Essay on Festivals of India

Festivals of India

A festival is nothing but an occasion or event that is celebrated, with the intention of rejoicing, and bringing people and communities together, typically on the same day or period every year. Indian renowned for its diverse cultures and lifestyle of people, the festivals in this regard, are no different. These festivals can be of different kinds, such as – national/political, religious, and seasonal. The celebration of each festival differs from one another, making each of them unique in their respective way. Besides the cultural values, festivals have significant social, and commercial value as well.

India being a secular country, these festivals, despite their religious, cultural, or political barriers, have their special place in the lives of all Indians. They work as a medium by which people of different areas, cultures, and ideologies keep their differences aside and rejoice in the celebrations, keeping the spirit of secular India alive. Also, it breaks the monotony of daily life and refreshes the mind, gives them strength, and hopes to get back to their regular life with more energy, enthusiasm, and a sense of optimism.

10000

We have completed over orders

0

customers

0

Writers

The Festivals

Every community and region has its own set of festivals, but nowhere in the world do they form such an integral part of life as in India. And each of these cultures has something different to offer. Most Indian festivals originate either from religious beliefs or, and legends of popular mythological faiths. Some are celebrated in memory of eminent people and events; these are commemorative, intended to honor them, and inspire the younger generation to emulate their examples.

National festivals such as Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti are celebrated across India with a great sense of patriotism and enthusiasm. India is a culturally diverse country and observes many festivals, but these three are the only national holidays in India. Celebrations of these national holidays are observed across the country, especially the nation’s capital, New Delhi witnesses the majestic Republic day parades. People from all over the country come to see the display of the country’s splendor.

India is known for its diversity with respect to its people, likewise to its religious festivals and ceremonies. India is the homage to people of various religious beliefs such as – Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, etc. and all of them have different customs, along with a large number of festivals over the year like – Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Mahavir Jayanti, Dussehra, Vaisakhi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Onam, Pongal, Budh Purnima, etc. Some of these festivals are celebrated on the same day, with the same intention, though in different manners across the country.

One such example is Dussehra, which is celebrated all over the country but in different ways. In northern India, it’s observed in the form of Vijaya Dashami celebrating the victory of good over evil according to mythological beliefs, in Bengal, it’s celebrated as Durga Puja which is the biggest festival of Bengalis, and it is more cultural, in Gujarat, it’s called Navaratri which is celebrated in temples and shrines of Goddess Durga in her form of Amba, along with the iconic Garba dance.

Get Expert Help Here

    Widely celebrated Indian festivals

    Diwali: Diwali is known as the festival of lights; India unites on the eve of Diwali, which is undoubtedly the happiest festival in India. Though it’s a festival of the Hindus, it’s widely celebrated with immense happiness and a sense of unity among India’s people despite their religious or cultural differences. The country is beautifully illuminated with lights, Diyas, candles, and fireworks; they celebrate by different gestures that some common out of them are distributing and greeting people with sweets.

    Some sweets eaten include Kheer, Gulab Jamun, and Shankarpale; it is an essential part of Diwali. Also, sending gifts to friends, family, and near and dear is a gesture of wishing them prosperity and good health. Moreover, it is also believed that buying jewelry made of gold or silver is auspicious on this day.

    Holi: Holi is the festival of colors and is another widely celebrated festival in India. Not just the people of India but even people from other countries celebrate Holi. People play with the color with each other, and it is a gesture of love care and happiness in the spirit of love and brotherhood. The festival is celebrated with dance, music, and plays in some parts of the nation, making it one of the happiest and most fun-filled festivals in the country. The Gujhiya, Papad, is the main cuisine of this festival, which is favorite amongst everyone.

    Eid ul Fitr: Eid ul Fitr is one of the most important festivals for the Mohammedan, celebrated at the end of Ramadan. It is believed that the Holy Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad during Ramadan. The followers of Islam spend one whole month fasting from dusk till dawn, which ends on the day of Eid.

