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January is a month of severe cold in northern India. In the south,
while the nights are chill, the days are certainly more clement
and sun-warmed. In rural India, farmers look forward to the ripening
of their crops of rice, wheat, sugarcane and a variety of pulses.
This is also the time for millions of rural Indians to light bonfires
of dried wood and hay in their courtyards and relax in the cold,
star-studded twilight.
On the 14th night of the dark half of Magh occurs the festival of
Mahashivaratri. This is an important fast for devotees of the god
Shiva, who stay awake throughout the night, spending time in prayer.
The name of this festival literally means 'the great night of Shiva’.
With winter mists melting in the sunshine, Phalgun brings new life
to every leaf and bud, announcing that Vasant Ritu or Springtime
has come with its great display of flowers and fruits. While nature
wears verdant new robes, the vernal equinox brings hope to farmers.
This joyful new beginning is celebrated on the full moon day of
Phalgun at the most colourful festival of India - Holi.
The gudi with a swastika-marked pot and silk cloth is a traditional
tribute to the vernal sun. Raising a gudi is an act of declaring
victory, first initiated by the victorious warriors of the Maratha
army under Shivaji.
It is well known that Indians believe passionately in the theory
of muhurts or auspicious times to perform sacraments, to make major
purchases or to begin new ventures. Inspite of modern technology
and changing lifeviews, this dedication to auspicious time is a
prominent feature of Indian life. Akshaya Tritiya, the third day
of the bright half of Vaishakh, is considered one of the four most
sacred days of the vear.
The river Ganga holds a uniquely significant place in Indian life
and consciousness. It rises at Gangotri, high in the snow-clad Himalayas.
Cascading down mighty boulders, it flows into the hot plains of
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and finally meets the waters of the sea in
the Bay of Bengal. At Allahabad, the Ganga merges with the river
Yamuna and the mythical river Saraswati.
An ancient sculpture of Vishnu sleeping on the coiled cosmic serpent
Ananta. Having provided the earth with good harvests and life-giving
water in the monsoon months, Vishnu then rests from Shayani Ekadashi
to Prabodhini Ekadashi.
A time of rain storms and rain-drenched earth, Shravan is the holiest
month of the year for Hindus. Each Monday of this month, known as
Shravan Somvar, is a special day in Shiva temples where the dharanatra
hangs over the linga or the idol to bathe it with water, day and
night. Devotees pile the lmga high with Bel leaves and flowers and
fast till sundown, eating only root vegetables and'fruit. The nanda
deep, Only a 24 hour lamp, burns steadily in the temples signifying
the eternal prayers of devotees ascending to heaven.
Ganesha is the ever-present deity of India. On wedding invitations,
at street come shrines, in carved doorway and in every temple, he
is represented in many carvings sculptures and paintings. On the
fourth day of the bright half of Bhadrapad, the festival of Ganesh
Chaturthi comes to India.
When the last showers of the monsoon are beginning to fall sparsely
between spells of bright sunshine , comes the month of Ashwin. In
this month/the festive season in India reaches a crescendo with
the beginning of the nine-day Navaratri festival.
Once the hectic days of Diwali are over, people all over India return
to work and prepare for the coming winter. At the end of the year,
there are a few festivals but the main season of Hindu festivities
- the Chaturmaas- ends with the 11th day of Kartik or Kartik Ekadashi,
the last day of fasting or feasting. Vishnu, resting on his cosmic
snake Ananta, awakens on this day, called Prabodhini Ekadashi, to
begin the work of maintaining the balance of the world. The Varkari
Vaishnavas lead their last pilgrimage to the sacred Vitthala temple
at Pandharpur, Maharashtra and return home to their routines.
The month of Margashirsha is special to Vaishnav Hindus who worship
Vishnu. In the Bhagawad Gita, Krishna identifies himself with Margashirsha,
which comes when the full moon is sighted near the stellar constellation
of Mriga.
