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BAISAKHI

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Baisakhi is a spring harvest festival usually celebrated every year April 13 and 14. This is one of the special occasions that are celebrated all over India by Hindus and Sikhs. It usually marks the Sikh New Year and an ancient festival of Hindus, which is nothing but the solar New Year. It is the day commemorating the formation of Khalsa Path of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh.  On the festival day, Gurdwaras are decorated; the sikhs will visit and take bath in the holy lake or rivers before visiting local Gurdwaras. And for any Hindus, it is the day, where they will take their bath on the holy rivers like Ganges and Kaveri. After taking the bath, they will visit the nearby temple and meet their friends and family members. The most fun and interesting art of happy Baisakhi is the dance battles. Both the male and female can participate in the dance battles. Mostly the battles are covered under the traditional Punjabi Bhangra and Gidda dances. If the dance stage is decorated with brigh
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KARWA CHAUTH

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Karwa Chauth is an auspicious occasion that celebrates the beauty of the relationship between a husband and his wife. It is all about fasting and praying for the happiness and well-being of your partner. Predominantly, it is the wife that fasts for her husband. So, she deserves special treatment. This explains the craze for karwa chauth gifts in the market. You must be looking for karva chauth gifts for your wife as well.  Karwa Chauth is a festival that is celebrated by married women for the long and healthy life of their husbands. In this event, married women can't eat or drink water after sunrise and they will only drink the water after the moonrise. This festival brings together all family members, especially between husbands and wives. Every year, millions of faithful women in India observe a unique ritual known as Karwa Chauth. Karwa Chauth is a day-long fast, observed by married women in North India to please their husbands.The Karwa Chauth fast is generally observed for the
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CHHATH PUJA

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Chhath puja is a unique Indian festival dedicated to solar deity Surya and Shashthi Devi. It is celebrated to thank them for sustaining life on earth. Believed to be the god of light- Surya and Shashthi Devi are worshipped on this day for promoting life, wellbeing, and prosperity of human beings.Celebrated a week after Diwali, chhath puja has a unique significance in Indian culture, especially in the Bihar region. Devotees expose themselves to direct sunlight on this day as they believe that the Sun is also a source of healing and helps to cure many illnesses and diseases.Devotees express gratitude to Lord Surya and perform rituals for four days. Chhath in the Hindi language means six and hence this festival is celebrated on the sixth day of the month of Kartika. According to Mahabharata, Lord Surya’s son Karna was the first person to perform Chhath puja. He offered a prayer to Lord Surya while standing in water and exposing his body. Later, he also offered food to the needy. It is als
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MUHARRAM

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Muharram is one of the most significant festivals celebrated by the Muslim community in India as it marks the beginning of the Islamic New Year. It is the first month of the Islamic calendar and second holiest of the four sacred months in a year in Islam, the first being Ramadan. Muharram celebrations start after the sighting of the new moon on Islamic calendar’s last day and continue for ten days. The 10th day of Muharram, called the Day of Ashura, is of most significance for different Muslim factions for various reasons.  Of all the days, the Day of Ashura i.e. the 10th day of Muharram is considered most important by Shia and Sunni Muslims. Shia Muslims observe it as a day of mourning to commemorate the death of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, Hussayn Ibn Ali. According to legends, Imam Hussayn once raised objection to the legitimacy of caliph Yazid and revolted against him. This led to the battle of Karbala, and the beheading of the revolutionary leader and imprisonment of his fam
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MAHAVIR JAYANTI

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Mahavir Jayanti is one of the most important religious celebrations for Jains across the world and majorly in India. This day marks the birth of Lord Mahavir, who was the 24th and the last Tirthankara of the Jain faith, and the son of King Siddhartha and Queen Trisala.Tirthankar is the saviour and spiritual teacher of the Jain dharma. This term lays importance on the founder of Tirtha, who achieves enlightenment and helps others achieve the same. According to the Swetambar sect of Jainism, he was born on the 13th day of the Hindu calendar month Chaitra in 599 BC in Kundalagrama, Bihar. As against this, Digambar Jains believe that his birth took place in 615 BC. As per the Gregorian calendar, Lord Mahavir’s birth is celebrated in the month of March or early April. Lord Mahavir was born as prince Vardhamana and belonged to the Ikshvaku Dynasty. Even though he was destined to be an emperor, he left his home at the age of 30 in search of truth in the world and gave up all the worldly posse
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BASANT PANCHAMI

