List of Hindu Festivals

Make srikumar as your homepage

< >

Please check "WHAT IS NEW?" to see new pages we are adding. Enjoy

Home

Art of Living

CAD

Cooking

Education

Engineering

Freestuff

Feng Shui

< >

Festivals

Games

Health

Question papers

Humour

House plans

Jobs

Interior Design

Jokes

Kids

Music

Movies

NRI

Oman123

Contact:
L.Srikumar Pai
B.Sc( Engg.), MIE, MIWWA, MICI
Civil Engineer & CAD Specialist
Web master

See my 3d perspectives using AutoCAD & 3DS Max.
3D Album New

List of Hindu Festivals

Vishu: Among the various Hindu festivals in Kerala, Vishu occupies a unique position in more than one respect. As symbol of the unostentatious Malayali, Vishu is free from the usual pomp and show and merry-making associated with other festivities. When almost all the festivals are connected in some way or other with religion, Vishu has nothing to do with it, though it is observed with religious solemnity. The first day for Medam is the unchangeable day of Vishu, whereas other festivals are determined according to the lunar asterisms on which they fall.

This day on which Vishu falls is the astronomical new year day and it is celebrated as such. The Malayalis believe that the fortunes for the year depend upon the nature of the object one sees first in the morning of Vishu Day. In order to fulfill the desire to look at the auspicious articles, they prepare a 'Kani' (anomen) on the previous day for seeing in the next morning. In circular bell-metal vessel known as 'Urule' some raw rice is put and over it a folded newly washed cloth is spread. A golden coloured cucumber, betel leaves, betel nuts, metal mirror, yellow flowers of Konna tree (cassia fistula), a Grandha (book of palm leaves) and a few gold coins are then placed over the cloth in the vessel arranged in a decorative fashion. Two coconut halves containing oil and lighted wicks are also placed in the vessel which illuminate the articles inside it. A bell-metal lamp filled with coconut oil is kept burning by the side of the vessel. Early in the morning of the Vishu at about 5 O'clock, one of the members of the house, usually the eldest female member gets up and lights the lamp and looks at' Kani' . She wakes up other member, one after another and the Kani is shown to everyone of them, taking particular care not to allow anyone to look by chance at other things. The vessel is taken to the bedside to the members or if it is too big to be carried, it is placed at one spot and the members are led there blind-folded. More..

