India presents a cultural potpourri of number of religions, the four major religions in India is Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and Sikhism in the descending order. There are a lots of regional festivals that are celebrated.
Maharshi Valmiki Jayanti (Balmiki Jayanti) celebrates the birthday of the famous poet Valmiki, who is also known as the Adi Kavi or the first poet that he discovered the first “Sloka” the first verse that set the base of Sanskrit poetry. It falls on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month Ashwin.
The Uttara Khanda tells the story of Valmiki's early life, as an unknown highway robber who used to rob people before murder them. Other versions name him Valya Koli. Once, he tried to rob the divine sage Narada for the benefit of his family. Narada asked him if his family would share the sin he was incurring due to the robbery. The robber replied positively, but Narada told him to confirm this with his family. The robber asked his family, but none agreed to bear the load of sin. Unhappy, the robber finally understood the truth of life and asked for Narada's forgiveness. Narada taught the robber to worship God. The robber meditated for many years, so much so that Ant-hills grew around his body. Finally, a divine voice declared his penance successful, bestowing him with the name "Valmiki": "one born out of ant-hills" (Valmikam in Sanskrit means Ant-hill).(wikipedia)
Dashahara is a festival celebrated in various forms across India, Bangladesh and Nepal. This is also called Dasara, Vijayadashami, Navaratri and Durgotsav
Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of the Hindu autumn lunar month of Ashvins, or Ashwayuja which falls in September or October of the Western calendar, the Shukla paksha Pratipada, or the day after the new moon falls in Bhadrapada, the Dashami or the tenth day of Ashvins. This is the highlight of the annual 10-day Navaratri festival. This is the biggest festival in Nepal, and celebrated by Hindus and non-Hindu Nepalis.
In India harvest season begins at this time and so the Mother Goddess invoked to start the new harvest season and activate the power and fertility. In Bangladesh there is a five-day festival and is celebrated in mandaps. On the day of Dasha-Hara, the clay statues of Goddess Durga immersed in rivers. The main festival is held in Dhakeshwari temples and Ramkrishna mission in Dhaka. This is done through religious beliefs and rituals that are intended to invoke cosmic forces that rejuvenate the soil. The Pooja is performed with turmeric and other Pooja, who added to the river to help the water for better crops.
Dasha-Hara is the festival of victory of good over evil. Buses, trucks and machines in factories are furnished. Dasha-Hara is Vishwakarma Divas - the National Labour Day of India. Veda Vyasa is considered the main guru and Vijayadashami is also celebrated as Vyasa puja. Shastra Pooja or worship of the weapons Shastra Astra used by the goddess Durga is worshiped on this day.
Victory of Prabhu Ramachandra over Ravana
On this day in the Treta Yug, Rama, also known as Shri Ram, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, killed the great demon Ravana who had abducted Rama's wife Sita to his kingdom of Lanka. Rama, his brother Lakshman, follower Hanuman, and their small army of monkeys fought a great battle to rescue Sita. The whole story is recorded in the epic Ramayana, a Hindu scripture. Burning Ravan video
Victory of Durga Mata over Mahishasur
Some of the demons or asuras, were very powerful and ambitious, and constantly tried to conquer the devas or Gods, and capture the Heaven. A Asura, Mahishasur, in the form of a buffalo, was very strong and created havoc on earth. Under his leadership, the Asuras defeated the devas. The world was crushed under the tyranny of Mahishasura, the devas ended their energy in Shakti, a single mass of incandescent energy, to kill Mahishasur.
A very powerful band of lightning out of the mouths of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and a young, beautiful virgin female with ten hands showed up. All the gods gave their special weapons for her. This Shakti cloud to form the goddess Durga. Riding on a lion, who helped her, fought Durga Mahishasur. The battle raged for nine days and nights. Finally on the tenth day of Ashvin Shukla paksha Mahishasur was defeated and killed by Durga.
Durga Puja, is also known as Durgotsava, is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of Hindu goddess Durga. This refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Bijoya Dashami. Dates for Durga Puja celebrations are set according to the traditional Hindu calendar, and the two weeks that correspond to the festival is called Devi Paksha. Devi Paksha preceded by Mahalaya, the last day of the previous fortnight Pitri Paksha, and ends at Kojagori Lokkhi Puja. Durga Puja is widely celebrated in the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Orissa and Tripura where it is a five-day vacation. In West Bengal and Tripura with the majority of Bengali Hindus it is the biggest festival of the year. Not only is it the biggest Hindu festival celebrated by the state, but it is also the most important socio-cultural event in Bengali society. Apart from eastern India, Durga Puja is also celebrated in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Karnataka and Kerala. Durga Puja is also celebrated as a major festival in Nepal and Bangladesh, where 10% population are Hindus. Day, many diaspora Bengali cultural organizations arrange Durgotsab in countries like USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, France, Netherlands, Singapore and Kuwait, among others. In 2006, a major Durga Puja ceremony held in the Great Court at the British Museum.
The prominent Durga Puja increased gradually during the British Raj in Bengal. Under the Hindu reformists identified Durga with India, she became an icon for the Indian independence movement. In the first quarter of the 20th century, the tradition of Baroyari or Community Puja popularized because of this. After independence, Durga Puja one of the most famous festivals in the world.
Durga Puja includes the worship of Shiva, the Durga's Consort, and the worship of mother nature through the nine types of plants (called "kala bou") representing nine divine forms of Goddess Durga is also done in addition to Lakshmi, Saraswati with Ganesha and Kartikeya, considered to be Durga children. Modern traditions have come to include the display of decorated pandals and artistically depicted idols (Murti) of Durga, exchange of greetings Bijoy and publication of Puja Annuals.
Durga Puja Celebrations
Celebration of Durga Puja goes very far back in history and there are abundant references to it in India literature from 12th century onwards. But today Durga Puja generally a community festival. The Puja celebration over the years has changed color often. Previously, the most expensive of all festivals and could only be done by the rich and powerful like feudal lords, rajas and big businessmen. But it always evoked great enthusiasm and popular support. But in the ethos of today, the evolution of many clubs, societies and associations made the Puja cosmopolitan character. The social and ritual significance of the Puja has also been adapted to a great degree. Today, this festival has become an occasion for pageantry and extravaganza. Ancient conch shells and drums have given way to high film songs and sometimes the goddess is modeled on popular film actresses. On the other hand, animal sacrifices, an earlier, have been seeing in many places and shrines.
As previously Durga was worshiped alone, now it is more often than not, the goddess with her family. Durga is portrayed as the supreme head, and the presence of Ganesha, Kartikeya, Shiva etc marks a wholesome picture of divinity. In southern India celebrations constitute a display of images of God and playing at home in nine days. But despite the various ways in which this festival is celebrated on the feature that is common is that the worship of mother goddess.
The Uttara Khanda tells the story of Valmiki's early life, as an unknown highway robber who used to rob people before murder them. Other versions name him Valya Koli. Once, he tried to rob the divine sage Narada for the benefit of his family. Narada asked him if his family would share the sin he was incurring due to the robbery. The robber replied positively, but Narada told him to confirm this with his family. The robber asked his family, but none agreed to bear the load of sin. Unhappy, the robber finally understood the truth of life and asked for Narada's forgiveness. Narada taught the robber to worship God. The robber meditated for many years, so much so that Ant-hills grew around his body. Finally, a divine voice declared his penance successful, bestowing him with the name "Valmiki": "one born out of ant-hills" (Valmikam in Sanskrit means Ant-hill).(wikipedia)
