceded by masked dance at the Phodong and Rumtek Monasteries in Sikkim. Losoong is celebrated not only in India but also in Nepal and Bhutan. The dance forms performed in the festival depict narrativized tales from the life of Padmasambhava (or Guru Ugyen). == Celebration == Celebration begins after the priest offers 'Chi-Fut', special alcohol, to the gods. After the offering to gods the effigy of the demon King is burnt. Burning the demon represents destroying the evil. Certain competitions are organized and merrymaking lasts for several days. The festival is also called Sonam Losoong. Losoong festival is very famous in eastern India.

Magha Purnima

India

Maghi Purnima, also known by the name of Magha Purnima, is known to be a day of the full moon that occurs during the Hindu calendar month of Magh. This day falls during the Gregorian calendar month of January or February. During this time period, the auspicious Kumbh Mela is held every twelve years, and the Magha Mela is held on an annual basis at the confluence of three rivers or Triveni Sangam all around north India, such as in cities like Allahabad or Prayag. == Date in Gregorian calendar == 2027 || 9 February Basant Panchmi

Mawlid

India

Mawlid (Arabic: مولد) is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of Islamic prophet Muhammad on the traditional date of 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. A day central to the traditions of Sunni Islam, the Mawlid is also celebrated by Shia Muslims. The history of this celebration does not go back to the early days of Islam, although some of the Tabi‘un began to hold sessions in which poetry and songs composed to honor Muhammad were recited and sung to crowds in the major cities but this was in response to attacks on his honor and were not done on a specified day. The celebration was continued much later either by the Abbasids and the Fatimids. The Muslim general Gökböri, a deputy of Saladin (r. 1174–1193), is believed to have been the first to publicly celebrate Mawlid, which he did in an impressive ceremony at the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. The Ottomans under Murad III (r. 1574–1595) declared it an official holiday. Celebrants hold mahfils on Mawlid in which religious poetry is recited in praise of Muhammad accompanied by a feast. Other customs affiliated with Mawlid are supererogatory fasting, Islamic music and dhikr. Most denominations of Islam approve of the commemoration of Muhammad's birthday. The Mawlid observance is generally approved of across the four Sunni schools of law, by mainstream Islamic scholarship and it is a recognized national holiday in most of the Muslim-majority countries of the world. == Etymology == The term Mawlid is derived from the Arabic root word walad, meaning to give birth or descendant. Although it is a generic term for any day of birth, Mawlid usually refers to the observance of the birthday of Muhammad. Along with being referred to as the celebration of the birth of Muhammad, the term Mawlid refers to the 'text especially composed for and recited at Muhammad's nativity celebration' or a text recited or sung on that day. It is also known as Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi (Arabic: عید ميلاد النبي, romanized: ʿīd mīlad an-nabī, lit. 'feast of the birth of the prophet'). == Date == According to the majority of Sunni Muslims and most Shias, Muhammad was born on the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal. Many Twelver Shia Muslims on the other hand assert that Muhammad was born on the 17th of Rabi' al-Awwal. It stands as a matter of ikhtilaf or disagreement since prominent Shia scholars such as Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni, Ibn Babawayh, and Zayn al-Din al-Juba'i al-'Amili have affirmed the date of the 12th of Rabi' al-Awal. Nonetheless, others contend that the date of Muhammad's birth is unknown and is not definitively recorded in the Islamic traditions. The issue of the correct date of the Mawlid is recorded by Ibn Khallikan as constituting the first proven disagreement concerning the celebration. == History == The history of this celebration goes back to the early days of Islam when some of the Tabi‘un began to hold sessions in which poetry and songs composed to honour Muhammad were recited and sung to crowds in the major cities. The Ottomans declared it an official holiday in 1588, known as Mevlid Kandil. The term Mawlid is also used in some parts of the world, such as Egypt, as a generic term for the birthday celebrations of other historical religious figures such as Sufi saints.In early days of Islam, observation of Muhammad's birth as a holy day was usually arranged privately and later was an increased number of visitors to the Mawlid house that was open for the whole day specifically for this celebration. The history of this celebration goes back to the early days of Islam when some of the Tabi‘un began to hold sessions in which poetry and songs composed to honour Muhammad were recited and sung to the crowds. The early celebrations, included elements of Sufi influence, with animal sacrifices and torchlight processions along with public sermons and a feast. The celebrations occurred during the day, in contrast to modern day observances, with the ruler playing a key role in the ceremonies. Emphasis was given to the Ahl al-Bayt with presentation of sermons and recitations of the Qur'an. The exact origins of the Mawlid is difficult to trace. According to Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God, the significance of the event was established when Muhammad fasted on Monday, citing the reason for this was his birth on that day, and when Umar took into consideration Muhammad's birth as a possible starting time for the Islamic calendar. According to Festivals in World Religions, the Mawlid was first introduced by the Abbasids in Baghdad. It has been suggested that the Mawlid was first formalized by al-Khayzuran of the Abbasids. Ibn Jubayr, in 1183, writes that Muhammad's day of birth was celebrated every Monday of Rabi' al-Awwal at his birthplace, which had been converted into a place of devotion under the Abbasids. According to the hypothesis of Nico Kaptein of Leiden University, the Mawlid was initiated by the Fatimids. It has been stated, The idea that the celebration of the mawlid originated with the Fatimid dynasty has today been almost universally accepted among both religious polemicists and secular scholars. Annemarie Schimmel also says that the tendency to celebrate the memory of Muhammad's day of birth on a larger and more festive scale emerged first in Egypt during the Fatimids. The Egyptian historian Maqrizi (d. 1442) describes one such celebration held in 1122 as an occasion in which mainly scholars and religious establishment participated. They listened to sermons, distributed sweets, particularly honey, Muhammad's favourite and the poor received alms. This Shia origin is frequently noted by those Sunnis who oppose Mawlid. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, however, what the Fatimids did was simply a procession of court officials, which did not involve the public but was restricted to the court of the Fatimid caliph. Therefore, it has been concluded that the first Mawlid celebration which was a public festival was started by Sunnis in 1207 by Muẓaffar al-Dīn Gökburi. It has been suggested that the celebration was introduced into the city Ceuta by Abu al-Abbas al-Azafi as a way of strengthening the Muslim community and to counteract Christian festivals. === Start of a public holiday === In 1207, the Turkic general Gökböri started the first annual public festival of the Mawlid in Erbil. Gökböri was the brother-in-law of Saladin and soon the festival began to spread across the Muslim world. Since Saladin and Gokburi were both Sufis the festival became increasingly popular among Sufi devotees which remains so till this day. The Ottomans declared it an official holiday in 1588, known as Mevlid Kandil. It is a national holiday in most parts of the Muslim world except Saudi Arabia and Qatar which are officially Salafi. == Observances == === Where ===Mawlid is celebrated in almost all Islamic countries, and in other countries that have a significant Muslim population, such as Ethiopia, India, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Iraq, Iran, Maldives, Morocco, Jordan, Libya, Russia and Canada. Hari Maulaud Nabi is a public holiday in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. In the last decades of the late 20th century there has been a trend to forbid or discredit Mawlid because of the rise of Salafism. === Sunni celebration === The first Sunni mawlid celebration that we have a detailed description of was sponsored by Saladin's general, Muzaffar al-Din Kokburi (Gökböri) and included the slaughtering of thousands of animals for a banquet which is believed to have cost 300,000 dirhams. The presence of guests and the distribution of monetary gifts at mawlid festivals had an important social function as they symbolized concretizing ties of patronage and dramatizing the benevolence of the ruler and also held religious significance, as issues of spending and feeding were pivotal both to the religious and social function of the celebration. Often organized in some countries by the Sunni Sufi orders, Mawlid is celebrated in a carnival manner, large street processions are held and homes or mosques are decorated. Charity and food is distributed, and stories about the life of Muhammad are narrated with recitation of poetry by children. Scholars and poets celebrate by reciting Qaṣīda al-Burda Sharif, the famous poem by 13th-century Arabic Sufi Busiri. A general Mawlid appears as a chaotic, incoherent spectacle, where numerous events happen simultaneously, all held together only by the common festive time and space. These celebrations are often considered an expression of the Sufi concept of the pre-existence of Muhammad. However, the main significance of these festivities is expression of love for Muhammad. === Theological pros and cons ===Early fatwas and criticisms of the mawlid have taken issue with the possibility of coerced giving as hosts often took monetary contributions from their guests for festival costs. Jurists often conceptualized the observance of Muhammad's day of birth as a form of reciprocation for God's bestowal of the Prophet Muhammad as a way of justifying celebrations. According to this thought, the bestowal of such a gift required thanks, which came in the form of the celebration of the mawlid. Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (1392 CE) and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalini (1449 CE) both expressed such ideas, specifically referencing the hadith about the Jews and the fast of ‘Ashura’, but broadening the conception of thanks to God to multiple forms of worship including prostration, fasting, almsgiving, and Qur’anic recitation. The only limitation Ibn Hajar places on forms of celebration is that they must be neutral under Shari’a. === By country === Yemen In Yemen, Mawlid al-Nabi, the celebration of Muhammad's birthday, is one of the most significant events of the year and is home to the largest Mawlid gathering in the world. In cities like Sana'a and other major urban centers, millions gather to mark the occasion with religious ceremonies, poetry recitations, and large processions, creating a deeply spiritual atmosphere. The color green, the Prophet's favorite color, is prominently worn by many, symbolizing life, renewal, and a connection to his legacy. Streets, mosques, and homes are adorned with green decorations and lights, further enhancing the festive mood. The event is not only a religious observance but also a reflection of Yemen’s strong cultural and historical ties to the Prophet’s life and teachings. ==== Pakistan ====During Pakistan's Mawlid, the day starts with a 31-gun salute in federal capital and a 21-gun salute at the provincial capitals and religious hymns are sung during the day. ==== Indonesia ====In many parts of Indonesia, the celebration of the Mawlid al-nabi seems to surpass in importance, liveliness, and splendour the two official Islamic holidays of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. ==== Tunisia ==== In Qayrawan, Tunisia, Muslims sing and chant hymns of praise to Muhammad, welcoming him in honor of his birth. Also, generally in Tunisia, people usually prepare Assidat Zgougou to celebrate the Mawlid. ==== Turkey ==== In Turkey, Mawlid is widely celebrated. It is referred to as Mevlid Kandili in Turkish, which means the candle feast for the Prophet's day of birth. Traditional poems regarding Muhammad's life are recited both in public mosques and at home in the evening. The most celebrated of these is the Mawlid of Süleyman Çelebi. Plenty of other mawlids were written in Ottoman times. ==== India ====Among non-Muslim countries, India is noted for its Mawlid festivities. The relics of Muhammad are displayed after the morning prayers in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir at the Hazratbal Shrine, where night-long prayers are also held. Hyderabad Telangana is noted for its grand milad festivities. Religious meetings, night-long prayers, rallies, parades and decorations are made throughout the city and schools declare holiday. == Mawlid texts == Along with being referred to as the celebration of the birth of Muhammad, the term Mawlid also refers to the 'text especially composed for and recited at Muhammad's nativity celebration' or a text recited or sung on that day. Such poems have been written in many languages, including Arabic, Kurdish and Turkish. These texts contain stories of the life of Muhammad, or at least some of the following chapters from his life, briefly summarized below:The Ancestors of Muhammad The Conception of Muhammad The Birth of Muhammad Introduction of Halima Life of Young Muhammad in Bedouins Muhammad's orphanhood Abu Talib's nephew's first caravan trip Arrangement of Marriage between Muhammad and Khadija Al-Isra' Al-Mi'radj, or the Ascension to heaven Al-Hira, first revelation The first converts to Islam The Hijra Muhammad's death These text are only part of the ceremonies. There are many different ways that people celebrate Mawlid, depending on where they are from. There appears to be a cultural influence upon what kind of festivities are a part of the Mawlid celebration. In Indonesia, it is common the congregation recite Simthud Durar, especially among Arab Indonesians. == Permissibility ==Among Muslim scholars, the legality of Mawlid has been the subject of intense debate and has been described as perhaps one of the most polemical discussions in Islamic law. Traditionally, most Sunni and nearly all of the Shia scholars have approved the celebration of Mawlid, while Salafi and Deobandi scholars oppose the celebration. === Support === Examples of historic Sunni scholars who permitted the Mawlid include the Shafi'i scholar Al-Suyuti (d 911 A.H.). He was a scholar who wrote a fatwa on the Mawlid, which became one of the most important texts on this issue. Although he became famous outside of Egypt, he was caught in conflicts in Egypt his entire life. For example, he believed that he was the most important scholar of his time, and that he should be regarded as a mujtahid (a scholar who independently interprets and develops the Law) and later as a mujaddid (a scholar who appears at end of a century to restore Islam). These claims made him the most controversial person of his time. However, his fatwa may have received widespread approval and may not have provoked any conflicts.He stated that:My answer is that the legal status of the observance of the Mawlid – as long as it just consists of a meeting together by the people, a recitation of apposite parts of the Qur'an, the recounting of transmitted accounts of the beginning of (the biography of) the Prophet – may God bless him and grant him peace – and the wonders that took place during his birth, all of which is then followed by a banquet that is served to them and from which they eat-is a good innovation (bid'a hasana), for which one is rewarded because of the esteem shown for the position of the Prophet – may God bless him and grant him peace – that is implicit in it, and because of the expression of joy and happiness on his – may God bless him and grant him peace – noble birth.Al-Suyuti thought that the Mawlid could be based on the fact that Muhammad performed the sacrifice for his own birth after his calling to be a prophet. He said that Abu Lahab, who he called an unbeliever, had been condemned by what was revealed in the Quran but was rewarded in the fire for the joy he showed on the night of the birth of the Prophet by releasing from slavery Thuwayba when she had informed him of the birth of Muhammad. Therefore, he talked about what would happen to a Muslim who rejoiced in his birth and loved him. In response to al-Fakihani, al-Suyuti said a few things. He said that because a matter is not known it does not necessarily follow that the matter does not exist nor ever has existed. He also said that a learned and judicious ruler introduced it, in responding to al-Fakihani's statement that on the contrary, it is a bida that was introduced by idlers... nor the pious scholars... Al-Suyuti also said in response to Nor is it meritorious, because the essence of the meritorious is what the Law demands, that the demands of meritorious are sometimes based on a text and sometimes on reasoning by analogy. Al-Suyuti said that bidas are not restricted to forbidden or reprehensible, but also to the permitted, meritorious, or compulsory categories in response to al-Fakihani's statement that according to the consensus of the Muslims innovation in religion is not permitted. In response to al-Fakihani's statement that This, not withstanding the fact that the month in which he… is born namely Rabi'I, is exactly the same as the one in which he died. Therefore joy and happiness in this month are not any more appropriate than sadness in this month, al-Suyuti said that birth is the greatest benefaction which has ever befallen us, but his death the greatest calamity that has been visited upon us. He said that the law allows expression of gratitude for benefactions, and that Muhammad had prescribed the sacrifice after the birth of a child because this would express gratitude and happiness for the newborn. Indeed, al-Suyuti said that the principles of the law say it is right to express happiness at Muhammad's birth.The Shafi'i scholar Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (d. 852 A.H.) too approved of the Mawlid and states that:As for what is performed on the day of the Mawlid, one should limit oneself to what expresses thanks to God, such as the things that have already been mentioned: [Qur'anic] recitation, serving food, alms-giving, and recitation of praise [poems] about the Prophet – may God bless him and grant him peace – and asceticism which motivate people to perform good deeds and act in view of the next world. The Damascene Shafi'i scholar Abu Shama (d. 1268) (who was a teacher of Imam al-Nawawi (d. 676 A.H.)) also supports the celebration of the Mawlid. The Maliki scholar Ibn al-Hajj (d. 737 A.H.) also spoke positively of the observance of the Mawlid in his book al-Madhkal. Al-Hajj addresses his thoughts on the paradoxical problem of misguided Mawlid observance when he says: This is a night of exceeding virtue and what follows from an increase in virtue is an increase in the thanks that it merits through the performance of acts of obedience and the like. [However], some people, instead of increasing thanks, have increased innovations on it. Likewise, the Shafi'i Egyptian scholar Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (d. 974 A.H.) was an avid supporter of the Mawlid and wrote a text in praise of it. This was supported and commented on by the Egyptian scholar and former head of Al-Azhar University Ibrahim al-Bajuri and by the Hanafi Syrian Mufti Ibn Abidin. Another Hanafi Mufti Ali al-Qari (d. 1014 A.H.) too supported the celebration of the Mawlid and wrote a text on the subject as did the Moroccan Maliki scholar Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar al-Kattānī (d. 1345 A.H.). Ibn al-Jazari (d. 833 A.H.), a Syrian Shafi'i scholar considers the celebration of the Mawlid to be a means of gaining Paradise. In the Muslim world, the majority of Sunni Islamic scholars are in favor of the Mawlid.>: In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the celebration of the Prophet's (s) birthday and the recitation of mawlid texts were ubiquitous practices endorsed by the majority of mainstream Sunni scholars... by the modern period the celebration of the Mawlid was overwhelmingly accepted and practiced at all levels of religious education and authority. Prominent elite scholars continued to contribute to the development of the tradition. Examples include the former Grand Mufi of Egypt Ali Gomaa, Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki of Saudi Arabia, Yusuf al-Qaradawi the primary scholar of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, Habib Ali al-Jifri, Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowy of Syria, president of the Heritage and History Committee of the United Arab Emirates Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Khazraji and Zaid Shakir, all of whom subscribe to Sunni Islam, have given their approval for the observance of Mawlid. === Opposition === Salafism sects represented in Saudi Arabia and Qatar does not celebrate mawlid while Deobandi sect also forbids its observance though some of their scholars participate in Mawlid gatherings. Established in 31 May 1866 in India, Wahabi/Salafi influenced Deoband Madarsa and its Deobandi sect consider Mawlid un Nabi as Biddah. However, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, scholars wing of Deobandism celebrate Mawlid in Kanpur city of Uttar Pradesh, India by bringing out procession since 1913 and also takes part in Mawlid celebrations in Aligarh Muslim University which is organized ever year under Seerat Committee.One of the Deobandi scholar who regularly delivers mawlid speeches in Aligarh Muslim University, India Prof. Qasmi (Dean, Faculty of Theology, AMU) told that Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi functions have been organized at MAO College/Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) since the times of its founder. Taj al-Din al-Fakihani (d. 1331), an Egyptian Maliki, considered Mawlid to be a blameworthy innovation that was either makruh or haram. Al-Fakihani said that there was no basis of this in the Book of God, nor in the sunnah of Muhammad, and that there was no observance of it on authority of scholars of the umma. He said that it was a bida that was introduced by idlers, and a delight to which gluttons abandon themselves. He mentioned how the five legal categories included whether it is compulsory, meritorious, permitted, reprehensible, or forbidden. He said it was not compulsory, meritorious, or permitted, and therefore it was reprehensible or forbidden. He said that it was reprehensible when a person observed at their own expense without doing more at the gathering than to eat and abstain from doing anything sinful. The second condition of the category of forbidden, according to al-Fakihani, was when committing of transgressions entered into the practice, such as singing–with full bellies–accompanied by instruments of idleness like drums and reed flutes, with the meeting of men with young boys and male persons with attractive women–either mixing with them or guarding them–, just like dancing by swinging and swaying, wallowing in lust and forgetting of the Day of Doom. He also said, And likewise the women, when they come together and there lend their high voices during the reciting with sighing and singing and thereby during the declaiming and reciting disobey the law and neglect His word: ‘Verily, your Lord is on a watchtower’ (Sura 89:14). He further said, Nobody with civilized and courteous manners approves of this. It is only pleasing to people whose hearts are dead and do not contain few sins and offenses. Finally, he said that the month when Muhammad was born was also the month in which he died, and so implied that joy and happiness in that month are not more appropriate than sadness in that month. Fellow Egyptian Maliki Ibn al-Haj al-Abdari also considered Mawlid as a blameworthy innovation that was either makruh or haram, who added that the celebration was never practiced by the Salaf. However Ibn al-Haj affirms the auspicious qualities of the month of the Mawlid in the most effusive terms. and considers Muhammad's date of birth as a particularly blessed time of the year. The Maliki scholar al-Shatibi considered Mawlid an illegitimate innovation. The Andalusian jurist Abu 'Abd Allah al-Haffar (d. 1408) opposed Mawlid, noting that had the Sahaba celebrated it then its exact date would not be a matter of uncertainty. The former grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, Ibn Baz, along with Hammud ibn 'Abd Allah al-Tuwayjiri (d. 1992), another Saudi scholar, in their opposition also argued that there were many worthy occasions in Muhammad's life which he never commemorated, such as the revelation of the first verses of the Qur'an, the Night Journey and the hijra. === Ambiguity === The position of Ibn Taymiyya (1263–1328) on the Mawlid has been ambiguous. On the one hand, he considered that it was a reprehensible devotional innovation and criticised those who celebrated the Mawlid out of a desire to imitate the Christian celebration of Jesus's day of birth. On the other hand, he recognised that some observe Muhammad's day of birth out of a desire to show their love and reverence of him and thus deserve a great reward for their good intentions. The Salafi writer Hamid al-Fiqi (d. 1959) criticised Ibn Taymiyya for holding this view and stating that How can they receive a reward for this when they are opposing the guidance of God's Messenger (pbuh)?. Ibn al-Hajj (c. 1250/56-1336) praised carrying out ceremonies and expression of gratitude during the festival, but rejected the forbidden and objectionable matters that took place at it. He objected to certain things, such as singers performing to the accompaniment of percussion instruments, pointing to their blameworthiness. He asked about what connections there might have been between percussion instruments and the month of Muhammad's day of birth. However, he said that it was right to honor and distinguish the day of birth because it showed respect for the month. He also said that excellence lied in devotional acts. Therefore, al-Hajj said that the respect of this noble month should consist of additional righteous works, the giving of alms and other pious deeds. If anybody is not able to do so, let him then in any case avoid what is forbidden and reprehensible out of respect for this noble month. He said that even though the Quran might be recited, the people actually were longing for the most skilled adepts of folly and stimulating means to entertain the people, and said that this was perverse. Therefore, he did not condemn the Mawlid, but only the forbidden and objectionable things which the Mawlid brings in its wake. He did not disapprove of preparing a banquet and inviting people to participate. In addition, Ibn al-Hajj also said that people observed the Mawlid not just from reasons of respect but also because they wanted to get back the silver they had given on other joyous occasions and festivals, and said that there were evil aspects attached to this. Skaykh al-Islam, Abu I-Fadl ibn Hajar, who was the (greatest) hafiz of this time, said that the legal status of the Mawlid was that it was a bida, which was not transmitted on the authority of one of the pious ancestors. However, he said that it comprised both good things, as well as the reverse, and that if one strove for good things in practicing it and evaded bad things, the Mawlid was a good innovation, and if not, then not. He said that the coming of Muhammad was a good benefaction, and said that only the day ought to be observed. He said that it is necessary that one restricts oneself to that which expresses gratitude to God… namely by reciting the Quran, the giving of a banquet, almsgiving, declamations of some songs of praise for the Prophet and some ascetic songs of praise, which stimulate the hearts to do good and to make efforts to strive for the Hereafter. He also said that the sama and the entertainment and the like may have been in line with the joyous nature of the day, but said that “what is forbidden or reprehensible, is, of course, prohibited. The same holds true for what is contrary to that which is regarded as the most appropriate. == Other uses ==In some countries, such as Egypt and Sudan, Mawlid is used as a generic term for the celebration of the day of birth of local Sufi saints and not only restricted to the observance of the birth of Muhammad. Around 3,000 Mawlid celebrations are held each year. These festivals attract an international audience, with the largest one in Egypt attracting up to three million people honouring Ahmad al-Badawi, a local 13th-century Sufi saint. == Gallery == === Bibliography === == Further reading == Hagen, Gottfried (2014). Mawlid (Ottoman). In Fitzpatrick, C.; Walker, A. (eds.). Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.). Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Malik, Aftab Ahmed (2001). The Broken Chain: Reflections Upon the Neglect of a Tradition. Amal Press. ISBN 0-9540544-0-7. Picken, Gavin (2014). Mawlid. In Fitzpatrick, C.; Walker, A. (eds.). Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.). Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Tahir-ul-Qadri, Muhammad (2014). Mawlid al-Nabi: Celebration and Permissibility. Minhaj-ul-Quran Publications. ISBN 978-1908229144. == External links ==Mawlid from the Encyclopedia of the Orient Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Mawlid: The Conservative View The Mawlid: A Time to Celebrate Eid Milad un Nabi Images Eid Mawlid Nabi: Celebrate

Melā

India

Mela (Sanskrit: मेला) is a Sanskrit word meaning gathering or to meet or a fair. It is used in the Indian subcontinent for all sizes of gatherings and can be religious, commercial, cultural or sport-related. In rural traditions melas or village fairs were (and in some cases still are) of great importance. This led to their export around the world by South Asian diaspora communities wishing to bring something of that tradition to their new countries. In recent times mela also popularly refers to shows and exhibitions. It can be theme-based, promoting a particular culture, art or skill. Generally at melas people can find eateries, entertainment activities, shops and games. The Kumbh Mela, held every twelve years, at Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain is one of the largest fairs in India, where over 50 million people gathered in January 2001, making it the largest gathering anywhere in the world. == Notable Melas in South Asia == === India === Gangasagar Mela at Sagar Island Gita Mahotsav Haridwar Kumbh Mela Jhiri Mela Kapal Mochan Mela, Haryana Kumbh Mela Mela Maghi at Muktsar Minjar Mela Perfect Health Mela Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Prayagraj Kumbh Mela Pushkar Fair Pushkaram – the river festivals of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Ratha-Yatra Mela Sonepur Cattle Fair Shaheedi Jor Mela Ujjain Simhastha == Bangladesh == Banijya Mela Ekushey Boi Mela Boishakhi Mela == Pakistan == Mela Chiraghan == Usage outside South Asia == In modern usage outside South Asia it has become a term that shows widespread diversity of interpretation, just as has been the case in South Asia. One can find a Nepalese mela in the US, or a Bengali mela in London, such as the Boishakhi Mela. The Boishakhi Mela is the largest open-air Asian festival in Europe and the largest Bengali festival outside of Bangladesh. After the Notting Hill Carnival, it is the second-largest street festival in the United Kingdom, attracting over 80,000 visitors from across the country. Many melas are wider intercultural (though mainly Asian) festivals incorporating music, dance, food and other aspects of mainstream culture. Since the 1980s an increasing number of melas have regularly been held in larger towns outside south Asia, especially in the UK and North America. The larger melas tend to be those with larger ethnic minority populations, but many melas are held in communities with small South Asian diasporas. Community ownership of these melas is important to the South Asian communities, who see them as opportunities to share their cultural heritage with the mainstream. They are opportunities for bridge-building and community-building and can perform a strong socially cohesive function. More successful outside-of-Asia melas tend to have a strongly diversified funding base with private/public/third sector collaboration. Public money is often spent on the melas. This reflects the mela organisers' and public authorities' joint conviction that, as in the sub-continent, melas are for everyone. == Notable Melas outside the Asian subcontinent == Milan The Hague (The Netherlands) Oslo Mela Festival (Norway) Belfast Mela (UK) Birmingham Mela (UK) Boishakhi Mela (UK) Bradford Mela (UK) Cardiff Mela (UK) Edinburgh Mela (UK) Glasgow Mela (UK) London Mela (UK) Manchester Mega Mela (UK) Middlesbrough Mela (UK) Newcastle Mela (UK) Nottingham Mela (UK) Preston Mela (UK) Southampton Mela (UK) Brooklyn Mela, Coney Island Ave, New York (US) Punjabi Mela, Centreville, VA (US) Parikrama Yatra List of Melas in Nepal == External links == https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-49396598 BBC list of UK Melas in 2010 Makar Mela Panauti, Nepal

Dadri mela

India

Dadri mela is an annual festival celebrated in Dadri, Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. It is believed to have been started 5000 years ago and is currently organized by the Balia Municipal Corporation. The mela is associated with Hindu rishi Bhrigu and is named after his student rishi Dadar. it is believed to be started after the joining of Sarju and Ganga by rishi Dadar. The mela is held for one month in two phases, first phase is 10 days before Kartika Purnima and is the Second Largest Market for cattle and animal trade. The second phase is started on Kartika Purnima with evening Maha aarti. == Story == According to Pauranic legends, when Rishi Bhrigu attacked Vishnu, he felt great remorse. To repent for his sins, he came back to Earth and started Prāyaścitta. During this time, due to his mastery in Jyotish Shastra, he learned that the river Ganga was going to dry up in the future. To prevent this, he asked his student, Rishi Dardr, to merge the Sarayu and Ganga rivers. Obeying his teacher's command, Rishi Dardr did so. The people at the confluence of the two rivers were overjoyed and celebrated the day as a festival. Since then, the mela has been celebrated annually. == History == The mela is believed to have started in Pauranic times and is often believed to be 5000 years old. it has been celebrated at the same place but the animal fair and meena bazar were added later possibly during Mughal king Akbar's time. == Events == Animal Fair: held 10 days before the Kartika Purnima, the animal fair at Dadri mela is the main attraction for businesses and brings people from as far as Haryana and Rajasthan. It is the second largest animal fair in India and is known for its unique animals. Main mela: on Kartika Purnima the main Dadri mela is started with the Mahaaarti in the evening. Meena Bazar and the rides for enjoyment usually start in that period. Bhartendu Manch: annual Kavi sammelan and different events are organized by the government for promotion of culture and arts.

Mesha Sankranti

India

Mesha Sankranti (also called Mesha Sankramana or Hindu Solar New Year) refers to the first day of the solar cycle year, that is the solar New Year in the Hindu luni-solar calendar. The Hindu calendar also has a lunar new year, which is religiously more significant. The solar cycle year is significant in Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Tamil, and Bengali calendars. The day represents specific solar movement according to ancient Sanskrit texts. Mesha Sankranti is one of the twelve Sankranti in the Indian calendar. The concept is also found in Indian astrology texts wherein it refers to the day of transition of the Sun into the Aries zodiac sign. The day is important in solar and lunisolar calendars followed on the subcontinent. Mesha Sankranti falls on 13 April usually, sometimes 14 April. This day is the basis for major Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist festivals, of which Vaisakhi and Vesak are the best known. It is related to the equivalent Buddhist calendar-based New Year festivals in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, parts of Northeast India, parts of Vietnam and Xishuangbanna, China; collectively referred to as Songkran. == Etymology == The phrase Mesha Sankranti consists of two Sanskrit words. Sankranti literally means going from one place to another, transference, course change, entry into particularly in the context of sun or planets, while Mesha means sheep or Aries constellation. The term Mesha Sankranti connotes a specific day based on time keeping practices developed in the ancient Sanskrit texts of the Vedanga field of study called Jyotisha and later texts such as the Surya Siddhanta. == Observance ==Many regional calendars have two elements: lunar and solar. The lunar element is based on the movement of the moon and counts each month from either new moon to new moon, full moon to full moon, or the day after the full moon to the next full moon. The lunar element forms the basis of religious calendars and begin the year in Chaitra. Many regions begin the local new year with the commencement of the lunar calendar: Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Goa; Cheti Chand for the Sindhi Hindus; and Navreh for the Kashmiri Hindus. In Gujarat, the regional year commences with the lunar month of Kartika after Diwali. The solar element of lunisolar calendars begin the year on Mesha Sankranti. This day is observed by people across India, even in regions which begin the new year using the lunar calendar. However, some regions also begin the regional new year on Mesha Sankranti. Songkran, the term used to refer to the Buddhist calendar-based New Year festivals of April South and Southeast Asian New Year, observations based on mesha sankranti Zodiac

Nandotsava

India

Nandotsava (Sanskrit: नन्दोत्सव, romanized: Nandotsava) is a Hindu festival celebrated on the ninth day of the waning moon during the Hindu month of Bhadrapada, occurring the day after the festival of Krishna Janmashtami. This corresponds to late August to early September in the Gregorian calendar. It honours Nanda, the foster-father of the deity Krishna. According to legend, following the deity's birth, his father, Vasudeva, carried the infant to the house of his cousin Nanda and Yashoda to the settlement of Gokulam, where he was raised. == Literature == According to regional literature, Nanda is regarded to have organised festivities to celebrate the birth of Krishna. He is described to have invited the people of the region of Vraja to the occasion, including the village headsmen and the married and unmarried women of Vrindavan, notably the gopis. Drummers were invited to play music on the occasion and Brahmanas bathed the deity while chanting mantras. Yashoda is stated to have showered flowers upon the child while Rohini offered a feast to the guests. == Religious practices == In Vrindavan, this festival is celebrated in various temples of Krishna. The rituals of panchamrita abhisheka and arati are performed in honour of the deity. Some devotees form small groups and break pots of butter tied to ropes on high-rise buildings. == Sources == Packert, Cynthia. The Art of Loving Krishna: Ornamentation and Devotion. Indiana University Press, 2010. Print.

National Tribal Festival

India

The National Tribal Festival is celebrated by the aborigines & tribal of India in the National Capital Region, of India i.e. New Delhi. The festival is celebrated in the mid of the month of February every year. It is organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. == The festival == The festival is used to mark the Adivasi & tribal people in India and their indigenous tribal culture. === “Vanaj”-National Tribal Festival-2015 === The first edition of the National Tribal Festival was held in New Delhi from 13 to 18 February 2015. National Tribal Dance Festival

National Youth Day (India)

India

National Youth Day, also known as Vivekananda Jayanti, is celebrated on 12 January, being the birthday of a Hindu monk, Swami Vivekananda. In 1984, the Government of India declared this day as National Youth Day and since 1985 the event is celebrated in India every year. == History == It was a decision of the Government of India taken in 1984 to celebrate the birthday of great Swami Vivekananda, i.e. 12 January, as National Youth Day every year. The Government that 'the philosophy of Swamiji and the ideals for which he lived and worked could be a great source of inspiration for the Indian Youth Day. == Celebration and activities ==The National Youth Day is observed all over India at schools and colleges, with processions, speeches, music, youth conventions, seminars, Yogasanas, presentations, competitions in essay-writing, recitations and sports on 12 January every year. Swami Vivekananda's lectures and writings, deriving their inspiration from Indian spiritual tradition and the broad outlook of his Master Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. These were the source of inspiration and have motivated numerous youth organizations, study circles and service projects involving the youth. Swami Vivekananda's birthday (12 January 1863), according to the Indian Almanac (Vishuddha Siddhanta Almanac) is on Pausha Krishna Saptami tithi, which falls on different dates in the English Calendar every year (generally in the month of January). This is observed in various centres of Ramakrishna Math and Mission in a traditional Hindu manner which includes mangal arati (a kind of worship practised in India, especially by Hindu people), special worship, homa (fire-ritual), meditation, devotional songs, religious discourses and sandhya-arati (vesper service at evenings). == External links ==

