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Punjab and Haryana Festivals
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Punjab and
Haryana Festivals
Punjab has always been known and identified as a land of
celebrations. Similarly Haryana, once part of Punjab,
has also undertaken the same characteristics. Festivals
in Punjab and Haryana have always been celebrated with
much fanfare. These festivals are popular occasions for
social gathering and enjoyment. Some of the festivals
which are celebrated in Punjab and Haryana are Baisakhi,
Guruparb, Lohri, Holla Mohalla, Tika, Teej, Sanjhi and
Gita Jayanti. Many other festivals like Basant Panchmi,
Karva Chauth, Holi, Diwali and Dussehra are also
celebrated with great joy. |
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Baisakhi
The most important festival which is celebrated in
Punjab is Baisakhi, which marks the arrival of the
harvesting season. The word Baisakhi is derived
from the month of Vaisakha (April-May) in which
the festival is celebrated. This festival is
celebrated on the 13th April every year, a time
when the farmer returns home with his bumper crop,
the fruit of his whole year’s hard labour. The
people of Punjab attired in their best clothes
perform the Bhangra dance to express their joy.
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dancers
and drummers challenge each other to continue the dance.
The scenes of sowing, harvesting, winnowing and
gathering of crops are expressed through zestful
movements of the body with the accompaniment of ballads.
For the Sikhs, Baisakhi has a special significance
because on this day in 1699, their tenth guru, Guru
Gobind Singh organized the Order of the Khalsa. On this
day he administered amrit (nectar) to his first batch of
five disciples making them Singhs, a martial community.
Fairs are organized at various places in Punjab, where
besides other recreational activities, wrestling bouts
are also held. The festival is celebrated with great fun
at Talwandi Sabo, where Guru Gobind Singh stayed for
nine months and completed the recompilation of the Guru
Granth Sahib. Baisakhi is also celebrated with great fun
in Haryana. It marks the end of religious austerity of
nine holy days of fasting. The people take a bath in the
nearby river, canal, tank or well and then go to temples
or gurudwaras and offer prayers, followed by song and
dance.
Guruparb
The Gurparb festival is celebrated by the Sikhs to
commemorate their gurus. Two major Guruparbs are held
during the year. The first Guruparb is held in the month
of November to celebrate the teachings of the founder of
Sikhism, Guru Nanak, and the second in the month of
January to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru
Govind Singhji. On the Guruparb, the Granth Sahib is
taken out in a procession through the streets of all the
cities, the prayers are offered at the gurudwaras, and
prasada is distributed to the devotees. For two days and
nights, the Granth Sahib and the Japji Sahib are recited
continuously from beginning to the end and religious
discourses are also held. The second Guruparb is also
celebrated with great zeal and fervour by the Sikh
community, especially at Patna Sahib, the birthplace of
Guru Gobind Singh. The martyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev and
Guru Teg Bahadur are also observed as Guruparbs. Langars
(free meals) are served to all without distinction of
caste or creed.
Holla Mohalla
The Holla Mohalla is observed by the Sikh community, one
day after the Holi. Thousands of Sikh devotees gather at
the Anandpur Sahib, where Guru Gobind Singh was baptized
to participate in the grand fair of Holla Mohalla. The
whole place wears a festive look, the processions take
place and the people also take part in the festivities
with zealous fervour.
Tika
Tika is celebrated in the month of Kartik (Oct-Nov) on
the day following Diwali. Tika is celebrated both in
Punjab and Haryana. The women put a tika of saffron and
rice grains on the foreheads of their brothers, to
protect them from evil. They dress up in finery to
perform the ceremony. They feed their brothers with
sweets and also sing and pray for their longevity and
prosperity. The brothers in turn gave them some gifts or
money as a token of their affection. |
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Lohri
The Lohri festival is celebrated both in Punjab
and Haryana. It is one of the most popular harvest
festivals of Punjab. This harvest festival is
celebrated in the month of January and marks the
end of the winter season. This harvest festival is
celebrated to mark both celebration and sharing.
In January, when the fields open up with the
golden harvest, the farmers celebrate the festival
before the cutting and gathering of crops. The
purpose of the Lohri festival is to thank the God
for his care and protection. On this occasion,
children go from home to home, singing popular
Lohri folk songs and people oblige them generously
by giving them money and eatables as offering for
the festival. In the evening, people gather
together and light bonfires. They go around the
fire three times, giving offerings of popcorns,
peanuts, rayveri and sweets and sing songs. This
symbolizes a prayer to Agni for abundant crops
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and
prosperity. Then, on the beat of the dhol (traditional
Indian drum), they perform Bhangra and Giddha, the
popular folk dances, around the fire. Later, the prasad
of til, peanuts, rayveri, puffed rice, popcorn, gajak
and sweets is distributed. The joyous festivities assume
a greater fervour on the birth of a child or the arrival
of new bride in the family. On this day, fairs are also
held at various places in Punjab and Haryana. For
Punjabis, this is more than just a festival, it is also
an example of a way of life.
Teej
Teej is celebrated on the occassion of the onset of
Sawan (monsoon), which is essential for the agricultural
prosperity of the state. This festival is also
celebrated in both Punjab and Haryana. On this day, the
women dress up in all their finery, with mehndi on their
hands, and sing and dance to welcome the rains. They
perform gidda and kikli, the folk dances of Punjab. The
swings are hung from trees and the women frolic on them,
singing the traditional bojeeyan and tappe songs. They
also sing songs in praise of Goddess Parvati, as it was
on this auspicious day that Parvati, the consort of Lord
Shiva, won him after much penance.
Sanjhi
The Sanjhi festival is mainly celebrated by the women in
rural Haryana, Sanjhi is a day for rituals, prayers and
celebrations. It is celebrated in the month of October.
Sanjhi is the name given to images of the Mother Goddess
designed by the rural women. These images are made of
cowdung paste and a symbol of health, wealth and
prosperity. According to folklore, the Goddess of wealth
only enters those houses whose walls are decorated with
the form of Sanjhi. The image is designed on the first
day of the nine days of Durga Puja. The people offer
prayers and food to the goddess everyday.
Gita Jayanti
Gita Jayanti is a modern festival which is celebrated at
Kurukshetra in Haryana. Gita Jayanti, has its roots in
the Shrimad Bhagwad Gita. This festival is celebrated to
commemorate the holy Gita and Lord Krishna for ten days.
The arti and deep daan at the Brahma Sarovar, where lit
diyas are set afloat in the sarovar to the chant of
devotional songs, are an exercise in spiritual
rejuvenation. During these days various events take
place, which include the recitation of the Gita, a
pageant depicting scenes from the Mahabharata, seminars
and discussions on the Gita, and recitals of bhajans.
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