Cultures and Traditions: India New Delhi

  Click here to view a powerpoint on the Festivals of India

India Celebrates Dwali

Click to View Powerpoint by St. Mark's Girls School Students on the Handicrafts of West Bengal!

Lohri is celebrated every year on the 13th Of
January.It is celebrated in North of India especially in the states of Punjab and Haryana.

Lohri is festival of lighting up a fire during the harvest period. Farmers, after harvesting their crops, celebrate this occasion
by lighting some fire together, as a community event, where all join
together to enjoy the heat of fire. Also, this festival is celebrated
to send the cold winds away from India. Today, this festival is
celebrated with a new belief. It is believed that  with the  burning of the wood logs, we should burn our anger, temper, and other bad elements of life.

This year, as usual, we all gathered together near
the fire, which has been shown in the picture beside. Also, we danced
around the fire, while dancing around the fire we sing songs and ask for the blessings of God.

I am sure you can understand the depth of this festival.

Click on this great powerpoint about Indian Cultures  

 India celebrates Diwali
Diwali is perhaps the most known of the Indian festivals.  It is a five day celebration of which the fourth day is Hindu new year.  The festival of lights is held in the honour of LAKSHMI, goddess of wealth and prosperity.  Hindus pray to god to bring them wealth an luck in the coming years.  The word diwali means "row of lighted lamps."  It is a belief that the more they decorate their houses with dias (lamps), the more likely is goddess Lakshmi and Ganesha will be tempted to visit their house.  People hold small pujas (prayers) in their houses, wear new traditional clothes, light as many dias and candles as possible and make a beautiful pattern at the entrance of their house with florescent colours (called the rangooli) to impress the goddess. Gifts are exchanged and sweets are distributed.  Lights are left burning and doors of the houses opened, so that Ganesh and Lakshmi may feel welcomed and enter.!!

Learn more about Diwali by clicking on this report!