Park Fest 2006

Dr. Ashiq Hussain asked:


HOLI - THE FESTIVAL O COLOURS

Holi is one of the major festival of the vast country, called India. No wonder, a number of traditions, customs and festivals have cropped up around this very important festival. As  the culture and language changes from one state to the other, nature, significance and the way these festivals related to Holi are celebrated also varies a lot. While in the state of Rajasthan women take the lead, men in Punjab have grabbed the festival as an opportunity to display their bravery and dare-devil skills. On the other hand, quiet and peace loving people of West Bengal celebrate the occasion in a dignified and charming fashion.

As the brief spring warms the landscape, northern India cuts loose for a day of hijinx and general hilarity. The festival of Holi is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year. Holi festival may be celebrated with various names and people of different states might be following different traditions. But, what makes Holi so unique and special is the spirit of it which remains the same throughout the country and even across the globe, wherever it is celebrated.

Originally a festival to celebrate good harvests and fertility of the land, Holi is now a symbolic commemoration of a legend from Hindu Mythology. The story centers around an arrogant king who resents his son Prahlada worshipping Lord Vishnu. Holi commemorates this event from mythology, and huge bonfires are burnt on the eve of Holi as its symbolic representation. This exuberant festival is also associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha.

Holi is an ancient festival of India and was originally known as ‘Holika’. The festivals finds a detailed description in early religious works such as Jaimini’s Purvamimamsa-Sutras and Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras. Historians also believe that Holi was celebrated by all Aryans but more so in the Eastern part of India. It is said that Holi existed several centuries before Christ. However, the meaning of the festival is believed to have changed over the years. Earlier it was a special rite performed by married women for the happiness and well-being of their families and the full moon (Raka) was worshiped. Holi  is now a days recognized as  one of the oldest Hindu festivals. Its reference can be found in religious scriptures and sculptures on walls of old temples. There are paintings, which show royal couple sitting on grand swing and maidens playing music and spraying colors on them. Whatever the scene and the theme, colors and mythology have always been an important part of these Holi depictions. However the most important myths and stories that have been associated with Holi are given below:

Story Of Radha and Krishna:

 Lord Krishna was dark while his spiritual love-mate Radha had fair-complexion. So child Krishna often used to complain about the injustice of nature towards him to his mother Yashoda and would ask her the reason. One day, Yashoda suggested Krishna to apply color on Radha’s face and changeher complexion in any color he desired. The naughty Krisha immediately set off to his mission and one can often see paintings and murals depicting Krishna throwing colors on Radha and other ‘gopis’. This lovable prank of throwing colored powder and water jets called ‘pichkaris’ soon gained favor with the people and it evolved into the tradition of Holi. This is the reason that people often carry images of Krishna and Radha through the streets. The Holi of Mathura region, where Krishna was born, has a special fervor.

Story of Dhundhi:

It was there was an ogress called Dhundi who used to scare and trouble children in the kingdom of Prithu. She has many boons, which made her almost invincible but due to a curse from Lord Shiva, she was susceptible to the shots, abuses and pranks of village boys. It is believed that on Holi day, these children united and made combined efforts to chase away Dhundi by shouting at her, abusing her and playing pranks on her and finally succeeded in their mission. This is the reason that young boys are allowed to use rude words on this day without anybody taking offence.

Story Of Holika and Prahlad:

There was a demon-king named Hiranyakashipu who won over the kingdom of earth and ordered everybody to worship him and not the God. However, his little son Prahlad refused to do so and continued to worship the almighty Lord Vishnu, the Hindu God. He tried many times to kill him but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. One of the sisters of the king named Holika had powers to walk through fire unharmed. Thus he ordered her to kill Prahlad by walking through the fire with him. However, Lord Vishnu came to his help and Prahlad was saved while Holika perished. Somehow, she didn’t knew that her powers were only effective if she entered the fire alone. Even today, bonfires are lit on the night of Holi in memory of the event and burning of the wicked aunt Holika.

Story Of Kamadeva:

After the death of his consort Sati, Lord Shiva was so shocked and hurt that he went into a deep meditation and stopped looking after his worldly responsibilities. This led to many complications in the world’s affairs. Thus, gods conspired to bring him out of his trance with the help of Goddess Parvati, who wished to marry the great lord and Kamadeva, the God of love, passion and lust. Though, mindful of the consequences, Kamadeva undertook the task for the world’s good and shot one of his love arrows on the great Lord who had mastered all the worldly temptations. As Shiva’s eyes opened, he was furious by the trick of Kamdeva and directed the wrath of his third eye on him and burned him on the spot. However, later he did give him an immortal life. It is believed that Lord Shiva burned Kamadeva on the day of Holi and thus, many people worship him for his sacrifice and offer him a mango blossoms that he loved and sandalwood paste to cool off the pain of his fatal burns.

