Tag Archives: Festival

Festivals of India: Lathmar Holi

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Lathmar Holi or the Holi with sticks is a festival celebrated in the Baj regions of Uttar Pradesh in the twin towns of Barsana and Nandgaon, also known as the towns of Radha and Krishna respectively. Every year, during Holi, thousands of devotees and tourists visit these towns to celebrate the festival. The festivities usually last for more than a week and end on Rang Panchami or Holi. The festival is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil and is a time for people to come together, dance, sing, and throw coloured powders at each other, creating a vibrant and joyful atmosphere.

Associated with the legend that is linked to the divine couple Radha Krishna, the festival seeks to recreate it. According to the legend, Lord Krishna who was a resident of Nandgaon and is considered the son-in-law of Vrishabhanu wanted to spray the colours on his beloved Radha and her friends. But, as Krishna and his friends entered Barsana, they were playfully greeted with the sticks by Radha and her friends who drove them out of Barsana. Following the same trend, every year on the occasion of Holi, the men of Nandagaon who are treated as sons-in-law of Barsana visit Barsana and are greeted by women with colours and sticks or lathis. The celebration is enacted in perfect good humour by both sides, the men of Nandgaon and the women of Barsana.

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The Lathmar Holi festival is a celebration of the power of women and is a unique expression of the region’s rich cultural heritage. During the festival, named after the lath, a wooden stick that is used by women to chase men. The festival is celebrated on the day before the Hindu festival of Holi and is an expression of the love between Radha and Krishna. The women from the town of Barsana chase men from the neighbouring town of Nandgaon with sticks as a symbolic representation of Radha’s playfulness and power. The men, in turn, sing and dance in a show of reverence to Radha.

One of the highlights of the Lathmar Holi festival is the Lathmar Holi Mela, which is a gathering of people from the surrounding towns and villages. The mela is a lively and colourful affair, with stalls selling food, drinks, and handmade goods. There is also a wide range of entertainment available, including music, dance, and theatre performances.

Another important aspect of the Lathmar Holi festival is the traditional dance and music. The Braj region has a rich tradition of music and dance, and the Lathmar Holi festival provides a platform for these traditions to be showcased. The dances performed during the festival are an expression of joy and happiness and are performed by both men and women. The music played during the festival is characterised by its use of traditional instruments such as the dhol, nagara, and manjira.

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One of the most unique parts of the Lathmar Holi festival is the ‘Rang Panchami’ ritual. During this ritual, people come together to throw coloured powders at each other, creating a vibrant and joyful atmosphere. The ‘Rang Panchami’ ritual is an important part of the Lathmar Holi festival and is a time for people to come together and celebrate the arrival of spring.

The Lathmar Holi festival is also a time for love and courtship. During the festival, young men and women come together to meet and get to know each other. If two people are interested in each other, they can exchange gifts and formalise their relationship. This exchange of gifts is known as ‘Rasm-e-Holi’ and is an important part of the Lathmar Holi festival.

The Lathmar Holi festival is a celebration of life, love, and joy and a celebration of the rich and diverse culture of the Braj region. It celebrates the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil and is an important part of the cultural heritage of the region.

Festivals of India: Bhagoria

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The Bhagoria festival is a vibrant and colourful festival celebrated by the tribal communities of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, which was originally the Malwa region. The festival is held annually in the Hindu month of Phalguna, which corresponds to February or March in the Gregorian calendar. The Bhagoria festival is a celebration of the arrival of spring and marks the beginning of the harvest season. It is a time for the tribal communities to come together, dance, sing, and exchange gifts. The tribes who participate include the Bhil, Bhilala, and Pateliya.

The festival takes place in the Badwani, Dhar, Alirajpur, Khargone and Jhabua districts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. It has agricultural significance and coincides with the end of harvesting crops. It is celebrated for seven days in March before the Holi Festival. Traditionally, celebrants travel to the festival grounds with their families on decorated bullock carts. There they purchase the things required to celebrate Holi, dance to traditional musical instruments, sing songs called Lokgeet, and enjoy meeting family and friends.

The Bhagoria festival is unique to the tribal communities of Madhya Pradesh and northeastern Maharashtra and is one of the largest tribal festivals in India. It is a celebration of the vibrant and diverse culture of these communities and attracts visitors from all over the world. The festival is celebrated in different parts of Madhya Pradesh, with the largest celebrations taking place in Jhabua, Alirajpur, and Dhar districts.

