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Festivals of India
Discuss issues about the Festivals of India
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India is a land of festivals,These festivals can be termed as
social,
religious,national,local.Every festival carrys a message .Festivals
like, Holi, Rakshabandhan, Deepavali etc are celebrated by every
one.
It is great to read the stories and find out how the stories lead to
customs and special gestures. Thanks for making the festivals more
real to us!
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india is the land I would most like to visit due it's diversity of cultures.the information you have given is truely enlightening.We are from Srilanka.Ours is a school with students from 5 years to 18 or 19.Do you think it would be interesting if other countries also discuss about their festivals here?
ziana natheer , link cordinator, zahira college, matale, srilanka.
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Sankranti Festival of India
17 years ago
Nair
Sankranti is celebrated on 14th Jan 2009. Sankranthi day is a Holy day because people honour it as such. Every day is Holy for those who utilise it for holy purposes, but these are some days set apart as specially significant and Makara Sankranthi is one such. Sankranthi, is so called because the day takes you from darkness to light; the path of light is open from today. On this day, the Sun starts on His northward journey by entering the Makara sign of zodiac. Change for good is Sankranthi. It reveals not only the beauty of the Divine. This day exhorts to glorify the occasion by new aspirations. It calls for the installation of God in your hearts, so that you may achieve victory in the game of life.
We wish every India a Happy Sankranthi.
Vaikunta Ekadeshi
17 years ago
nair
“Shaantaakaaram Bhujanga Shayanam Padmanaabham Suresham
Vishvaadhaaram Gagana Sadrisham Meghavarnam Shubhaangam
Lakshmiikaantam Kamalanayanam Yogibhidhyaarnagamyam
Vande Vishhnum Bhavabhayaharam Sarvalokaikanaatham”
The meaning of this Sanskrit dhyana shloka/meditation chanting is as follows:
I bow to Lord Vishnu, who is full of peace, who sleeps on a snake, a lotus sprouts from his naval, who is the king of gods, the one who is the earth itself, whose skin color is that of the condensed cloud, one who wishes good for the people, who is the consort of goddess Lakshmi, who is seen by the yogis through their senses, I bow to you Lord Vishnu, the one who drives away the fear of life and the one who rules the world.
People fast on this auspicious day, as it is believed to be equivalent to fasting on the remaining 23 Ekadasis that occur in a Hindu year. Special prayers and elaborate rituals are performed in all the Vishnu temples in the world.
Legend Associated with Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Lord Vishnu pardoned two wicked demons and opened the gate of “Vaikunta”/Heaven for them. The demons asked for a boon from the lord that who ever listens to their story on this day and those who pass through the Vaikunta Dwara will find a berth in Vaikunta/Heaven.
In the great epic Mahabharatha the githopadesh/knowledge imparted by Krishna to Arjuna happened on Vaikunta Ekadasi day.
Celebrations in ancient temple of India
The three important Vishnu temples on the banks of river Cauvery i.e., Adi Ranga (Srirangapatna), Madhya Ranga (Shivanasamudra) and Anthya Ranga (Srirangam) celebrate the festival grandly. The three idols are in the sleeping posture. In Srirangam, the celebrations last for 21 days and the lord is bedecked with diamonds armour. These jewels are bought from the northern gate known as “Paramapada Vasal”, which is opened only on this auspicious day. In Tirupathi Thirumala temple, the celebrations are prominent and thousands of devotees make a beeline to the pilgrimage center on this day.
