Eid ul-Fitr
Eid Mubarak! Which is followed by a warm embrace is what you will observe today. It is Eid ul-Fitr, the last day of Ramadan or Ramzaan as it is known in South Asia. Everywhere you look you will see Muslim people in new clothes greeting each other and visiting each others’ houses. It is not only for Muslims, but others will visit their friends on this day and enjoy a massive feast. It is also a day to give zakat, offerings to the poor. For a month now Muslims have been fasting from sunrise to sunset asking for forgiveness. Last night was Laylat al-Qadr, the night of power when the Prophet Mohammed received the Holy Qur’an.
For more information on this season, please check out these links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_ul-Fitr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan
The Nine Nights: Navratri
Navratri, meaning nine nights, is the Hindu festival of worship and dance of the Shakti/Devi, or Mother Goddess. During these nine nights the nine different forms of the Mother Goddess are worshiped. Depending on the location the different forms vary. Where I am, the celebration begins with the Durga Puja. Durga, as known as Kali, is known to be fierce and powerful. Her name means “the inaccessible or invincible one”. She is the consort of Shiva. To see an image of the Mother Goddess, check out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga. This year Navrati runs September 20-28.
For more information on this festival, please see the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navratri
Dussehra
The Navratri leads up to the festival of Dussehra. To understand Dussehra one should be familiar with the epic poem The Ramayana.
This epic poem tells the story of Lord Ram and his wife Sita. It is the story which portrays the perfect marriage and ideal brotherhood. Lord Ram and his wife Sita are exiled to the forest. During the exile, Sita is kidnapped by the demon-king Ravana and taken to Lanka. In a fierce battle, Lord Ram defeats and kills Ravana. Dussehra commemorates Lord Ram’s victory over Ravana. On this day, images of Ravana are burnt is a bonfire sort of ritual. This year Dussehra is September 28th.
For more information, see the sites below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayadashami
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayana
Diwali
The time between Dussehra and Diwali is considered to be the most auspicious time of the year. Diwali marks the return of Lord Ram and Sita to their home, Ayodhya. It is commemorated by lighting diyas, small clay oil lamps, which symbolize the victory of good over evil. This is why Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights. The lamps are also said to attract the Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Diwali is known as a time of prosperity and is a season of gift giving. This year Diwali is October 17th.
For more info, see the site below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali
