Vijayadashami, more commonly known as Dussehra, and also known as Dasara or Dashain, is a major Hindu festival celebrated every year at the end of Durga Puja and Navaratri. It is observed on the tenth day of the month of Ashvin, the seventh in the Hindu lunisolar calendar. The festival typically falls in the Gregorian calendar months of September and October.
Makar(a) Sankranti, also referred to as Uttarayana, Makar, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of 14 January annually, this occasion marks the transition of the sun from the zodiac of Sagittarius (dhanu) to Capricorn (makara). Since the sun has made this transition which vaguely coincides with moving from south to north, the festival is dedicated to the solar deity, Surya, and is observed to mark a new beginning. Many native multi-day festivals are organised on this occasion all over India.
Śrāvaṇa is the fifth month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Śrāvaṇa is the fifth month of the year, typically beginning in mid to late July and ending in late August. In the Tamil calendar, it is known as Āvani and is the fifth month of the solar year. In lunar religious calendars, Śrāvaṇa begins on the new moon or the full moon and is the fifth month of the year. Srabon is the fourth month of the solar Bengali calendar. It is also the fourth month of the Nepali calendar. Śrāvaṇa is also the second month of Varsha.
Agrahayana or Margashirsha, is the ninth month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Agrahayana is also the ninth month of the year, beginning on 21 November and ending on 20 December. Margashirsha means related to the Mrigashīrsha nakṣatra (asterism), which has been known since Vedic times. In Tamil, Margashirsha is also known as Margaḻi.
Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi or Vinayagar Chaturthi, is a Hindu festival that tributes Hindu deity Ganesha. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's clay murtis privately in homes and publicly on elaborate pandals. Observances include chanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts, such as prayers and vrata (fasting). Offerings and prasada from the daily prayers, that are distributed from the pandal to the community, include sweets such as modak as it is believed to be a favourite of Lord Ganesha. The festival ends on the tenth day after start, when the Murti 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, called visarjana on the day of Ananta Chaturdashi. In Mumbai alone, around 150,000 Murtis are immersed annually. Thereafter the clay Murti dissolves and Ganesha is believed to return to his celestial abode.
Teej, literally meaning the "third" denoting the third day after the new moon when the monsoon begins as per the Hindu calendar, is a combined name for 3 Hindu festivals primarily dedicated to Hindu deities - the mother goddess Parvati and her male consort Shiva, mainly celebrated by married women and unmarried girls mostly in North India and Nepal to wish for the long life of their husband or future husband and to welcome the arrival of monsoon season with the singing, swings, dancing, enjoyment, prayer rituals and often fasting.
Chaturthi refers to the fourth day of a lunar fortnight in the Hindu calendar.
Gauri Habba is a Hindu festival celebrated a day before Ganesh Chaturthi in Karnataka.
Kārtika is the eighth month of the Hindu calendar, which falls in October and November of the Gregorian calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Kartika is the seventh month of the year, beginning on 23 October and ending on 21 November.
Shiroor is a village in Byndoor Taluk in the state of Karnataka, India. Mudramakki, Tuddalli, Kotemane, Hadavinakone and Neerugadde are localities within Shiroor. It is home to the Kannada, Konkani.Zamaithi & Nakhuda are languages commonly spoken in the area. Hindus are in majority.
Vaikuntha Ekadashi is a Hindu occasion and festival. It is primarily observed by Vaishnavas, who regard it to be a special ekadashi. It coincides with Mokshada Ekadashi or Putrada Ekadashi. It is observed on the 11th lunar day of the waxing lunar fortnight of the solar month of Dhanu. This falls between 16 December and 13 January in the Gregorian calendar.
Sankashti Chaturthi, also known as Sankatahara Chaturthi and Sankashti, is a holy day in every lunar month of the Hindu calendar dedicated to the Hindu god Ganesha. This day falls on the fourth day of the Krishna Paksha. If this Chaturthi falls on a Tuesday, it is called Angaraki Sankashti Chaturthi, Angaraki Chaturthi, Angaraki and Angarika. Angaraki Sankashti Chaturthi is considered highly sacred.
Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra, and again in the month of Ashvin (September–October). It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Hindu Indian cultural sphere. Theoretically, there are four seasonal Navaratri. However, in practice, it is the post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharada Navaratri. There are 2 Gupta Navaratris or "Secret Navaratris" as well, one starting on the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of the Magha Month and another starting in the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of Jyestha Month.
Mattu Pongal is the third day of the four-day Pongal festival. According to the Gregorian calendar it is celebrated on 16 January. Though the name of the festival is specific to Tamil Nadu, it is also celebrated in other southern Indian states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Makar Sankranti is a festival that marks the start of northern declination of the Sun from the Zodiac sign of Sagittarius to Capricorn, which according to Tamil calendar usually falls on 14 January.
Urkeri is a small village located in the district of Uttar Kannada in the state of Karnataka in India. It has a population of about 963 persons living in around 214 households. Urkeri is a temple Village. The main deity is Lord Ganesh. Lord Ganesha is revered as the village God in these villages, in the north Kanara district. The chariot ceremony of Ganapati is celebrated on Maghi Pournima. The temple is the main attraction at Urkeri, receiving many devotees per year. Urkeri Shree Swayambhoo Devasthana is an ancient temple.
Here is a list of glossary of Culture of India in alphabetical order:
The Fiji Sanatan Society of Alberta, also known as Vishnu Mandir in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is a modern-style Hindu temple that was built by some of the first Fijian Hindu immigrants in Edmonton in 1984. Hindus have been living in Canada for over a century, especially in Edmonton. Fijian Hindus began to settle in Edmonton in larger proportions starting in the 1960s and 1970s. They conducted prayers and meditated in individual households via groups they formed in the community. Talks of the need of a temple started in 1983 by four major Hindu Bhakti groups in Edmonton at the time, Shree Sanatan Dharam Ramayan Society, Edmonton Geeta Ramayan Congregation, Edmonton Vedic Congregation and later joined by Edmonton Prem Society, the group founded the Sanatan Board and raised funds to buy a property for the temple. It became the first Fijian Hindu cultural society in all of Canada, and till date is the largest. It started as a small place of worship in the Balwin residential area, constructed out of an old Church building. Since then it has been renovated 2 times, first adding a basement, then in 2006 expanded further making it the second largest Hindu temple in Edmonton.
The Hindu Mandir of Lake County (HMLC) is a non-profit Hindu temple situated in Grayslake, Illinois. The Hindu Mandir of Lake County was originally established in 2004.
Sri Ramalinga Sowdeshwari Amman, commonly abbreviated to Sowdeshwari, is a Hindu folk deity, regarded by adherents to be a regional form of either Mahadevi or Parvati. She is considered to be the Kuladevata of the Devanga people.
Sundararaja Perumal Temple, Salem is located on the banks of the Thirumanimutharu river at Salem, Tamil nadu, India. The temple is Classified one among the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavate tradition. The other significance of the temple is that it is one of the Pancha Kshethram where Maha Lakshmi was born as Bhargavi- the daughter of Maharishi Bhrigu. The other four temples of the Pancha Kshethram are Sarangapani temple, Kumbakonam, Oppiliappan temple, Nachiyar Koil and Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala. The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity with contributions at different times from Medieval Cholas, Vijayanagara Empire, Chera, Pandyas and Madurai Nayaks. The temple follows Vaikhanasa agama and the temple priests perform the pooja rituals during festivals and on a daily basis. The priests belong to the Vadakalai sect of Vaishnavism, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed six times a day: Ushathkalam at 7 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: alangaram (decoration), neivethanam and deepa aradanai for both Ranganatha Perumal and Ranganayagi. During the last step of worship, nagaswaram and tavil are played, and religious instructions in the Vedas are recited by priests.
