Festivals on Pitara Kids Network

What is Thanksgiving?

Sun, 04 May 2003 15:43:28 +0000

Celebrated on the fourth Thursday on November, this American festival is an acknowledgement of gratitude for a plentiful harvest. Nearly all cultures celebrate this festival. For instance south Indians celebrate it as Pongal in the month of January, while the north Indians celebrate it as Holi in the month of March.

The American act of thanksgiving began during the early pioneer days almost four hundred years ago.

In 1620, one hundred people sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to land at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in America. However, their first winter was severe and their crops failed in the new climate and unfamiliar soil. Half of them died due to lack of fresh food.

Why is Halloween Celebrated?

Sun, 14 Sep 2003 13:28:05 +0000

“Trick or Treat!” shout little witches, paper-bagged goblins, rubber-masked imps and bed-sheeted ghosts as they extend a bag across for candy. It is October and it’s Halloween time!

Halloween is celebrated on the evening of October 31st, which is the evening before the Christian feast of All Saint’s Day. Halloween’s history goes back to the ancient religion of the Celtic tribes (circa 500 B.C.) from whom came the Britons, Scots and the Irish. Present day Britains, Scots, Welsh and Irish are all descendants from these ancient Celtic tribes.

The Story of Dussehra

Sun, 10 Nov 2002 05:13:15 +0000

Dussehra, also called Vijayadashmi (or Bijoya in Bengal), is the culmination of the nine-day Navaratri celebrations. It is a festival that marks the killing of Ravana, his son Meghanatha and brother Kumbhakarna, by Rama. It is seen as the vistory of good over evil

The Ramayana

The epic Ramayana, describes the story of Rama. Rama was the exiled prince of the kingdom of Ayodhya. While in exile, he lived in the forest with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. One day Sita was abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Rama, assisted by an army of monkeys and Lakshmana, attacked Lanka to rescue her.

What is the Mystery of Dracula?

Thu, 19 May 2005 21:41:38 +0000

As bats flap through the musty castle, a coffin lid creaks open and an ashy white hand gropes for the cover. The lid slides off and a caped figure rises in the gloom – Dracula is on the prowl! Vampires have enthralled generations of readers and moviegoers; and the most popular ‘vampire’ is the fearsome Count Dracula of Transylvania.

Of course, these blood-sucking monsters do not exist and are merely the figment of our imagination.

Durga Puja in Calcutta

Tue, 30 Apr 1996 09:53:31 +0000

Durga Puja in Calcutta [Illustration by Shiju George]

Durga Puja is the biggest festival in Bengal. We celebrate this puja very nicely in our city. We look forward to Durga Puja every year It is a joyous occasion for all of us. In Calcutta, Durga Puja is a wonderful celebration. Being vacation time, we enjoy ourselves very much.

Durga Puja usually lasts for five days. It begins with ‘Shashti’ and ends with “Dashami”. In our locality, we decorate the ‘pandal’ (tent) very nicely . The Honourable Minister of Transport comes for the inauguration of the Puja to our locality . Every year I go with my parents and my sister to visit the pandal and worship the image of the Goddess Durga.

Makar Sankranti

Sat, 14 Oct 2000 08:48:54 +0000

The colourful kite-flying festival of Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan, which falls on January 14 each year, marks the end of a long winter and the return of the sun to the northern hemisphere. Hence the name Uttarayan.

According to Hindu astronomy, it is on this holiest day in the Hindu calendar, that the sun enters the zodiac of Makara or Capricorn, heralding the northern journey of the sun. The day is also of special significance, because on this day, the day and night are of equal hours.

Gurpurab – the birth of Guru Nanak

Sat, 16 Nov 2002 23:08:31 +0000

The Birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, is traditionally celebrated on Kartik Puranmashi, or the full moon day of the month of Kartik.

According to the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Guru Nanak Sahib was born on 15th April, 1469 at Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present district of Shekhupura, now Nanakana Sahib in Pakistan. Since the birthday falls on the full moon day of the month Kartik, that is the day that Sikhs all over the world celebrate the birth of their first guru.

The Story of Diwali

Sat, 27 Jul 2002 09:34:13 +0000

Deepavali or Diwali as it has come to be known as, means many things to many people. It means holidays from school, shopping expeditions for clothes, sweets, gifts and crackers to children. To the office-goer it means an annual bonus that can make all this happen.

To the businessman Diwali means brisk business just as to the clay potter, Diwali is the occasion of the year when the bulk of his sales are made. Diwali has a special significance for the trading communities of India who usher in their new year and new accounting books (‘bahi khata’) during this time.

