Festivals of India: Baisakhi

Posted on April 14, 2021 by memoriesandsuch

Today marks the beginning of the Hindu solar new year and this means its festival time! The new year is set in sync with the solar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar and it falls on or about 14 April every year according to the Gregorian calendar. Across the Indian subcontinent, various communities celebrate the day as their new year. It is the New Year’s Day for Hindus in Assam, Bengal, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand and other parts of India. However, this is not the universal new year for all Hindus. For some, such as those in and near Gujarat, the new year festivities coincide with the five-day Diwali festival. For others, the new year falls on Cheti Chand, Gudi Padwa and Ugadi which falls a few weeks earlier. Essentially a spring harvest festival, in the state of Punjab, it is known as Baisakhi, Vaisakhi or Vaisakha Sankranti as it marks the first day of the month of Vaisakha.

Baisakhi is a historical and religious festival in both Hinduism and Sikhism. For Hindus, the festival is their traditional solar new year, a harvest festival, an occasion to bathe in sacred rivers such as the Ganges, Jhelum, and Kaveri, visit temples, meet friends and take part in other festivities. For the Sikhs, Vaisakhi observes major events in the history of Sikhism and the Indian subcontinent that happened in the Punjab region.

The significance of Baisakhi as a major Sikh festival marking the birth of the Sikh order started after the persecution and execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur for refusing to convert to Islam under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. This triggered the coronation of the tenth Guru of Sikhism and the historic formation of the Khalsa, both on the Vaisakhi day. The Khalsa tradition started in the year 1699, as it is on this day that the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh laid down the foundation of the Panth Khalsa, that is the Order of the Pure Ones, by baptising Sikh warriors to defend religious freedoms. This gave rise to the Vaisakhi or Baisakhi festival observed as a celebration of Khalsa Panth formation and is also known as Khalsa Sirjana Divas and Khalsa Sajna Divas. The Birth of the Khalsa Panth was probably on 30 March 1699. Since 2003, the Sikh Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee named it Baisakh or Vaisakh, making the first day of the second month of Vaisakh according to its new Nanakshahi calendar. A special celebration takes place at the Talwandi Sabo, where Guru Gobind Singh stayed for nine months and completed the recompilation of the Guru Granth Sahib, in the Gurudwara at Anandpur Sahib the birthplace of the Khalsa, and at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Ranjit Singh was proclaimed as Maharaja of the Sikh Empire on 12 April 1801, which was the Baisakhi day, creating a unified political state with Sahib Singh Bedi, a descendant of Guru Nanak dev, conducting the coronation. Vaisakhi was also the day when the British colonial empire official, General Reginald Dyer, committed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on a gathering, an event influential to the Indian movement against colonial rule.

On Baisakhi, Mandirs and Gurdwaras are decorated. Hindus perform a mandatory daan or charity especially of hand fans, water pitchers and seasonal fruits. A ritual dip in the Ganga river or other holy water bodies is often performed and community fairs are held at Hindu pilgrimage sites and in many areas, a procession of temple deities is taken out. Sikhs hold kirtans, visit local Gurdwaras, community fairs and Nagar kirtan processions are held, and people gather to socialise and share festive foods.

The tradition of celebrating Baisakhi among Punjabi Hindus predates the birth of Sikhism. In undivided Punjab, before India’s partition, the Hindu shrine of Katas Raj was known for its Baisakhi fair which was attended by around 10,000 pilgrims, mostly Hindus. Similarly, at the shrine of Bairagi Baba Ram Thaman, a Baisakhi fair was held annually since the 16th century, which is today in Kausar in Pakistan’s Punjab, which was attended by around 60,000 pilgrims and Bairagi saints from all over India used to throng the shrine. The most spectacular gathering of the Baisakhi fair is at Thakurdwara of Bhagwan Narainji at Pandori Mahatan village in Gurdaspur district of Punjab where the fair lasts for three days from the 1st day of Vaisakha to the 3rd day of Vaisakha. The celebrations start in form of a procession on the morning of the 1st day of Vaisakha, carrying the Mahant in a palanquin by Brahmacharis and devotees. After that, the Navgraha Puja is held and charities in money, grains and cows are done. At sunset, the Sankirtan is held in which the Mahant delivers religious discourses and concludes it by distributing prasad or holy offerings of Patashas or candy drops. Pilgrims also do the ritual bath at the sacred tank in the shrine.

According to the Khalsa Sambat, the Khalsa calendar started with the creation of the Khalsa which was 13 April 1699 and accordingly, Baisakhi has been the traditional Sikh New Year. The alternative Nanakshahi calendar begins its year a month earlier on 1 Chait which generally falls on 14 March and begins with the birth year of the Guru Nanak Dev in 1469.

