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The 26th of January marks as one of the most important days in the yearly calendar for every Indian. Celebrated as the Republic Day of India, it was on 26th January, 1950 that the country truly became a sovereign nation. Its significance in our daily lives is more than it being just a holiday. In fact, it wouldn't be wrong to say that this day is the reason for whatever we are today. Everything we have as a free-state today is because of this red-letter day. If today we have certain rights as citizens of India, it is because of the Constitution that was formed with utmost care. We might want to blame government for everything that goes wrong, but the Constitution remains flawless. It is the backbone of the country that holds it together. As such, Republic Day is celebrated with a lot of national fervor, zeal and enthusiasm.  History Although we officially received independence from the British Raj by 1947, we had still no rules to live by. It was necessary to lay down certain laws

The birth anniversary of Lord Rama is known as Ramnavami. Ram is also known to be the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. India is the only country which has majority of Hindus, so the celebrations are primarily in India. However, this does not mean the festival is not celebrated in other places. With Indians spread all over the world, the festival of Ramnavami is celebrated almost everywhere in the world! It is considered as one of the five, most sacred festivals of the Hindu religion. Even those who do not celebrate would have definitely heard of famous 'Ram Leela'. It is a musical dance drama that depicts the life of Ram. Temples and idols of Ram are beautifully decorated. Some of the devotees observe rigorous fasts for all the nine days and eat only fruit and milk once a day. They believe fasting will please the gods and bring blessings upon them.  History Lord Ram is one of the most important Gods of the Hindu religion, and as such, the day holds great significance. As the

Raksha Bandhan is the festival meant to tighten the knot of relation between a brother and a sister. It is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Shravan (month according to Hindi calendar) which comes in the month of August. Raksha Bandhan is also known as 'Rakhi'. In this festival, sisters tie an auspicious thread on the wrist of their brothers. Raksha Bandhan means 'Bond of Protection'. This festival is celebrated to protect brothers from evil things and sisters also pray to God for the well-being and long life of their brothers. On this day, girls wear new clothes and don't eat anything before tying the rakhi on their brothers' wrist. They put red vermillion (tika) on their brothers' forehead, give them sweets to eat and tie the rakhi on their wrist. Brothers, on the other hand, give  gifts on Rakhi  as the token of love and blessings to their sisters. This festival sweetens the relation of brother and sister. History of Rakhi There are many sto

Pongal is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu which is celebrated every year in the month of January (from 13th January to 16th January). It goes on for four days. Each day has its own significance and religious value. First day is known as 'Bhogi', on this day people make beautiful designs of Kolam in front of their houses and worship Lord Indra and their agricultural tools that are used to cut the crops. 'Surya Pongal' is considered as the second day of the Tamil calendar 'Thai'. On this day, Sun is worshipped and new rice is cooked in an earthen vessel. Third day is known as 'Mattu Pongal'. On this day cows and bulls are decorated and worshipped. 'Kannum Pongal' is the fourth day and on this day people visit their near and dear ones and convey them Pongal wishes. This festival is celebrated to thank nature for blessing the people with plentiful crops. Earlier, Pongal was celebrated by the farmers but now days it is celebrated by everyone. Histo

Onam is one of the most popular regional festivals of Kerala. It is celebrated by all Keralites regardless of their caste or religion. People rejoice the return of King Mahabali, the kind demon king who once ruled the land.The festival is celebrated every year for ten days which comes in the Malayalam month of Chingam (end of August and start of September) and is celebrated with pomp and joy. This festival is also a harvest festival. People decorate their homes with fresh flower mats known as 'Pookalam' to welcome the King Mahabali. They wear new dresses; go to the temples to worship God and perform traditional dances such as Thiruvathirakali and Thumbi Tullal. There is a grand lunch called 'Sadya' on the Thiruonam, the tenth day of Onam, which is considered very important and absolutely essential. These ten days are meant for feasting, indulging in boat racing, music and dancing to welcome their king. Delicious homely food served on banana leaves and the sweet Payasam