Onam — The Harvest Festival

Sun, 22 Aug 1999 00:18:26 +0000

The harvest festival of Kerala, Onam, falls on Shravan day in the month of August or September. After a lush harvest, Onam is the time for the farmers to celebrate the bounties of nature and make merry. Like most festivals of India, Onam too has a legend associated with it.

The story goes: A long time ago an Asura king named Mahabali ruled Kerala. He was dearly loved by his subjects and was known to be a just and wise ruler. His popularity soon spread far and wide. Mahabali, however, incurred the wrath of the gods when, besides earth, he extended his rule to the heavens and the nether world. Indra, the king of gods, did not appreciate the growing power of the asura king. The gods approached Lord Vishnu the preserver in the Hindu trinity — to help them out of the situation and to curb the growing power of the asura king. Lord Vishnu in the guise of Vamana (a brahmin dwarf) approached Mahabali for alms. Now Mahabali was a very generous man. He told Vamana to ask for anything. The Vamana asked for three paces of land and the king agreed to it.

The Nine Nights of Navaratri

Tue, 27 Aug 2002 01:29:21 +0000

This year, the end of September marks the onset of Navaratri or “nine nights” in the Hindu calendar. With this begins one of the most festive phases in India, with Durga Puja in east India, Dussehra in north, central and west India, and Saraswati Puja in South India. It also sets the stage for Diwali in the near future.

Navaratri literally means ’nine nights’. This nine-day period, sacred to Durga, is celebrated sometime in the months of October and November. It is considered the most auspicious time of the Hindu calendar.

Ratha Yatra

Sat, 21 Nov 1998 06:25:30 +0000

Excerpts from the book “Festivals of India”
Published by National Book Trust, India.

Festivals bring large numbers of people together in a spirit of joy or devotion, or both. But there is one festival that combines joy and devotion with physical rigour. This is the Car Festival of Lord Jagannath at Puri, in Orissa, popularly known as the Rath Yatra. On this occasion devotees join hands to pull the massive chariots of their deities over a three-kilometre distance.

Holi – The Colours of Spring

Mon, 11 Dec 2000 14:31:18 +0000

Quick, think of spring and what comes to mind? The festival of Holi, of course!! Think of Holi and what springs to mind? ‘Gulal’ or dry colours in bright shades, ‘pichkaris’ or water pistols, and buckets of water to drench people, right? For, winter has finally come to an end, and the friendly mischief of spring is in the air.

And so, on the day of Holi, huge armies of children and adults come out on the streets. They come armed with pichkaris and gulal, waiting to get their coloured hands on anyone with a clean face! It is difficult to recognise even your best friend through layers of gulal, red, blue and green. When applied with water the gulal refuses to leave the skin, at least for a while. There are those who go to the other extreme and smear ugly paint and grease.

Hamid Buys an Eid Present

Sun, 13 Feb 2000 00:29:48 +0000

Festival of Eid
English translation of ‘Eidgah’ (Hindi)
Written by Munshi Premchand
Translated by Khushwant Singh
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

Translated by the veteran columnist and writer, Khushwant Singh, Festival of Eid retains the compelling essence of the original work.

This well illustrated book tells the story of Eid, as it is celebrated in a small village, and stresses that festivals are actually about showing the love and concern that we feel for our near and dear ones.

The Honest Thief

Thu, 08 Jun 2000 12:49:46 +0000

There was once a cunning thief, Bhairav, who always planned his moves carefully. One day he decided to rob the holy men who came to the local temple from far off lands for the temple’s annual festival. He calculated that all these people came from distant towns, so they must be carrying lots of money.

So Bhairav dressed up like a holy man and went to attend the festival. At the temple, he slowly made friends with one particular person who appeared to be wealthy. After spending a few days at the temple, the thief and holy man became friends. The thief was so impressed by the nature of his new friend that he did not want to rob him any more. So much so, that he confessed the original reason for his friendship to the holy man. Surprisingly, the holy man did not call the police. Instead, he gave the stunned Bhairav some of his money.

Winter Festivals around the World

Tue, 23 Sep 2003 12:34:32 +0000

In two weeks it will be the winter solstice (literally means sun standing still) when we have the shortest day and the longest night. Because of the earth’s rotation there are two solstices, one in June and one in December. To us in the Northern Hemisphere who live above the equator, the winter solstice occurs either on the 20th, 21st or 22nd of December.

