Varsha Pirappu Vishu is the first day in the first Malayalam month of Medam (March-April) and Varsha Pirappu is the Tamil New Year. Vishu is celebrated in Kerala with much fanfare. The traditional rituals followed in the festival is believed to usher in another year of P for the Keralites. On the previous night of Vishu, fresh agricultural produce such as rice, paddy, cucumber, jack-fruit, coconut and ripe plantains are decorated...

Vishwakarma Day Vishwakarma, the god of architecture and engineering, is offered puja in the month of September by most of the industrial houses, artists and weavers. According to mythology, the whole universe including earth and heaven are created by Vishwakarma. The credit for inventing Vajra and other weapons of early civilization goes to Vishwakarma. Vishwakarma is regarded as the supreme worker, the very essence of excellence and quality in craftsmanship. Vishwakarma...

Vanamahotsava Vanamahotsava’s literal meaning is the festival of forest. Its celebration in this modern and industrial era means a lot for the lives on this unique earth. Vanamahotsava is an annual festival of planting trees on a nation-wide scale. It was initiated in 1950. The theme of celebration of Vanamahotsva is to focus attention on the virtues of tree planting. The celebration of Vanamahotsva starts at the beginning of the rainy...

Urs Urs is a Muslim festival celebrated to commemorate the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. However, very often the celebration of Urs is attended by people of other religions too. Urs is observed during the first six days of the Islamic month of Rajah and thousands of Muslims from India as well as from foreign countries come to the graves to pay homage to the great saints. According to the...

Ugadi The New Year festival Ugadi comes close on the heels of Holi. While the strong colours of Holi start fading away, the freshness of spring lingers on with sprightliness all around. Ugadi is celebrated with festive fervour in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Ugadi marks the beginning of a new Hindu Lunar calendar with a change in the moon’s orbit. It is a day when mantras are chanted and predictions...

Tulsi Vivah Tulsi Vivah is celebrated on the twelfth day of the bright half of Kartik. A great warrior Jalandhar had become invincible in three worlds. Consequently, the gods contrived a plan to defeat him. The gods came to Jalandhar’s house and informed Vrinda that her husband had been killed in the battle. To justify their information, they put the severed head and body of the monkey in front of her....

Three Kings’ Festival The feast of Three Kings, celebrated at Epiphany, is one of the most important festivals in Goa. It is commonly celebrated on the 6th of January every year. On this day the three villages of Chandor come together to put on a grand show. In reality, three little boys in the age group between 8 to 10 are chosen as Kings of three different villages. They dress up...

The Ganges Festival The first ten days of the month Jyeshth’ are dedicated to honour the River Ganges or Mother Ganges. The Ganges is believed to flow in the three worlds: in heaven it is called Mandakine, on earth the ‘Ganges’ and in the northern region the Bhagirathi’. People believe that by bathing in the Ganges sins are washed away. The principle centres for the worship of the Ganges are Gangotri,...