Navratri :-
Navratri is the most awaited, well known and oldest festival of Gujarat which attracts visitors from all across the globe. Navratri is one of the largest festivals that is celebrated all across the state. In fact, the whole of India celebrates it with extreme pomp and merriment. But if you truly want to enjoy the colors of Navratri, then visit Gujarat.
Navratri means nine nights and is celebrated for nine days before Dussehra. The Navratri at Gujarat is celebrated in honor of the Goddess Shakti to commemorate her victory over the evil spirit and for starting off the reign of peace on the earth.
Navratri at Gujarat is symbolized with colors of fun and festivity. Garba and Dandiya, the two folk dances of Gujarat have got their prominence through Navratri. People of Gujarat can be seen in their ethnic wears during Navratri. Women wear ghaghra choli while the men wear dhoti kurta. Navratri of Gujarat has an economical significance also. This festival attracts lots of tourists every year.
During the festival of Navratri at Gujarat, you can enjoy the traditional costumes, folk dance and folk music, and the traditional cuisine of Gujaratis. Moreover, Navratri brings together people from all religions who get intoxicated by the mesmerizing charm of this colorful festival. Generally, Navratri is celebrated in October when Goddess Durga is worshiped.
You will find yourself to be extremely lucky if you visit the city of Gujarat during the Navratri festival because the festive season will make your journey a memorable one.
Holi :-
Dipavali :-
When: October/November. The month Asvina, in Indian calender, marks the end of the harvesting season. This month ends with Deepavali.
Duration of Deepavali of Gujarat: Four days
The first day of the festival starts with the Laxmi Puja.
The second day is celebrated as the day of casting off evils.
The third day is the actual Deepavali day. On this day, every home is illuminated and decorated with light. The literal meaning of Deepavali in Sanskrit is 'a row of lamps.' A large number of crackers are also burst.
The fourth and the last day is the New year day for the Gujaratis. On this day, the Gujaratis visit temples in colorful costumes and greet each other.
Myths about Deepavali: Lord Ram made a triumphant return to his capital Ayodhya, where he was crowned, after vanquishing Ravan and rescuing Sita. The people of Gujarat decorated their homes with lamps to mark the joyous occasion. Since then, this day is celebrated as Deepavali - the festival of lights'.
Rathyatra :-
The Rathayatra festival in Gujarat is held during the Asadh month of the lunar calendar. Besides celebrating the journey of Lord Krishna, the Rathayatra also celebrates the day on which the Rig Veda, the oldest of the Vedas, was revealed.
Early in July, Hindus celebrate the Rathayatra festival. Rathayatra is derived from two words 'ratha' meaning chariot and 'yatra' implying 'journey'; therefore, as the name suggests, Rathayatra is the journey or procession of Lord Krishna in his 'Ratha'.
Furthermore, one can find two different interpretations for the Rathayatra. One school is of the opinion that Rathayatra signifies Lord Krishna's travel from Gokul or Mathura; but the second school also seems to draw reference with the chariot procession of the Buddha's tooth at Dantapuri, the old Puri.
On this day, the tutelary deities, namely Lord Krishna, Balaram and Subhadra are installed on huge chariots, and devotees from all parts of the country come together to pull the the chariot in its journey through the streets.
In Gujarat the Rathayatra festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy. In Gujarat, glorious processions are conducted by the cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Bhavnagar, etc. People throughout Gujarat make replicas of the gigantic Ratha to commemorate the festival.
What is significant about Rathayatra is that people from all the communities come together to pull the chariot of Lord Krishna. It is, in fact, held as a privilege to have drawn the chariot of the Almighty. This secular nature of Rathayatra owes much to the Jagannath cult.
Ramadan :-
The Ninth month of Moslem year is known as Ramadan when Mohammed is supposed to have received his first revelations. In commemoration of this, Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset during the month leading upto Mohammed’s "Night of Power" when according to tradition Gabriel first told him of his mission. It is said that on this "Night of Power" the gates of Paradise are open, the gates of Hell shut and the devils in chains.
Mohammed had known of fasting by ascetic Jews and early Christians. The Ramadan fast lasts entire month, but only during the daylight hours. "Eat and drink until so much of the dawn appears that a white thread may be distinguished from a black. Then keep the fast completely until night" says the Koran. The fast of Ramadan is the most carefully observed of all religious duties by many muslims. Not only must they refrain from food and drink between dawn and dark, but they must not commit any unworthy act. One lie can make a day’s fast meaningless. The day is supposed to be spent in prayer and meditation. Once the sunset gun has sounded, the feasting begins. And at the end of Ramadan comes Little Bairam, a festival of good will and gift giving somewhat like Christmas in spirit.