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Basant Panchami is a festival to welcome the spring season in the Indian sub-continent. Basant means spring and Panchami mean the fifth day. It is also the day when people start preparing for Holi which takes place forty days after Basant Panchami. According to one of the famous beliefs, the origin of the Basant Panchami festival lies in the Aryan period. Aryans came and settled in India, crossing the Saraswati River. There was a lot of development at that time around the banks of the Saraswati River. Hence, the Saraswati River began to be associated with fertility and knowledge, and locals began to celebrate this festival. According to another mythology, Kalidasa married to beautiful princess through trickery. The princess once kicked him out of her bed after she learned that he was foolish. After this incident, Kalidasa decided to commit suicide. Goddess Saraswati emerged from the waters and asked him to take a dip in the Saraswati River. After taking a dip in the river, Kalidasa bec
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BUDDHA PURNIMA

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Buddha Purnima is a Buddhist festival that celebrates the birth of Gautam Buddha. He was the founder of Buddhism. His real name was Prince  Siddhartha Gautam and he was born in Lumbini(Nepal) on the Purnima Tithi (full moon day) in 563 BC.  In Hinduism, Buddha is considered the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Buddha Jayanti or Buddha Purnima is the celebration of the birth of Gautama Buddha, and last year it was being observed on May 26. His birth anniversary is also known as Buddha Purnima or Vaisakhi Buddha Purnima or Vesak. This day is commemorated by Buddhists and Hindus all over the world and is a major festival in countries like India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka (where it is called Vesak), however, every country celebrates the festival differently. Gautama Buddha preached Dharma (duty), nonviolence, harmony, and kindness. He left his worldly possessions and princedom at the age of 30 to
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BIHU

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Assam, known as the land of blue hills and red river, is also a land of many feasts and festivals. Bihu is one of the most important festivals of Assam. The word Bihu is derived from two words- Bi meaning to ask and Hu meaning to give. The festival of Bihu is primarily linked to the cycle of paddy cultivation.  The festival continues for seven days. The farmers prepare their fields with great joy and enthusiasm for cultivation. The festival is of three kinds and is celebrated thrice a year. Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu is celebrated in April, Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu in January, and Kati or Kongali Bihu in October or November. The festival entertains the celebration of farming, particularly paddy.  Bohag Bihu is to celebrate the beginning of the sowing of the seeds. This one is the most entertaining festival. It is celebrated in spring and is also referred to as Rongali Bihu. The festival is a symbol of dance, bliss, happiness, and music. The celebrations include burning torches in the
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GOOD FRIDAY

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Good Friday is a very important festival for Christians which is celebrated to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Good Friday usually falls between March 20th and April 23rd. Initially, it was called God’s Friday remembering Christ’s sufferings and death on the cross. They believe that he sacrificed himself for humankind on the big cross or crucifix. They observe this day as an essential feast of up to forty days. The last week of this period is called a holy week, and this is the day, or Good Friday comes in this week. Earlier, only Easter Sunday was celebrated as a holy day by the Christmas Church. By the fourth century, the days preceding Easter were established as holy days including Good Friday. It is believed that ‘Good’ stands for the gift of salvation brought forth by martyrdom. The celebrations include the observance of prayer and meditation at the Stations of the Cross, a succession of 14 images, usually on wooden combinations, which depicts Christ’s crucifixion and the e
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DUSSEHRA

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Dussehra is a festival celebrated in the Hindu religion. It is one of the most important festivals in India. Dussehra, also known as Dashahara, Vijayadashami, or Dasara. People celebrated Dussehra with great enthusiasm and love, throughout the country. It is time for rejoicing for everyone. The students get ten-day-long holidays from their schools and colleges to thoroughly enjoy this festival. Dussehra falls two or three weeks before Diwali. Thus, it falls usually around September to October. Everyone waits for this festival eagerly. Dussehra is celebrated with great fervor and fanfare. It brings great reasons to rejoice by all. The ladies prepare for their pujas while the men buy crackers and more to celebrate it heartily. There is a mythological background behind this festival. The dwellers of the Earth and the heaven were troubled and tortured by the notorious demon Mahisasura. Other heavenly Gods were also afraid of him. On their earnest prayer and request, the Goddess Durga was b
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EASTER

