Holidays & Festivals
By
AC, JH, HA, IG
PS 87
Laura Truitt, Teacher

Introduction

What you are going to read is our research of holidays in India.  It is very interesting, and my group hopes that after you finish you will want to go learn about more holidays in India.

Hindu Holidays 

(Hindus=78.8% of population)

Diwali

The word Diwali is made from the word Dipauil which means a group of lights.  In most parts of India, Diwali is seen as a start over with life.  People light lamps for the dead to find their way.

Holi

On Holi, people throw color on other people in the streets.  Holi is to honor Holika, a minor goddess.  On Holi, the children play a lot of outdoor games.

Shivarati

Shivarati is in March.  Shivarati is on a New Moon.  Some people eat at morning and at night.

Vassehra

Vassehra takes place in a town.  Vassehra is in Kaluin, in the far north.  Vassehra is celebrated for a mother goddess.

Navarati

Navaratri means nine nights.  Navaratri is created for a mother goddess.  The holiday is after the New Moon.

Pongal

Pongal is celebrated for the harvest.  Pongal is in the month of January.  Pongal is a three-day holiday.  The first day honors land and is called Bhogipong.  The second is called Suhrapongal and honors the sun god.  The third is Muttupongal which celebrates the cattle.

Muslim Holidays
(Muslims=12% of population)

Eid-ul-Fitr

After Ramadan is "Breaking of the Fast."  It takes place on the first day of Shawal and celebrates the end of the ninth month, Ramadan.  After Ramadan, they have a big big feast to celebrate the end of Ramadan.  It is called Eid-ul-Fitr.

Eid-ul-Adha

A lot of Muslims have to know this story about a man.  One time there was a man and a woman.  They were both very old.  God said they would have a baby.  When they had the baby, the man and the woman were very happy.
One day the man was going to Mount Moriah.  He said to God, "What will I kill for the sacrifice?" God wanted to know if he loved God more than his son.  The man got his son.  He was going to put the knife in the son's heart.
God said, "Stop.  There is a ram over there.  Kill that instead of your son."  That is the story that a lot of Muslims know.  This story is the basis for this holiday.
 

Christian Holidays
(Christians=2.61% of population)

Christmas

In India, they decorate banana and mango trees for Christmas.  They also decorate their houses.  Christmas is about getting together for Christ's birth.  Churches are decorated with candles.

Easter is a festival of life and living.  On that day, Christ arose again after His death.  In India, they eat chocolate eggs for Easter.

Saint Days

These are celebrations of Saints' birthdays.

Sikh Holidays
(Sikhs=1.92% of population)

Baisakhi

Baisakhi is celebrated in April.  It is to remember Khalhis, a group of soldiers that went to fight for their culture.

Hola Mohhalla

Hola Moohalla is celebrated the day after Diwali.  Traditionally, the festival was a day of mock battles and military games which was followed by music and poetry contests.

Diwali

Diwali is also celebrated by Sikhs. The word Diwali means "cluster of lights."

Gurpurds

The main Gurpurd is Guru Nanak's birthday.  A special service is held at 5:00 PM. 

Buddhist Holidays
(Buddhists=0.7% of population)

Wesak

Wesak is the celebration of Buddha's birth.

Vassa

This is a time put aside for meditation and study.

Uposatha Days

There are four of these days in every Lunar month. On these days Buddhists fulfill religous duties.

Jainism Holidays
(Jains=0.48% of population)
 

Diwali

Diwali is celebrated by Jains, but it means something different to them. Jains celebrate one of their heroes' death and arrival in Nirvana during Diwali.

Paryushana

This is a festival which lasts 8-10 days for the purpose of repentance and restoring one's soul.

Non-religious Holidays

Republic Day

This is India's National Day. It is celebrated on January 26th and honors the day India decided on its constitution.

Independence Day

This is celebrated on August 15th.

Children's Day

November 14th

Student Reflections

I had fun because I learned a lot about Indian holidays.  There were so many things to learn.  They had a big hard life.  India is very cool!
-IG

We have done a copy of the text and put it in our own words.  It was fun and hard.
-HA

Before I started working on India, I did not know that there were Christians in India.  I did not know there were people in India who are Christians or Jewish.
-AC

 

Links

http://www.fhrai.com/HolidaysYear2002.htm
http://www.bawarchi.com/festivals/
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7830/festival.htm
http://www.indiaexpress.com/rangoli/holi.html
 

Thank Yous

Laura:  Because without Laura we could not do this project.

Ms. Kaul:  Came in and told us about India.

Ms. Campbell:  Because she did a storytelling about India.

Nancy:  She lent us books about India.

Professor Kalias: He answered questions for us about India.

 

This student project was sponsored by
CultureQuest Logo
http://www.culturequest.us/