HAJ at the Mount of Mercy 'Mount Arafat' in Saudi Arabia-More than 2 Million Muslims from world gather once a year for holy Pilgrimage on the Arafat. Under scorching heat, endless flow of pilgrims stayed until sundown on the Arafat plain where the prophet Mohammed gave his last sermon 14 centuries ago. The Pilgrims stay on the plain represent man's wait for the Last Judgement. According to Islamic tradition, it is also the place where Adam and Eve 'recognised' each other after being expelled from the Garden of Eden. Pilgrim men wore two seamless pieces of white cloth symbolising 'Equality' while women were entirely covered except for their hands and faces. Muslims scaled the rocky slopes as they listened to sermons and chanted calls to prayer with the chant 'Here I am, Allah, responding to your call, here I am, Allah, there is no other God but you'
Muslims from Gujarat are offered special HAJ pilgrimage tours as many of them visit the holy place every year. The cities of Gujarat celebrate Tajia and Id festivals and many Muslim pilgrimage places are visited by muslims all over the world as they are tourist attractions.
Eid :-
Eid al-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر ʻĪd al-Fiṭr, IPA: [ʕiːd al fitˤr], "festival of breaking of the fast"), also called Feast of Breaking the Fast, the Sugar Feast, the Sweet Festival and the Lesser Eid, is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm). The religious Eid is a single day and Muslims are not permitted to fast that day. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal. This is a day when Muslims around the world try to show a common goal of unity. The date for the start of any lunar Hijri month varies based on the observation of new moon by local religious authorities, so the exact day of celebration varies by locality. However in most countries, it is generally celebrated on the same day as Saudi Arabia.
Eid al-Fitr has a particular salat (Islamic prayer) consisting of two rakats (units) and generally offered in an open field or large hall. It may only be performed in congregation (Jama’at) and has an additional extra six Takbirs (raising of the hands to the ears while saying "Allahu Akbar" [God is Great]), three of them in the beginning of the first raka'ah and three of them just before ruku' in the second raka'ah in the Hanafi school. This Eid al-Fitr salat is, depending on which juristic opinion is followed, Fard (obligatory), Mustahabb (strongly recommended, just short of obligatory) or mandoob (preferable).
Muslims believe that they are commanded by God, as mentioned in the Quran, to continue their fast until the last day of Ramadan and pay the Zakat and fitra before offering the Eid prayers.
Navratri is the most awaited, well known and oldest festival of Gujarat which attracts visitors from all across the globe. Navratri is one of the largest festivals that is celebrated all across the state. In fact, the whole of India celebrates it with extreme pomp and merriment. But if you truly want to enjoy the colors of Navratri, then visit Gujarat.
Navratri means nine nights and is celebrated for nine days before Dussehra. The Navratri at Gujarat is celebrated in honor of the Goddess Shakti to commemorate her victory over the evil spirit and for starting off the reign of peace on the earth.
Navratri at Gujarat is symbolized with colors of fun and festivity. Garba and Dandiya, the two folk dances of Gujarat have got their prominence through Navratri. People of Gujarat can be seen in their ethnic wears during Navratri. Women wear ghaghra choli while the men wear dhoti kurta. Navratri of Gujarat has an economical significance also. This festival attracts lots of tourists every year.
During the festival of Navratri at Gujarat, you can enjoy the traditional costumes, folk dance and folk music, and the traditional cuisine of Gujaratis. Moreover, Navratri brings together people from all religions who get intoxicated by the mesmerizing charm of this colorful festival. Generally, Navratri is celebrated in October when Goddess Durga is worshiped.
You will find yourself to be extremely lucky if you visit the city of Gujarat during the Navratri festival because the festive season will make your journey a memorable one.
Holi :-
Holi in Gujarat is one of the festival that celebrates the vibrant spirit of the Gujarati people. Holi is a festival of color and happiness, and on this day it is a custom to resolve all differences with everybody, including your enemies.
The festival, Holi has its origin in the legend of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna used to take active part in Holi. During this festival, it is also customary to drink buttermilk, as it was the favorite drink of Lord Krishna.
On the eve of Holi, a beautiful bonfire is decorated with flowers and fruits. Many people also offer home cooked food or other edibles such as raw mangoes, coconut, corn, toys made up of sugar or khoya (a milk product) to the bonfire as their offerings to the Goddess Holika. It is also a ritual to put a vermilion mark on each other's forehead and hug each other on this day.
Later in the evening, the bonfire is lit and people dance and sing around it. Virgins from each of the Gujarati family create idols of Goddess Gauri (another name for Durga) out of the ashes and perform Gauri Puja.
The succeeding day, which is known as 'Dhuleti', is reserved for playing colors. Young boys and girls form small groups called 'tolis' and roam about in search of people who are still left to be smeared.
In fact, Gujarati Holi is famous for its certain characteristics. In Gujarat, it is customary to break earthen pots filled with buttermilk, which is tied high up on a rope on this day.
Hundreds of people join hands to make a human pyramid, so that they can reach the pot. But the crucial factor is that people who surround the pyramid, keep throwing water on the group forming the pyramid.
Thus, Holi in Gujarat is thrilling! It has its own charm.