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Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It means shedding out darkness or sins from the whole world. By the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the world regained fullest light or ‘rescue’. It is celebrated on the Sunday after the full moon in the month of April. Christians observe and celebrates this festival with great piety and gaiety, signifying victory over death. The story behind Easter lies in the New Testament of the Bible which narrates how Jesus was arrested by the Roman authorities because he claimed to be the “Son of God”. He was then sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate, the Roman emperor by crucifixion. His resurrection three days later marks the occasion of Easter. This day is also closely associated with the Jewish festival of Passover. Easter is celebrated as a joyous occasion and the Sunday prior is called Palm Sunday which marks the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem. Various churches begin the celebration in the late hours of Saturday through a religious service
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GANESH CHATURTHI

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Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the famous festivals of Hindus and is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi. The festival celebrates the birthday of Lord Ganesha – the supreme God of wisdom and prosperity. Ganesha is the ‘Lord of Beginnings’; that’s why every Hindu prayer and Tantric worship starts with a dedication to Ganesha. It is believed that on this day, Lord Brahma had created the universe. He had also created days, weeks, months and years. Thus, Ugadi is said to be the first day of the creation of the universe. Similar in concept is the Gudi Padwa festival, which will also be celebrated on the same day. It is mostly celebrated by the people of Maharashtra according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar. Gudi Padwa gets its name from two words: ‘gudi’, meaning Brahma’s flag, and ‘padwa’, meaning the first day of the phase of the moon. On this day, many people take a customary oil bath, following which, they wear new clothes — mostly traditional attire — and decorate their home. Traditional rang
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MAHA SHIVRATRI

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Maha Shivratri is celebrated during the month of Phalgun. Lord Shiva, the great Hindu god, is known as the destroyer of the universe. On this day, Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati are worshipped by young girls and even men, in the hope of getting a perfect mate for themselves. Myth logically, a hunter having failed to find any prey in a forest climbed a bel tree towards the evening to spend the night. While drinking some water he dropped some of it on the ‘Shiva Lingam’ hidden beneath some bushes below the tree. Suddenly, a doe came to the spring to drink water, and the hunter took aim. But seeing the mutual love for each other in the doe’s family he let the whole family go.  In the morning, Lord Shiva appeared before him and blessed him, saying that when he had sprinkled water on the Shiva, Lingam  and thrown ‘be!’ leaves on it, he had unwittingly worshipped him and Lord Shiva bestowed wealth and prosperity on him. From that day, the ‘Shiva Lingam’ is worshipped on the day which has co
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UGADI

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The New Year festival Ugadi comes close on the heels of Holi. While the strong colours of Holi start fading away, the freshness of spring lingers on with sprightliness all around. Ugadi is celebrated with festive fervour in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Ugadi marks the beginning of a new Hindu Lunar calendar with a change in the moon’s orbit. It is a day when mantras are chanted and predictions are made for the New Year. Traditionally, the panchangravanam or listening to the yearly calendar is done at the temples. People listen to Ugadi Panchangam on Ugadi to known their horoscope on this year. Listening to Ugadi Panchangam is following from ages. Telugu people shows interest in knowing their education career, employment career, marriage and other issues through panchangam. There is a deomon called Somakasura, which stole the Vedas from Lord Brahma and hide in Sea. Lord Brahma asks help from Lord Vishnu in return of Vedas from Somakasura. Lord Vishnu takes “Macha Avatharam
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DIWALI

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The festivals play a vital role in the life of Indians. Festivals enriches the religious and social life of Indian people. Diwali is one of the biggest festival celebrated in India. Diwali is celebrated in almost all parts of India. Diwali is the most important as well as a grand festival of Hindus. Diwali is also known as Deepavali, where deep means light and avali means an array of lights. It is celebrated on the 15th of Karthik month every year. The history behind this festival is that on this day Lord Rama returned Ayodhya after killing the Ravana-the king of Lanka. In order to celebrate the victory of Lord Rama all the people illuminated their houses. It is since then Diwali is celebrated all over India with lights and lamps. Diwali is a festival commemorated to mark joy, victory and harmony. In India, it is a festival of fun and happiness. Diwali preparations have an important significance for Indians   People decorate their home, shops and office sites with colorful lights. Prep
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GANDHI JAYANTI

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Gandhi Jayanti is a national event celebrated every year to pay tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. This day is also celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence all over the world. Gandhi Jayanti has been declared as International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations General Assembly on 15th of June 2007. Gandhi Jayanti is observed as a national holiday all through the country in order to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (born on 2nd of October in 1869). His non-violence movement for independence of India is still continues influencing political leaders and youths of our own country as well as other countries worldwide.  The aim of celebrating Gandhi Jayanti as the International Day of non-violence is to distribute Bapu’s philosophy, believe in non-violence, principle, etc all over the world. It is celebrated through theme based proper activities in order to enhance the public awareness worldwide. Gandhi Jayanti celebration i
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JANMASHTAMI

