IMPORTANCE OF SRI RAMA NAVAMI
Rama Navami also known as Sri Rama Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya of Ayodhya. SriRamaNavami 2010 festival falls in the Shukla Paksha on the Navami, ninth day of the Chaitra month of Hindu calendar on March 24, 2010 this year. Checkout here for Bhadrachalam festival celebrations for Sri Rama Navami 2010, Sri Rama Navami 2010 SMS, Sri Rama Navami messages and Sri Rama Navami greetings to wish ur belove ones, family and relatives.
At some places the festival lasts the whole nine days of the Navratras, thus the period is called ‘Sri Rama Navratra’.Thus it is also known as Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami, and marks the end of nine-day Chaitra-Navratri celebrations.
Since Rama is the 7th incarnation of Vishnu having born at noon, temples and family shrines are elaborately decorated and traditional prayers are chanted together by the family in the morning. Many followers mark this day by Vrata (fasting) through the day followed by feasting in the evening, or at the culmination of celebrations in South India, the day is also celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Sri Rama and his consort Sita. Sitarama Kalyanam, the ceremonial wedding ceremony of the celestial couple is held at temples throughout the region, with great fanfare and accompanied by group chanting of name of Rama, (Rama nama smaranam).
Bhadrachalam festival celebrations:
The important celebrations on this day take place at Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), Bhadrachalam (Andhra Pradesh) and Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu), thronged by thousands of devotees. Rathayatras, the chariot processions, also known as Shobha yatras of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman, are taken out at several places, including Ayodhya where thousands of people take a dip in the sacred river Sarayu.
Ugadi -Telugu New Year
Ugadi is the New Year (Lunar New Year) for Telugu & Kannada speaking people.Ugadi (yuga and adi) means beginning of an astronomical cycle. It is also the first day of Chaitra, the first month of the traditional Hindu calendar followed in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Ugadi is also known as Chadramana Ugadi .For the Telugu and Kannada speaking people, Ugadi day begins with an extensive oil bath. Rangolis or Kolams are drawn in front of homes and doors and windows are decorated with a 'thorana' - mango leaves strung together. Then, it is time for the preparation of the famous ‘Ugadi Pachadi’ in Andhra Pradesh. In Karnataka, it is the ‘Bevu Bella.’
A major event on the day is “Panchanga Sravanam” – predictions for the year. It is organized at temples and by cultural and social organizations.
Ugadi Pachadi which is distributed on the day is a unique dish with a mixture of six tastes ranging from sweet to bitter. It comprises of jaggery, raw mango, tamarind, neem flowers, salt and green chilli. This is the first dish that people have on Ugadi day. Ugadi Pachadi has an important symbolic meaning that life brings different experiences ranging from sweet to bitter. Therefore each individual should learn to take the different experiences in one's stride and move ahead.
Instead of the Ugadi Pachadi, in some places people serve jaggery mixed with neem leaves. The bitter taste of neem leaves and the sweet of jaggery symbolize joy and sorrow in life. This is more popular with Kannadigas.
Maharashtrians celebrate Gudhi Padwa on the day.
The telugu year is defined as 12 months, each of which is of 30 days in length i.e., the year is only 360 days long. Consequently, the calendar falls regularly out of date and is adjusted by introducing an additional month every so often. The additional month, called Adhika Maasa meaning literally an extra month, cycles through all the twelve months. No religious ceremonies or festivals are observed during the adhika maasa. There are 60 such year names and the cycle of years repeats every sixty years starting from Prabhava.
1. Prabhava 2. Vibhava 3. Shukla 4. Pramodoota 5. Prajotpati 6. Angeerasa 7. Sreemukha 8. Bhaava
9. Yuva 10. Dhaatu 11. Eeswara 12. Bahudhanya 13. Pramadi 14. Vikrama 15. Vrusha (Vishu)
16. Chitrabhanu 17. Svabhanu 18. Tarana 19. Pardhiva 20. Vyaya 21. Sarvajittu (2007-2008)
22.Sarvadhari (2008-2009) 23. Virodhi (2009-2010) 24. Vikruti (2010-2011) 25. Khara 26. Nandana
27. Vijaya 28. Jaya 29. Manmadha 30. Durmukhi 31. Hevilambi 32. Vilambi 33. Vikari 34. Sharvari
35. Plava 36. Shubhakrutu 37. Shobhakrutu 38. Krodhi 39. Vishvaavasu 40. Parabhava 41. Plavanga
42. Keelaka 43. Soumya 44. Sadharana 45. Virodhikrutu 46. Pareedhani 47. Pramadeecha 48. Ananda
49. Rakshasa 50. Nala (naLa) 51. Pingala 52. KaLayukti 53. Siddhaardhi 54. Raudri 55. Durmati
56. Dundubhi 57. Rudhirodgari 58. Raktakshi 59. Krodhana 60. Akshaya
HISTORY OF MAKARA SANKRANTI - JANUARY 14th
Makara Sankranti is a mid-winter Hindu festival of India and Nepal. The festival is celebrated to mark the transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn during the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere (or the beginning of Uttarayana). The famous Kumbh Mela is also held on Makar Sankranti every 12 years. Hindus gather in large numbers to take a holy dip at Ganga Sagar on this day every year.Makara Sankranti is the only Hindu festival which is based on the Solar calendar rather than the Lunar calendar.In some parts of India, the festival is celebrated by taking dips in the Ganga or any river and offering water to the Sun god. The dip is said to purify the self and bestow punya. Special puja is offered as a thanks giving for good harvest.