Navaratri

India

Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. For Shaivites and Shaktas, Durga is a form or actually is Goddess Parvati. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Ashvin (September–October). It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Hindu Indian cultural sphere. Theoretically, there are four seasonal Navaratris. However, in practice, it is the post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharada Navaratri. There are 2 Gupta Navaratris or Secret Navaratris as well, one starting on the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of the Magha Month (Magha Gupta Navaratri) and another starting in the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of Ashadha Month. == Etymology and nomenclature == The word Navaratri means nine nights in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights. == Dates and celebrations == In the eastern and northeastern states of India, the Durga Puja is synonymous with Navaratri, wherein goddess Durga battles and emerges victorious over the buffalo demon Mahishasura to help restore dharma. In southern states, the victory of Durga or Kali is celebrated. In the western state of Gujarat, Navaratri celebrations are constituted by arti, followed by garba. In all cases, the common theme is the battle and victory of good over evil based on a regionally famous epic or legend such as the Devi Mahatmya. === Celebrations === Celebrations include worshipping nine goddesses during nine days, stage decorations, recital of the legend, enacting of the story, and chanting of the scriptures of Hinduism. The nine days are also a major crop season cultural event, such as competitive design and staging of pandals, a family visit to these pandals, and the public celebration of classical and folk dances of Hindu culture. Hindu devotees often celebrate Navaratri by fasting. On the final day, called Vijayadashami, the statues are either immersed in a water body such as a river or ocean, or the statue symbolising the evil is burnt with fireworks, marking the destruction of evil. During this time preparations also take place for Deepavali (the festival of lights) which is celebrated twenty days after Vijayadashami. === Dates === According to some Hindu texts such as the Shakta and Vaishnava Puranas, Navaratri theoretically falls two or four times in a year. Of these, the Sharada Navaratri near the September equinox (the autumn equinox in September–October) is the most celebrated and the Vasanta Navaratri near the March equinox (the spring equinox in March–April) is the next most significant to the culture of the Indian subcontinent. In all cases, Navaratri falls in the bright half (waxing phase) of the Hindu lunisolar months. The celebrations vary by region, leaving much to the creativity and preferences of the Hindu. ==== Sharada Navaratri ==== Sharada Navaratri is the most celebrated of the four Navaratri, named after Sharada which means autumn. It commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashvini. The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during this month, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October. The exact dates of the festival are determined according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, and sometimes the festival may be held for a day more or a day less depending on the adjustments for sun and moon movements and the leap year. In many regions, the festival falls after the autumn harvest, and in others, during harvest. The festivities extend beyond goddess Durga and various other goddesses such as Saraswati and Lakshmi. Deities such as Ganesha, Kartikeya, Shiva, and Parvati are regionally revered. For example, a notable pan-Hindu tradition during Navaratri is the adoration of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music, and arts, through Ayudha Puja. On this day, which typically falls on the ninth day of Navaratri, peace and knowledge is celebrated. Warriors thank, decorate, and worship their weapons, offering prayers to Saraswati. Musicians upkeep, play, and pray their musical instruments. Farmers, carpenters, smiths, pottery makers, shopkeepers, and all sorts of tradespeople similarly decorate and worship their equipment, machinery, and tools of trade. Students visit their teachers, express respect, and seek their blessings. This tradition is particularly strong in South India, but is observed elsewhere too. ==== Chaitra Navaratri ====Chaitra Navaratri, also called Vasantha Navaratri, is the second most celebrated Navaratri, named after vasanta which means spring. It is observed during the lunar month of Chaitra (March–April). The festival is devoted to goddess Durga, whose nine forms are worshipped on nine days. The last day is also Rama Navami, the birthday of Rama. For this reason, it is also called Rama Navaratri by some people. In many regions, the festival falls after spring harvest, and in others, during harvest. It also marks the first day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, also known as the Hindu Lunar New Year, according to the Vikram Samvat calendar. Chaitra Navaratri is called Navreh by the Kashmiri Pandits, Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. ==== Magha Navaratri ==== Magha Navaratri is observed during the lunar month of Magha (January–February). This Navaratri is also known as Gupt (secret) Navaratri. The fifth day of this festival is often independently observed as Vasant Panchami or Basant Panchami, the official start of spring in the Hindu tradition, where in goddess Saraswati is revered through arts, music, writing, and kite flying. In some regions, the Hindu god of love, Kama is revered. Magha Navaratri is observed regionally or by individuals. ==== Ashada Navaratri ==== Ashada Navaratri, also known as Gupta Navaratri, is observed during the lunar month of Ashadha (June–July), during the start of the monsoon season. Ashada Navaratri is observed regionally or by individuals. == Nine forms of Durga == The festival is associated to the prominent battle that took place between Durga and the demon Mahishasura to celebrate the victory of good over evil. This isn’t just a simple tale of good versus evil, but one filled with layers of symbolism and moral lessons. These nine days are solely dedicated to Durga and her nine avatars – the Navadurga.The specific forms of navadurga are extracted from the Devikavaca, a subsection of the Devipurana text and representative of a major aspect in the life of the goddess, Parvati. Each day is associated to an incarnation of the goddess: === Day 1 – Shailaputri ===Pratipada, also known as the first day, is associated with the form Shailaputri (Daughter of Mountain), an incarnation of Parvati. It is in this form that Durga is worshipped as the daughter of Himavan (the Guardian God of Himalaya). She is depicted as riding the bull, Nandi, with a trishula in her right hand and lotus flower in her left. Shailaputri is considered to be the direct incarnation of Mahakali. The colour of the day is yellow, which depicts action and vigor. She is also considered to be a reincarnation of Sati (Shiva's first wife, who then reincarnates as Parvati) and is also known as Hemavati. === Day 2 – Brahmacharini ===On Dwitiya (second day), Goddess Brahmacharini (Unmarried One), another incarnation of Parvati, is worshipped. In this form, Parvati became Yogini, her unmarried self. Brahmacharini is worshipped for emancipation or moksha and endowment of peace and prosperity. Depicted as walking bare feet and holding a rudrakshmala (japmala) and a kamandala (water pot) in her hands, she symbolizes bliss and calm. White is the colour code of this day. The orange colour which depicts tranquility is sometimes used so that strong energy flows everywhere. === Day 3 – Chandraghanta ===Tritiya (third day) commemorates the worship of Chandraghanta – the name derived from the fact that after marrying Shiva, Parvati adorned her forehead with the ardhachandra (lit. half-moon). She is the embodiment of beauty and is also symbolic of bravery. Grey is the colour of the third day, which is a vivacious colour and can cheer up everyone's mood. === Day 4 – Kushmanda ===Goddess Kushmanda is worshipped on Chaturthi (fourth day). Believed to be the creative power of the universe, Kushmanda is associated with the endowment of vegetation on earth, and hence, the colour of the day is green. She is depicted as having eight arms and sits on a tiger. === Day 5 – Skandamata ===Skandamata, the goddess worshipped on Panchami (fifth day), is the mother of Skanda (or Kartikeya). The green colour is symbolic of the transforming strength of a mother when her child is confronted with danger. She is depicted riding a ferocious lion, having four arms, and holding her baby. === Day 6 – Katyayani ===Born to sage Katyayana, she is an incarnation of Durga which killed the buffalo-demon, Mahisa and is shown to exhibit courage which is symbolized by the colour red. Known as the warrior goddess, she is considered one of the most violent forms of Devi. In this avatar, Katyayani rides a lion and has four hands. She is celebrated on Shashti (sixth day). In eastern India, Maha Shashti is observed on this day and starting of shardiya Durga Puja. === Day 7 – Kalaratri ===Considered the most ferocious form of Durga, Kalaratri is revered on saptami. It is believed that Parvati removed her pale skin to kill the asuras Shumbha and Nishumbha. The colour of the day is royal blue. The goddess is depicted in a red-coloured attire or tiger skin with enraged and fiery eyes and dark skin. The red colour is believed to represent prayer and assurance of the goddess's protection to the devotees from harm. === Day 8 – Mahagauri ===Mahagauri symbolizes intelligence and peace. It is believed when Kaalaratri took a bath in the Ganga river, she gained a warmer complexion. The colour associated with this day is pink which depicts optimism. She is celebrated on Ashtami (eighth day). In eastern India, Maha Astami is observed on this day and starting with pushpanjali, kumari puja etc. It is a very important tithi and considered as the birthday of Mahishasura mardini rupa of Chandi. === Day 9 – Siddhidatri ===On the last day of the festival also known as Navami (ninth day), people pray to Siddhidhatri (Giver of Perfection). Sitting on a lotus, she is believed to possess and bestows all types of Siddhis. She mainly bestows nine types of siddhis–anima (the ability to reduce one's body to the size of an atom), mahima (the ability to expand one's body to an infinitely large size), garima (the ability to become heavy or dense), laghima (the ability to become weightless or lighter than air), prapti (the ability to realize whatever one desires), prakamya (the ability to access any place in the world), isitva (the ability to control all material elements or natural forces) and vasitva (the ability to force influence upon anyone). Here, she has four hands. Also known as Mahalakshmi, The purple colour of the day portrays an admiration towards nature's beauty. Siddhidatri is Parvati, the wife of Shiva. Siddhidhatri is also seen as the Ardhanarishvara form of Shiva and Shakti. It is believed that one side of Shiva's body is that of Siddhidatri. Therefore, he is also known by the name of Ardhanarishwara. According to Vedic scriptures, Shiva attained all the siddhis by worshipping this goddess. In most parts of India, tools and weapons are worshipped in a ritual called Ayudha Puja. Many businesses also grant a holiday to their employees on this day. === Day 10 - Dussehra or Vijayadashami === Vijayadashami is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. In the southern, eastern, northeastern, and some northern states of India, Vijayadashami marks the end of Durga Puja, commemorating goddess Durga's victory against the buffalo-demon Mahishasura to restore and protect dharma. Dussehra, in Hinduism, is a holiday marking the triumph of Rama, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, over the 10-headed demon king Ravana, who abducted Rama’s wife, Sita. The festival’s name is derived from the Sanskrit words dasha (“ten”) and hara (“defeat”). Symbolizing the victory of good over evil, Dussehra is celebrated on the 10th day of the month of Ashvina (September–October), the seventh month of the Hindu calendar, with the appearance of the full moon, an event called the “bright fortnight” (shukla paksha). Dussehra coincides with the culmination of the nine-day Navratri festival and with the tenth day of the Durga Puja festival. For many, it marks the beginning of preparation for Diwali, which occurs 20 days after Dussehra. == Regional practices == Navaratri is celebrated in different ways throughout India. Certain people revere different aspects of Durga and some people fast while others feast. The Chaitra Navaratri culminates in Ram Navami and the Sharada Navaratri culminates in Durga Puja and Vijayadashami. In the past, Shakta Hindus used to recite Durga's legends during the Chaitra Navaratri around the spring equinox . For most contemporary Hindus, it is the Navaratri around the autumn equinox that is the major festival and the one observed. To Bengali Hindus and to Shakta Hindus outside of eastern and northeastern states of India, the term Navaratri implies Durga Puja in the warrior goddess aspect of Devi. In other traditions of Hinduism, the term Navaratri implies the celebration of Durga but in her more peaceful forms, such as Saraswati – the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music, and other arts. In Nepal, Navaratri is called Dashain, and is a major annual homecoming and family event that celebrates the bonds between elders and youngsters with Tika Puja, as well as across family and community members. === Eastern Indian subcontinent ===Navaratri is celebrated as the Durga Puja festival by Bengali Hindus, Assamese people, Bihari people, Tripuri people, Maithils, Nepalese people, Bhutanese people, Burmese people, Odia people as well as some minor tribal ethnicities in Bangladesh and India such as Santal people, Chakma people, Manipuri people and others. It is the most important annual festival to Bengali Hindus and a major social and public event in eastern and northeastern states of India, where it dominates the religious life. The occasion is celebrated with thousands of pandals (temporary stages) that are built in community squares, roadside shrines, and large Durga temples in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, eastern Nepal, Assam, Tripura, and nearby regions. It is also observed by some Shakta Hindus as a private, home-based festival. Durga Puja festival marks the victory of the goddess Durga in the battle against the shape-shifting, deceptive, and powerful buffalo demon Mahishasura. The festival begins with Mahalaya, a day where Shakta Hindus remember the loved ones who have died, as well the advent of the warrior goddess Durga. The next significant day of Durga Puja is called Shashthi, on which the local community welcomes the goddess Durga and festive celebrations are inaugurated. On the seventh (Saptami), eighth (Ashtami), and ninth (Navami) day, Durga, along with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, and Kartikeya, are revered. These days mark the main Puja (worship) which is performed by the recitation of scriptures, legends of Durga in the Devi Mahatmya, and social visits by families to temples and pandals. On the tenth day, also known as Vijayadashami, a great procession is held where clay statues of Durga are ceremoniously walked to a river or ocean coast for a solemn goodbye. Many mark their faces with vermilion (sindooram) or dress in red clothes. It is an emotional day for some devotees, and the congregation sings emotional goodbye songs. After the procession, Hindus distribute sweets, gifts, and visit their friends and family members. Durga Puja is celebrated commonly by both Bangladesh's Bengali and non-Bengali Hindu communities. Many Bengali Muslims also take part in the festivities. In Dhaka, the Dhakeshwari Temple puja attracts visitors and devotees. In Nepal, the festivities are celebrated as Dashain. === North India ===In North India, Navaratri is marked by the numerous Ramlila events, where episodes from the story of Rama and Ravana are enacted by teams of artists in rural and urban centers, inside temples, or in temporarily constructed stages. This Hindu tradition of festive performance arts was inscribed by UNESCO as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. The festivities, states UNESCO, include songs, narration, recital and dialogue based on the Hindu text Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas. It is particularly notable in the historically important Hindu cities of Ayodhya, Varanasi, Vrindavan, Almora, Satna and Madhubani – cities in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. The festival and dramatic enactment of the story is organized by communities in hundreds of small villages and towns, attracting a mix of audiences from different social, gender. and economic backgrounds. In many parts, the audience and villagers join in and participate spontaneously, some helping the artists, others helping with stage set up, create make-up, effigies, and lights. Navaratri has historically been a prominent ritual festival for kings and military of a kingdom. At the end of the Navaratri, comes Dussehra, where the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Indrajit are burnt to celebrate the victory of good (Rama) over evil forces.Elsewhere, during this religious observance, goddess Durga's war against deception and evil is remembered. A pot is installed (ghatasthapana) at a sanctified place at home. A lamp is kept lit in the pot for nine days. The pot symbolizes the universe and the uninterrupted lit lamp symbolizes Durga. === Bihar and Jharkhand === In parts of Bihar and Jharkhand, Durga is revered during the autumn of Navaratri. A huge number of pandals are made. In Bihar, Durga is worshipped alongside Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartikey, and Ganesha. In other parts like Sitamarhi and close to the Nepal border, the spring Navaratri attracts a large Rama Navami fair, which marks the birth of Lord Rama. It is the largest cattle trading fair and attracts a large handicraft market in pottery, kitchen, and housewares, as well as traditional clothing. Festive performance arts and celebrations are held at the local Hindu temple dedicated to Sita, Hanuman, Durga, and Ganesha. === Gujarat === Navaratri in Gujarat is one of the state's main festivals. The traditional celebrations include fasting for a day, or partially fasting each of the nine days by not eating grains or just taking liquid foods, in remembrance of one of nine aspects of Shakti goddess. The prayers are dedicated to a symbolic clay pot called garbo, as a remembrance of the womb of the family and universe. The clay pot is lit, and this is believed to represent the one Atman (soul, self).In Gujarat and nearby Hindu communities such as in Malwa, the garbo significance is celebrated through performance arts on all nine days. The most visible is group dances called Garba accompanied by live orchestra, seasonal raga, or devotional songs. It is a folk dance where people of different background and skills join and form concentric circles. The circles can grow or shrink, reaching sizes of hundreds or thousands of people, dancing and clapping in circular moves in their traditional attire. The garba dance sometimes deploys dandiyas (sticks), coordinated movements and the striking of sticks between the dancers, and teasing between the genders. Post dancing, the group and the audience socializes and feasts together. Regionally, the same thematic celebration of community songs, music, and dances on Navaratri is called garba. === Goa ===In the temples of Goa, on the first day of the Hindu month of Ashwin, a copper pitcher, surrounded by clay, is installed inside the sanctum sanctorum of Devi and Krishna temples, in which nine varieties of food grains are placed. The nine nights are celebrated through devotional songs and religious discourses. Artists arrive to perform folk musical instruments. Celebrations include placing Durga's image in a specially-decorated colourful silver swing, known as Makhar, and for each of the nine nights, swinging Her to the tune of temple music (called as ranavadya). This is locally called Makharotsav. The last night of the Goa Navaratri festival is a major celebration called the makhar arti. === Karnataka ===In Karnataka, Navaratri is observed at home and by lighting up Hindu temples, cultural sites, and many regal processions. It is locally called Dasara and it is the state festival (Naadahabba) of Karnataka. Of the many celebrations, the Mysuru Dasara is a major one and is popular for its festivities. The contemporary Dasara festivities at Mysore are credited to the efforts of King Raja Wodeyar I in 1610. On the ninth day of Dasara, called Mahanavami, the royal sword is worshipped and is taken on a procession of decorated elephants and horses. Also, Ayudha Puja is dedicated to Saraswati, in which military personnel upkeep their weapons and families upkeep their tools of livelihood, both offering a prayer to Saraswati, as well as Parvati and Lakshmi. The day after Navaratri, on Vijayadashami, the traditional Dasara procession is held on the streets of Mysore. An image of the Goddess Chamundeshwari is placed on a golden saddle (hauda) on the back of a decorated elephant and taken on a procession, accompanied by tableaux, dance groups, music bands, decorated elephants, horses, and camels. Another Navaratri tradition in Karnataka has been decorating a part of one's home with art dolls called Gombe or Bombe, similar to Golu dolls of Tamil Nadu. An art-themed Gaarudi Gombe, featuring folk dances that incorporate these dolls, is also a part of the celebration. === Kerala ===In Kerala, three days (Ashtami, Navami, and Vijayadashami) of Sharada Navaratri are celebrated as Sarasvati Puja in which books are worshipped. The books are placed for Puja on Ashtami in their own houses, traditional nursery schools, or in temples. On Vijayadashami, the books are ceremoniously taken out for reading and writing after worshipping Sarasvati. Vijayadashami is considered auspicious for initiating the children into writing and reading, which is called Vidyarambham. The Vidyarambham day tradition starts with the baby or child sitting on the lap of an elderly person such as the grandfather, near images of Saraswati and Ganesha. The elder writes a letter and the child writes the same with his or her index finger. === Maharashtra === Navaratri celebrations vary across Maharashtra and the specific rites differ between regions, even if they are called the same and dedicated to the same deity. The most common celebration begins on the first day of Navaratri with Ghatasthapana, which literally means mounting of a jar. On this day, rural households mount a copper or brass jar, filled with water, upon a small heap of rice kept on a wooden stool (pat). The jar is typically placed other agriculture symbols such as a turmeric root, leaves of a mango tree, coconut, and major staple grains (usually eight varieties). A lamp is lighted symbolising knowledge and household prosperity, and kept alight through the nine nights of Navaratri. The family worships the pot for nine days by offering rituals and a garland of flowers, leaves, fruits, dry fruits, etc. with a naivedya, and water is offered in order to get the seeds sprouted. Some families also celebrate Kali Puja on days 1 and 2, Lakshmi Puja on days 3, 4, 5 and Saraswati Puja on days 6, 7, 8, 9 along with Ghatasthapana. On the eighth day, a Yajna or Hom is performed in the name of Goddess Durga. On the ninth day, the Ghat puja is performed and the Ghat is dismantled after taking off the sprouted leaves of the grains. The Goddess Lalita is worshiped on the fifth day of the festival. On the ninth day of the festival, men participate in worshiping all kinds of tools, weapons, vehicles, and productive instruments. === Tamil Nadu === Navaratri has been a historic tradition within Tamil Nadu, with Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Durga goddesses as the focus. Like the rest of India, the festival has been an occasion for performance arts, particularly Hindu temple dances such as Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam. Major palaces, community centers, and historic temples have embedded dance halls. For example, the Padmanabhapuram Palace built about 1600 CE has had a large dance hall with intricately carved pillars, a structure entirely made of stone. This dance hall has traditionally been known as Navaratri Mantapa. The festivities begin with Vedic chants inaugurating the dances and other ceremonies. Other Tamil Hindu temples, such as those associated with Sri Vaishnavism, also celebrate the Navaratri festivities.Another notable Tamil tradition is a celebration of the festival with Golu dolls (also spelled as Gollu). These include gods, goddesses, animals, birds and rural life all in a miniature design. People set up their own creative themes in their homes, called Kolu, friends and families invite each other to visit their homes to view Kolu displays, then exchange gifts and sweets. This tradition is also found in other parts of South India such as Andhra Pradesh where it called Bommala Koluvu, and Karnataka where it is called Gombe Habba or Gombe totti. Evidence of Gombe totti tradition as a Hindu celebration of the artisan arts goes back to at least the 14th-century Vijayanagara Empire. In the evening of Vijayadashami, any one doll from the Kolu is symbolically put to sleep and the Kalasa is moved a bit towards the North to mark the end of that year's Navaratri Kolu. The family offers a prayer of thanks, and wraps up the display.In temples of Tamil Nadu, Navaratri is celebrated for Durga's dwelling in each temple. The temples are decorated, ceremonial lamps are lit, and Vedic chantings are performed. Priests and visitors of some of these temples wear a special yellow coloured 'promise of protection' thread on their wrists, called kappu (Tamil) or raksha bandhana (Sanskrit). It is believed to symbolize a vow to the goddess and protection from the goddess against evil. == Telangana ==In Telangana, Navaratri is celebrated as in the rest of India and it ends with Dasara. During the Navaratri nights, a notable Telangana tradition involves Telugu Hindu women who produce Bathukamma for Navaratri goddesses. It is an artistic flower decorations driven event, particularly using marigolds, which revere three different aspects Devi, called Tridevi. In 2016, 9,292 women simultaneously participated to create a 20 feet high flower arrangements, one of the world's largest festive flower arrangement. Bathukamma celebrations will be started with the Mahalaya Amavasya (Pitru Amavasya), a day before Navaratri starts. The main deity of worship is goddess Gowri, a form of goddess Durga, who is symbolized with an idol made from turmeric powder and is placed on a floral arrangement called bathukamma. The festival will go for nine nights with women whirling around the bathukamma clapping their hands or sticks along with the recitation of the Ramayana, stories of Shiva, Gowri, Ganga, and common day-to-day life of women in the form of rhythmic songs. Every night, bathukamma is immersed in nearby water resources and a new bathukamma is made next day. This nine nights festival ends with Durgashtami, when Durga is believed to be worshiped in the form of Maha Gowri. Like elsewhere in India, Ayudha Puja is observed by Telangana Hindus where weapons are maintained, decorated, and worshiped. Tradesmen and farmers similarly clean up, decorate, and worship their own equipment of the trade. On the 10th day, Dussehra (Vijayadashami), grand feasts are arranged with family members and friends. == Textual mentions == Early mentions of Navaratri rituals are found in vernacular texts of the Ramayana, such as the Bengali Krittivasi Ramayana, whereby Rama is described as offering Durga puja. In the epic Mahabharata, Durga is praised twice in the chapters of Virata Parva and Bhishma Parva. Rituals are also found in Puranic texts such as the Markandeya Purana, Devi Purana, Kalika Purana and Devi Bhagavata Purana. == Animal sacrifice == Although rare, animal sacrifice is a part of some Durga puja celebrations during Navaratri in the eastern states of India. The goddess is offered a sacrificial animal in this ritual in the belief that it stimulates her violent vengeance against the buffalo demon. According to Christopher Fuller, the animal sacrifice practice is rare among Hindus during Navaratri, or at other times, outside the Shaktism tradition found in the eastern Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha, and Assam. Even in these states, the festival season is one where significant animal sacrifices are observed. In some Shakta Hindu communities, the slaying of the buffalo demon and the victory of Durga are observed with a symbolic sacrifice instead of animal sacrifice. The Rajput of Rajasthan worship their weapons and horses on Navaratri, and formerly offered a sacrificial goat to a goddess revered as Kuldevi – a practice that continues in some places. The ritual requires the slaying of the animal with a single stroke. In the past, this ritual was considered a rite of passage into manhood and readiness as a warrior. The tradition of animal sacrifice is being substituted with vegetarian offerings to the Goddess in temples and households around Banaras in Northern India. == Outside Indian subcontinent == The Hindu diaspora that migrated as indentured servants during colonial era to various plantations and mines around the world, as well as those who migrated on their own, continued to mark their Navaratri traditions. Hindus in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Sri Lanka for example, built Hindu temples in southeast Asia in the 19th century, and Navaratri has been one of their major traditional festivals. In Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Fiji, Mauritius, Canada, South Africa, the United States, and the United Kingdom, Navaratri and Diwali have been one of the most visible celebrations of the local Hindu communities from about mid 20th-century. Beyond South Asia, Durga Puja is organized by Bengali, Odia, Assamese and the Nepali communities in the United States of America. Durga Puja celebrations have also been started in Hong Kong by the Hindu Indian Bengali diaspora. In Canada, Bengali Hindu communities both from Bangladesh and West Bengal, India organise several Durga Pujas. Greater Toronto Area has the most number of Durga Puja celebration venues organized by different Bengali cultural groups such as Bangladesh Canada Hindu Cultural Society (BCHCS), Bongo Poribar Sociocultural Association etc. City of Toronto has a dedicated Durga Temple named Toronto Durgabari where Durga Puja is organized along with other Hindu celebrations. Most of the puja venues of Toronto area try to arrange the puja in best possible way to follow the lunar calendar and timings. == Other religions == Navaratri and goddess worship is mentioned in the historic Sikhism literature, particularly in the Dasam Granth traditionally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. According to Louis Fenech, the Sikhs have historically mirrored the reverence for Devi Shakti and the worship of weapons in a manner similar to those by Shakta Hindus. The second Guru of Sikhism, Guru Angad, was an ardent devotee of goddess Durga. The Jains have observed the social and cultural celebrations of Navaratri with Hindus, such as the folk dances. The stavan poetry of Jainism, states M. Whitney Kelting, draw much of their imagery from the garba poems of Hinduism. It takes place at the same time as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival. Navratra Akhand Jyoti Durga Puja Garba Jhandewalan Temple Jwala Devi Temple (Uttar Pradesh) Jyoti Kalash Mysore Dasara Bathukamma Nine Emperor Gods Festival Vijayadashami Dashain == Notes == == Bibliography == == External links == Media related to Navaratri at Wikimedia Commons Navratri festival. Archived 7 October 2021 at the Wayback Machine.

Pandal

India

Pandal (Tamil: பந்தல், romanized: pantal) is a fabricated structure, either temporary or permanent, that is used at many places such as either outside a building or in an open area such as along a public road or in front of a house in India and other neighbouring countries. This canopy or big tent is often used in a religious or other events that gathers people together, such as a wedding, fair, exhibition or festival. == In Hinduism ==In Hinduism, a pandal is a temporary structure set up to usually venerate the god and goddess such as Ganesha during Ganesh Chaturthi, Krishna during Krishna Janmasthami or the Goddess Durga during Durga Puja, known as puja pandal. Pandals are also used for nonreligious activities. For instance, these tents are put up during cultural programs. == In Buddhism in Sri Lanka == In a ritual unique to Sri Lanka, Vesak thorana pandals are set up during the Vesak festival, with illuminated panels illustrated with episodes from the life of the Gautama Buddha and Jathaka Katha or stories based on Buddhist culture. The fundamental concept of a Vesak Pandal is a creatively made, massive structure, decorated with a large number of lights and paintings mounted on a huge supporting structure. This supporting structure is traditionally built with Puwak Gasa (Areca nut trees). Creating the structure requires creativity, inventiveness and the high-level expertise of a number of artists and light-system electricians, not to mention funding and planning in advance. The goal is to create a very beautiful and colorful experience. Many different and dedicated groups of experts participating often pass down this work from generation to generation or master to student. With change of time, nowadays Pandols are constructed using Scaffolding, which doesn't require cutting down of Puwak Trees as a result. The most significant part of this display uses simple techniques in an intelligent way to create lighting on the front of the pandal. Most of the time this is a 2D structure. == Other types of pandals == Pandals are also set up during Gammaduwa (village rebirth) festivals, honouring the goddess Pattini. Pandal also refers to platforms from which people splash water during the new year celebrations of the Thingyan festival. A pandal can also be a ceremonial gate, built to welcome visitors. A city in the Nilgiris district of the state of Tamil Nadu is named Pandalur. In Bangladesh, Pandals, traditionally known as Shamiana, are used in open field, outside mosques or Eidgahs for Eid prayer, mehfils for Religious and Cultural occasions such as Milad, Mezban and weddings. Each year the national eidgah's entrance gets decorated in a new theme.

Panthoibi Iratpa

India

Panthoibi Iratpa or Panthoibi Iraat Thouni or Panthoibi Eratpa is a religious festival of the Meitei people dedicated to Panthoibi, the ancient Meitei goddess of civilization, courage, fertility, handicraft, love, victory, warfare and wisdom of Sanamahism (traditional Meitei religion). It is celebrated on the first day of the Meitei lunar month of Mera, based on the traditional Meitei calendar. It usually, though not always, coincides with the day of the Hindu festival of Durga Puja, which is based on the Hindu calendar. So, both the festival are often celebrated together in Manipur, despite their religious differences. Goddess Panthoibi is syncretised with Hindu goddess Durga since 1714 AD during the reign of emperor Pamheiba (Garib Niwaj) when he made Hinduism as the official religion (state religion) of the Kingdom of Manipur. The Hiyangthang Lairembi Temple (originally dedicated to goddess Hiyangthang Lairembi aka Irai Leima) in Imphal West district is the largest site for celebration of the Panthoibi Iratpa festival in Manipur.

Parents' Worship Day

India

Parents' Worship Day, known as Matri Pitri Poojan Diwas (also Matru Pitru Poojan Divas) was started by Asaram Bapu in 2007 as an alternative to Valentine's Day. It is celebrated on 14 February every year. It is based on the Sanskrit words for mother (मातृ, mātṛ) and father (पितृ, pitŕ). == History == The day was first celebrated on 14 February 2007 at Sant Shri Asharamji's Gurukul, Ahmedabad. This festival draws its inspiration from the pujan of Shiva and Parvati performed by Ganesha. According to The Hindu, the Indian state of Chhattisgarh has been celebrating Matru-Pitru Pujan Diwas since 2012, on the advice of Asaram. It is officially celebrated by the Chhattisgarh Govt in schools and colleges as ordered by the Chief Minister Raman Singh. In 2013 some schools & colleges in Bhubaneswar started to celebrate the Parents Worship Day. In 2015 the state government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party made it an official celebration. In 2015 the right wing political party Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha endorsed the day. On 14 February 2015, it was celebrated on a large scale by an NGO Bhartiya Yuwa Shakthi at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Krida Mandal, Nehru Nagar, Kurla. The event imparted theoretical and practical values to parents and children. It was celebrated by Sanatan Dharma Sabha in Jammu in 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2017 the District collector in Madhya Pradesh issued a notice for schools, youth and urged people to celebrate 14 February as Matru-Pitru Pujan Diwas. In December 2017, the education minister of Jharkhand, Neera Yadav issued a notice to celebrate the day in 40,000 government schools in the state in 2018. In 2018, Gujarat Technological University and Swaminarayan Institute of Technology celebrated Parents Worship Day to reaffirm respect towards Parents. In 2019, Gujarat Education Minister, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama appreciated the initiative of celebrating 14 February as Matru Pitru Pujan Diwas. In 2020, Gujarat Education department told schools to organize Parents Worship Day on 14 February in order to nurture best values from childhood and to protect Indian culture. In 2024, Education minister Madan Dilawar of Rajasthan mentioned about the plan to conduct Parents Worship Day celebration from the next academic session. == Celebration == === Matru Pitru Poojan Diwas === Matru Pitru Poojan Diwas (MPPD) also called Matra Pitra Pujan Divas is a festival initiated by Asaram. On this day, children from all religions worship their parents and seek their blessings by offering them tilak, garland. It is seen by many as a method to cement the bond between family members and to imbibe good values like respect, obedience and humility in children. Right wing activists claim that it is an alternate method to counter teenage pregnancy. In several states like Maharashtra, Haryana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Valentine's Day has been officially renamed as Matru-Pitru Pujan Diwas. As per Directorate of Public Instructions, every year February 14 is celebrated as Parents' Worship Day instead of Valentine's Day in Chhattisgarh. Parents are invited to schools and children worship them by performing aarti and offering sweets. === Abba Ammi Ibadat Diwas === Muslim students expressed love for parents by celebrating the day as 'Abba Ammi Ibadat Diwas'.

Parinirvana Day

India

Parinirvana Day, or Nirvana Day is a Mahayana Buddhist holiday celebrated in East Asia, Vietnam and the Philippines. By some it is celebrated on 8 February, but by most on the 15 February. In Bhutan, it is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the fourth month of the Bhutanese calendar. It celebrates the day when the Buddha is said to have achieved Parinirvana, or complete Nirvana, upon the death of his physical body. Passages from the recitations of Nibbana Sutta or Nirvana Sutra describing the Buddha's last days of life are often read on Parinirvana Day. Other observances include meditation and visits to Buddhist temples and monasteries. Also, the day is a time to think about one's own future death and on the deaths of loved ones. This thought process reflects the Buddhist teachings on impermanence. Some Western Buddhist groups also celebrate Parinirvana Day.

Pavarana

India

Pavarana (Sanskrit: Pravāraṇā) is a Buddhist holy day celebrated on Aashvin full moon of the lunar month. This usually occurs on the full moon of the 11th month. It marks the end of the three lunar months of Vassa, sometimes called Buddhist Lent. The day is marked in some Asian countries where Theravada Buddhism is practiced. On this day, each monk (Pali: bhikkhu) must come before the community of monks (Sangha) and atone for an offense he may have committed during the Vassa. Mahayana Buddhists also observe Vassa, many Son/Thien monks in Korea and Vietnam observe an equivalent retreat of three months of intensive practice in one location. == Origins == In India, where Buddhism began, there is a three-month-long rainy season. According to the Vinaya (Mahavagga, Fourth Khandhaka, section I), in the time of the Buddha, once during this rainy season, a group of normally wandering monks sought shelter by co-habitating in a residence. In order to minimize potential inter-personal strife while co-habitating, the monks agreed to remain silent for the entire three months and agreed upon a non-verbal means for sharing alms. After this rains retreat, when the Buddha learned of the monks' silence, he described such a measure as foolish. Instead, the Buddha instituted the Pavarana Ceremony as a means for dealing with potential conflict and breaches of disciplinary rules (Patimokkha) during the vassa season. The Buddha said:'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that the Bhikkhus, when they have finished their Vassa residence, hold Pavâranâ with each other in these three ways: by what [offence] has been seen, or by what has been heard, or by what is suspected. Hence it will result that you live in accord with each other, that you atone for the offences (you have committed), and that you keep the rules of discipline before your eyes. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus, to hold Pavâranâ in this way: 'Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following ñatti [motion] before the Samgha: Let the Samgha, reverend Sirs, hear me. To-day is the Pavâranâ day. If the Samgha is ready, let the Samgha hold Pavâranâ. 'Then let the senior Bhikkhu adjust his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, sit down squatting, raise his joined hands, and say: I pronounce my Pavâranâ, friends, before the Samgha, by what has been seen, or by what has been heard, or by what is suspected; may you speak to me, Sirs, out of compassion towards me; if I see (an offence), I will atone for it. And for the second time, &c. And for the third time I pronounce my Pavâranâ (&c., down to) if I see (an offence), I will atone for it. 'Then let (each) younger Bhikkhu adjust his upper robe . . . . (&c.)' == Traditions == Pavarana means, inviting admonition. Monks come together to discuss the good and bad of being a monk, in addition to anything they may want to confess from the last three months. The evening after the Pavarana ceremony, lanterns are released into the sky. Asalha Puja Māgha Pūjā Visakha Puja Uposatha Vassa Vinaya Wan Ok Phansa Thadingyut Festival Esala Mangallaya Kandy Esala Perahera Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival List of Buddhist festivals == Notes == == Bibliography == Rhys Davids, T.W. & Hermann Oldenberg (trans.) ([1881]). Vinaya Texts (Part I). Oxford:Clarendon Press. Available on-line at http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe13/sbe1313.htm. The chapter on Pavarana Day, Fourth Khandhaka (The Parâvanâ Ceremony), is available at http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe13/sbe1315.htm. Tieken, Hermann (2002). The Buddhist Pavarana Ceremony to the Pali Vinaya. Journal of Indian Philosophy. 30 (3): 271–289. doi:10.1023/a:1016153122649. JSTOR 23496839. S2CID 169274764.

Pohela Boishakh

India

Pohela Boishakh (Bengali: পহেলা বৈশাখ) is the Bengali New Year celebrated on 14 April in Bangladesh and 15 April in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Jharkhand and Assam (Goalpara and Barak Valley). It is a festival based on the spring harvest—which marks the first day of the new year in the official calendar of Bangladesh. The Pohela Boishakh has its origins in the Mughal Empire, representing the proclamation of tax collection reforms under Akbar. Its celebration is rooted in the traditions of the Mahifarash community of Old Dhaka. Presently, it is largely a secular holiday for most celebrants and enjoyed by people of several different faiths and backgrounds. The festival is celebrated with processions, fairs and family time. The traditional greeting for Bengalis in the new year is শুভ নববর্ষ Shubho Noboborsho which is literally Happy New Year. The festive Mangal Shobhajatra is organised in Bangladesh. In 2016, the UNESCO declared this festivity organised by the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka as a cultural heritage of humanity. == History and origin == === Nomenclature === In Bengali, the word Pohela (or Pahela Bengali: পহেলা), alternatively Poila (Bengali: পয়লা), means 'first' and Boishakh (or Baishak Bengali: বৈশাখ) is the first month of the Bengali calendar (Bengali: পহেলা বৈশাখ Pohela Boishakh, Pahela Boishakh, Pahale Baishak or Bengali: পয়লা বৈশাখ Poila Boishakh).Bengali New Year is referred to in Bengali as Nobo Borsho (Bengali: নববর্ষ), where 'Nobo' means new and 'Borsho' means year. === Traditional roots === ==== Muslim origin theory ==== During Mughal rule, land taxes were collected from Bengali people according to the Islamic Hijri calendar. This calendar was a lunar calendar, and its new year did not coincide with the solar agricultural cycles. According to some sources, the festival was a tradition introduced in Bengal during the rule of Mughal Emperor Akbar to time the tax year to the harvest, and the Bangla year was therewith called Bangabda. Akbar asked the royal astronomer Fathullah Shirazi to create a new calendar by combining the lunar Islamic calendar and solar Hindu calendar already in use, and this was known as Fasholi shan (harvest calendar). According to some historians, this started the Bengali calendar. According to Shamsuzzaman Khan, it could be Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, a Mughal governor, who first used the tradition of Punyaho as a day for ceremonial land tax collection, and used Akbar's fiscal policy to start the Bangla calendar. According to Shamsuzzaman Khan, and Nitish Sengupta, the origin of the Bengali calendar is unclear. According to Shamsuzzaman, it is called Bangla shon or shaal, which are Arabic (سن) and Persian (سال) words respectively, suggests that it was introduced by a Muslim king or sultan. In contrast, according to Sengupta, its traditional name is Bangabda. It is also unclear, whether it was adopted by Alauddin Husain Shah or Akbar. The tradition to use the Bengali calendar may have been started by Husain Shah before Akbar. Regardless of who adopted the Bengali calendar and the new year, states Sengupta, it helped collect land taxes after the spring harvest based on traditional Bengali calendar, because the Islamic Hijri calendar created administrative difficulties in setting the collection date. Some say that the current Bengali Calendar begins from the year of Hijrah, i.e., migration of Prophet Muhammad, the last messenger in Islam, from Makkah to Madinah. ==== Vikramaditya origin theory ==== Some historians attribute the Bengali calendar to the 7th-century Indian king Shashanka. The term Bangabda (Bangla year) is found too in two Shiva temples many centuries older than Akbar era, suggesting that Bengali calendar existed before Akbar's time. Various dynasties whose territories extended into Bengal, prior to the 13th-century, used the Vikrami calendar. Buddhist texts and inscriptions created in the Pala Empire era mention Vikrama and the months such as Ashvin, a system found in Sanskrit texts elsewhere in ancient and medieval Indian subcontinent. In rural Bengali communities of India, the Bengali calendar is credited to Bikromaditto, like many other parts of India and Nepal. However, unlike these regions where it starts in 57 BCE, the Bengali calendar starts from 593 CE suggesting that the starting reference year was adjusted at some point. === Contemporary usage === In Bangladesh however, the old Bengali calendar was modified in 1966 by a committee headed by Muhammad Shahidullah, making the first five months 31 days long, rest 30 days each, with the month of Falgun adjusted to 31 days in every leap year. This was officially adopted by Bangladesh in 1987. Since then, the national calendar starts with and the new year festival always falls on 14 April in Bangladesh. In 2018–19, the calendar was amended again, with Falgun now lasting 29 days in regular years and to 30 days in leap ones, in an effort to more align with Western use of the Gregorian calendar. However, the date of the celebration, 14 April, was retained. The Bengali calendar in India remains tied to the Hindu calendar system and is used to set the various Bengali Hindu festivals. For Bengalis of West Bengal and other Indian states, the festival falls either on 14 or 15 April every year. The current Bengali calendar in use in the Indian states is based on the Sanskrit text Surya Siddhanta. It retains the historic Sanskrit names of the months, with the first month as Baishakh. == Holiday customs == === Visiting family and friends === During Pohela Boishakh, people wear traditional attire, namely women clad in saris and salwar kameez and men dressed in kurta, visit their families and friends and spend time together. Pohela Boishakh is also known for uniting friends and family after a long time. It is a time for unity and reuniting, and spending enjoyable time with friends and family, while putting the past behind. === New year salutation ===The celebration of Bengali new year Pahela Baishakh begins at dawn arranges by the cultural organisation Chhayanaut welcoming the year at Ramna Batamul under the banyan tree in the Ramna Park in Bangladesh. === Haal Khata ===Haal Khata is a festival celebrated on the occasion of Pohela Boishakh in order to complete all the account reckonings of the last year and open a new ledger. It is observed by the Bengali businessmen, shopkeepers and traders. It signifies that every year starts with a new beginning. It ignores all the due debts of customers and shopkeepers alike, and instead opens a new page for a new year of shopkeeping. === Red-white attire === On this occasion, males are seen wearing red or white Kurta with traditional designs on them, imprinted or embroidered. Women and young ladies wear red and white saree with blouses and put on flower crowns on their heads. Girls also dress in salwar kameez. They are seen wearing traditional ornaments and accessories along with their dresses. It is thought that it is because the traditional ledgers used in Haal Khata had a red cover with white pages. === Baishakhi meal === In recent times, claiming it to be traditional, Bengalis eat Panta Bhat or poitabhat, which is a rice-based dish prepared by soaking rice, generally leftovers, in water overnight. It is popularly eaten with Hilsa Fish and other curries. But many argue that it is not an age-old tradition and merely a trend. To stop overfishing and to repopulate the dwindling Hilsa population, around this time, fishing is banned. === Mangal shobhajatra === Mangal Shobhajatra or Mongol Shovajatra (Bengali: মঙ্গল শোভাযাত্রা) is a mass procession that takes place at dawn on the first day of the Bengali New Year in Bangladesh. The procession is organised by the teachers and students of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Dhaka. The festival is considered an expression of the secular identity of the Bangladeshi people and as a way to promote unity. It was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2016, categorised on the representative list as a heritage of humanity. === Baishakhi Rural Fair === It is a fair held by the locals of that area where many different things ranging from books to special dishes are sold. Traditionally, the fair was held under huge Banyan trees and traders from far across the areas would gather with their goods and toys in the fair. Some rides such as Nagordola (wooden Ferris wheel), are set for kids. Different types of traditional foods are sold out in the stalls such as Jilipi, Sandesh, Soan papdi, Batasha (a candy made of sugar or jaggery), Khoi (popped rice), Kadma (a candy made of sugar), and so forth. 'Bioscope', a form of the old movie projector, was also a part of the attraction for the younglings back in the days. == Locality == === Bangladesh ===The Bengali New Year is observed as a public holiday in Bangladesh. It is celebrated across religious boundaries by its Muslim majority and Hindu minority. According to Willem van Schendel and Henk Schulte Nordholt, the festival became a popular means of expressing cultural pride and heritage among the Bangladeshi as they resisted Pakistani rule in the 1950s and 1960s. The day is marked with singing, processions, and fairs. Traditionally, businesses start this day with a new ledger, clearing out the old which often involves inviting loyal customers and offering sweetmeats to them. This festival is called Haal Khata. Singers perform traditional songs welcoming the new year. People enjoy classical Jatra plays. People wear festive dress with women desking their hair with flowers. White-red color combinations are particularly popular. Bangladeshis prepare and enjoy a variety of traditional festive foods on Pohela Boishakh. These include panta bhat (watered rice), ilish bhaji (fried hilsa fish) and many special bhartas (pastes). ==== In Dhaka ====The celebrations start in Dhaka at dawn with a rendition of Rabindranath Tagore's song Esho he Boishakh by Chhayanaut under the banyan tree at Ramna (the Ramna Batamul). An integral part of the festivities is the Mangal Shobhajatra, a traditional colourful procession organised by the students of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka (Charukala). According to the history, the rudimentary step of Mangal Shobhjatra was started in Jessore by Charupith, a community organisation, in 1985. Later in 1989 the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka arranged this Mangal Shobhajatra with different motifs and themes. Now, the Mangal Shobhajatra is celebrated by different organisation in all over the country. The Dhaka University Mangal Shobhajatra tradition started in 1989 when students used the procession to overcome their frustration with the military rule. They organised the festival to create masks and floats with at least three theme, one highlighting evil, another courage, and a third about peace. It also highlighted the pride of Bangladeshi people for their folk heritage irrespective of religion, creed, caste, gender or age. In recent years, the procession has a different theme relevant to the country's culture and politics every year. Different cultural organisations and bands also perform on this occasion and fairs celebrating Bengali culture are organised throughout the country. Other traditional events held to celebrate Pohela Boishakh include bull racing in Munshiganj, Boli Khela (wrestling) in Chittagong, Nouka Baich (boat racing), cockfights, pigeon racing. ==== In Chittagong ==== Pohela Boishakh celebrations in Chittagong involves similar traditions of that in Dhaka. The students of the fine arts institute of Chittagong University brings the Mangal Shobhajatra procession in the city, followed by daylong cultural activities. At DC hill & CRB, a range of cultural programmes are held by different socio-cultural and educational organisations of the city. The Shammilito Pohela Boishakh Udjapon Parishad holds a two-day function at the hill premises to observe the festival, starting with Rabindra Sangeet recitations in the morning. In the late afternoon, through evening, Chaitra Sangkranti programme is held to bid farewell to the previous year. At the Chittagong Shilpakala Academy, different folk cultures, music, dances, puppet shows are displayed. === India ===Bengalis of India have historically celebrated Pohela Boishakh, and it is an official regional holiday in its states of West Bengal and Tripura. The day is also called Nabo Barsho. ==== West Bengal ==== Pohela Boisakh has been the traditional New Year festival in the state, with the new year referred to as the Noboborsho. The festival falls on 14 or 15 April, as West Bengal follows its traditional Bengali calendar, which adjusts for solar cycle differently than the one used in Bangladesh where the festival falls on 14 April. Notable events of West Bengal include the early morning cultural processions called Prabhat Pheri. These processions see dance troupes and children dressed up with floats, displaying their performance arts to songs of Rabindranath Tagore. ==== Tripura and Northeast India ==== Pohela Boishakh is a state holiday in Tripura. People wear new clothes and start the day by praying at the temples for a prosperous year. The day marks the traditional accounting new year for merchants. Festive foods such as confectionery and sweets are purchased and distributed as gifts to friends and family members. The festival is also observed by the Bengali communities in other eastern states such as Assam. === Celebration in other countries ===Bangladesh Heritage and Ethnic Society of Alberta in Canada celebrates its Heritage Festival (Bengali New Year) in a colourful manner along with other organisations. Bengali people in Calgary celebrate the day with traditional food, dress, and with Bengali culture. The Bangabandhu Council of Australia also hosts a Pohela Boishakh event at the Sydney Olympic Park. Bengali Renaissance List of festivals in Bangladesh Festivals of West Bengal Pohela Falgun Haal Khata Bangal == Gallery == == Notelist == == External links ==Pohela Boishakh 1425 Modern Times in Bangladesh, H.W. van Schendel (2001) Pahela Baishakh Pahela Baishakh Utsab Shehab Uddin Pohela Boishakh photographs, State Library of Queensland. Photographs of Pohela Boishakh celebrations in Brisbane 28 May 2022.

