Tag Archives: harvest festival

Indian Festival of Makar Sankranti

Celebrating the spirit of Sankranti, the festival of harvest.

By Subrato Paul | January 15, 2016 filed in Festivals |
Tags: , bhogali bihu, festival, harvest festival, hindu festival, India, khichdi, maghi, makar sankranti, makara sankramana, pongal, poush sankranti, shishur saenkraat, sun god, tropic of capricorn, uttarayan

Makar Sankranti is a Hindu harvest festival celebrated in almost all parts of India, Nepal and Bangladesh in many cultural forms. It falls on the Magh month of the Hindu Solar Calendar. It is celebrated on January 15 in 2016. On this day the Sun returns to the Northern Hemisphere and passes from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn (Makara). The name of the festival literally means the movement of Sun into Capricorn. Sankranti marks the termination of winter season and beginning of a new harvest or spring season.

Indian Festival of Lohri

Midwinter festival of Punjab with bonfire, song, Bhangra and Gidda dance.

By Subrato Paul | January 14, 2016 filed in Festivals |
Tags: , bhangra dance, bonfire, festival, gidda dance, harvest festival, hindu festival, India, lohri, punjab, sikh festival

Lohri is a popular Punjabi festival, celebrated by people of Sikh faith as well as Hindu faith from the Punjab region of India. Lohri is mainly Sikh festival however the day of Lohri is decided based on Hindu calendar. Lohri is closely linked to Hindu festival Makara Sankranti and it is celebrated one day before of that on the last day of Punjabi month of Poh. So, Lohri commemorates the passing of the winter solstice.

Indian Festival of Onam

May the spirit of Onam remains everywhere.

By Subrato Paul | September 7, 2014 filed in Festivals |
Tags: , atham, chingam, festival, harvest festival, hindu festival, India, kerala, mahabali, malayalam, onam, onam sadya, pookalam, pulikalli, snake boat race, thiru onam, tripunithura athachamayam, vallamkali

Onam is an ancient ten day harvest festival celebrated by the people of Kerala in honor of mythical King Mahabali’s annual visit from the netherworld to see his people living happily. The ten days of Onam are celebrated with great fanfare in the month of Chingam, the first month of Malayalam calendar. Of all these days, most important ones are the first day, Atham, and the tenth and final day, Thiru Onam. In 2014, Thiru Onam is on Sunday, September 7.