Vaisakhi is an important festival among Dogra Hindus of the Jammu region. On this day, people get up early in the morning, throng the rivers, canals, and ponds and take a ritual dip on this occasion. In Dogra households, a puja or prayer is performed then and part of the food crop is offered to the deities. New fruits of the year are enjoyed with the ritual bath at the Tawi river being common in Jammu. Baisakhi is celebrated at Udhampur on the banks of the Devika river where for three days devotees enjoy folk songs. At Sudhmahadev, this festival is celebrated with great pomp and show where folk singers come down and competition of folk songs is held. You will find vendors with stalls of eatables and games during this time. People also go to the Nagbani temple near Jammu to witness the grand new year celebration. The occasion is marked by numerous fairs and people come by the thousands to celebrate the festival.

In Himachal Pradesh, Baisakhi is an important festival for the Hindus. People get up early in the morning and have their ritual bath. Two earthen lamps are lit on this day, one with oil and the other with ghee and kept in a large saucer along with a water pot, blades of evergreen turf, Kusha, Incense, sandal, vermillion and money and the household deities are worshipped with all these items. Alms are given in form of rice and pulses with small coins called Nasrawan. Fried cakes of black gram prepared a day in advance are distributed to neighbours after the prayers and other special delicacies are prepared. In the evenings’ people enjoy the many fairs organised for three days.

In the state of Haryana, Baisakhi is celebrated with a fair in Kurukshetra at Baan Ganga Tirtha, which is associated with Lord Arjuna of the Mahabharata. There is a Vaisakhi tradition of a ritual bath at the sacred tank of Baan Ganga Tirtha and a fair is held annually on Baisakhi. The Haryana government also organises a Baisakhi festival in Pinjore Gardens to commemorate this festival.

In the state of Uttar Pradesh, Baisakhi is also known as Sattua or Satwahi, as Sattu, made by dry roasting and finely grinding grams is donated and consumed on this day. The common rites during this festival are bathing in a river or pond and eating sattu and jaggery.

Wishing everyone who celebrates this festival a very Happy New Year! Enjoy this day and especially the yummy food, though socialising may still not be allowed under social distancing norms in most countries.

Festivals of India: Lohri

Posted on January 13, 2021 by memoriesandsuch

Today, Punjab will come together to celebrate the festival of Lohri. A celebration of the winter solstice, Lohri is is a popular Punjabi winter folk festival which is beloved in the Punjab region. The significance and legends about the Lohri festival are many and these link the festival to the region. It is believed by many that the festival commemorates the passing of the winter solstice. Lohri marks the end of winter, and is a traditional welcome of longer days and the sun’s journey to the northern hemisphere by Sikhs and Hindus in the region. Lohri is observed the night before Makar Sankranti, also known as Maghi, according to the solar part of the lunisolar Bikrami calendar and typically falls about the same date every year which is January 13 in the month of Paush and is set by the solar part of the lunisolar Punjabi calendar and in most years it falls around 13 January of the Gregorian calendar. An official restricted holiday in the Indian Punjab, Haryana and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Lohri is not a holiday in the Pakistani Punjab, but It is, observed by Hindus, Sikhs and some Muslims there.

There are many folklores about Lohri which is the celebration of the arrival of longer days after the winter solstice. According to folklore, in ancient times Lohri was celebrated at the end of the traditional month when the winter solstice occurs with the day after Lohri celebrated as Maghi Sangrand.

The festival is ancient, originating in the regions near the Himalayan mountains where winter is colder than the rest of the subcontinent. Hindus traditionally lit bonfires in their yards after the weeks of the rabi season cropping work, socialised around the fire, sang and danced together as they marked the end of winter and the onset of longer days. After the night of bonfire celebrations, Hindus would mark Makar Sankranti and go to a sacred water body such as a river or lake to bathe. Over the years, however, instead of celebrating Lohri on the eve of when winter solstice actually occurs, Punjabis started to celebrate it on the last day of the month during which winter solstice takes place.

The festival’s ancient significance is both as a winter crop season celebration and a remembrance of the Sun deity or Surya. Lohri songs mention the Sun god asking for heat and thanking him for his return. Other legends explain the celebration as a folk reverence for the Lord of fire or Agni or the goddess of Lohri. Yet another folklore links Lohri to the tale of Dulla Bhatti. The central theme of many Lohri songs is the legend of Dulla Bhatti who lived in Punjab during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar. He was regarded as a hero in Punjab, for rescuing Hindu girls from being forcibly taken to be sold in slave market of the Middle East. Amongst those he saved were two girls Sundri & Mundri, who gradually became a theme of Punjab’s folklore. As a part of Lohri celebrations, children go around homes singing the traditional folk songs of Lohri with Dulla Bhatti’s name included in them. One person sings, while others end each line with a loud “Ho!” sung in unison. After the song ends, the adult of the home is expected to give snacks and money to the singing troupe of youngsters.

Some people believe that Lohri has derived its name from Loi, the wife of Saint Kabir. There is a legend amongst some people that Lohri comes from the word ‘loh’, which means the light and the warmness of fire. Lohri is also called lohi in rural Punjab. According to another legend Holika and Lohri were sisters. While the former perished in the Holi fire, the latter survived with Prahlad. Eating of til or sesame seeds and rorhi or jaggery is considered to be essential on Lohri day. Perhaps the words til and rorhi merged to become tilorhi, which eventually got shortened to Lohri.