Pola (festival)

India

Pola is a thanksgiving festival celebrated by farmers in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, to acknowledge the importance of bulls and oxen, who are a crucial part of agriculture and farming activities. It falls on the day of the Pithori Amavasya (the new moon day) in the month of Shraavana (usually in August). During Pola, farmers don't work their bulls in the farmland and the day is a school holiday in the rural parts of Maharashtra. The festival is found among Marathas in central and eastern Maharashtra. A similar festival is observed by Farmers in other parts of India, and is called Mattu Pongal in south and Godhan in north and west India. In Telangana, a similar festival is celebrated on full moon day and is called Eruvaka Purnima == Celebrations ==In preparation for the festival, bulls are washed and massaged with oils. They are decorated with shawls, bells, and flowers, their horns are coloured, and they get new reins and ropes. The decorated bulls and oxen are walked in procession to the village field accompanied by music and dancing. The first bullock to go out is an old bullock with a wooden frame (called makhar) tied on its horns. This bullock is made to break a toran, a rope of mango leaves stretched between two posts, and is followed by all the other cattle in the village. Homes in the village are decorated with rangolis and toran on top of doors. Puja thalis with kumkum, water, and sweets are prepared, and when the cattle is returned from the procession they are formally greeted by family members, with an earthen lamp with ghee for puja and aarti. On the following day, children decorate wooden bulls with beads and flowers.On this day in Chhattisgarh, Lodhi Rajputs bring home-made sweets and dishes like thethri, khurmi, chakli to the homes of their sisters and daughters.

Pongal (festival)

India

Pongal (), also referred to as Thai Pongal, is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. It is observed in the month of Thai according to the Tamil solar calendar and usually falls on 14 or 15 January. It is dedicated to Surya (the solar deity in Hinduism) and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the Hindu observance celebrated under many regional names throughout the Indian subcontinent. The festival is celebrated over three or four days with Bhogi, Surya Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kanum Pongal, observed on consecutive days. According to tradition, the festival marks the end of winter solstice, and the start of the sun's six-month-long journey northwards called Uttarayana when the sun enters Capricorn. The festival is named after the ceremonial Pongal, which means to boil, overflow and refers to the traditional dish prepared from the new harvest of rice boiled in milk with jaggery. Mattu Pongal is meant for celebration of cattle when the cattle are bathed, their horns polished and painted in bright colors, garlands of flowers placed around their necks and processions. It is traditionally an occasion for decorating rice-powder based kolam artworks, offering prayers in the home, temples, getting together with family and friends, and exchanging gifts to renew social bonds of solidarity. Pongal is one of the most important festivals celebrated by Tamil people in Tamil Nadu and other parts of South India. It is also a major Tamil festival in Sri Lanka and observed by the Tamil diaspora worldwide. == Etymology == Thai Pongal is a portmanteau of two words: Thai (Tamil: 'தை') referring to the tenth month of the Tamil calendar and Pongal (from pongu) meaning boiling over or overflow. Pongal also refers to a sweet dish of rice boiled in milk and jaggery that is ritually prepared and consumed on the day. == History == The principal theme of Pongal is thanking the sun god Surya, the forces of nature, and the farm animals and people who support agriculture. The festival is mentioned in an inscription in the Viraraghava temple attributed to the Chola king Kulottunga I (1070–1122 CE), which describes a grant of land to the temple for celebrating the annual Pongal festivities. The 9th-century Shaiva Bhakti text Tiruvempavai by Manikkavacakar vividly mentions the festival. It appears in Tamil texts and inscriptions with variant spellings such as ponakam, tiruponakam, and ponkal. Temple inscriptions from the Chola period to the Vijayanagara period detail recipes similar to pongal recipes of the modern era with variations in seasonings and relative amounts of the ingredients. The terms ponakam, ponkal, and its prefixed variants might also indicate the festive pongal dish as a prasadam (religious offering) which were given as a part of the meals served by free community kitchens in South Indian Hindu temples either as festival food or to pilgrims every day. == Observance and traditions ==Pongal is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. It is observed in the month of Thai according to the Tamil solar calendar and usually falls on 14 or 15 January and hence is also referred to as Thai Pongal. It is dedicated to the Surya, the Sun God and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival under many regional names celebrated throughout India. According to tradition, the festival marks the end of winter solstice, and the start of the sun's six-month-long journey northwards when the sun enters the Capricorn, also called as Uttarayana. The festival is observed for three or four days in Tamil Nadu, but for one or two days in urban locations and by the Tamil diaspora outside South Asia. The three days of the Pongal festival are called Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal, and Mattu Pongal. Some Tamils celebrate a fourth day of Pongal known as Kanum Pongal. It is traditionally an occasion for decorating, offering prayers in the home, temples, getting together with family and friends, and exchanging gifts to renew social bonds of solidarity. === Cuisine ===The festival is named after the Pongal dish, which forms the festival's most significant practice. The dish is prepared by boiling freshly harvested rice in cow milk and raw cane sugar. Additional ingredients such as coconut and ghee along with spices such as cardamom, raisins and cashews are also used. The cooking is done in a clay pot that is often garlanded with leaves or flowers, sometimes tied with a piece of turmeric root. It is either cooked at home, or in community gatherings such as in temples or village open spaces. The cooking is done in sunlight, usually in a porch or courtyard and the dish is dedicated to the Sun god, Surya. After it is traditionally offered to the gods and goddesses first, followed sometimes by cows, then to friends and family gathered. Temples and communities organize free kitchen prepared by volunteers to all those who gather. Portions of the sweet pongal dish (Sakkarai Pongal) are distributed as the prasadam in temples. The dish and the process of its preparation is a part of the symbolism, both conceptually and materially. It celebrates the harvest and the cooking symbolizes the transformation of the gift of agriculture into nourishment for the gods and the community on a day that when the sun god is believed to start the journey north. The dish boiling over is believed to symbolically mark the blessing by Parvati. It is the ritual dish, along with many other courses prepared from seasonal foods for the gathering. === Kolam ===The festival is marked with colorful kolam artwork. Kolam is a form of traditional decorative art that is drawn by using rice flour often along with natural or synthetic color powders. It includes geometrical line drawings composed of straight lines, curves and loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. === Bhogi === The first day of the Pongal festival is called Bhogi, which marks the last day of the Tamil month Marghazhi. On this day people discard old belongings and celebrate new possessions. The people assemble and light a bonfire in order to burn the heaps of discards. Houses are cleaned, painted and decorated to give a festive look. Prayers are offered to Indra, the king of Gods with thanks and hopes for plentiful rains in the year ahead. Kaappu kattu is a tradition of tying leaves of Azadirachta indica, Senna auriculata and Aerva lanata in the roofs of houses and residential areas that is widely practiced in the Kongu Nadu region. Bhogi is observed on the same day in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Fruits of the harvest are collected along with flowers of the season and a mixture of treats along with money is given to children, who then separate and collect the money and sweet fruits. === Surya Pongal ===Surya Pongal or Thai Pongal is the second and main festive day, and is dedicated to the sun god Surya. It is the first day of the Tamil calendar month Thai and coincides with Makara Sankranti, a winter harvest festival celebrated in other parts of India. The day marks the start of the Uttarayana, when the sun enters the tenth house of the zodiac. The day is celebrated with family and friends with new clothes worn and the preparation of the traditional pongal dish in an earthen pot. The pot is typically decorated by tying a turmeric plant or flower garland and placed in the sun along with sugarcane stalks. The homes are decorated with banana and mango leaves, decorative florals and kolams. Relatives and friends are invited and when the pongal starts to boil and overflow out of the vessel, participants blow a conch or make sounds while shouting Pongalo Pongal (may this rice boil over). In rural areas, people sing traditional songs while the pongal dish is cooking. The Pongal dish is first offered to Surya and Ganesha, and then shared with the gathered friends and family. People traditionally offer prayers to the sun in the open and then proceed to eat their meal. A community Pongal is an event where families gather at a public place for a ceremonial worship. === Mattu Pongal ===Mattu Pongal (Madu meaning cow) is the third day of the festival meant for the celebration of cattle. The cattle is regarded as sources of wealth as it is a means for dairy products and fertilizers, used for transportation and agriculture. The cattle are bathed, their horns are polished and painted in bright colors with garlands of flowers placed around their necks and taken for processions. Some decorate their cows with turmeric water and apply shikakai and kumkuma to their foreheads. The cattle are fed sweets including pongal, jaggery, honey, banana and other fruits. People may prostrate before them with words of thanks for the help with the harvest.The day marks a ritual visit to nearby temples where communities hold processions by parading icons from the sanctum of the temple in wooden chariots, drama-dance performances encouraging social gatherings and renewal of community bonds. Other events during Pongal include community sports and games such as Jallikattu or bull fighting. Jallikattu is a traditional event held during the period attracting huge crowds in which a bull is released into a crowd of people, and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. Kanu Pidi is a tradition observed on Mattu Pongal by women and young girls where they place a leaf of turmeric plant outside their home, and feed pongal dish and food to the birds, particularly crow and pray for their brothers' well being. Brothers pay special tribute to their married sisters by giving gifts as affirmation of their filial love. === Kanum Pongal === Kanum Pongal or Kanu Pongal is the fourth day of the festival and marks the end of Pongal festivities for the year. The word kanum in the context means to visit and families hold reunions on this day. Communities organize social events to strengthen mutual bonds and consume food and sugarcane during social gatherings. Young people visit elders to pay respects and seek blessings, with elders giving gifts to the visiting children. === Contemporary practices ===Pongal festival maybe viewed more as a social festival since the contemporary celebrations do not necessarily link it to temple rituals. Temples and cultural centers organize the ritual cooking of Pongal dish, along with fairs (Pongal mela) with handicrafts, crafts, pottery, sarees, ethnic jewelry for sale. These sites hold traditional community sports such as Uri Adithal (breaking a hanging mud pot while blindfolded), Pallanguḻi and Kabbadi, as well as group dance and music performances in major cities and towns.Pongala Pongala is celebrated in Kerala, a state that shares historic cultural overlap with Tamils through Chera dynasty according to Sangam literature. The rituals including the cooking of pongal dish, social visits, and the reverence for cattle is observed by some communities and is observed on the same day as Tamil Pongal. The celebrations include dance (Kathakali) and musical performances by boys and girls, as well as major processions featuring the temple goddess. In the Attukal Bhagavati Temple near Thiruvanathapuram, Attukal Pongala is celebrated in the month of February–March which attract large crowds.Others In Karnataka, the festival days are similar, except the dish is called Ellu. Decorations and social visits are also common in many parts of Karnataka. The festivities coincide with Makara Sankranthi, Maghi and Bihu celebrated across various parts of India. In Sri Lanka, the celebration of Pongal among Sri Lankan Tamils varies slightly from the customs and practices followed in India. The Pongal festivities generally last only two days, essentially focused on Thai Pongal day. The custom of cooking Pongal is therefore carried out on the first day, rather than the second as in India, where Thai Pongal is preceded by Bhogi. == Geography == Pongal is one of the most important festivals celebrated by Tamil people in Tamil Nadu and other parts of South India. It is also a major Tamil festival in Sri Lanka. It is observed by the Tamil diaspora worldwide, including those in Malaysia, Mauritius, South Africa, Singapore, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and the Gulf countries. In 2017, Delegate David Bulova introduced a joint resolution HJ573 in the Virginia House of Delegates to designate January 14 of each year as Pongal Day. List of Harvest Festivals == External links ==

Pratap Jayanti

India

Pratap Jayanti (Hindi: प्रताप जयंती), also known as Maharana Pratap Jayanti, is a festival and a public holiday in Rajasthan, marking the birth anniversary of the Indian ruler Maharana Pratap. It is usually celebrated on 9 May, but some also celebrate it on 22 May. == Background == === Date === The day is celebrated as the birth of Rajput king, Maharana Pratap born on 9 May 1540, though due to change from the Julian calendar to Gregorian calendar it has been calculated to be on 22nd date of month of May. Though many Hindus celebrate the occasion as per the Hindu calendar on the 3rd lunar day of the month of Jyeshtha. === History === Though there is no specific mention of the start of celebration of the date, but it was observed in the Chittorgarh and Udaipur by the royal family of Mewar, later it was popularised by the Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha in order to unite the Rajputs and as a mthod for pan-India identity to the Rajputs all over the India. The festival also gained popularity with the time due to the rise of Hindutva movement and symbolism of the day as Hindu resistance against the Muslim invasion. == Celebrations == Pratap Jayanti is a public holiday in Rajasthan, where the day is celebrated with special Pujas and celebrations in Udaipur and Chittorgarh with processions and rallies in honor of Maharana Pratap. The day is also a public holiday in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Shiv Jayanti

Puthandu

India

Puthandu (Tamil: புத்தாண்டு, romanized: Puttāṇṭu, lit. 'new year'), also known as Tamil New Year, is the first day of year on the Tamil calendar that is traditionally celebrated as a festival by Tamils. The festival date is set with the solar cycle of the solar Hindu calendar, as the first day of the month of Chittirai. It falls on or about 14 April every year on the Gregorian calendar. The same day is observed elsewhere in South and South East Asia as the traditional new year, but it is known by other names such as Vishu in Kerala, and Vaisakhi or Baisakhi in central and northern India. On this day, Tamil people greet each other by saying Puttāṇṭu vāḻttukaḷ! (புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துகள்) or Iṉiya puttāṇṭu nalvāḻttukaḷ! (இனிய புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துகள்), which is equivalent to Happy new year. The day is observed as a family time. Households clean up the house, prepare a tray with fruits, flowers and auspicious items, light up the family puja altar and visit their local temples. People wear new clothes and children go to elders to pay their respects and seek their blessings, then the family sits down to a vegetarian feast. Puthandu is celebrated by Tamils in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius and Reunion. The Tamil diaspora also celebrates it in countries such as Myanmar, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia. == Origin and significance ==The Tamil New Year follows the spring equinox and generally falls on 14 April of the Gregorian year. The day celebrates on the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar and is a public holiday in both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. The same date is observed as the traditional new year in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tripura, Bihar, Odisha, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, as well as in Nepal and Bangladesh. Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Sri Lanka also celebrate the same day as their new year, likely an influence of the shared culture between South and Southeast Asia in the 1st millennium CE. There are several references in early Tamil literature to the April new year. Nakkirar, Sangam period author of the Neṭunalvāṭai, wrote that the sun travels from Mesha/Chittirai through 11 successive signs of the zodiac. Kūdalūr Kiḻār refers to Mesha Raasi/Chittirai as the commencement of the year in the Puṟanāṉūṟu. The Tolkaapiyam is the oldest surviving Tamil grammar that divides the year into six seasons where Chittirai marks the start of the Ilavenil season or summer. The Silappadikaaram mentions the 12 Raasis or zodiac signs starting with Mesha/Chittirai. The Manimekalai alludes to the Hindu solar calendar as we know it today. Adiyarkunalaar, an early medieval commentator or Urai-asiriyar mentions the twelve months of the Tamil calendar with particular reference to Chittirai. There were subsequent inscriptional references in Pagan, Burma dated to the 11th century CE and in Sukhothai, Thailand dated to the 14th century CE to South Indian, often Vaishnavite, courtiers who were tasked with defining the traditional calendar that began in mid-April. == Celebration ==Tamil people celebrate Puthandu, also called Puthuvarusham, as the traditional Tamil/New Year, states Peter Reeves. This is the month of Chittirai, the first month of the Tamil solar calendar, and Puthandu typically falls on 14 April. In some parts of Southern Tamil Nadu, the festival is called Chittirai Vishu. On the eve of Puthandu, a tray is arranged with three fruits (mango, banana and jack fruit), betel leaves and arecanut, gold/silver jewellery, coins/money, flowers and a mirror. This is similar to the Vishu new year festival ceremonial tray in Kerala. According to the Tamil tradition, this festive tray is auspicious as the first sight upon waking on the new year day. Home entrances are decorated elaborately with colored rice powder. These designs are called kolams. === Chittirai Thiruvilha in Temples === In the temple city of Madurai, the Chittirai Thiruvilha is celebrated in the Meenakshi Temple. A huge exhibition is held, called Chittirai Porutkaatchi. On the day of the Tamil New Year, a big Car Festival is held at Tiruvidaimarudur near Kumbakonam. Festivals are also held at Tiruchirapalli, Kanchipuram and other places. === Chithiraikani in KonguNadu === Chithiraikani, also known as Vishukani, is an important part of the Puthandu celebrations in the Kongu Nadu region, which share similarities with Vishu celebrations in Kerala and Tulu Nadu.This ChithiraiKani practice involves arrangement of a special tray containing auspicious items that are displayed in front of a mirror. The word kani in Kongu Tamil and Malayalam means that which is seen first, and both celebrations involve arranging a special tray of auspicious items that are displayed in front of a mirror. The traditional belief is that viewing joyful and auspicious things first on the new year day brings prosperity and good luck. The Chithiraikani or Vishukani tray typically includes three fruits (mango, banana, and jackfruit), betel leaves, rice, lemon, cucumber, coconut cut open, arecanut, gold or silver jewelry, coins or money, flowers, and a mirror, among other things that symbolize wealth and prosperity. This arrangement is similar to the Vishu celebrations that take place in Kerala. In some parts of Kerala, the Vishukkani tray also includes Aranmula kannadi (Vaalkannadi), golden color Konna flowers (Cassia fistula) which bloom in the season of Vishu, gold or silver jewelry, coins or money, flowers, and a mirror. The mirror symbolizes seeing oneself as a part of the abundance one sees in the form of Pani. The day before the Chithirai Kani or Vishukkani celebrations, people prepare the tray of auspicious items. On the new year day, elders light lamps and wake up juniors in the family. As soon as they wake up, they walk to the kani with their eyes closed and see it as the first scene of the year. This tradition is significant in both regions and is believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the coming year. === Sri Lanka ===Sri Lankan Tamils observe the traditional new year in April with the first financial transaction known as the Kai-vishesham. In this transaction children go to elders to pay their respect, and elders give their blessings and gift pocket money to the children in return. The event is also observed with the 'arpudu' or the first ploughing of the ground to prepare for the new agricultural cycle. The game of 'por-thenkai' or coconut wars between youth is played in villages through the Tamil north and east of the island while cart races are also held. The festive Puthandu season in April is a time for family visits and the renewal of filial bonds. It coincides with the Sinhalese new year season.Later in the day, families enjoy a feast. === Overseas === In Malaysia and Singapore, Tamils join Sikhs, Malayalees and Bengalis to celebrate the traditional new year in mid-April with leaders across the political spectrum wishing the ethnic Indian community for the new year. Special religious events are held in Hindu temples, in Tamil community centers and Gurdwaras. Cultural programs and media events also take place. It's a day of celebration for the Indian community. == Controversy ==The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Government of Tamil Nadu had declared in 2008 that the Tamil new year should be celebrated on the first day of Tamil month of Thai (14 January) coinciding with the harvest festival of Pongal. The Tamil Nadu New Year (Declaration Bill 2008) was enacted as the state law by the DMK assembly members and its Tamil Nadu Government on 29 January 2008. This law of the DMK majority-led government was subsequently rescinded by a separate act of legislation in the Tamil Nadu Assembly with an AIADMK majority-led government on 23 August 2011. Many in Tamil Nadu ignored the DMK government legislation that rescheduled the festival date, and continued the celebration of their traditional Puthandu new year festival in mid-April. The Governor and Chief Minister of the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry, which has an ethnic Tamil majority, felicitated the public for the Tamil new year in April 2010. The legislative reach to change the traditional religious new year by the DMK government was questioned by Hindu priests and Tamil scholars. The law was met with resistance by Tamils in the state and elsewhere. It was also challenged in court. The then opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) in Tamil Nadu subsequently condemned the decision of the DMK Government in that state and urged their supporters to continue celebrating the traditional date in mid-April. Tamils in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and Canada continued to observe the new year in mid-April. The previous state government in Tamil Nadu in an effort to placate popular sentiment announced that the same day will be celebrated as a new festival renamed as Chittirai Tirunal (the festival of Chittirai). The day remained a public holiday in Tamil Nadu under the DMK government, but not as Tamil new year, but purportedly to commemorate Dr. B.R Ambedkar, who was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of Indian Constitution. All television channels in Tamil Nadu, including the pro-DMK Sun TV, continued to telecast festive Chittirai Tirunal Special Programs on 14 April 2010. The leader of the AIADMK, Jayalalitha refused to recognize the repackaged festival, and felicitated the Tamil people for the traditional Tamil New Year. The MDMK leader Vaiko, followed suit. The controversy between the two dates subsided, the official celebrations during the traditional new year in April revived and the public holiday was restored as the Tamil New Year. == Related festivals == Puthandu is celebrated elsewhere in India under different names commemorating the solar new year. Some examples include:Vishu in Kerala Vaisakhi in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, NCT of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Pana Sankranti in Odisha Pohela Boishakh in West Bengal and Tripura Rongali Bihu in Assam However, this is not the universal new year for all Hindus. New Year celebrations in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana's Ugadi & Maharashtra and Goa's Gudi Padwa, falls a few days before Puthandu. For those in Gujarat, the new year festivities coincide with the five-day Diwali festival. === South Asia and Southeast Asia === The same day every year is the new year for many Buddhist communities in parts of Southeast Asia such as Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Cambodia, likely an influence of their shared culture in the 1st millennium CE. According to a 1957 publication by Gunasegaram, the new year celebrated in Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Champa (Vietnam) is the Tamil New Year with roots in the practices of Mohenjo-daro (Indus Valley civilization). According to Nanacuriyan, this may be from the medieval era Tamil influence in Southeast Asia. According to Jean Michaud and other scholars, the new year celebration traditions in Southeast Asian Massif have two roots. One is China, and this influence is found for example in Vietnam. This Sino-influenced community celebrates the new year in the first or second lunar month after the winter solstice in December. The second group of people in the Massif celebrate the new year in mid April, much like most of India. This group consists of northeastern Indians, northeastern Myanmar, the Khmer in Cambodia, Tai speakers of Thailand, Laos, northern Vietnam and southern Yunnan. The festival is celebrated in the Massif in some ways unlike Puthandu. It is marked by an occasion to visit family and friends, splashing others with water (like Holi), drinking alcohol, as well as later wearing jewelry, new clothes and socializing. The new year festival is called regionally by different names:Vaisakhi in Pakistan and Afghanistan Bikram Samwat / Vaishak Ek in Nepal Pohela Boishakh in Bangladesh Aluth Avuruthu (Sinhalese New Year) in Sri Lanka Chol Chnam Thmey in Cambodia Songkan / Pi Mai Lao in Laos Songkran in Thailand Thingyan in Myanmar Tamil culture == External links == சித்திரையில் தொடங்கும் புது வருடம் – 1

Rongali

India

Rongali Utsav is a festival organised in Guwahati every year. The festival showcases tribal culture of Assam to the world.

Samvatsari

India

Saṃvatsari (Sanskrit: संवत्सरी) (lit. Annual Day or fig. Forgiveness Day) is the last day of Paryushana according to the Śvetāmbara sect of Jainism. It falls on Shukla Choth each year in the Jain calendar month of Bhadrapada, somewhere between the middle of August and September in the Gregorian calendar. On this day, Jains forgive and seek forgiveness for their mistakes committed, knowingly or unknowingly, on all the living beings. A yearly, elaborate penitential retreat called samvatsari pratikramana is performed on this day. After the pratikramana, Jains seek forgiveness from all the creatures of the world, including friends and relatives by uttering the phrase — Micchami Dukkadam or its variants like Khamau Sa, Uttam Kshama or Khamat Khamna. == Etymology == Samvatsari is derived Sanskrit language. Samvatsara refers to a year in Vedic literature such as the Rigveda and other ancient texts. Thus, Samvatsari literally refers to a day that comes annually. == Customs and Traditions == As a matter of ritual, they personally greet their friends and relatives Micchami Dukkadam. No private quarrel or dispute may be carried beyond Saṃvatsarī and messages, telephone calls are made to the outstation friends and relatives asking their forgiveness. Being the holiest day of the Jain calendar, many Jains observe a complete fast on this day. == Samvatsari and Kshamavani == While Samvatsari and Kshamavani are typically associated with Śvetāmbara sect and Digambara respectively, there is no major difference between the two days and both are observed as Forgiveness Days. Rather, the two are usually used interchangeably. However, a major difference between the two is that despite both Samvatsari and Kshamavani falling on the last day of Paryushan, they are in fact two different days. This is because the Paryushan festival for the two sects itself commences on different dates and is of varying duration. As a result, while Samvatsari is observed on Shukla Chaturthi of Bhadrapada month by the Śvetāmbaras, the Digambaras celebrate it on the first day of Ashvin Krishna month of the lunar-based Jain calendar. Paryushan Kshamavani Forgiveness in Jainism Kshamavani

Sanjhi

India

Sanjhi is a festival to the namesake goddess, mainly by women and girls in parts of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. == Sanjhi == Sanjhi is the name of a mother goddess, after whom images are made of mud and molded into various shapes such as cosmic bodies or the face of the goddess, and they get different colors. The local potters make images of various body parts like her arms, legs, face decked with ornaments and weapons. These additions make the image look beautiful and gracious. The additions to the image this way depend upon the economic means of the family. The image is designed on the first day of the nine days of Durga Puja or Navratri. Every day women from the neighborhood are invited for singing bhajans and performing aarti. The young girls also gather there and offer their adoration to the mother who is believed to get them suitable husbands. The aarti or the bhajans are chanted daily and some elderly woman guides others. Men can also be a part of the puja after work of the day gets over. Sanjhi image is prepared on the wall by those families who seek fulfillment of their wishes termed mannat by Punjabis. Some people also seek her blessings for the marriage of their daughters. Kirtan is performed and the image is immersed in water on the last day. The Sanjhi festival ends with the immersion of Sanjhi on the day of Dussehra. The girls offer prayers and food to the goddess every day. == Sanjhi in the temple tradition of Vraja == As a traditional art of Vraja, Lord Krishna's homeland, sanjhi is intrinsically linked to the transcendental sports of the divine couple Krishna and Radha, whose play of love is depicted in the sanjhi designs. Vaishnava theology traces the origin of sanjhi to the divine lila itself: sanjhi designs were created by Radha in order to evoke Lord Krishna's presence. Folk mythology also holds another version of the same lila, according to which it was Lord Krishna who, at evening twilight time, prepared a beautiful image of Radha made of flowers in order to appease her. The early tradition of preparing sanjhis made of cow dung and flowers, which is still practiced in the villages, has been taken up by the Vaishnava temples around the 15th/16th centuries and developed into a highly sophisticated art form practiced by specially trained Brahman priests. The major type of temple sanjhi is prepared from dry colors upon an octagonal earthen platform symbolizing an eight-petalled lotus. The heart (hauda) of the design constitutes the seat of the divine couple, the sanctum sanctorum; from here, an intricate layout of artfully interlocked diagonal patterns enables the expansion of divinity towards the eight directions. The worship of a mystic design as in sanjhi is rooted in early Hinduism and Tantrism, and has obvious parallels in Vajrayana and Mahayana Buddhism. In both cases, song rendered in front of the design constitutes the central element of worship. Punjabi Folk Religion

Sankashti Chaturthi

India

Sankashti Chaturthi, also known as Sankatahara Chaturthi and Sankashti, is a holy day in every lunar month of the Hindu calendar dedicated to the Hindu god Ganesha. This day falls on the fourth day of the Krishna Paksha (the dark fortnight). If this Chaturthi falls on a Tuesday, it is called Angaraki Sankashti Chaturthi, Angaraki Chaturthi, Angaraki and Angarika. Angaraki Sankashti Chaturthi is considered highly sacred. This is said to have started around 700 BC as an obstacle removal ritual regarding conflicting views of confidence as stated by Abhisheka Maharishi in tutoring his pupil Aishwarya while deriving due reason from the scriptures. == Practices == Sankashti Chaturthi comes on every fourth day after Pournami full moon (Krishna Paksha) of the Hindu lunar calendar month. On Sankashti Chaturthi, devotees observe a strict fast. They break the fast at night after having darshan (auspicious sight) of the moon preceded by prayers to Ganesha. The Angaraki Chaturthi (angarak in Sanskrit means red like burning coal embers and refers to the planet Mars (which Tuesday (मंगलवार) is named after). Devotees believe their wishes will be fulfilled if they pray on this day. Observing this fast is believed to reduce problems, as Ganesha is the remover of all obstacles and the supreme lord of intelligence. Before moonlight, the Ganapati Atharvasheersha is recited to invoke the blessings of Lord Ganesha. The Krishna Paksha Chaturthi in the month of Magha is also observed as Sakat Chauth. During each month, Ganesha is worshiped with a different name and peeta (seat). On the Sakashta Chaturthi day of each month, the 'Sankashta Ganapathi Pooja' prayer is performed. Each Vrata (strict fast) has a purpose and is explained to us by a story known as the Vrata Katha. This prayer offering has 13 Vrata Kathas, one for each month and the 13th story is for adhika (The Hindu calendar has one extra month approximately every three years). The story pertaining to that month is recited. The Sankasta Ganapathi Pooja – 13 names and peetasIn North and Central India, this fast is observed on the fourth day of Krishna Paksha of Magha month of the Hindu calendar. Durga women perform Arghya to Chandrama at night. Bhugga (a til jaggery mixture) and radish are donated and eaten to complete the fast. It is one of the main rituals celebrated by the Lodhi Rajputs. == Angarki Sankashti Chaturthi ==Angarika Chaturth (अंगारिका चतुर्थी) is a Sankashti Chaturthi falling on Tuesday. It is considered highly auspicious among all Sankashti Chaturthi days. Angaraka, the son of the earth goddess Prithvi, was an accomplished rishi and a great devotee of Ganesha. He worshipped Ganesha and sought his blessings. On Magha Krishna Chaturthi (a Tuesday), Ganesha blessed him and asked him for a wish. Angaraka expressed that his only wish was to be associated with Ganesha's name forever. The deity granted his wish and proclaimed that whoever worships Ganesha on Angarika Chaturthi will be granted all that he/she prays for. From that day onwards, Magh Krishna Chaturthi came to be known as Angarak Chaturthi. On the day of Angarika Sankashti Chaturthi, the devotees observe a strict fast from morning till evening. They break the fast at night after having a darshan/auspicious sighting of the moon, preceded by prayers and a pooja for Ganesha. The Angarika Chaturthi (angarak in Sanskrit means red like burning coal embers) devotees believe their wishes will be fulfilled if they pray on this auspicious day. The fast of Sankashti Chaturthi is generally started from the day Angarika Sankashti Chaturthi. Also Angarika Sankashti means deliverance during troubled times, hence observing this fast is believed to reduce a person's problems, as Ganesha is the remover of all obstacles and the supreme lord of intelligence. Before moonlight, the Ganapati Atharvashesha is recited to summon the blessings of Ganesha.

Saragarhi Day

India

Sardotsav

India

Sardotsav or Sharadotsav is an annual winter cultural fest held in the western Himalayan towns of India. It is different from Sardotsav celebrated in West Bengal as part of Durga Puja. Sardotsav is a portmanteau of Sarad (winter) and Utsav (festival). Sardotsav festivals of Pithoragarh and Nainital are most prominent. == 2014 in Pithoragarh == In 2014 Sardotsav took place on the first of November. Some of the key organizers were Chairman Nagar Palika Shri Jagat Singh Khati, District Magistrate Shri Shemwal and Executive Officer of Nagar Palika Pithoragarh. Headliners included Garhwali singer Gajender Sing Rana who contributed Babli tero Mobile, a Garhwali song, Duplicate Dev Anand Kishore Bhanushali , Bollywood singer Nupur Pant, and Lata Mangeshkar of Uttarakhand Meena Rana who sung Garhwali and Kumaoni songs. Schools from different parts of the district also performed folk dances and songs. Various competitions like Quiz and Mehndi were held.

Sarhul

India

Sarhul is a spring festival in the Indian state of Jharkhand. It is a symbol of commencement of the new year. The festival is celebrated for three days, from the 3rd day of Chaitra month in Sukla Paksh to Chaitra Purnima. In the festival, the village priest Pahan offers sacrifice of flowers, fruit, vermilion, rooster and tapan (liquor) in Sarna to Sun, village deity and ancestor for good fortune of the village. Then the locals dance holding flowers of the sal tree. According to the tradition, it also symbolises marriage between the Earth and the Sun. It is an important festival observed by the Kurukh and Sadan. Among Kurukh it is known as Khaddi (lit. 'flower') in Kurukh. It is known as Hadi Bonga among the Bhumijs, Mundas. It is known as Baha parab among the Ho and Santal people. == Etymology == Sarhul is the Nagpuri name of the festival. Sar or Sarai refers to the sal tree (Shorea robusta) in Nagpuri and hul means 'collectively', also 'grove'. It symbolises celebrating nature through sal. Alternative interpretations include: • Hul may refer to 'revolution', which translates to revolution through the sal flowers. • Sar means year and hul means begin. It symbolises the beginning of a new year. == The festival == In this festival people worship in Sarna. Ploughing is forbidden on this day. People fast one day before the festival. Young people collect Sal flowers from the nearby forest and catch crabs and fish. On the occasion of festival people go to Sarna by beating of Dhol, Nagara and Madal. People worship the Sal tree. Shalai, the flowers of Sal tree, are offered to deities. The village priest Pahan, sometimes called Laya, and Pujar offer sacrifice to village deity of Sal flowers, fruit, vermilion, three roosters and Tapan (liquor) for good fortune of village. Pahan sacrifices three roosters of different colours, each for Sun, village deities and ancestors. Pahan put water pot in Sarna and next day forecast about weather for next year. Pahan distributes flower of Sal tree among villagers. People worship souls of their ancestors in their home and offer different food to them. Only after offering foods to souls of their ancestors, they eat food. Then they sing, dance in beat of dhol, nagara and mandar, also drink rice beer Handia. Since 1961, procession are being organised in Sarhul festival in Gumla. Before that there was no such procession, people were only dancing near Sarnasthal. In urban areas, middle class tribal activists have reinvented nature festival Sahul to mark regional identity while in rural areas it is limited to thanksgiving to deities. == Related festivals in India == There are several festivals which are celebrated as new year across India. Some festivals are as follows:Baha parab, among Kol, Ho, Santal people and Munda Rongali Bihu In Assam Vaisakhi in Punjab, India Pohela Boishakh in West Bengal, India Vishu in Kerala

Shakta Rash

India

Shakto Raas (Śākta Rāsa, Shaakta Raash, Shaakta Raasa or Shaakto Raas; Bengali: শাক্তরাস) is the most celebrated festival of Nabadwip, Shantipur and Krishnanagar of Nadia district in West Bengal, India. This festival is celebrated thirty-five days after the autumnal Durga Puja celebration, fifteen days after Kali Puja and a week after Jagaddhatri Puja in Kartik Purnima. To the people of Nabadwip, Rash Festival is everything. The entire Hindu community eagerly waits for this festival all the year round. The main features of Shakta Ras are to make large clay idols (murtis) to worship Shakti. Every idol has an artistic design, a variety of imagination, religious discourse, and deep understanding of the scholars, which help entertain innumerable people. Cartoonist Chandi Lahiri said that the large scale of the clay idols differs from any other festivals, because the idols from Nabadwip and Dainhat are shapely and symmetric despite their light weight and enormous proportions. == Historical groundings == Ras festival mainly part of Vaishnavism. During the time of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Rash Yatra was started in Nabadwip as a Vaishnava festival. Shakta Rash is totally different from that. Sakta Ras festival may be older than Vaishnava Ras, because in the beginning, idols were worshipped in Patachitra. During the time of Krishnachandra and mainly Girishchandra, Nabadwip Rash yatra became popular. Krishna Chandra and Girishchandra spent much money to popularise the festival and since then worshipping started through clay idol. Girish Chandra Basu highlighted the first glimpse of Nabadwip Ras. In 1853–1860, he was a daroga of Nabadwip-Shantipur and Krishnanagar. In his book Sekaler Daroga Kahini (published 1888 AD), he wrote various socio-cultural reports along with the geographical location of the Nabadwip of that time. == Kali puja and Ras festival == Nabadwip is a sanctum of Tantra. Many Shakta and Tantra philosophers worshipped Devi kali even before the Shakta Ras Festival began. Later these Kali idols were worshipped in Ras festival. Since the twelfth or fourteenth century, tantra has been enriched with tendance of Tantra philosophers throughout Bengal. == Conflict with Vaishnavism == In the early 16th century, some Vaishnavite scholars started the Vaishnavic movement. So it was an obvious conflict with Shakta followers who were worshipping Tantra. == Shakta ras in early days == Documentation of early days of Shakta ras is very rare as flood and earthquake hit several times. Although Girish Chandra Basu and Kanti Chandra Rari gave glimpse of Shakta ras in early days. === Girish Chandra Basu === Girish Chandra Basu, Daroga of Nabadwip-Shantipur-Krishnagar, wrote Sekaler Daroga Kahini, where he described socio-cultural view of Nadia. He wrote,During ras utsav people were gathered in Shantipur, similarly in Nabadwip lots of people came to see Potpuja and various cultural programme is being held. This Potpuja is famous in Nabadwip. Though its name is Potpuja but actually worshiping has done through making clay idol of various deity. Among them, Durga, Bindhyabasini, Kali, Jagadhatri, Annapurna were very famous. This idol are very light weighted. Five or six people can easily bear in the shoulder, even they can easily dance with it. === Description === Girish Babu's description gives an idea about 19th century Ras utsav. Bindhyobasini was worshiped in Purangunge. This place is now ruined. In 1853-60 he saw Purangunge in right place. After that in 1871 Purangunge was ruined by Ganga due to erosion. Then Bindhyabasini deity transferred to Sribasangan. But due to some internal problem puja committee had split into two organising committees. And one committee worshiped Bindhyabasini in Sribasangan and other one started Gourangini puja near Jognathtala. === Kanti Chandra Rari === Historian Kanti Chandra Rari also wrote about Nabadwip Ras in his book Nabadwip Mahima. There he confirmed that Shakta Ras jatra had been celebrated since long year back. He wrote,Superpower of Hindu mythology, Devi Bhagabati has been worshipped in different form in Nabadwip during Ras Purnima. Next day after puja, people from the nearest place came to watch idols. Also Maharaja of Nadia came to see and he encouraged this festival by giving award for making outstanding idol. For that purpose an organising committee brought there idol in Porama tala. There Maharaj judges the structure of idol, ornaments (called in Bengali as Saj, সাজ) etc and then decided the award to best one. == Glory of the Mūrtis == Cartoonist Chandi Lahiri said about the glory of the Mūrtis worshiped in Nabadwip Rash jatra,নবদ্বীপের মূর্তির বিশালৎবের মধ্যেও প্রতিটি অংশের সুষমা অক্ষুন্ন রাখা, বিভিন্ন দেবতার শাস্ত্রীয় কল্পনাকে মাটির সাহায্যে বাস্তবে রূপায়িত করা বিশ্বের যে কোন দেশের পক্ষে যুগপৎ বিস্ময় ও গৌরবের বস্তু। Nôbôdbīpēr mūrtir biśālôtbēr môdhyē'ō prôtiṭi ônśēr suṣômā ôkṣunnô rākhā, bibhinnô dēbôtār śāstrīẏô kôlpônākē māṭir sāhājyē bāstôbē rūpāẏitô kôrā biśbēr jē kōnô dēśēr pôkṣē jugôpôt bismôẏ ō gôurôbēr bôstu. Translation:- It is a matter of simultaneous wonder and pride for any country in the world to keep the balance of each part (of the Mūrti) intact even amidst the enormity of the Mūrtis of Navadwip; to make the Śāstra-conforming imagination of different divine entities a reality with the help of clay.

Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival

India

Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual cultural event held in Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya, India. Celebrated primarily in November, the festival coincides with the blooming of cherry blossoms, drawing comparisons to similar festivals in Japan and other regions known for this phenomenon. The festival has featured headliner lineups like Akon, Lucas, R3HAB, Jasleen Royal, Kanika Kapoor, Boney M, The Great Society, Jonas Blue, Ne-Yo and many more. == Overview ==The festival typically spans 2–3 days, with each day featuring a diverse range of events, including a music festival that has gained significant attention for its international major lineup. In addition to music performances, the festival offers fashion shows, cultural performances, food stalls, exhibitions, and art. Over the years, it has evolved into a vibrant platform that showcases local and international talent, promoting both artistic and cultural exchange. The event has seen over 50,000 attendees per event. == History == The Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival was first organized in 2016 as an initiative by the Government of Meghalaya to promote tourism in the region. Led by Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong, with support from the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), The festival has expanded in both size and attendance over the years, gaining attention from the media for its floral displays and a wide variety of cultural events. It attracts visitors from different parts of India as well as international tourists. In 2022, The festival was cancelled due to the violence and killings in the West Karbi Anglong district of Assam, which is close to the border with Meghalaya. === Partnership with Japan === In 2024, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced the official partnership with Japan for the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival after the Japanese Ambassador visited the state in 2023. The partnership introduced a Japan Zone at the festival, showcasing the country's diverse and rich culture. === International Expansion === In 2024, the festival held its first international event in Thailand on 4 September featuring the artists Lucas, Violette Wautier, Atlas, and Jimmy Brown. In 2024, The event won 2 awards at WOW Awards Asia 2022 for Concert of the Year & Festival of the Year. They announced their 2024 event to be held on November 15th for 2 days.

Shiv Jayanti

India

Shiv Jayanti, also known as Shivaji festival, is a festival and public holiday of the Indian state of Maharashtra. This festival is celebrated on February 19, celebrating the birth anniversary of Shivaji I, the first Chhatrapati of the Marathas. He established Hindavi Swarajya (Hindavī Svarājya; Self-Rule of the hindavi people). Some people celebrate this day as per Hindu Calendar in Maharashtra. == Birth of Shiv Jayanti == Shivaji I was born at the Shivneri fort on the third day of the Krishna Paksha of the Phalgun month in the year 1551 of the Shalivahan Shaka. In the Gregorian calendar, the date generally occurs between February and March. As per the Julian calendar, the date is accepted to be February 19, 1630. However, many Hindus celebrate Shiv Jayanti as per the Hindu calendar. The Marathi Shalivahana Hindu calendar birthdate of Shivaji is Falgun Krishna paksha 3, 1551 Julian February 19, 1630, in Shivneri Fort. The error of not converting the Julian date to the corresponding Gregorian one is still not corrected.

Sohrai

India

Sohrai is a harvest festival of the Indian states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Bihar. It also called cattle festival. It is celebrated after harvest and coincide with Govardhan Puja of Diwali festival. In Santal Parganas it is celebrated in the Month of January. It is celebrated by Bhumij, Sadan, Oraons, Ho, Munda and Santal among others. It is celebrated on Amavasya of the Hindu month Kartik in the month of October–November. In Santal Parganas it is celebrated in the month of January between 10th to 15th. In this festival, people fast, paint house, prepared food. In night, they light earthen lamps in the cattle-sheds and offered sacrifice to deity of animals Gaurea also known as Pasupati. == Celebration == Sohrai is harvest festival celebrated after harvest. The festival is celebrated on Amavasya(new moon) in the Hindu month of Kartik(October–November). The feast is celebrated in the honour of cattle especially bullocks, buffalos, goats and sheep. On the day people fast throughout the day, earthen lamps lits on homes, cattle sheds, kitchen and garden. On the festival day, those animals are bathed, their horn and foreheads are anointed with vermillion diluted in oils. They are offered special food of rice and vegetables. Sacrifice is offered to deity Gaurea (Spirit of cowshed) of black chicken and Tapan (Fermentated rice drink) in evening. Then the meat of chicken is eaten with bread and Tapan. Sohrai is day to express gratitude and affection for livestocks. The harvest festival is the time of the year when they exhibit their artistic skills and expressions. Every year, after the festival is over, the drawings and patterns created during this time are erased. This festival usually takes place in the month October or November for three days. The festival coincide with Diwali. Santals living in Santal Parganas celebrate in January. == Arts ==An indigenous art form is practised by the women. Ritualistic art is done on mud walls to welcome the harvest and to celebrate the cattle. The women clean their houses and decorate their walls with murals of Sohrai arts. This art form has continued since 10,000–4,000 BC. It was prevalent mostly in caves, but shifted to houses with mud walls.This Sohrai art form can be monochromatic or colorful. The people coat the wall with a layer of white mud, and while the layer is still wet, they draw with their fingertips on it. Their designs range from flowers and fruits to various other nature-inspired designs. The cow dung that was earlier used to cake the walls of the house is used to add colour. The dark outline is visible due to the previously applied contrasting white mud coat. Sohrai artists are spontaneous in their drawing. Little pre-planning is evident. The canvases range up to 12 x 18 feet. The designs are usually drawn from the artist's memory. The personal experience of the artist and their interaction with nature are the biggest influence.

Songkran

India

Songkran is the water-splashing festival celebration in the traditional new year for the Buddhist calendar widely celebrated across South and Southeast Asia in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, parts of northeast India, parts of Vietnam, and Xishuangbanna, China begins on 13 April of the year. == Etymology == In Thai, Songkran or Songkrant (outdated form) is a contractive form of Sangkran (sim kranti), which itself is a loanword from Sanskrit saṅkrānti (or, more specifically, meṣha saṅkrānti) or Pali Saṅkhāra. The original meaning of saṅkrānti, marked of the sun, transits the constellation of Aries, the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, as reckoned by sidereal astrology. It is related to the equivalent Hindu calendar-based New Year festivals in most parts of South Asia, which are collectively referred to as Mesha Sankranti. Oxford English Dictionary defines Songkran as The festival of the Thai New Year, characterized by various observances involving the pouring or splashing of water (1727–present.). Term has also entered other languages, such as French: La fête du Songkran, Dutch: Sonkraen, Japanese: ソンクラーン, Chinese: 宋干节 and Korean: 송끄란. === Ethnic Groups === The word Songkran written in different ethnic groups, languages or cultures as the following,Da Gyan or Thingyan (Myanmar).: 230  Gin Sip Sèe (Tai Don, Tai Dam and Tai Tac in Sơn La province, Vietnam) Maha Sangkran, Moha Sangkran (Khmer). Mahasang Krane (Khmer, in French), translated from Pali to French in 1908 by Léon Faraut, son of Félix Gaspard Faraut, a French engineer who worked on the plan of Saigon colonial and accompanied Louis Delaporte in his exploration of Angkor. Poeng Songkran, Poeng Sakran or Poeng Sangkran (ပုၚ် သၚ်ကြာန်) (Thai-Ramanna, the Mon community in Nonthaburi province, Thailand). Poy Sangkhan (Tai Khuen).: 237  Poy Son Nam, Poy Sad Nam or Sangkhan Pee Mai (Tai Lue people in Xishuangbanna).: 233  Poy Sang Khan and Poy Sang Jan (Tai Nuea language and Tai-Dehong).: 233  Sangkhan, Boon Pee Mai or Pi Mai (Laos),: 488 : 233  derived from Pali. Sangxaan (Tai Lue people). Songkān or Pōshuǐjié (泼水节, 潑水節) (Zhuang and Dai in Yunnan). Songkaan (Southwestern Tai (Phu Thai) and central Laos). Sangkran (Mon, Lanna-Thai, Thai-Ramanna, Khmer, and Tai peoples in Northeast India.) Sangkyan (Shan people and upper Burmese people). Sangken found in archive of Kamarupa Anusandhan Samiti (Assam Research Society) recorded by the oldest Research institution in North-East India mentions the Tai New Year’s festival or Water spraying festival of Tai peoples in Northeast India. Songkrant tai or Xadasite Songkrant (Siam Basu in Siamese Astronomical System), recorded by Sir John Bowring. Waan-aah-tah (Mon) === Khmer language === Songkran written as Sankranti can be found in many Khmer inscriptions, namely at these locations;Stone Inscription of Phimeanakas (K.291) dated 910 CE found in Siem Reap Province in Cambodia. Stone Inscription of Prasat Hin Pimai 2 (N.M.29, K.953) 1025 CE, Phimai Historical Park, Nakhon Ratchasima province, written as Sankranti.: 9  (Read and translated by Prof. Cham Thongkhamsuwan.) Stone Inscription of Wat Sa Kamphaeng Yai (S.K.1, K.374) 1042 CE, Sisaket province, written as Vishuva Sankranti.: 9  (Read and translated by Amphai Khamtho, the Fine Art Department of Thailand.) Stone Inscription of Prasat Phanom Wan: 5  (N.M.1, K.391) 1082 CE, Nakhon Ratchasima province, written as Sankranti which marked the beginning of the New Year. (Read and translated by Thongsub Subhamark.) Stone Inscription of Wat Phra That Choeng Chum (S.N.2, K.369) 1000-1100 CE, Sakon Nakhon province, written as Kranti, meaning of Songkran. (Read and translated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Santi Pakdekham, Ph.D.). Songkran in Cambodia written as Maha Sankran in 1904 by Étienne Aymonier and Maha sankrant or Sankrant in 1909 by Adhémard Leclère which marked the beginning of Cambodia New Year found in The Cambodian's Almanac and Its Calendar for 1907–1908. Étienne Aymonier also distinguished the difference of the term Maha Sankran in Cambodia that only refers to the small official calendar which must appear for the new year, while in Siam (Thailand) which refers to the beginning of New year, Siamese called Sankranta, which pronounced as Songkran. === Thailand === Songkran in Sanskrit forms, written as Vishuva Sankranti in Khom script epigraphs, which marked the beginning of the New Year in the Odisha calendar and referred to the sun on midday has equally orbited in the day and night, was found in Thailand at these locations;The Royal Chronicle of Krung Sri Ayutthaya (The edition of Luang Prasoet Aksorn Niti), written in 1681 the reign of King Narai the Great, mentioned the word Songkran in event of King Naresuan the Great of Ayutthaya Kingdom marched his troops against Taungoo in 1599: 29 : 11  Nirat Than Sok. A poetic work composed by Prince Thammathibet Chaiyachet Suriyawong (1715–1755), son of King Borommakot of Ayutthaya Kingdom. The poem said of the Royal Ceremony of Marching Field and mentioned the word Songkran in month of Aries (according to Surya Siddhanta). Inscription of Maha Songkran at Wat Pho, Thailand, erected in 1831 the reign of King Rama III, written as Songkran.: 22  The word Songkran not only can be found those Thai archaeological evidences, but also being recorded by foreigners who ever lived in Thailand. Its meaning especially marked the beginning of Songkran festival, holidays, water-splashing and Siamese new year observances different the meaning of the Sanskrit word, saṅkrānti which can be found in these contemporary archives;De Beschryving van Japan (The History of Japan) recorded by Engelbert Kaempfer in 1690 after he sailed reached to Siam in reign of King Phetracha of Ayutthaya Kingdom, Engelbert Kaempfer handwrote of Siamese New year observance as Sonkraen in old-17th century Dutch. Grammatica Linguæ Thai version of J. Bapt. Pallegoix written by Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix in 1850 while was living in Siam in reign of King Rama III. There are the word Songkran both in Thai and English. Sappa Pachana Pasa Thai (Thai: สัพะ พะจะนะ พาสา ไท), the Thai-Latin-German-English Quadrilingual dictionary written in 1854 reign of King Mongkut, by Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix said of the word Songkran such in four languages as spelled in English; SONGKRAN, its meaning in Latin:- Ad alium locum pergere; angelus qui praesidere anno, in French:- Aller dans un autre endroit; ange qui préside à l'année. and in English:- To go to another place; angel preside over the year. as well as written in the contemporary archive, Description du Royaume Thai ou Siam by Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix. Bangkok Calendar written in 1861 by Dan Beach Bradley, an American Protestant missionary to Siam from 1835 of The American Missionary Association (AMA), in reign of King Mongkut. A Journey Round the World in the Years 1875-1876-1877 by John Henry Gray, archdeacon of Hong Kong, in reign of King Chulalongkorn. The Siam Repository (1871) written by Samuel J. Smith, a Baptist missionary in Siam, at his office in Bangkok. The Pearl of Asia: Reminiscences of the Court of a Supreme Monarch (1892) written by Jacob T. Child, said of Songkran Holidays observance in Thailand. Siam: A Handbook of Practical, Commercial, and Political Information (1912) written by Walter Armstrong Graham, an adviser to the Thai government to the state of Kelantan (1903-1909). Also found in these Thai contemporary archives;Khun Chang Khun Phaen, a Thai epic poem originated around 1600 in reign of King Naresuan, written as Songkran and described Siamese tradition observance at Wat Pa Lelai Worawihan (built in 1200 CE), Suphan Buri Province, e.g. making merit, sand parade procession to temples, forming pile of sand (sand stupas) at temples, and offering food to monks. The Concise Royal Chronicle of Ayutthaya Kingdom of royal forming pile of sand in reign of King Borommakot (1733-1758), written as Maha Songkran with description of tradition-inherited from past generations of King of Ayutthaya of forming pile of sand (sand stupas) with royal ornaments, offering food to monks, the sand parade procession, and musical fanfares. Rattana Gosa newsletter Issue of Chula Sakarat 1239 (1877 AD), reign of King Chulalongkorn, written as Songkran.: 34  == History == == Songkran New Year Festivals == Cambodian New year, in Cambodia Lao New Year, in Laos Sinhalese New Year, in Sri Lanka Songkran (Thailand) Thingyan, in Myanmar Sangken, in Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Assam, India Water-Splashing Festival, in Xishuangbanna in China and parts of northern Vietnam. == Festivities outside of Asia == === Australia === Songkran celebrations are held in many parts of the country. One of the most notable celebrations is at the Wat Pa Buddharangsee Buddhist Temple in the Sydney suburb of Leumeah, New South Wales. The festival attracts thousands of visitors each year and involves a water fight, daily prayer, dance performances and food stalls which serve food of Thai, Bangladesh (CHT), Burmese, Cambodian, Laotian, Sri Lankan and Malaysian origin. In 2014, the celebration was attended by more than 2000 people. Similarly in the same suburb, the Mahamakut Buddhist Foundation organizes a Songkran celebration featuring chanting, blessing, a short sermon, a fund raising food fete and Southeast Asian traditional dances. Large scale Thai New Year (Songkran) celebrations are held in Thai Town, Sydney in the popular tourist suburb of Haymarket, New South Wales. In Melbourne, the Sinhalese (Sri Lankan) New Year festival is held annually in Dandenong, Victoria. In 2011, it attracted more than 5000 people and claims to be the largest Sinhalese New Year Festival in Melbourne. The Queen Victoria Market held a two-day Songkran event celebrating the Thai New Year in early April 2017. Songkran celebrations celebrating the Thai, Cambodian, Lao, Burmese and Sri Lankan New Year festivals are well known and popular among the residents of the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, New South Wales which is home to large populations of Cambodians, Laotians and Thais. Temples and organisations hold celebrations across the suburb including a large Lao New Year celebration in the neighbouring suburb of Bonnyrigg organised in partnership with the Fairfield City Council. In the Melbourne suburb of Footscray, Victoria a Lunar New Year celebration initially focusing on the Vietnamese New Year has expanded into a celebration of the Songkran celebrations of the Thais, Cambodians, Laotians and other Asian Australian communities such as Chinese who celebrate the New Year in either January/February or April. Taronga Zoo in Sydney, New South Wales celebrated the Thai New Year in April 2016 with its Asian elephants and traditional Thai dancers. === United States === Songkran celebrations often occur in cities which host large Sri Lankan, Thai, Burmese, Laotian and Cambodian populations. The UW Khmer Student Association hosts a new year celebration at the University of Washington in Seattle. The White Center Cambodian New Year Street Festival is held at the Golden House Bakery & Deli in Seattle. The Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara in Pasadena, California celebrates the Songkran festival with a focus on the Sri Lankan New Year. The Brahma Vihara in Azusa, California also holds celebrations with a Burmese New Year focus. The International Lao New Year Festival is held annually in San Francisco and celebrates the Lao New Year with acknowledgment of other Asian communities, Thai, Cambodian, Burmese, Sri Lankan and the Dai people of southern China, who also celebrate the same festival. In February 2015, the Freer and Sackler gallery in Washington D.C. held a Lunar New Year event celebrating the Year of the Sheep which also celebrated the Lunar New Year that occurs in mid-April for many other Asian countries. It included activities, information and food from China, Korea, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and other Asian countries that celebrated either of the two new year celebrations. Similarly in 2016, The Wing in Seattle held a Lunar New Year celebration centered around the East Asian Lunar New Year however also focused on New Year customs in Laos as part of its New Years All Year Round exhibit. On April 2, 2024, The legislative assembly of New York State, adopted legislative bill of Commemorating the Asian American community's celebration of Songkran on April as an important cultural event on the state as Assembly Resolution No. 1059:-Songkran is Thailand's most famous festival; this water festival marks the beginning of the traditional Thai New Year South and Southeast Asian New Year List of Buddhist festivals Mesha Sankranti, the term used to refer to the related Hindu calendar-based New Year festivals of April Water Festival, a tradition practiced during certain Songkran celebrations Thai calendar == Notes ==

Teeyan

India

Teeyan (Punjabi: ਤੀਆਂ), also known as Teeyan Da Teohar (trans: the festival of women) or Teej, is a festival celebrated throughout Punjab which is dedicated to the onset of the monsoon and focuses on daughters sisters, and mothers. == Celebration == The festival is celebrated during the monsoon season from the third day of the lunar month of Sawan on the bright half, up to the full moon of Sawan (about 13 days), by women. Married women go to their maternal house to participate in the festivities. In the past, it was traditional for women to spend the whole month of Sawan with their parents. == Gifts == Whether or not a married woman goes to her parents, brothers take a gift set to their sisters called a 'sandhara'. A sandhara includes a Punjabi Suit/sari, laddoo, bangles, mehndi (henna) and a swing. == Giddha and Swings ==The festival of Teeyan centers on girls and women getting together in the village green and tying swings to the trees. The festival gathers momentum in the Teeyan Giddha, which is performed to the singing of traditional Boliyan such as the one below. Punjabi:ਓੁੱਚੇ ਟਾਹਣੇ ਪੀਂਘ ਪਾ ਦੇ ਜਿਥੇ ਆਪ ਹੁਲਾਰਾ ਆਵੇRomanization: Uchay tahne peeng pa de jithey aap hulara aaveyTranslationHang my swing from a high tree branch where the swing moves by itself In the past, the festival would last for as long as the girls wished ranging from a few days to four weeks. Girls would often gather to dance Giddha every day. The festival would close by the women performing the closing dance called 'Bhallho'. Bhallho or Ballo is performed by the women standing in two rows and dancing. This tradition of women getting together in villages has now become mostly extinct. Brar (2007) writing about his memories of the early twentieth century Punjab, recollects that fairs were organised for the Teeyan festivities. == Food == The food traditionally associated at Teeyan is:Kheer (Punjabi: ਖੀਰ) is a rice pudding Poorhi (Punjabi: ਪੂਰ੍ਹੀ) is a type fried bread Halwa (Punjabi: ਹਲਵਾ) Malpura Gulgullay (Punjabi: ਗੁਲਗੁਲੇ) which are made from jaggery syrup mixed with wheat flour and then made into balls, and then fried Mandey (Punjabi: ਮੰਡੇ) are made of wheat floor but the dough is thin. The flat mandey bread is not rolled out using a rolling pin but stretched with the hands and then placed on the back of both hands before being put on the griddle to bake. == Observance == Punjabis consider Teeyan, also called Sawe, as a seasonal festival. It is celebrated especially in schools and colleges as the focus of the festival is often on young women. In recent years, there has been a revival of the festival. Teeyan gatherings are being held in villages and cities alike. However, the current trend is to hire banqueting halls, disc jockeys and singers. Politicians and celebrities sometimes attend such gatherings. In some cases, teeyan gatherings take place in the village's open land. Women in the Punjabi diaspora organise Teeyan gatherings which provide an opportunity for women to preserve the Punjabi culture.

Tendong Lho Rumfaat

India

Tendong Lho Rumfaat (Prayer of the Tendong Mountain) is a festival of the Lepcha people of north-east India. The festival occurs usually in the month of August. According to Lepcha belief, their ancestors went atop the Tendong Mountain to escape from 40 days and 40 nights of continuous rain. This festival commemorates that happening. The 2017 date was August 8. == External links == Darjeeling festivals

Tungabhadra Pushkaralu

India

Tungabhadra Pushkaram is a festival of River Tungabhadra normally occurs once in 12 years. This Pushkaram is observed for a period of 12 days from the time of entry of Jupiter into Makara rasi (Capricorn). == Details of locations == The places on the banks of the Tungabhadra River where pilgrims visit famous temples are in the Alampur, Jogulamba Gadwal district of Telangana and Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. The notable places are Hospet, Hampi, Kampli, Mantralayam, Kurnool, Alampur. Godavari Pushkaralu Kumbh Mela Pushkaram

Utsava

India

Utsava (Sanskrit: उत्सव, lit. 'special occasion'), also referred to as Utsavam, generally means a festival or celebration or any joyous occasion, mostly associated with Hinduism. It also carries the meaning of delight, merriment and pleasure. The Sanskrit word utsava comes from the word ut meaning removal and sava which means worldly sorrows or grief. According to Hindu tradition, utsava are specific to festivals associated with temples. According to the Agamas, the daily rituals are called Nityotsava, weekly festivals as Varotsava, monthly as Masotsava, alignment with stars as rkotsava and annual festivals as Mahotsava or Brahmotsava. Most of the temple towns in South India have prakarams and streets that accommodate an elaborate festival calendar in which dramatic processions circumambulate the shrines at varying distances from the centre. The temple chariots used in processions are progressively larger in size based on the size of the concentric streets. == Utsava ==Utsava is a Sanskrit term referring to festival and the festivities associated. Agamas, the diction for temples, refer to utsava as specific festivals associated with the temples. More than the religious aspects, the utsavas are meant to celebrate along with the society and thanking the elements of nature. People belonging to various castes and tribes come together to celebrate the event, which is always associated with a feast for all. The utsavas are usually associated with a season like Vasanthotsava celebrated during spring season. The events usually have parades and the festive deities are taken around various streets to indicate that god is accessible to all. According to Agamas, the daily rituals are called Nityotsava, weekly festivals as Varotsava, monthly as Masotsava, alignment with stars as rkotsava and annual festivals as Mahotsava or Brahmotsava. == Types of utsavas == Most South Indian temples have daily, weekly, monthly and annual rituals, and festivals. There are weekly rituals like somavaram and sukravaram, fortnightly rituals like pradosham and monthly festivals like amavasai (new moon day), kiruthigai, pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi when ablution and special poojas are performed. Brahmotsavam is the chief festival celebrated in most of the temples for ten or more days. The word is a combination of two Sanskrit words—Brahma and utsavam (festival)—and Brahma reportedly conducted the first festival. Brahma also means grand or large. Vasanthotsavam, the spring festival, is celebrated in temples to worship lord of nature and their elements and natural forces as well as lord and deity of directions and environment. There are special festivals like Theerthavari, Garuda Sevai and Sapthastanam when the festival deities of many temples are taken in chariots or vehicles to the main temple in the region. Devotees perform various rituals on the festive deities. == City-scape and festivals == Most of the historic South Indian cities like Madurai, Srirangam, Sirkali, Tiruvarur, and Chidambaram were built around large temples in the center of the city. The streets of the city act as extension of the prakarams of the temple. These squares retain their traditional names of Aadi, Chittirai, Avani-moola and Masi streets, corresponding to the Tamil month names and also to the festivals associated. The temple prakarams and streets accommodate an elaborate festival calendar in which dramatic processions circumambulate the shrines at varying distances from the centre. The temple chariots used in processions are progressively larger in size based on the size of the concentric streets. The festive images are carried out in various palanquins or mounts with figures of peacock, elephant, Garuda or large chariots. Ancient Tamil classics record the temple as the centre of the city and the surrounding streets. The city's axes were aligned with the four-quarters of the compass, and the four gateways of the temple provided access to it. The wealthy and higher echelons of the society were placed in streets close to the temple, while the poorest were placed in the fringe streets. == Further reading == Davis, Richard H. (2009). A Priest's Guide for the Great Festival Aghorasiva's Mahotsavavidhi. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-537852-0. pp. 25–29. Utsavas - Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple of Greater Chicago Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple of Greater Chicago == External links ==

Van Mahotsav

India

Van Mahothsavlit. 'Forest festival', is an annual one-week tree-planting festival in India which is celebrated in the first week of July. It is a great traditional Indian festival that reflects Indian culture and heritage to honor and love mother earth by planting trees, by creating awareness of nature's beauty, and by fostering an environment to promote the concept of reduce, reuse, and recycle. The words “Van” and “Mahotsav” are derived from Sanskrit language. “Van” which can also be spelled as “Vana” refers to “Forest”, and “Mahotsav” is a combination of “Maha” meaning great and “Utsav” meaning festival. So the literal meaning of “Van Mahotsav” can be deduced to “A Great Forest-Festival”, an event which is celebrated by the Indian community throughout the world with the central theme of planting trees. Overall, Van Mahotsav is an important occasion to raise awareness about the benefits of trees and to encourage people to become more active in environmental conservation efforts. By planting more trees, we can help mitigate the impact of climate change, protect the environment, and promote human well-being. The brilliant idea of reduce, reuse, and recycle directly correlates with contribution to answer global warming and foster nature. Van Mahotsav is for those who love mother earth, and also for those who are ignorant because they will also get to enjoy the natural equilibrium between good environment, beautiful weather, and pleasant climatic conditions. Celebrate this festival is directly related to significantly contributing to increase in the greenery of India, and World around. == Origin and History == Indian national tree planting week was organized by Mohinder Singh Randhawa from 20 to 27 July 1947. Randhawa had been inspired by ideas of a forest week, the festival of trees, or arbor days in various countries. The first event of 20 July 1947 was inaugurated with the planting of Bauhinia saplings by Khurshid Ahmad Khan, commissioner of Delhi in the morning and the afternoon, another ceremony was held at the Purana Qila led by the Vice President of the Interim Government, Nehru. Another day was called Ladies Day and involved planting at the Qutub Minar with participants including Lady Mountbatten. Nehru said that It was a matter of surprise to him that so far no interest had been taken in tree plantation. Large tracts of the country had become deserts owing to the negligence of the people who cut trees without realizing their great value. There should be a law that no one should cut a tree unless he had first planted a new one in its place. Gandhi was in Delhi at the time and noted it in his prayer speech The official who originated the idea of tree planting did not do it for fancy nor was it meant only for the monied men. It began with them so that others would copy them and thus add to the wealth and rainfall of India. Deforestation led to diminished rainfall. Moreover, trees required little care except in the early stages. An acre of land used for growing fruit trees would yield more fruit than a crop of wheat on the same area... The tradition was continued and made into a national activity in 1950 by the Minister of Food and Agriculture Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi who moved it to the first week of July and renamed it as Van Mahotsav in 1950. === Movement Turn Into Festival === Van Mahotsav has come a long way since it was first establishment - started as a movement, evolved to a crusade to save mother earth, got recognized as celebration of life in a number of states in India, and finally to a festival which is now recognized by many states as national holiday. Some say KM Munshi started the movement of Van Mahotsav in 1950 who was then serving as the Union Minister for Agriculture and Food. Some say the history of this movement traces back to the year 1947 when MS Randhawa, a Punjabi botanist, organized a tree plantation week from 20 to 27 July. Khurshid Ahmad Khan, who was the then Delhi Police Commissioner, took part in this event’s inauguration on 20 July 1947. === Date and Duration === In India the Monsoons typically begins during the first week of July. A large number of saplings planted during this period have a greater survival rate than those planted during other months. This is one of the reasons the Van Mahotsav festival is celebrated annually between 1st July and 7th July. == Aims == By encouraging Indians to support tree planting and tending, festival organizers hope to create more forests in the country. It would provide alternative fuels, increase production of food resources, create shelter-belts around fields to increase productivity, provide food and shade for cattle, offer shade and decorative landscapes, reduce drought, and help to prevent soil erosion. The first week of July is just the right time for planting trees in most parts of India since it coincides with the monsoon. == Significance == Significance of Van Mahotsav festival lies mainly in its ability to promote a culture of environmental conservation and sustainable development. Following are some highlights. It motivates people and make them more aware about forest conservation and planting trees. It emphasizes the impact of deforestation in India, and helps in maintaining ecological balance while promoting environmental conservation. It also mitigates the impact of climate change, prevents soil erosion, promotes biodiversity, and improves human health. The festival also strengthens communities by providing platform for promoting afforestation and environmental awareness, and by bringing together people from different walks of life to plant trees and protect the environment. It encourages the creation and display of nature paintings and tree paintings, and many other types of paintings to showcase the beauty of nature and raise awareness about the importance of protecting it. It is crucial festival that promotes afforestation and environmental awareness. It provides a platform for people to appreciate nature through the creation of nature and canvas paintings while also educating them about the importance of preserving the environment. === Inspiration === People around the world, especially with Indian origin, celebrate the festival mainly drive by the inspiration of necessity of environmental preservation and ensuring a sustainable future for future generations. Commitment to help the environment and improve the quality of life on our planet. Celebrate the beauty and significance of trees. People from different ethnic background and religion come together and engage in community building activities, making it a significant event in the country's social calendar. == Celebrations ==By combining a festival with tangible policy objectives, the festival-goers get to enjoy their favorite hobby of planting trees and contribute to a better world. Renowned leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Dr Rajendra Prasad attended India’s first-ever tree plantation drive. The Civic bodies and State Governments of India provide saplings to schools, colleges, NGOs, INGOs, and other institutions. The festival can be celebrated by planting trees or saplings in homes, offices, schools, colleges, etc. During the event, people make the best use of the platform to showcase traditional Indian handicraft items, landscape paintings of trees, and other nature paintings that highlight the beauty of nature. Through the celebration people are educated about the benefits of trees such as maintaining ecological balance, conserving biodiversity, and providing numerous economic and social benefits. Celebration Includes activities such as seminars, workshops, and rallies to spread awareness about the importance of trees and the environment. Schools, colleges, and other educational institutions celebrate by organizing various activities related to the environment and tree planting. In addition to promoting afforestation, the festival also aims to create a sense of social responsibility and encourage people to take care of the environment. Floral paintings and village paintings that showcase the beauty of nature are an essential part of Van Mahotsav celebrations, and they serve as an inspiration for people to protect the environment. Van Mahotsav has been successful in creating a positive impact on the environment, and its celebration has resulted in the increased green cover across the country.Earth Day Arbor Day World Water Day International Day of Forests Greenery Day Timeline of environmental events

Vasanta (season)

India

Vasanta (Sanskrit: वसन्त, romanized: Vasanta, lit. 'Spring'), also referred to as Basant, refers to the Indian spring. One of the main festivals of the Vasanta season is celebrated on Vasanta Panchami (Sanskrit: वसन्त पञ्चमी), which in Indian society is a cultural and religious festival, celebrated annually on the first day of spring, the fifth day (Panchami) of the Hindu month Magha (January–February). == Origin == In Sanskrit Vasanta means spring. Panchami is the fifth day of Shukla Paksha, the fortnight of the waxing moon in the Hindu month of Magha, (January – February). Vasanta Panchami, which marks the end of the winter and heralds in spring, is dedicated to goddess Saraswati. She is a goddess of water and of a river bearing her name. Her water originates in the Himalayas, flows southeast and meets the Ganges at Prayag near its confluence with the Yamuna (Triveni). Saraswati is also a goddess of speech and learning who blesses the world with vach (words), hymns, Sanskrit and the wealth of knowledge. It is auspicious for children to begin school and learn their first word on this day. In the ancient Indian texts, the Vedas, the prayer for Sarasvati depicts her as a pristine lady in a white dress embellished with white flowers and white pearls. She sits on a white lotus blooming in a wide stretch of water (neluhini). She holds a veena, a string instrument similar to a sitar. No animal is sacrificed and Indians have a vegetarian meal. Saraswati's prayer concludes,Oh, Mother Sarasvati, remove the darkness (ignorance) of my mind and bless me with the eternal knowledge. == India ==In India, Vasanta is not a national holiday. However, it is celebrated in North and Eastern India. Students participate in the decoration and preparation of their place of worship. A few weeks before the celebration, schools become active in organizing various annual competitions of music, debate, sports and other activities. Prizes are distributed on the day of Vasanta Panchami. Many schools organize cultural activities in the evening of the Saraswati Puja day when parents and other community members attend the functions to encourage the children. === Hindu festival === On Vasanta Pachami day, everyone rises early to bathe, dress in yellow clothes, adorn their forehead with the yellow of turmeric (tilak), and worship the Sun God, Mother Ganga, and the earth. Books, articles, musical instruments, tools for art such as earthen inkpots and bamboo quills, are placed in front of the goddess to receive her blessings. The ink is made from unboiled milk water, red colour powder and silver glitter called avro. Although it is auspicious for children to learn their first word on this day of celebration, everyone abstains from their usual reading and writing in deference to the goddess. The colour yellow represents good fortune, spirituality, the ripening of the spring crops and the recent harvest. Food is coloured with saffron. The goddess Saraswati is dressed in yellow. In some traditional homes, sweetmeats of yellowish hues, such as kesar halva are offered to relatives and friends. Yellow flowers are used in abundance to decorate the places of worship. The yellow flowers of the mustard crop covers the field in such a way that it seems as if gold is spread over the land, glittering in the rays of the sun. === Sufi festival === The Sufis introduced the festival to the Muslim community in India. By the Mughal period, Basant was a popular festival at major Sufi shrines. There are, for example, historical records of Nizam Auliya ki Basant, Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki ki Basant, Khusrau ki Basant; festivals arranged around the shrines of these various Sufi saints. Amir Khusro (1253–1325) and Nizamuddin Auliya celebrated the festival with songs that used the word basant (festival). Khusrau, a Sufi-poet of the thirteenth century, composed verses about Vasanta: == Bangladesh ==The first day of Spring (Boshonto) of Bengali month Falgun, of the Bengali calendar, celebrated in Bangladesh and West Bengal with processions, fairs and family time. In Bengali, Pahela stands for 'first' and 'Falgun' is eleventh month of the Bengali calendar. This day is marked with colourful celebration and traditionally, women wear yellow saris to celebrate this day. This celebration is also as Boshonto Utshob (Bengali: বসন্ত উৎসব; Spring Festival). == Pakistan == Basant celebrations in Pakistan are limited. Instead, the Jashn-e-baharaan (Urdu) spring festival is celebrated for one month. Basant does continue in Lahore, Punjab, however, the festival and the term Basant is associated with the annual kite flying festival rather than the historical Spring festival itself. Typically kite manufacturers announce one Sunday either in February or March as the Basant day, which sees record numbers of kites being flown across the city. === Besant mela, Lahore === Various fairs are held throughout the region. One such fair was started by Kalu Ram dedicated to the memory of Haqiqat Rai. Maharaja Ranjit Singh held many fairs and introduced kite flying to such fairs which he also held at Sufi shrines. === Controversy === Basant is synonymous in Pakistan with a kite flying celebration rather than the seasonal festival association of neighbouring India. Controversy about the celebration of Basant in Pakistan is due to concerns about its safety. Safety concerns include the use of metal or glass coated kite strings (a slurry of fine glass shards which allows one flyer to cut another's kite loose), power breakdowns due to damage from kites, overcrowding and the use of firearms. In small villages, disadvantaged children were trying to pull down kites. In 2005, kite flying was banned in Pakistan. In 2009, nine people in Pakistan died in kite flying related incidents. == Punjab region == In the Punjab region, the Vasanta Pachami is known as the Basant Panchami. In the towns and villages of North India, Vasanta Pachami is celebrated as the secular Basant Festival of kites by all communities as a seasonal festival. Fields of mustard present a colourful sight all over rural Punjab. The phrase Ayi Basant Pala Udant, meaning, with the onset of spring, winter bids adieu is used. Culture of India == External links == Spring festival of South Asia. C C India. Holy Days, Basant. Chapati Mystery website Basant 2007, Lahore. Wired.com website.