Mahavir Jayanti is the most important Jain festival. It celebrates the birth of Saint Mahavir in a small town called Vaishali. The importance of the festival owes to the fact that Saint Mahavir was the founder of Jainism as a religion. It is a peaceful religion that cherishes simplicity. Their core values are such that they do not believe in killing even an insect. The mood of this festival is also without any kind of drama, just a quite celebration with respect to their saint. There are dominantly four types of Jains: Digambars and Svetambaras, Deravasis and Sthanakvasis. The worship rituals of Jains are not very elaborate or striking as their leader Mahavir was against idol worship in its ideal sense. Out of the four sects only Deravasis go to temples, while the others regard their ideal faith to be purest when internalized.  History/Significance Mahavir Jain was born in the 5th century B.C. He was born in a palace of Vaishali to King Siddhartha and Queen Trisala. During the pregnanc

Lord Shiva, also known as Mahadeva, is one of the three Gods of Hindu Trinity. His abode is believed to be at Mt Kailash in the Himalayas. Shivaratri is essentially a Hindu festival that is celebrated by Shiva devotees in all parts of India. Shiva Ratri is said to be the night when Lord Shiva first appeared by His own Divine Grace. The words literally mean 'the night consecrated to Shiva' and falls on the fourteenth day of the waning moon in the month of Phalgun (according to the Hindu calendar). Maha Shiva Rathri is celebrated throughout India with much zeal and vigor. According to the scriptures and Vedas, it is believed that Shiva is the god of favors. Devotees can get his blessing by devoting themselves truthfully to him. Many devotees practice meditation and penance to receive boons from Lord Shiva on this day. Unmarried girls too worship him and fast on this day because it is believed that worshipping Lord Shiva will help young women get their desired husband. History The

Karva Chauth is a festival that every Indian woman looks forward to. A typical Indian woman is described to be so devoted to her husband that all her prayers channel to his safety and well-being. Although today India is a developing country and has moved way forward into modernity, the devotion of Indian women to their husband has not wavered. Karva Chauth is the day that symbolizes this love and devotion of an Indian woman towards her husband. On this day she fasts the entire day without even a sip of water, until the moon appears which is when her husband feeds her the first morsel of food. She does this as a prayer to her husband's protection and long life. Even some unmarried women or girls keep this fast in prayer of a good husband.  History There are many stories that relate to the history of Karva Chauth. Some believe that the true story can never be known. Others believe that it first started as a celebration of friendship of the bride with a sister-in-law or another woman

"At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new...India discovers herself again." - Jawaharlal Nehru After more than two hundred years of British rule, India finally won back its freedom on 15th August, 1947. All the patriotic hearts rejoiced at seeing India becoming a sovereign nation and the triumph of hundreds and thousands of martyred souls. It was a birth of a new nation and a new beginning. The only fact that marred the happiness of the fruits by the blood of martyrs was the fact that the country was divided into India and Pakistan and the violent communal riots took away a number of lives. It was on the eve of 15th of August, 1947 that India tricolor flag was unfurled by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, on the ramparts the Red Fort, Delhi. History In 1947, after the World War II, Britain could see that it no

Each year when holi is celebrated you know that spring has emerged and it is time to break free from your winter cocoons and bask in the sunny weather. The atmosphere is ecstatic with people spreading there infectious good cheer to others and the ambiance seeming to have an effect on the greenery with bountiful, colorful blooms seen all around. It is a commonly established fact that there is no other Hindu festival that is as fun-filled, lively and energetic as Holi. With an overdose of music, dance, games, mirth, and lots of color to indulge in, Holi is definitely one of the most awaited festivals of the year. Speaking of Holi one cannot forget to mention the 'pichkaris' and the pool of colored water to splash into, definitely a fun way to cool off the heat wave. The festival has something for everyone. Also, Holi give a perfect opportunity to treat the taste buds with the delectable 'Gujhias' and 'Papris' and of course who can forget to mention 'bhang'

