Tag Archives: Hindu Culture and Traditions in Nepal

What is significance of Basant Panchami? Basant Panchami, sometimes misspelled Vasant Panchmi, is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the Indian month Magh (January-February), the first day of spring. Traditionally during this festival children are taught to write their first words; Brahmans are fed; …

Pongal Celebrations: Pongal is a popular harvest festival of Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated on 14th of January every year, coinciding with the Lohri of Punjab, Bhogali Bihu of Assam and Makar Sankranti of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Pongal is mainly celebrated for giving thanks to nature, for a bountiful harvest. This four-day festival is celebrated in the season when …

First Lohri of Bride or The New Born: The first Lohri celebrated by a new bride or a newborn represents a grand occasion and immediate family members are invited for feast and exchange of gifts. Once the party is over, Lohri is celebrated with traditional dancing and singing around the bonfire. Lohri pampers women and children. This is particularly a …

Lohri History: The history of Lohri, a seasonal festival of North India is as old as that of story of Indus Valley civilization itself. The Festival of Lohri marks the beginning of the end of winter and the coming of spring and the new year. The fires lit at night, the hand warming, the song and dance and the coming …

Lohri is one such festival which works as a tie-up bond for various communities. The festival is celebrated with great fervor and exuberance especially in North India. Farmers celebrate this harvest festival with traditional dances and songs. It falls on the 13th January when the Earth starts moving towards the sun marking the auspicious period of Uttarayan. Astrological Influence of …

Uttarayan and Kite Festival: As millions of kite enthusiasts pitch themselves at the rooftops, waves of flying kites overwhelm an otherwise deep blue sky. On January 14, watch the sky change colors… like a rainbow in a glittering sun after the rain and bask in the glory of Uttarayan, when the skies of Gujarat give way to colorful kites. About …

Karwa Chauth Puja: Karwa Chauth is celebrated with great enthusiasm by Hindus in India. Typically, a festival of north and north western India, Karwa Chauth falls on nine days prior to Diwali, to be precise, on Kartik ki Chauth. Married women observe fast all through the day after eating the traditional meal ‘sargi‘ early in the morning, before sunrise. The …

Bengalis celebrate Bhai Phonta: The occasion, which is celebrated two days after Kali Puja in the state, is completely dedicated to brothers and sisters. Bengalis celebrate Bhai Phonta Interestingly, the ceremony is also celebrated by other Indian communities under different names, like ‘Bhai Bij’, ‘Bhau-beej’ or ‘Bhav Bij’ amongst the Marathi and Konkani-speaking communities in the states of Maharashtra, Goa …

Bhai Dooj Teeka: Two days after Diwali comes the Bhai Dooj festival. It marks the end of Diwali celebrations and Bhai Dooj Teeka is a mark of auspiciousness. According to the Hindu scriptures and mythology: “A forehead without a Tilak is worthy of condemnation and they exist for name’s sake only.” The ritual on bhai dooj is that the sisters …

Bhai Dooj Gifts emotes the feelings of a brother, expresses the gratitude for sharing such a wonderful relationship, reflects all the love shared and fills the heart of a sister with unmatched happiness. Such gifts are selected that are the expressions of good wishes prayers of love and more. But it is not just brothers who are busy choosing gifts …