List of festivals in China

China

The following is an incomplete list of festivals in China, of all types. == Festivals in China ==Cold Food Festival Dongzhi Festival Duanwu Festival Freespace Fest Fu Yang Festival Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival Hong Kong Arts Festival Lantern Festival Litang Horse Festival Longtaitou Festival Lunar New Year Fair Lychee and Dog Meat Festival Miao Flower Mountain Festival Mid-Autumn Festival Monkey King Festival Nadun Nian Li Nine Emperor Gods Festival Qingdao International Beer Festival Qingming Festival Qinhuai Lantern Fair Qintong Boat Festival Renri Third Month Fair Torch Festival Uyghur Doppa Cultural Festival Water-Sprinkling Festival Weifang International Kite Festival === Film festivals in China ===List of film festivals in China === Music festivals in China ===Beijing Jazz Festival Beijing Music Festival Beijing Pop Festival Clockenflap Great Wall International Music Academy Hong Kong Green Jazz Festival Hush!! Full Band Festival Intro Music Festival Live Earth concert, Shanghai Midi Music Festival Modern Sky Festival Yue Festival List of festivals in Asia#China == External links ==

Chinese New Year's Eve

China

Chinese New Year's Eve is the day before the Chinese New Year. Celebrating Chinese New Year's Eve has always been a family matter, it is the reunion day for every ethnic Chinese family. It has evolved over a long period of time. The origin of Chinese New Year's Eve can be traced back to 3500 years ago. == History == Chinese New Year's Eve originated in the Shang dynasty (1600 – 1046 BC), when Chinese held sacrificial ceremonies in honour of gods and ancestors at the end of each year. Then in the Zhou dynasty (1046 – 256 BC), the phrase “Nian (Year)” appeared and certain cultural practices became popular among Chinese such as sending door gods and burning bamboo. The first dated Chinese New Year's Eve was recorded during Warring States period (475 – 221 BC). In Lüshi Chunqiu, an exorcistic ritual called Big Nuo (大傩) was recorded being carried out in the ending day of a year to expel illness in Qin (state). It was derived from an earlier ritual, Nuo (傩), which is the origin of Chinese New Year's Eve. Later, Qin unified China and founded the Qin dynasty, the ritual was continued. It evolved to cleaning up houses thoroughly in the preceding days of Chinese New Year. During the Jin dynasty (266 – 420 AD), people started to do the Shousui (守岁) tradition on New Year's Eve. It was recorded by Western Jin's general Zhou Chu's article Fengtu Ji (风土记): At the ending of a year, people gift and wish each other, calling it Kuisui (馈岁); people invite others with drinks and food, calling it Biesui (别岁); on the new year's eve, people stayed up all night until sunrise, calling it Shousui (守岁). The article used the word 除夕 (Chuxi) to indicate New Year's Eve, and the name is still used till this day. == Dates of Chinese New Year’s Eve == Since the traditional Chinese calendar uses the lunisolar calendar, there's no fixed date for Chinese New Year's Eve. Below is the table for the dates of Chinese New Year's Eve from 2011 to 2031. == Traditions == Chinese New Year's Eve's practice is the cluster of this festival's history and tradition for thousands of years, there are many practices in China which are varied as people in different regions have different customs. Most of the practices exists for thousands years and still being used nowadays. === Gathering === Especially in southern China, people celebrate Chinese New Year's Eve with a big family meal with traditional dishes. Everyone, including children, can drink alcohol. Families make sacrifices to their ancestors: they set out seats for the ancestors, lay out food, and pour them drinks, and burn joss sticks and candles. Family members kowtow while the ancestors eat. After dinner, the family members sit together, perhaps talking or playing cards, === Staying up all night === On Chinese New Year's Eve, people stay up late, until midnight or often until dawn. This tradition is called shousui (simplified Chinese: 守岁; traditional Chinese: 守歲; pinyin: shǒusuì; lit. 'guarding the year'). === TV gala === The Spring Festival Gala is a TV show which broadcasts live by China's Central Television on Chinese New Year's Eve with singing, dancing, sketch comedy and cross-talk. It usually takes 6 months to do the preparation. Since more and more Chinese families could afford television from 1980s, the spring festival gala has been institutionalised as a crucial practice of Chinese New Year's Eve, every family member sits in front of the TV, watching spring festival gala together. The spring festival gala will broadcast until midnight, everyone in front of the televisions will say Happy New Year at midnight with the hosts. === Burning of bamboo and use of firecrackers === There's an ancient myth that a devil is living in western mountains, people would fall ill if they were to come across it, but this devil is afraid of the sound of bamboo. So Chinese will burn bamboo to make the sound to keep the devil out of their house on Chinese New Year's Eve. Nowadays, Chinese people still like to light firecrackers instead of bamboo on Chinese New Year's Eve not just for keeping the devil out, but also for having fun. === The Kitchen God ===The Chinese Kitchen God is regarded as the ambassador of the Jade Emperor to each Chinese family. It is said that at the midnight of Chinese New Year's Eve, the kitchen god from each family should go to heaven to report the family's deeds during the year. On Chinese New Year, the kitchen god returns to the earth and each family welcomes him by pasting a new picture of him in the kitchen. === Inviting a Door God ===On Chinese New Year's Eve, each family would invite the door god by pasting its picture on the front door as a talisman to forbid any devil to enter the family. The most popular door gods are Zhong Kui, Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong in different areas of China. === Peach wood === On Chinese New Year's Eve, Chinese will make bow of peach wood to exorcise the devil that caused plagues, which dates back to the Qin dynasty. The ghost would do no harm to man, but the ancients were afraid of them, so they asked for help to drive the ghost away. The entrance-guarding god was closely related to festivals and peach wood was regarded as a supernatural force with which ghosts could be driven away. === Traditional foods for Chinese New Year’s Eve === Family reunion dinner is crucial to Chinese. Chinese New Year's Eve feast allows every family members to sit together. It takes days to do the preparation. Every dish on Chinese New Year's Eve have different meanings. Some of the most popular dishes are: ==== Spring Rolls ==== Spring rolls are a traditional dish in parts of China. People make the thin dough wrappers in the cylindrical-shaped rolls and fill them with vegetables, meat, or something sweet, then fried the spring rolls to give them a golden-yellow color. ==== Dumplings ==== The dumpling is a traditional food to eat in north China on Chinese New Year's Eve while in southern China very few people serve dumplings as Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. Minced meat (pork, shrimp, chicken, beef.etc.) and vegetables are wrapped in the elastic dough skin. Boiling, steaming, frying are the most common ways to cook dumplings in China. ==== Glutinous Rice Cake ====Glutinous Rice Cake is called niangao in Mandarin. The sound of Nian Gao has a good meaning: getting higher year by year. Glutinous Rice Cake is made of sticky rice, sugar, chestnuts, lotus leaves. It is a common dish which appeared in the southern Chinese families' Chinese New Year Eve reunion dinner. ==== Good Fortune Fruit ====Tangerines, oranges and pomelos are certain fruits that been eaten on Chinese New Year's Eve. Chinese believe that eating these fruits on Chinese New Year's Eve can bring fortune as these fruits have round shape, golden colour, lucky sounds when spoken which symbolise fullness and wealth. ==== Longevity Noodles ==== Longevity noodles represents Chinese' wish for longevity. The length and preparation of longevity noodles are the symbolic of eater's life. Longevity noodles are longer than normal noodles, usually fried or boiled and served in the bowl. === Money gift and Money tree === Chinese will give children money gifts as Chinese new year gift on Chinese New Year's Eve. They usually put money in red pockets and hide under their children's pillows. In ancient times, Chinese money was the round copper coin with a square hole in the middle. adults will thread the coins with colourful thread to make a shape of dragon and then they will put the money beside their children's beds while their children are asleep. this customs, which is very similar to Christmas gifts in west. A money tree is a legendary tree which will shed coins when shaken. On Chinese New Year's Eve, Chinese will cut some pine branches and put the branches in vase. Then they will tie copper coins, shoe-shaped gold or silver and pomegranate flowers to the tree, which is very similar to Christmas tree in western countries. == Similar traditions in other part of Asia == === Philippines === Chinese New Year's Eve in Philippines is called Bisperas ng Bagong Taon in Tagalog. On Chinese New Year's Eve, all doors including cupboards, drawers, cabinets, windows must be left wide open to allow good luck to enter. Chinese Filipinos do not eat fish and chicken on Chinese New Year's Eve as these animals scrounge for food and Chinese Filipinos do not want to scrounge for food in the upcoming year. They prepare twelve round fruits (oranges, grapes, clementines, cantaloupe etc.) on Chinese New Year's Eve and each fruit represents a month.In 2012, Chinese New Year was included as a public regular non-working holiday in the Philippines. In 2024, Manila celebrates the Spring Festival of the Wooden Dragon, including the 430th anniversary of Manila Chinatown featuring the Manila Chinatown Solidarity Float Parade along Manila Central Post Office in Lawton, Ermita and Jones Bridge led by Ambassador Huang Xilian with Mr. & Ms. Chinatown Philippines 2023 winners. It was preceded by Chinese New Year's Eve, with the First incense offering at Binondo Church, a Taoism prayer ritual with Joss sticks, including Chinese ancestor worship at Martyr Saints of China altars in Binondo Chinese Parish Church. A midnight 2-minute pyro-musical fireworks was witnessed by 1.5 million at the Chinese-Filipino Friendship Bridge. == External links == Chinese Holidays (in Chinese). Xinhua. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09.

Chrysanthemum Festival (Xiaolan-Zhongshan)

China

The Chrysanthemum Festival, is a festival held in the town of Xiaolan in November. Zhongshan is sometimes called Chrysanthemum city because of its chrysanthemum culture. During the Ming dynasty, people planted chrysanthemums and gathered together to appreciate them. While doing that, they also wrote poems, drew pictures and drank liquor. Later, these gatherings grew into chrysanthemum festivals, which were held every 10 years. In Qing dynasty, people started holding the Grand Chrysanthemum Festival, which is held every 60 years. Now, chrysanthemum festivals are held every year, and draw visitors from around the world. == Origin == === Southern Song dynasty === Legend says that during the Song dynasty, an imperial concubine ran away from the palace. She and several other people traveled to Xiaolan. Fascinated by the fertile land, mild climate, and beautiful chrysanthemums there, they decided to settle and plant chrysanthemum. === Ming dynasty === At that time people were adept at chrysanthemum planting and like appreciating chrysanthemums very much. As chrysanthemum planting was prevailing, when chrysanthemums were in bloom, people liked gathering together enjoying both the beautiful flowers and liquors. === Qing dynasty === Kangxi period People were more experienced in chrysanthemum planting, with complete techniques of shaping and maintaining chrysanthemums. Also, chrysanthemums were diverse in color and the shape of pedal as a result of the introduction of new breeds from Shanghai and other places. local rich and power people were obsessed with chrysanthemum appreciation, so the chrysanthemum planting industry started to boom.Qianlong period In 1736, people in Xiaolan started to hold Chrysanthemum Planting Contest, in which people gathered the chrysanthemum together and saw whose was the best. The judges decided which one was the winner with the criteria of the shape of blossoms and the density of leaves. Five years later, instead of a contest, people started to hold Chrysanthemum Gathering. During that, families and close friends gathered together with the chrysanthemum they planted. At the same time, people drew pictures of the blossoms, write and read poem about the blossom and drink liquor together. In 1782, the gatherings got larger, as more and more people hold them together. In these larger gatherings, people start decorating their houses with chrysanthemum, making the beautiful Chrysanthemum Tower and Chrysanthemum Terrace.Jiaqing period In 1814, in honor the former generations' achievement, people held the grandest gathering and called it Chrysanthemum Festival. They also decided to hold the grandest festival like that every 60 years. In 1874, 1934, and 1994 the grandest festivals was held, and the whole city was decorated with chrysanthemum. == later developments == === 1959 === To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the first Chrysanthemum Festival in modern China. For the first time, chrysanthemums was used to make a giant pictures, the Peace Dove. With a lot of media report, Xiaolan was hailed as Chrysanthemum City. === 1979 === What's special about the Chrysanthemum Festival of that year is that it attracted oversea Chinese. Many of them returned to China for the first time to see the beautiful chrysanthemum arranged in different shapes. From then on, more and more oversea Chinese returned to Zhongshan and made tremendous contributions to local developments. === 1994 === It was the year when the grandest chrysanthemum festival was held. Almost the whole town was covered with beautiful chrysanthemums as the chrysanthemum exhibition area took up an area of 10,000 square meters. Many streets were decorated with chrysanthemums, with a total length of 16 kilometers. The number of the pots of chrysanthemum reach 820,000, and many of them was arranged into a tall tower, The Great White Peony, which broke a Guinness Record. === Recent years === In 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, Chrysanthemum Festivals with special themes were held in memory of respectively the 30th anniversary of The Reform and open policy, 60th anniversary of the forming of the People's Republic of China, the Asian Games held in Guangzhou, and the 100th anniversary of victory of anti-Fascist War. === Current format === There are two major kinds of exhibitions in the Festival—Chrysanthemum-planting contest and Chrysanthemum modelling, in which chrysanthemums are piled up or arranged into patterns or objects.Chrysanthemum-planting Contest This is similar to older events. In this section people show others their best chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums are judged based on the shape of the petals, the figure of the whole blossom, the density of the leaves etc. Large Modeling Exhibition This is a more modern development. Chrysanthemums are piled up to be large scale Chinese characters, life-sized animals and big buildings. == Chrysanthemum culture == === Overview === People in Xiaolan loves chrysanthemum, and pass down the technique of chrysanthemum planting from generation to generation. With innovation of the techniques, many world records have been broken there, especially in grand festivals held every ten years and the grandest festivals held every sixty years. Chrysanthemum culture has been a very important part of the local culture, and it facilitate cultural exchange with outside world and helps improve people's cultural cultivation. === Nickname--Chrysanthemum City === Xiaolan is well known for its nickname Chrysanthemum City in China. It first got this nickname in 1959, when the first Chrysanthemum Festival in modern China was held. For the first time people used chrysanthemum to make a beautiful 10 meters' long and 7 meters' tall picture—The Peace Dove. With the documentary Chrysanthemum made and a wide range nationwide media coverage, Xiaolan got famous for its chrysanthemum and was hailed as Chrysanthemum City. === Chrysanthemum Food culture === Since Xiaolan people have such a deep relationship with chrysanthemum, and love to eat, they have created the special Xiaolan chrysanthemum food. Although chrysanthemums are colorful, only a small number of them are edible, and we usually use the yellow edible chrysanthemums to make food. With the sweet smell and bright yellow color of chrysanthemums, the smell and look of food will be improved a lot. ==== Some Famous Chrysanthemum Food ==== Chrysanthemum Bran is made of chrysanthemum and sugar. Usually people heat dried chrysanthemum petal, sugar and little water together into a paste, then cool it. They then smash it into pieces. This is a basic ingredient in other chrysanthemum food. Chrysanthemum meat is not actually the meat of chrysanthemum, but fat pork. Usually the crystal fat pork cured together with chrysanthemum Bran and plenty of sugar. Chrysanthemum glue pudding is glue pudding with chrysanthemum Bran and red bean paste as filling. It is often served in chrysanthemum soup.

Cold Food Festival

China

The Cold Food or Hanshi Festival (寒食节) is a traditional Chinese holiday which developed from the local commemoration of the death of the Jin nobleman Jie Zitui in the 7th century BC under the Zhou dynasty, into an occasion across East Asia for the commemoration and veneration of ancestors by the 7th-century Tang dynasty. Its name derives from the tradition of avoiding the lighting of any kind of fire, even for the preparation of food. This practice originally occurred at midwinter for as long as a month, but the hardship this involved led to repeated attempts to ban its observance out of concern for its practitioners. By the end of the Three Kingdoms period (3rd century), it was limited to three days in the spring around the Qingming solar term. Under the Tang, ancestral observance was limited to the single day which is now the Tomb-Sweeping Festival. The Tomb-Sweeping Festival is an official holiday in several countries, and the Cold Food Festival which stretches either side of it continues to see some observance in China, South Korea, and Vietnam. == Legend == The usual story for the origin of the Cold Food and Tomb-Sweeping Festivals concerns the 7th-century-BC Jin nobleman Jie Zhitui, a model of self-sacrificing loyalty. During the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history, the Zhou Kingdom began to break up into its constituent parts and their lords gained more and more freedom from central control. One of these states was Jin, around modern Shanxi. As was common among wealthy Chinese at the time, its duke had many wives. One of them, Li Ji, was of lower status and came from the Rong tribes who lived to China's west, but successfully schemed to become a full wife and to establish her son as the duke's successor. Her older stepson Ji Chong'er was framed for revolting against the duke in 655 BC, forcing the prince to flee for his life to his mother's family among the Di tribes north of China. Only 15 of his men followed him into exile. These included Jie Zhitui, who entertained the prince with his poems and music. He was so considerate of his lord that once, when their supplies were stolen while traveling through Wey, he used meat from his own thigh to make soup to relieve the prince's hunger. In 636 BC, the duke of Qin finally invaded Jin on Chong'er's behalf and installed him as its duke. (Posthumously, he became known as the Wen or Civilized Duke of Jin.) In 635 BC, the new duke was generous to those who had helped him in adversity but overlooked Jie, who sadly withdrew into poor obscurity in the forests near Mt Mian. The duke sent repeated envoys to lure Jie back to court, but he felt no ambition for political power. Too loyal to directly criticize his master but too principled to accept a place in a corrupt administration, he opted to simply remain in seclusion. Annoyed, the duke ordered a forest fire to be started around three sides of the mountain to smoke Jie and his mother out of hiding. Instead of coming out, they were burnt alive. Jie's charred corpse was found still standing, embracing or tightly bound to a tree. In his remorse, the duke renamed the mountain Mt. Jie, established the town still known as Jiexiu (Jie's Rest), and inaugurated the Cold Food Festival as a memorial period for Jie. In addition to the festival, the story also occasioned the Chinese proverb that, while some can burn off an entire mountain, others are kept from even lighting up to eat their rice. == History ==The first part of this legend appears to be historical. In the earliest accounts, however, Jie is more prideful than sad and is not killed in a fire. The 4th-century-BC commentary on Confucius's Spring and Autumn Annals traditionally credited to Zuo Qiuming includes a Thucydidean passage where Jie argues with his mother about their future. Jie credits Heaven with having restored Chong'er to his rightful place and is disgusted by the credit-seeking and job-hunting behavior of his fellows, whom he considers worse than thieves. He also finds his lord unworthy for failing to reward him despite his failure to present himself at court. His mother asks him to at least go before the duke, but Jie admits his bitter criticism of the other lords makes that impossibly embarrassing. His mother accepts his decision to withdraw to a hermitage and goes with him. Ji Chong'er belatedly remembers his obligations to Jie and looks for him. When this proves vain, he accepts the situation and sets aside the produce of the fields of Mëenshang to endow sacrifices in Jie's honor, a memento... of my neglect and a mark of distinction for the good man. Other sources from the Zhou and early Han mention and praise Jie for various reasons. The poems of the Songs of Chu extol him for his loyalty and proper treatment of his lord's forgetfulness. The Spring and Autumn Annals compiled under Lü Buwei praises his altruism and lack of personal ambition. At some point before the composition of the Han-era Biographies of the Immortals, Jie came to be revered as a Taoist immortal. The Cold Food Festival is first mentioned in Huan Tan's New Discussions, composed around the beginning of the 1st century. It records that the commoners of Taiyuan Commandery avoided using fire in preparing their food for five days around midwinter, upholding this taboo even when they are gravely ill. This was done in Jie Zhitui's honor. A biography in the Book of the Later Han relates how the magistrate for Bingzhou (i.e., Taiyuan) found people rich and poor observing a dragon taboo against lighting a fire during the month of Jie's death in midwinter, lest they anger his spirit. Many of the old and young died every year because of the hardship this brought. The magistrate Zhou Ju (周舉) wrote an oration around AD 130 praising Jie but admonishing the people for a tradition that harmed so many that it could not have been what the sage intended. He then had the oration displayed at Jie's temple and distributed among the poor. This did not end the Cold Food Festival, but the biography notes that local superstitions did improve to a certain extent. The improvement is not explained but, at some point over the next century, it moved from the middle of winter to late spring, 105 days after the dongzhi solar term. Since it also spread from Taiyuan to the surrounding commanderies of Shangdang, Xihe, and Yanmen and was still causing some hardship, Cao Cao attempted to outlaw the Cold Food Festival in AD 206. The heads of offending families were liable for 6 months' hard labor, their local official was liable for one month himself, and their magistrate was to lose one month's salary. Cao Cao's effort was a failure, with observance of the Cold Food Festival on Qingming and for up to a month around it being reported by the mid-3rd century. Shi Le, the Jie emperor of the Later Zhao in the early 4th century, again tried to forbid it. The next year a massive hailstorm devastated crops and forests throughout Shanxi. On the advice of his ministers, he again approved the festival in the region around Taiyuan. The Northern Wei similarly banned the festival in 478 and 496, but were also compelled to approve its observance around Mt Mian. These prohibitions failed to such an extent that, by the time of Jia Sixie's c. 540 Qimin Yaoshu, a day-long Cold Food Festival had spread across most of China, moved to the day before the Qingming solar term. The Cold Food Festival grew to a three-day period and began to incorporate ancestral veneration under the Tang and remained more important than celebrations of the Qingming solar term as late as the Song. The present Tomb-Sweeping Festival on Qingming grew by incorporating the Cold Food observances along with the separate holiday of Shangsi. The Cold Food Festival had almost completely disappeared by the end of the Qing. === Controversy === Since the early 7th century, Chinese and Western scholars have argued for alternative origins for the festival. Du Gongzhan, the editor of the late-Sui Record of the Seasons of Jingchu, connected it with a ritual avoidance of fire mentioned in the Rites of Zhou: In mid-spring, they announce the prohibition of fire in the capital using a bell with a wooden clapper. This prohibition was related to the ancient Chinese use of different kinds of firewood according to the seasons, particularly after the development of Chinese astrology that considered the heliacal rising of Antares to be an occasion for great risk of conflagration and wildfire. Du was followed in his conjecture by others, including Li Fu. The Sinologist J.J.M. de Groot argued for its origin as a celebration of the sun's victory at the vernal equinox, based on a comparative anthropological analysis drawing on Ovid, Macrobius, Lucian, and Epiphanius of Salamis. James Frazer and his followers similarly considered it either a sun-charm or purification from its similarities to other fire-festivals. Claude Lévi-Strauss based his analysis of the festival as a kind of Chinese Lent upon a mistranslation of the relevant passage in the Rites of Zhou by Frazer. Eberhard connected it with his idea of a prehistoric spring-based calendar and made the Cold Food Festival a remnant of its original New Year. The unanimous connection of the festival to Jie Zhitui in the early sources and the dependence of these later theories on the Cold Food Festival's occurrence in late spring—when it in fact began as a mid-winter observance—suggests that none of them are likely accurate. One contemporary record of ritual fire-avoidance coming from a separate source in southeastern China concerned the late-2nd-century BC kings of Yue Mi (越糜王, Yuè Míwáng) and Yao (越王遙, Yuè Wáng Yáo, and 越繇王, Yuè Yáowáng). These were actually princes of the old Yue royal family fighting over the southern successor state of Minyue. Supposedly, the Mi King was beheaded during a battle with Yao but his body continued to stay atop his horse all the way back to Wu Village, where he was buried. As late as the 10th century, residents of the area avoided fire on the day of his death as a mark of respect to his spirit. This southern equivalent to the Cold Food Festival was not celebrated annually, though, but on every wu day of the old Chinese calendar, a generally unlucky day to some Taoists. == Observance == === China === The Cold Food Festival was originally observed at mid-winter (the Dongzhi solar term), but moved to late spring (the Qingming solar term) around the 2nd century. Its primary activity was a strict taboo against using fire, usually under the superstitious belief that violations led to violent weather. Leading up to the 6th century, there was a patch of blackened trees on Mt Mian that were used for local worship of Jie Zhitui and had a reputation for miracles. Traditional cold foods included lǐlào (醴酪), a kind of congee flavored with apricot pits and malt sugar. Later activities included visiting ancestral tombs, cock fighting, playing on swings, beating blankets, and tug-of-war games. The Cold Food Festival is generally ignored in modern China, except to the extent that it has influenced some of the activities and traditional foods for the Tomb-Sweeping Festival. In the city of Jiexiu in Shanxi Province, near where Jie died, locals still commemorate the festival, but even there the tradition of eating cold food is no longer practiced. === South Korea === The Korean equivalent Hansik (Korean: 한식), takes place on the 105th day after dongzhi, which translates to April 5 in the Gregorian calendar, except in leap years when it is on April 4 instead. It is a day to welcome the warm weather thawing the frozen lands. On this day, rites to worship ancestors are observed early in the morning, and the family visits their ancestors' tombs to tidy up. The custom of eating cold food on the day has, however, disappeared. Since this day coincides with Arbor Day, public cemeteries are crowded with visitors planting trees around the tombs of their ancestors. === Vietnam ===The Vietnamese equivalent Tết Hàn Thực is celebrated in most parts of the country on the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month, but only marginally. People cook glutinous rice balls called bánh trôi but the holiday's origins are largely forgotten, and the fire taboo is also largely ignored. Tết Hàn Thực List of festivals in Asia Traditional and Public holidays in China, Hong Kong, and Macao and on Taiwan Festivals and Public holidays in South Korea and North Korea List of Korean traditional festivals == Notes == === Citations === === Bibliography === Milburn, Olivia, ed. (2015), Tales of the Lands of Wu, Urbanization in Early and Medieval China: Gazetteers for the City of Suzhou, Seattle: University of Washington Press, pp. 39–58, ISBN 9780295806105. Chapman, Ian (2014), Festival and Ritual Calendar: Selections from Record of the Year and Seasons of Jing-Chu, Early Medieval China: A Sourcebook, New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 468–493, ISBN 978-0-231-15987-6. Confucius (1872), Legge, James (ed.), The Ch'un Ts'ew, with the Tso Chuen, Pt. I, The Chinese Classics, Vol. V, Hong Kong: Lane, Crawford, & Co.. De Groot, Jan Jakob Maria (1886), Les Fêtes Annuellement Célébrées a Emoui, Annales du Musée Guimet (in French), Paris: Guimet Museum, pp. 208–29. Durrant, Stephen W.; et al., eds. (2016), Zuo Tradition, Classics of Chinese Thought, Seattle: University of Washington Press, ISBN 9780295999159. Eberhard, Wolfram (1942), Lokalkulturen im Alten China, T'oung Pao, No. 37 (in German), vol. I: Die Lokalkulturen des Nordens und Westens, Leiden: Brill. Frazer, James George (1918), The Golden Bough, vol. VII (3rd ed.), London: Macmillan & Co.. Hanan, Patrick (1981), The Chinese Vernacular Story, Harvard East Asian Series, No. 94, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, ISBN 978-0-674-12565-0. Holzman, Donald (June 1986), The Cold Food Festival in Early Medieval China, Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, vol. 46, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, pp. 51–79, doi:10.2307/2719075, JSTOR 2719075. Huan Tan (1975), Pokora, T. (ed.), Hsin-lun and Other Writings, Michigan Papers in Chinese Studies, No. 20, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1918), Purification (Chinese), Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, vol. X, Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, pp. 470–4. Lévi-Strauss, Claude (1966), Du Miel aux Cendres (in French), Paris: Plon. Ling, L.H.M.; et al. (1999), Confucianism with a Liberal Face: Democratic Politics in Postcolonial Taiwan, in Dallmayr, Fred Reinhard (ed.), Border Crossings: Toward a Comparative Political Theory, Lanham: Lexington Books, pp. 213–236, ISBN 978-0-7391-0043-1. Moriya, Mitsuo (1951), Kanshoku Kō, Wada Hakase Kanreki Kinen Tōyōshi Ronsō (in Japanese), Tokyo, pp. 747–62{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link). Sukhu, Gopal, ed. (2017), The Songs of Chu: An Anthology of Ancient Chinese Poetry by Qu Yuan and Others, New York: Columbia University Press, ISBN 9780231544658. Wu Dongming (2014), A Panoramic View of Chinese Culture, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 9781476774961.

Dashuhua

China

Da Shuhua or Dashuhua (Chinese: 打树花; pinyin: dǎshùhuā) is a Chinese Festival of Lights tradition in Nuanquan Town, Zhangjiakou, with a history of more than five hundred years. It is shown by throwing molten iron against cold bricks to create showers of sparks which have a similar shape of leafy tree canopy. Da Shuhua has been classified as one of China's significant examples of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ), and the provincial intangible cultural heritage in Hebei. It marks the start of the Dragon Boat Festival and also used to celebrate the Lunar New Year in China. == History == === Etymology === “Da Shuhua is the English term for the art form, literally meaning beating tree flowers. The blacksmiths in Nuanquan named the art as Da Shuhua because the outcome of it has a shape of the leafy tree canopy. When the blacksmiths throw the molten iron against the wall, the flying sparks will present a look of tree flower. === Origins === Da Shuhua is found in Nuanquan Township, Yuxian County, located Northwest of Beijing, which was built in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) as a presidio for Beijing. Nuanquan Town, literally meaning Warm Spring Town, and the name Nuanquan came from the fact that there was a hot spring. It is an ancient town surrounded by mountains and has a reputation of the First Ancient Town of Jiangxi (western area of Beijing). People have lived in Nuanquan since the Warring States period (475BC–221 BC). There are 20,000 people currently live in Nuanquan, and the historical features and cultural heritages there are well-protected in the process of modernization. The home of Da Shuhua also known as Hometown of Paper Cutting. Yuxian-style paper cuts combined paper cutting with theatric features and adopts woodblock watermark and Yangliuqing painting technology. The colorful and creative paper cuts are designed for decorating windows, which can enhance the festival atmosphere during the festival season. The wide variety of theatre stages in Yuxian illustrates that local folks love about Chinese Theatre as well, and the theatres were built with delicate porcelain tiles and painted with exquisite fresco. In ancient times, the Lunar New Year is the busiest time of the year in Nuanquan Town. The rich used expensive fireworks to celebrate the festival with the sounds and sparks of explosions, while the poor could not afford it8. The ironmaking industry in Nuanquan was flourished grounded on the weapon manufacturing, and the blacksmiths there inspired by the flakes of heated iron when they tried to find a cheap way to celebrate the festival. They found that the sparks created by the collision between heated iron with the cold wall have a similar scene of fireworks. Later, the poor collected waste iron and gave to local blacksmiths to perform Da Shuhua as a form of reveling and attracted more and more people who could not afford to buy real fireworks came to watch. The three-day show usually performs in the 15th of the first lunar month, and it develops the tradition that during the Lunar New year, the rich watches fireworks and the poor watches Da Shuhua. At the very beginning, Da Shuhua was performed on a cold wall in Nuanquan. As the population of the audience getting bigger and bigger, local people built a square which is used explicitly for performing Da Shuhua and named it Tree Flower Square. The future of the art is uncertain because the four remaining artists are all over fifty years old. === Tourism === The fortress of Xigubao (Chinese: 西古堡) has been listed among the national nonmaterial cultural heritage in 2001 by the State Council of China. Xigubao is located in Nuanquan town, Yuxian county. Both small and large temples in the fortress were built in the Ming dynasty and decorated with ancient fresco. == Performance process == The traditional performing process of Da Shuhua did not change much for more than 500 years. It takes four folk artists to perform and usually takes place in the Tree Flower Square of Nuanquan township. There will be one leader blacksmith, and the other three will assist the leader with managing his iron furnace during the performance. The artists need to collect more than 500 kilograms waste iron and melt them for at least half an hour in a furnace with high heat before the show. The wooden spoon is the primary tool for Da Shuhua, and the production process of it is cumbersome. The raw material of the spoon is willow root. The root needs to be soaked in water for a few days at first, and then blacksmiths will use small fire to dry it to make it anti-burning. The four blacksmiths have to wear straw hats and thick sheepskin coats to protect themselves from the splashing molten iron during performance. Before Dashuhua starts, performances such as dragon lantern dance, lion dance and land boat dance will be performed by folk artists of Nuanquan first. According to the record, during the show, the molten metal will be heated up to 1,600 °C (2,910 °F). The art of Da Shuhua requires skills, power, and courage. When the leader artist scoops up the heavy iron from the furnace with the wooden spoon, the spoon cannot go very deep. Otherwise, the temperature difference between the cold spoon and heated iron will cause an explosion. Then the leader blacksmith throws the spoonful of iron on the cold wall through the burst of strength on his arms and the blast of liquid iron from the wall gives the audience showers of sparks. At the end of the show, the artists will perform a deep kowtow in front of the furnace and pray for happiness and good luck. The danger of Da Shuhua can be reflected from the wounds on those folk artists. The leader blacksmith of the performance team in recent years is Wang De (artist), whose father and grandfather were both blacksmiths. Wang said he suffered a burn on his leg years ago, and it took him two months to recover. === Scientific principle === The melting point of iron is 1,538 °C (2,800 °F). When blacksmiths heat the iron up to 1,600 °C (2,910 °F) Celsius, the solid iron will melt and turn into liquid iron. The splash of heated liquid iron is an energy transformation process: when the blacksmith throws out the iron from the furnace, kinetic energy is supplied to bulk of the liquid iron that transforms to potential energy at an elevation up the wall, and the residual kinetic energy is responsible for a splashing impact. The explosion of molten iron is essentially an oxidation reaction of finely divided iron droplets combined with scattering upon collision with wall. In addition, carbon impurities in the iron will react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and the impact will expose carbon in the molten iron to oxygen to produce sparks. With the same performance process, the higher the carbon amount of the iron, the more sparks can be formed. == Television drama == The first TV series that involved Da Shuhua is called Story of Yanxi Palace. Story of Yanxi Palace is a popular TV series in the summer of 2018. On average, it was being streamed 300 million times a day. The series is talking about harem life during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1711–99), an emperor during the Qing dynasty. In this series, Da Shuhua is called Wan Zi Qian Hong, a Chinese four-character phrase which means colors of flame and the noble consort of the Qianlong Emperor invites some folk blacksmiths to perform it for the Emperor's mother to celebrate her birthday. Along with the influence of Story of Yanxi Palace, the audience awareness of Da Shuhua was improved. == Book == Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi's book Halo is a collection of photos of Da Shuhua. It was awarded as one of the notable photo books of 2007, and these photos show clouds of sparks which created by the collision between iron and wall. Kawauchi said in the last pages of Halo: We still find ourselves yearning to witness beauty. Our ceaseless desire to do so is like a prayer. == Poem ==The songs of Qiupu (Chinese: 秋浦歌十七首) is the earliest record of Da Shuhua. It is a collection of seventeen poems which was written by Li Bai (AD 701–762), a poet during the Tang dynasty (AD 618–907). When Li wrote this poem he was already fifty years old and visiting Qiupu (秋浦). Qiupu is a place in today's Anhui province. During the Tang dynasty, the art that Li Bai recorded is the ancient form of Da Shuhua, which has the similar performance process and outcome with Da Shuhua. The verse which describes the view of the ancient show is in the fourteenth poem of songs of Qiupu, 炉火照天地，红星乱紫烟。. It translated to Their furnace fire illumes both earth and sky, Red parks spiking its purple smoke awry. by Andrew Wong, which states showers of sparks of the art created by the ancient blacksmiths. The difference of the outcomes between Da Shuhua and the predecessor of it is that there was purple smoke formed during performance in the Tang dynasty. The songs of Qiupu expresses the emotions of Li Bai with the image. == Festivals == === The Lantern Festival ===The Lantern Festival (Chinese: 元宵节) is a time for everyone to be with their families. The three-day show, Da Shuhua performs around the Lunar New Year to celebrate the Lantern Festival in Nuanquan. The Lantern Festival is an ancient festival and usually celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Although it occurs two weeks after the Spring Festival, it is a popular time of the year as it marks the end of the traditional Chinese New Year celebration. During the Lantern Festival, local residents gather at the Tree Flower square, in the center of Nuanquan town, for Da Shuhua. On the Lantern Festival, the celebrations of Nuanquan Town start in the morning of the day and continue late into the midnight. Da Shuhua is a way of expressing good wishes that local people prayed for happiness, health and prosperity in the new year. In other places of China, people hung red lanterns outside their windows, eat yuanxiao (Chinese: 元宵) and shoot off firecrackers to celebrate the Lantern Festival. === The Dragon Boat Festival === Da Shuhua marks the start of the Dragon Boat Festival (Chinese: 端午节). The Dragon Boat Festival occurs on the fifth day of May of the lunar year, which is a public holiday in China. The performers of Da Shuhua will start working on the Dragon Boat Festival and every weekend of the second half of the year until the end of the Lantern Festival which marks the end of the Spring Festival. Eating zongzi (sticky rice dumpling) and racing dragon boats are also the traditional activities that people used to celebrate the festival. == Artists == === Wang De === Wang De, who is the lead performer of Da Shuhua in China. Wang was born in Nuanquan, in nineteen sixty-four. As one of the inheritors of Da Shuhua, Wang learned it from his father when he was young. Wang earns 300 yuan for each show and works on the weekend during the second half of the year and the Spring Festival. The Lantern Festival is the busiest time of the year for Wang. For the rest of the time, Wang grows corn. Wang has two sons and he passes his skills to his younger son, who was born in nineteen ninety-seven. === Sui Jianguo === Sui is a 14th-generation blacksmith in Nuanquan. He has been performing the art for 25 years. === Yu Zhangliang === Yu is the artist from Nuanquan who took part in the Story of Yanxi Palace and performed Da Shuhua in the series. Chinese paper cutting Story of Yanxi Palace Yuxian County

Dog Meat Festival

China

The Dog Meat Festival (Chinese: 狗肉节), also known as the Yulin Dog Meat Festival or Lychee and Dog Meat Festival, is an annual festival held in Yulin, Guangxi, China, during the summer solstice from 21 June to 30 June in which festival observers consume dog meat accompanied by lychees or other plants. The festival began in 2009 and spans about ten days during which thousands of dogs are reportedly consumed. The festival has drawn criticism domestically and internationally. == Background == The festival is celebrated annually in Yulin, Guangxi, China, during the summer solstice in June, by eating dog meat. Early on, it was reported that roughly 10,000 dogs had been consumed for each annual occurrence of the festival. This number is estimated by some to have decreased to 1,000 in 2015. In 2018 it was estimated that 3,000 dogs were killed. The festival was launched on 21 June 2009. == Concerns == === Animal cruelty === The festival organizers claim that the dogs are killed humanely and that eating dog is no different from eating pork or beef. Animal rights activists and campaigners, however, claim that the animals are treated cruelly. Some media outlets have reported that dogs are intentionally tortured or boiled alive to improve the taste of their meat. Several other reports have stated that since 2015 there has been little evidence for those allegations. The festival is a relatively recent event, not rooted in tradition, but rather created in 2010 by dog traders to increase their profits. Prior to its inception, Yulin had no historical background of engaging in mass dog slaughter and consumption. As consuming dog meat is not prohibited by law in China, authorities argue that they have no legal basis to intervene. === Dog theft === A 2015 report by Animals Asia Foundation stated that most dogs that are consumed are strays or stolen pets. Approximately 70% of rural villages surveyed in China have suffered mysterious dog losses. == Changes in 2020 == Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China officially declared that dogs are companions, and should not be treated as livestock, thereby banning their commercial slaughter and sale. During February, the city of Yulin made a statement to put a ban to the dog consumption market, stating that as an effort to combat coronavirus. However, the festival resumed on 21 June 2020 in defiance of the government campaign, although reportedly with a dwindling number of attendees. == Reactions == === Domestic === In 2016, 1,000 dogs were rescued from the festival; the previous week 34 animals (21 dogs, eight puppies, and five cats and kittens) were rescued from a slaughter facility in Yulin by Humane Society International. Another 1,000 dogs were saved by Chinese activists in 2017. Millions of Chinese in 2016 voted in support of a legislative proposal by Zhen Xiaohe, a deputy to the National People's Congress of China, to ban the dog meat trade. A petition in China the same year, which garnered 11 million signatures and called for an end to the festival, was presented to Yulin government offices in Beijing. Reports from 2014 and 2016 have also suggested that the majority of Chinese both on and offline disapprove of the festival. Chinese celebrities such as Fan Bingbing, Chen Kun, Sun Li and Yang Mi have also publicly expressed a distaste for the event. In 2017, over 1,300 dogs were rescued by activists. After a tip, a truck transporting the dogs was blocked. Police confirmed that the majority of the dogs were stolen and not allowed for consumption, allowing volunteers to rescue the dogs. Up to 40% of the dogs also carried infectious diseases. === State media === In a 2014 statement released to Xinhua, Yulin's local government denies any official involvement or endorsement of the festival itself, and describes the event as a local custom observed by a small percentage of Yulin's residents. They attribute the branding of the event to local businesses and residents. An editorial published by the People's Daily expressed the view that while activists understand dogs as companion animals, neither the Chinese legal system nor the current Chinese public recognizes them with this special status. While noting the duality of dogs as both companions and food items, the editorial urges restraint in handling the issue and calls for mutual understanding from both organizers and activists in reaching a respectful compromise. === Media campaigns === Campaigns have had an impact on spreading awareness of the festival around the globe. Many activists and public figures take to Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and have created hashtags such as #stopyulinforever, #stopyulin2015, #stopyulin2016, and #stopyulin2020 to spread the word. Due in part to social media campaigns both in and outside of China, the number of dogs slaughtered has apparently decreased since 2013 to 1,000 in 2016, although the festival is still being held in 2021. === News === Amidst reporting on clashes between Chinese animal advocates and dog meat traders, The New York Times interviewed professor Peter J. Li of the University of Houston–Downtown on his views of the allegations from dog meat traders that local activists had introduced a harmful Western ideology into China. Li replied that the opposition to eating dog meat at the festival began with the Chinese, as the bond between companion animals and humans is not Western. It's a transcultural phenomenon. The director of Animal Protection and Crisis Response for Humane Society International explained in an article on CNN the reasons for his opposition to the festival and called on the Yulin government to cancel the festival. In 2016, an article written by the BBC noted that the festival began amid widespread criticism, saying, Activists say the event is cruel, and this year a petition calling for it to be banned collected 11 million signatures. An article in The Guardian by Jill Robinson said that the dog meat trade is steeped in illegality and the reason why dogs are special and deserve kind treatment is because they are friends and helpers of humankind. Another article by Julian Baggini that was published in the same news outlet said that what should be most appalling about the festival is not which particular animal is being killed, but that too many animals in the West are treated nearly or just as cruelly and that vegans are the only group who can oppose the festival without any fear of hypocrisy. An article in The Independent encouraged protests against the festival but also compared the festival with the 1.9 million animals brutally slaughtered in the UK every month and noted that the western distinction between dogs and farm animals is completely arbitrary. An article in The Diamondback further questioned whether the large amount of criticism towards the festival was truly due to animal rights instead of cultural relativism, arguing that chickens being drowned alive in scalding tanks or left to freeze to death in slaughterhouse trucks was another cruel practice in the US that had garnered less attention. In 2021 a small poodle covered in maggots was rescued from a truck heading to the Festival by British campaign group NoToDogMeat. Another article on CBS news wrote about the conflicting opinions in China about eating dog meat. However, most of China's population agrees on the stopping of the dog trade. Du Feng, a Chinese rights campaigner states that though police are present, they don't really do anything to stop the trade from happening. China's most controversial celebration of food, this lychee and dog meat festival in the city of Yulin, faces negative press every year, being widely condemned by dog lovers around the world. === Social media === The outrage on social media over the 2014 festival was unprecedented. In June 2015, an online petition against the festival was started in the United Kingdom, gathering over 4 million signatures. In 2016 Humane Society International organised a petition in opposition to the dog eating festival which was signed by 11 million people worldwide. A 2016 survey conducted by Chinese polling company Horizon, found that 64% of Chinese citizens want to see an end to the Yulin festival. === International === In 2015, actor and comedian Ricky Gervais brought attention to the issue by urging people to get behind Humane Society International’s campaign to shut down China’s dog and cat meat trade, including the infamous Yulin Dog Meat Festival. U.S. Representative Alcee Hastings introduced, alongside 27 original cosponsors, a bipartisan resolution (House Resolution 752) in 2016 which condemned the annual festival in Yulin and called on the Chinese government to prohibit the dog meat trade outright. The resolution was supported by the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society Legislative Fund, and Humane Society International. In 2017, Hastings reintroduced, alongside 49 original co-sponsors, his 2016 bipartisan resolution through House Resolution 30. The festival has also been condemned in an Early Day Motion signed by Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the UK Labour Party.Celebrities and citizens including Joaquin Phoenix, Matt Damon, Sia, Bill Maher, Lisa Vanderpump, Ricky Gervais, George Lopez, Ian Somerhalder, Leona Lewis, Lori Alan, Tom Kenny, Rob Zombie and Anushka Sharma have publicly denounced the festival.