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The Hindus celebrate Janmashtami for the birth of Sri Krishna. The festival usually occurs in August. Moreover, the Hindus celebrate this festival in the Ashtami of Krishna Paksha. Moreover, Lord Krishna is the most powerful incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is a joyful festival for the Hindus. Furthermore, the Hindus perform different rituals to please Lord Krishna. This is one of the most joyous celebrations for the Hindus. Lord Krishna was born on the 8th day of Dark Fortnight in the month of Bhadon. Bhadon is a month in the Hindu calendar. Because he was one of the most powerful Gods. He was born for a special purpose on Earth. Lord Krishna was born to free the world from evil. Lord Krishna was born in a prison. He was in the clutches if Kansa. But his father Vasudev gave him to his friend Nand to save him. Because he knew that Kansa was evil-minded. Furthermore after getting saved the upbringing of Sri Krishna was in a Gokul family. Sri Krishna after some time became strong. As a res
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TAMIL NEW YEAR

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The Tamil New Year is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu Solar Calendar. Popularly known as Puthandu, the Tamil New Year is celebrated with feasts in Hindu homes and the entrances to the houses are decorated elaborately with kolams. Every year in the month of Chithrai (the first month of the Hindu calendar), Tamil New Year is observed with much gaiety and fervor.  The Tamil New Year which usually falls on April 14th is an occasion that calls for celebration for Tamilians all over the world. Tamilaians from different sphere of the society come forward to take part in this celebration.This is supposedly the day when Lord Brahma (the Creator of the world, according to Hindu mythology) started creation. People exchange greetings of 'Puthandu Vazthukal' (Happy New Year) with great fervor on this day.  The Tamil New Year day begins with viewing the 'kanni' (the auspicious sight) at dawn, out of the expectation that starting the New Year by looking at auspicious things w
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PONGAL

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Pongal is the biggest harvest festival for the people of Tamil Nadu. People belonging to Hindu faith observe this festival to please the Sun God who has been so kind to them. Pongal Festival is celebrated around 14th January every day. People eagerly wait for this day to offer cooked rice to the God on the Pongal day.  Pongal is a harvest festival. It is the most important festival of Tamil Nadu. The season has made the people busy in the rural Tamil Nadu. Men, women, children all would go to the fields to reap the harvest. Since rice is to be offered to God how it can be cooked in the kitchen inside the house. In the courtyard or some other open space to let God to see how enthusiastic the people are to make him offerings. The paddy fields looks like the waves of a green sea.  The heart of the farmer is filled up with joy. With this have mellowed the generous hearts of the people to Tamil Nadu. Sun God is just ready to have a bit of change in his course bending a little to the North.
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ONAM

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Onam is a festival celebrated in Kerala, India. It is a festival celebrating the harvest.  It has been celebrated since the year 1960 and thus is of great importance to Malayalee people. Activities of this festival are famous all over India for their grand scale and delicious food. We will take a look at the various festivities and celebrations like Onam Pookalam and more.  The Story Behind Onam: During the Malayalam month of Chingam. We celebrate the festival to welcome the mythical King Mahabali. It is believed that his spirit visits the state in the duration of Onam. The festival originates from the ancient times of Lord Vishnu. One day, he transformed himself into a dwarf Brahmin, Vamana. In this avatar, he went to attend the Yaagam which King Mahabali was hosting. Thus, Vamana made a request for three feet of land. King Mahabali obliged for the same. However, then the dwarf started to grow bigger in size claiming the Earth and heaven. As the dwarf covered the whole land, sparing n
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EID

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Eid is celebrated by the Muslims with great enthusiasm all over the country. Muslims wear new clothes and visit Mosques to offer Namaaz. This day marks the end of Ramadan so they eat their heart out on this day. Prophet Muhammad started this tradition in Mecca first. It is believed that the Prophet Muhammad reached Medina on this day. During Eid, people raise their spirits high and enjoy a lot. They start preparing for Eid before a month. The excitement begins at the onset of Ramadan. Women start preparing for their dresses, bangles, accessories, etc, whereas Men start preparing for kurta and pyjamas. Women's and girls also apply Mehendi on their hands. Houses are decorated with lights. Some people paint their houses.  It is a believed that fasting in the month of ‘Ramzan’ purifies the soul. The prayers after fasting save them from going to hell and open the doors of heaven. Thus, they lead a pure and holy life during the month of ‘Ramzan’. They observe fasts, offer regular prayers
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MAKAR SANKRANTI

