Echos of India

  GANESH CHATURTHI Ganesh Chaturthi (Vin ā yak  Chaturthi)  is an important festival celebrated by the San ā tanis all across the world, mainly India (Bh ā rat). It is celebrated as the arrival of lord Ganesh to earth from Kailash Parvat (mountain) with his mother Goddess P ā rvati/Gauri. The festival is observed on the fourth day of Shukl-paksh in the month of Bh ā drapad.   The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesh vigrah (idol) privately in homes, or publicly on elaborate pandas (temporary stages). The Ganesh vigrah is worshiped by chanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts such as, prayers. Some peoples also observe vrat (fasting). Sweets (especially modak/laddu) is offered and after the worship,  prasad is distributed to the devotees. The festival ends on the tenth day after start, when the vigrah is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in a nearby body of water such as a river or sea. #india #indianfestival #indianreligion #india

  Krishna Janm ā sthami   Krishna Janmāsthami (also known as Janmāsthami or  Gokulāshtami ) is festival celebrated all across the world by the Sanātanis. This festival celebrates the eighth avtār (demi God) of Lord Vishnu who was born to Devki and Vasudev in a prison at Mathura in ‘Dwāpar Yug (age)’. The festival is observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the ‘Krishna Paksh’ which as per Gregorian calendar falls in the month of August or September. It is an important festival especially for the ‘Vaishnav cult’ of the Sanātanis and for those Sanātani households especially who bear the ‘Gopāl Shilā’ or ‘Laddu Gopāl’ at their worship place. Since lord Krishna was born at mid-night, therefore the celebrations start from that time period. The sweets are offered to lord Krishna first and then its leftover is distributed among the devotees as ‘prasād’. The devotees observe fast for the entire day. Only after offering sweets and fruits to lord Krishna and consuming his prasād, they consume ‘Sā

RAKSHĀBANDHAN 'RAKHI' or 'RAKSHĀBANDHAN' is a popular and traditional Hindu festival and is celebrated by the peoples of 'Sanātan' community all across the world. The word 'Rakshābandhan' is a formed by the combination of two words 'Rakshā' (protection) and 'bandhan' (bond) meaning forming a 'Bond of Protection, Obligation & Care'. The festival is wholeheartedly celebrated in the northern, western and central parts of INDIA. On this occasion the sisters of every age tie an amulet called Rakhi, around the wrists of their brothers, wishing and blessing them for their long, prosperous and happy life. This is followed by a gesture of adorable affection where the sister offers sweet to her brother and the brother in return gives a gift to his sister and promising the responsibility of her potential care. In Hindu culture the relation between a brother and a sister is considered to be very pious.  However, this bond is not only conf