Lohri is celebrated with a bonfire, the lighting of which during this winter festival is an ancient tradition. Eating sheaves of roasted corn from the new harvest and celebrating the January sugarcane harvest is how Lohri is celebrated. Sugarcane products such as jaggery and gachak or peanut candy are central to Lohri celebrations, as are nuts which are harvested in January. The other important food items of Lohri are radishes and mustard greens. During this time, it is traditional to eat gajak, sarson da saag with makki di roti, radish, ground nuts and jaggery as well as til rice which is made by mixing jaggery, sesame seeds and rice. In some places, this dish is called Tricholi.

In various places of the Punjab, about 10 to 15 days before Lohri, groups of young and teenage boys and girls go around the neighbourhood collecting logs for the Lohri bonfire. In some places, they also collect items such as grains and jaggery which are sold and the sale proceeds are divided amongst the group. In some parts of Punjab, there is a popular “trick or treat” activity which is engaged in by boys to select a group member to smear his face with ash and tie a rope around his waist. The idea is for the selected person to act as a deterrent for people who refrain from giving Lohri items. The boys will sing Lohri songs asking for Lohri items. If not enough is given, the householder will be given an ultimatum to either give more or the rope will be loosened. If not enough is given, then the boy who has his face smeared will try to enter the house and smash clay pots or the clay stove.

During the day, children go from door to door singing folk songs. These children are given sweets and savories, and occasionally, money. Turning them back empty-handed is regarded inauspicious. Where families have newly-weds and new borns, the requests for treats increases. The collections gathered by the children are known as Lohri and consist of til, gachchak, crystal sugar, jaggery, peanuts and phuliya or popcorn. Lohri is then distributed at night during the festival. Sesame seeds, peanuts, popcorn and other food items are also thrown into the fire. For some, throwing food into the fire represents the burning of the old year and start the next year on Makar Sankranti

The bonfire ceremony differs depending on the location in Punjab. In some parts, a small image of the folk Lohri goddess is made with gobar or cattle dung decorating it, kindling a fire beneath it and chanting its praises. The folk Lohri goddess is believed to be an ancient aspect of the celebration, and is part of a long tradition of the winter solstice celebrations manifesting as a god or goddess. In other parts, the Lohri fire consists of cow dung and wood with no reference to the Lohri goddess. The bonfire is lit at sunset in the main village square. People toss sesame seeds, gur, sugar-candy and rewaries on the bonfire, sit around it, sing and dance till the fire dies out. Some people perform a prayer and go around the fire. This is to show respect to the natural element of fire, a tradition common in winter solstice celebrations. It is traditional to offer guests til, gachchak, jaggery, peanuts and phuliya or popcorn. Milk and water are also poured around the bonfire by Hindus to thank the Sun God and seeking his continued protection. Chants of “Aadar aye dilather jaye” meaning “may honour come and poverty vanish” are chanted while moving around the fire.

In the northern union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Lohri in Jammu is special because of various additional traditions associated with it like Chajja making and dancing, hiran dance and preparing Lohri garlands. Young children prepare a replica of a peacock known as Chajja. They carry this Chajja and then go from one house to other house celebrating Lohri. In and around Jammu, a special hiran or deer dance is performed. Selected houses which have auspicious ceremonies prepare eatables and children wear special garlands made of groundnuts, dry fruits and candies on the day of the festival.

Among some sections of the Sindhi community, the festival is traditionally celebrated as Lal Loi. On the day of Lal Loee children bring wood sticks from their grandparents and aunts and light a fire burning the sticks in the night with people enjoying, dancing and playing around the fire. The festival is gaining popularity amongst other Sindhis where Lohri is not a traditional festival.

Festivals of India: Karthigai Deepam

Posted on November 30, 2020 by memoriesandsuch

Celebrated on the full moon day or the Purnima in the month of Karttikai or Kartik, the festival of Kartigai Deepam or Kartik Purnima is a pan Indian festival, but celebrated slightly differently and on a different day across north and south India. But commonly it is a festival of lights and is also known as Dev Diwali, the Diwali of the Gods. The festival was celebrated yesterday in South India and Kartik Purnima will be celebrated today in north India.

In south India, it is called Karthika Deepam, Karthikai Vilakkidu or Thrikarthika is a festival of lights that is observed by Hindus of Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and Kerala. It falls in the month of Kārttikai, which falls from mid-November to mid-December as per Tamil calendar and the full moon day of this month is called Karthigai Pournami. In Kerala, this festival is known as Thrikkarthika, which is celebrated to welcome Goddess Shakti. In other parts of India, a related festival called Kartik Purnima is celebrated in a different date. It is celebrated in the name of ‘Lakshabba’ in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. Karthikai Deepam is also known as Kartikeya, or Muruga’s birthday.