Dipavali :-
With almost 3,500 festivals celebrated in different parts of Gujarat every year, it can well be termed the 'land of festivals and fairs'. Deepavali is one of the leading festivals in Gujarat.
When: October/November. The month Asvina, in Indian calender, marks the end of the harvesting season. This month ends with Deepavali.
Duration of Deepavali of Gujarat: Four days
Facts about Deepavali in Gujarat
The first day of the festival starts with the Laxmi Puja.
The second day is celebrated as the day of casting off evils.
The third day is the actual Deepavali day. On this day, every home is illuminated and decorated with light. The literal meaning of Deepavali in Sanskrit is 'a row of lamps.' A large number of crackers are also burst.
The fourth and the last day is the New year day for the Gujaratis. On this day, the Gujaratis visit temples in colorful costumes and greet each other.
Myths about Deepavali: Lord Ram made a triumphant return to his capital Ayodhya, where he was crowned, after vanquishing Ravan and rescuing Sita. The people of Gujarat decorated their homes with lamps to mark the joyous occasion. Since then, this day is celebrated as Deepavali - the festival of lights'.
Legends about Deepavali: The common theme of all the legends is the triumph of good over evil. The most popular legend about Deepavali is about a demon named Narkasura, who began to terrorize the three worlds with his awesome powers. His defeat and death at the hands of Krishna is celebrated as Deepavali.
Rathyatra :-
Early in July, Hindus celebrate the Rathayatra festival. Rathayatra is derived from two words 'ratha' meaning chariot and 'yatra' implying 'journey'; therefore, as the name suggests, Rathayatra is the journey or procession of Lord Krishna in his 'Ratha'.
Furthermore, one can find two different interpretations for the Rathayatra. One school is of the opinion that Rathayatra signifies Lord Krishna's travel from Gokul or Mathura; but the second school also seems to draw reference with the chariot procession of the Buddha's tooth at Dantapuri, the old Puri.
On this day, the tutelary deities, namely Lord Krishna, Balaram and Subhadra are installed on huge chariots, and devotees from all parts of the country come together to pull the the chariot in its journey through the streets.
In Gujarat the Rathayatra festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy. In Gujarat, glorious processions are conducted by the cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Bhavnagar, etc. People throughout Gujarat make replicas of the gigantic Ratha to commemorate the festival.
What is significant about Rathayatra is that people from all the communities come together to pull the chariot of Lord Krishna. It is, in fact, held as a privilege to have drawn the chariot of the Almighty. This secular nature of Rathayatra owes much to the Jagannath cult.
Ramadan :-
Mohammed had known of fasting by ascetic Jews and early Christians. The Ramadan fast lasts entire month, but only during the daylight hours. "Eat and drink until so much of the dawn appears that a white thread may be distinguished from a black. Then keep the fast completely until night" says the Koran. The fast of Ramadan is the most carefully observed of all religious duties by many muslims. Not only must they refrain from food and drink between dawn and dark, but they must not commit any unworthy act. One lie can make a day’s fast meaningless. The day is supposed to be spent in prayer and meditation. Once the sunset gun has sounded, the feasting begins. And at the end of Ramadan comes Little Bairam, a festival of good will and gift giving somewhat like Christmas in spirit.
HAJ at the Mount of Mercy 'Mount Arafat' in Saudi Arabia-More than 2 Million Muslims from world gather once a year for holy Pilgrimage on the Arafat. Under scorching heat, endless flow of pilgrims stayed until sundown on the Arafat plain where the prophet Mohammed gave his last sermon 14 centuries ago. The Pilgrims stay on the plain represent man's wait for the Last Judgement. According to Islamic tradition, it is also the place where Adam and Eve 'recognised' each other after being expelled from the Garden of Eden. Pilgrim men wore two seamless pieces of white cloth symbolising 'Equality' while women were entirely covered except for their hands and faces. Muslims scaled the rocky slopes as they listened to sermons and chanted calls to prayer with the chant 'Here I am, Allah, responding to your call, here I am, Allah, there is no other God but you'
Muslims from Gujarat are offered special HAJ pilgrimage tours as many of them visit the holy place every year. The cities of Gujarat celebrate Tajia and Id festivals and many Muslim pilgrimage places are visited by muslims all over the world as they are tourist attractions.
Eid :-
Eid al-Fitr has a particular salat (Islamic prayer) consisting of two rakats (units) and generally offered in an open field or large hall. It may only be performed in congregation (Jama’at) and has an additional extra six Takbirs (raising of the hands to the ears while saying "Allahu Akbar" [God is Great]), three of them in the beginning of the first raka'ah and three of them just before ruku' in the second raka'ah in the Hanafi school. This Eid al-Fitr salat is, depending on which juristic opinion is followed, Fard (obligatory), Mustahabb (strongly recommended, just short of obligatory) or mandoob (preferable).
Muslims believe that they are commanded by God, as mentioned in the Quran, to continue their fast until the last day of Ramadan and pay the Zakat and fitra before offering the Eid prayers.
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