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-: Guru
Purab :-
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Guru
Purab is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak,
the first guru of the Sikhs who founded the Sikh faith in the
North India. The two main events which are the part of the
festival are the recitation of the holy book and taking out of
the holy book in a procession. The ‘Akhand Path’ or the
continuous reading of the ‘Granth’ holy book is held in
Gurudwaras all over the country. Langars (community feasts)
are organised where people of all castes sit together to eat
and sing hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib. The celebrations at
Amritsar are especially impressive.
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-: Sharad
Purnima :-
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Sharad Purnima is a harvest
festival which is celebrated when the goddess Laxmi, the goddess of
prosperity, visits the home of all to bring them fortune and good
luck. Kojagiri, the special night, is celebrated with ice-cold,
saffron-flavored sweet rice milk or Kheer is prepared and kept in
the moonlight. On the next day, that Kheer is served to all the
people and other family members. The full moon night is called
Navanna Purnima or the moonlit night of new food. The newly
harvested rice is offered to the god and lamps are lit before the
full moon. |
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-: Diwali
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The word “Diwali” is derived from the Sanskrit
word ‘Deepawali’, which means a row or cluster
of lights. It is one of the most widely celebrated
and most beautiful festivals of India. Diwali is
the brightest and noisiest festival of India. This
festival comes after the 21 days of
Dussehra.
According to the legends the Lord Rama returned
to Ayodhya after his 14 year exile in the forest. It is
said that the people illuminated their houses and
streets with earthen oil lamps to welcome the
Lord. Even today almost every one illuminates
their houses with oil lamps, candles and electric
lights, decorate their houses and distribute the
sweets to each other. The people decorate
their doorways with the Bandanwars or torans
(a decorative garland)
of mango leaves and marigolds. Rangolis (designs
on floor) are drawn with different coloured powders
to welcome the guests.
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On this special day the goddess
Laxmi, the goddess of wealth is worshipped. In the night,
the people wear new clothes, illuminate their houses, worship the goddess
Laxmi, burn
the firecrackers and exchange the sweets.
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-:
Ka
Pomblang Nongrem
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Ka Pomblang Nongrem
festival is celebrated annually in the month of November in Shillong, Meghalaya.
This festival is celebrated for almost five days by the Khasis in
Shillong. This festival is celebrated as an occasion for
thanksgiving for a good harvest and the time to pray for peace and
prosperity. During this festival, the Khasi men and women, dressed in traditional
splendor,
perform the famous Nongkrem dance. |
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-:
Sonepur Fair
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Sonepur Fair is
held at Sonepur, on the banks of the River Ganges. This fair is the Asia’s biggest
cattle fair which is held for about a month.
During this fair, the cattle decorated for the occasion,
swarm the venue. |
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-: Pushkar
Fair
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Pushkar has become a major tourist attraction due to the
Pushkar Fair. Pushkar Fair is held annually in the month of November
on the banks of the Pushkar Lake in Rajasthan. One of the major
attractions of this fair is the camel and cattle fair and camel
races. Thousands of pilgrims came here to take a bath in the holy
waters of the Pushkar Lake. Trading of cattle, camel races and
dazzling displays of bangles, brassware, clothes, camel saddles and
halters are the major attractions of the fair. This fair lasts for
twelve days. |
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-:
Hampi Festival
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Hampi Festival is
celebrated in the first week of November. This festival is
celebrated in Hampi, the ancient capital of the Vijayanagar empire.
Music and dance programmes, drama, fireworks, puppet shows and
spectacular processions are a part of this festival. The Karnataka
state government organize this festival in order to recreate the
grandeur of the ancient Vijayanagar empire and the olden days.
Artists from every corner of India gather here to enjoy the
beautiful splendor of the festival, the village of Hampi.
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