Find life and light in festivals
India is renowned for being full of colour, life and light; this is best exemplified during one of its many festivals. The explosions of colour and joy can barely be contained as thousands of people converge to celebrate. If you’ve been to a festival in India you can truly understand the enormity of it and what sets them aside from festivals all over the world.
There are multitudes of festivals that take place in India throughout its 28 states but some of the best-known ones include Diwali, Pongal and Holi.
Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is the festival of lights.
Diwali is one the most important Hindu festivals of the year and runs for five days. Diwali is an official holiday in India; it generally takes place at the end of October, early November. Small oil-filled clay lamps are lit to signify the triumph of good over evil.To hindus, darkness represents ignorance and light represents knowledge. Therefore lighting a lamp symbolises the destruction, through knowledge, of all negative forces.The lamps are kept on over night to cleanse the home and also to make the goddess Lakshmi feel welcome. Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, in worshipping her people hope to gain blessings for the new year. Firecrackers burst along the streets to drive away evil spirits and sweets are shared between friends and families. It’s a family oriented event, families perform traditional activities in their homes together, different traditions for each day. Basically Diwali is a festival to cleanse in readiness for a new year of prosperity and happiness.
Holi Festival is the most colourful of festivals.
This should come as no surprise considering it is also called the Festival of Colours. This festival, much like Diwali, also celebrates the triumph of good over evil. This Hindu festival takes place at the end of February or start of March and marks the arrival of spring! It has been said that Holi dates back centuries before the arrival of Christ. The people celebrate Holi by dancing, eating, lighting bonfires and covering each other in colourful powder, causing the crowds to resemble an array of brightly coloured and merry people. On Holi day people hug each other and wish each other a ‘happy holi’. Experiencing this festival will leave you full of joy and add a lot of colour to your wardrobe!
Pongal is a harvest festival mainly celebrated in South India.
Pongal is an important festival for the Tamils who mainly inhabit the state of Tamil Nadu. This festival takes place at the end of the harvest season, around mid-January. Pongal marks the beginning of the northward journey of the sun from its southern most limit (this movement is also known as uttarayana).It is a time to give thanks to the sun, the earth, farmers and cattle for the food that is produced.The festival is celebrated with feasting, gift giving and visiting the homes of friends and families.
If you’d like to see how a festival should truly be celebrated then come and join us in festive India and add more than just a little colour to your life.
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