Rituals preparations of  Holi

Rituals of the ancient festival of Holi are religiously followed every year with care and enthusiasm. Days before the festival people start gathering wood for the lighting of the bonfire called Holika at the major crossroads of the city. This ensures that at the time of the actual celebration a huge pile of wood is collected.

Holika Dahan Celebrations

Then on the eve of Holi, Holika Dahan takes place. Effigy of Holika, the devil minded sister of demon King Hiranyakashyap is placed in the wood and burnt. For, Holika tried to kill Hiranyakashyap’s son Prahlad, an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana. The ritual symbolises the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of a true devotee.

Children also hurl abuses at Holika and pray pranks, as if they still try to chase away Dhundhi who once troubled little ones in the Kingdom of Prithu. Some people also take embers from the fire to their homes to rekindle their own domestic fires.  

Play of Colors

Next day, is of course the main day of Holi celebrations. The day is called Dhuleti and it is on this day that the actual play of colours take place. There is no tradition of holding puja and is meant for pure enjoyment. The tradition of playing colours is particularly rampant in north India and even in that region, there can be no comparison to the Holi of Mathura and Vrindavan. In Maharashtra and Gujarat too Holi is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm and fun. People take extreme delight in spraying colour water on each other with pichkaris or pouring buckets and buckets of it. Singing Bollywood Holi numbers and dancing on the beat of dholak is also a part of the tradition. Amidst all this activity people relish gujiya, mathri, malpuas and other traditional Holi delicacies with great joy.

Drinks, especially thandai laced with bhang are also an intrinsic part of the Holi festivity. Bhang helps to further enhance the spirit of the occasion but if taken in excess it might dampen it also. So caution should be taken while consuming it.

Holi Celebrations in South India

In south India, however, people follow the tradition of worshiping Kaamadeva, the love god of Indian mythology. People have faith in the legend which speaks about the great sacrifice of Kaamadeva when he shot his love arrow on Lord Shiva to break his meditation and evoke his interest in worldly affairs. After, an eventful and fun filled day people become a little sober in the evening and greet friends and relatives by visiting them and exchange sweets. Holi special get togethers are also organized by various cultural organizations to generate harmony and brotherhood in the society.

Any how in all where HOLI HAI… Come holi and the streets will reverberate with the chants of Holi hai…Colours will fill the atmosphere as people throw abeer and gulal in the air showing great joy and mirth in the arrival of this Spring Festival. Days before Holi, the markets get flooded with the colours of every hues. This aptly sets the mood of the people till the actual day of Holi. It is such a colourful and joyous sight to watch huge piles of bright red, magenta, pink, green and blue every where on the streets. Buying those colours seems as you are bringing joys and colour to your home and into your life. Children take special delight in the festival and demand every colour in loads. They have so many plans in their mind. They have to be the first to apply colour to Mama, Papa, siblings and a big bunch of friends in their colony. Nobody could miss being coloured by them and of course, they need colour for that. These days it is easy to buy colours from the market but still some people do take up the task of making colours at home, usually from flowers of tesu and palash. These home made colours, have a special fragrance of love in them. The other option is to buy gulal which comes in bright shades of pink, magenta, red, yellow and green. ‘Abeer’ is made of small crystals or paper like chips of mica. This is mixed with the gulal for a rich shine. Mischievous ones, however, go for silver and gold paints on which no colour could be applied. Whatever be the choice of colour, nobody remains in their original texture at the end of the play. And everybody takes delight looking at the other. Really, the other name of the festival is FUN.  And, it is not just children, but the young and the old alike who take delight in this joyous festival of colours. Seniors too, move in their tolis. Their enthusiasm is at times greater than that of their children as they forget the bars of age and follow their hearts. To youth, holi gives a chance to explore the heights of their enthusiasm as they climb the human pyramids to break the pot of buttermilk and to express their love to their beloved by applying colour. For, Holi knows no bars, everybody feels it is their right to enjoy and enjoy they do. Songs, dance, drinks and food everything goes in excess when it is time for Holi. It can be said, “Life turns Colourful” when it is time for Holi.