1). Makara Shankranti: Makara Shankranti is the harvest festival, a new year and the festival of rejoicing and celebrations embracing the entire household friends and neighbors, the servants and the poor, the cows, and then all other living creatures symbolizes universal love and kindness.
2). Maha Shivaratri: Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival celebrated every year in reverence of Lord Shiva. It is also known as padmarajarathri.
3). Ugadi: This festival falls on the first day of Chaitra, according to the Lunar calendar; this festival even marks the Chandramana New Year in the month of March–April in Karnataka.
4). Nagarpanchami: Nag Panchami is a festival during which Hindus in some parts of India worship live Nāgas (cobras) or images of them. It is celebrated on the fifth day after Amavasya of the month of Shraavana. Traditionally, married young women visit their premarital households to celebrate the festival. Especially in villages, an aspect of the celebration involves women swinging on swings hung on tree branches.
5). Dussera: Dussehra festival is celebrated in an extravagant manner in Karnataka or to be more precise in Mysore. Locally the festival celebration is called Nadahabba.
6). Deepavali: Deepavali or Diwali is the festival of diyas or deepas (lights). This five-day festival marks the Demon Narkasura killed by Lord Krishna, has been celebrated across the country and all over the world by Hindus. It is also called Kaumudi Deepam or Dipalika. The Festival Of Lights is the most celebrated Hindu festival.
7). Ganesha Chaturthi: Ganesha Chaturthi or Ganesha Festival is a day on which Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, resurrected to life on earth with the head of elephant. It is celebrated as it is the birthday of Lord Ganesha..
8). Gowri Habba: Gowri Habba or festival is celebrated a day before Ganesh Chaturthi. Goddess Gowri, wife of Lord Shiva, the mother of Lord Ganesha and Lord Subramanya is worshiped throughout India for her ability to bestow upon her devotees power, courage.
9). Vaikunta Ekadashi: Vaikunta Ekadashi, occurs in the Hindu calendar month of Marghazhi or Margashira or Margasirsa (corresponding to late December – January in English calendar). Vaishnavism (Worship of Lord Vishnu) culture believes that ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ or ‘the gate to Lord’s Inner Sanctum’ is opened on this day. The Margashirsha shukla paksha ekadashi in lunar calendar is known
10). Kar Hunnive: This is observed on the Full moon day of Jyestha (June) by worshipping the bullocks and the agricultural implements. A special feast is prepared in the afternoon. In the evening a function called Karihariyodu is performed, in which the main event is a bullock race. Many pairs of bullocks participate in the running race and the pair which comes first is acclaimed by the public. If the bullocks, which come first, are red or brown in colour, it is assumed that the red variety of jowar (sorghum) will grow in abundance during the ensuing season. However, if the winning pair is white in colour, then it is assumed that white jowar will grow in plenty the following season.
11). Shravan Mondays: Every Monday in the month of Shravan is considered as a festival day in the village. People offer special worship at the temple of Shidlingappa. They carry the deity in a palanquin in a procession accompanied by music on all the Mondays in Shravana and offer special worship. Many of them observe partial fasting on these days. On the last Shravana Monday they arrange special festivities. They arrange bhajans near the Patrappa tree and feed about 100 people next day.
12). Shigi Hunnive: It is one of the important festivals in the village and a local fair in honour of god Vithappa, is also related with it.
13). Navaratri: Navaratri is one of the most colorful, dutiful and longest festival observed by Hindus in India. A nine-day festival Navaratri (Nava means nine, Ratri means night) is also called as Dasara/Dushhera which usually falls some time between last week of September and first week of October.
14). Vara Mahalakshmi: Mahalakshmi is the goddess of wealth, auspiciousness and prosperity. She is worshiped for healthy progeny, as well as the health and long life of the husband. Vratha is observed on a Friday that falls before the full Moon day of the month of Shravanamasa (August – September).
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