To those who live below the equator in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn and it is summer time in Brazil and Australia. So while it’s snowing heavily and people are making snowballs and snowmen in America and Europe, Australians are happily surfing the sea and Santa Claus in Sydney is perhaps sweating it out in his fur trimmed suit.

Iftar: The Meal that Breaks the Fast at Ramadan

Tue, 07 Oct 2003 02:39:04 +0000

It is the month of Ramadan (Ramzan) in the Islamic calendar and, for those who believe in it, each day of the month follows an identical routine: a fast from sunrise to sunset. At sundown, after a whole day of not eating or even taking a sip of water, the fast is broken. It is the time when the family gets together and eats a light but energy-giving healthy meal. This is Iftar, or the meal that breaks the fast.

The Song of Hori or Happiness

Sun, 18 May 2003 20:14:09 +0000

Braj mein hori khelat Nandlal.

Kesar rang ki keech bhai hai,
Chahun or udat gulal,
Nachat gopal.

Braj mein hori khelat Nandlal.

Baajat jhanjhar, dhol, majari aur khartal,
Braj ki nari sangh hori khelat,
Nachat dede taal, sakhi.

Braj mein hori khelat Nandlal.

(This song sung by women describes Nandlal, as young Krishna is called, playing hori with the women of Brajbhoomi – the area comprising Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul and Barsana that are associated with Krishna and Radha. ‘Red colour is flying in all directions and the mud has turned slushy with saffron coloured water. Friend, dance to the beat as Nandlal is playing hori’ – so the song goes.)

Mahavir Jayanti

Fri, 01 Aug 2003 14:50:43 +0000

You must have often wondered about the monks with shaven heads, a white robe and a fine muslin cloth covering their mouths and noses. They are monks who follow the Jain religion. They cover their mouths and noses to avoid any involuntary killing – even of germs.

Sometimes they also carry small brooms to remove any small creature out of their way so that they do not unknowingly tread on it. Their lifelong attempt is to live by the principle of ahimsa or non violence. So it is with Jains who lead lives like you, me and others.

Raksha Bandhan

Wed, 21 Apr 1999 12:18:43 +0000

Excerpts from the book “Festivals of India”

Sravani, the sacred thread changing ceremony, and Raksha Bandhan are celebrated on the full moon day of the month of shravan (June-July) and are often regarded as two names for the same festival. This is not strictly true because Sravani is specifically a Brahmin festival referred to in the sacred Sanskrit texts as Rishi Tarpan or Upa Karma. It is a very ancient Vedic festival and even today is regarded as important in Bengal, Orissa, southern India, Gujarat and some other states. The more popular of the two festivals, however, is Raksha Bandhan.

Where is the Twins Day Festival Held?

Sat, 11 Jan 2003 06:25:24 +0000

Are you a twin? And if so, are you a “double” too? Then Ohio, United States is the place for you to be for an August weekend of twin fun. Every year, in August, twins from all over the world gather at Twinsburg, Ohio, for a special day dedicated to twins and for a weekend of socialising, celebration and fun?

The Twins Days festival at Twinsburg is the world’s largest annual gathering of twins. It’s a big club-like event in which twins, “doubles”, triplets, quadruplets and their parents come to this small town near Cleveland.

Deepavali: Festival of Lights

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 03:10:33 +0000

Deepavali – or Diwali – as is commonly uttered – literally means rows of lamps. These lamps light up houses all over the country, but for different reasons.

In West Bengal, it is time to worship Kali, the goddess with the fearsome strength, and in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh it is time to remember Dhanvantari, the divine physician. To some, the lights are a reminder of the return of Rama to his home after 16 years of exile.

Rediscovering a Smoke-less Diwali

Fri, 18 Oct 2002 15:04:02 +0000

Think of Diwali and firecrackers start exploding in the mind – that is how strong the association of crackers is with the festival of lights.

Legend has it that on Diwali, the sound of firecrackers resounds through the universe, announcing the homecoming of Lord Rama after a long period of exile. Another legend says that people began exploding crackers to convey to the gods, their joy at being alive and well on earth.

Rediscovering a Smoke-less Diwali [Illustration by Sudheer Nath]

Now come back to the present when the uncontrolled celebration of the victory of good over evil itself seems to have become a source of pollution. For on the day after Diwali, the entire country looks like a planet devastated by a meteor.

The Making of the Goddess

Sun, 10 Nov 2002 18:22:53 +0000

On an ordinary day, the names Kumartuli and Krishnanagar would not make much of a difference to a Bengali. But come Durga Puja, and these two ordinary towns near Calcutta, become the focus of great attention. For it is here that the clay idols of Durga are made. This age-old tradition of clay sculpture has been preserved by the community of Pals.