Double Sixth Festival

China

The Double Sixth Festival (Chinese: 六月六) is a Chinese traditional festival, the annual festival takes place on the sixth day of the sixth month of the Chinese calendar. The festival has different names among different areas in China and varies in practices within Chinese ethnic groups. The most recognized official name is Tiankuang Festival (天贶节) announced by Emperor Zhenzong of the Song dynasty, meaning the gift or reward from heaven. The most well-known custom is to bring all outfits, and books out and put them under the sunlight, people believe that doing this would not only prevent things becoming mildewed or damaged by worms but also brings fortune to themselves. The old saying from the Ming dynasty in China classifies this behavior observed in different social classes: At June 6, scholars will dry their books in sun, women will dry their clothes in sun and farmers will pray for their harvest. The festival has lost some of its significance in China because of changes in social structure and reasons like farming technology improvement. == Origin ==The origin of this festival follows with the Qin Dynasty, the first unification of China, after the first emperor Qin Shi Huang went to Mount Tai to offer the ritual of sacrifice to heaven. Other records of the Double Sixth festival were found in the Song Dynasty in China. The emperor Zhao Heng (Song Zhen Zong) announced Tian Kuang to be the official name for the Double Sixth festival. He claimed he had Heaven's blessing that he received scriptures from heaven which showed a wise ruler, an enlightened emperor could govern the country and bring peace to everyone, the emperor then set the day he received this sacred revelation to be a holiday that everyone should celebrate it. The emperor Zhao Heng then reconstructed the Dai Temple on Mount Tai, which is the central religious construct of Taoism and the main place to show emperor's authority and relation to heaven. The emperor Zhao Heng then renamed the central building in Dai Temple as Tian Kuang Hall. Buddhists hold a different claim that this festival was originated with the legend of Xuan Zang in the Tang Dynasty, the sea water dampened some volumes of scriptures he brought back from India, and he had to dry these holy scriptures in sun. people then believed that by following Xuan Zang, putting things under the sunlight can receive blessing from heaven. == Observance == === Han People === ==== The name of Double Sixth festival in Han Chinese culture ==== The Double Sixth festival is called Gu Gu Jie 姑姑节 and Tian Kuang Jie 天贶节 in Han people. The name Gu Gu Jie 姑姑节 is composed of three Chinese characters, two identical Chinese characters Gu Gu 姑姑 means female relative, and Jie 节 means Festival. The name Tian Kuang Jie天贶节 which composed by three characters: Tian天 represents the sky, and heaven (the place where all spirits lives), Kuang贶 stands for the gift or reward from heaven, Jie节 means festival. ==== Mythology by Han People ==== Gu Gu Jie (姑姑节) The legend falls in the Spring and Autumn period in China, an official in the country Jin called Hu Yan made a mistake which caused the death of his daughter's father-in-law, and his son-in-law wanted to kill him for revenge. Hu Yan's daughter struggled and told her father this plan. Hu Yan realized his mistake and wanted to correct his mistake later on. He does not blame his son-in-law for wanting to revenge, and he asked his daughter and son-in-law to have a family reunion on every June 6. The legend comes up with an old saying: Get Gu Gu back to home at June 6 六月六，请姑姑. Tian Kuang Jie (天贶节) Details in the history part above. ==== Practices ====On the day of the festival, Parents will invite their married daughter and their son in law back home to maintain the harmony and good relationship between them. The daughter would take their children with them to her parents' house and leave a mark on children's forehead when returning to frighten away the evil spirits and pray for good fortune. On that day, people would eat wheat flour which is baked and mixed with hot water and flavored by sugar or salt. People believe that eating wheat flour on June 6 would cure diarrhea. Women in Henan Province would cook dumplings that day, and they would sweep the ancestor's grave before come back home. === Man People === ==== The name of Double Sixth festival in Man Chinese culture ==== The Double Sixth festival is called Chong Wang Jie 虫王节 in Man people. The name Chong Wang Jie 虫王节 is composed of three Chinese Characters: Chong 虫 means worms, Wang 王 means the king, and Jie 节 means the festival. The literal meaning of Chong Wang Jie 虫王节 is the festival of the king of worms. ==== Mythology by Man People ==== Man people believe that there exists the king of worms, if people offer sacrifices on June 6, the king of worms will keep all worms away from their seedlings. ==== Practices ==== To protect their crops from worms, Man people gathered round to the local Chong Wang temple to celebrate this festival, offer food and live stocks to the king of worms, pray for a good harvest. The temple would give white flags to people who have offered sacrifice, and let them put the flags on the side of their farmland. People believe by doing so, the King of worms would recognize them and keep worms away from the flagged farmland. === Bai People === ==== The name of Double Sixth festival in Bai Chinese culture ==== The Double Sixth festival is called Qing Miao Jie 青苗节 in Bai people. The name Qing Miao Jie 青苗节 is composed of three Chinese characters: Qing青 means the color green, Miao苗 means the seedling and jie节 means the festival. The literal meaning for Qing Miao Jie 青苗节 means the festival of green seedlings. ==== Mythology by Bai People ====Bai people believe in the legend of a spirit called Qing Miao Tai Zi 青苗太子 who is the prince of the seeding. The spirit has the ability to control all processes of seeding, and the celebration can make the spirit happy and would give bless with the harvest. ==== Practices ==== Bai people usually celebrate this festival in the local Wu Gu Miao 五谷庙, which is the temple of grains. Each village would offer a pig to Qing Miao Tai Zi, and the temple would give a flag to each family, they have to plug the flag on the side of their farm land to ensure that their land is under the blessing from Qing Miao Tai Zi. === Yao, Tujia, and Buyi People === ==== The name of Double Sixth festival in those Chinese ethnicities’ culture ====The Double Sixth festival is called Shai Yi Jie 晒衣节 in Yao, Tujia and Buyi people. The name Shai Yi Jie is composed of three Chinese characters: Shai晒 means put something in sunlight, Yi衣 means clothes and Jie节 means the festival. The literal meaning of Shai Yi Jie is the festival to put clothes in sunlight. ==== Mythology by People ==== The legend by Yao, Tujia and Buyi people says that the sunlight during 6 June has the magical power, that would prevent clothes and books damaged by worms or get mildewed, and would also help people to avoid evil spirits. ==== Practices ==== Yao and Tujia People would have to prepare food before the festival, and they would eat chickens and ducks during the day of the festival. People would get up before the sun rises, and young people would listen to elder's orders to take outfits, books, decorations out of their house and put them on the ground or put them up on bamboo pole dryers. They would organize those stuff back to the original place at 3 to 4 P.M. When the sun goes down, every family would stand at the ground and wave to the sun to show respect and appreciation to the sun. After that, families would enjoy a groaning board. Buyi people would have to make rice cakes and traditional food ZongJi for the festival. At the day of festival, people would gather around and drink self made alcohol together while play local musical instruments to commemorate their ancestors. === Hui, Tu, Miao, Baoan, Sala, Dongxiang, and Yugu People === ==== The name of Double Sixth festival in those Chinese ethnicities’ culture ====The Double Sixth Festival is called Hua Er Hui 花儿会 in Hui, Tu, Miao, Baoan, Sala, Dongxiang, and Yugu People. The name is composed of three Chinese characters: Hua花& Er儿 means flowers, Hui会 means fair. The literal meaning of Hua Er Hui花儿会 is the flower fair but the actual meaning is the songfest about flowers. ==== Mythology by People ==== Tu People believe that in the old days there were a couple that would sing beautiful songs about flowers. The powerful officials imprisoned the man in the couple and ordered him to sing until his voice broke. The woman cried for her lover and her tears became a magic spring, they used it to cure the man's eye. The magic spring helped a lot of people and they gathered to sing songs and show their appreciation about the spring each 6 June. Miao People believed that there once was a brutal emperor who puts a heavy tax on people and forced people to work day and night for him, a young man named Fu Lou Mei decided to kill the emperor for his family and friends. In order to kill the emperor, he practiced archery and planned to take action on June 6. But he failed at that assassination and was captured then killed by soldiers. Miao People then decided to set that day as a Memorial Day and hold a songfest for him each year. There is no exact record that can be tracked of legend by Hui & Baoan & Sala & Dongxiang & Yugu People about the Double Sixth festival. ==== Practices ==== People would hold a songfest for four to five days, they would wear the formal ethnic clothe and exchange songs about flowers, love and historical events. Start with solos, and then two people sing together, and all people join in. After that, there would be a singing competition. Young people would use this songfest as an opportunity to make friends or express love to others through singing. == Construct Related with the Double Sixth Festival ==The idea of Tian Kuang Jie was originated after Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, went to Mount Tai to offer sacrifice to Heaven and announce the relation between the emperor and heaven. The Dai Temple was built as the site of this ritual. The ritual itself became compulsory for every emperor of succeeding dynasties, and by offering sacrifice to heaven on Dai Temple, emperors are emphasizing their special relation with heaven— the self-assumed son of heaven. In the Song dynasty, emperor Zhao Heng claimed that he received scriptures from heaven at June 6, and he reconstructed Dai Temple and renamed the main hall as Tian Kuang Hall to prove his religious and appreciation to heaven. The temple was further renovated and expanded by all Zhao Heng's offsprings and emperors in succeeding dynasties. == Further reading == Tan Hou and the Double Sixth Festival, picture book by Wu Chaozhu and Xiang Hua, illus. Cai Gao, tr. Helen Wang (Balestier Press, 2017) == External links == http://m.womenofchina.cn/womenofchina/xhtml1/culture/lifestyle/1607/1856-1.htm Archived 28 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine https://archive.shine.cn/feature/art-and-culture/Getting-the-hang-of-things-for-Clothes-Drying-Festival/shdaily.shtml

Double Third Festival

China

The Double Third Festival (Chinese: 三月三日; pinyin: sānyuèsān) sometimes also called the Washing Festival is a traditional holiday originating from China, and is celebrated in multiple East Asian countries, including China and Korea. == China == The Double Third Festival (Chinese: 三月三; pinyin: sānyuèsān) or Shangsi Festival (traditional Chinese: 上巳節; simplified Chinese: 上巳节), sometimes translated as the Washing Festival, is a Chinese holiday celebrated on the third day of the third month of the Chinese calendar. It is said that the origin of this festival comes from the Dinner Party at the Qushui River during the Zhou Dynasty (about 1100–221 BC). Others say its origins come from the ceremonial custom of getting rid of evils by bathing in the river. On this day, people would hold a sacrificing ceremony on a riverside to honor their ancestors, and then take a bath in the river with herbs to cleanse their bodies of filth. Following that, young men and women would then go for a spring outing in which many of these scenes were described in Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). The Shangsi Festival activities have changed over the course of subsequent dynasties. The entertainment feast and praying for descendants along the riverside were added in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). It was after the Wei and Jin dynasties (220–420 AD) that the festival developed into the Double-Third (Shangsi) Festival that is fixed on the third day of the third lunar month. In modern times, to observe this festival, people would go for an outing by the water, have picnics, and pluck orchids. It is also a day for invoking cleansing rituals to prevent disease and get rid of bad luck. The day is also traditionally considered to be a possible birthday of the Yellow Emperor. The ancient traditions of Shangsi are mostly celebrated by several communities spread out among the provinces today, such as the ancient village of Xinye which holds elaborate ancestor worship ceremonies on this day. The great calligrapher Wang Xizhi mentions this festival in his famous work Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Poems, written in regard to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering during the Six Dynasties era. In Zhuang Culture, the festival has higher prominence and is celebrated with songs and dance performances as well as a variety of games and foods. == Japan ==In Japan, the Double Third festival is celebrated as Hinamatsuri. == Korea == Samjinnal is one of sesi pungsok (세시풍속) or Korean traditional customs by season, which falls on the third day of the third month in the Chinese calendar. It was called samjil (삼질) in old Korean language and referred to as sangsa, wonsa (원사, 元巳), sungsam (중삼, 重三), sangje (상제, 上除) or dapcheongjeol (답청절, 踏靑節) in hanja. Samjinnal implies the overlapping of Sam (three). According to Choi Namseon, samjil was derived from the consonants of Samil, and Sangsa is defined as the first snake day of the 3rd lunar month. === Customs ===During Samjinnal, people pick out azalea flowers and knead it with glutinous rice dough to make Hwajeon, a Korean traditional rice cake. Mung bean powder is used to make mung bean noodles, and is also occasionally used with the azalea flowers. By dyeing the mung bean powder with red water, a seasonal dish called Sumyeon can be prepared. Other than this, white bubble rice cakes made with red bean paste called Santteok, Goritteok made from glutinous rice, pine endodermis and mugwort, and Ssuktteok made from glutinous rice and mugwort leaves are eaten this day. === Nori (Folk games) === Pulssaum (풀싸움) Pulgaksi noleum (풀각시놀음) Fortunetelling Hwajeon nori (화전놀이, 花煎--) – It literally means flower pancake play. Dragon Boat Festival Mid-autumn Festival Lantern Festival Qingming Festival Chuseok Dano === Citations === === Bibliography ===

Dragon Boat Festival

China

The Dragon Boat Festival (traditional Chinese: 端午節; simplified Chinese: 端午节; pinyin: Duānwǔ jié) is a traditional Chinese holiday that occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, which corresponds to late May or early June in the Gregorian calendar. The holiday commemorates Qu Yuan who was the beloved prime minister of the southern Chinese state of Chu during the Warring States period, about 600 B.C. to 200 B.C., and is celebrated by holding dragon boat races and eating sticky rice dumplings called zongzi, which were southern Chinese traditions. Dragon Boat Festival integrates praying for good luck and taking respite from the summer heat. In September 2009, UNESCO officially approved the holiday's inclusion in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, becoming the first Chinese holiday to be selected. == Names == The English language name for the holiday is Dragon Boat Festival, used as the official English translation of the holiday by the People's Republic of China. It is also referred to in some English sources as Double Fifth Festival which alludes to the day of the festival according to the Chinese calendar. The Chinese name of the festival is pronounced differently in different Chinese languages. Duanwu (端午) literally means 'starting five'—i.e., the first fifth day of the month according to the Chinese zodiac. However, despite the literal meaning referring to the Earthly Branches, this character has also become associated with wǔ (五; wu3; 'five'), due to the characters often having the same pronunciation. Hence Duanwu, the festival on the fifth day of the fifth month. In Cantonese, it is romanized as Tuen1 Ng5 Jit3 in Hong Kong and Tung1 Ng5 Jit3 in Macau, hence the name Tuen Ng Festival used in Hong Kong, and Tun Ng (Festividade do Barco-Dragão in Portuguese) in Macau. == History == === Origin === The fifth lunar month is considered an unlucky and poisonous month, and the fifth day of the fifth month especially so. To get rid of the misfortune, people would put calamus, Artemisia, and garlic above the doors on the fifth day of the fifth month. These were believed to help ward off evil by their strong smell and their shape (for instance, calamus leaves are shaped like swords).Venomous animals were said to appear starting from the fifth day of the fifth month, such as snakes, centipedes, and scorpions; people also supposedly get sick easily after this day. Therefore, during the Dragon Boat Festival, people try to avoid this bad luck. For example, people may put pictures of the five venomous creatures (snake, centipede, scorpion, lizard, toad, and sometimes spider) on the wall and stick needles in them. People may also make paper cutouts of the five creatures and wrap them around the wrists of their children. Big ceremonies and performances developed from these practices in many areas, making the Dragon Boat Festival a day for getting rid of disease and bad luck. === Qu Yuan ===The story best known in modern China holds that the festival commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC) of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period of the Zhou dynasty. A cadet member of the Chu royal house, Qu served in high offices. However, when the king decided to ally with the increasingly powerful state of Qin, Qu was banished for opposing the alliance and even accused of treason. During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry. Eventually, Qin captured Ying, the Chu capital. In despair, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River. It is said that the local people, who admired him, raced out in their boats to save him, or at least retrieve his body. This is said to have been the origin of dragon boat races. When his body could not be found, they dropped balls of sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat them instead of Qu Yuan's body. This is said to be the origin of zongzi. During the twentieth century, Qu Yuan became considered a patriotic poet and a symbol of the people. He was promoted as a folk hero and a symbol of Chinese nationalism in the People's Republic of China after the 1949 Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War. The historian and writer Guo Moruo was influential in shaping this view of Qu. === Wu Zixu ===Another origin story says that the festival commemorates Wu Zixu (died 484 BC), a statesman of the Kingdom of Wu. King Goujian of the state of Yue sends Xi Shi, a beautiful woman, to the state of Wu to distract its King Fuchai from state affairs. Wu Zixu sees through the plot and warned Fuchai, who became angry and forced the latter Wu Zixu to commit suicide. His body was thrown into the river on the fifth day of the fifth month. After his death, in places such as Suzhou, Wu Zixu is remembered during the Dragon Boat Festival. === Cao E ===Although Wu Zixu is commemorated in southeast Jiangsu and Qu Yuan elsewhere in China, much of Northeastern Zhejiang, including the cities of Shaoxing, Ningbo and Zhoushan, celebrates the memory of the young girl Cao E (130–144 AD) instead. Cao E's father Cao Xu (曹盱) was a shaman who presided over local ceremonies at Shangyu. In 143, while presiding over a ceremony commemorating Wu Zixu during the Dragon Boat Festival, Cao Xu accidentally fell into the Shun River. Cao E, in an act of filial piety, searched the river for 3 days trying to find him. After five days, she and her father were both found dead in the river from drowning. Eight years later, in 151, a temple was built in Shangyu dedicated to the memory of Cao E and her sacrifice. The Shun River was renamed Cao'e River in her honor. Cao E is depicted in the Wu Shuang Pu (Table of Peerless Heroes) by Jin Guliang. === Pre-existing holiday === Some modern research suggests that the stories of Qu Yuan or Wu Zixu were superimposed onto a pre-existing holiday tradition. The promotion of these stories might have been encouraged by Confucian scholars, seeking to legitimize and strengthen their influence in China. The relationship between zongzi, Qu Yuan and the festival first appeared during the early Han dynasty. The stories of both Qu Yuan and Wu Zixu were recorded in Sima Qian's Shiji, completed 187 and 393 years after the respective events, because historians wanted to praise both characters. According to historians, the holiday originated as a celebration of agriculture, fertility, and rice growing in southern China. As recently as 1952 the American sociologist Wolfram Eberhard wrote that it was more widely celebrated in southern China than in the north. Another theory is that the Dragon Boat Festival originated from dragon worship. This theory was advanced by Wen Yiduo. Support is drawn from two key traditions of the festival: the tradition of dragon boat racing and zongzi. The food may have originally represented an offering to the dragon king, while dragon boat racing naturally reflects a reverence for the dragon and the active yang energy associated with it. This was merged with the tradition of visiting friends and family on boats. Another suggestion is that the festival celebrates a widespread feature of east Asian agrarian societies: the harvest of winter wheat. Offerings were regularly made to deities and spirits at such times: in the ancient Yue, dragon kings; in the ancient Chu, Qu Yuan; in the ancient Wu, Wu Zixu (as a river god); in ancient Korea, mountain gods (see Dano). As interactions between different regions increased, these similar festivals eventually merged into one holiday. === Early 20th century === In the early 20th century the Dragon Boat Festival was observed from the first to the fifth days of the fifth month, and was also known as the Festival of Five Poisonous/Venomous Insects (traditional Chinese: 毒蟲節; simplified Chinese: 毒虫节; pinyin: Dúchóng jié; Wade–Giles: Tu2-chʻung2-chieh2). Yu Der Ling writes in chapter 11 of her 1911 memoir Two Years in the Forbidden City:The first day of the fifth moon was a busy day for us all, as from the first to the fifth of the fifth moon was the festival of five poisonous insects, which I will explain later—also called the Dragon Boat Festival. ... Now about this Feast. It is also called the Dragon Boat Feast. The fifth of the fifth moon at noon was the most poisonous hour for the poisonous insects, and reptiles such as frogs, lizards, snakes, hide in the mud, for that hour they are paralyzed. Some medical men search for them at that hour and place them in jars, and when they are dried, sometimes use them as medicine. Her Majesty told me this, so that day I went all over everywhere and dug into the ground, but found nothing. === 21st century === In 2008 the Dragon Boat Festival was made a national public holiday in China. == Public holiday ==The festival was long marked as a cultural festival in China and is a public holiday in China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The People's Republic of China's government established in 1949 did not initially recognize the Dragon Boat Festival as a public holiday but reintroduced it in 2008 alongside two other festivals in a bid to boost traditional culture. The Dragon Boat Festival is unofficially observed by the Chinese communities of Southeast Asia, including Singapore and Malaysia. Equivalent and related official festivals include the Korean Dano, Japanese Tango no sekku, and Vietnamese Tết Đoan Ngọ. == Practices and activities ==Three of the most widespread activities conducted during the Dragon Boat Festival are eating (and preparing) zongzi, drinking realgar wine, and racing dragon boats. === Dragon boat racing ===Dragon boat racing has a rich history of ancient ceremonial and ritualistic traditions, which originated in southern central China more than 2500 years ago. The legend starts with the story of Qu Yuan, who was a minister in one of the Warring State governments, Chu. He was slandered by jealous government officials and banished by the king. Out of disappointment in the Chu monarch, he drowned himself in the Miluo River. The common people rushed to the water and tried to recover his body, but they failed. In commemoration of Qu Yuan, people hold dragon boat races yearly on the day of his death according to the legend. They also scattered rice into the water to feed the fish, to prevent them from eating Qu Yuan's body, which is one of the origins of zongzi. === Zongzi (traditional Chinese rice dumplings) ===A notable part of celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival is making and eating zongzi, also known as sticky rice dumplings, with family members and friends. People traditionally make zongzi by wrapping glutinous rice and fillings in leaves of reed or bamboo, forming a pyramid shape. The leaves also give a special aroma and flavor to the sticky rice and fillings. Choices of fillings vary depending on regions. Northern regions in China prefer sweet or dessert-styled zongzi, with bean paste, jujube, and nuts as fillings. Southern regions in China prefer savory zongzi, with a variety of fillings including eggs and meat. Zongzi appeared before the Spring and Autumn period and were originally used to worship ancestors and gods. In the Jin dynasty, zongzi dumplings were officially designated as the Dragon Boat Festival food. At this time, in addition to glutinous rice, the Chinese medicine yizhiren (Alpinia oxyphylla) was added to the ingredients for making zongzi. This cooked zongzi is called yizhi zong. === Food related to 5 === 'Wu' (午) in the name 'Duanwu' has a pronunciation similar to that of the number 5 in multiple Chinese dialects, and thus many regions have traditions of eating food that is related to the number 5. For example, the Guangdong and Hong Kong regions have the tradition of having congee made from 5 different beans. === Realgar wine === Realgar wine or Xionghuang wine is a Chinese alcoholic drink that is made from Chinese liquor dosed with powdered realgar, a yellow-orange arsenic sulfide mineral. It was traditionally used as a pesticide, and as a common antidote against disease and venom. On the Dragon Boat Festival, people may put realgar wine on parts of children's faces to repel the five poisonous creatures. === 5-colored silk-threaded braid === In some regions of China, people, especially children, wear silk ribbons or threads of 5 colors (blue, red, yellow, white, and black, representing the five elements) on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival. People believe that this will help keep evil away. Other common activities include hanging up icons of Zhong Kui (a mythic guardian figure), hanging mugwort and calamus, taking long walks, and wearing perfumed medicine bags. Other traditional activities include a game of making an egg stand at noon (this game implies that if someone succeeds in making the egg stand at exactly 12:00 noon, that person will receive luck for the next year), and writing spells. All of these activities, together with the drinking of realgar wine or water, were regarded by the ancients (and some today) as effective in preventing disease or evil while promoting health and well-being. In the early years of the Republic of China, Duanwu was celebrated as the Poets' Day due to Qu Yuan's status as China's first known poet. In Taiwanese tradition, balancing an egg on Duanwu is said to bring good fortune for the rest of the year. The sun is considered to be at its strongest around the time of the summer solstice, as the daylight in the northern hemisphere is the longest. The sun, like the Chinese dragon, traditionally represents masculine energy, whereas the moon, like the phoenix, traditionally represents feminine energy. The summer solstice is considered the annual peak of male energy while the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, represents the annual peak of feminine energy. The masculine image of the dragon has thus become associated with the Dragon Boat Festival. == Gallery == Bon Om Touk Traditional Chinese holidays == Explanatory notes == === Citations === === Bibliography === == External links == Media related to Duanwu Festival at Wikimedia Commons

Fu Yang Festival

China

The Fu Yang Festival (Chinese: 伏羊节) is a traditional festival celebrated by local residents in Xuzhou, an ancient city located in the northwest of Jiangsu province. The festival starts on the day of Chufu (Chinese: 初伏) which is around mid-July according to the lunar calendar (about 27 days after the summer solstice) and lasts for nearly one month. In China, “Fu” (Chinese: 伏) refers to the hottest days in summer. As is known to us all, mutton (including goat, sheep, lamb) is a kind of hot food which may make people sweat when they are eating——that's why in most parts of China people choose to eat mutton in cold winter day rather than in summer. However, in Xuzhou, people act in a diametrically opposite way, they enjoy being bathed in sweat as well as tasting the delicious dishes made from mutton under the burning hot sun. During Peng Zu's time, there was a common custom of eating sheep in Xuzhou. The Yang Fang Hidden in the Fish (Chinese: 羊方藏鱼) created by Peng Zu was the sublimation of the sheep cooking skills of that era. According to the Book of Han records, the emperor gave meat to his subordinates in the late morning. The official meat at that time was mutton, the first of the three animals, and there was no doubt that Emperor Futian shared mutton with his ministers. Not only were sheep eaten in the palace, there was also a record in the Book of Han Dynasty that the Tian family worked hard, and when they were old, they cooked sheep, canned lambs, and fought with wine to work themselves out.(田家作苦，岁时伏腊，烹羊炮羔，斗酒自劳) However, little is known that eating mutton cooked with pepper, chili, cumin or other hot condiments during summer days is of great benefit to people's health according to Chinese traditional medicine in that it can save your body from the cold and prepare you well for the northern chilly weather when autumn and winter come along. This folk custom has been in existence for thousands of years and has significantly contributed to the local culture, making it more abundant, colorful and meaningful. During the one-month festival, all restaurants in Xuzhou recommend their best dishes to the diners, hoping to satisfy them and do good business. Other restaurants in the surrounding areas who own flavor characteristics are warmly welcomed to come to the city center and demonstrate their regional food. During that period of time, people in Xuzhou are also able to enjoy various kinds of displays which show the long history of their home city. For example, there are traditional opera, martial arts, the Chinese Kung fu, goat-fight, paper-cut, Shadow Play Puppet, and numbers of flower or stone or bird shows. In Fu Yang Festival, people gather for celebration. They eat mutton and drink mutton soup. This festival is very popular among all the citizens and has greatly enhanced the attractive power of Xuzhou. == External sources == 徐州伏羊节商标注册之争 Xuzhou Fu Yang Festival trademark dispute - Internet Archive copy. 22 July 2011. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

Guangzhou International Light Festival

China

Guangzhou International Light Festival (or GZ Light) (Chinese: 廣州國際燈光節) is a light exhibiting festival held annually along the Pearl River in the city of Guangzhou, China. The festival occurs every November since 2010, when the 16th Asian Games left many lighting facilities on the ground of the event. == External links == Official website

Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival

China

The Harbin International Ice and Snow festival (Chinese: 哈尔滨国际冰雪节; pinyin: Hā'ěrbīn Guójì Bīngxuě Jié) is an annual winter festival that takes place with a theme in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China, and now is the largest ice and snow festival in the world. The festival includes the popular attraction Ice and Snow World (冰雪大世界). At first participants in the festival were mainly Chinese, however it has since become an international festival and competition, with the festival attracting 18 million visitors and generating 28.7 billion yuan ($4.4 billion) of revenue. The festival includes the world's biggest ice sculptures. The festival exhibits open from late December to late February. While ice sculptures are erected throughout the city, there are two main exhibition areas: Sun Island is a recreational area on the opposite side of the Songhua River from the city, which features an expo of enormous snow sculptures. Ice and Snow World (冰雪大世界) is an area open in the afternoon and at night which features illuminated full size buildings made from blocks of 2–3' thick ice taken directly from the Songhua River. The park usually opens from late December to late February. In 1999, the first Ice and Snow World opened to public to celebrate the millennium. Each year the park has to be rebuilt with newly designed ice buildings and snow and ice sculptures. In recent years, the park has been as large as 800 000 squaremeters (80 hectares). During the festival, there are ice lantern park touring activities held in many parks in the city. Winter activities during the festival include Yabuli alpine skiing, winter-swimming in the Songhua River, and the ice-lantern exhibition in Zhaolin Garden. Harbin is located in Northeast China and receives cold winter wind from Siberia. The average temperature in summer is 21.2 °C (70.2 °F), and –16.8 °C (1.8 °F) in winter. Annual lows of -25 °C (–13 °F) are not uncommon. == History ==The festival originated in Harbin's traditional ice lantern show and garden party that takes place in winter, which began in 1963. It was interrupted for a number of years during the Cultural Revolution, but has since been resumed when an annual event at Zhaolin Park was announced on January 5, 1985. In 2001 the Harbin Ice Festival was merged with Heilongjiang's International Ski Festival and got its new formal name, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival. In 2007, the festival featured a Canadian themed sculpture, in memory of Canadian doctor Norman Bethune. It was awarded a Guinness World Record for the world's largest snow sculpture: 250 metres long, 28 feet (8.5 m) high, using over 13,000 cubic metres of snow. The composition consisted of two parts: the Niagara Falls and the crossing the Bering Strait (the latter depicting the migration of the First Nations). In 2014, the festival celebrated its 30th anniversary with the theme 50-Year Ice Snow, Charming Harbin. Various fairs, competitions and expos were held from December 20, 2013 to February 28, 2014. In 2015, the 31st Harbin Ice Snow Festival opened on January 5 and was themed Ice Snow Harbin, Charming China Dreams around the world with opening ceremony, firework show, ice lanterns, birthday parties, snow sculpture competitions and expos, as well as winter swimming, winter fishing, group wedding ceremony, fashion shows, concerts, ice sport games lasting from December 22, 2014 to early March 2015.At the 35th annual festival held in 2019, the festival's most popular attraction, the Harbin Ice and Snow World, took up over 600,000 square meters and included more than 100 landmarks. It was made from 110,000 cubic meters of ice and 120,000 cubic meters of snow. The festival also included ice sculptures by artists from 12 different countries competing in the annual competition. Celebrating its 36th year in 2020, this festival is presently viewed as one of the world's top winter celebrations, joining the ranks of the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, Canada's Quebec Winter Carnival and Norway's Holmenkollen Ski Festival. In 2020, the sculptures were produced using roughly 220,000 cubic meters of ice blocks, all pulled from the nearby Songhua River. In 2021, the festival did not take place in full capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. == Construction == Swing saws are used to carve ice into blocks, taken from the frozen surface of the Songhua River. Chisels, ice picks and various types of saws are then used by ice sculptors to carve out large scaled ice sculptures, many of them intricately designed and worked on all day and night prior to the commencement of the festival. Deionised water can also be used, producing ice blocks as transparent as glass to make clear sculptures rather than translucent ones. Multicoloured lights are also used to give colour to ice, creating variations on sculptured spectacles when lit up especially at night. Some ice sculptures made in previous years include: buildings and monuments of different architectural types and styles, figures including animals people and mythical creatures, slippery dips or ice slides and lanterns. Apart from winter recreational activities available in Harbin, these exquisitely detailed, mass-produced ice sculptures are the main draw card in attracting tourists around the world to the festival. == Gallery == Other large ice and snow festivals include Japan's Sapporo Snow Festival, Canada's Quebec City Winter Carnival, and Norway's Holmenkollen Ski Festival.Ice palace Snow sculpture Sand sculpture Winter carnival == External links == Feature on the Boston Globe Big Picture