Today Holi is an excuse for Indians to shed inhibitions and caste differences for a day of spring fever and Big Fun. Teenagers spend the day flirting and misbehaving in the streets, quite often adults males are seen to grab an opportunity to spark colour on girls. Thus the holy message of the festival is charred with the natural flavour.

It’s a festival of gaiety but then there are few who make this festival, a festival of evil. They do this by infuriating the strangers by forcefully throwing colours on them; some use colours that are difficult to remove and unsafe for skin and health. Many take it as a day of drinking alcohol but we should not forget that Holi is a festival of triumph of good over evil. We must try to wash away all the evils in our hearts along with the colours and allow the colour of love to stay there forever and ever. This is the true spirit of Holi.

 Dr. Ashiq Hussain

Govt Degree College Kishtwar  

Email. drashiqhussain@rediffmail.com

                                                                

Prof. (Dr.) Ashiq Hussain asked:


ng>HOLI - THE FESTIVAL O COLOURS   Holi is one of the major festival of the vast country, called India. No wonder, a number of traditions, customs and festivals have cropped up around this very important festival.   As the culture and language changes from one state to the other, nature, significance and the way these festivals related to Holi are celebrated also varies a lot. While in the state of Rajasthan women take the lead, men in Punjab have grabbed the festival as an opportunity to display their bravery and dare-devil skills. On the other hand, quiet and peace loving people of West Bengal celebrate the occasion in a dignified and charming fashion.   As the brief spring warms the landscape, northern India cuts loose for a day of hijinx and general hilarity. The festival of Holi is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year. Holi festival may be celebrated with various names and people of different states might be following different traditions. But, what makes Holi so unique and special is the spirit of it which remains the same throughout the country and even across the globe, wherever it is celebrated.   Originally a festival to celebrate good harvests and fertility of the land, Holi is now a symbolic commemoration of a legend from Hindu Mythology. The story centers around an arrogant king who resents his son Prahlada worshipping Lord Vishnu. Holi commemorates this event from mythology, and huge bonfires are burnt on the eve of Holi as its symbolic representation. This exuberant festival is also associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha.   Holi is an ancient festival of India and was originally known as ‘Holika’. The festivals finds a detailed description in early religious works such as Jaimini’s Purvamimamsa-Sutras and Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras. Historians also believe that Holi was celebrated by all Aryans but more so in the Eastern part of India. It is said that Holi existed several centuries before Christ. However, the meaning of the festival is believed to have changed over the years. Earlier it was a special rite performed by married women for the happiness and well-being of their families and the full moon (Raka) was worshiped. Holi  is now a days recognized as  one of the oldest Hindu festivals. Its reference can be found in religious scriptures and sculptures on walls of old temples. There are paintings, which show royal couple sitting on grand swing and maidens playing music and spraying colors on them. Whatever the scene and the theme, colors and mythology have always been an important part of these Holi depictions. However the most important myths and stories that have been associated with Holi are given below:   Story Of Radha and Krishna:    Lord Krishna was dark while his spiritual love-mate Radha had fair-complexion. So child Krishna often used to complain about the injustice of nature towards him to his mother Yashoda and would ask her the reason. One day, Yashoda suggested Krishna to apply color on Radha’s face and changeher complexion in any color he desired. The naughty Krisha immediately set off to his mission and one can often see paintings and murals depicting Krishna throwing colors on Radha and other ‘gopis’. This lovable prank of throwing colored powder and water jets called ‘pichkaris’ soon gained favor with the people and it evolved into the tradition of Holi. This is the reason that people often carry images of Krishna and Radha through the streets. The Holi of Mathura region, where Krishna was born, has a special fervor.   Story of Dhundhi:   It was there was an ogress called Dhundi who used to scare and trouble children in the kingdom of Prithu. She has many boons, which made her almost invincible but due to a curse from Lord Shiva, she was susceptible to the shots, abuses and pranks of village boys. It is believed that on Holi day, these children united and made combined efforts to chase away Dhundi by shouting at her, abusing her and playing pranks on her and finally succeeded in their mission. This is the reason that young boys are allowed to use rude words on this day without anybody taking offence.   Story Of Holika and Prahlad:   There was a demon-king named Hiranyakashipu who won over the kingdom of earth and ordered everybody to worship him and not the God. However, his little son Prahlad refused to do so and continued to worship the almighty Lord Vishnu, the Hindu God. He tried many times to kill him but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. One of the sisters of the king named Holika had powers to walk through fire unharmed. Thus he ordered her to kill Prahlad by walking through the fire with him. However, Lord Vishnu came to his help and Prahlad was saved while Holika perished. Somehow, she didn’t knew that her powers were only effective if she entered the fire alone. Even today, bonfires are lit on the night of Holi in memory of the event and burning of the wicked aunt Holika.   Story Of Kamadeva:   After the death of his consort Sati, Lord Shiva was so shocked and hurt that he went into a deep meditation and stopped looking after his worldly responsibilities. This led to many complications in the world’s affairs. Thus, gods conspired to bring him out of his trance with the help of Goddess Parvati, who wished to marry the great lord and Kamadeva, the God of love, passion and lust. Though, mindful of the consequences, Kamadeva undertook the task for the world’s good and shot one of his love arrows on the great Lord who had mastered all the worldly temptations. As Shiva’s eyes opened, he was furious by the trick of Kamdeva and directed the wrath of his third eye on him and burned him on the spot. However, later he did give him an immortal life. It is believed that Lord Shiva burned Kamadeva on the day of Holi and thus, many people worship him for his sacrifice and offer him a mango blossoms that he loved and sandalwood paste to cool off the pain of his fatal burns.   