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| Festivals Of India |
Festivals are special days we celebrate with our family and friends. We celebrate many festivals in India. Festivals can be religious, national or harvest.
Festivals
Diwali, Eid, Gurupurab and Christmas are some very popular festivals we celebrate in India.
Diwali is the festival of lights. It celebrates the return of Lord Rama and Sita from exile. Houses are decorated with diyas and candles. People wear new clothes and exchange sweets and gifts with family and friends.
Dusshera marks the victory of good over evil. On that day, Lord Rama killed the evil Ravana. On Dusshera, an effigy of Ravana is burnt at many places to celeberate the victory of lord Rama..
Durga Puja is celebrated with pomp and show. During Durga Puja, pandals have beautifully decorated images of Goddess Durga killing asura-the demon. People gather here in large numbers to enjoy and pray..
Eid is celebrated at the end of Ramzan, the holy month of fasting. People offer prayers at the mosque. They wish each other 'Eid Mubarak'. Sewaiya and other delicious dishes are enjoyed with family and friends.
Gurupurab marks the birthdays of the Sikh gurus. People offer prayers at the gurudwara. Langar, a common meal is cooked at the common kitchen in gurudwaras. People sit and enjoy langar together.
Christmas is celebrated on 25th December. The birthday of Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated on this day. We decorate the Christmas tree and visit the church to say prayers and sing carols. People enjoy eating Christmas cakes.
Harvest festivals
India is also a land of farmers. Farmers grow crops. Harvest is the time when the crops are ready to reap. Harvest Festivals are celebrated to mark this important time.
Baisakhi is the harvest festival of Punjab and other parts of North India. People dance and sing around bonfires.
Bihu is the harvest festival of Assam. People feast, dance, sing and have fun. The famous Bihu dance is performed.
Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala. People worship King Mahabali on this day. Boat races are a special attraction during Onam.
Pongal is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu. On this day, people cook pongal rice.
National festivals
Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti are important national festivals celebrated in India. There is a national holiday on each of these days.
We celebrate Republic Day on 26th January. On this day, the President takes salute at a grand parade held in New Delhi and hoists the national flag.
We celebrate Independence Day on 15th August every year. On this day in the year 1947, India won freedom from the British rule and became a free country. The Prime Minister hoists the national flag at the Red Fort in Delhi.
The birthday of Mahatma Gandhi is celebrated on 2nd October as Gandhi Jayanti. Mahatma Gandhi is known as the 'Father of our nation'.
He was a great Indian leader.
Word Bank
* Festivals: Special days we celebrate with family and friends.
* Exile: Sent to live in another country/place that is not your own, as a punishment.
* Harvest festivals: Festivals that celebrate a good harvest.
* Langar: A common meal cooked at the common kitchen in gurudwaras.
In a Nutshell
* Festivals are special days during which we say prayers, eat, dance, sing and have fun with family and friends.
*The festivals of India can be divided into three kinds of national festivals, religious festivals and harvest festivals.
Knowledge Shower
World Religion Day takes place on the third Sunday in January. The celebration promotes understanding and respect of many different religions in the world.