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Event Significance
The
Chicago chapter members meet in different venues in Chicago to celebrate the
following festivities::
- Makara
Shankranti
- Maha Shivarathri
- Basava
Jayanthi
- Summer
Picnic
- Ganesha Chaturthi
- Deepavali
Significance
of Shankranti:
Makara Shankranti falls on January 14 on non-leap years and on January 15 on leap
years. It is the only
Hindu festival which is based on the Solar calendar rather than the Lunar
calendar.
Makara means Capricorn and Shankranti is transition. There is a Shankranti every
month when the sun
passes from one sign of the zodiac to the next. There are twelve signs of the
zodiac, and thus there
are twelve shankranti's as well. Each of these shankranti's has its own relative
importance but two of
these are more important - the Mesh (Aries) Shankranti and the most important,
the Makara (Capricorn)
Shankranti. Transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn, during the
winter solstice in the northern
hemisphere is known as Makara Shankranti. From this day begins the six-month long
Uttarayana,
considered very auspicious for attaining higher worlds hereafter. While the
traditional Indian Calendar
is basically based on lunar positions, but shankranti is a solar event, so while
dates of all festivals keep
changing, the english calendar date of Makara Shankranti is always same, 14th
January. Makara
Shankranti is celebrated in the Hindu Calendar month of Magha. There is another
significance of this
day, after this day the days start becoming longer & warmer, and thus the
chill of winter in on decline.
Festivities:
Uttar Pradesh:
In Uttar Pradesh, Shankranti is called ‘Khichiri’. Taking a dip in the holy rivers on this day
is regarded as
most auspicious. A big one-month long ‘Magha-Mela’ fair begins at Prayag (Allahabad)
on this
occasion.
Tamil Nadu:
In Tamil Nadu
Shankranti is known by the name of ‘Pongal’, which takes its name from the
surging of rice
boiled in a pot of milk
Andhra Pradesh:
In Andhra
Pradesh, it is celebrated as a three-day harvest festival. They like to
call it
'Pedda Panduga' meaning big festival.
Punjab:
In Punjab Shankranti is celebrated as "LOHARI". Sweets, sugarcane and rice are
thrown in the bonfires,
around which friends and relatives gather together.
Kerala:
The 40 days
anushthana by the devotees of Ayyappa ends on this day in Sabarimala with a big
festival.
Significance
of Maha Shivarathri:
This falls on the 13th (or 14th) day of the dark half of
Phalgun (February-March). The name means
"the night of Shiva". The ceremonies take place chiefly at night. This
is a festival observed in honour of
Lord Shiva. Shiva was married to Parvati on this day.
People observe a strict fast on this day. Some devotees do not even take a drop
of water. They keep
vigil all night. The Shiva Lingam is worshipped throughout the night by washing
it every three hours
with milk, curd, honey, rose water, etc., whilst the chanting of the Mantra Om
Namah Shivaya
continues. Offerings of bael leaves are made to the Lingam. Bael leaves are very
sacred as, it is said,
Lakshmi resides in them.
Significance
of Ugadi:
Yugadi
(OR Ugadi) is the first day of the Hindu calendar (first day of the first month,
the Chaitra).
On this day, it is customary to worship the Sun God, who heralds the beginning
of each new day.
This will be followed by VAISHAKA, JYESHTA, AASHADA, SHRAVANA, BHAADRAPADA,
ASHWAYUJA,
KARTHIKA, MARGASHIRA, PUSHYA, MAAGHA and PHALGUNA.
A ‘prasadam’ of ‘Bevu-Bella’ (a mixture of neem and jaggery in equal
measure) is prepared and
distributed to all the members and visitors to the house on that day. This
denotes the token
acceptance of all the sweet (jaggery) and
bitter (neem) things that are in store
for him in the coming
days, with gratitude.
Significance
of
Deepavali
DEEPAVALI or Diwali means "a row of lights". It falls on the last two days of the dark
half of Kartik masa (October-November), followed the next day by the Narak Chaudas,
the 14th day, and by Deepavali on the 15th day. For some it is a three-day festival.
On the metaphysical level, the celebration of Diwali or Deepavali invokes the removal
of darkness, ignorance, wickedness, violence, greed, envy, suffering and all other
negative elements from the face of the earth through the light of knowledge. Light
symbolizes knowledge and the virtues of life, while darkness is a metaphor for all
the negative forces. Hence the lighting of lamps during Diwali or Deepavali is quite
meaningful and worthy. It signifies the triumph of virtue over vice, of good over evil,
of light over darkness and of knowledge over ignorance. The bursting of fire crackers is
also geared towards this end--destruction of the evil.
Diwali or Deepavali means different things to different people across India. North
Indians celebrate Diwali to commemorate the legendary hero-king Lord Rama's homecoming,
that is, his return to Ayodhya, defeating the demon-king Ravana. The people in Gujarat
(Western India) celebrate the festival of Deepavali to honor Lakshmi, the Goddess of
wealth and prosperity. The eastern states of India celebrate Diwali to mark the destruction
of the tyrannical demon Narakashura by Lord Krishna. In Bengal, Diwali is linked with Goddess
Kali. In the states of Maharashtra and Mysore, Diwali is associated with the legendary
king Bali and is locally known as Bali Padyami. South Indians associate Deepavali with
Goddess Lakshmi like the Gujratis. But whatever the differences, Diwali or Deepavali
symbolizes rejuvenation, renewal of life everywhere.
Diwali
or Deepawali is a joyous and happy occasion for all.
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