Blog 7, N&N – Festivals 11thAug-4thNov21
- Jul 8, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 11, 2022
India is a diverse country with multiple religions, cultures, food as well festivals. Namrata has been a spiritual person, however not so much ritualistic. Born into an Odia brahmin family, she had difficulties adjusting to a large number of Hindu rituals and festivals celebrated at her home state during childhood. As an adult, her major interests were in fitness and culinary activities than worshipping the abundant number of Hindu god idols. She treated festivals as occasions to dress well and enjoy the special delicacies and Indian sweets. As a new bride, she was apprehensive about being forced to celebrate such. Moreover, her Sasural belonged to north India, where there were few specific festivals existed, unlike Odisha state. However, her considerate mother (Nitin’s mom) took away all the doubts and made her comfortable, mentioning that she is free to do as much as she may want to celebrate.
Haryali Teej - Hartalika Teej Vrat is observed during Shukla Paksha Tritiya of Bhadrapada month. On this day, makeshift statues of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are made with the sand and worshipped for marital bliss and progeny.
Here came the first festival called Haryali Teej in mid-August. Mom explained the details to her new daughter-in-law while asking her to keep it lean and simple.
Somehow Namrata was feeling more alive and fresh post-wedding and was interested to celebrate the important festivals at least in the first year. She woke up as usual early in the morning that day on 11thAug, took bath, wore a nice Indian outfit, quickly cooked some Poori, halwa, and arranged a pooja thali. She also gathered some fresh jasmine flowers and tulsi leaves from the apartment garden. Nitin being out of the station that day, she video called mom and rechecked the arrangements. It was a working day for her and a few hours in the morning was managed towards this activity.
Raksha Bandhan – It is a popular, traditional Hindu ceremony, in which sisters of all ages tie an amulet, called the Rakhi, around the wrists of their brothers, symbolically protecting them, receiving a gift in return, and traditionally investing the brothers with a share of the responsibility of their potential care.
On 11thAug21 Rakhi festival, Anu sent a gift pack of two rakhis, Ganesh lord idol and Cadbury chocolate celebration pack. It is a tradition followed by some communities to tie rakhi to sister-in-law's wrist. The legend behind this custom is that the brother's wife is the person responsible for his wellbeing. So, the sister sends the sister-in-law a rakhi, seeking her wellbeing, too.
Karva Chauth - Karva Chauth is a festival celebrated by married Hindu women of Northern and Western India on the fourth day after the full moon in the month of Kartika. The women observe fast from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and longevity of their husbands.
The next festival was Karva Chauth on 24thOct. This is one festival, which had created confusion in her mind for long.
Why does only a woman have to pray and fast for the long life of her husband? Why it is not both ways? Why only the girls should feel lucky to be married?
There are Indian festivals only for the girls to pray for their husband or brother and why not vice-versa. In the generation of diversity, equality and AI, why this expectation still exists? She had witnessed women with no respect or love towards their husbands, forcibly holding the fast due to social pressure.
Will it really increase her husband’s life, only if she keeps strict fasting without water? There is a similar festival in Odisha called “Savitri Vrat” and she has seen Odia women observing it all their life. Karva Chauth is much more difficult as ideally the wife has to fast without water from sunrise till sunset. Nitin was clearly against, her doing any fasting or rituals towards this. However, curious and keen Namrata decided to have juice instead and follow the rest of the rituals as such. This was an ideal occasion to have a juice diet for a day at least to cleanse the system. She also decorated her hands with mehendi writing her husband’s name.
Namrata looked radiant dressed up in a peach-colored ethnic dress. Nitin insisted that he’ll also follow a diet similar to her. It was a Saturday and they both visited the “Art of Living ashram” in Bangalore, having sugarcane juice on the way. In the evening, mom once again came for her help, explained details, and checked the arrangements through video call. Namrata cooked a delectable Indian meal consisting of Poori, curry, and sweets. She then wore a saree gifted by her very good friend and mentor, adorned with some jewellery and a wedding veil as good luck. The rituals were kept to a minimum as asked by Nitin and they both had a hearty dinner post-sunset after the pooja. Overall it was a great day spent together, thanking the universe for the togetherness.
Diwali – Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs. Diwali symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". In the lead-up to Diwali, celebrants will prepare by cleaning, renovating, and decorating their homes and workplaces with oil lamps and colorful art circle patterns. During Diwali, people wear their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes, perform worship ceremonies of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where sweets and gifts are shared.
The last major Indian festival was Diwali on 4thNov. Diwali falls in the early winter days and hence it’s extremely pleasant to dress well and eat heavy meals including ghee sweets during the festival. Nitin was very fond of this one and he suggested celebrating it the similar way his father used to. The couple shopped for earthen oil lamps, clay idols of gods, beautiful electric string lights, flowers, etc. They also invited two of their close friends for dinner that night.
While Namrata took over the kitchen preparing some Indian delicacies like Poori, chole, paneer bhurji, rice kheer; Nitin was busy arranging for the pooja. He could also draw a rangoli using some wheat flour, an eco-friendly way. Once everything was in place, they both got dressed in Indian ethnic attire. Next, they both lit the earthen lamps and performed a short pooja for prosperity and happiness. Meanwhile, the friends arrived and they all had an amazing evening spent with laughter, taking pictures, and having food.
This was the first time in decades that Namrata was in a gathering for Diwali celebrating. Nitin’s presence by her side made it exceptional, which words cannot describe here. He was present during all-important moments, equally participating and thus making it enjoyable for her. She finally felt the blessings of having a family, who was there for her no matter what. Her life was a festival and celebration each day, every moment!
Teej
Karva Chauth
Diwali
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