There are many legends that have grown around the Karthigai star. The six stars are considered in Indian mythology as the six celestial nymphs who reared the six babies in the Saravana tank which later were joined together to form the six faced Muruga. They are Dula, Nitatni, Abhrayanti, Varshayanti, Meghayanti and Chipunika. He is therefore called Karthikeya, the incarnation of Lord Shiva as his second son after Lord Ganesha. It is believed that Lord Shiva created Muruga from his 3rd eye and is believed that the six forms made into six children and each of them brought up by the six Karthigai nymphs, who were later merged into one by his mother Parvati. While merging Lord Karthikeya also formed into a six faced or Arumugam and twelve handed god. Lord Murugan is also portrayed with his six faces and worshiped with six names. As the six nymphs helped in growing and nurturing the child, Lord Shiva blessed them immortality as stars on the sky. Any worship performed to these six stars is equal to worshiping Lord Muruga himself. The stars are worshiped by lighting up rows of oil lamps or Deepam in the evening of the festival day around the houses and streets.

One of the earliest references to the festival is found in the Aganaanooru, a book of poems, which dates back to the Sangam Age which was between 200 BC to 300 AD. The Aganaanooru clearly states that Karthigai is celebrated on the full moon day or Pournami of the month of Karthigai, as per the South Indian calendar. It was one of the most important festivals of the ancient Tamils, including what is now the areas of modern Kerala. Avaiyyar, the renowned poet of those times, refers to the festival in her songs and Karthikai Deepam is one of the oldest festivals celebrated by Tamil people. The festival finds reference in Sangam literature like Akanaṉūṟu and the poems of Auvaiyar and is referred in Sangam literature as Peruvizha.

In Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva appeared as an endless flame of light before Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma, who each considered himself supreme and said that the matter could be tested if the two could search for Lord Shiva’s Head and feet. Lord Vishnu took the form of a boar which in Sanskrit means Varaha and Varaham in Tamil and delved deep into the earth. Lord Brahma took the form of a swan which in (Sanskrit means Hansa and Annam in Tamil and flew towards the skies. Lord Vishnu failed in his search and returned, but Lord Brahma, chancing upon a piece of Thazhambu, a flower which is a species of screwpine and learnt from it that it had been floating down for thirty thousand years from Lord Shiva’s head. He seized upon this and claimed to Lord Shiva that he had seen his head. Lord Siva realised that Lord Brahma has uttered a falsehood and pronounced that there would never be a temple for Lord Brahma in this world. He also prohibited the use of the flower Thazhambu in his worship. The day this incident took place was on the full moon of Karthigai month and it is believed that Lord Shiva appeared as a hill at Thiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu. Since Lord Shiva appeared as a flame, this day is called Karthikai Maha Deepam.

On the day and the eve of Karthigai, rows of Agal vilakkus or clay oil lamps are lit in every house. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol and is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai. We usually light the lamps and place it in every corner of the house to dispel all darkness. I love this festival and even as a child, would love to help my mother light the lamps and place them all over the house. Some people light lamps outside their homes throughout the month of Karthigai and this is something my mother started recently and one that I have also started doing from this year onwards. Children also burst any crackers left over from Diwali (or which their parents may have hidden from them because I believe no child will ever have leftover crackers) and in communities where the Tamil population is dense, this festival is literally like another festival of lights. Growing up in a secular community which comprised of people from different communities, but with a large Tambram diaspora, we grew up loving this festival which was just as important to us as Diwali. Traditional sweets for the festival are laddus made from various kinds of popped rice sweetened with jaggery.

This festival is also celebrated to commemorate the bonding between brothers and sisters in South India, somewhat similar to how Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dhooj are celebrated elsewhere in India. Sisters pray for the prosperity and success of their brothers and light lamps, specifically an elephant lamp or Gajalakshmi Vilakku to mark the occasion as a sign of prosperity and wealth. There is a story behind lighting the elephant lamp. Once upon a time there lived a King and he had only one daughter. She loved an elephant which grew with her and she considered the elephant as her own brother. After her marriage she missed her brother, the elephant very much and so on every Karthigai Deepam, she would light an elephant lamp and prepare tender coconut as well as elephant leg size offerings for him which is still continued today to honour the bond between the princess and her elephant brother.

In the holy temple of Thiruvannamalai, the Thiruvannamalai Maha Deepam gets lit at around 6 pm at the top of 2668 ft high holy mountain. The entire Mountain is said to be a Shiva Linga and the Maha Deepam is lit using nearly 3500 kg of ghee with Sri Arthanareeshwara blessing devotees in the temple at the time of lighting the Maha Deepam. The Maha Deepam is visible around the Holy Mountain in a radius of 35 km and hundreds of thousands of devotees perform the 16 km Girivalam or circumambulation of the holy mountain. The moist black ash that remains after the lighting of the ghee & cotton wick gets distributed as prasadam or holy offerings to devotees on the Marghazhi Arudra Darisanam day, which falls between mid December to mid-January.

This festival is also famous in the Koneshwaram temple in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka where it is celebrated for three days. The first day is called Appa Karthigai, the second Vadai Karthigai and the final day is called Thiru Karthigai, widely considered as the Karthigai day, when the main pooja is performed. On Karthigai day, a huge fire lamp is lit up on the hill and is visible for several kilometers around. The fire is called Mahadeepam and Hindu devotees visit the place to pray and make offerings to lord Shiva.

