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Art,
Culture & Heritage
Dance
& Music | Architecture
| Festivals
Festivals
- Diwali |
Dussehra |
Holi |
Karma |
Maha-Shivaratri |
Makar Sankranti |
Nag Panchami |
Navaratri |
Sarhul |
Soharai
FESTIVALS
Diwali is
celebrated throughout India with great pomp and gaiety. Chhattha
festival is observed on the sixth day after Diwali. On this occasion,
the people (especially women) observe the longest of all fasts.
The fast is ended with offerings of cow-milk, coconut and fruits to the sun god.
All the women, old and young, go singing together to the nearby river ghats or ponds and offer homage to the setting sun in the evening and to the rising sun in the morning of the day following.
On Jeth Amavasya, Hindu women worship Lord Shiva at to ensure the long life of their husband.
During Mauni Amavasya (if the day is a Monday and of a New Moon), the
women folk observe silence and sit under a Pipal tree.
Dussehra celebrates the victory of Rama over Ravana.
Hence it is also called Vijayadashami. Huge colorful paper and wooden effigies of Rama's enemies,
Ravana, Meghanada and Kumbhakarna are filled with fire works and burnt.
This is the main item of public celebrations.
Holi is another Hindu festival which terminate on the full moon of
Phalguna.
Karma
is observed by the tribals as well as the
non-tribals. There are sufficient grounds to believe that it is an imitation of the Hindu festival.
On this occasion the tribal youths spend the whole night in singing and dancing. The song sung on this occasion narrate the legends of Karma and Dharma. The typically Hindu festivals of Holi and Durga
Puja are also celebrated with great enthusiasm by the Hindu
tribals.
Maha-Shivaratri
is celebrated with prayers
throughout the night and fasting. The fasting is ended the next
day followed by puja.
Makar Sankranti is also observed as a festival among certain classes.
On this occasion, the participants and believers eat rice flakes, curd and sweets made of
til. Janmashtami is observed on the eighth day of the second fortnight in the month of
Bhadrapada. Special meals are held and thousands of people visit the sacred places and temples.
Nag Panchami is a festival observed on the fifth day of the bright half of
Sravana. It begins with a fast. Bathing fairs are held on the banks of rivers.
Navaratri is one of the major festivals, beginning on the first and ending on the tenth day of Navaratri. After the idol of Durga has been worshipped for nine preceding days, it is taken to the river
with great pomp and then immersed into it.
Sarhul
In tribal life, there is a succession of festivals throughout the year which are connected with agricultural operations.
Most of the important festivals among them are Sarhul, Karma and Soharai.
Sarhul is the most popular of all tribal festivals. It is celebrated on the last day of Baisakh which corresponds to the month of April.
It is observed at a time when sal trees have bloomed with flowers.
It resembles the Vasant-mahotsava of the Hindus and may therefore be described as the spring festival of tribals.
It is an occasion of great festivity and enjoyment for people of all ages.
All night maidens and youths sing and dance to the accompaniment of the drum, while the old sit and enjoy the enchanting dance.
Soharai
Another festival among the
tribals is the Soharai or Banda parab, which occurs in the month of Pous, celebrated shortly after the harvest of the rice-crop of the year.
Thus it is the harvest festival of tribals. On this occasion domestic animals are worshipped after being washed, anointed with oil and smeared with vermilion.
Other Bihari
Festivals
Saraswati
Puja, which is celebrated in all educational institutions and images of
Goddess of Learning (Saraswati) are worshipped. Raksha Bandhan,
Godhan, Ramnavami, Chitra Gupta Puja are celebrated mostly by the Kayasthas and Viswakarma
Puja is observed only by factory workers and workmen. The chief Muslim festivals in Bihar are the
Muharram, the two Ids and Shah-i-Barat.
Reference:
http://www.webindia123.com
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