Rituals preparations of  Holi   Rituals of the ancient festival of Holi are religiously followed every year with care and enthusiasm. Days before the festival people start gathering wood for the lighting of the bonfire called Holika at the major crossroads of the city. This ensures that at the time of the actual celebration a huge pile of wood is collected.   Holika Dahan Celebrations   Then on the eve of Holi, Holika Dahan takes place. Effigy of Holika, the devil minded sister of demon King Hiranyakashyap is placed in the wood and burnt. For, Holika tried to kill Hiranyakashyap’s son Prahlad, an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana. The ritual symbolises the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of a true devotee.   Children also hurl abuses at Holika and pray pranks, as if they still try to chase away Dhundhi who once troubled little ones in the Kingdom of Prithu. Some people also take embers from the fire to their homes to rekindle their own domestic fires.   Play of Colors   Next day, is of course the main day of Holi celebrations. The day is called Dhuleti and it is on this day that the actual play of colours take place. There is no tradition of holding puja and is meant for pure enjoyment. The tradition of playing colours is particularly rampant in north India and even in that region, there can be no comparison to the Holi of Mathura and Vrindavan. In Maharashtra and Gujarat too Holi is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm and fun. People take extreme delight in spraying colour water on each other with pichkaris or pouring buckets and buckets of it. Singing Bollywood Holi numbers and dancing on the beat of dholak is also a part of the tradition. Amidst all this activity people relish gujiya, mathri, malpuas and other traditional Holi delicacies with great joy.   Drinks, especially thandai laced with bhang are also an intrinsic part of the Holi festivity. Bhang helps to further enhance the spirit of the occasion but if taken in excess it might dampen it also. So caution should be taken while consuming it.   Holi Celebrations in South India   In south India, however, people follow the tradition of worshiping Kaamadeva, the love god of Indian mythology. People have faith in the legend which speaks about the great sacrifice of Kaamadeva when he shot his love arrow on Lord Shiva to break his meditation and evoke his interest in worldly affairs. After, an eventful and fun filled day people become a little sober in the evening and greet friends and relatives by visiting them and exchange sweets. Holi special get togethers are also organized by various cultural organizations to generate harmony and brotherhood in the society.   Any how in all where HOLI HAI… Come holi and the streets will reverberate with the chants of Holi hai…Colours will fill the atmosphere as people throw abeer and gulal in the air showing great joy and mirth in the arrival of this Spring Festival. Days before Holi, the markets get flooded with the colours of every hues. This aptly sets the mood of the people till the actual day of Holi. It is such a colourful and joyous sight to watch huge piles of bright red, magenta, pink, green and blue every where on the streets. Buying those colours seems as you are bringing joys and colour to your home and into your life. Children take special delight in the festival and demand every colour in loads. They have so many plans in their mind. They have to be the first to apply colour to Mama, Papa, siblings and a big bunch of friends in their colony. Nobody could miss being coloured by them and of course, they need colour for that. These days it is easy to buy colours from the market but still some people do take up the task of making colours at home, usually from flowers of tesu and palash. These home made colours, have a special fragrance of love in them. The other option is to buy gulal which comes in bright shades of pink, magenta, red, yellow and green. ‘Abeer’ is made of small crystals or paper like chips of mica. This is mixed with the gulal for a rich shine. Mischievous ones, however, go for silver and gold paints on which no colour could be applied. Whatever be the choice of colour, nobody remains in their original texture at the end of the play. And everybody takes delight looking at the other. Really, the other name of the festival is FUN.  And, it is not just children, but the young and the old alike who take delight in this joyous festival of colours. Seniors too, move in their tolis. Their enthusiasm is at times greater than that of their children as they forget the bars of age and follow their hearts. To youth, holi gives a chance to explore the heights of their enthusiasm as they climb the human pyramids to break the pot of buttermilk and to express their love to their beloved by applying colour. For, Holi knows no bars, everybody feels it is their right to enjoy and enjoy they do. Songs, dance, drinks, food everything goes in excess when it is time for Holi. It can be said, "Life turns Colourful" when it is time for Holi.   Today Holi is an excuse for Indians to shed inhibitions and caste differences for a day of spring fever and Big Fun. Teenagers spend the day flirting and misbehaving in the streets, quite often adults males are seen to grab an opportunity to spark colour on girls. Thus the holy message of the festival is charred with the natural flavour.   It’s a festival of gaiety but then there are few who make this festival, a festival of evil. They do this by infuriating the strangers by forcefully throwing colours on them; some use colours that are difficult to remove and unsafe for skin and health. Many take it as a day of drinking alcohol but we should not forget that Holi is a festival of triumph of good over evil. We must try to wash away all the evils in our hearts along with the colours and allow the colour of love to stay there forever and ever. This is the true spirit of Holi.   Dr. Ashiq Hussain                                                                                                                                                                                              Govt Degree College Kishtwar                                                      Email. drashiqhussain@rediffmail.com,   drashiqhussain@gmail.com

