Living In India

A country of Celebrations

Many Festivals
India has many different communities and religions Environment harvest, weather, seasons, animals National Festivals Children's Day Gandhi Jayanti Independence Day Republic Day Teacher's Day Different celebrations for different regions

Gods and goddesses many linked to established religions Festival Rituals Aartis Azaan Festival Calendar Hindu Fasts Naamkaran

General Festivals Father's Day Halloween Mother's Day New Year Thanks Giving Valentine's Day

Click here to see a timeline of Festivals

Many Festivals cont

Buddhist Festivals Buddha Purnima Hemis Gompa Losar Christian Festivals Ullambana Christmas Easter Good Friday Muslim Festivals Bakra Eid Eid-ul-Fitr Muharram Hindu Festivals Baisakhi Diwali Durga Puja Dussehra Ganesh Chaturthi Holi Janmashtami Karwa Chauth Mahashivaratri Makar Sankranti Naag Panchami Navratri Onam Pongal Sikh Festivals Rakhi Ramnavami Guru Nanak Jayanti Guru Purab Holla Mohalla Lohri

Zoroastrian Festivals Gahambars Jamshed Navroz Khordad Sal Zarthost No Deeso

Region: Nationwide Religion: Hindu Celebrated: October/ November at the new moon Diwali customs: lamps rangoli art

New clothes Religious Activities: bright lights Worship of Goddess Lakshmi, worship of Lord candles Ganesha, worship of Mother Kali, worship of buy gold and silver Lord Chitragupta and worship of Govardhan Parvat. new utensils

Diwali Days
5 days: Day 1: Dhanteras buy new utensils, gold, silver Day 2: bath before sunrise and rub special oil on body Day 3: new clothes, gifts, sweets, special foods, diyas (lamps), candles Day 4: Padwa celebration of love and respect for husband and wife; Anna- Koot preparation of 56 or 108 dishes to offer Lord Krishna. Gods bathed in milk, given new clothes, jewels, precious metals Day 5: brothers and sisters celebrate their relationship, give gifts to each other

Traditional Indian Dance

Much of this dance is from Natya, the sacred Hindu musical theatre styles

Traditional Indian Music

The basis for Indian music is "sangeet". Sangeet is a combination of three artforms: vocal music, instrumental music and dance. Sitar The most famous instruments are the sitar and the tabla

Tabla

Comparison with Australia

Some similar celebrations based in British occupation history and American influences Many different religions , so many celebrations but with same focus harvest, weather, gods Similar traditions of decorating, dance, music, food, just different styles Some localised celebrations, some national just like Australia

Similar traditions of giving and receiving gifts, just a different style

The India Travel guide: Festivals of India http://www.theindiatravelguide.com/test/festivals.htm information on festivals of India The India Travel guide: Map of India http://www.theindiatravelguide.com/test/main1.htm map of India showing regions I love India http://festivals.iloveindia.com/independence-day/index.html list of festivals in India Lonely Planet http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/asia/india/ Map of India showing major cities and towns I Love India http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/diwali-customs.html Information on diwali customs I Love India http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/when-is-diwali.html Information on when diwali is held I Love India http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/diwali-rangoli.html image of rangoli art I Love India http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/diwali-diya.html image of diwali diya I Love India http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/diwali-candle.html image of diwali candles I Love India http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/govardhan-puja.html Information on dewali day 4 I Love India http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/bhai-duj.html Information on bhai-duj and image of bhai-duj artifacts Google Images http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tokoha.ac.jp/jiym/participants/p_2003/images/singapore.jpg&im grefurl=http://www.tokoha.ac.jp/jiym/participants/p_2003/singapore.html&h=343&w=500&sz=49&hl=en&start=18&um=1 &tbnid=KTnUcWHQHcCAWM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=130&prev= Images of traditional Indian dance

Google Images http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/ Classical_indian_dance_10a.jpg/250pxClassical_indian_dance_10a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://blogs.ibibo.com/govind/dance-inindia.html&h=270&w=250&sz=22&hl=en&start=19&um=1&tbnid=yJsQRWmHXJtCM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=105&prev= Images of traditional Indian dance Google Images http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/instrument.j pg&imgrefurl=http://www.chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/instruments.html&h=305&w=600&s z=25&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=giZSdiyItaFIeM:&tbnh=69&tbnw=135&prev= Images of traditional Indian musical instruments Chandra and Davids homesite http://www.chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/tabla.html Image of tabla Abydos Enterprises http://www.magictails.com/abydos/images/mid-east/stringed/large/sitar_pro_RKS.jpg Image of sitar