Category: Hindu
Vaisakhi: the Punjabi New Year and Harvest Festival
Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi, is the Punjabi and Nepali New Year, and the beginning of the harvest season in Punjab, India and Nepal. It is one of the major Sikh religious festivals, and is celebrated by Sikh communities around the world.
The date of Vaisakhi is determined by the solar calendar; it is the [...] Read More »
The Hindu Kumbh Mela, or Festival of the Urn
Millions of people gather in India to celebrate the Hindu Kumbh festivals, or melas, during their 12-year cycle. The celebrations, especially the Maha Kumbh and the Ardh Kumbh, are the largest religious gatherings of people in the world.
The mid-point in the cycle is being celebrated in 2007 with the Ardh Kumbh, or Half [...] Read More »
Wedding Traditions: Mehndi and Henna Decorations
A Pakistani bride has decorated her hands with beautiful Mehndi designs made from henna. This picture is from Pakistani Pictures and was originally uploaded by maahny.
Henna is a dye made from the plant lawsonia inermia, which is found in North Africa, India, and other parts of the Middle East. The plant leaves are [...] Read More »
Diwali in Pakistan
This picture from pakkpics shows Hindu girls performing religious rituals as they celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights. In this picture, they are making offerings and lighting candles to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth into their home. It was taken on October 22, 2006 in Rawalpindi, and originally uploaded by lucky_khan. Read More »
The Origins and Traditions of the Five Days of Diwali (Deepavali)
Diwali is a major festival celebrated in India and communities around the world.
Each of the five days of the Diwali festival has specific customs and traditions:
1. Dhanteras: Dhan means "wealth," and this is an auspicious day for shopping. In some regions, this day is dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. [...] Read More »
Diwali (Divali, Dewali, Deepavali): The Festival of Lights
Diwali is a five-day festival that typically falls in October or November on the Gregorian calendar. It occurs either in the middle of the lunar month of Ashwayuja, or at the end of that month and the beginning of the lunar month of Kartika, depending on which version of the Hindu calendar is prevalent [...] Read More »
Naming a Hindu Baby
In Hindu traditions, the naming of a baby is one of the 'samskaras,' the rituals or traditions that devout Hindu follow throughout their life. The ritual of naming a child is called the 'namkaran' -- 'nama' means name, and 'karan' means 'to make.'
This ritual is very important because the child's name determines its identity. By [...] Read More »
