Category: festivals
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Holi, Holika Dahan and Holi Milan
Holi, Holika Dahan, Holi Milan Holi or Holika, is a spring festival celebrated at the approach of the spring season, during the 3 or 4 days preceding the full moon day in the month of Phalguna. Holi is celebrated by throwing colors and colored powder in the air. Colorful Rangoli patterns are painted at doorways…
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Maha Shivratri – Celebrating Lord Shiva
Maha Shivratri is celebrated in honor of Lord Shiva on the final night of the Krishna paksha (dark half or waning phase) of the moon (night before Amavasya) in the month of Phalgun (Feb-March) by almost all sects within Hinduism. It is a day of fasting for all devotees of Lord Shiva and is one…
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Vasant Panchami – Saraswati Puja
Vasant Panchami (also known as Basant Panchami) is a festival in honor of Goddess Saraswati, the hindu Goddess of education, learning and the fine arts (music, writing, painting, etc.). The festival is celebrated on the fifth (panch) day after the new moon (amavasaya) in the month of Magha according to the Hindu calendar (usually occurs…
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Pongal Festival History, Significance and Traditions
The festival of Pongal is celebrated mainly in Southern India and is a parallel to the more widely celebrated occasion of Makar Sankranti (January 14th). Pongal is usually celebrated over a span of four days with great fervor and is connected to the harvest, the sun, the end of winter and many more traditional events…
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Naraka Chaturdashi – Second day of Diwali
The second day of the Diwali festival, is the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Ashvin, and is called Narak-Chaturdashi or Kali Chaudas and also known as Chhoti (-small) Diwali. This day is dedicated to the victory of Lord Krishna over the wicked demon king Narakasur. Narkasur had fought against neighbouring…
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Durga Suktam
The Durga Suktam is a combination of mantras and prayers sung in praise of Goddess Durga after the recitation of the Durga Saptasati (seven hundred verse katha). It is particularly relevant during the Navaratri as it helps the devotee focus on the varied and multiple forms and qualities of the feminine power – the Goddess.