Understanding the need for festivals and what we celebrate when we celebrate festivals in India can help us improve the usefulness of festivals we like or participate in.
By definition, a festival is a day or period of celebration. No matter where we live in the world, all of us have experienced festivals of the region. Sometimes people visit specific places just to experience the festival of the region as the mood, fervor, food, etc. all are special during the period of celebration.
Why is there a need to celebrate festivals?
Festivals recognize the human need for change and entertainment. The purpose of the festivals is to rejuvenate us mentally and physically.
Some say that going on a holiday or vacation would do the same. When you are back from a holiday don’t you look forward to another holiday? You need a vacation to recover from a vacation. Furthermore, the pleasure of having taken a vacation in effect increases the pressure. For instance, you need to catch up on the work which has piled up. In addition to that you need to save up for the next vacation and so forth.
On the other hand, festivals not only rejuvenate us but also help us to purify our minds and prepare us to face the challenges of life with dignity and live life fully and happily.
Festivals help us celebrate LIFE and share this joy with people around us – relatives, friends, neighbors, the young, the old, and just about everyone.
Each festival has its own significance, most help us celebrate different aspects of being alive. Value Learning hidden among the celebrations is missed. The focus seems to be on external paraphernalia.
The rites, rituals, and practices are meant to help us change the focus from outward to inward. If practices are done without understanding the underlying principles they lose their significance.
What are the reasons to “Celebrate Festivals” in India?
Now, that we have seen the reason behind celebrating festivals, let us look at what is celebrated in the ‘Land of Festivals – India’.
1. Inspiration from Lives of Great People
Celebrating the birth of incarnations or celebrating the life and work of great people gives us an opportunity to learn from their lives and learn to live happier life based on values.
- Birth and Life of Incarnations – Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, Durga Puja, Ram Navami, Janmashtami, Maha Shivaratri, etc.
- Life of Great People – Swami Vivekananda Jayanti, Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, Shivaji Jayanti, Teacher’s Day (In memory of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan), Children’s day (In reverence to Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru), Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti and many more
2. Change of Seasons
Festivals like Makar Sankranti, Holi, and Bihu are some of the festivals which mark the change of seasons. In other words, these make us aware of changes in nature so that we may live in harmony with nature instead of trying to exploit or destroy it.
3. Harvesting
Harvesting festivals like Pongal, Baisakhi, Onam, Gudi Padwa, etc. signifying both material and spiritual prosperity.
4. Relationships
- Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dhooj – Celebrate the bond between the brother and the sister.
- Karva Chauth – Celebrates the relationship of a husband and wife.
5. National Festivals
It’s a National holiday in India on the three National festivals
- India’s Independence from British rule – Independence Day (15th August)
- The Constitution of India came into effect on Republic Day (26th January)
- In reverence to Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Nation – Gandhi Jayanti (2nd October)
The birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel is also celebrated as National Unity Day (October 31st)
In Conclusion, festivals bring an opportunity in our lives for improving the quality of our lives. By trying to adopt the underlying principles of life, living in harmony with nature, celebrating relationships, and learning from the lives of great people.
Festivals are an integral part of any culture. Kindle and paperback edition of our book Indian Culture: Basis and Basics is available through Amazon India and Amazon Worldwide. For instance, it explains what culture is all about, and how culture is different from religion. Furthermore, it explains the underlying principles behind daily practices, festivals, the Indian way of life, and more.