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Festivals |
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Republic Day
| Independence
Day | Gandhi
Jayanthi |
Onam
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Vishu |
Navarathri |
Mahasivarathri |Thiruvathiara
| Trikartika |
Deepavali | Christmas
| Easter |
Good Friday |
Ramzan |
Eid-Ul-Fitr
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Eid-Ul-Zuha |
Milad-Ul-Nabi |
Muharram |
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Trikartika |
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It is
celebrated in honour of Bhagvati. It falls on the day of 3rd
lunar asterism. It is the birthday of Bhagvati. The houses
are all well lighted and lights are also left burning in the
Verandah, front yard and at the gates. There is general
illumination through out. Offering are made at the temple of the
goddess and women turn out in the evening for worshipping the
goddess. |
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Deepawali or Diwali |
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Deepawali or
Diwali, the festival of " lights", is the
most important of all Hindu festivals. It is celebrated int the
month of Kartika according to the hindu calender.It is believed
that it was on this day that Rama entered Ayodhya after 14 years
of exile.This is perhaps the happiest of Hindu festivals. Diwali
is an occasion of great excitement and rejoicing all over the
country. Every city, town and village is turned into a fairyland
with thousands of flickering oil lamps and electric lights
illuminating homes and public buildings. Countless number of
lamps are lighted at night, giving the impression that the stars
have descended on earth. These lights are symbolic of the
spiritual light dispelling evil and the darkness of ignorance.
Deepavali is also celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi, the day when
the demon of darkness and dirt, Narakasura, was destroyed by
Krishna. The celebrations commence with a purifying oil bath and
the lighting of lamps, symbolic of the spiritual light pervading
the earth and the destruction of darkness and ignorance.Laxmi
pooja is done.People burst crackers and distribute sweets and
greet each other. |
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Christmas |
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History
reveals that Christmas, New Year, etc... all originated in
Babylon as festivals celebrated by the Heathen in honour of
their Pagan Gods, but were given "christian" meaning by the
Catholic Church in order to convert the idol worshippers to
Constantine's new "Christian" religion. The Catholic Church
simply took these seasonal feasts and festivals celebrated by
the heathen and transformed them into 'Christian' celebrations
or "Christianized" them in order to make Christianity more
meaningful to pagan converts. |
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They came
to focus their eyes upon Jesus the infant and Mary His Mother.
Many people were coming to the notion that his birthday should
be observed. This idea came about as the "Church" began to
regard Mary, the mother of Jesus in a new light. She had long
been revered along with the saints and Apostles, but only along
with them. But in the same fourth century she emerges as the
Queen of Heaven. The Christmas story of the Birth of Jesus has
marked an era of time, recording ends and beginnings as years
glide into centuries, and centuries into millennia. |
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Coming to
the Christmas with reference to The Holy Bible, the basic story
occupies hardly a page of the Bible which is divided into two
sections the 'OLD' and 'NEW TESTAMENTS' |
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Mathew 5:17 says "Do not think that I have
come to do away with the Law of Moses and the teachings of the
prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to make
their teachings come true". |
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The birth
of Jesus Christ explained like this. "His Mother Mary was
engaged to Joseph, but before they were married, she found out
that she was going to have a baby by the Holy Spirit. Joseph was
a man who always did what was right, but he did not want to
disgrace Mary publicly; so made plans to break the engagement
privately. While he was thinking about this, an Angel of the
Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, descendant of
David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife, for it is
by the Holy spirit that she has conceived. she will have a son,
and you will name him JESUS because he will save his people from
their sins". |
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Now all this happened in order to make
what the Lord had said through the prophet come true, "a virgin
will become pregnant and have a son, and he will be called
Immanuel" (which means, "God is with us"). Mathew
(1:18:23). |
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Easter |
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Easter is
the oldest Christian festival, as old as Christianity itself.
The central tenet of Christianity is not the birth of Jesus, but
his resurrection. Easter is derived from this paschal mystery
and from the events of Good Friday. |
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The
content of Easter was gradually analysed into historical events
and each began to be celebrated on a different day. As a result,
Easter grew into a Holy Week and came to have a preparatory
season to precede and a festive season to follow. Thus we have
four distinct periods in connection with the observance of
Easter -Services are held in the afternoon. |
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In most
churches a bitter drink prepared from leaves, vinegar, etc. for
everyone to taste after the service, Holy Saturday is a day of
mourning and wailing. A total silence reigns in the church from
morning to dusk. But by ten at night the church is full, to
observe the Easter Vigil. In the gloom, which envelops the
church, new fire is struck from flint and blessed. A big candle
is then consecrated and from it many candles are lighted
indicating the resurrection. Bells peal, music fills the air and
light floods the hall. Halleluiah is the joyous word of Easter
wish. Easter Sunday is a quiet day and the celebration is rather
spiritual and inward rather than social showy. There will be
a grand dinner at homes and visits of relatives. |
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Good
Friday |
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Good Friday is
a Christian festival and is celebrated with great enthusiasm in
India.Christians observe Good Friday as the day on which Jesus
laid down his life for the good of humanity. Services and
recitals of religious music are held in the churches. |
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