Sanjog asked:


People in Goa are addicted to festivities. You will find fair and festival of one kind or the other in every month in Goa. A few of them are religious and social, and some are artistic as well. Artistic festivals like Kala Academy’s annual festivals draw thousands of art lovers from all over India. Festivals in Goa are an integral part of the state’s culture and heritage.

Hindu Festivals

Almost all the Hindu festivities have religious origin, these have become the festivals of the whole state and society because of the mass appeal. The major Hindu festivals celebrated all in Goa are- Makarsankranti, Maha Shivaratri (worship of Lord Shiva), Holi or Shigmo (the Festival of Colours), Gudi Parva ( Hindu New Year), Ramnavami (Birthday of Lord Rama), Nagapanchami, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami (Birthday of Lord Krishna), Ganesh Chaturthi (worship of Ganesha, the God of omen), Dussera (the victory celebration of Lord Rama over Ravana, the King of Lanka), and Diwali (the Festival of Light). These are celebrated at various Hindu temples of Goa and are marked by religious observations and rituals. People organize colourful processions (jatras) and call the festival after the name of the place where it occurs.

Christian Festivals

The major Christian festivals in Goa showcase the strong influence of the Portuguese culture. The Feast of Three Kings, Procession of All Saints, Feast of Our Lady of Miracles, Sao Joao, Feast of Assumption of Our Lady, Novidades, Fama de Minino Jesus, Feast of St. Francis Xavier, Feast of the Lady of Immaculate Conception, and Christmas are the major Christian festivals celebrated with enthusiasm in Goa.

Apart from these festivals steeped in religious undertones, the Goa carnival is the most famous party festival of Goa, known for fascinating parades, music, dance, feast and colorful celebrations. It reflects the fun-loving spirit of Goan’s at its best. Carnival in Goa is a non-stop 3-day festival of colour, song and enjoyment. Goa Carnival generates a soothing climate and creates a healthy entertainment for all, young and old.

Pooja Sharma asked:


India is particularly land of fairs and festivals. The word “Fest” literally means joy and celebration. India is a mix of diverse culture and religions and this is probably the reason India has more festivals than any other country. These festivals are mainly religious in nature, national in character or seasonal in occurrence. These festivals occur according to the calendars followed by different religions. However, the national festivals do occur on fixed calendar dates. 

In India mainly two calendars are followed to determine the festivals- the Hindu calendar or the Islamic calendar. Both these calendars are based on lunar months which correspond to the phases of moon. The lunar and solar positions mainly determine the festivals. 