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One of the highlights of the Bhagoria festival is the ‘Bhagoriya Mela’ or fair. This fair is a gathering of tribal communities from all over the region and is a place for people to come together, socialise, and participate in various activities. The Bhagoriya Mela is a lively and colourful affair, with stalls selling food, drinks, and handmade goods. There is also a wide range of entertainment available, including music, dance, and theatre performances.

The Bhagoria festival is famous for its traditional dance and music. The tribal communities of Madhya Pradesh have a rich tradition of music and dance, and the Bhagoria festival provides a platform for these traditions to be showcased. The dances performed during the festival are an expression of joy and happiness and are performed by both men and women. The music played during the festival is characterized by its use of traditional instruments such as the dhol, nagara, and manjira.

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One of the most unique and interesting aspects of the Bhagoria festival is the ‘Haldi-Kumkum’ ritual. During this ritual, married women apply turmeric paste and vermilion powder to each other’s foreheads. The ritual symbolizes the bond between the women and is believed to bring good luck and prosperity. The ‘Haldi-Kumkum’ ritual is an important part of the Bhagoria festival and is performed by women from all the tribal communities that participate in the festival.

The Bhagoria festival is also a time for love and courtship. During the festival, young men and women come together to meet and get to know each other. If two people are interested in each other, they can exchange gifts and formalize their relationship. This exchange of gifts is known as ‘Bhagoria Haat’. The Bhagoria Haat is an important part of the Bhagoria festival and is a time for the young people of the tribal communities to come together and celebrate their relationships.

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The Bhagoria festival is a celebration of the rich and diverse culture of the tribal communities of Madhya Pradesh. It is a time for people to come together, socialize, and celebrate the arrival of spring and the beginning of the harvest season. The Bhagoria festival is an important part of the cultural heritage of India and is a unique and vibrant celebration that attracts visitors from all over the world.

The Bhagoria festival is a celebration of life, love, and joy and a time for the tribal communities of Malwa to come together and celebrate their culture and traditions. The Bhagoria festival is a true expression of the rich and diverse culture of India and is a celebration that should not be missed.

Festivals of India: Sekrenyi Festival

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Also known as Sokre-n and Phousanyi, Sekrenyi is a major annual festival of the Angami Nagas, in the northeast Indian state of Nagaland. It is observed for ten days from the 25th day of the Angami calendar month of Kezei, usually corresponding to 25 February in the Gregorian calendar. The festival is a time for purification, renewal, and thanksgiving, and is celebrated with a variety of rituals, feasts, and dances. It is a purification festival held to wash off all past sins. The objective of the festival is to renew and make holy by cleansing the body and the soul of the village as a whole, and to bring forth unity among all communities of Nagaland. It also marks the initiation of young people to adulthood and is considered an identity marker of the Angami. Christian converts among the tribals have gradually rejected these rituals.

Sekrenyi is a compound word formed by Sekre meaning sanctification and Nyi meaning festival. The festival calendar is linked to the agricultural cycle, which varies from village to village. Thus, the celebration is held between the months of December–March, and the duration also varies from ten to fifteen days. It is celebrated by both the Kruna Angami or Pfutsana and Christian Angami. The duration is reduced to five days for the Christian villagers who had earlier converted to Christianity but belonged to the same ethnic group; they participate in the festivities but they do not follow any of the rituals connected with it.

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Many rituals and ceremonies are involved with the festival. On the first day, which is known as Kezie, people sprinkle themselves with a few drops of rice water drawn from a pot named Zumho. The water drops are first gathered into leaves, and the chief lady of the house reverently fixes the leaves at the three main corner pillars of the house. This is followed by the men assembling at the well to bathe. On the second day, young men of the village assemble in the village to perform ablutions. They adorn themselves with two new shawls, and then ritualistically sprinkle the holy water on their chests, knees and right arms as a mark of washing away all their sins and ill luck. When they come back from the well, a sacrificial offer of a cock is performed.

