Living In India

A country of Celebrations

Many Festivals
India has many
different
communities and
religions
Environment
harvest,
weather,
seasons,
animals
National Festivals
Children's Day
Gandhi Jayanti
Independence Day
Republic Day
Teacher's Day

Different celebrations
for different regions

Gods and
goddesses many
linked to
established
religions
General Festivals
Festival Rituals
Father's Day
Aartis
Halloween
Azaan
Mother's Day
Festival Calendar
New Year
Hindu Fasts
Thanks Giving
Naamkaran
Valentine's Day

Click here to see a timeline of Festivals

Many Festivals cont

Buddhist
Festivals Buddha
Purnima Hemis
Gompa Losar
Christian Festivals
Ullambana
Christmas
Easter
Good Friday
Muslim Festivals
Bakra Eid
Eid-ul-Fitr
Muharram

Zoroastrian Festivals
Gahambars
Jamshed Navroz
Khordad Sal
Zarthost No Deeso

Hindu Festivals
Baisakhi
Diwali
Durga Puja
Dussehra
Ganesh Chaturthi
Holi
Janmashtami
Karwa Chauth
Mahashivaratri
Makar Sankranti
Naag Panchami
Navratri
Onam
Pongal
Sikh Festivals
Rakhi
Ramnavami Guru Nanak Jayanti
Guru Purab
Holla Mohalla
Lohri

Region: Nationwide
Religion: Hindu
Celebrated: October/
November at the new
moon
Diwali customs:
lamps

rangoli art

New clothes
Religious Activities:
bright lights
Worship of Goddess Lakshmi, worship of Lord
candles
Ganesha, worship of Mother Kali, worship of
buy gold and silver
Lord Chitragupta and worship of Govardhan
Parvat.
new utensils

Diwali Days
5 days:
Day 1: Dhanteras buy new utensils, gold, silver
Day 2: bath before sunrise and rub special oil on body
Day 3: new clothes, gifts, sweets, special foods, diyas
(lamps), candles
Day 4: Padwa celebration of love and respect for husband and wife;
Anna- Koot preparation of 56 or 108 dishes to offer Lord
Krishna.
Gods bathed in milk, given new clothes, jewels, precious metals
Day 5: brothers and sisters celebrate their relationship, give gifts to
each other

Traditional Indian Dance

Much of this dance is from Natya,
the sacred Hindu musical theatre
styles

Traditional Indian Music

The basis for Indian music is
"sangeet". Sangeet is a
combination of three artforms:
vocal music, instrumental music
and dance.
Sitar
The most famous
instruments are the
sitar and the tabla

Tabla

Comparison with
Australia
Some similar celebrations based
in British occupation history and
American influences
Many different religions , so many
celebrations but with same focus
harvest, weather, gods
Similar traditions of
decorating, dance, music, food,
just different styles

Similar traditions of giving and

receiving gifts, just a different style

Some localised
celebrations, some
national just like
Australia

The India Travel guide: Festivals of India

http://www.theindiatravelguide.com/test/festivals.htm
information on festivals of India
The India Travel guide: Map of India
http://www.theindiatravelguide.com/test/main1.htm
map of India showing regions
I love India
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/independence-day/index.html
list of festivals in India
Lonely Planet
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/asia/india/
Map of India showing major cities and towns
I Love India
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/diwali-customs.html
Information on diwali customs
I Love India
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/when-is-diwali.html
Information on when diwali is held
I Love India
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/diwali-rangoli.html
image of rangoli art
I Love India
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/diwali-diya.html
image of diwali diya
I Love India
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/diwali-candle.html
image of diwali candles
I Love India
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/govardhan-puja.html
Information on dewali day 4
I Love India
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/bhai-duj.html
Information on bhai-duj and image of bhai-duj artifacts
Google Images
http://images.google.com.au/imgres?
imgurl=http://www.tokoha.ac.jp/jiym/participants/p_2003/images/singapore.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tokoha.ac.jp/jiym/p
articipants/p_2003/singapore.html&h=343&w=500&sz=49&hl=en&start=18&um=1&tbnid=KTnUcWHQHcCAWM:&tbnh=8
9&tbnw=130&prev=
Images of traditional Indian dance

Google Images
http://images.google.com.au/imgres?
imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Classical_indian_dance_10a.jpg/250p
x-Classical_indian_dance_10a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://blogs.ibibo.com/govind/dance-inindia.html&h=270&w=250&sz=22&hl=en&start=19&um=1&tbnid=yJsQRWmHXJtCM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=105&prev=
Images of traditional Indian dance
Google Images
http://images.google.com.au/imgres?
imgurl=http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/instrument.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.chandraka
ntha.com/articles/indian_music/instruments.html&h=305&w=600&sz=25&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=giZSdiyI
taFIeM:&tbnh=69&tbnw=135&prev=
Images of traditional Indian musical instruments
Chandra and Davids homesite
http://www.chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/tabla.html
Image of tabla
Abydos Enterprises
http://www.magictails.com/abydos/images/mid-east/stringed/large/sitar_pro_RKS.jpg
Image of sitar