Festival of Colours:
Since the festival is celebrated in the mid winter, the food prepared for this festival are such that they keep the body warm and give high energy. Laddu of til made with Jaggery (Gul)is specialty of the festival.In Maharshtra it is called 'Tilgul', but the place where it is celebrated with much pomp is Andhra Pradesh, where the festival is celebrated for 3 days and is more of a cultural festival unlike an auspicious day as in other parts of India.
Regional variations:
Makar Sankranti is celebrated all over India and Nepal with some some regional variations: - In North India,
- Punjab - Lohri
- West Bengal and Assam - Bhogali Bihu
- Gujarat and Rajasthan - Uttarayan (Kite flying festival)
- In South India,
- In Tamilnadu - Pongal
- In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh - Sankranthi
- Other parts of India as Makara Sankranti
- In Nepal,
- Tharu people - Maghi
- Other people - Maghe Sankranti or Maghe Sakranti
Many Melas or fairs are held on Makar Sankranti the most famous being the Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years at one of four holy locations, namely Haridwar, Prayag (Allahabad), Ujjain and Nashik. The Magh Mela (or mini-Kumbh Mela held annually at Prayag) and the Gangasagar Mela (held at the head of the Ganges River, where it flows into the Bay of Bengal).
Makara Sankranti is celebrated in Kerala at Sabarimala where the Makara Jyothi is visible followed by the Makara Vilakku celebrations.
IMPORTANCE OF VIJAYA DASHAMI (DASARA)
Dussehra or Dasara Festival is very famous and popularly celebrated in approx every city of India. specially south Indian states, m.p. and rajasthan are the main places of big dasara celebration. the kota dussehra festival celebration is a very important festival of Rajasthan. ramlila, cultural programmes, ram, sita and hanumaan bhajans, songs are the important part of dussehra programme.
Attractive and colorful huge effigies of ravana, kumbhkarna and megnad are made by people and at big Mela ground these are set to fire. so there is an important place of Dussehra or Dasara Festival in every one’s life.
IMPORTANCE OF RAMZAN
The holy month of Ramadan enjoys a special importance in the Islamic calendar. As the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "It is Allah's Own month." It is the chief of all months and the most glorious one.
As we already know, 'Fasting' is one of the important pillars of Islam and it is the very month of Ramadan during which fasting has been made obligatory for all adults and sane Muslims.
By fasting during Ramadan, a Muslim besides discharging an obligation imposed upon him by Allah (SWT), becomes entitled to great reward in the Hereafter.
On the other hand, any lapse in the matter amounts to a great sin. Fasting is an article of worship, the knowledge about the performance or otherwise whereof rests only with Allah (SWT) and the person concerned. Hence, it is Allah alone who will reward that person for it, on the Day of Judgment.
The blessings of Ramadan are not limited to fasting alone, because the performance of all sorts of worship and good deeds during this month is also a source of great Divine favor.
The revelation of the Holy Qur'an commenced during this very month and it is therefore the duty of every Muslim to read and try to understand the meaning of the Holy Qur'an and thereby gain an insight into the Divine secrets enshrined therein. It brings peace and illumination to the mind and imparts purity to the soul.
Ramadan is the month of fasting, intensive prayer, sacrifice and Divine worship. Throughout this month a devout Muslim fasts during the day in the true sense of the word, that is, he had merely denies himself food and water, but as explained by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), exercises strict control over his tongue, eyes, ears, thoughts and deeds and does everything possible to seek the pleasure of Allah (SWT).
Devout supplications to Allah (SWT) and repentance of one's sins during Ramadan are the sources of Divine blessings and mercy. Some nights, among the last ten nights of Ramadan, are called the 'Nights of Glory' (Laylatul Qadr).
These are the 19th, 21st, and 23rd nights. Muslims keep awake during these nights and offer special prayers. Even among these nights, the 23rd enjoys excellence over all the others. It is accompanied by great blessings, and he usually grants the supplications made to Allah (SWT) during this night.
The Best Deed of the Month of Ramazan
During the course of a sermon of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) about the virtues of the month of Ramazan. Imam Ali (A.S.) says: I stood up and asked: O' Prophet of Allah! What is the best deed for this month? The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) replied: O' Abul-Hasan! The best deed for this month is abstinence from that which is forbidden by Allah, The Mighty, The Glorious. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 42, pg. 190
The holy month of Ramadan, besides being the month of worship and Divine blessings, carries a historical importance as well. As already mentioned above, the revelations of the Holy Qur'an commenced in this month. The epoch-making 'Battle of Badr' and the 'Conquest of Mecca' also took place during the holy month of Ramadan."Ramadan", according to some traditions is one of Allah's names.
This is why we can not say Ramadan without making it clear that we are talking about the month, and therefore we should always say the month of Ramadan.The Commander of the faithful Ali ibn Abi Taleb (A.S.) said: Do not say Ramadan, but say the month of Ramadan.
For you do not know what Ramadan is. This same meaning was referred to by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) in his speech during Shaaban: The month of Allah coming ...
The Month of Ramzan and Seeking Forgiveness. Imam Ali (A.S.) said: It is incumbent upon you to seek forgiveness and supplicate excessively in the month of Ramazan. As for the supplication, by means of it the calamities are warded off from you, and as for the seeking of forgiveness, it erases away your sins. Al-Kafi, vol. 4, pg. 88
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