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{DIWALI.........

<prev Diwali is an annual festival of Hindus. Generally it falls during the month of October or November. Hindus throughout India celebrate this festival with great joy. The festival of Diwali has a religious sanction behind it. It was on this day thousands of years ago that Shri Ram Chandra set foot on Ayodhya after completing the 14 years of his exile. His return was a matter of great joy and relief to the people of Ayodhya. They celebrated the occasion by arranging illuminations on a large scale. Mass prayers were held to mark the esteem with which the people held Shri Ram Chandra. Since those days Diwali is celebrated every year to perpetuate the memory of the reunion between the two royal families. Apart from religious considerations the festival marks the beginning of winter and change in the crop pattern. Businessmen close their annual account on this day Diwali is celebrated by illuminating houses and buildings by electric bulbs, wax candles or even earthen lamps. On this day people visit their relations and friends and exchange greetings with packets of sweets and gifts. At midnight the most religious minded among the people perform puja of the goddess Lakshmi who, it is said, blesses her followers with riches on this night. Many people keep a night-long vigil and do not close their doors in order to facilitate the chance entry of the goddess into their houses. During the day people go out to purchase toys and sweets for their children in mela bazars which suddenly spring up on this day. All houses and shops give a bright look on this day. Nowadays children are very enthusiastic to celebrate the festival. They make preparations for it weeks in advance. The most popular form of the celebrations is the use of crackers and fireworks of different shapes and explosive capacities. As soon as the evening falls children come out of their houses, form groups, collect money to purchase crackers and go from street to street making noise by exploding them. Each group competes the other by exploding crackers of bigger force. The noise sometimes becomes intolerable to many a lover of calmness and leads to quarrels. But children always have their own ways to deal with such people. Though thousands of years have passed since Diwali was first celebrated, yet the spirit of Diwali in the minds of Hindus still remains.

RAMJAN............

Id-ul-Fitr is one of the biggest festivals of the Muslims. The word 'Id' means happiness literary means breaking of fast. Therefore Id-ul-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawaal, the tenth month in the Muslim calender, to mark the end of a month long fast during the month of Ramzan. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and with great fervour throughout the country. Id is perhaps the only festival that lays great importance on sacrifice and purity of life. It teaches us the value of love, brotherhood and sympathy. The Muslims keep fast for a month so that their souls are purified. They pray five times a day and give alms and food to the poor and the needy. They cherish a belief that Allah has given them health, strenght and opportunities of life to fulfil their obligations of fasting and other good deeds during the month of Ramzan. The day on which Id falls is a day of great merry-making. It is a day of love, affection, harmony and brotherhood. The Muslims wear new colourful dresses. They go to the mosque first to offer Namaz and to seek blessings from their Allah. After that they visit their friends and relatives. They embrace each other forgetting old grudges and ill-feelings. They wish each other Id Mubarak. Sweets are prepared and shared with friends and relatives. 'Sewian' is a popular dish made on Id. Guests is served with Sewian. "Idi" is also given to the Youngers by the elders. Muslims from all strata of life are seen happy on Id. A spirit of brotherhood prevails in every heart. There is no distinction between the rich and the poor on this day. All are equal. The Government observes a holiday on this day. The President and the Prime Minister wish a happy Id to our Muslims brothers. The other sections of the society also enjoy this day. Thus Id is celebrated in a very affectionate environment. India, being a secular country, gives full freedom to our Muslim brothers to enjoy this festival fully. The festival comes every year to remind every Indian that communal harmony and brotherhood are foremost and they must be given top priority to strenghten the base of the society.

CHRISTMAS..........

Christmas falls on the 25th December every year and is celebrated with great enthusiasm by our Christian society. It is the date when Jesus Christ was born. Hence this festival is like Janamastami of the Hindus. In almost all over the world, Christmas is the biggest event of the year and for members of the Christian religion it is an important day on the religious calender. Christmas is a day of merry-making. The christain clean their houses and decorate it with light, candles and banners etc. They have crosses made of wood or metal. They attend special prayers in the Church. The Churches are decorated with electric bulbs and candles. All the family members decorate Christmas tree with toys, decorative lights, balloons and candles. Children look very happy. They believe that Santa Claus will come in his sleigh pulled by reindeers and will give toys and gifts to them. Santa Claus, thus, becomes the special attraction for the children. The Christians exchange gifts with their friends and relatives. They hold parties and dinners on the occasion of this auspicious day. They sing Christmas Hymns and Christmas carols. They wish 'Merry Christmas' to each other and enjoy tasty cakes. There is a tradition of sending Christmas greetings and cards to friends and relatives on this occasion. As it is a festival of birth celebration, it symbolises happiness and joy. It makes the people remember Lord Jesus who as they think, has been sent to save them from sin and misery. It is noteworthy here that Jesus Christ proved himself the saviour of the entire Christian community. He saved them no doubt but on the cost of his life. He was crucified on the Cross. Thus, this festival gives a message to the entire humanity to lead a noble life of prayer, love and sacrifice. The festival comes to an end late at night amidst fun and laughter. Almost all the Christians gather in the church to pray to God. They pray that they may lead a happy life in the coming year with the blessings of God. There is a Government holiday on this occasion. In schools and colleges students enjoy one week holidays. Overall, Christmas imparts a feeling of oneness and joy in everyone's heart as it brings family members, friends and relatives of all cultures of the world together. It is a joyful occasion and hence celebrated with great pomp and show.

UGADI...........

The Ugadi or Yuga-Adi is the festival celebrated to mark the Telugu new year day. All over the world, 1st of January is celebrated as a new year day. But in addition, traditionally people celebrate new year days on the basis of the calendar they follow. In India some follow the Solar Calendar and the others the Lunar Calendar. For those who follow the Solar Calendar the Ugadi (New Year) day falls on 14th of April every year. For those who follow Lunar Calendar it varies from year to year and falls on some day in the months of March or April. Ugadi is a festival of joy. The season is pleasant. The trees grow new leaves. New flowers are seen everywhere. The birds of spring sing melodiously. Mangoes are in plenty and are half-way to become ripe. It is believed by the Hindus that if one is happy on the Ugadi day, he will be happy throughout the year. So everyone wants to spend the Ugadi day as happily as possible. The day starts with cleaning and decorating the house. Mango leaves and flowers are used to decorate doorways. Oil-bath is a must for everybody. Everyone, rich or poor, wears new clothes. After prayers to family deities "Ugadi Pachadi" is first eaten by all. Ugadi Pachadi is a special preparation in which tender margosa leaves and neem flowers, jaggery, and tamarind are added. It tastes sweet, hot as well as sour. It is believed that life is a mixture of all, like the Ugadi Pachadi. On the Ugadi day a visit to a temple is a must. Many visit places of pilgrimage. There will be a heavy rush in all temples. Temples like the Balaji temple at Tirumalai attract large number of devotees. Ugadi is also a day to remember ancestors. It is a day for giving alms to the poor. People gather in select places to listen to 'Panchanga Sravanam', the Pandit reading the forecasts of rain, harvests, cost of grain, pulses etc. Ugadi is also an occasion for cultural activities, Poets join together and recite poems in Kavisammelans. It is a tradition coming from the days of the great king Krishnadevaraya who patronised great poets (Ashta Diggajas) and was himself a poet. In the afternoon after a tasty lunch with delicious dishes, people go to friends to greet one another. Special greeting cards are also printed and posted to friends and relations living far away. A good beginning is said to be half done. A new year day happily spent means a happy year to follow. So goes the belief.