India:a land of festivals

Deepavali: The festival of light Deepavali or Diwali is the festival of light celebrated in many parts of India. One of the most popular festivals in India, it symbolizes the victory of light over dark. Here light represents the good and dark represents the bad. So it is a celebration of the victory of good over the evil. It also signifies the victory of knowledge over ignorance. Deepavali is celebrated by lighting earthen pots( Diyas ), bursting crackers and distributing sweets. It is a major festival in India; though it is celebrated all over the country, it has a major significance in Northern India. Beautiful Earthen Pots( Diyas ) being lighted during Diwali night The History       The Diwali festival is likely a fusion of harvest festivals in ancient India. It is mentioned in Sanskrit texts such as the Padma Purana, the Skanda Purana, both of which were completed in the second half of the 1st millennium CE. The ...

Origins of Durga Puja    Durga is an ancient deity of Hinduism, according to various archaeological and textual pieces of evidence found by our archaeologists. However, the origins of Durga Puja are very clear and undocumented; as no proper mention of date and time is found anywhere. Some of the surviving manuscripts from the 14th Century have laid down some guidelines for Durga Puja, while historical records suggest royal and wealthy families were sponsoring major Durga Puja festivities since at least the 16th century. The 11th or 12th Century Jainism text Yasatilaka written by Somadeva about a festival and annual dates that were dedicated to a warrior goddess, celebrated by the king and his armed forces and the description mirrors attributes of Durga Puja.                                     The word Durga , and other related terms appear in Rigveda hymns and At...