List of Hindu Festivals

Festival	Description
Makar Sankranti or Pongal	Pongal is one of the most popular harvest festival of South India, mainly Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Pongal falls in the mid-January every year and marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayan – sun's journey northwards. Pongal festival lasts for four days. Celebrations include drawing of Kolam, swinging & cooking of delicious Pongal.. This day is coinciding with Makara Sankranti.
Vasant Panchami	Vasant Panchami (also called Saraswati Puja by Bengalis and Biharis) is celebrated for the blessing of Saraswati, goddess of wisdom and the arts.
Thaipusam	Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community. The word Thaipusam is derived from the Tamil month name Thai and Pusam, which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a spear so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.
Maha Shivaratri	Maha Shivaratri is the great night of Shiva, followers of Shiva observe religious fasting and the offering of Bael (Bilva) leaves to the Shiva.
Holi	Holi or Phagwah is a popular spring festival. Holi commemorates the slaying of the demoness Holika by Lord Vishnu's devotee Prahlad. Thus, the festival's name is derived from the Sanskrit words "Holika Dahanam", which literally mean "Holika's slaying"
Shigmo	Shigmo is celebrated in Goa as one of the prominent festivals of the Konkani Hindu community.
Vasant Navratri	Navratri is the Hindu festival of worship and dance. In Sanskrit the term literally means "nine nights". During this festival the forms of Shakti are worshipped.
Rama Navami	Rama Navami is the celebration of the birth of Rama.
Gudi Padwa	Gudi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month, and is celebrated as New Year's Day by Marathis and the Konkanis. According to the Brahma Purana, this is the day on which Brahma created the world.
Ugadi	Ugadi (meaning "the start of an era" in Telugu and Kannada) is the New Year's Day for the Kannadigas and Telugus. It takes place on the same day as Gudi Padwa.
Vishu	Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in Kerala.
Hanuman Jayanti	Hanuman Jayanti is the celebration of the birth of Hanuman, Rama's loyal devotee.
Bihu	Rongali Bihu (mid-April, also called Bohag Bihu), the most popular Bihu celebrates the onset of the Assamese New Year (around April 15) and the coming of Spring.
Sitalsasthi	The marriage of Shiva and Parvati is celebrated as Sitalsasthi. It is celebrated as a carnival. Where people and artists from different walks of life participate making it more beautiful and bringing out the true colour of life.
Vat Pournima	Vat Pournima is observed in Maharashtra. Pournima means "full moon." Women pray for the prosperity of their husbands by tying threads around a banyan tree.
Bonalu	Bonalu is a Scheduled Caste/Tribe and Backward Caste celebration of Mother Goddess (Pochamma, Yellamma etc) in the Telangana Region. Caste based festivals are common in this region.
Bathukamma	Bathukamma is a festival which takes place during the months of September and October in some regions of Telangana, originally in Ranga Reddy, Medak and Warangal Districts.
Rath Yatra	Rath Yatra is the festival associated with Jagannath.
Guru Purnima	Guru Purnima is the day devotees offer puja (worship) to their Guru. This was also the day when Vyasa, author of the Mahabharata was born.
Mahalakshmi Vrata	Mahalakshmi Vrata is a puja performed by married Hindu women to seek the blessings of Mahalakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity.
Onam	Onam is a harvest festival, celebrated mainly in the Indian state of Kerala. Like many other religious festivals in India, Onam is celebrated by people across all castes and faiths.
Raksha Bandhan	Raksha Bandhan is a festival celebrated mainly in northern Indian states. Rakhi is a special occasion to celebrate the chaste bond of love between a brother and a sister.
Krishna Janmaashtami	Krishna Janmaashtami is the Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna. It is actually called as Krishna Jayanthi. The date falls not only on the eight day of the waning moon, but always on Rohini Nakshatra.
Gowri Habba	Gowri Habba is celebrated in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Gowri is worshipped for her ability to bestow courage to her devotees. Newly wed couples are invited to the house of the groom's parents and served with varieties of food.
Ganesh Chaturthi	Ganesh Chaturthi is the celebration of the birth of Ganesh.
Nuakhai	Nuakhai is celebrated to welcome the new rice of the season. This is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Orissa (Kosal).
Navarathri	Navarathri is the Hindu festival of worship and dance. In Sanskrit the term literally means "nine nights". During this festival the forms of Shakti are worshiped.
Vijayadashami	Vijayadashami is the Hindu celebration of good over evil.
Deepavali	Deepavali which means "row of lights/lamps" is called "Divali" in North India, Deepa means lamp and in Hindi a lamp is mostly called a Diya or Di. The festival is celebrated on the occasion of Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama killing a demon Narakasura. Another story says the festival is celebrated for the return of Rama and Sita to the kingdom Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile.
Bhaubeej	Bhaubeej, also referred to as Bhai dooj, is the ceremony performed by Hindus, generally, on the second day of Deepavali. It is celebrated among brothers and sisters and is similar to Raksha Bandhan, except there is no tying of rakhi involved.
Kartik Poornima	A unique festival is celebrated in Varanasi this day which is called Dev Devali. The Kartik Purnima festival also coincides with the Jain light festival and Guru Nanak Jayanti
Chhath	Chhath is mainly observed in Bihar and Terai, but is also celebrated elsewhere. It is a festival dedicated to the Sun God for bestowing the bounties of life and fulfilling wishes.
Prathamastami	Prathamastami is a festival that originated in Oriya. It is held on the eighth day of the month of Agrahayana, when older female relatives pray for the prosperity of their eldest child. The festival is followed by rituals and recitations of the Glory of Mahalakshmi and Shashti devi.
Yatra	Yatra (also Zatra and jatra) refers to the pilgrimage festivals celebrated at Hindu temples. Idols and murtis are taken out on special procession in a palkhi (a palanquin) or a chariot called the rath. Every temple observes this festival once a year on the traditional day.
Karthikai Deepam	Karthikai Deepam is a very ancient festival of lights celebrated by Tamil Hindus on the full moon day of Karthikai month (November/December). This occurs on the day when the moon is in conjunction with the constellation Karthigai (Pleiades) and purnima. It is the same as Kartik Poornima but since Tamils follow the Hindu Solar calendar with correction for precession of the equinoxes, the Tamil date matches the actual constellation.
Pancha Ganapati	Pancha Ganapati is a modern Hindu festival celebrating Lord Ganesha the Five-Faced Maha Ganapati—Lord of Categories.
Kumbh Mela	The Purna (complete) Kumbh takes place every twelve years. The Ardh (half) Kumbh Mella is celebrated every six years. The normal Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 4 years. The Maha (great) Kumbh Mela which comes every 12 'Purna Kumbh Melas', or 144 years.