The month of January marks celebrations of harvest festivals throughout the country. Makar Sankranti which marks the celebration of spring time. Women distribute sweets and hold get-togethers. Around the same time in Gujarat and other western states National Kite Festival is celebrated. Lohri in the north of India is also a seasonal harvest festival. In the evenings families gather around bonfires, distribute sweets among friends and family. In Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh Pongal is celebrated. The harvest celebrations last for three days in honor of Lord Indra. In Rajasthan the colorful festival in Bikaner is celebrated, beautifully decorated camels, music and several competitions are the highlights of the Bikaner Festival. During the same time all over the country Id-ul- Fitr is celebrated which marks the end of Ramzan. Prayers are offered in mosques and Idgahs and elaborate festivities are held. On the 26th of January every year the country celebrates its Republic Day grand military parade and dance processions are held in the capital. 

The month of February mainly marks the celebration of fairs and carnivals. In Rajasthan Desert Festival of Jaisalmer is celebrated, this is three day long extravaganza of music, color and festivity. The highlight of the festival is the turban tying competition. In Haryana Surajkund Crafts Mela held for 15 days. This is an annual event which highlights some of the countries finest handloom and handicrafts. The Nagaur Fair is one of the largest cattle fairs in the country. The day begins with earnest bargaining’s between buyers and sellers, the day draws to an end with exciting games and camel races. In Rishikesh around the same time International Yoga Week is organized, demonstrations are held on the banks of river Ganga, various lectures and sessions on yoga are also organized. In Agra a 10 day carnival is held at Shilpgram near TajMahal known as the Taj Mahotsav. This festival commences with a spectacular procession, bedecked elephants and camels, folk artists and master craftsmen together recreate the glorious past of the Mughals. Around the same time Mardi Gras or Goa Carnival is celebrated. The processions last for three days and nights the streets come alive with colorful revelry.

The month of March one the biggest Hindu festival is celebrated- Holi. This is also known as the festival of colors. People throw colored water and powder on each other and make merry. Another attraction of the month is the Khajuraho Dance Festival. This is a week long celebration wherein classical dance performances are held at the Khajuraho temples. Around the same time another music and dance festival is organized in Maharastra known as the Ellora Festival, organized in the splendid surroundings of the Ellora Caves. In the south Hoysala Festival is celebrated this is also a dance festival held at the temples of Hoysala and Halebid. Yet another colorful festival is the Elephant Festival of Rajasthan. The highlights of the festival are the procession of elephants, camels and horses, followed by lively folk dancers. The most hilarious highlight of the festival is a tug of war between elephants and men.

The Hindu Solar New Year starts in the month of April. It is celebrated in the form various festivals throughout the country yet convey the same message of merry making. In the northern part of the country it’s celebrated as Baisakhi in Kerala the festival is known as Vishu and is Assam it is known as Rangali Bihu.

Mainly two festivals are celebrated in the month of June. Firstly, Ganga Dussehra, this festival is celebrated for ten days devoted to the worship of Holy River Ganga. Places such as Rishikesh, Haridwar and Varanasi where Ganga flows hold special significance on this day. Secondly, the Hemis Festival the courtyard of Hemis Gompa-the biggest Buddhist monastery in Ladakh is the stage for the famous ‘Hemis’ festival. Lamas called ‘chhams’ perform splendid masked dances and sacred plays to the accompaniment of cymbals, drums and long horns. of Ladakh.

Onam is the most important harvest festival of Kerala, celebrated in the month of August and is an attraction for thousands of people within and outside the state. Ranging from four days to ten days, all the activities during this season are cantered around worshipping, music, dances, sports, boat races and good food. 15th August the red letter day in the Indian calendar is celebrated as the Independence Day of India. On this day India finally achieved freedom from British rule. 

In the month of October, the festival of Dussehra is celebrated in many parts of the country. It is celebrated with great fanfare in most parts of North India and in the form of Durga Puja in West Bengal. Dussehra is a very popular Hindu festival, which marks the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama. Another important festival around this time is Diwali, the Festival of Lights, celebrated with fervor and gaiety among all races and religions. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness; darkness refers to ignorance and light refers to knowledge. During the same time in Rajasthan, Marwar Festival is celebrated. The festival has on display the music and dance of the Marwar region. The spirited folk dancers assembled here, perform with gusto and entertain the audience with Rajasthani folklore. in Jodhpur. 