For followers of the Sikh faith, this day is celebrated as Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurpurab and Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jayanti, which celebrates the birth of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak. This is one of the most sacred festivals in Sikhism. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born on Puranmashi of Kattak in 1469, according to the Bikrami calendar in Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present Shekhupura district of Pakistan, now known as Nankana Sahib.

Festivals of India: Chhath Puja

Posted on November 18, 2020 by memoriesandsuch

India is a land of festivals and you will see various communities across the country celebrating different festivals throughout the year. An ancient Hindu Vedic festival, Chhath is historically native to the Indian subcontinent, specifically, the north-eastern states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh and the Madhesh region of Nepal. Celebrated a week of Diwali, Chhath Puja is dedicated to the Sun and Shashthi devi, also known as Chhathi Maiya in order to thank them for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes with devotees believing that the Sun is also a source of healing and helps to cure many illnesses and diseases. The most unique feature of this festival is the fact that unlike all the other major Hindu festivals, there is no idol worship. The Chhath Puja in 2020 is on Saturday, November 21.

It is believed that the main sources of Sun’s powers are his wife Usha and Pratyusha. In Chhath, there is a combined worship of both the powers along with the Sun. In the morning, the worship of the first ray or Usha and the last ray or Pratyusha of the sun in the evening are offered to both of them. And the rituals are rigorous and are observed over a period of four days. They include holy bathing, fasting and abstaining from food and water, standing in water for long periods of time, and offering Prasad or prayer offerings and arghya to the setting and rising sun. Some devotees also perform a prostration march as they head for the river banks.

Although the festival is observed most elaborately in the Madhesh or the southern region of Nepal and the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and UP, it is also more prevalent in areas where migrants from those areas have a presence. It is celebrated in all Northern regions and major Northern urban centers in India.

There are two types of the Chhath Puja, the Chaitra Chhath which is celebrated in the Chaitra month which begins around 22/23 March and the Kartik Chhath which is the more famous one and which is celebrated in a large scale in the month of Kartika, which corresponds to about 22/23 October according to the Gregorian calendar. The word “Chhath” translates to sixth in Bhojpuri, Maithili and Nepali dialects. The festival is celebrated on the 6th day of the Kartikeya month of the Hindu calendar and hence is known as the Chhath Puja. According to the English Calendar, it falls in the month of October or November. This festival lasts for 4 days, which makes it the longest festival after Navratis.

Chhath Puja is considered to be one of the oldest rituals mentioned in the prominent mythological scriptures. The Rigveda also contains some hymns worshipping the Lord Surya. Chhath Puja has been mentioned in both the major Indian epics. In the Ramayana, when Lord Rama and Sita returned Ayodhya, people celebrated Diwali in the joy of their arrival. On the sixth day the Ramrajya was established and on this day Rama and Sita fasted and the Surya Shashthi or Chhath Puja was performed by Sita. It is said she was blessed with the twins, Luv and Kush. It is believed that Sita Charan temple in Munger, Bihar is the place where she performed the Chhath vrat.

According to the Mahabharata, Lord Surya’s son Karna was the first person to perform some of these rituals. He offered prayer to the Sun god standing in the water and offered Prasad to the needy. This gradually became a ritual of the Chhat Puja. Later, Draupadi and the Pandavas performed these rituals to regain their lost kingdom.

Apart from the religious significance, there is also some science associated with the rituals of Chhath Puja. To complete the rituals, devotees have to stand at the banks of the rivers for long hours. So these rituals take place in the morning and evening as the ultraviolet rays of the sun are at their weakest during the sunrise and sunset. The sun rays at these moments are extremely beneficial and help in the detoxification of the body, mind, and soul. The festival also has an agricultural significance and is referred to as a post-harvest festival, where people show gratitude for a good harvest in the season just ended.

The main worshipers, called parvaitin, which comes from the Sanskrit word parv, meaning “occasion” or “festival”, are usually women. However, many men also observe this festival as Chhath is not a gender-specific festival. The parvaitin pray for the well-being of their family, and for the prosperity of their offspring. In some communities, once a family member starts performing Chhath Puja, it is their duty to perform it every year and to pass it on to the following generations. The festival is skipped only if there happens to be a death in the family that year. If the person stops performing the ritual on any particular year, it stops permanently and one cannot resume it. In other communities, this is not mandatory.

The 4-day rituals of Chhath Puja include taking holy baths in the river, fasting, and offering Prasad and arghya to the sun during sunrise and sunset. On the first day, called Nyay-Khay, devotees take a bath in the holy water of Ganga early in the morning. After this they prepare prasad to offer to the Sun god. The entire house and surroundings are purified with Ganga Jal. People observe fast and eat just one meal in the entire day. They prepare chane ki daal, kaddu ki sabzi, and kheer in bronze or soil utensils. Salt is not added in the preparation of this meal.

During the second day, called Lohanda and Kharna or Argasan, the devotees fast for the entire day and break it after worshipping the Sun god in the evening. A special meal of Tasmai, which is a dish similar to kheer, and puris are offered to the Sun God, after which devotees can break their fast. After worshipping the god and breaking their fast, people again fast for the next 36 hours. They go without water and food during this time.

