Hinduism and Festivals
India is a vast country with various castes, creed, and colour hence a large number of festivals are celebrated in India in honour of their gods and goddesses. Since many communities exist here; the ways and method of celebrating these festivals also differ from state to state. But, the basic form of the belief behind their origin, the traditions and the excitement of celebrations is still the same for years. However, since India has a majority of Hindus, there is a preponderance of Hindu festivals.
Cities or states are famous for the celebration of particular festivals e.g. Kolkatta (West Bengal) for Durga Puja, Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) for Holi and Janmashtami, Maharashtra for Ganesh Chaturthi, Kerala for Onam. Similarly, Muslim festivals of Id-ul-Zuha and Muharram are famous in Muslim community, Parsi festival of Jamshed Nav Roz in Bombay, Christian festivals in Goa and the Kaza festival in the Lamaistic strongholds of Ladakh, Lahaul and Spiti and Sikkim. In some tribal areas, the cult of Mother Goddess is more prevalent. However, the celebrations dissolve ethnic limitations and all religious groups merge into one, during such festivals.
Epigraphically evidences prove that festivals have been celebrated in India since Vedic times. The Aryans conquered India around 1500 B.C, and cultural integration with the local population took place. As time passed, some of their own gods lost importance and festivals in their honour died out. Later, certain pre-Aryan aspects of worship began to dominate. At the same time, the tribal people who had their own cults and worshipped serpents and other such entities and natural elements, came under the influence of the Hindus and started worshipping the Hindu deities.
Many local festivals were celebrated in villages and every village has its guardian deities. They were celebrated on fixed days and could be the gramadevatas (village deities), for protection or the grahadevatas (evil spirits) for appeasement.
Feasting
Cities or states are famous for the celebration of particular festivals e.g. Kolkatta (West Bengal) for Durga Puja, Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) for Holi and Janmashtami, Maharashtra for Ganesh Chaturthi, Kerala for Onam. Similarly, Muslim festivals of Id-ul-Zuha and Muharram are famous in Muslim community, Parsi festival of Jamshed Nav Roz in Bombay, Christian festivals in Goa and the Kaza festival in the Lamaistic strongholds of Ladakh, Lahaul and Spiti and Sikkim. In some tribal areas, the cult of Mother Goddess is more prevalent. However, the celebrations dissolve ethnic limitations and all religious groups merge into one, during such festivals.
Epigraphically evidences prove that festivals have been celebrated in India since Vedic times. The Aryans conquered India around 1500 B.C, and cultural integration with the local population took place. As time passed, some of their own gods lost importance and festivals in their honour died out. Later, certain pre-Aryan aspects of worship began to dominate. At the same time, the tribal people who had their own cults and worshipped serpents and other such entities and natural elements, came under the influence of the Hindus and started worshipping the Hindu deities.
Many local festivals were celebrated in villages and every village has its guardian deities. They were celebrated on fixed days and could be the gramadevatas (village deities), for protection or the grahadevatas (evil spirits) for appeasement.
Feasting