In the month of November mainly fairs are celebrated throughout the country. Pushkar Fair of Ajmer, Rajasthan is perhaps the largest cattle fair in the world, it attracts more than one lakh people, from all over Rajasthan as well as tourists from different parts of India and abroad. Another fair celebrated around the same time is the Hampi Festival of Karnataka. The festival includes dance, drama, music, fireworks, puppet shows, spectacular processions; all combine to recreate the grandeur of the bygone era. 

The month of December marks the celebration of mainly two festivals. Firstly, this is a Muslim festival of sacrifice. On this day Muslims sacrifice a goat to commemorate the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim, who willingly agreed to kill his son at the behest of God. This festival coincides with the Haj pilgrimage in Mecca. Secondly, Christmas birth anniversary of Jesus Christ. Christmas celebrations vary in different parts of India. In some parts, small clay oil-burning lamps, mango leaves etc are used as Christmas decorations and mango and banana trees are decorated.

Steve Kevin asked:


The Edinburgh Festival is celebrated in Edinburgh, Scotland during the month of August. Though the festivals are typically celebrated in August, there are a number of other festivals that are celebrated around the year. It is recorded as being the largest art festival in the world. It was established in 1947 by the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF). One of the aims of this organization is to “Provide a platform for the flowering of the human spirit”. The artistic goals vied for in the festival would also serve to attract tourists from all over the world.

It is considered as a very important cultural celebration. Typical activities during these festivals revolve around classical music, opera, theatre and dance. There is a very high standard of artistry involved, with the best artists all over the world being highly sought after. The EIF’s assigns an Artistic Director, whose job is to invite artists suitable enough to meet their standards.

The Hub, also known as the home of the EIF, was opened in the year 1999. It was formerly known as “The Highland Tooth”. It is considered to be the best place to find information on all of the festivals occurring. It is a towering Gothic Building situated near the Edinburgh Castle. It is a very popular tourist attraction, while serving as the focal point for the celebrations itself. There are ticketing centers and cafes, with a smattering of arts and craft. The Main Hall is host to a variety of events, namely concerts, banquets and parties. Ceilidhs, which are informal social gatherings involving Scottish folk music, dancing and storytelling, are also typical events.

There are many festivals during this period, with most happening simultaneously. Here is a list of the more well known of the festivals.

1. Edinburgh International Festival

This is the original festival started by the EIF to achieve its goals. Since then, it has been celebrated every August month. The festival pertains to performing arts, with only the most highly regarded artists from opera, theatre, music and dance being invited by the General Director to perform for the festival. There are also workshops and lectures throughout the year to further the spread of information regarding this festival.

2. Edinburgh Fringe

This festival, also known simply as “The Fringe”, is widely considered as the largest arts festival in the world. This event typically revolves around performing arts related to comedy and drama. Some theatre events involve the works of William Shakespeare and Samuel Beckett. Unlike the other festivals, there is usually no selection committee approving entries, hence, there are a wider array of events possible. Because of this, experimental works are often performed in this festival.

3. Edinburgh International Book Festival

Taking place in the last few weeks of August, this book festival is located in Charlotte Square, which is situated near the center of Edinburgh. The festival is attended by renowned authors all over the world. Recent attendees include J.K. Rowling and Ian Rankin. In 2001, additional events such as debates and discussions were introduced to the program. Authors and tourists alike are able to participate in discussions regarding important issues all over the world.

Samantha Gilmartin asked:


A variety of explanations have been put forward including the traditional Glastonbury mud-bath caused by repeated bad weather, the festivals uncharacteristically lack lustre 2008 line-up, the sharp rise in British festivalgoers defecting to European festivals and the surge in smaller, more intimate festivals popping up across the UK.

It is certainly possible that repeated bad weather could be to blame for Glastonbury’s dip in popularity but it seems highly unlikely. The mud is, in my opinion, an accepted part of the festivals appeal. In previous years the BBC’s advertising for the festival has even featured mud streaked revellers cavorting in puddles of grime. The festival has always had a strong link with the muddy, carefree “back to nature” vibe and to blame this for a downturn in ticket sales seems odd to say the least. It is far more likely that the festivals problems come from far closer to home.

A truly disappointing line-up headlined by U.S rapper Jay-Z and a heavy reliance on bands very much in the now rather than those with a wide-reaching appeal is far more likely to have impacted ticket sales than the public’s fear of mud. In previous years acts like The Who, Bjork and Oasis drew in a mixed crowd but this years decidedly trendy line-up may have left a good portion of the festivals older regulars slightly alienated. The controversial choice of a rap act as the headliner at what is widely considered to be a rock festival may have also negatively effected ticket sales.