The third day of Chhath Puja called Sandhya Arghya or the evening offerings is also observed by fasting and without drinking even a drop of water. On this day, the children of the family prepare bamboo baskets and fill them with seasonal fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, dry fruits and sweets like ladoo, saanch, and thakua. The male members take the basket in their heads to the riverside. These baskets are kept open at the ghats where the Vratin takes a dip, and offer ‘arghya’ to the setting sun. These baskets are brought back to the house after the ritual. At night, a colorful event called Kosi is celebrated by lighting diyas under five sugarcane sticks while singing folk songs and mantras. These five sticks represent the five elements of nature or the Panchatattva which includes the earth, water, fire, air, and space.

On the last day, called Bihaniya Arghya or morning offerings, devotees gather with their families on the banks of the River before sunrise. The baskets are brought back to the ghats and vratin takes a dip in the water and offer prayers and prasad to the Sun and Usha. After the offerings, the devotees break their fast and have Prasad from the baskets. On the way back home, the vratin worship the soil as a gesture of thanks for providing them with food.

The process of Chhath Puja is divided into six stages of purification and infusion of cosmic solar energy. The process of fasting during the Chhath Puja helps in detoxifying the mind and body. This is done to prepare the mind and body of the devotee to accept the cosmic solar energy. Standing in a river or any water body reduces the release of energy from your body. This stage also facilitates the prana or the psychic energy to move upwards to the Sushumna or the psychic channel in the spine. At this stage, the cosmic solar energy enters the Triveni complex which are the pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus glands. This process is done through the retina and optic nerves and in this stage, the Triveni complex gets activated. After activation of the Triveni complex, the spine gets polarised which turns the body of devotee into a cosmic powerhouse that can receive the Kundalini Shakti. In the final stage, the body of the devotee turns into a channel that can conduct, recycle and transmit the energy of the entire universe. It is believed that these rituals detoxify the body and mind and provides mental calmness. It also enhances immunity, infuses energy and reduces the frequency of anger, and all other negative emotions.

Although celebrated in many Indian states, the Chhath Puja celebrations in Bihar and Jharkhand have a distinct charm. Both of these places attract a crowd of devotees from around the country during this time. In Bihar, the capital city of Patna, which is situated on the banks of the Ganges river celebrates the festival on a grand level and is probably the best place to offer prayers and witness the magnificent celebrations across the city. The Kaunhara ghat located on the banks of the Ganga-Gandaki confluence in Hajipur, is decorated with lights and earther lamps with the ghats and other water bodies being a sight to behold. It is believed that that the Goddess Sita performed the Chhath Puja rituals at the Sita Charan temple located in Munger where millions of devotees take a dip in the water in the Kastaharni Ghat. In the state of Jharkhand, the most popular place for Chhath Puja rituals in the city of Ranchi is the Ranchi Lake. Other popular places include the Button Talab, Kunkay Talab, and Hatia Ghat. In Jamshedpur, the ghats of Bagbera, Mango, Kharkai, Subarnarekha and Sidhgora are some of the favorite spots for devotees to offer prayers to the Sun God. Bokaro’s Ganga river and the seven ghats along the river see devotees from around the country. Other ponds and reservoirs including the Cooling pond, City park pond, and Rani Pokhar pond are also used by devotees to offer their prayers.

This is a very interesting and unique festival which I had not really heard of before the infamous photo that went viral of devotees standing in a chemical infused, foam filled toxic waters of the Yamuna river in New Delhi. So I decided to research more on this festival and I am intrigued and want to, one day, visit Bihar or Jharkhand to see it for myself.

Festivals of India: Onam

Posted on August 31, 2020 by memoriesandsuch

The state festival of Kerala, Onam is holiday and a harvest festival which falls on the 22nd nakshatra Thiruvonam in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam, which in Gregorian calendar overlaps with August–September. Legends say the festival is celebrated to commemorate King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam.

Onam is one of three major annual Hindu celebrations along with Vishu and Thiruvathira celebrated in Kerala and it is observed with numerous festivities. Onam celebrations in the state include Vallam Kali or boat races, Pulikali or tiger dances, Pookkalam or flower Rangoli, Onathappan or worship, Onam Kali or Tug of War, Thumbi Thullal which is a women’s dance, Kummattikali or the mask dance, Onathallu or martial arts, Onavillu which means music, Kazhchakkula or the plantain offerings, Onapottan or costumes, Atthachamayam or folk songs and dance, and other celebrations. It is the New Year day for Malayalis worldwide.

During the Onam, Hindus install an image of Thrikkakara Appan or Onatthappan who is Vishnu in the form of Vamana in their home. Many lamps are lit in temples during this celebration with a palmyra tree erected in front of temples and surrounded with a wooden balustrade and covered with dry palmyra leaves. It is then lit with a torch and burned to ashes to signify that King Mahabali went to Patala as a sacrifice. The swing is another integral part of Onam, especially in the rural areas. Young men and women, decked in their best, sing Onappaatt, or Onam songs, and swing one another on swings slung from high branches.