Months before the Puja, clay artisans start to breathe life into the images of Durga.

Fun'tastic Ramlila, Dandiya, Jatra

Thu, 11 Jan 2001 07:04:37 +0000

Whether it is a pesky 11-year-old Dashrath struggling to maintain his flowing beard during the enactment of the Ramayana in a street Ramlila, or handsome young artistes enacting Rama and Sita on a professional stage, the feeling is the same for the viewers.

They know the story of Sita and Ram by heart, but every year they wait with bated breath for yet another performance of the Ramayana in performances across the country, and specially in northern India. It is as if they are seeing it for the first time. In the actors they see the epic come alive; the actors, too, do not remain untouched by the fervent chants of the audience every now and then, ‘Bol Siyapati Ram ki Jai’ (Hail Sita’s husband Rama’)

Eid in Yusufpur

Fri, 02 Aug 2002 07:10:11 +0000

Guess what guys?? My dad is taking me to his village for Eid this year. I am so excited that my tummy is all tied up in knots and I can hardly wait to get there. I haven’t yet enjoyed Eid the way papa says he used to when he was small. Well, I am hoping to do so this time.

Let me start with the village first, the way my dad describes it. Yusufpur is a sleepy village in Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh. Its almost as if the residents wait for festival time to wake up. And gosh, what a waking up it is.

Where Holi is the Talk of the Town

Fri, 31 Jan 2003 16:55:46 +0000

Think of Holi and you think of two places in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh where the festival has a special status. First, the area known as Brajbhoomi comprising Mathura, Vrindavan, Govardhan, Gokul (all connected to Lord Krishna’s birth, childhood and early youth) and Barsana (Radha’s village). Here Holi is a robust enactment of the legends of Radha and Krishna.

Then there is the Holi of Banaras. The way it is celebrated is the talk of the town and the famous kavi sammelan or poets’ gathering at Banaras is one reason for this. But that happens only in the evening when everyone has finished drenching each other in coloured water and gorged on chips and sweetmeats like gujiya and malpua.

Holi – The Colour of Fun is Red, Blue, Green

Mon, 20 Mar 2000 04:21:57 +0000

Holi or the festival of colours, is celebrated with great enthusiasm in India, and by the Indian communities settled abroad. It is a time when the young and old alike, are in a mood to make merry. The most important aspect of this festival is its informal nature. Though a Hindu festival, it is played by Indians from all communities – especially in the metropolitan cities of India, where people from all over the country have come and settled. On the day of Holi, it is as if the clock stops running, for it is a national holiday. Even for the newspapers.

A Harvest of Festivals

Fri, 14 Apr 2000 08:25:23 +0000

The Punjabis celebrate this festival as Baisakhi. The Assamese call this festival Bohag Bihu. In Kerala they usher in the new year with Vishu. For Tamilians it is Varasha Porupu, while Gudi Padva is important for Maharashtrians. But what are they celebrating in the first half of April? The start of a new year according to the indigenous calendar system, and the start of a new agricultural season. The harvesting is over and the old agricultural cycle has ended. Winter has been chased away by the colours of spring, and summer is upon us. It is a time for feasts.

Janamashtmi – The Day Krishna was Born

Sun, 15 Aug 1999 17:02:37 +0000

Janamashtmi, or the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna — the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu — is celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervour all over India. It falls on the eighth day of the waning moon in the month of Shravan in August/ September. Lord Krishna is believed to have been born at midnight on this day. The day is marked by fasting, feasting, dancing and singing hymns and prayers.

Lord Vishnu is invoked in his human incarnation as Krishna on his birth anniversary.

Easter's Here

Tue, 22 Jul 2003 16:46:16 +0000

Go out into the market on Easter and you cannot miss the Easter egg on the shop counter – filled with sweets and chocolates, it is irresistible. Several people also paint eggs or emboss chocolate eggs with sugar flowers to gift to friends and relatives.

But what is Easter? Easter Sunday falls on the Sunday after Good Friday and on this day Easter eggs are available in the market – that is what most of us know. In reality, the preparation for Easter starts with a fast 40 days earlier, on Ash Wednesday.

The Woman who Builds Sand Castles

Mon, 08 Jan 2001 04:52:11 +0000

July 31: Ever made castles in the sand? Fun. Isn’t it? All you need are your hands and a little imagination?

