Nature and its elements hold a significant place in the rituals and festivals. Living creatures and other entities like the sun, wind, rivers, mountains, etc. are also considered ‘beings’ that have a role to play in this universe and that maintain the balance that ensure life in this space and are worshipped in their original or a different form and as part of the many festivals, says Nandini Rao.
The cultural heritage of Indian society is deeply intertwined with its profound mythology and history. It is safe to say that most festivals in India have a deep-rooted and logical connection with a mythological anecdote or character and this is what lends Indian festivals the deep connection and profound peace and happiness. The nationwide festivities serve as a strong reminder of the lasting influence of legends on the lives of its people.
The diverse cultural and geographical landscape of India significantly shapes how each festival is observed, including the associated rituals. Occasionally, even the narrative or legend undergoes slight variations, yet the essence and faith remain steadfast. So, for example, a festival celebrated in the same time period may have a different set of ceremonies and customs from one part of India to another but has been derived from the same legend or scripture.
Just like mythology is closely associated with nature and environment with all its elements as one unit, several Indian festivals amplify the same concept and belief. Nature and its elements hold a significant place in the rituals and festivals – the trees, water, air, ether, fire and earth, living creatures like birds, animals and insects and other entities like the sun, wind, rivers, mountains, etc. are all ‘beings’ that have a role to play in this universe and that maintain the balance that ensure life in this space and are hence worshipped in their original or a different form and as part of the many festivals celebrated across India.
Seeped in legend
Festivals that are celebrated across the length and breadth of India transcend religious and communal lines and the whole nation unites as one to be part of collective celebrations. For example, some festivals like Diwali, Christmas, Bakr-Id and others maintain a profound connection with folk traditions, religious beliefs and are passed down through generations.
Janmashtami or Gokulashtami that celebrates the birth of Lord Vishnu’s eight incarnation, Lord Krishna, is observed with fervent devotion on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha in the Hindu calendar month of Shravana (that typically falls in the months of July or August). As per legend, Krishna’s birth was orchestrated or made possible to put an end to the ill-actions and misdeeds of his uncle Kansa, the king of Mathura, who was Devki’s brother.
In Islam, Bakr Id or Eid-ul-Adha commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to make a supreme sacrifice. The commonly-accepted belief that is associated with this observance states that he was put to the test by God to sacrifice his only son. Though Ibrahim was prepared to carry out the act, divine intervention led to the substitution of his son with a sacrificial lamb. And so, today, all over the world, Bakr-Id is celebrated as a symbol of this sacrifice and across Muslim homes celebrating it, lamb sacrifice takes place.
Social manifestations
One of the biggest festivals that is celebrated with the highest level of fervour and zest is Ganesh Chaturthi – when Lord Ganesh descends from Kailash Parvat alongside his mother, Goddess Parvati or Gauri. It is also the most revered festivals nationwide. Traditionally, Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganesh Chaturthi falls in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada that falls in August or September and is the day when Ganpati sthapana is done and the idol of Ganesh is brought home. This is then followed by the popular 10-day-long Ganeshutsav culminating in the idol’s immersion in a water body.
The social or Sarvajanik Ganpati mandals usually observe the ten-day long period before immersion. Families often keep ganpati for a lesser duration starting from 1.5 days to three to seven days. However, there are some that keep Bappa for as long as a month in their homes, serving him, before immersing the idol in the water.
The high-pitched and extraordinary celebration of Sarvajanik Ganeshutsav can be seen in Mumbai, Pune and Thane and has now gradually spread to other parts of Maharashtra and neighbouring Karnataka and Telangana where earlier people would mostly keep Ganpati at their homes. In contrast, Maghi Ganesh Jayanti or Varad Chaturthi is observed in the Magha month and is celebrated by select communities in Maharashtra in the Konkan region and is usually a low-key affair.
Another huge festival where the passion and devotion of the devotees reaches unprecedented fervour is Maha Shivratri. It falls on the moonless fourteenth night of the new moon in the month of Phalgun that overlaps with the months of February or March. This festival signifies the transcendence of Lord Shiva. In Hinduism, the trinity of gods – comprising Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver; and Shiva, the destroyer – is sacred and is the core of the Maha Shivratri customs.
Joy and happiness
Christmas that is celebrated on 25 December every year is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and is an important festival for the Christians. However, it has also becomes more of a social event now and people from other religions also celebrate in other ways such as meeting friends and families, organising parties and other social events.
The annual festival of Christmas has legend to it as well. As per the Nativity of Jesus from the New Testament which is the traditional Christmas legend, Jesus was born in Bethlehem fulfilling messianic prophecies. Angels proclaimed the birth of Jesus Christ`s birth to shepherds, who then spread the news. Although the exact date of his birth remains unknown, the Church fixed 25 December in the fourth century, aligning it with the winter solstice.
Another important Christian festival is that of Easter which is also the oldest and the most significant festival of the Christian Church. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As per some Easter traditions, the name has originated from Ishtar, the Babylonian and Assyrian goddess of love and fertility. Also from Eostre which is an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring.
Nature, the original source
Nature in various forms holds a significant place in the rituals and festivals of ancient civilisations. Elements of nature are widely worshipped and venerated through totems and festivals owing to the significance they hold in a community’s or a tribe’s existence. For them, like most tribal groups, religion is an extension of the environment they are living in.
In many parts of India, the Pola Festival is celebrated with great pomp and fervour. This festival too is a manifestation of gratitude human has towards a form of nature which in this case is the animal. Cattle are very important to the existence of man and have now been relegated to certain communities which are still heavily dependent on them.
On this occasion, the cattle are cleaned, bathed, adorned with embellishments and carried through the village or settlement with traditional and folk music playing alongside. Another important festival that celebrates animals is the Pushkar Camel Fair held in Rajasthan annually. It begins in the month of Kartik and concludes on Kartik Purnima.
The Vat Savitri festival that is observed on the full moon of Jyeshtha is an occasion when women fast and venerate the Vat vriksha (Banyan tree) to invoke growth and prosperity for their families and for the longevity and well-being of their husbands. The Vat tree, with its ever-spreading foliage and enduring lifespan, symbolises prosperity.