Hindu Festivals

Festival of Durga Puja

 The festival of Durga Puja is a festival showing how good triumphs over evil. It honours the Goddess Durga and different parts of India have different customs associated with the festival.

The story behind the festival is;
All of the gods were threatened by a buffalo that was really a demon called Mahisha. The gods could not kill the beast so they asked the goddess Durga for help. Durga tried to help but every time she cot the buffalo if its blood touched the floor it turned into more demons. It changed shape from a buffalo to a lion, to an elephant and back. The gods gave Durga all of their powers and weapons. She fought and fought and eventually won by standing on its back and chopping its head off.

During the festival many Hindus tell the story of the Ramayana and act out the story with puppets.

Most people go to the temple every day of the ten day festival. There is a special shrine made in a circle which is placed in the middle of the people and they dance round it. The shrine is called a madh. Special food is cooked and shared between all of the people who are at the temple.

Festival of Diwali

Diwali is the Hindu festival welcoming Ram and Sita out of the forest and celebrating the Hindu new year.

Deepvali is the sanskrit word meaning rows of lights.

Some people light decorated candles, some decorated clay diva lamps, and other decorative lights and put them in their windows for the festival. Deepvali is now shortened to the more well known diwali.

A diva lamp has a single wick and is usually brightly coloured.

Many festivals are celebrated in India, and some of them are celebrated in some parts of the country only. But Diwali is one of the greatest Indian festivals that is celebrated all over India.

Diwali is a huge family festival starting with worship followed by a celebration breakfast. Families dress in new clothes and jewels and go visiting others. They exchange gifts and sweets. It is a time to forget quarrels and make up with people that are no longer friends. At night every building is lit with little lamps in hopes that Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth will bless them.

The celebration of Diwali lasts for five days.

Holi:The Festival of Spring

Holi is celebrated by Hindu people to welcome the spring harvest. A big part of the festival is involved in watching or taking part in Hindu dances. In India, the home of Hinduism story telling is very often done through dance. Many people and especially children will dress in costume and mask to tell the story of Prahlad or Krishna. Schools and various community groups prepare plays and dances to show to the local Hindu families.

In the evening they go to the temple for the puja. The priest lights arti or diva lamps, the flames remind them that God is present. They pass their hand over the flame, then pass it over their heads to feel closer to God.

Later they go outside and light a bonfire in memory of Prahlad, thinking about how good overcomes evil. They throw sweets, rice popcorn and dates into the fire. They may cook coconut in the fire and share it between the family and friends. Sometimes in this country they may light fireworks as a part of the celebration.

When they return home they eat a special celebration meal.