|
 |
 isitors to India are often surprised by the plethora of festivals -
virtually every day being celebrated in some part of the country with its
own distinct local flavor. Many festivals mark the beginning or end of
a season - after all this is a country where even the rains arrive by
appointment! Baisakhi of Punjab, Gangaur of Rajasthan, Bihu of
Assam, Pongal of Tamilnadu and Onam of Kerala are a few of many such
festivals.
Based on specific solar and lunar positions,
the festival dates change
every year - but they are invariably linked to religion. The heady
concoction of religious fervor and festive spirit makes these events an
unforgettable experience. The pilgrimage fair of Pushkar in Rajasthan
is a prime example.
Other notable ones include
Kumbh of Haridwar & Prayag, Chhath of Bihar, Durga Puja of West
Bengal, Dusserra of Mysore and Navratra. While
Diwali, Holi and Rakhi are celebrated nationwide, many festivals
- like Jaipur's Teej - are city/village specific.
Processions
Entire
towns swing into action for these highly charged and colorful spectacles
 - a
cultural extravaganza
of
music, dances, acrobatics, animals, decorations, and active participation
of the people in different costumes. A procession or two can always be
seen passing through the streets
in a city on any day of the year.
Popular processions in India are
Dusserra of Kullu and Mysore, Durga Puja of Calcutta, Ganpati Puja of
Maharashtra, Muharram all over India, Leh Festival, and processions of all
major temples of South and North India. The most notable ones are Pooram
of Kerala (The Great Elephant March), Teej of Jaipur and Rathyatra of
Jagannath Puri. The Rathyatra of Lord Jagannath at Puri is such a mammoth
event that the English word JUGGERNAUT has been derived from this
procession!
Bhakti
Processions are a form of Bhakti - a phenomenon which
developed in medieval
India to liberate devotion towards God from the oppressive shackles of
Brahminical order and Muslim clergy.
 Orthodoxy was opposed by the masses
and simple ways of expression became popular. Hindu &
Islamic faiths came together and the importance of joy and love was
stressed upon to attain salvation.
Kabir, Meera, Surdaas, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
and many others played a pivotal role by propagating pure
love and devotion. The practice continues till date. Frenetic chanting,
singing, dancing and playing musical instruments in places of worship is unique to
India. Bhajans, Kirtans, Satsangs in Hindu temples, and
Qawwalis in Muslim
Dargahs trace their origins to the Bhakti and Sufi movements of earlier
days. Noteworthy places to experience this spiritually moving practice are Krishna temples
all over India, Khwaja Chisti's Dargah in Ajmer and Hazrat
Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah in New Delhi.
|
|
)
)
)
)