The state celebrates Onam in a grand scale with public holidays that start four days from Uthradom or the eve of Onam to Thiruvonam or the sacred day of Onam which falls today 31 August. Major festivities take place across 30 venues in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. It is also celebrated by the Malayali diaspora around the world. Though a Hindu festival, non-Hindu communities of Kerala participate in Onam celebrations considering it as a cultural festival and something unique to their state.

There are two common and popular legends to this festival. The first one is about the King Mahabali. According to the Hindu mythology, Mahabali was the great- great-grandson of a Brahmin sage named Kashyapa, the great-grandson of demonic dictator, Hiranyakashipu, and the grandson of Vishnu devotee Prahlada who came to power by defeating the gods and taking over the three worlds. According to Vaishnavism mythology, the defeated Devas approached Vishnu for help in their battle with Mahabali. Vishnu refused to join the gods in violence against Mahabali, because Mahabali was a good ruler and his own devotee. He, instead, decided to test Mahabali’s devotion at an opportune moment. Mahabali, after his victory over the gods, declared that he would perform a fire sacrifice or Yajna and grant anyone any request during the Yajna. Vishnu took on his fifth avatar, that of a dwarf boy called Vamana and approached Mahabali. The king offered anything to the boy; gold, cows, elephants, villages, food, whatever he wished. The boy said that one must not seek more than one needs, and all he needed was “three paces of land.” Mahabali agreed. Vamana started to grow and grew to an enormous size, and covered everything Mahabali ruled over in just two paces. For the third pace, Mahabali offered his head for Vishnu to step on, an act that Vishnu accepted as evidence of Mahabali’s devotion. Vishnu granted him a boon, by which Mahabali could visit again, once every year, the lands and people he previously ruled. This revisit marks the festival of Onam, as a reminder of the virtuous rule and his humility in keeping his promise before Vishnu. The last day of Mahabali’s stay is remembered with a nine-course vegetarian Onasadya feast.

An alternate legend behind Onam relates to Parashurama, an incarnation of Vishnu who is credited in Hindu mythology to have created the Western Ghats from the southern tip of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, all the way up to Maharashtra. According to this legend, Vishnu got upset with the kings and the warrior caste who were constantly at war and were arrogant over others. Vishnu took the avatar of Parashurama, or “Rama with an axe” and also known as Rama Jamadagyna, in the era of King Kaartavirya. This king persecuted and oppressed the people, the sages and the gods. One day, the king came to the hermitage of Parashurama and his mother Renuka, where while Parashurama was away, the king without permission took away the calf of their cow. When Parashurama returned, he felt the injustice of the king, called him to war, and killed the king and all his oppressive warriors. At the end, he threw the axe, and wherever it fell, the sea retreated, creating the land of Kerala and other coastal western parts of Indian subcontinent. Another version states that Parashurama brought Namboodiri Brahmins to southwestern parts of India, by creating a mini-Himalaya-like mountain range with his axe. The Onam festival, according to this legend, celebrates Parashurama’s creation of Kerala by marking those days as the new year. The legend and worship of Parashurama is attested in texts and epigraphs dated to about the 2nd century.

Not only Hindus, but Onam is also celebrated by Orthodox Christians and most Muslims. In churches, it is celebrated with with local rituals which start with the lighting of Nilavilakku, an arati that includes waving of flowers or the pushparati over the Bible, eating the Onam meal together with the Hindus as a form of communion of brothers and sisters of different faiths. These practices are seen by the Kerala Christians as a form of integration with Hindus, showing mutual respect and sharing a tradition which transcends religion.

The month of Chingam, when Onam is celebrated, is the first month according to the Malayalam Calendar. The celebrations mark the Malayalam New Year and are spread over ten days, and conclude with Thiruvonam. The ten days are sequentially known as Atham, Chithira, Chodhi, Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketa, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradam and Thiruvonam. The first and the last day are particularly important in Kerala and to Malayalee communities worldwide.

The Atham day is marked with the start of festivities at the Vamanamoorthy Thrikkakara temple in Kochi. This Vishnu temple is considered as the focal centre of Onam and the abode of Mahabali and festivities start with the raising of the festival flag. Parades are held, which are colourful and depict the elements of Kerala culture with floats and tableaux. Other days have diverse range of celebrations and activities ranging from boat races, cultural programs, sports competitions, dance events, martial arts, floral Rangoli called pookkalam, prayers, shopping, donating time or food for charity to spending time with family over feasts. Men and women wear traditional dress. The Kerala sari or Kasavu sari is particularly wore on this day.

Onam starts off every year with a grand parade called Athachamayam at Thrippunithura near Kochi, also referred to as the Thripunithura Athachamayam. The parade features elephants marching, drum beats and other music, folk art forms, floats and colorfully dressed people with masks. In Kerala’s history, the Kochi king used to head a grand military procession in full ceremonial robes from his palace to the Thrikkakara temple, meeting and greeting his people. In contemporary times, this a state-supported event. The procession path historically has been from Tripunithura to the Vamanamoorthy Temple in Thrikkakara in Ernakulam district. The temple is dedicated to Vishnu in his Vamana or dwarf avatar. After arrival at the temple, the marchers offer a prayer.