Lantern Festival

China

The Lantern Festival (traditional Chinese: 元宵節; simplified Chinese: 元宵节; pinyin: Yuánxiāo jié), also called Shangyuan Festival (traditional Chinese: 上元節; simplified Chinese: 上元节; pinyin: Shàngyuán jié) and Cap Go Meh (Chinese: 十五暝; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Cha̍p-gō͘-mê), is a Chinese traditional festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar Chinese calendar, during the full moon. Usually falling in February or early March on the Gregorian calendar, it marks the final day of the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. As early as the Western Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 25), it had become a festival with great significance. During the Lantern Festival, children go out at night carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the lanterns (traditional Chinese: 猜燈謎; simplified Chinese: 猜灯谜; pinyin: cāidēngmí). In ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple, and only the emperor and noblemen had large ornate lanterns. In modern times, lanterns have been embellished with many complex designs. For example, lanterns are now often made in the shape of animals. The lanterns can symbolize the people letting go of their past selves and getting new ones, which they will let go of the next year. The lanterns are almost always red to symbolize good fortune. The festival acts as an Uposatha day on the Chinese calendar. It should not be confused with the Mid-Autumn Festival; which is sometimes also known as the Lantern Festival in locations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Lantern Festivals have also become popular in Western countries, such as the Water Lantern Festival held in multiple locations in the United States. == Origin == There are several beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival. However, its roots trace back more than 2,000 years and is popularly linked to the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han dynasty. Emperor Ming, an advocate of Buddhism, noticed Buddhist monks would light lanterns in temples on the fifteenth day of the first lunisolar month. As a result, he ordered all households, temples and the imperial palace to light lanterns on that evening. From there it developed into a folk custom. Another likely origin is the celebration of the declining darkness of winter and community's ability to move about at night with human-made light, namely, lanterns. During the Han dynasty, the festival was connected to Ti Yin, the deity of the North Star.There is one legend that states that it was a time to worship Taiyi, the God of Heaven in ancient times. The belief was that Taiyi controlled the destiny of the human world. He had sixteen dragons at his beck and call and he decided when to inflict drought, storms, famine or pestilence upon human beings. Beginning with Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, all the emperors ordered splendid ceremonies each year. The emperor would ask Taiyi to bring favorable weather and good health to him and his people. Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty directed special attention to this event. In 104 BC, he proclaimed it to be one of the most important celebrations and the ceremony would last throughout the night. Another legend associates the Lantern Festival with Taoism. Tianguan is the Taoist deity responsible for good fortune. His birthday falls on the fifteenth day of the first lunisolar month. It is said that Tianguan likes all types of entertainment, so followers prepare various kinds of activities during which they pray for good fortune. Another legend associates with the Lantern Festival with an ancient warrior named Lan Moon, who led a rebellion against the tyrannical king in ancient China. He was killed in the storming of the city and the successful rebels commemorated the festival in his name. Yet another common legend dealing with the origins of the Lantern Festival speaks of a beautiful crane that flew down to earth from heaven. After it landed on earth it was hunted and killed by some villagers. This angered the Jade Emperor in heaven because the crane was his favorite. So, he planned a storm of fire to destroy the village on the fifteenth lunisolar day. The Jade Emperor's daughter warned the inhabitants of her father's plan to destroy their village. The village was in turmoil because nobody knew how they could escape their imminent destruction. However, a wise man from another village suggested that every family should hang red lanterns around their houses, set up bonfires on the streets, and explode firecrackers on the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth lunisolar days. This would give the village the appearance of being on fire to the Jade Emperor. On the fifteenth lunisolar day, troops sent down from heaven whose mission was to destroy the village saw that the village was already ablaze, and returned to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor. Satisfied, the Jade Emperor decided not to burn down the village. From that day on, people celebrate the anniversary on the fifteenth lunisolar day every year by carrying lanterns on the streets and exploding firecrackers and fireworks. Another legend about the origins of Lantern Festival involves a maid named Yuan-Xiao. In the Han dynasty, Dongfang Shuo was a favorite adviser of the emperor. One winter day, he went to the garden and heard a little girl crying and getting ready to jump into a well to commit suicide. Shuo stopped her and asked why. She said she was Yuan-Xiao, a maid in the emperor's palace and that she never had a chance to see her family since she started working there. If she could not have the chance to show her filial piety in this life, she would rather die. Shuo promised to find a way to reunite her with her family. Shuo left the palace and set up a fortune-telling stall on the street. Due to his reputation, many people asked for their fortunes to be told but everyone got the same prediction – a calamitous fire on the fifteenth lunisolar day. The rumor spread quickly. Everyone was worried about the future so they asked Dongfang Shuo for help. Dongfang Shuo said that on the thirteenth lunisolar day, the God of Fire would send a fairy in red riding a black horse to burn down the city. When people saw the fairy they should ask for her mercy. On that day, Yuan-Xiao pretended to be the red fairy. When people asked for her help, she said that she had a copy of a decree from the God of Fire that should be taken to the emperor. After she left, people went to the palace to show the emperor the decree which stated that the capital city would burn down on the fifteenth. When the emperor asked Dongfang Shuo for advice, the latter said that the God of Fire liked to eat tangyuan (sweet dumplings). Yuan-Xiao should cook tangyuan on the fifteenth lunisolar day and the emperor should order every house to prepare tangyuan to worship the God of Fire at the same time. Also, every house in the city should hang red lantern and explode fire crackers. Lastly, everyone in the palace and people outside the city should carry their lanterns on the street to watch the lantern decorations and fireworks. The Jade Emperor would be deceived and everyone would avoid the disastrous fire. The emperor happily followed the plan. Lanterns were everywhere in the capital city on the night of the fifteenth lunisolar day and people were walking on the street and there were noisy firecrackers. It looked as if the entire city was on fire. Yuan-Xiao's parents went into the palace to watch the lantern decorations and were reunited with their daughter. The emperor decreed that people should do the same thing every year. Since Yuan-Xiao cooked the best tangyuan, people called the day Yuan-Xiao Festival. For each Festival celebrated, a switch in the Chinese Zodiac takes place. For example, 2022—the year of the tiger; 2023—the year of the rabbit (water rabbit); and so on. == Tradition == === Finding love === In the early days, young people were chaperoned in the streets in hopes of finding love. Matchmakers acted busily in hopes of pairing couples. The brightest lanterns were symbolic of good luck and hope. As time has passed, the festival no longer has such implications in most of Mainland China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong. === Tangyuan or Yuanxiao ===Eaten during the Lantern Festival, tangyuan '湯圓' (Southern China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia) or yuanxiao '元宵' (Northern China) is a glutinous rice ball typically filled with sweet red bean paste, sesame paste, or peanut butter. Tangyuan is different from yuanxiao due to different manual making and filling processes. It can be boiled, fried or steamed, each has independent taste. However, they are very similar in shape and taste, so most people do not distinguish them for convenience and consider them as the same thing. Chinese people believe that the round shape of the balls and the bowls in which they are served symbolize family togetherness, and that eating tangyuan or yuanxiao may bring the family harmony, happiness and luck in the new year. === 6th century and afterwards ===During the Sui dynasty in the sixth century, Emperor Yang invited envoys from other countries to China to see the colourful lighted lanterns and enjoy the gala performances. By the beginning of the Tang dynasty in the seventh century, the lantern displays would last three days. The emperor also lifted the curfew, allowing the people to enjoy the festive lanterns day and night. It is not difficult to find Chinese poems which describe this happy scene. In the Song dynasty, the festival was celebrated for five days and the activities began to spread to many of the big cities in China. Today, the displaying of lanterns is still a major event on the fifteenth day of the first lunisolar month throughout China. Chengdu in southwest China's Sichuan Province, for example, holds a lantern fair each year in Culture Park. During the Lantern Festival, the park is a virtual ocean of lanterns. Many new designs attract large numbers of visitors. The most eye-catching lantern is the Dragon Pole. This is a lantern in the shape of a golden dragon, spiraling up a 38-meter-high pole, spewing fireworks from its mouth. Cities such as Hangzhou and Shanghai have adopted electric and neon lanterns, which can often be seen beside their traditional paper or wooden counterparts. Another popular activity at this festival is guessing lantern riddles, a tradition which dates back to the Song dynasty. === Festivities ===Lion dance (舞獅), walk on stilts (踩高蹺), riddle games (猜燈謎), dragon dances (耍龍燈) are very popular activities during the festival day and the days following. The lantern riddle, according to Japanese scholars, became popular as early as the Northern Song dynasty (960–1126). The lantern riddles are done by a host blocking one side of the lantern and pasting riddles on the remaining three sides of the lanterns. Participants will guess the blocked side by solving the riddles, which is called breaking/solving lantern riddles. The theme of riddles can be drawn from classics, biographies, poetry, the various philosophers' well-known stories and novels, proverbs, (the names of) all kinds of birds, animals, and insects, as well as flowers, grasses, vegetables, and herbs. Participants can tear off the riddle of the lantern and let the host verify their answers. Those who answer the correct answer can get a riddle reward, including ink, paper, writing brushes, ink slabs, fans, perfumed sachets, fruit, or eatables. Daeboreum, the Korean festival on the same day Sagichō Fire Festival, the Japanese (Shintoist) festival held in January Bon Festival, the Japanese Buddhist Festival held in August Festival of Lights (disambiguation), a list of various festivals associated with light 15th of Shevat, the New Year for Trees in Hebrew Calendar == External links ==Lantern Festival

Litang Horse Festival

China

The Litang Horse Festival is a summer horse festival held in Litang County, Sichuan province, China. Khampas from all over the Tibetan Plateau come to trade, celebrate and ride. Khampas are Tibetan nomads who are usually herders. The festival is normally held in the first week in August. During the festival, horsemanship displays and horse races are held using Tibetan Ponies. These small and fast horses are raced and shown to determine who owns the best horse. The horse festival is significant because it helps to establish a socio-economic hierarchy amongst the Khampas who participate. Much honor and prestige accrues to the Khampa who owns the best horse. A very large tourism business has been built up on adventure trips and tours provided by companies who cater to individuals who are interested in horses and horsemanship. These companies take groups of tourists throughout the different Tibetan villages hosting horse festivals. This benefits the nomads' economy as well as that of the rest of China. Downs, James. The Origin and Spread of Riding in the Near East and Central Asia. American Anthropologist. 1961. Horse Racing Fair and Archery Festival in Tibet Tours and information on races Horse tours == External links == Video of horse race Photos of horses and races

Longtaitou Festival

China

The Longtaitou Festival (traditional Chinese: 龍抬頭; simplified Chinese: 龙抬头; pinyin: Lóng Táitóu), conflated with the Zhonghe Festival beginning one day earlier (simplified Chinese: 中和节; traditional Chinese: 中和節), is a traditional Chinese festival held on the second day of the second month of the Chinese calendar. Its name means Dragon raising its head because the dragon was regarded as the deity in charge of rain, an important factor in ancient agriculture. The festival is sometimes simply called Second-month Second (二月二) for short. The festival was established in the Yuan dynasty. It is celebrated around the time of Jingzhe, one of the 24 solar terms. The name jingzhe (驚蟄) has the meaning of awakening of the hibernated (implying insects). Jing (驚) means startling, and zhe (蟄) refers to the hibernated (insects). This is the time during which the hibernating insects begin to wake up at the beginning of early spring, which is often accompanied by the arrival of the first rains, meaning the weather is getting warm. Longtaitou Festival is an important worship ritual of wishing for good harvest in the coming months. In addition to paying homage to the Dragon King, Tu Di Gong is also worshipped on Double Second, his birthday. Another ancient practice to celebrate Longtaitou Festival was to get rid of insect pests in homes by cooking foods with recognized insect repelling effects. Today, Longtaitou Festival is celebrated in various ways, most of which are still identical to those practiced in the ancient times, including eating foods named after dragons: dragon scale pancakes (龍鱗餅; a kind of spring pancake), dragon teeth (jiaozi), dragon beard noodles, and longan congee (the word longan literally means dragon eye). It is a traditional day for people to get a haircut, after month-long time without cutting hair in January for Lunar New Year. Women and children carry perfume bags filled with the powder of ground fragrant herbs for good fortune, though they are no longer used as insect repellent as in ancient times. In some places, it is also celebrated with a dragon dance. Another celebration is that Longtaitou Festival is the first day of the Taihao (太昊) temple fair that lasts until the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar. The fair is a celebration of ancestral deities Fuxi and Nüwa, and the Longtaitou Festival marks the beginning of this celebration. There were ancient traditions practiced during the festival, some of which are no longer part of the modern celebrations, including:Women should not practice sewing because needles could puncture the dragon's eyes. Plant ashes were spread outside the house, inside the house, and around the water jug, to symbolize inviting the dragon to provide enough rain for good harvests. In parts of southern China it is considered the birthday of Tudi Gong (土地公誕辰), and people used to celebrate with firecrackers. Due to worship of the dragon, some people eat food with the word dragon to bring good luck and good weather all year round. The Zhonghe Festival was an official festival and holiday in the Tang dynasty, celebrated on the day before the Longtaitou Festival: on the first day of the second month of the Chinese calendar. It continued to be observed into the Qing dynasty. The first day of the second lunar month is also considered the birthday of the Taoist Sun God. Chunshe (Spring Community Day)

Lunar New Year Fair

China

The Lunar New Year Fair (Chinese: 年宵市場), also known as the flower market (Chinese: 花市), is a type of fair held annually a few days before Lunar New Year in Chinese New Year markets in China. These fairs are primarily practiced by the Cantonese, and spread with Cantonese immigration. == History == The Lunar New Year Fair's history can be traced back to the Wanli Emperor age of the Ming Dynasty. By this time, peasants sold flowers in markets south of the Pearl River. These ancient flower markets were held every day at no fixed location. In the 1860s, the flower markets began to be held only during Lunar New Year's Eve. A particularly big fair was held in 1919. Shortly after the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, many Cantonese people immigrated to Hong Kong from Guangzhou and other Pearl River Delta areas, taking the market tradition with them. It later spread overseas. == Lunar New Year Fair in different cities == === Hong Kong === In Hong Kong, fairs are held in various locations, notably Victoria Park and Fa Hui Park. These fairs gather hundreds of stalls for various goods. Half of the area sells auspicious flowering plants like narcissus, peony, chrysanthemum, peach and fruit plants like mandarin. The other half sells dry goods for Chinese New Year. The fairs draw many visitors as part of the custom of hang nin siu (行年宵, literally: walk the year night) or hang fa shi (行花市, literally: walk the flower market). The crowd peaks at a few hours before and after midnight of New Year's Day. Stall tenders try to sell off all their stocks in these few hours before the fair closes, because surplus flowers are normally destroyed (or left to charitable organisations). In the 2000s youths from various youth organisations, secondary schools and universities increasingly began operating stalls of their own. For example, in 2007, students from various schools set up stalls to sell many special products which are related to the pig, for example Pig Tissue Holder, Fatty Pork Chop Scarf, etc. Traditionally, the Governor of Hong Kong visited the fair annually, usually in Victoria Park. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong continues this tradition. ==== Locations in 2006 ==== In 2006, fairs were held in:Victoria Park, Causeway Bay Fa Hui Park, Sham Shui Po Cheung Sha Wan Playground, Sham Shui Po Kai Tak East Playground, Wong Tai Sin Kwun Tong Recreation Ground, Kwun Tong Sha Tsui Road Playground, Tsuen Wan Kwai Chung Sports Ground, Kwai Tsing Shek Pai Tau Playground, Tuen Mun Pedestrian Mall Opposite Yuen Long Public Swimming Pool and On Hing Playground, Yuen Long Shek Wu Hui Playground, North District Tin Hau Temple Fung Shui Square, Tai Po Yuen Wo Playground, Sha Tin Man Yee Playground, Sai Kung Po Hong Park, Tseung Kwan O ==== Locations in 2007 ==== In 2007, fairs were held in:Victoria Park on Hong Kong Island Fa Hui Park, Cheung Sha Wan Playground, Morse Park and Kwun Tong Recreation Ground in Kowloon Sha Tsui Road Playground in Tsuen Wan Kwai Chung Sports Ground the open space at the Tin Hau Temple in Tuen Mun Tung Tau Industrial Area Playground in Yuen Long Shek Wu Hui Playground in North District Tin Hau Temple Fung Shui Square in Tai Po Yuen Wo Playground in Sha Tin Man Yee Playground in Sai Kung Po Hong Park in Tseung Kwan O === Guangzhou ===Guangzhou is said to be the source of the Lunar New Year Fair. During the rule of the PRC, the Lunar New Year Fair was interrupted only once, for a few years during the Cultural Revolution. Guangzhou's fair is held 3 days before Lunar New Year's Eve. It sells New Year Trees and other goods. In Guangzhou, there is at least one fair in each district, which became a custom since the 1960s. The origin of such fairs can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty, although official records of the Lunar New Year Fairs in Canton are found first in the 1920s, when the city was under the rule of the Republic of China. The official name for the fair in Guangzhou is flower market (花市); however, the locals tend to use the term flower street (花街), referring to the fact that the fairs in Guangzhou are held on streets that are available for vehicles on normal days but turned into pedestrian zones during the days of the fair. == External links ==Auction of stalls by HK government

Mayfung

China

Mayfung (or May Fung and May Fang) is a New Year festival celebrated on the 21 December by the Balti people in the Baltistan region of Pakistan. It is held to commemorate the end of the longest night of the year and the start of the Balti New Year (also called Losar; lit. 'New Year' in Balti). Mayfung is traditionally celebrated in Baltistan but also in some parts of Gilgit, Chitral and Tibet in China. According to the people the celebration of this festival spares them from misfortunes. They believe that fire defends them against misfortunes and protects them from natural disasters. Its origins can be traced back to the Bön religion, which was the dominant religion in the region prior to Buddhism and Islam. The festival is also believed to be related to Losar, the Tibetan New Year. == Etymology == The word Mayfung is derived from two words in Balti language, may means fire and fang or phang means to throw or to play. So Mayfung literally translates to, to play with fire or to throw fireballs in the sky. == Origin == According to legends, individuals can set evils on fire by igniting or creating a large fire. Some people think that the festival was first celebrated during the Maqpon dynasty, who came to power in the area in the 12th century and ruled for almost 700 years. Some individuals link the festival to Raja Abdal Khan, a brutal, man-eating Maqpon monarch of the 17th century. == Practice == During this event, people set bonfire on mountains, plains, and house rooftops, especially young children and teenagers. Children frolic and dance while waving a bundle of flaming logs and singing traditional songs about the celebration. They scatter the residual fire in mountain slopes and ditches after lighting or Mayfung. Women make special delicacies. Fireworks, music, dancing, flying lanterns, and festival foods are all part of the celebration. Folk dances like the sword dance and fire dance are performed as the celebration comes to a close with a traditional musical performance. In an open ground or field where the fire is lighted, people dance and fly lanterns into the sky. The May Fung, according to popular belief, is required to keep the spirits and jinns away from people. === Kopolo === Kopolo is one of the oldest games in this region and is played during various events including Mayfung. The word Kopolo is derived from koa, meaning leather and polo meaning ball in the Balti language, so Kopolo literally translates to game of leather ball. During the Mayfung festival Kopolo game is organised at a regional level. Festivals in Pakistan Festivals in China

Monkey King Festival

China

The Monkey King Festival (Chinese: 齊天大聖千秋) is celebrated in Hong Kong on the 16th day of the eighth Lunar month of the Chinese calendar, corresponding to September according to the Common era calendar, a day after the Mid Autumn Festival. The origin of the festival is traced to the epic 16th century novel Journey to the West (Xiyou Ji, 西遊記) written by the Chinese novelist Wu Cheng'en (1500–1582) during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). The novel brings out the concept of immortality from Taoism and rebirth from Buddhism. The monkey Sun Wukong, a character in the novel, is the featured figure of the festival. == Story == The story has entered into annals of folklore in China. It revolves around Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk during the Tang dynasty (618–907). Harassed by demons and bandits, he visits ancient India, accompanied by his disciples, and protectors, Sun Wukong the Monkey King, Pigsy (猪八戒) and Sandy (沙悟浄). They return to China with Buddhist scriptures. The novel's story became subsumed into the popular culture of China. When the Monkey King appeared in a Buddhist novel, he attained a higher recognition in the cultural ethos of ancient China; temples were built in his honor and his biography was established. The birthday of the Monkey King is observed as the New Year Day, and also as trickster day as he had immeasurable talent and cunning wit. == Celebration == The festival celebration for the Monkey King typically involves burning incense and paper offerings. Taoists celebrate the Monkey King Festival by performing acrobatic moves such as the hurricane-whirl kick. At the Monkey King Temple in Sau Mau Ping, Kowloon, a medium recreates the Monkey King's battle with the other gods in heaven from the novel Journey to the West. The medium is possessed by the spirit of the Monkey King and then runs barefoot across a bed of hot coals before climbing a ladder made of knives. The Monkey King is said to have a bronze head and iron shoulders and is thus unharmed after performing these feats. == Related customs == A different custom, reported by a German missionary from southwest Shandong, relates to the fusion of heterodox activities with popular culture. It includes calling the spirit of Sun Wukong the Monkey King, at a place which holds rituals. In this festival, four young men are selected for the purpose of inviting Sun Wukong to demonstrate his martial prowess. They fall on their faces at the selected sacred ground and one of them is eventually possessed by the spirit of the Monkey God. The possessed is called ma-pi meaning horse, a term used to define people possessed by spirits. The possessed person is then awakened and given a sword, which he swings around wildly, jumping over tables and benches, displaying a kind of martial art. When the incense kept burning at the venue is extinguished, the young man falls to the ground exhausted. There is also the celebration of his birthday in Singapore. == Bibliography == Avant, Gerald Rodney (2005). The Magic Lotus Lantern And Other Tales from the Han Chinese. AuthorHouse. p. 129. ISBN 9781418492786. Esherick, Joseph W. (1987). The Origins of the Boxer Uprising. University of California Press. pp. 62–63. ISBN 9780520064591. Stepanchuk, Carol; Wong, Charles Choy (1991). Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts: Festivals of China. China Books. p. 127. ISBN 9780835124812. Melton, J. Gordon (2011). Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. ABC-CLIO. p. 586. ISBN 9781598842050. Yuan, Haiwang (2006). The Magic Lotus Lantern And Other Tales from the Han Chinese. Libraries Unlimited. pp. 15, 209. ISBN 9781591582946.

Nadun

China

Nadun is a traditional festival held by the Monguor people (known as the Tu Zu in Chinese). The festival's name resembles the Nadam festival of the Mongols, but different in format and content. == Origins == The Monguor “Nadun” and the Mongolian “Nadam” are special nouns designated to an annual festival and reflect their shared origins from the northern nomadic people, such as the Xianbei, who were recorded to have “one major gathering every spring for leisure and fun”. Whereas the Mongolian Nadam preserved the nomadic features of horse race, wrestling, and archery, the Monguor Nadun has encoded their history through masked dance performances and presents as an annual military drill combined with joyful celebrations of harvest. It is specifically held in the Sanchuan/Guanting area in Minhe County, located on the north bank of the Yellow River, at the easternmost point of Qinghai, as the River flows eastward into Gansu, which holds the most densely populated Monguor settlement today. == Format == Held by villages in turn along the Yellow River, the Nadun celebration circles through the entire Sanchuan/Guanting region in Minhe, the Nadun festival is inherently tied to agricultural work. It functions as the Monguor form of “Thanksgiving” in the Western culture and expresses gratitude for an abundance of harvest blessed by Heaven referred to as “Tiangere.” The event lasts over two months, starting from the twelfth of the seventh month to the fifteenth of the ninth month by the Chinese lunar calendar, and spans for a total of 63 days, giving rise to its eponym as the world’s longest festival.

Nian Li

China

Nian Li (in mandarin, “Nin Lai in Cantonese, Chinese: 年例; pinyin: nián lì; Jyutping: nin4 lai6) is a unique traditional festival in the west of Guangdong Province, China. Nian means a year in Mandarin Chinese, while “Li” means a routine. The combination of these two words means a routine of a year. Thus, people celebrate Nian Li once a year. Among various traditional festivals in China, Lunar New Year must be the most bustling one. However, in areas of the west of Guangdong province and the south of the Five Ridges, Nian Li seems more important to local people. It is a festival full of folk cultural custom and local color. It is so busy that the road is virtually paralyzed by traffic at about 5 or 6 o’clock, the peak time---even traffic police must show up to conduct the traffic. Nian Li promote the economic development of the west of Guangdong Province. During Nian Li period, one of the traditional activities, a grand banquet, rises the price of meat, vegetable and fruit apparently. Moreover, for better welcoming Nian Li, villagers also construct the infrastructures, like repairing roads and building bridges; they buy kinds of furniture and electrical appliancesand decorate their houses; troupes perform for the ceremonies of Nian Li; peddlers set temporary stalls in villages. All these well promote the local economy.

Qingdao International Beer Festival

China

The Qingdao International Beer Festival (simplified Chinese: 青岛国际啤酒节; traditional Chinese: 青島國際啤酒節; pinyin: qīngdǎo guójì píjiǔjié) is a yearly festival held in Qingdao in Shandong province, China. The event is jointly sponsored by national state ministries and the Qingdao Municipal Government. == History == The first Qingdao International Beer Festival was held in 1991 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the town's establishment. TSINGTAO Beer took the lead in hosting the first Qingdao International Beer Festival, festivals feature artistic parades, Beer Carnival games, beer tasting, drinking contests, music, food, interactive performances, various brewery beer tents, trade exhibitions, gala performances, carnival amusement park games and rides, and even bikini model contests. Every year, the festival starts at the second weekend of August and lasts for 16 days. == Highlights ==The festival is held at multiple locations throughout the city. In 2015, a 66.6-hectare site was constructed containing beer tents and stalls selling sauerkraut, bratwurst and beer in plastic carrier bags (a festival tradition) as well as Bavarian band music, mass drinking competitions, Peking opera performances and karaoke. == External links == Tsingtao Beer web site for US Tsingdao Brewery main website

Qingming Festival

China

The Qingming Festival or Ching Ming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day in English (sometimes also called Chinese Memorial Day, Ancestors' Day, the Clear Brightness Festival, or the Pure Brightness Festival), is a traditional Chinese festival observed by ethnic Chinese in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. A celebration of spring, it falls on the first day of the fifth solar term (also called Qingming) of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. This makes it the 15th day after the Spring Equinox, either 4, 5 or 6 April in a given year. During Qingming, Chinese families visit the tombs of their ancestors to clean the gravesites and make ritual offerings to their ancestors. Offerings would typically include traditional food dishes and the burning of joss sticks and joss paper. The holiday recognizes the traditional reverence of one's ancestors in Chinese culture. The origins of the Qingming Festival go back more than 2500 years, although the observance has changed significantly. It became a public holiday in mainland China in 2008, where it is associated with the consumption of qingtuan, green dumplings made of glutinous rice and Chinese mugwort or barley grass. In Taiwan, the public holiday was in the past observed on 5 April to honor the death of Chiang Kai-shek on that day in 1975, but with Chiang's popularity waning, this convention is not being observed. A confection called caozaiguo or shuchuguo, made with Jersey cudweed, is consumed there. A similar holiday is observed in the Ryukyu Islands, called Shīmī in the local language. == Origin ==The festival originated from the Cold Food or Hanshi Festival which is said to commemorate Jie Zitui, a nobleman of the state of Jin (modern Shanxi) during the Spring and Autumn period. Amid the Li Ji Unrest, he followed his master Prince Chong'er in 655 BC to exile among the Di tribes and around China. Supposedly, he once even cut flesh from his thigh to provide his lord with soup. In 636 BC, Duke Mu of Qin invaded Jin and enthroned Chong'er as its duke, where he was generous in rewarding those who had helped him in his time of need. Owing either to his high-mindedness or to the duke's neglect, however, Jie was long passed over. He finally retired to the forest around Mount Mian with his elderly mother. The duke went to the forest in 636 BC but could not find them. He then ordered his men to set fire to the forest in order to force Jie out. When Jie and his mother were killed instead, the duke ordered that thenceforth no one should light a fire on the date of Jie's death. The people of Shanxi subsequently revered Jie as an immortal and avoided lighting fires for as long as a month in the depths of winter, a practice so injurious to children and the elderly that the area's rulers unsuccessfully attempted to ban it for centuries. A compromise finally developed where it was restricted to 3 days around the Qingming solar term in mid-spring. The present importance of the holiday is credited to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Wealthy citizens in China were reportedly holding too many extravagant and ostentatiously expensive ceremonies in honor of their ancestors. In AD 732, Xuanzong sought to curb this practice by declaring that such respects could be formally paid only once a year, on Qingming. == Observance ==Qingming Festival is when Chinese people traditionally visit ancestral tombs to sweep them. This tradition has been legislated by the Emperors who built majestic imperial tombstones for every dynasty. For thousands of years, the Chinese imperials, nobility, peasantry, and merchants alike have gathered together to remember the lives of the departed, to visit their tombstones to perform Confucian filial piety by tombsweeping, to visit burial grounds, graveyards or in modern urban cities, the city columbaria, to perform groundskeeping and maintenance and to commit to pray for their ancestors in the uniquely Chinese concept of the afterlife and to offer remembrances of their ancestors to living blood relatives, their kith and kin. In some places, people believe that sweeping the tomb is only allowed during this festival, as they believe the dead will get disturbed if the sweeping is done on other days. The young and old alike kneel to offer prayers before tombstones of the ancestors, offer the burning of joss in both the forms of incense sticks (joss-sticks) and silver-leafed paper (joss paper), sweep the tombs and offer food in memory of the ancestors. Depending on the religion of the observers, some pray to a higher deity to honor their ancestors, while others may pray directly to the ancestral spirits. People who live far away and can't travel to their ancestors' tombs may make a sacrifice from a distance. These rites have a long tradition in Asia, especially among the imperial who legislated these rituals into a national religion. They have been preserved especially by the peasantry and are most popular with farmers today, who believe that continued observances will ensure fruitful harvests ahead by appeasing the spirits in the other world. Religious symbols of ritual purity, such as pomegranate and willow branches, are popular at this time. Some people wear willow twigs on their heads on Qingming or stick willow branches on their homes. There are similarities to palm leaves used on Palm Sundays in Christianity; both are religious rituals. Furthermore, the belief is that the willow branches will help ward off misfortune. After gathering on Qingming to perform Confucian clan and family duties at the tombstones, graveyards, or columbaria, participants spend the rest of the day in clan or family outings, before they start the spring plowing. Historically, people would often sing and dance, and Qingming was a time when young couples traditionally started courting. Another popular thing to do is to fly kites in the shapes of animals or characters from folk tales or Chinese opera. Another common practice is to carry flowers instead of burning paper, incense, or firecrackers. Traditionally, a family will burn spirit money (joss paper) and paper replicas of material goods such as cars, homes, phones, and paper servants. This action usually happens during the Qingming festival. In Chinese culture, it is believed that people still need all of those things in the afterlife. Then family members take turns to kowtow three to nine times (depending on the family's adherence to traditional values) before the tomb of the ancestors. The Kowtowing ritual in front of the grave is performed in the order of patriarchal seniority within the family. After the ancestor worship at the grave site, the whole family or the whole clan feast on the food and drink they have brought for the worship. Another ritual related to the festival is the cockfight, as well as being available within that historic and cultural context at Kaifeng Millennium City Park (Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden). The holiday is often marked by people paying respects to those who are considered national or legendary heroes. The April Fifth Movement and the Tiananmen Incident were major events in Chinese history which occurred on Qingming. After Premier Zhou Enlai died in 1976, thousands honored him during the festival to pay their respects. In Taiwan, the Qingming Festival was not a public holiday until 1972. Three years later, upon the death of Chiang Kai-shek on 5 April 1975, the Kuomintang government declared that the anniversary of Chiang's death be observed alongside the festival. The practice was abolished in 2007. === Malaysia and Singapore ===Despite the festival having no official status, the overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asian nations, such as those in Singapore and Malaysia, take this festival seriously and observe its traditions faithfully. Some Qingming rituals and ancestral veneration decorum observed by the overseas Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore can be dated back to the Ming and Qing dynasties, as the overseas communities were not affected by the Cultural Revolution in mainland China. Qingming in Malaysia is an elaborate family function or a clan feast (usually organized by the respective clan association) to commemorate and honor recently deceased relatives at their grave sites and distant ancestors from China at home altars, clan temples, or makeshift altars in Buddhist or Taoist temples. For the overseas Chinese community, the Qingming festival is very much a solemn family event and, at the same time, a family obligation. They see this festival as a time of reflection for honoring and giving thanks to their forefathers. Overseas Chinese normally visit the graves of their recently deceased relatives on the weekend nearest to the actual date. According to the ancient custom, grave site veneration is only permissible ten days before and after the Qingming Festival. If the visit is not on the actual date, normally veneration before Qingming is encouraged. The Qingming Festival in Malaysia and Singapore normally starts early in the morning by paying respect to distant ancestors from China at home altars. This is followed by visiting the graves of close relatives in the country. Some follow the concept of filial piety to the extent of visiting the graves of their ancestors in mainland China. == Other customs == === Games === During the Tang dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang promoted large-scale tug of war games, using ropes of up to 167 metres (548 ft) with shorter ropes attached and more than 500 people on each end of the rope. Each side also had its own team of drummers to encourage the participants. In honor of these customs, families often go hiking or kiting, play Chinese soccer or tug-of-war and plant trees, including willow trees. === Buddhism === The Qingming festival is also a part of spiritual and religious practices in China, and is associated with Buddhism. For example, Buddhism teaches that those who die with guilt are unable to eat in the afterlife, except on the day of the Qingming festival. == Chinese tea culture ==The Qingming festival holiday has significance in the Chinese tea culture since this specific day divides the fresh green teas by their picking dates. Green teas made from leaves picked before this date are given the prestigious 'pre-Qingming tea' (明前茶) designation which commands a much higher price tag. These teas are prized for their aroma, taste, and tenderness. === Weather === The Qingming festival was originally considered the day with the best spring weather when many people would go out and travel. The Old Book of Tang describes this custom and mentions of it may be found in ancient poetry. == In painting ==The famous Song dynasty Qingming scroll attributed to Zhang Zeduan may portray Kaifeng city, the capital of the Song dynasty, but does not include any of the activities associated with the holiday, however, and the term Qingming may not refer to the holiday. == In literature == Qingming was frequently mentioned in Chinese literature. Among these, the most famous one is probably Du Mu's poem (simply titled Qingming):Although the Qingming Festival is not celebrated in Vietnam, the Qingming Festival is mentioned (under the name Thanh Minh) in the epic poem The Tale of Kieu (which takes place in Ming China during the reign of Jiajing), when the protagonist Thúy Kiều (翠翹) meets a ghost of a dead old lady. The description of the scenery during this festival is one of the best-known passages of Vietnamese literature:Along the River During Ching Ming Festival by Zhang Zeduan Cold Food Festival, three consecutive days starting the day before the Qingming Festival All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, two Christian observances commemorating the dead Day of the Dead, a Mexican celebration similar to the Qingming Festival Double Ninth Festival, the other or another day to visit and clean up the cemeteries for some Chinese Bon Festival, the Japanese counterpart of the Ghost Festival Hansik, a related Korean holiday on the same day Dust Clearing, a similar ritual in the Middle-East Ghost Festival and Winter Clothes Day, other Chinese holidays honoring the dead Radonitsa / Pomynky, a similar holiday of Eastern Slavs Traditional Chinese holidays Filial piety in Chinese culture The Parentalia in Roman culture == Further reading == Aijmer, Göran (1978), Ancestors in the Spring the Qingming Festival in Central China, Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 18: 59–82, JSTOR 23889632 == External links == Media related to Qingming Festival at Wikimedia Commons

Qinhuai Lantern Fair

China

The Qinhuai Lantern Fair, also known as Jinling Lantern Fair, Jinling Lantern Festival, and officially named Lantern Fair on Qinhuai River, is a popular folk custom celebration of the Lantern Festival in the Nanjing area. Modern usage refers to the large-scale fair held yearly at the Confucius Temple of Nanjing between the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival. There have been 25 fairs held up to date, and it is one of the most famous celebrations of the Lantern Festival in China. On the day of the Lantern Festival, the fair reaches its climax. An old Nanjing saying, If you don’t see the New Year lanterns at Confucius Temple, you have not celebrated the new year; if you go to Confucius Temple but don’t buy a lantern, you haven’t celebrated the new year properly, demonstrates the popularity of this fair. On June 2, 2006, the fair was named as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of China by the government of the People's Republic of China. == History == === Early fairs === The origin of the fairs can be traced back to Eastern Wu. During that time, the act of hanging lanterns was used in festivals and celebrations. When armies returned in triumph, government officials and civilians would gather to hang up lanterns around the city to welcome them home. Back then, embroidery techniques were passed into Eastern Wu from Shu Han, which stimulated the growth of the textile industry in the region and provided the basis for lantern manufacturing. Nanjing (then Jinling) was the capital during Eastern Jin and Southern dynasties. Many nobles and members of the gentry lived on the banks of the Qinhuai River. When the Lantern Festival came, these people would hang up lanterns and decorations, mimicking the Palace. During the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of Liu Song, the development of paper technologies resulted in low prices of paper, which made it a replacement for many textiles and contributed to the development of colored lanterns. From the Sui on, hanging lanterns during the Lantern Festival became a tradition. By the Tang dynasty, lantern fairs during the Lantern Festival became a regular practice. This time saw an increase in the scale of the festival as well as the number of days from one day on the Lantern Festival to three days between fourteenth and sixteenth of the first month of the lunar calendar. Curfew restrictions were relaxed on these days. The festivals were very fancy, and many professional lantern artisans set up shops on the banks of the Qinhuai River. During the Northern Song dynasty, the number of nights for hanging lanterns increased to a total of five, adding the seventeenth and eighteenth of the first month. The tradition of writing lantern riddles on lanterns was also formed. In 1243, the thirteenth of the first month was also added to the festival, which increased the duration to six nights. === Fairs in Ming, Qing, and Republic of China era === After establishing the Ming dynasty, the Hongwu Emperor made Nanjing his capital. To create an ambiance of prosperity, he actively supported the holding of the Lantern Festival. Afterward, the duration of the festival was increased to ten nights, making it the longest lantern festival in Chinese history. Every year, the Hongwu Emperor spent large amounts of money, material, and manpower in order to produce a substantial number of lanterns to draw people to the lantern fair. After the Manchu people entered into China proper and established the Qing dynasty, they continued and developed the local tradition. The classic Dream of the Red Chamber describes the bustling view of lanterns. Every year during the Lantern Festival, hordes of people gathered in the vicinity of the Confucius Temple with gongs and drums making ear-piercing noises; the liveliness surpassed even the celebrations in the Ming dynasty. In 1864, the Xiang Army sieged and took Nanking, destroying much of the infrastructure in the process. This greatly hampered the traditions of the Lantern Festival in Nanking. Tseng Kuo-fan attempted to have celebrations reach their former glory by dredging the Qinhuai River and rebuilding the Confucius Temple in 1865. His efforts brought in a recovery of the tradition. At that time, businessmen from Huizhou enjoyed their fame in lantern making. Soldiers of the Xiang Army encamped in Nanking at that time also were adapt at making lanterns, which also contributed to the wide variety of lanterns. During the Republic of China era, the area around the Confucius Temple was known for its lantern markets. However, owing to perennial civil warfare, lantern fairs frequently suffered. In 1937, the invading Imperial Japanese Army occupied Nanking, causing great damage to the Confucius Temple. Lantern fairs were suspended due to warfare once more. It was not until after 1939 that a small number of lantern merchants would occasionally be in the vicinity of the Confucius Temple. After 1945, due to the hyperinflation caused by the Chinese Civil War, regular civilians did not have the ability to put on such celebrations, and the tradition of lantern fairs nearly disappeared. === Fairs in the People's Republic of China === After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the fairs began to be revived slowly. In the 1960s, the fair had more or less reached its former scale. After the start of the Cultural Revolution in 1966, folk arts such as traditional lanterns were seen as part of the Four Olds. Thus, the lantern market and fairs became prohibited. In 1977, the lantern market around the Confucius Temple opened for the first time after the Cultural Revolution. In 1984, the government appropriated funds for the repair of the Confucius Temple as well as the surrounding landscapes. In 1985, the government of Qinhuai District in Nanjing started holding officially sponsored fairs during Spring Festival and Lantern Festival time around the Confucius Temple. In 1984, the Qinhuai Lantern Crafts Association was formed, and many civilian craftsmen started making lanterns with modern techniques. In 1988, a museum of lantern arts was built in the Confucius Temple, which brought the appearance of large-scale sets of lanterns in the fairs. == Lantern Art ==The production of Qinhuai lanterns integrates traditional Chinese handicrafts such as weaving, painting, calligraphy, paper cutting, shadow puppetry, embroidery, sculpture and so on. As far as its production materials are concerned, the materials for making skeletons are mainly bamboo, trees, rattan, wheat straw, animal horns, and metals, among others. The materials that make up the light source vary from the use of pine resin, animal and vegetable oil, lacquer, paraffin, kerosene and other fuels, with bamboo, grass, cotton cores, etc. as the wick, to the use of electric light sources. Its surface translucent materials have also developed with the development of the times, including various colors of translucent paper, silk veil, painting yarn, cotton, as well as synthetic silk forging, plastic film, special glass and so on. Its production process has integrated a series of process techniques and production methods such as carpentry, lacquer, painting, carving, clay sculpture, knotting, mounting paste, welding, mechanical transmission, sound and light sound, electronic program control, etc. From a historical point of view, from the traditional single lamps such as lotus lamps, lion lamps, rabbit lamps, goldfish lamps, toad lamps, yuanbao lamps, to a variety of combination lights, large flower lanterns, and with the progress of the times, including ocean-going ships, carrier rockets and reflect the urban construction, mountain landscape of various lights, its categories have reached more than 400 kinds. In addition to the display of illuminations, the Qinhuai Lantern Festival also includes other folk culture and art categories in Nanjing, such as Nanjing paper-cutting, empty bamboo, knots, carving, shadow puppetry, animal dance, song, trembling, stilt walking, etc. == Current fairs == Since 2007, the Fuzi temple scenic area has worked on a large-scale transformation and upgrading, the inner and outer Qinhuai River water system has been integrated, opening up a new Qinhuai river cruise route. In 2009, the Qinhuai Lantern Fair introduced large-scale lanterns from Zigong, Sichuan province, and for the first time, light-colored art was mainly held. In 2010, in cooperation with Taiwan tourism agencies in the name of the Jiangsu lantern festival, Taiwan lanterns were displayed and sent to participate in the Chiayi lantern festival for lantern exchange activities. In 2011, for the first time, the first Ming Wall International Light Festival named, invited the United States, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and other foreign lanterns to participate in the exhibition. In 2017, during the lantern festival, the Qinhuai Lantern Fair set a record of more than 600,000 tourists visited. == Notes ==

Qintong Boat Festival

China

Qintong Boat Festival (Chinese: 溱潼会船节) is an annual event in Jiangyan, Jiangsu, China. It has a long history since Ming Dynasty, and it is becoming an important tourist destination in the whole eastern China with the highlight of the Dragon Boat Racing. Qintong Boat Festival is held in Qingming (around April 4–6) every year. During the festival boats from nearby villages and towns converge in Xique lake for a few days of rejoicing. Theatrical performances, dragon and lion dances, and other folk dances are staged right on board the boats. It gathers about 300,000 people every year during the festival. == External links == Official link