A factor often looked over when trying to figure out why ticket sales have been so slow this year is Glastonbury’s pre-registration system. Unlike other festivals where tickets are easily available through online booking engines and telephone lines, Glastonbury demands people who want a ticket register with them. Registration requires a passport photograph and personal information.

This process was implemented largely to prevent ticket touting and for that it should be commended. The astronomical prices demanded for festival tickets on eBay is reason enough for any fair-minded organiser to investigate ways to prevent unscrupulous individuals profiting from a event which is heavily charity focussed. With this kept in mind it is understandable that Glastonbury organisers felt the need to do something but the clunky pre-registration process and the demand for a passport photograph is enough to put many potential festival fans off. The Orwellian undertone caused by the festival collecting such personal information from its attendees is only heightened by the presence of police surveillance cameras, dampening the free and easy atmosphere.

Perhaps the biggest threat to Glastonbury is the rapid rise of the small UK festival, often called a “boutique festival”. The small UK festival used to be the reserve of the painfully cool, a small gathering of like-minded people enjoying niche bands that were of no threat to giants like Glastonbury. In the past few years these small festivals have grown in number, stepped into the media spotlight and gathered an impressive band of devotees which in turn allowed organisers to spend more money and increase the standard of the facilities and the acts.

The massive choice of small festivals has allowed music fans to find a festival which has the particular line up they will enjoy. Festivals like Kent’s Lounge on the Farm offer an eclectic mix of small bands, typically the sort of acts with a large online following but little presence in the charts. The Isle of Wight’s Bestival offers a similar lineup featuring many of the same bands as Lounge on the Farm but with some big names with wide appeal such as 80s legends Gary Numan and the Human League thrown into the mix. It is this eclectic mix that Glastonbury seems to have forgotten.

Anyone who has been to a large festival in the UK recently has probably noticed the rampant commercialisation of outdoor music events. The choice of music is leaning more and more towards whatever band is enjoying favour in the charts and as the festivals gain sponsorship and expand they loose the intimacy and gain vast amounts of advertising. The few weekends a year the British public gets to spend in the sunshine enjoying live music is not the place for shameless advertising campaigns. That place is after Coronation Street.

Having attended both major festivals and their smaller, more civilised cousins I for one am a happy convert to the boutique festival. Cheaper, smaller and with increasingly pleasing headliners they are the future of the UK music festival scene.

Steve asked:


The Edinburgh Festival does not officially refer to a particular single festival event. Rather, it is a group or series of simultaneous cultural and arts festivals that take place every month of August in Edinburgh, Scotland. The festivals included are organized by several formally unrelated clubs or associations.

The Edinburgh Festival is known to be the world’s largest arts and cultural festival, which started in the year 1947, the time when the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) was founded. That same year, other theatrical companies organized their own events and joined the festivities. Since then, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and many other festivals have been established in this particular Scottish capital city.

Some of the festivals held in Edinburgh every August of the year include the following:

a. The Edinburgh International Festival – It is a performing arts festival in Edinburgh City, Scotland, which starts around mid-August and lasts for more than three weeks.

The General Director of the EIF invites top class performers of theater, dance, opera, and music (especially classical type of music) from all over the world. Aside from the performances on the Festival itself, there is also a range of outreach and education workshops, seminars, and lectures that happen throughout the year.

Common venues for the Edinburgh International Festival are The Hub, the Royal Lyceum Theater, The Queen’s Hall, the Festival Theater, the Usher Hall, and The Edinburgh Playhouse, which can house 420 up to 2,900 people.

b. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe – It is renowned as the largest arts festival in the world, which also takes place for three weeks every month of August.

The Fringe includes mostly of performing arts events, especially drama and comedy. However, the music and dance performing arts have the greatest significance. It showcases a vast variety of theatrical events, ranging from the classic works of ancient Greece, Samuel Beckett, and Shakespeare up to the contemporary works of today’s artists.

Any type of event is actually possible in this festival, primarily because no committee is set up to review entries for approval/rejection. Oftentimes, the Fringe presents experimental works that other more formal festivals may not include.

c. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo – This event also takes place every year, in the month of August, as part of the famous Edinburgh Festival. The festival features Military tattoos given by the Commonwealth, British Army, and International military teams and bands annually.