All
Indian festivals have religious,
social
and seasonal
elements to them. Celebrations are done with religious sanctity,
making traditional food and celebration of the season.
The
preparation of Indian traditional sweets or desserts and festival
recipes, women, men and children adorning traditional dresses, dancing
with unwavering enthusiasm are the characteristics of festivities held
on those festival days. Bright colors, brightly lit religious places,
twinkling illuminated houses are all part of the celebration of
various festivals in India.
Each
festival has its own religious or symbolic meaning. There are
cultural and traditional performances and music and sometimes parades
and processions of the deities.
Indian
festivals are a good way to get-together for social functions. To
create an awareness of the heritage and culture that has been handed
down to us for generations. These get togethers can enhance our mental
and spiritual dimension that, if left in the dark, make us only poorer
and less worthy of our heritage.
So
make it a point to get a few of your friends together to celebrate and
remember the age old traditions of the past.
It
is difficult to transport the same enthusiasm and feeling for the
festival when it occurs in India as the number of people recognizing
it and celebrating it is far less and spread out. We have
outlined some of the major festivals and celebrations held in India. We
hope that this can be a starting point to understanding the vast
culture and heritage of India.