The fourth day of the festival marks the New Year of the Angamis. It begins with revelry by singing and feasting which lasts for three days. The young people, both men and unmarried girls with shaven heads gather and sing traditional songs the entire day; the songs relate to past days of valour and bravery. For the revelry of music and dance, the men and women of the community wear the traditional dress; while men carry head hunting spades, women carry baskets. The seventh day is devoted to hunting by the young men of the ethnic group. On the eighth day, the ritual involves pulling down a gate and replacing the old gate that demarcates the property. This is followed in the next two days by the people of villages formally exchanging visits and offering greetings. During the period of the ten-day festivities, field operations are suspended, In local terminology, this is called Penyu. Following the completion of the festival period, when men of the villages have cleansed themselves and sought blessings, cultivation, house building and marriages may restart for the year.

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One of the most important rituals of the Sekrenyi festival is the offering of food and other items to the ancestors and the gods. This is done in the form of a feast, known as the Thuwali feast. The Thuwali feast is a grand affair, with a variety of dishes being prepared and served to the community. The food is prepared by the women of the community, who spend days preparing for the feast. This feast is a time for the community to come together and give thanks for the blessings of the past year, and ask for continued blessings in the coming year.

Another important ritual of the Sekrenyi festival is the performance of dances. The Angami people are known for their traditional dances, which are performed during the festival. These dances are performed by both men and women and are a form of storytelling. They tell the stories of the Angami people, their history, and their culture. The dances are accompanied by music, which is played on traditional instruments such as the nga or a bamboo flute and the dama or a drum. The dances are a vibrant and colourful spectacle and are enjoyed by the entire community.

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The Sekrenyi festival is also an important social and cultural event, bringing together members of the community from across the region. During the festival, people from different villages come together to participate in the rituals and ceremonies. This is an opportunity for people to reconnect with friends and family, and to strengthen the bonds of the community. The festival is also an opportunity for young people to meet and mingle, and for potential partners to be introduced.

Festivals of India – Navaratri

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Dedicated to the Mother Goddess and the feminine energy, one of Hinduism’s most revered festivals, the Navaratri is a biannual festival spanning over nine nights and ten days, first in the month of Chaitra which translates to March/April of the Gregorian calendar and again in the month of Sharada which translates to September/October in the Gregorian calendar. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the country.

The word Navaratri means nine nights in Sanskrit, with nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights. Navaratri, which is dedicated to Goddess Durga is all about the victory of good over evil. Goddess Durga fought the demon king Mahishasura for nine days and killed him, marking the triumph of good over evil. In the eastern and northeastern states of India, Durga Puja is synonymous with Navaratri, where Goddess Durga battles and emerges victorious over the buffalo demon Mahishasur to help restore dharma. In the southern states, the victory of Durga or Kali is celebrated. 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.

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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. Many devotees often celebrate Navaratri by fasting. On the final day, called Vijayadashami or Dusshera, the statues are either immersed in a water body such as a river or ocean, or the statue symbolising evil is burnt with fireworks, marking the destruction of evil. During this time preparations also take place for Deepavali or Diwali which is the festival of lights which is celebrated twenty days after Vijayadashami.

The nine forms of Goddess Durga, collectively known as Navdurga, are celebrated during Navratri. Every day of the festival is dedicated to a different incarnation of the Goddess. There is a colour for every day that can be worn throughout the festival. These colours have a lot of importance and are considered auspicious.

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On the first day, Goddess Durga is worshipped as Shailputri, the daughter of the king of mountains, or Goddess Parvati who is worshipped as the wife of Lord Shiva. This avatar embodies the combined power of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. The colour for the first day is red indicating strength. An individual who leads a frugal lifestyle, who is cheerful and bestows happiness, richness, tranquillity, and grace upon all of her devotees, Brahmcharini is worshipped on the second day. Brahmcharini is supposed to be the way to Moksha and royal blue is the colour for the day, associated with a calm yet powerful soul. On the third day, Goddess Durga is worshipped as Chandraghanta who is the epitome of grace and dignity. A symbol of peace and prosperity, she is a strong woman with a lot of power and so yellow is the colour for the day.