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Makar Sankranti is one of the important festival of Hinduism. It is celebrated in different forms almost all over the country in India. People of Tamil Nadu consider this festival as Pongal. People of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh consider this as Khichdi. The specialty of this festival is that it is celebrated on the same day in the whole country by different names. It is mostly celebrated on 14 or 15 of January. Makar Sankranti is also called as festival of charity. Charity is also an important part of the festival. Donating wheat, rice, and sweets to the needy and poor is part of the festival. It’s a belief, that one who donates with an open heart then God will bring prosperity and happiness in his life and remove every difficulty from the person’s life. That is the reason it is called Khichdi in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. According to Hindu religion, Makar Sankranti festival is dedicated to the Sun Lord. It is considered to be an auspicious day because of its astrological significance. Acc
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DURGA POOJA

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Durga puja is considered to be an important festival of Hinduism. Durga puja is also known as Durgotsav or Sharadotsav. Durga puja occurs in the month of September-October. Preparations for Durga puja usually begins a month in advance. Goddess Durga is worshiped by the people to gain strength and blessings. Maa Durga was created by all the gods. Every god donated their part of power and gifted devasting weapons to make her stand against the Mahishasura. The significance of this festival is so high that it has been nominated as the UNESCO World's Heritage that needs to be on the map so that the entire world can find its significance. Goddess Durga has 10 hands with different things in each hand. Durga puja is celebrated grandly in Bengal, Assam, Orissa and Jharkhand. Durga puja is celebrated to worship Maa Durga for the entire nine days. Maa Durga killed the demon named Mahishasura after 10 days and nights of war. Many people fast for the entire 9 days. At the end of the festival, t
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RAM NAVAMI

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Ram Navami is considered to be religious and traditional Hindu festival. Hindu people celebrate this festival with great joy and enthusiasm. Ram Navami is celebrated on the occasion on the birth of Lord Rama.Lord Rama was the son of king Dasharatha and queen Kausalya. Lord Rama is known as the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Rama is well known for killing demon Ravana. Ram Navami is celebrated in spring season, according to Hindu calendar Ram Navami falls on the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri every year. People believe that Lord Ram took birth in the ''Abhijeet'' muhurta or between 12:00 to 2:00 PM. People wake up early in the morning and clean their houses. People in India celebrate this festival in different way. Many people fast on this day and eat only fruits until night time. Some visit a temple while others pray in their homes. People also pray with music and dance which is known as 'kirtan'. People sing songs to praise Lord Ram. Devotional music,
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GURU NANAK JAYANTI

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Guru Nanak Jayanti is also known as Gurpurab. It is the holiest event of the year. Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru, is remembered on this day. This celebration occurs on the full moon, according to the Gregorian calendar. It is held in high regard by Sikhs. The Guru Granth Sahib is the holy scripture of the Sikhs. The book is also believed to be Guru Nanak Dev, who lived in the 15th century. Here's the essay or speech on the Guru Nanak Jayanti festival. Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh Panth and the first Guru, was born on April 15, 1469, at Rai-Bhai-Di Talwandi (known as Nankana Sahib), today in Pakistan. Guru Nanak Ji had always been a spiritual person since childhood. He led so many people away from superstition and hypocrisy and showed them the correct path.  Guru Nanak Dev Ji always stressed three main mottos- always helping the poor and needy, always following honest means of living, and always keeping God’s name in one’s heart. He preached that human weaknesses wer
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CHRISTMAS

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The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ or Jesus. A Mass service (which is sometimes called Communion or Thanksgiving ) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life. The 'Christ-Mass' service was the only one that was allowed to take place after sunset and before sunrise the next day so people had it at Midnight! So we get the name Christ-Mass, shorted to Christmas. People celebrate Christmas Day in many ways. It is often combined with customs from pre-Christian winter celebrations. Many people decorate their homes, visit family or friends and exchange gifts. In the days or even weeks before Christmas Day, many people decorate their homes and gardens with lights, Christmas trees and much more. It is common to organize a special meal, often consisting of turkey and a lot of other festive foods, for family or friends and exchange gifts with them. Children, in particular, often receive a lot of gifts from their parents and other
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