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Hindu Festivals
Hindus celebrate a significant number of festivals and celebrations, many of which commemorate events from ancient India and often align with seasonal changes. These festivities take place either on a fixed annual date on the solar calendar or on a specific day of the lunisolar calendar. The observance of these festivals often varies by region, with many celebrated predominantly by particular sects or in specific areas of the Indian subcontinent. Terminology Dolu Utsava ''Utsava'' is the Sanskrit word for festivals. The Sanskrit word ''Utsava'' comes from the word ''ut'' meaning "starts" and ''sava,'' which means "change" or "decline". ''Dolu'' means "seasonal colouring". Both the solar and the lunisolar calendars operate based on Dolu Utsava. Observance periods (''tithi'') Hindu calendar dates are usually in accordance with a lunisolar calendar. In Vedic timekeeping, a ''māsa'' is a lunar month, a ''pakṣa'' is a lunar fortnight (two weeks), and a '' tithi'' is a lu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hindus
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent. It is assumed that the term ''"Hindu"'' traces back to Avestan scripture Vendidad which refers to land of seven rivers as Hapta Hendu which itself is a cognate to Sanskrit term ''Sapta Sindhuḥ''. (The term ''Sapta Sindhuḥ'' is mentioned in Rig Veda and refers to a North western Indian region of seven rivers and to India as a whole.) The Greek cognates of the same terms are "''Indus''" (for the river) and "''India''" (for the land of the river). Likewise the Hebrew cognate ''hōd-dū'' refers to India mentioned in Hebrew BibleEsther 1:1. The term "''Hindu''" also implied a geographic, ethnic or cultural identifier for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Navami
Navami () is the Sanskrit word for "ninth", and is the ninth day in the lunar fortnight ('' Paksha'') of the Hindu calendar. Each month has two Navami days, being the ninth day of the "bright" (''Shukla'') and of the "dark" (''Krishna'') fortnights respectively. Navami occurs on the ninth and the twenty-fourth day of each month. Festivals * Rama Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating of the birth of the deity Rama. It is celebrated on the ''navami'' of Shukla Paksha of the Chaitra month. * Sita Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of the goddess Sita. It is celebrated on the ''navami'' of the ''Shukla Paksha'' of the Vaishakha month. * Swaminarayan Jayanti is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Swaminarayan. It is celebrated in Chaitra month on the ninth day which actually falls onto Rama Navami. * Nandotsava is celebrated on Bhadrapada Krishna Navami, the day after the Krishna Janmashtami festival. It is celebrated to commemorate the celebrations of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dashami
Dashami () is the Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ... word for "tenth", and is the tenth day in the lunar fortnight ('' Paksha'') of the Hindu calendar. Each month has two Dashami days, being the tenth day of the "bright" (''Shukla'') and of the "dark" (''Krishna'') fortnights respectively. Dashami occurs on the tenth and the twenty-fifth day of each month. Occasions The Hindu observance of Vijayadashami, celebrated during the festival of Navarati, falls on a dashami. References * Hindu calendar 10 {{hindu-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vijayadashami
Vijayadashami (), more commonly known as Dassahra in Hindi, and also known as Dashāhra or Dashain in Bhojpuri, Maithili and Nepali, is a major Hindu festival celebrated every year at the end of Durga Puja and Navaratri, Navarahtri. It is observed on the tenth day of the month of Ashvin, the seventh in the Hindu Calendar, Hindu lunisolar calendar. The festival typically falls in the Gregorian calendar months of September and October, more specifically between 27 September and 26 October. It is celebrated on the tenth day of the waxing moon (Shukla Paksha) of the Ashvayuja month. Vijayadashami is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of India and Nepal. In the southern, eastern, northeastern, and some northern states of India, Vijayadashami marks the end of Durga Puja, commemorating goddess Durga's victory against Mahishasura to restore and protect ''dharma''. In the northern, central, and western states, it marks the end of Ramlila and com ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Navaratri
Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Ashvin (September–October). It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Hindu Indian cultural sphere. Theoretically, there are four seasonal ''Navaratris''. However, in practice, it is the post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharada Navaratri. There are 2 Gupta Navaratris or "Secret Navaratris" as well, one starting on the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of the Magha Month (Magha Gupta Navaratri) and another starting in the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of Ashadha Month. Etymology and nomenclature The word ''Navarātram'' means "a period of nine nights" in Sanskrit, ''nava'' meaning "nine" and ''ratri'' meaning "night". Dates and celebrations In the eastern and northeastern states of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Durgapuja