    They go to mosques to offer prayers in new clothes, feast with the loved one and friends, and during the month of Ramadan, no beggars are refused alms. Though it’s a religious festival by nature, people of India celebrate Eid with the utmost joy and spirit of brotherhood. Sewai is the most desirous cuisine among the Indians, Every Indian lift up the veil of religion invite and with love serve them so.

    Christmas: Christmas is the celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ, mostly celebrated by Christianity followers. Though, many of the customs and ceremonies are not religious, it is an occasion for the people of India to come together and celebrate the festival with immense happiness and love, forgetting their differences. Churches are decorated with flowers and candles, Christmas trees are beautifully decorated with props and lights, special Christmas cakes and puddings are made to celebrate the joyous occasion with family, friends, and the loved ones.

    Vasant Panchami: Besides the national and religious festivals, there are seasonal festivals like Vasant Panchami, which is celebrated throughout the nationmore noticeably in Bengal. Goddess Saraswati is considered to be the goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning according to the mythological beliefs. On this auspicious occasion, children worship the goddess by submitting their books to her for blessings.

    Educational institutions such as schools, colleges, and even tutorial centers celebrate this festival with splendor by conducting various cultural festivals such as musical performances, poem recitations, plays, etc. Though it’s a religious festival by its origin, people of all religious beliefs and cultures participate and take an active part in these various cultural activities, spreading love and togetherness among each other.

    India is famous for its many different and lively festivals. Big ones are Diwali (Festival of Lights), Holi (Colors Festival), Eid al-Fitr, Navratri and Durga Puja. Other events include Ganesh Chaturthi and Christmas too. Every festival has its own special traditions, rituals and cultural importance.

    Diwali, also called Deepavali, is marked by lighting oil lamps and candles. People use fireworks too. It shows the win of light over darkness and good beating evil. Families get together, give each other presents and have happy meals. Diwali also means praying to gods, mostly the goddess Lakshmi for wealth and luck.

    Holi welcomes spring and is celebrated with excitement using bright colors. People have fun with different colors and water, and it’s time for happy group meetings. The festival shows that good wins over bad and winter is over. It helps people feel together and happy.

    Eid al-Fitr is a big Muslim holiday that shows the end of Ramadan, fasting month. It starts with extra prayers in mosques, then joyful meals and sharing gifts. Giving to others is important in Eid al-Fitr. Muslims share their good fortune with those who need help during this happy time of the year.

    Navratri is a Hindu festival that lasts for nine days and honors the goddess Durga. In West Bengal, this includes big celebrations with lots of decorating plus cultural events to remember her by immersing statues made from clay in rivers or ponds when it’s over.

    Your questions answered

    Common questions

    Conclusion

    Festivals are an integral part of India and its cultural values. It not only helps break the monotony of daily life, but it also brings thousands of people together despite their differences in terms of religion, culture, wealth, education, and keeps the spirit of unity in the country intact, which is the very soul of our nation.

    With such diverse cultures and religions living within the country among one another, these festivals help maintain that spirit, keep the mutual respect among the people of different religions and cultures in check, and as a whole keeps India’s identity “Unity in diversity” intact. It helps in familiarizing the younger generation with the nation’s cultural heritage and makes them aware of the sacrifices made by the great leaders and saints and encourages them to maintain the spirit of unity among the one another.

    That being said, festivals should be celebrated with the spirit of harmony and brotherhood. It is also essential to keep in mind that these are not supposedly imposed on someone forcefully, and there should not be any hooliganism or intolerance of others’ beliefs. These should not cause any disturbance in societal harmony or, used to, spark communal or cultural riots. As the very spirit of festivals is bringing people together and welcoming joy and harmony with open arms, these petty, cheap acts only tarnish that very purpose and create chaos in the society.

    Get Expert Help Here

      Categories

      People Say About AllEssay

      Select the fields to be shown. Others will be hidden. Drag and drop to rearrange the order.
      • Image
      • SKU
      • Rating
      • Price
      • Stock
      • Availability
      • Add to cart
      • Description
      • Content
      • Weight
      • Dimensions
      • Additional information
      Click outside to hide the comparison bar
      Compare