The floral carpet, known as Onapookkalam or just Pookkalam, is made out of the gathered blossoms with several varieties of flowers of differing tints pinched up into little pieces to design and decorate patterns on floor, particularly at entrances and temple premises like a flower mat. Lamps are arranged in the middle or edges. It is a work of religious art, typically the team initiative of girls and women, who accomplish it with a delicate touch and a personal artistic sense of tone and blending. When completed, a miniature pandal or an umbrella hung with little festoons is erected over it. The pookkalam is similar to Rangoli which is made of powders of various colors and is popular in North India. Kerala during Onam is transformed into aflower garden with pookolams found in every home and public space to celebrate the festival. The traditional ritual of laying the pookkalam starts on Atham day and the pookkalam on this day is called Athapoo which is relatively small in size. The size of the pookkalam grows in size progressively with each day of the Onam festival. Only yellow flowers will be used on Atham with only one circular layer made and the design is kept simple. Statues or figurines of Mahabali and Vamana are also installed at the entrance of each house on this day. Traditionally, Atthapookalams included flowers endemic to Kerala, but nowadays all varieties of flowers are used. Earthen mounds, which look somewhat like square pyramids, representing Mahabali and Vamana are placed in the dung-plastered courtyards in front of the house along with the Pookalam, and beautifully decorated with flowers. All over Kerala, Pookalam competitions are a common sight on Onam day.

Traditional dance forms including Thiruvathira, Kummattikali, Pulikali, Thumbi Thullal, Onam Kali and others are performed during this period. Thiruvathira Kali is a women’s dance performed in a circle around a lamp. Kummattikali is a colourful-mask dance. In Thrissur, festivities include a procession consisting of caparisoned elephants surrounded by Kummatikali dancers. The masked dancers go from house to house performing the colorful Kummattikali. Onam Kali is a form of dance where players arrange themselves in circles around a pole or tree or lamp, then dance and sing songs derived from the Ramayana and other epics. Kathakali dance is also commonly performed during this time, with dancers enacting famous mythological legends. Pulikali, also known as Kaduvakali is a common sight during Onam season. This dance showcases performers painted like tigers in bright yellow, red and black, who dance to the beats of instruments like Chenda and Thakil. This folk art is mainly performed in the cultural district of Thrissur and thousands pour into the city to be a part of this art. Performances of the ritual worship dance, Theyyam, are given during the Onam season.

At the Thrikkakara temple, every day of the festival showcases one or more of these activities including Kathakali, Thiruvathira, Chakyar Koothu, Ottam Thullal, Patakam, Onam songs, and percussion instrument shows. The Onasadya here is grand in scale, and is attended by over ten thousand people from all religions and faiths. Festivities include Puli Kali or the masked leopard dance and traditional dance forms like Kaikotti Kali which are performed in various functions. The official Government celebrations start on this day with heavy illuminations in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode along with fireworks. Most cities in Kerala, are lit up with lights and fabulous displays of fireworks. Sumptuous Onam Sadya feasts are prepared. In the Thrikkakara temple, a mega-feast is conducted, which is open to the public and is attended by more than twenty thousand people.

The Vallamkali or the snake boat race is another event that is synonymous with Onam. Well-known races include the Aranmula Uthrattadhi Boat Race and the Nehru Trophy Boat Race. Numerous oarsmen row huge snake-shaped boats and people come from far and near to watch and cheer the snake boat race through the water. This event is particularly featured on the Pampa River, considered sacred and Kerala equivalent to the Ganges River.

What’s a festival without food? A Sadya is the traditional nine or more course vegetarian meal served on banana leaf and the Onam festival is marked with a special feast lunch on last day and includes rice and a sweet at the end. The Onasadya reflects the spirit of the season and is traditionally made with seasonal vegetables such as yam, cucumber, ash gourd and so on. The feast is served on plantain leaves and consists of nine courses, but may include over two dozen dishes. The feast ends with a series of dessert called Payasam eaten either straight or mixed with ripe small plantain. The importance of the feast to the Kerala’s Onam celebration culture is captured in the famous Malayalam proverb “Kaanam Vittum Onam Unnanam” which means “One must have the Onam lunch even by selling one’s property, if need be.” The Travancore-style Onasadya is renowned to be the most disciplined and tradition-bound.

Normally, the largest chunk of Onam celebrations ends by Thiruvonam. However, the two days following Thiruvonam are also celebrated as third and fourth Onam. The third Onam, called Avvittom marks the preparations for King Mahabali’s return ascension to heavens. The main ritual of the day is to take the Onathappan statue which was placed in the middle of every Pookkalam during the past 10 days and immerse it in a nearby river or the sea. The Pookkalam will be cleaned and removed after this ritual.

To everyone celebrating Onam, here’s wishing you a very Happy Onam. May the colour and lights of Onam fill your home with happiness and joy.

Aishwaryathintheyum, Samridhiyudaeyum ThiruvONAM Aashamsikkunnu. Ellavarkkum Ente Hridayam Nirannja Onashamsagal!

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