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Eternal India
encyclopedia
FESTIVALS AND FAIRS
NAGALAND
The tribes of Nagaland celebrate festivals like the
Sekrenyi Moatsu,
Tuluni
and
Tokhu Emong.
The Naga tribes celebrate the
Sekreni
Genna.
TRIPURA
Karchi Puja
(July), seven-day festival at Agartala at Chaturdash
Devta temple followed by
Ker Puja.
Tripureshwari temple
Festival (November) held during
Diwali
at Udaipur. Other festivals celebrated are
Ker Puja, Garia Puja
,
Ganja
Puja
,
Durga Puja
and
Pans
-
Sankranti Mela.
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
The major festivals are
Losar, Khan, Nyokum, Orankum Garkuyo,
Boori Boot, Dree, Si-Donyi, Mopin, Solung, Aran, Tamladu, Sahgken,
Ren, Oriah, Loku, Ojiele
and
Mol.
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLAND
Onam
is celebrated with gaiety, when carpets of flowers are laid and
dances with lyrics recalling the golden reign of King Mahabali are
sung. Boat races are organised.
Kali puja
is done during
Dussehra.
Pongal
is also celebrated with preparations made of rice and offered to
Surya
(sun god).
Sankranti
is celebrated in a few areas. Christmas and
Easter are celebrated in a festive mood.
Ramzan, Muharram
and
Bakrid
are also celebrated with significance.
CALENDAR OF FESTIVALS AND FAIRS
January
International Film Festival:
Held in Delhi in odd years (1993,
1995 etc). In other major cities (Bombay, Calcutta, Madras,
Hyderabad and Bangalore) in even years.
Park Circus Arts Fes-
tival.
Calcutta.
Thyagaraja Music Festival.
Thiruvaiyaru, near
Thanjavur.
Makar Sankranti
: A festival with triple significance - astronomi-
cal, meteorological and religious. Bathing on banks of holy rivers and
meeting points like the Triveni Sangam in Allahabad. Til (Ses-
amum) seed is believed to destroy sins and so applied before
bathing, offered to fire, mixed with water and distributed. as
sweets. In Bengal and south India, people fast that day, rice is
given importance. In Tamil Nadu, Pongal is celebrated for 3 days.
In Punjab on Lohri day, rewari (sweet) with til and sugar is distrib-
uted. Women exchange red powder, bangles, combs, pots etc. and
on the seventh day (Ratha Saptami) milk is boiled in the courtyard
within a pot painted red and offered to the Sun.
International Kite Festival
(13-15 Jan) : The special event in
Ahmedabad - Gujarat on Makar Sankranti day. The best kites are
available in Manak Chowk and Tankshala Kalupur. Kites keep
dotting the sky even after dusk, when they carry lamps within them -
a panorama of ethereal beauty.
Lohri.
: Mid-January. Punjabi festival marking the height of
winter.
Rimpa Music Festival, V
aranasi.
Republic Day,
(Jan 26) cele-
brated all over India in state capitals but best in Delhi where a
spectacular military parade is held.
Folk Dance
Festival is held in
Delhi on January 27-28 as part of the Republic Day celebrations
followed by the
Beating the Retreat
ceremony on January 29.
Ravidas Jayanti
: Birthday of Saint Ravidas (15th Century), who
spent his life meditating on the banks of Ganga performing miracles,
was a sudra and so worshipped mainly by Harijans and others with
huge processions terminating at the temples accompanied by music.
January/February
Teepam
(Floating Festival): Madurai. The full moon night at
Maramman Teppakulam tank decorated and illuminated. Images of
Meenakshi and her consort beautifully dressed are brought in proces-
sion and floated on raft with flowers and lamps accompanied by
chantings of hymns.
Desert Festival.
Jaisalmer.
Livestock Fair.
Nagaur, near Jodhpur.
Vasant Panchami.
Celebrated in the north where it marks the first
day of spring and in Bengal where it honours the goddess of learning,
Saraswati. Field sports and kite flying are organised in the celebrations.
February
Carnival.
Goa: Carnival begins three days prior to the period of
Lent. The Portuguese began the festival in 1510 A.D. Folk dances,
KoVikani songs, dramas, centring round interesting incidents, tradi-
tional music with drums and "rombat", bullfights and fancy dress balls,
decorated cars, carriages and floats.
Tansen Music Festival.
February in Delhi and December in Gwalior
in honour of the great 16th century musician Tansen who was a member
of Akbar's court.
Lucknow Arts Festival.,
Lucknow- attracts India's top musi-
cians and dancers.
Dhrupad Music Festival.
, Delhi and Varanasi last week of February.
Maharaj Kalka Bindadi; Kathak Dance Festival.
Delhi.
F ebruary/March
Shankar Lai Music Festival.
Delhi.
Shivaratri.
devotees of Shiva,
Shaivaites spend the whole night worshipping Lord Shiva, all over
India but best at important Shiva temples at Khajuraho, Varanasi,
Mandi and Chidambaram.
Holi
celebrating the advent of spring, in a big way in north India.
Everybody sprays everyone else with coloured water and red powder.
March
Khajuraho Dance Festival
, Early March. Khajuraho. Seven - day
dance festival. Top dancers perform classical dance drama against
temple backdrops.
JamshedNavroz.
New Year's Day for Parsees following the Parsi
calendar. Best witnessed in Maharashtra (Bombay) and Gujarat.
March/April
Gangaur.
This festival is held in honour of Gauri the goddess of
abundance and fertility. Rajasthan especially Udaipur and Jaipur.
Also in Bengal and Orissa where it is called
Doljatra.