Kushmunda who is worshipped on the fourth day, is believed to be the founder of the cosmos and is said to have created the universe and enriched it with flora and fauna. This is why the colour of the day is green which symbolises the globe and greenery. Skand Mata, the commander-in-chief in their war against evil is worshipped on the fifth day. She is the representation of the vulnerability of a mother who can fight anyone when anyone troubles her children. The colour of the day is grey which represents a mother’s fear when her child is in danger and she is determined to do everything it takes to keep her child safe. On the sixth day, Katyayani is worshipped. She was born to the great sage Kata as an avatar of Goddess Durga. While clothed in orange, she emits immense courage and so orange is the colour of the day symbolising bravery.

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Worshipped as Kalratri for her three eyes, dark skin, unkept hair and exuding a fearless attitude with her breath-producing flames, Kalratri resembles Goddess Kali, Goddess Durga’s most terrifying aspect. She wears white, the colour of peace and tranquilly and so the day’s colour is also white. On the eighth day, Goddess Durga is worshipped as Maha Gauri, representing intelligence, peace, prosperity and calm. Her hue was said to have changed from white to black after spending time in the deep Himalayan forests. After Shiva bathed her in the waters of the sacred River Ganga, her body regained its beauty, and she was given the name Maha Gauri, which means extremely white. Pink is the colour of the day, representing hope and a fresh start. On the last day, she is worshipped as Siddhidatri who has incredible healing abilities. She has four arms and looks to be in a cheerful mood. She blesses everyone as a manifestation of the Mother Goddess. The goddess is shown in a happy state as if she were a clear day’s sky. As a result, this day’s colour is sky blue, symbolising awe at nature’s splendour. In South India, on this day, Goddess Saraswati is worshipped who is the manifestation of learning, knowledge, music and the arts through the Ayudha Puja. On this day, everyone worships their tools of the trade so students pray to their books, musicians thank their instruments, office workers pray to their laptops etc. Students visit their teachers, express respect, and seek their blessings.

The festival ends with Dusshera on the tenth day when Goddess Durga was victorious over the demon Mahishasura. In some parts of India, Dussehra is associated with the victory of the God Rama over the demon-king Ravana. In northern India, the Ram Lila of the Play of Rama is the highlight of the festival with different episodes of the epic Ramayana dramatised on successive nights. On Dusshera, the actor playing Lord Rama fires a flaming arrow at an effigy of Ravana which is then burned. In many regions, Dussehra is considered an auspicious time to begin educational or artistic pursuits, especially for children.

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Today, we are on the third day of Navaratri and my prayer is that may Goddess Durga and her various incarnations protect you from everything and remove all obstacles from your lives. May the divine feminine energy grant you all your wishes!

Festivals of India: Pola

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A little-known thanksgiving festival, Pola or Bail Pola is 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, which usually falls 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. This year, the festival of Pola falls today, 26 August.

The cow is considered a sacred animal and is worshipped in the Hindu religion. The states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka celebrate the festival called Bail Pola whereas, in states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the day is also celebrated as Pola Amavasya. The Hindu God and Goddesses are accompanied by animals like a bull named Nandi to Lord Shiva, and the Cow to Lord Krishna. This day is celebrated by the farmers of Maharashtra to pay importance to the cows and bullocks named Bail Pola, meaning Bullock Pola.

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The festival is celebrated among the Marathas of central and eastern Maharashtra with a similar festival observed by farmers in other parts of India, known as Mattu Pongal in the South and Godhan in the North and West India. In Telangana, a similar festival is celebrated on full moon day and is called Eruvaka Purnima.

In preparation for the festival, bulls are washed and massaged with oils and then decorated with shawls, bells, and flowers, and their horns coloured, and they get new reins and ropes. The decorated cattle are offered a special food called khichadi, made of bajari or pearl millet. The decorated bulls and oxen are walked in a procession to the village field accompanied by music and dancing with lezhims, a musical instrument found in Maharashtra made of a wooden rod and an iron chain full of metallic pieces and drums. 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 wreath of mango leaves stretched between two posts, and is followed by all the other cattle in the village. A big fair is also organised during the festival including various sports activities including volleyball, wrestling, kabaddi and kho-kho.

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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 are returned from the procession they are formally greeted by family members, with an earthen lamp with ghee for puja and aarti. On the day following Pola, children decorate wooden bulls with beads and flowers.

It is believed that the festival has gotten its name from mythological events and texts. In one of the episodes of Lord Krishna’s life where he killed a demon named Polasur to save the villagers while still a child. And so this day is dedicated to children and animals and children get special treatment on this day.