In
India everything is celebrated, from harvests to the changing of seasons,
from the triumph of a goddess battling evil to the love between a life
its richness and color. Through the sharing of a celebration, society continues
with its traditions and, at time, even creates new ones. Through conquests
and calamities India has held on to its culture. And inevitably every new
generation falls under the spell of this medley of worship and rejoicing.
JANUARY
TO MARCH
Republic
Day
Come
26 January and people line the streets to watch the Republic day parade.
As the President of India takes the salute on Rajpath, marching columns
from the armed forces, tanks and missile carriers rumble past. Camels amble
along, elephants come swaying, schools children turn cartwheels and transform
the solemn occasion into a carnival. An exciting folk dance festival follows
a day later at Talkatora Stadium. The festivities end with Beating the
Retreat, a feast of martial music, at Vijay Chowk on 29 January.
Lohri
On
13th January, a rural festival, Lohri, invades the streets of Delhi and
is celebrated with bonfires in parks and open spaces. Traditionally, Lohri
marks the end of winter.
Basant
Panchami
The
biting winter winds countinue till end January-early February when the
Hindu festival of Basant Panchami welcomes spring.
Statesman
Vintage Car Rally
Statesman
Vintage Car Rally is held in early February on a balmy weekend. Classic
cars roll sedately out on to the roads, ambling off on a day trip to Sohna
in the bordering state of Haryana.
Surajkund
Crafts Mela
is
an annual fair which is held for a fortnight in February. Just beyond the
borders of Delhi, in the state of Haryana, a traditional village fair is
recreated with little thatched huts where craftspeople from all over India
display exotic artifacts.
Holi
On
the day of the full moon is in the month of Phalguna, Delhi braces itself
for a day of uninhibited reverly as Holi is celebrated with great vigour
and joy. All morning people smear Gulal (coloured powder) often mixed with
water on one another and dance to the beat of drums. There is a tradition
in north India of consuming bhang (a derivative of cannabis) on Holi. The
night before Holi bonfires are lit at street corners, symbolically burning
the demon Holika and celebrating the triumph of good over evil.
Mahashivratri
Mahashivratri
is celebrated on the amavasya night of Phalguna. It is said Lord
Shiva danced the tandava nritya (cosmic dance) on this dark night.
He is worshipped at temples with all night vigils and prayers. Unmarried
women keep day long fasts so that Shiva may grant them good husbands.
APRIL TO JUNE
Baisakhi
In
north India, the Hindu new year is celebrated on Baisakhi in mid-April
just as the sun begins to get fierce and the dusty winds herald summer.
Id-Ul-Fitr
Id-ul-fitr
is most often celebrated in this season. It marks the end of Ramzan, the
month of fasting for Muslims. This day is also called Meethi Id (sweet
id), because of a special sweet called sevaiyyan ( a kind of vermicelli)
which is cooked on this day.
Ours
The
Usr of Hazrat Nizamuddin is celebrated with fervour at his dargah. Devotees
put flowers and chaddars on his grave. The nights sway to the
singing of qawwalis, especially those composed by the medieval poet,
Amir Khusro, a friend and disciple of the saint.
Ramnavami
The
birth of Lord Rama, is celebrated on the ninth day of Shuklapaksh (waxing
moon) in Vaisakha with reading from the Hindu epic, Ramayana, at temples,
both large and small.
Buddha
Purnima
Buddha
Purnima is the month of Vaisakha, commemorates not just Lord Buddha's birth,
but also his Englishtenment and Nirvana.
Mahavir
Jayanti
The
birth of Lord Mahavira who founded Jainism, is celebrated around this time
with prayers and processions.
Muharram
Muharram
is observed with processions of emotionally charged devotees wailing and
beating their breasts. Others recount the story of Husain and carry elaborate
paper, pith and tinsel replicas of the tomb at Karbala called tazias.
JULY
TO SEPTEMBER
Independence
day
On
15 August, India celebrates
Independence day with the Prime Minister
addressing the nation from the Lal Qila's sandstone ramparts. On this day
a tradition has evolved of people flying kites and the breezy evening sky
is dotted with soaring squares of fragile, coloured paper.
Rakshabandhan
On
Sravana purnima Rakshabandhan is celebrated. Sisters tie rakhis on
their brother's wrists as a pledge of love and receive their promise of
protection and normally a gift or money.
Janmashtami
Janmashtami
is celebration of bith of Lord Krishna on the eight day of krishnapaksh (waning
moon) in Sravana. Temples across the city are decorated with fairy lights and
colorful exhibits on Krishna's life. Laxmi Narayan Mandir (Birla
Mandir) has a special display which attracts huge crowds.
Id-Ul-Zuha
is
popularly known as bakr Id, the 'feast of sacrifice'. This is time for
celebration for meat-eaters and a spirit of general bonhomie pervades among
Muslims.
Phoolwalon
Ki Sair
is
a festival unique to delhi. It is celebrated in september in Mehrauli.
OCTOBER
TO DECEMBER
Navaratrey
literally
nini nights, commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasur.
Vijay
Dashmi
Navaratrey
ends with this festival. On this day, Rama believed to have defeated Ravana.,
his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnath, filled with fire crackers and
set on fire in community gatherings in open spaces all over the city. Ram
Lila are organised in most neighbourhoods all through the nini days
of Navaratrey.
Durga
Puja
is
celebrated by Bengalis on the last four days of Navaratrey. Images of the
mother goddess, Durga, all fiery power and exquisite beauty, are worshipped
with flowers, incense of the beating of drums.
Balloon
Mela
Around
the same time, the vibrant Ballon Mela at Safdarjung Airport celebrates
adventure with huge exotic hot air balloons lazily floating across the
sky.
Diwali
Dewali
is the festival of lights, falls on Amavasya, the darkest night of Kartika.
It is believed that on this day Lord Rama come home to his kingdom after
a fourteen years exile and the city of Ayodhya lit oil lamps to welcome
him. Sweets and gifts are exchanged between families and friends
admits the bursting of crackers. Doors are left open on dewali for goddess
Laxmi. With many small business establishments in north India.
Guru
Purab
is
the celebration of the birth of first of the ten Sikh gurus, Guru Nanak.Nagar
kirtans are taken out through the streets and in the Gurudwaras,
granthees recite verses from the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book
of Sikhs.
Christmas
Delhi's
year of festivities end with this festival and the New Year Eve when
there are special programmers at most hotels and restaurants across the
city.
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