On October 2nd each year the nation pays homage to "Bapu" otherwise also known as the "Father of the Nation" who played a significant role in Indian Independence. Mohandas Karamachand Gandhi also referred as 'Gandhiji' was an iconic figure in India and around the globe for his unique practices of non-violence or ahimsa. He believed in the power of non-violence and in the philosophy of truth known as "Satyagraha" and adopted these beliefs in his leadership that helped in achieving India's Independence. With his strong philosophy on non-violence and truth he proved the world that the path ahead may not be the easy, but it is certainly the most effective methods of achieving the goals. It was this belief that got him noticed and appreciated by historians as one of the greatest freedom fighters that the world had ever seen. As such, India observes a national holiday on this day to pay reverence to this great soul. Besides his contribution towards t

Giant effigies of Ravana, Meghnada, and Kumbhakarna being built days before indicate the arrival of one of the most significant and highly revered festivals of India - Dussehra, preceded by the nine-day Navratri. The sights of these huge and full effigies pass on the message of preparing for the festivities that highlight this auspicious festival. Dussehra, the celebration of victory over evil, is a devout festival of the Hindus, marked on the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Ashwin, as per the Hindu calendar, at the end of the nine days of Navratri. Also referred to as Vijaya Dashmi, Dasara, or Dashain, this holy occasion brings together families and friends to indulge in the worship and devotion of Goddess Durga and her nine forms, apart from celebrating the triumph of Lord Rama over the demon king, Ravana. Though this blissful occasion is observed across the country, larger-than-life celebrations are held in Delhi and Varanasi, the most popular places to witness them. Hi

India celebrates a festival almost every month and thus, has been rightly called the Country of Festivals. There are about ten major festivals that Indians celebrate with great vigor. Amongst them, Deepavali is the last but the most lavish and vibrant of all Indian festivals. Deepavali is popularly known as the festival of lights. It signifies the triumph of good over evil. The word 'Deepavali' comes from the words 'Deepa' and 'Aval'i; which means row of lights in Sanskrit. It is truly the most awaited Indian festival. While cleaning the house, preparing lavish food, lighting lamps or diyas and performing pooja are the main activities of the festival, adults and children engage in bursting crackers also to rejoice and make merry.  History Deepavali is celebrated in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. In each of these the significance varies. For Jains the day marks as the day when Mahavira attained nirvana in 527 B.C. Sikhs associate Deepavali or Diwali with the rele

Buddhism might not be as old as other religions, but is definitely the most popular. This is because of its teachings that have transformed the thinking and living of many. Many argue that Buddhism is not even a religion, but a set of teachings that an enlightened prince called Siddhartha gave. Buddha Jayanti celebrates the birth, enlightenment and salvation of this prince. It was his simplicity and love for others that captured the faith of everyone's life that he, and later his teachings, touched. In today's time, when man's faith on mysticism is in question, he bends his faith towards that of a human teaching. Although many believe that Buddha was a God, some believe he was an avatar of Vishnu (the supreme God in Hinduism). God or not, Lord Buddha is kept in the same pedestal by his followers.  History Around 500 B.C., King Shuddhodhana and Queen Mayadevi had a son named Siddharta. It is believed that the pundits (bramhin priests) prophesied that the prince will be disen

The essence of the divine and colorful festival of Navratri lies in its faith, devotion, and glorification. Marked as one of the most reverent and devout festivals in Hinduism, Navratri is celebrated across nine days, each bearing a special significance. Beginning from the first day of the bright fortnight of Ashwin month, according to Hindu calendar, this festival continues for the next nine days with immense splendor and grandeur. Goddess Durga, along with her nine different forms, serves as the major and central deity for worshipping. The literal meaning of the term 'Navratri' is nine nights. The significance of inherent positive qualities conquering negativity is emphasized through this festival, after which one can acquire divinity and purification. This sacred festival also represents the evolution of consciousness to a heightened awareness. While this highly religious and pious occasion is observed across India and even abroad, but celebrations in Gujarat and West Bengal