Durga Puja (ISO: , ), also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victory over Mahishasura. It is the biggest festival of Bengali Hindus and the Indian state of West Bengal. Durga Puja as celebrated in Kolkata, West Bengal's capital city, was inscribed on the intangible cultural heritage list of UNESCO in December 2021. In addition to West Bengal, Hindu Bengalis are native to Bangladesh and Indian state of Tripura, Assam (Barak Valley), Jharkhand and Bihar (Kosi-Seemanchal); Therefore, Durga Puja is performed with great devotion in these places as well. The festival is observed in the Indian calendar in the month of Ashvin, which corresponds to September–October in the Gregorian calendar. Durga Puja is a ten-day festival, of which the last five are of the most significance. Even though Durga Puja and Navaratri are observ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Navaratri
Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Ashvin (September–October). It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Hindu Indian cultural sphere. Theoretically, there are four seasonal ''Navaratris''. However, in practice, it is the post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharada Navaratri. There are 2 Gupta Navaratris or "Secret Navaratris" as well, one starting on the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of the Magha Month (Magha Gupta Navaratri) and another starting in the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of Ashadha Month. Etymology and nomenclature The word ''Navarātram'' means "a period of nine nights" in Sanskrit, ''nava'' meaning "nine" and ''ratri'' meaning "night". Dates and celebrations In the eastern and northeastern states of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pitru Paksha
Pitri Paksha (, ), also spelt Pitru Paksha, is a 16-lunar day paksha, period in the Hindu calendar when Hindus Veneration of the dead, pay homage to their ancestors (Pitri), especially through food offerings. The period is also known as Pitarpas, Pitri Paksha/Pitr-Paksha, Pitri Pokkho, Sorah Shraddha ("sixteen shraddhas"), Kanagat, Jitiya, Mahalaya, Apara Paksha and akhadpak. Pitri Paksha is considered by Hindus to be inauspicious, given the death rite performed during the ceremony, known as Śrāddha, Shraddha or Tarpana. In southern and western India, it falls in the second paksha (fortnight) Hindu Calendar, Hindu lunar month of Bhadrapada (September) and follows the fortnight immediately after Ganesh Utsav. It begins on the Pratipada (first day of the fortnight) ending with the Amavasya, no moon day known as Sarvapitri Amavasya, Pitri Amavasya, Peddala Amavasya or Mahalaya Amavasya (simply Mahalaya) Most years, the Equinox, autumnal equinox falls within this period, i.e. the S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashtami
Ashtami (अष्टमी ''aṣṭamī'') is the eighth day ( Tithi) of Hindu lunar calendar. Festivals Krishna Janmashtami Krishna Janmashtami or Gokul Ashtami is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, an avatar of Hindu deity Vishnu. Krishna Janmashtami is observed on the Ashtami tithi, the eighth day of the dark half or Krishna Paksha of the month of Bhaadra in the Hindu calendar, when the Rohini Nakshatra is ascendant. Rasa lila or dramatic enactments of the life of Krishna are a special feature in regions of Mathura, and Vrindavan, Nalbari and regions following Vaishnavism in Manipur. Radhashtami Radhashtami or ''Radha Jayanti'' is the Hindu festival celebrating the appearance day of Goddess Radha, avatar of Lakshmi. The festival is celebrated annually on the eighth day of Bhadra month of bright moon. On this day, devotees keep fast, sing glories, dance and enact the divine pastimes of Goddess Radha. Trilochan Ashtami Trilochana Ashtami or Triloc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rakshabandhan
Raksha Bandhan Quote: m Hindi ''rakśābandhan'' held on the full moon of the month of Savan, when sisters tie a talisman (rakhi q.v.) on the arm of their brothers and receive small gifts of money from them. is a popular and traditionally Hindu annual rite or ceremony that is central to a festival of the same name celebrated in South Asia. It is also celebrated in other parts of the world significantly influenced by Hindu culture. On this day, sisters of all ages tie a talisman or amulet called the ''rakhi'' around the wrists of their brothers. The sisters symbolically protect the brothers, receive a gift in return, and traditionally invest the brothers with a share of the responsibility of their potential care. Raksha Bandhan is observed on the last day of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Shravana, which typically falls in August. The expression "Raksha Bandhan" (Sanskrit, literally "the bond of protection, obligation, or care") is now principally applied to this ritua ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