Qixi Tribute

China

Qixi Tribute (Chinese: 七夕贡案; pinyin: Qīxì gòngàn) is an important and necessary part of annual celebration during the Qixi Festival or Qiqiao Festival. Based on the mythology about The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd, a Qixi Tribute is a representation of their love meeting. It is one of the most popular customs of the Han Chinese in Dongguan, Guangdong province, especially in Wangniudun, a town in Dongguan city. Every year the government of Wangniudun holds a night-long Qixi festival celebration. Plenty of local people and tourists visit Wangniudun to share the happiness of the celebration. == History == The Qixi Festival (Qiqiao Festival) is an annual event on 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar, celebrating the love story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. Because the Weaver girl is the youngest sister of seven fairies, she is also known as the Seventh Sister. Young girls in China are accustomed to worship the Seventh Sister while praying for their true love. Every year, not only young girls but also boys, the elderly and children are fond of taking part in the Qixi festival. In order to show their worship to the Weaver Girl, almost every family holds a ceremony. Firstly, the family prepares tributes like melon, apples and some desserts. Young girls like to make some handicrafts of their own to show their eagerness to the Weaver Girl. Then the family places a table in the front yard under the sky aiming to show their great respect to the goddess. At the same time, the whole family shares the food and blessing together. Apart from worshiping the Weaver Girl, people are fond of showing their respect to the other six goddesses, so worshiping the Seven Goddesses has become a regular custom. == Development == One of the famous customs is the Seven Goddesses Worship, which dates back to the Five Dynasties period (AD. 907–960) in China. It is always held on the night of 6th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar. Wangniudun has a custom of making Qixi tribute, worshiping the Seven Goddesses. This activity was once discontinued during the Cultural Revolution (1967–1977), and resumed in the early years of Chinese Economic Reform (December, 1978–). A group of villagers organized the Qixi tribute during the Qixi Festival. Gradually, more and more villagers took part in the activity. They worked together with folk artists, assuring the forms of Qixi tribute with some crops grown locally, a river region in Dongguan. From then on, celebration of the Qixi festival, as well as Qixi tribute, has been a prosperous social activity in Wangniudun, Dongguan and even in Southern China. == Ingredient == Local craftsmen in Wangniudun are skillful at creating their tributes. Their materials are accessible and environmentally-friendly. For instance, they use waste like foamed plastic, bamboo sticks, woolen yarn, parget and so on. They also use some kinds of crops as the main materials, such as cereal straw, garlic husk and so on. Craftsmen practiced in making chrysanthemums with rice, making lotus flowers with garlic husks, making wintersweet flowers with pistachio shells, making cherry blossoms with red melon seed and making lamps with eggshells. Craftsmen creatively add plastic beads, plastic sheets, colorful paper, colorful cloth and so on as materials, aiming to make exquisite Qixi tributes to help people to show their great worship to the Seven Goddesses. == Form == Sculpture, embroidery, drawing and hand-making are the main forms of Qixi tribute. == Tools == The following tools are used to make Qixi tributes: scissors, plane, drawknife, ruler, chisel, brush, mallet, nails, abrasive paper. == Production Steps == === Planning and Design === The theme of the Qixi Tribute is always relative to fairy tales and rural customs. As soon as the theme is decided, the characters, scene and story are designed. === Preparation of Materials === The materials are collected from daily life, such as some types of waste and crops. In modern times, objects such as chromatic lamps may be used in the tribute. This makes the Qixi tribute an emblem of tradition and modernization. === Cooperation === The whole table of tributes is handmade, taking the form of sculpture, embroidery, drawing and some other crafts. In order to produce a table of Qixi tribute, dozens of craftsmen have to spend several months working hard on it together. == Process of Celebration == Qixi tributes usually can be divided into five parts, and each part is endowed with different blessing. === Preparation of Tea, White Spirits and Food (茶酒齋飯) === The first part is preparing tea, white spirits and some vegetarian food (茶酒齋飯). These are necessities in every Chinese worship ceremony, such as Spring Festival, Qingming Festival and Mid-autumn Festival. During Qixi Festival, this preparation is on behalf of the invitation to the seven goddesses to share it. === Dragon Dance and Lion Dance (龍獅賀節) ===The second part is the dragon dance and lion dance (龍獅賀節). Craftsmen usually model dragon, phoenix, lion, qilin and other Chinese mascots in exquisite size. These mascots are not stiff but are vivid, expressing the scene of dragon dance and lion dance. The dances also play an important role in Chinese festival celebration and are helpful to create a joyous atmosphere. === Produce and Harvests (五穀豐登) === The third part is produce and harvests (五穀豐登). Craftsmen are accustomed to display an abundant harvest of rice, red beans, green beans, corns, peanuts and other grains, which symbolize hope for a wealthy year. Meanwhile, craftsmen display seven flowers, seven fruits, seven pairs of embroidered shoes, seven sets of desks and chairs and seven garments in hand for seven goddesses. This implies the sharing mortal happiness with gods. === Love Story Across the Milky Way (鵲橋相會) === The fourth part is the annual meeting of the cowherd and the weaver girl (the Seventh Sister) across the Milky Way (鵲橋相會). It represents the touching scene of the loving couple, showing the beautiful happiness and expectation to the immortal love. === Burning Incense and Worshiping (拜祭香燭) ===The fifth part is burning incense and worshiping (拜祭香燭). With a table of well-prepared tributes, people hold the ceremony in front of the table at eleven o’clock on the night of 6th day of the 7th lunar month. It marks the start of Qixi Festival. == Production Scale == There are three different production scales of Qixi tribute: family group, union of seven families, and collective cooperation. === Family Group === The first one is family group. Every family make some exquisite tributes on their own, and set a traditional big square table (八仙桌, usually dines eight persons) to place the tributes on it. According to family group, the scale is small so that the tribute is simple but varied. === Union of Seven Families === The second is a union of seven families. They have to set more than one big square table to worship the Seven Goddesses. Due to the large production scale, the tribute's forms are varied and its amount is large, which can present colorful, abundant details about the love story and mortal's lives. === Collective Cooperation === The third is collective cooperation, which is the largest production scale. The village head calls villagers together to buy a piglet. And every family takes turns to feed the piglet for several days. In the past, when the pig became bigger near the Qixi Festival, the villagers would sell the pig out to earn some money to fund the making of Qixi tributes. But nowadays, instead of being sold, the pig is killed on the eve of the Qixi Festival as an offering to the Seven Goddesses. After the ceremony, the pork will be distributed to every family in the village. A craftsman Huang Wenzheng (黃文正) said that nothing is more valuable than sharing the happiness together. Being the largest scale of Qixi tributes, collective cooperation makes people work together, which is beneficial to creating colorful, creative and abundant tributes. == Regional Celebration == Although worshiping the Seventh Sister is an accustomed activity, the practice differs between places. === Guangzhou === In Guangzhou, before the Qixi Festival, young unmarried girls make different kinds of flowers, fruits, ladies, implements, palaces and other festival objects using colored paper, sesame seeds and rice flour. Meanwhile, the girls also grow green beans to about two inches tall. This is called worshiping the immortal plant (拜仙菜). After setting the tributes, the girls burn incense and light up the oil lamp in the middle of the immortal plant, bowing down toward the sky. This is called Welcoming the Goddess (迎仙). === Dongguan === ==== Wangniudun (望牛墩) ==== The Qixi Festival Celebration has been held every Qixi Festival, which becomes part of the brand of Wangniudun. Plenty of activities appeal to the thousands of local people and tourists who take part in the celebration. In 2016, the Qixi Festival Celebration was held on August 8 to 10 in Wangniudun. It covers three main activities within nine items. 1. Romantic Meeting on Qixi Festival (1) Romantic encounter—let tourists leave their memories of love on the photo gallery. (2) Blessing with Lotus Lamp—Lotus lamp is a traditional custom in the region of rivers, and let tourists place their blessings with lotus lamp and set free on the river. (3) 3D Technology—make some bread or pancakes with romantic patterns for tourists to taste. 2. Folk Custom Exhibition (1) Cultural Tribute Exhibition—21 villages in Wangniudun make their own special Qixi tributes to compete with each other. And their tributes are placed in the square for tourists to enjoy. (2) Blessing Night—Worshiping the Seven Goddesses is performed in the way of artistic folk show. (3) Folk Custom Exhibition about The Region of Rivers—In the local museum, Qixi festival culture, Dragon-Boat culture, Farming Culture in region of rivers are displaced. 3. Happiness Share (1) Happiness Photo Collection—collect the photo of couple, family and others with the topic of love in the society. (2) Story Writing Contest—On the based on the love story of the cowherd and the weaver girl, everyone can create a new modern love story. (3) Love Concert—local bands and singers are invited to the celebration to perform the love songs. ==== Zhongtang (中堂鎮) ==== In Guozhou village (郭洲村), some women make flowers by hand with iron wire. ==== Chashan (茶山鎮) ==== People are fond of buying a decorated flower basket to worship the Seven Goddesses. The flowers are lilies, roses and five other different kinds of flowers. ==== Wanjiang Subdistrict (萬江街道) ==== Apart from women worshiping the Seven Goddesses, men can also worship the cowherd wishing to find their true love. == Achievements == In 2012, the tenth Chinese Folk Literature and Art Pediment Award was held in Haikou, Hainan Province. The Qixi tribute “the destiny of mortal and immortal” made by Wangniudun's craftsmen got the Folk Craft Art Award. Wangniudun is famous for its Qixi tribute and the atmosphere of the Qixi Festival. So Wangniudun was given the title of “the Home of Qiqiao Folk Art in Guangdong Province”, “the home of Qiqiao Art in China”, and the Qiqiao Festival was listed into the Second batch of the Intangible Culture Heritage Protection Project in Guangdong Province. Wangniudun's Qixi tributes are collected by Guangdong Museum, Dongguan Exhibition Center and other museums. At the same time, Wangniudun works hard to develop its famous brand of Qixi Tribute to organize various activities for society, such as Qixi festival celebration, Qixi Culture Park and so on. The town also build websites and online games, and makes films about the Qixi Festival.

Renri

China

Renri is the 7th day of Zhengyue, the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar. According to Chinese customs, Renri was the day human beings were created. It is celebrated not only in China, but also in the surrounding region influenced by Chinese culture. == Origin == In Chinese mythology, Nüwa was the goddess who created the world. She created the animals on different days, and human beings on the seventh day after the creation of the world. Questions and Answers on Rites and Customs (答問禮俗說) by Dong Xun (董勛) of the Jin dynasty and the Book of Divination (占書), an earlier of publication by Dongfang Shuo in the Western Han dynasty, both specify the order of creation:First of Zhengyue: Chickens Second of Zhengyue: Dogs Third of Zhengyue: Pigs Fourth of Zhengyue: Sheep Fifth of Zhengyue: Cows Sixth of Zhengyue: Horses Seventh of Zhengyue: Humans Hence, Chinese tradition has set the first day of Zhengyue as the birthday of the chicken, the second day of Zhengyue as the birthday of the dog, etc. And the seventh day of Zhengyue is viewed as the common birthday of all human beings. == Celebration == === Chinese === According to legend, the custom dates back to the Han dynasty, and gained importance after the Three Kingdoms period and Jin dynasty. Ancient Chinese had a tradition of wearing head ornaments called rensheng (人勝), which were made of ribbon or gold and represented humans. People also climbed mountains and composed poems. Emperors after the Tang dynasty granted ribbon rensheng to their subjects and held festivities with them. If there were good weather on Renri, it was considered that people will have a year of peace and prosperity. Fireworks and huapao (花炮) are lit, so Renri celebrates the birthday of fire as well. Since the first days of Zhengyue are considered birthdays of different animals, Chinese people avoid killing the animals on their respective birthdays and punishing prisoners on Renri. Nowadays during Zhengyue, Renri is celebrated as part of the Chinese New Year. Chinese people prepare lucky food in the new year, where the seven vegetable soup (七菜羹), seven vegetable congee (七菜粥) and jidi congee (及第粥) are specially prepared for Renri. Malaysian and Singaporean Chinese use the seven-coloured raw fish (七彩魚生) instead of the seven vegetable soup. === Japanese ===In Japan, Renri is called Jinjitsu (人日, jinjitsu). It is one of the five seasonal festivals (五節句, gosekku). It is celebrated on January 7. It is also known as Nanakusa no sekku (七草の節句, nanakusa no sekku), the feast of seven herbs, from the custom of eating seven-herb kayu (七草粥, nanakusa-gayu) to ensure good health for the coming year. The celebration of the feast in Japan was moved from the seventh day of the first lunar month to the seventh day of January during the Meiji period, when Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar. Genesis creation narrative

Shanghai International Music Fireworks Festival

China

Shanghai International Music Fireworks Festival started in 2000 and is held annually on National Day. The fireworks are fired from 7 barges and the other side of a lake in ShangHai Century Park. All fireworks are produced in China and they are designed by invited companies/designers.

Third Month Fair

China

The Third Month Fair (Bai language: salwa zix) is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Bai people of southwest China. It includes a street bazaar, performances, sports, and games, and takes place annually in Dali City, Yunnan. The fair lasts several days, starting on the 15th day of the third month of the Chinese calendar (in April or May of the Gregorian calendar). In 2024, it begins on April 23. == Legendary origins == The festival is also known as the Market of Guanyin, Guanyin being the bodhisattva of mercy in Chinese Buddhism. It is said that Guanyin came to ancient Dali on the 15th day of the third month of the Chinese calendar, so an annual temple celebration was established on that day. An alternative origin story says that the festival celebrates the marriage of a princess, from the family of the dragon king of Erhai Lake, and a fisherman. The princess and the fisherman went to an annual market, held by gods and goddesses on the 15th day of the third month, that had precious stones and medicinal herbs. A version of this story says that the market was on the Moon, and the couple went to buy fishing materials but did not find any. This celestial market (or a new market inspired by it) was moved to Earth, and it became the Third Month Street Fair. == Observance ==The festival is observed by the Bai people and other ethnic groups of Yunnan. It begins on the 15th day of the third month of the Chinese calendar (in April or May of the Gregorian calendar), and lasts several days. The Third Month Fair dates back to the Tang dynasty and began as a Buddhist temple gathering (miaohui). It is traditionally a time to pray for the harvest. It is also associated with love, and is considered a time for courting. It is celebrated with a street fair held below Mount Diancang, near Dali Old Town; the Dali area is the cultural center of the Bai people. Stalls at the fair sell a wide variety of goods, including medicinal herbs, handicrafts, Pu'er tea, traditional candy, local ham, livestock, silk, gemstones such as amber and jade, wooden sculptures, embroidery, hats, shoes, kitchenware, fishing and farming tools, and furniture. Animals sold at the market include cattle, horses, mules, and Inner Mongolian camels. One of the fair's most well-known products is traditional medicine, and the Third Month Fair is said to have the most extensive array of medicinal products for sale anywhere in western Yunnan. A survey of the 2012 fair found hundreds of types of traditional medicine for sale, including some from other parts of China and from India, Myanmar, and Thailand. The most popular traditional medicines sold at the market include Magnolia biondii, Crataegus pinnatifida, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis.The festival involves singing and dancing performances as well as competitions, including horse racing, dragon boat races, ball games, board games, archery, wrestling, and martial arts. People dress up in traditional festive attire, and the old town is extensively decorated, including with lanterns and flowers. The fair is famous throughout the country and has become a tourist attraction, attracting sightseers from other parts of China and abroad. == Government recognition == In modern times, government officials have lent support to the Third Month Fair, seeing it as a way to promote economic growth, especially for minority communities, and to show support for Bai culture. The festival was formally recognized by the government of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in 1991. In the 1990s, the government invested in permanent structures for the market, including roads and hundreds of stalls. The project involved close to 4 million RMB from the local government and the Yunnan government and more than 13 million RMB from other investors. In 2008, the Third Month Fair was recognized at the national level as part of China's intangible cultural heritage. The Third Month Fair is a local public holiday in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture. It was made a public holiday in 1991, with residents getting two days off. This was later expanded to three days off, from the 15th to the 17th of the third month of the Chinese calendar. In 2024, this corresponds to April 23 through 25. Chinese herbology Five Golden Flowers, a film that prominently features the Third Month Fair List of observances set by the Chinese calendar Tourism in China Traditional Tibetan medicine == Notes ==

Torch Festival

China

The Torch Festival or Fire Festival (Chinese: 火把节; pinyin: Huǒbǎ Jié; Nuosu language: ꄔꊒ; YYPY Dut Zie; Bai: Huix‧zuit‧jiarx), also known as the Xinghui Festival (Chinese: 星回节; pinyin: Xīnghuí Jié; lit. 'return of the stars') is one of the main holidays of the Yi people of southwest China and is celebrated by other ethnic groups of the region (including the Bai, the Hani, the Lahu, the Naxi, and the Pumi) as well. It is celebrated on the 24th or 25th day of the sixth month of the Yi calendar, corresponding to August in the Gregorian calendar. It commemorates the legendary wrestler Atilabia, who drove away a plague of locusts using torches made from pine trees. Since 1993, the government of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan has sponsored a modernised celebration of the festival featuring wrestling, horse racing, dance shows, and a beauty contest. == Origin == The original Torch Festival, according to some scholars, was based on a calendar used by Bai and Yi people in ancient times. The calendar included 10 months, 36 days in a month, and two Star Returning Festivals in winter and summer respectively. The two Star Returning Festivals were both considered the New Year, and the one in summer was called the Torch Festival as people often lighted a torch on that day. There are also many other legends about the origin of the Torch Festival, yet all of them have the purpose of offering sacrifice to deities and dispelling ghosts, as a wish for a harvest. == Observance == In the Torch Festival, every family needs to light a torch and hold the torch to illuminate the corners in the room and walk around the fields. Some villagers even have torch parade so as to drive away all bad lucks and pray for a harvest. Preparations may begin a month in advance, with people gathering wormwood to make torches. Wormwood is especially popular around Liangshan, where it is believed to ward off evil. Typically, three torches are made per person. The custom of holding a torch to shed light on tree and field was found in Han people in Southern Song dynasty. In Ming and Qing dynasties, people in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces had the custom as well. It most times started with the Emperor lighting the first flame of the bonfire after which he shared it with his Eunuchs and officials and these shared the fire with all other people in the kingdom. After the torch parade is the Bonfire Party. People play musical instruments like yueqin (月琴) and sanxian (three stringed plucked instrument), singing and dancing for a whole night. The festival also involves sacrifices of food and cattle. It is traditional to eat beef on the Torch Festival for good luck. Other traditional foods include noodles and fruit. It is customary to clean one's house, wear fine clothing, and hold sporting events including wrestling, horse races, and bullfights. In modern times, the festival has become a tourist attraction. In Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, it is a local public holiday lasting multiple days. In 2024, it begins on 29 July in the Gregorian calendar. == Footnotes == Miller, Lucien; Guo, Xu; Xu, Kun (1994), Torch Festival, South of the clouds: tales from Yunnan, University of Washington Press, pp. 114–116, ISBN 978-0-295-97348-7 Harrell, Stevan (2001), Ways of being ethnic in Southwest China, Studies on ethnic groups in China, University of Washington Press, ISBN 978-0-295-98123-9

Uyghur Doppa Cultural Festival

China

Uyghur Doppa Cultural Festival (Uyghur: ئۇيغۇر دوپپا مەدەنىيەت بايرىمى), is an internationally celebrated Uyghur cultural festival which is observed on May 5 annually since 2009. == History == The festival was created by Tahir Imin, an independent researcher and social activist in 2009. That year in Urumqi, the celebration was broadcast by the central China broadcasting station in Beijing and publicized through Uyghur websites. In 2010, the festival was organized by the students of Beijing Normal University and supported by the Beijing Municipal religious and ethnic affairs administration bureau officials. == Other names == Uyghur Doppa Cultural Festival also called Doppa Cultural Festival, Doppa festival, Doppa Day, Uyghur Doppa Medeniyet Bayrimi, Doppa bayrimi, 维吾尔花帽文化节，花帽节，朵帕节 in Chinese or Uygur Doppa Kültür Festivali in Turkish, is a cultural festival for Uyghur people living in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. == Observance and traditions == By 2011, Uyghur Doppa was celebrated all around China, especially in the southern and northern parts of Xinjiang. A meeting and seminar on the festival was organized by the Yakan (shache) county and Kashgar Prefecture local Government. The festival celebrates Uyghur culture and development. == Types and variations == Doppa Uyghurs 7-Uyghur Academy Popilar Website : The Doppa In Uighur Hat culture http://www.akademiye.org/ug/?p=8491 8-

Weifang International Kite Festival

China

The Weifang International Kite Festival (Chinese: 潍坊国际风筝节;traditional Chinese: 濰坊國際風箏節; pinyin;Wéifāng Guójì Fēngzhēng Jié) is an annual kite-flying festival held from April 20 to 25 in Weifang, China. Weifang, Shandong, China is known as the kite capital of the world as people consider Weifang to be the birthplace of kites. Each spring, people in the city fly kites as a leisure outdoor activity. The designs on many Chinese kites have a symbolic meaning or illustrations from Chinese folklore or history. On April 1, 1984, with the help and support of the Chairman of the Seattle Kite Association, David Checkley, the first International Kite Festival was held in Weifang. On April 1, 1988, the presidium of the Weifang International Kite Festival unanimously adopted a proposal to set Weifang as the Kite Capital. In the following year, during the Sixth Kite Festival, the International Kite Federation was founded by representatives from China, the USA, Japan, the UK, Italy, and twelve other countries, with the headquarters also being set in Weifang. During the Festival, performances are held in the evening with various Chinese singers performing at the gala. == External links == These Competitive Kite Flyers Will Blow You Away. YouTube. Smithsonian Channel. 13 November 2018.

Winter Clothes Day

China

Winter Clothes Day, Tomb-sweeping Day and Hungry Ghost Festival are the days for people to offer sacrifice to their ancestors in China. The Winter Clothes Day falls on the first day of Lunar October. October first of the lunar calendar has come into winter, thus people feel cold, which makes them miss the dead. To protect their ancestors against the cold in the netherworld, people send clothes to them, which is why it is called the Winter Clothes Day. On October first, Chinese people burn clothes made of colorful papers in front of graves to their ancestors to keep them warm. At the same time, the day marks the arrival of the dead of winter. Consequently, it's the day for parents and lovers to send clothes to the livings who they care about. As time goes by, the day becomes the festival for people to offer sacrifice to their ancestors. == Origin == === Meng Jiangnu === According to a legend, the origin of the Winter Clothes Day is related to a beautiful and sad love story. In Qin dynasty, the first emperor of Qin reunited China, and established a new country. However, he lived an extravagant and dissipated life, and recruited laborers to build the Great Wall and his own mausoleum. It is said that during the Qin dynasty, there lived a family named Meng who planted a gourd in their yard. The leaves and branches were so long that they stretched over the wall, and into the yard of their neighbor named Jiang. Before long, the neighbor named Jiang had a giant gourd in their yard. When the gourd became mature, Meng and Jiang agreed to cut the gourd into two parts for each of them. However, when they cut it, they found an adorable girl there. Both of them loved her very much. After discussion, they drew a conclusion that the girl was going to be nurtured by Meng. She was named Meng Jiangnu. When Meng Jiangnu grew up, she was very famous for being pretty, versatile and obedient. She was the apple of the two families' eyes. One day, when Meng Jiangnu was trying to pull a fan out of a pool, a young man named Fan Xiliang passed by, and saw her. He came to help her get the fan, and she thanked him. After she looked closely at the handsome youth, she chatted with him favorably. Gradually, they fell in love with each other. With their parents' permissions, Meng Jiangnu was married to Fan Xiliang. On their wedding night, a contingent of troops broke into their house, and took Fan Xiliang away because he was recruited as a laborer by the first emperor of Qin to build the Great Wall far away. After Fan Xiliang was taken away, Meng Jiangnu missed him day and night with great sadness and a heavy heart. On October first, it snowed heavily outside. When she stared at the candles and the big snowfall, she thought of how her husband had left without taking any warm clothes to defend against the cold, so she wiped tears sadly. Meng Jiangnu missed her husband so much that she had a dream. In her dream, she saw her husband standing on the Great Wall. Grabbing a spear, her husband was clothed in ragged garments in a world of ice and snow. When he fought against enemies, his head was cut off by an enemy, rolling down the Great Wall with blood everywhere. Meng Jiangnu woke up screaming, and found it a nightmare. She strongly believed the dream meant something bad, therefore, she was determined to send clothes to him and to figure out what had happened. She made winter clothes for her husband overnight, and packed up her luggage, including her husband's winter clothes. After saying goodbye to her parents, she left for the Great Wall to find her husband. Though she suffered a lot, with her determination and help from nice people, she finally reached the Great Wall which was being built. Unfortunately, she was told that her husband had died of overwork and his body was buried under the Great Wall. Hearing the news, she was shocked and passed out. After the wind woke her up, she couldn't help bursting into crying. She beat the Great Wall hard, and called out her husband's name when she cried. She cried for a while, and then censured the first emperor of the Qin dynasty for his tyrannies. With her accusations, sharp wind blew up, and furious billows rolled and came towards the Great Wall. Suddenly, a loud noise occurred, one part of the Great Wall collapsed, and a skeleton was uncovered. Meng Jiangnu stayed with the skeleton and cried for seven days. Then, she burnt the winter clothes that she made for her husband. The ashes of the clothes flew upward with the wind, circled her three times, and finally covered the skeleton steadily. Gradually, the legend of Meng Jiangnu sending winter clothes has evolved into a festival which people call Winter Clothes Day. == Customs == === Eating glutinous rice and red beans === Red bean rice or hóngdòu fàn (红豆饭) is a traditional Chinese dish eaten in some regions of China, it is particularly common in Jiangsu province during the Winter Clothes Day. A legend from Dafeng, Jiangsu says that people eat a bowl of glutinous rice mixed with red beans on the Winter Clothes Day in Jiangsu to commemorate a shepherd boy who revolted against a landlord. It is said that a long time ago, an adorable shepherd boy was born into a poor family. His parents could not support him, so he made a living by shepherding for a landlord when he was a child. One day, his carelessness in tending to the sheep resulted in those sheep falling into a valley and dying. After hearing the news, the landlord was extremely angry. Consequently, he beat and scolded the shepherd boy. The shepherd boy begged for the landlord to stop the beating but he did not. When the shepherd boy believed that he was on the brink of death, he picked up a knife next to him, and killed the landlord. The blood of the shepherd boy strained the glutinous rice on the ground red. By coincidence, that day was the 1st of October. === Fighting a battle with pumpkins === The Bouyei nationality who live in Guizhou Province, China celebrate the Winter Clothes Day by fighting a battle with pumpkins. According to a legend, the purpose of fighting a battle with pumpkins is to please ancestors, to scare ghosts away, and to protect earth. On October first in Chinese lunar calendar, teenagers of the Bouyei nationality choose a pumpkin from their gardens, and thrust the pumpkin with a sharp bamboo pole. When the ceremony of sending ancestors off is over, teenagers burn a bundle of incense and stick them into pumpkins. Once the leader of their village shouts, teenagers run to the wild, with bamboo poles held in their hands, to gather together with others from other villages. When they encounter teenagers from other villages, all of them pretend to abuse each other and to fight with each other with pumpkins. Finally, singing a song, they go back to their own villages smilingly. === Burning winter clothes === On the day before October first in Chinese lunar calendar, the elders lead children and grandchildren to add soils to their ancestors' graves. The soils should be carried by their clothes rather than baskets. The more soils they added, the more populations their families would have. On October first, in patriarch's leadership, male carried foods and abundant tributes to worship ancestors' graves, and to offer sacrifice to their ancestors. After the ceremony, what's most important is to burn winter clothes made by colorful paper, including red, yellow, blue, black and purple paper. There is a popular belief in China that if you want to deliver something to the dead, you must burn it completely. Otherwise, the dead could not receive it. This belief is linked with the story of Cai Mo burnt paper. The Winter Clothes Day is not only the day to deliver winter clothes to the dead, but also the day for the livings to prepare for the coming of winter. On that day, women take out winter clothes that they have made for their children and husbands, and ask them to try clothes on. Men are used clearing up fireplaces and chimneys to make sure that fireplaces and chimneys can keep the house warm when winter comes. ==== The Story of Cai Mo burnt paper ==== It's also said that burning winter clothes on the Winter Clothes Day originated from a businessman's promotion strategy. According to historical records, paper was invented by a man named Cai Lun during the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD). After Cai Lun invented the paper, many people came to his paper factory to purchase the paper. When Cai Lun's sister-in-law named Hui Niang found that papermaking was profitable, she persuaded her husband named Cai Mo to learn papermaking form his brother. However, her husband was not very patient. He set up his own paper factory before he was skilled at making paper, leading to that no one came to his factory to buy paper because of its low quality. Hui Niang tried to help her husband get away from the trouble. Suddenly, an idea occurred to her mind. One night, she pretended to be ill and died. Her husband was extremely sad and guilty for he thought her death partly resulted from his behaviors. He blamed himself when he burnt the paper made by himself. Unexpectedly, a sound coming from the coffin appeared, which scared the people in mourning hall. It was Hui Niang's voice. She said, Open the coffin, hurry up. I have come back. When people opened the coffin, Hui Ning jumped out from it and told people, Paper in this world becomes money in the nether world. I could not come back without my husband burning paper to me. The king of hell originally planned to torture me. Luckily, I used money to bribe him and ghosts. Then, they sent me back to earth. Then, her husband took two piles of paper to burn to his parents, hoping it could make his parents have a better life in the nether world. After witnessing the function of paper, people in mourning hall started to buy the paper from Cai Mo's paper factory to burn. The story of Hui Niang spread quickly, therefore, unmarketable paper of Cai Mo's paper factory sold out within a few days. The day was October first of the lunar calendar when Hui Niang returned back from hell, so people gradually offered sacrifice to their ancestors in front of their graves by burning paper. == Sources == 《中国家族文化》(《孟姜女传》与寒衣的由来P103----P107），Author: 凯祥， Press： 百花洲文艺出版社， 2012-10. 《节气时令吃什么》，(十月初一——寒衣 P187），Author：王明强，Press：江苏科学技术出版社，2013-11-01. 《中国传统节日趣闻与传说》，(寒衣，P208---P210), Author：严敬群，Press：金盾出版社，2010-08. 《图解民俗大全-精编美绘版》，（关心先人的送寒衣， P230---P231),Author：万虹， Press：内蒙古文化，2012-5-1. 《中国民间传说人物-哭倒长城八百里:孟姜女(双色)》，（孟姜女哭倒'魏长城'及'送寒衣'的来历 P214---P130），Author：强军宏，Press：东北师大，2012-3-1. 《中国节日传统文化读本（珍藏版）》，(寒衣的习俗P268---P269),Author:严敬群 ，Press:东方出版社，2009-11. 《最后的风景》，(哀哀寒衣 ，P149---P151），Author：金光 ， Press：大众文艺出版社，2009-04. 《中华民俗常识一本通》，(送寒衣，P45),Author:张建霞，Press:中国三峡出版社，2011-11. http://www.shanghaidaily.com/Feature/art-and-culture/Paper-clothing-burned-on-day-warms-ancestors/shdaily.shtml

Yakou Piao-se

China

Yakou Piao-se (simplified Chinese: 崖口飘色; traditional Chinese: 崖口飄色; pinyin: Yákǒu Piāosè; Jyutping: Ngaai4hau2 Piu1sik1) is a traditional festival activity in the village Yakou, Nanlang, Zhongshan, in the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong Province, China. In 2008, the Chinese government added Yakou Piao-se to the official list of China's state-level, intangible, cultural heritage items. == History == There are several versions of the origin of Yakou Piao-se. The first version is that at one time the village of Yakou suffered from frequent floods because of its coastal location and low altitude. To solve the problem, villagers began to carry a paper-made statue of Bodhisattva and walk around the village to pray for a good harvest. It was in the late Ming Dynasty that people began to use small children dressed up as bodhisattva to replace the paper-made effigy. Another version concerns a very moving story. It is said that a long time ago, probably in the Tang Dynasty, a serious plague hit Yakou village. A very kind-hearted couple, Mr. and Mrs. Tan, offered free soup and medicine to the villagers. The villagers were so grateful to them that they called Mr. and Mrs. Tan the living Buddha. Unfortunately, the couple died of exhaustion from gathering herbs and making medicine. To honor the memory of their great sacrifices, people in Yakou village began parading the paper-made bodhisattva statue around the village on May 6 of the lunar calendar. The tradition gradually developed into the festival Piao-se. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, many people from the Central Plains moved to the southern area to escape from war. Settling in Yakou village, the migrants combined the art form of the Central Plains area with the indigenous Baiyue tradition of Piao-se and transformed the festival. == Form ==The character piao (飘) means floating in Chinese and the character se (色) means delicate disguises in old Chinese. During Piao-se, people push a special decorated, wheeled cart around the village. The Piao-se performers (2 or 3 small children), wearing heavy makeup and special costumes, stand or sit on the iron shelving fixed on the cart. The artists sometimes perform gestures which help identify the figures they are representing. The cart is actually a special wheeled cabinet called a Se cabinet (色柜). On top of the Se cabinet, there is a vertical steel bar called Se Geng, which is about 1 meter long. It was specifically designed to support 1 to 3 children while lending stability to the Se cabinet. The Se Geng also serves to protect the young performers from falling and getting hurt. Most sections of the Se Geng are covered by the costumes while the parts out of the costume are disguised as spears and swords for aesthetics. Yakou consists of eight smaller villages, and each village has one piao-se group. Every year on May 6 of the lunar calendar, different villages will send their groups and they will perform the piao-se parade together across the streets and the field. The colorfulness of the parade and the green of the rice fields mix to create a spectacular scene. == Innovation == In the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic period, many villagers in Yakou went to Hong Kong or even Southeast Asia to make a living. When they returned home, they not only brought back money, but also many of the techniques and customs they learned from other areas. With their contribution, the content of the Piao-se was enriched. One of the unique forms which made the Yakou Piao-se special is the Swinging Se,” which enables performers to swing during their routine. The innovation was brought by a villager named Tan Heyi, who had previously made his living in Southeast Asia. When he was watching the Piao-se performance while visiting his relatives in Yakou village, he thought of the popular activity swinging in the Southeast Asia. Tan Heyi improved the Piao-se forms by using the design of swinging and thanks to his creativity, the unique form Swinging Se was invented. In the early 20th century, the villagers who had worked as welding workers in Hong Kong also made great contributions to innovation in Piao-se techniques with their skills. == Culture ==Many famous figures that are performed in the Piao-se are from Chinese historical and mythological stories, including the Goddess Chang'e Flying to the Moon, Lady General Mu Takes Command, The Goddess Guanyin Catching Nezha, Prince Nezha's Triumph Against Dragon King, Goddess Marriage, Journey to the West, Legend of the White Snake, ghost stories in Liaozhai, as well as others. == Local features == As well as the Piao-se performances, Yakou people also perform dragon dances, lion dances and Kylin dances in the Piao-se parade. The dragon used in Yakou is the wooden dragon. At a length of 50 meters, the wooden dragon is made of many boards. Despite its length and material, the dragon can move flexibly. For the Kylin dance, Yakou people used a Kylin which is two or three times bigger than people in other area of Guangdong use, and the performance is lively and natural. == Special customs == Passing through the dragon means children squeeze through the long section of the dragon. They dance and pray that they will grow up healthy. == Yakou piao-se ==

Cairo International Book Fair

Egypt

The Cairo International Book Fair is the largest and oldest book fair in the Arab world, held every year in the last week of January in Cairo, Egypt, at Egypt International Exhibitions Center in New Cairo, it is organised by the General Egyptian Book Organisation. The Fair is considered the most important event in the Arabic publishing world. == Scale == The Cairo International Book Fair is one of the biggest book fairs in the world, drawing hundreds of book sellers from around the world and about 2 million visitors each year. It is the largest book fair in the Arab world, as well as the oldest. In 2006, it was the second largest book fair in the world after the Frankfurt Book Fair. The fair is also notable as Cairo-based publishers produce an estimated three of five Arabic language books printed in the world, and the state owned General Egyptian Book Organisation—who coordinate the fair—is the largest book publisher in the Arab world. The fair features booths and speakers from private publishers and government agencies from around the world, as well as retailers of books, video, and other media. Lectures, readings, and other public events take place during the almost three weeks over which the book fair runs, and material is presented in Arabic, English, and other languages. The fair purposely appeals to ordinary Egyptians, with media on mainstream topics, outdoor events, and even fireworks to entertain the large crowds. The CIBF was founded by the General Egyptian Book Organisation, a government publishers and retailers group, in 1969 to coincide with celebrations of the 1000th anniversary of the founding of the city of Cairo. Its 41st iteration was held from 21 January to 5 February 2009. In November 2018, the General Egyptian Book Organization declared that 100 new books will be published under the organization’s name in the Cairo International Book Fair. == Controversy == The CIBF has been marred in recent years by charges that leftist and Muslim militant authors, works critical of the government, and works featuring passages or topics deemed sexually or culturally controversial have been banned from presentation at the book fair. During the 2000 book fair, Islamist protests against books they deemed offensive erupted into violence. That year, over 2000 members of Muslim student groups protested outside Al-Azhar University, leading to rare public protests against the Egyptian government, violence, 75 arrests and a number of injuries. The students were protesting an Egyptian Ministry of Culture publisher printing and presenting for sale copies of the 1983 novel A Banquet for Seaweed by the Syrian writer Haidar Haidar. Following the protests, two members of the government printing house were also arrested for disparaging religion and publishing a work offensive to public morals. In following years a number of books presented by foreign publishers have been seized by Egyptian authorities. These have included works by Czech Milan Kundera, Moroccan Mohamed Choukri, Saudi Ibrahim Badi, Lebanese Hanan al-Sheikh, and fellow Lebanese novelist Elias Khoury In 2005, Egyptian police arrested a number of book sellers and activists at the book fair, charging two Egyptian journalists with disseminating false propaganda against the government and others for presenting an avowedly socialist work. The Fair was canceled in January 2011 due to the 2011 Egyptian revolution. The Fair returned in 2012 and Nearly all of the new books, seminars, poetry recitals, theatrical shows and performances by different troupes at the Fair, in one way or another, seem to depict and celebrate the Arab Spring and the Egyptians' revolt. Riyadh International Book Fair, where censorship-related controversy has also been common == Further reading == Cairo International Book Fair. ISTC Travel guide, 2005. Ingrid Wassmann. Censorship and social realism at the Cairo Book Fair. Arab Media & Society, Issue 5, Spring 2008. Mona Naggar, The 40th Cairo Book Fair: Competition between Center and Periphery. Translated from the German by Isabel Cole. Neue Zürcher Zeitung/Qantara.de, 13 February 2008. Shaina Azad, Pink suitcases, flowerpots turn heads at book fair. Daily News Egypt, 29 January 2009. == External links == Cairo International Book Fair website (in Arabic)

Egycon

Egypt

Egycon (Arabic: ايجيكون) (stylized as EGYCON or EGYcon) is a speculative fiction convention held annually in Cairo, Egypt. Starting in 2013 with a series of mini meet-ups, the first large scale Egycon happened in 2014. Though starting as an anime-only convention, Egycon's scope quickly expanded to encompass several genres of media. Egycon has had articles written about it in Daily News Egypt, Cairo Scene, Arab News, ComicsGate and IGN. Every year, The Japan Foundation participates in the event. == History == The first Egycon in 2014 was held at El Sawy Culture Wheel. Despite a lack of advertisement and there only being a Facebook event listing, the official attendance reported was 1,650. This was the only Egycon held at El Sawy Culture Wheel. In 2015, Egycon moved to The GrEEK Campus, where it would stay until 2020, with the exception of Egycon 4 (2017), which was held at El Shams Sporting Club, Heliopolis. In 2021, Egycon changed venues to Family Park, New Cairo, where its currently still held, with the exception of Egycon 11 (2024), which was held in Club 7, Maadi. == Events == Although Egycon only happens once a year, there are other events under the Egycon moniker which occur within the same year as the official event. === Cairo Cosplay Party === The Cairo Cosplay party is an event hosted by Egycon, occuring irregularly. Starting in 2015 as the Summer Cosplay Party, it would happen annually from 2015 to 2019, before going on hiatus between 2020 and 2021. It then returned for 2022 and 2023. What sets apart Egycon and the Cairo Cosplay Party is the cosplay contest, where people perform acts of their choosing in cosplay for a cash prize. This cash prize can go as high as 20,000 EGP. The Cairo Cosplay Party has been held in the GrEEK Campus and in Family Park. === Other events === On April 21st, 2016, Egycon held a 57357 Cosplay Day for funding cancer treatment in partnership with the Children's Cancer Hospital Foundation.