Marjon Katerberg builds castles in the sand all the time. And gets paid for it, too. It’s her job.

Marjon is an international sand artist. She has just carved the largest sand sculpture park in the world, according to a report in ‘The Indian Express’.

The park is located at a place called Almeerderzand near The Hague in the Netherlands. It stretches over several acres of land. For two years, Almeerderzand has been hosting a sand-sculpting festival. Marjon’s sculptures are part of this festival.

Here Comes Pujo!

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 14:30:28 +0000

Durga Puja is the most important festival for the people of West Bengal, the Eastern Indian state that has been home to three Nobel Laureates – Rabindranath Tagore, Amartya Sen, and Mother Teresa – as well as Oscar awardee Satyajit Ray.

Durga Puja, or Pujo as it is usually referred to, ushers in a sense of well-being, with Diwali following close on its heels. The timing is just right: the sweltering heat, and the post-monsoon humidity gives way to Sharat or autumn.

Ramadan: The Month of 30 Fasts

Tue, 18 Mar 2003 04:32:49 +0000

Ramadan (or Ramzan) is a very special month for Muslims, people of the Islamic faith. Muslims are people who follow the Islamic religion propagated by the Prophet Mohammed in the seventh century. Muslims believe that it was in this month that Allah revealed the holy book of the Muslims, the Koran (or Quran) to the prophet Mohammed.

The Quran says that the fast of Ramdan is important as it tests devotion and faith. So believers fast from sunrise to sunset every day during the entire month of Ramdan. The roza (fast) is one of the strictest on earth and that means, no breakfast, no mid morning snack, no lunch and no water!

Was Christmas Celebrated Thousands of Years before Christ's Birth?

Mon, 06 Jan 2003 23:28:30 +0000

Did you know that the celebrations at Christmas might have nothing to do with the birth of Christ? In fact they may well lie in a feast called Sacaea that was celebrated thousands of years before Christ’s birth. Over 4000 years ago, in the region that is now Iraq, a five-day festival with the exchanges of gifts, the staging of plays, accompanied by merry making and processions, marked the end of winter and ushered in the New Year.

Holi is For Children

Mon, 21 Oct 2002 23:58:45 +0000

Kamla Mathur was born and brought up in Etah, a small town in Uttar Pradesh. Now, at 65, she lives in Delhi and reminisces fondly of the Holi she and her siblings celebrated at ‘home’, in the area called Brajbhoomi, the land where the Braj dialect of Hindi is spoken. Brajbhoomi refers to the places connected to the legends of the birth and childhood of Krishna and his dalliance with Radha.

As Holi continues to be a significant festival for the Brajvasis, many of the old ways of celebration survive. However, with time, the community feeling has lessened somewhat. Kamla Mathur takes us back to her childhood when Holi meant sheer fun.

The Joy of Flying

Sat, 29 Sep 2001 20:16:46 +0000

Come Independence Day and the markets are flooded with kites. The sky looks like an ocean swarming with tiny tadpoles swimming across from one place to the other. Colourful tadpoles, though!

Although kite flying has been popular in India for hundreds of years, historians believe that kite flying originated in China almost 3,000 years ago. There are many stories, which talk about the origin of kites. One of them goes like this:

The Joy of Flying [Illustrations by Shiju George]

There was a king in China who asked his army men to tie him to a kite and fly him off to the enemy’s territory. The moment he reached above enemy territory, he shouted out that if anyone came out of their palace they would be killed.

The Commerce of Christmas

Fri, 28 Feb 2003 03:00:19 +0000

Can you imagine a Christmas without lights? And no brightly illuminated shops, their racks groaning under the weight of colourful packets of cakes, wine, dolls and every other gift item you could possibly think of? Impossible? Like imagining Diwali without the fireworks?

But isn’t it strange how festivals like Christmas and Diwali are virtually unimaginable without the accompanying glitz that goes with them? Take away the show, the giving and receiving of gifts and people’s enthusiasm about the festivals might evaporate in no time.

Dancing to Glory

Thu, 10 Oct 2002 11:56:59 +0000

It was a children’s dance-drama festival with a difference. At New Delhi’s LTG Auditorium recently, a group of ‘disabled’ children left the audience spellbound with their natural, joyful performances. Some of the children could not hear, others could not see or had difficulty walking. And still others were grappling with mental challenges. But that was no dampener to their spirits as they performed to an appreciative audience of eager parents, teachers and children.

Dancing to Glory

The Annual Inter School Dance-Drama Festival saw over 300 children from 20 schools all over Delhi, participate in the event. What was important was the manner in which all of them overcame their challenges to become performers with joyous abandon.

