Navratri

Hi guys.. This is my fifth blog.
Navratri is a nine nights(and ten days) Hindu festival, celebrated differently in various parts of Indian Subcontinent.

Celebrations include Stage decorations, recital of the legend, enacting of the story, and chanting of the scriptures of the Hinduism. Each region of India has their own traditions and forms of worship as well as celebrations. Navratri in Goa is a unique and beautiful festival with a fascinating backstory. Navratri is the festival of nine nights when Durga, The goddess of creativity and procreation, is worshiped throughout India as Bhumika, Bhavani, Bhagvati, Kalika,Mahamaya,Durga  and so on.
Shakti Peethas are shrines or divine places of the Mother Goddess. These are places that are believed to have been blessed with the presence of Shakti due to the falling body parts of the corpse of  Sati Devi, when Lord Shiva carried it and wonderded throughout Aryavartha (India) in sorrow.

There are 51 Shakti Peeths linking to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. Each temple has Shrines for Shakti and Kalbhairava, and most Shakti and Kalbhairva in different Shakti Peeths have different names. The festival of Navratri is celebrated all across the length and breadth of India, however, possibly one of the most unique traditions and celebrations takes place in the Shakti Peeths.

Mahashivratri

Hello,I am again back with my fourth blog.
Mahashivrati is the only festival of Lord Shiva which is celebrated on large scale.The people use Bela leaves and other products from  nature to worship lord Shiva. The festival helps us to believe the friendship of snake with the soil. This festival helps us to know the relation of  nature and God.

According to Hindu Mythology, Mahashivratri is the Lord Shiva favorite day. On the day devotees wake up early in the morning and visit the nearest Shiva temple, to offer cold water, milk and bael leaves on the Libyan, a symbol for the Worship of Lord Shiva, after properly cleaning it.

The worship continues the full day and night. Mahashivratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva.There is Shivratri in every luni-solar month of the Hindu Calender,on the month's 13th night/14th day, but once in the year in late winter (February/March,or Phalguna) and before the arrival of summer, marks Maha Shivratri which means "the Great Night of Shiva".

Different legends describe the significance of Maha Shivratri. According to the one Legend in the Shaivism tradition, this is night when Shiva performans the heavenly dance of creation.,preservation and destruction. The major Jyotirlinga Shiva temples of India ,such as Varanasi and Somnatha, are particularly frequented on Mahashivratri.They serve also as sites for fairs and special events Offering of fruits, leaves, sweets and milk to Shiva are made, some perform all day fasting with vedic or tantric worship of Shiva,some perform meditative Yoga.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple (Varanasi)

Makar Sankranti

Hello guys, I am again come with my third blog. In this blog I will tell you about Makar Sankranti which is most important festival in India.

It marks the first day of sun's transit into the Makara(capricon), marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days. Many go to the sacred rivers or lakes and bathe with thanksgiving to the sun.

Every twelve years ,the Hindus observe the Makar Sankranti with one of the world's largest mass pilgrimage, with estimated 40 to 100 million people attending the event.
Makara or Makar Sankranti is celebrated in many parts of Indian subcontinent with some regional variations. It is known by different names and celebrated with different customs in different parts of the region.

Makar sankranti is regarded as important for spiritual practices and accordingly, people take a holy dip in rivers, especially Ganga,Yamuna ,Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri. The bathing is believed to result in merit or absolution of  past sins. Celebrated as Makar Sankranti in some regions, pongal in Tamil Nadu, Maaghi in Punjab, Bhogali Bihu in Assam and Uttarayan in Gujarat, this is one of the most auspicious days of Hindu calender and indicates the first day of sun's transition into Capricorn. Each region has its significance rituals and unique festivals but the common thread across the country is a spread of delicious food that pays homage to the season.

Ashadhi Ekadashi

Hello I am Ishan,  I'm Again with my second blog. I want to tell the readers more about some Indian festivals.
Ashadhi Ekadashi comes once in a year. It is the festival of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna. It comes before the month of Shravan(in July).This is most important festival in Maharashtra.

Shayani Ekadashi ("sleeping eleventh")or Maha Ekadashi ("The great eleventh")or Prathama Ekadashi ("The first eleventh")or Padma Ekadashi  or Devshayani Ekadashi or Devpodhi is the eleventh lunar day (Ekadashi)of the bright fortnight(Shukla pasha) of the Hindu month of  Ashadha.(June -July).Thus it is also known as Toli Ekadashi in Telugu.
This holy day is of special significance to  Vaishnavas, followers of Hindu preserver God Vishnu. On this day images of  Vishnu and Lakshmi are worshipped, the  entire night is spent singing prayers , and devotees keep fast  and takes vows  on this  day,  to be observed  during  the  entire Chaturmas,
the  holy  four month  period  of  rainy  Season. 

These  may  include,  giving up  a  food  item or fasting on  every  Ekadashi day. This  day a huge  Yatra  or religious  procession of  pilgrimags known  as  Pandhar Ashadi Ekadashi Waari  Yatra culminates at Pandharpur, in Solapur  district in south  Maharashtra, situated  on the banks of Chandrabhaga River. Pandharpur is main center of  worship of the  deity  Virtual,  a local form of Vishnu.

The festivals that brings joy in our life

India has a variety of states.Each state has its unique culture.There are many festivals celebrated in India. There are many traditions in India.The speciality of every festivals and India is well known for it.We are aware about many festivals which are celebrated in India like Ganesh Chaturthi,Christmas,Eid,Diwali. But there are also certain states in India who celebrates some local festivals which we are not aware of ,so in this particular blog I have highlighted some of the local festivals which are celebrated throughout our country.

Onam is celebrated in Kerala. King Bali is 

remembered during this festival. It is said that he comes every year to visit his people. During this festival, the women put rangoli of flowers.Men take part in the boat race in the river.

Onam is celebrated for ten days. Atham is the first day of the celebration. People wear
new clothes, decorates their houses and put flower carpet called "Pookalam" in front of their houses,to welcome King Bali. Special kinds of pujas are  offered in the temples in early morning and younger members take blessing and gifts from the elder members of the family. During Onam traditionals rituals are performed followed by a lavish feast with twenty one home made curries and sweet Payasam on plantation leaf. Carnivals of elephants, fireworks, music and famous Kathakali dance are traditionally associated with this festival. The state government of  Kerala conducts tourism week celebrations in connection with onam,showcasing Kerala's beauty and nature.