Cultural & Religious Festivals Trip in India
Are you in search of a vacation spot where you can find a lot of tourist places? Well, if you are, perhaps it’s time you visit India. Tourists from different countries flood India and the main reason is because it offers fascinating and attractive tourist places that is so rich in history, culture, heritage, peoples, and sightseeing.
You will surely need some travel destination tips when you visit India in order to have the best vacation ever.
There are a number of Religious Festivals in india. The famous cultural festivals India are given below:
Christmas:
Despite the same underlying spirit, the celebration of Christmas vary in the vast expanse of India. These variations are largely because India is a country of diversity. Christian community in India celebrate Christmas with pomp, gaiety and devotion. Celebrations of Christmas festival begin on the eve of Christmas on 24th of December and continue till New Year’s Day. Christians across the country mark the birth of Lord Jesus Christ on Christmas Day by participating in special masses organized in churches. Celebrations of Christmas are marked by carols, cakes, candles and decoration of Christmas Tree. Each area of India has a distinctly different way of celebrating Christmas.
Diwali:
Diwali, or Deepawali, (also called Tihar and Swanti in Nepal) (Markiscarali) is a major Indian and Nepalese festive holiday, and a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. [1] Many legends are associated with Diwali. Today it is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs across the globe as the “Festival of Light,” where the lights or lamps signify victory of good over the evil within every human being. The festival is also celebrated by Buddhists of Nepal, particularly the Newar Buddhists. According to another theory it may have originated as a harvest festival, marking the last harvest of the year before winter.
Holi:
Holi (also called Holaka or Phagwa) is an annual festival celebrated on the day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna (early March). It celebrates spring, commemorates various events in Hindu mythology and is time of disregarding social norms and indulging in general merrymaking. Holi is probably the least religious of Hindu holidays. During Holi, Hindus attend a public bonfire, spray friends and family with colored powders and water, and generally go a bit wild in the streets.
Janmashtami:
Lord Krishna’s birth anniversary is the festival of Janmashtami. The temples of Vrindavan, where He was born, witness an extravagant and colourful celebration. On this occasion. Raslila is performed to recreate incidents from the life of Krishna and to commemorate his love for Radha. The idol of the infant Krishna is bathed at midnight and is placed in a cradle. Devotional songs and dances mark the celebration of this festive occasion all over Northern India.
Kathak:
Kathak is the major classical dance form of northern India. The word kathak means “to tell a story”. It is derived from the dance dramas of ancient India. When the patronage shifted from the temples to the royal court, there was a change in the overall emphasis. The emphasis shifted from the telling of religious stories to one of entertainment. Today, the story-telling aspect has been downgraded and the dance is primarily an abstract exploration of rhythm and movement.
Onam:
A long long time ago, an Asura (demon) king called Mahabali ruled Kerala. He was a wise, benevolent and judicious ruler and beloved of his subjects. Soon his fame as an able king began to spread far and wide, but when he extended his rule to the heavens and the netherworld, the gods felt challenged and began to fear his growing powers. Presuming that he might become over-powerful, Aditi, the mother of Devas pleaded with Lord Vishnu to curtail Mahabali’s powers.
Meditation:
Meditation is one of the proven alternative therapies. It can be broadly classified under the mind-body medicine. The use of Meditation for healing is not new. Meditative techniques are the product of diverse cultures and peoples around the world. It has been rooted in the traditions of the world’s great religions. In fact, practically all religious groups practice meditation in one form or another. The value of Meditation to alleviate suffering and promote healing has been known and practiced for thousands of years.
Pushkar Mela:
Pushkar is a small town in Rajasthan, it is as picturesque as any desert town can be but it has other claims to fame that make it a prominent address on the Indian map. Pushkar, literally meaning ‘a lotus that has bloomed in mud’, and it also home to one of the only two temples dedicated to Lord Brahma. The seat upon which Lord Brahma resides is a blue Lotus also known as ‘Pushkara’ in Sanskrit. Lord Brahma is a part of the Hindu Holy Trinity and he serves as the ‘Creator’ of mankind, the way Lord Shiva is considered the destroyer. Lord Brahma is said to be the son of the Supreme Being. He created the universe and he had several symbols associated with his persona.
Kumbh Mela:
The Kumbh festivities could be reckoned as a colorful pageant of diversities in the Hindu religion, exposing facets of the cult or occult nature of Hinduism as a diverse religious order. Hermits, sages, learned yogis and miracle men all rub shoulders and exhibit their spiritual prowess through their “chakraa” or meditative senses to commoners and missionaries alike. The Kumbh Melas attract all sorts, from traditional to non-traditional followers of Hinduism from the Himalayas, Swamis and missionaries from South of India and also from shores abroad -Africa, Japan, Europe and also America.
Yoga and Ayurveda in india:
Yoga:The ultimate goal of yoga is to reach complete peacefulness of body and mind, helping you relax and manage stress and anxiety. Traditional yoga philosophy requires that students adhere to this mission through behavior, diet and meditation. But if you’re simply looking for better stress management and not an entire lifestyle change, yoga can still help. Yoga improves our concentration and can make us stronger both physically and emotionally. It is widely recognized as an excellent stress management tool; teaching us to relax, it aids restful sleep and helps foster spiritual peace and contentment.
AyurvedaAccording to Ayurveda the five elements -earth, water, fire, air and ether combine in pairs to form three dynamic forces called doshas. Dosha literally means “that which changes.” The doshas are constantly moving in dynamic balance, with each other. The three doshas are called Vata, Pitta and Kapha.