The Emperor who Rolled his Eyes

Sat, 25 Aug 2001 05:23:40 +0000

At the age of 18, Akbar had been emperor of the Mughal empire for four years. This was 440 years ago, in the year 1560. But the king still had many desires that any ordinary young man would have at his age. He loved cock-fights and he liked to play practical jokes. He also had a great curiosity to know about the lives of ordinary people. For that reason he would go to places where festivals were celebrated — not as emperor but as an ordinary man without any fanfare surrounding him.

Why Mother's Day?

Fri, 11 May 2001 22:44:58 +0000

Why have a particular day to tell your mother that you love her and respect her, some of us might ask.

Why indeed? We could do that everyday.

Right. We could.

But, do we?

So, is it such a bad idea to have a day to honour mothers? After all, we have specific days to honour freedom fighters, leaders or other heroes. And mothers are no less than heroes, considering the amount of effort they put into making their children’s lives a bit more easy and happier. Perhaps some of us may remember this the rest of the year as well.

The Business of Festivals

Thu, 25 Jul 2002 15:48:46 +0000

What is special about Durga Puja is that it’s a community celebration. In Calcutta, specially, almost every neighbourhood has a Puja Committee to organise the Puja in their locality, every year.

Come September and the Committee members begin to meet at each other’s houses and chalk out plans for grand celebrations over endless rounds of cha(tea) and adda (discussion).

Anyone can qualify – all one needs is boundless enthusiasm. These people set up the pandal or the tents that house the festivities. They also organise the idol-making, decide on the cultural programmes — and the feast. It’s all for the cause of Ma Durga. Above all, it’s fun!

Foods of the Festival

Tue, 13 Aug 2002 01:03:53 +0000

All festivals revolve around fasting — and feasting. The latter part is a special attraction, especially with children! We bring you some mouthwatering recipes that are part of the Navaratri and Durga Puja celebrations.

Interestingly, chana, or chickpea – also called Bengal gram and Garbanzo – is part of festival food across India. It is the key ingredient in the Bengali Chholar Dal, the Tamil Chundal and the Maharashtrian Pooran Poli.

Chana has been around for thousands of years. It has been found in archaeological excavations as early as 2500 BC (4,500 years ago) in Kalibangan, during the time of the Harappa civilisation. Buddhist writings of 400 BC (2,400 years ago) make a mention of it, as do much older Sanskrit texts like the ‘Vishnu Purana’.

The Flower Girls of the Mountains

Sat, 15 Jul 2000 22:16:24 +0000

I was back in my village after a long time. Tall pines and Deodars greeted me as I walked uphill, on the twisty ‘kuccha-pukka’ road. It is a small village, tucked away in the lower ranges of the Garhwal Himalayas, in northern Indian state of Uttaranchal. As my house came into view, my thrill knew no bounds. I was glad to be back.

It was a week-long family ‘puja’ that had brought the whole family together at the village. I met all the cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents who had come from different corners of the country, where they now live.

Festive Layers

Wed, 09 Feb 2000 08:23:50 +0000

There are festivals that are built around seasonal and agrarian cycles. Then there are festivals or occasions that are built around the lives of individuals who founded major religions. And there are festivals that revolve around mythological figures of gods and goddesses.

India is one of the few countries in the world, which can boast of observing the most important festivals of major world religions within a span of just 45-60 days!

Festive Layers [Illustration by Kusum Chamoli]

Consider these fascinating facts: In most years, since Hindu festivals follow the lunar calendar, in end-March or early April, Hindus celebrate the birth of Lord Rama. In the late days of winter, is Muharram. On this day the Shia Muslims especially, mourn the memory of Imam Hussain, grandson of Prophet Mohammad, who was killed in the battle for succession following the Prophet’s death. The battle took place at Karbala.

Children's Theatre of the World

Fri, 25 May 2001 04:39:11 +0000

August 5: At this very moment in Japan, a city called Toyama is hosting a very interesting event — the 6th World Festival of Children’s Theatre.

The purpose of this year’s theatre festival is to encourage children of the future to create a new theatre. Through which they will foster new values and a new culture for themselves and others around them. Since it is these kids who will be the new millennium’s first citizens.

India Quiz: Festivals

Sat, 03 Mar 2001 15:25:59 +0000

India is a land of diverse cultures with each culture having its own festivals. Hence, there are numerous festivals being celebrated round the year. Here are a few, let’s see if you know about them.