festivals in punjab(india)(Goel & Company Ludhiana).pptx

1. DIWALI
Diwali is a five day festival that represents the start of the
Hindu New Year. It's known as the "Festival of Lights" for all
the fireworks, small clay lamps, and candles that are lit during
the celebrations. These lights are said to represent the victory
of good over evil, and brightness over darkness. The
candlelight makes Diwali a very warm and atmospheric
festival, and it's observed with much joy and happiness.

2. GANESH CHATURTHI
The spectacular eleven day Ganesh Chaturthi festival honors the birth of
the beloved Hindu elephant-headed god, Lord Ganesha. The start of
the festival sees huge, elaborately crafted statutes of Ganesha
installed in homes and podiums, which have been especially
constructed and beautifully decorated. At the end of the festival, the
statutes are paraded through the streets, accompanied by much
singing and dancing, and then submerged in the ocean.

3. HOLI
Holi is a two day festival that also celebrates the victory of good over
evil, as well as the abundance of the spring harvest season. It's
commonly referred to as the "Festival of Colors". People exuberantly
throw colored powder and water all over each other, have parties, and
dance under water sprinklers. Bhang (a paste made from cannabis
plants) is also traditionally consumed during the celebrations. Holi is a
very carefree festival that's great fun to participate in if you don’t mind
getting wet and dirty.

4. BAISAKHI
This is a major Sikh festival - a religious festival, harvest festival and New
Year’s Day all rolled into one.
In April, this day marks the beginning of the Hindu solar New Year. In fact this
day is celebrated all over the country as New Year day under different names.
It is also the time when the harvest is ready to cut and store or sell. For the
Sikh community Baisakhi has a very special meaning. It was on this day that
the last Guru Gobind Singh organized the Sikhs into Khalsa or the pure ones.
By doing so, he eliminated the differences of high and low and established that
all human beings were equal.

5. VASANT PANCHAMI
Literally 'the fifth day of spring', Vasanta Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day
of the bright fortnight in the month of Magha. The festival itself dates to
antiquity. It is reminiscent of the festival of Vasantotsava of the ancient times,
which was one of the most important celebrations as it marked the beginning of
the agricultural season. Vasanta Panchami heralds the spring season. It is
hence celebrated with gaiety and festivity to mark the end of the winter, which
can be quite severe in northern India. The festive color yellow, symbolic of
spring, plays an important part of this day. People wear yellow clothes, offer
yellow flowers in worship and put a yellow, turmeric tilak on their forehead.
They visit temples and offer prayers

6. KARWA CHAUTH
Karwa Chauth is a very significant festival for the women of North Indian.
Karwa means clay pot and Chauth corresponding to the fourth. The festival is
celebrated nine days before Diwali, on the fourth day of the waning moon in
the Hindu month of Kartik, around October-November Traditionally the Indian
woman was expected to uphold family honor and repute. The festival of Karwa
Chauth is not only a day when women pray to God for the long and
prosperous lives of their husbands, but is also symbolic of their unflagging
loyalty towards their spouses. Married women, old and young, begin their fast
on the day of Karwa Chauth well before sunrise, and eventually partake of
food and water only after spotting the moon.

7. LOHARI
Lohari festival is a popular festival that is mostly celebrated by the Punjabi
people, especially in the agricultural lands during the winter festival. It is
widely celebrated in states like Punjab, Delhi, Jammu, Uttarakhand and
Himachal Pradesh. Lohari festival origins back and link to festivities in
Punjab. Lohari forms an integral part of folklore. It is known that Lohari is a
cultural celebration of winter solstice. It is known to be a celebration of the
shortest day of the year. Bonfire is an important part of the bonfire. Lighting of
the fire is common during the winter solstice and throughout all time. It is to
signify that the longer days come sooner. People have a religious meeting
with pagan origins. For some it is a just a tradition.

8. DUSSEHRA
Dussera or Dussehra and some people even spell it as Dassera means the
tenth day. The festival begins with Navratras or the nine nights and the tenth
day is the Dussehra of . The day is also celebrated as Vijayadasmi or the
Victory Day because it is believed that Rama defeated Ravana and achieved
his victory of this day. Rama is believed to be the seventh incarnation of Lord
Vishnu during the Treta yug. The legend goes that Rama, Lakshmana and a
troupe of monkeys led by Hanuman fought the army of Ravana, the ruler of
Srilanka for ten days and finally became victorious on the tenth day with the
killing of Ravana and freed Sita from his clutches. So this festival is regarded
as the victory of the good over the evil.

9. BHAI DOOJ
Bhaiya Duj is the festival that is celebrated on the fifth day of Diwali
and it falls on second day after Diwali that is on 'Shukla Paksha
Dwitiya' in the Hindi month of 'Kartik'. 'Dwitiya' means 'Duj' or the
second day after the new moon. This festival is popular in different
regions with different names such as 'Bhai-Dooj' in north India, 'BhavBij' in Maharashtra, 'Bhai-Phota' in Bengal and 'Bhai-Teeka' in Nepal.
On this day sisters perform 'aarti' of their brothers and apply a
beautiful 'Tilak' or 'Teeka' on their forehead. Then they offer sweets to
them. Then the brothers and sisters exchange gifts with each other.
Sisters are lavished with gifts, goodies and blessings from their
brothers. For More information on Bhaiduj

10. RAKSHA BANDHAN
Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival that celebrates the love and duty
between brothers and sisters; the festival is also popularly used to celebrate
any brother-sister like loving protective relationship between men and women
who are relatives or biologically unrelated.[2][3] It is called Rakhi Purnima, or
simply Rakhi, in many parts of India.[4] The festival is observed by Hindus,
Jains, and many Sikhs.[5] Raksha Bandhan is primarily observed
in India, Mauritius and parts of Nepal. It is also celebrated by Hindus and
Sikhs in parts of Pakistan,[6] and by some people of Indian origin around the
world.