Culture of India
Music and Dance
tradition in India
On the
Indian Sub-continent there is strong archaeological evidence of a relatively
high degree of sophistication in Dance as early as the Indus Valley Civilization
that originated some time around 9,000 BCE and reached the height of its
development around 3,000 BCE. Music and dance are referred in various contexts
in the four Vedas, the great philosophic literature of the Aryan period that
started around 2,000 BCE. Historically the earliest of Vedas was Rig Veda
followed by Yajur Veda, Sam Veda and Atharva Veda in that chronological order.
Sam Veda has the most references to music relating to accurate utterance of the
compositions in the Vedas. Many other Hindu philosophic literary works followed
these initial compositions. The philosophic work that relates to poetry, song,
music (instrumental), drama and dance is ‘Natya Shastra’ composed by
Bharat some time in the period between 200 BCE and 200 CE. This voluminous
literary work comprised of about 37 chapters. ‘Natya Shastra’ is believed to be
composed because the ‘Shudra’ or the lowest caste people were prohibited to read
the Vedas and some scripture was required that would be accessible to Shurda
caste also. In this work dance is not treated alone by itself. It is considered
one part of all the disciplines that are discussed in ‘Natya Shastra’. This work
covers a wide range of issues related to poetry, music, dance and drama. It
describes in great detail issues of literary composition, analysis of musical
scales and ‘Murchhanas’ or movements. It also considers how the viewer is
impacted by the types of physical movements of various parts of the human body
through gestures and facial expressions. The details of acting and directing the
actors are also explained and analyzed
This
detailed and analytical work has influenced the generations of artists in these
disciplines for thousands of years and its significance is still relevant in
twenty-first century India. During this long period in the history of India all
the disciplines mentioned in ‘Natya Shastra’ have evolved and in their modern
forms are most probably quite different from how they may have been practiced in
ancient times. It is fascinating and interesting that the traditions that
evolved from a treatise around the beginning of Christian Era still continue to
be the guiding principle in poetry, music, drama and dance in modern India.
After the tenth century CE there was a strong Islamic influence in almost all
facets of life in northern India. Poetry, music, dance and drama were also
influenced by the Islamic rulers who brought different ideas from central Asia
and Persia. Dance that had been an essential part of the Hindu religious ritual
got a secular incarnation when it was patronized by the Hindu and Muslim rulers.
Music
Silence
called ‘Anhad’ is the essence of music. It is the eternal and ever creative
ocean of silence that the musician aspires to reach through ‘Nad’. Anhad becomes
‘Nad’ or intelligible sound when it is audible to human ears. When Nad is
organized though the melodic scale of Indian classical music called ‘Saptak’, it
becomes music. In the ancient Hindu texts ‘Nad’ is believed to be the original
sound, that is the sound that created the entire universe. In its pure form it
is called the ‘Nad Brahma’ or the supreme reality that is manifested through
sound to manifest or create the universe. The silence has to be ‘Aghat’ (struck
or wounded) to create ‘Nad’.
Saptak
is comprised of seven ‘Swaras’ or tonal registers. The word ‘Swara’ literally
means that which shines of itself. Tonal registers describes the Swara better
than the word ‘Note’ that is used in the western music because note is a fixed
and definite pitch whereas the tone is fluid and elusive. The Indian classical
music has ‘Saptak’ or seven ‘Swaras’ in contrast to the ‘Octave’ with eight
notes of the western music. The seven Swaras are: Sa (Sadha), Re (Rishabh), Ga (Gandhar),
Ma (Madhyam), Pa (Pancham), Dha (Dhaivat) and Ni (Nishad). There is a space
between each Swara in its rendering and this space allows the introduction of
another pitch in between to expand the Saptak to twelve Swaras. The Swaras when
flattened are called ‘Komal’ or soft. The sharpened Swaras are called ‘Teevra’.
The Komal and Teevra Swaras are called ‘Vikrit Swaras’ whereas the original
seven Swaras are called ‘Shuddha’ or pure tones. The ‘Aroha’ or ascending scale
and ‘Avaroha’ or descending scale of Swaras create the Raga. The word ‘Raga’ in
Sanskrit language literally means color or mood. Each different Raga prescribes
a specific set of rules to create a melody.
The
Ragas employ various combinations of Aroha and Avaroha Swaras. There are six
Janak or parent Ragas: Bhairav, Malkauns, Hindol, Shree, Deepak and Megh. The
six Janak Ragas depict six seasons of two months each during the year. Each of
these six Ragas have one consort each that are called ‘Raginis’. Each union of
Raga and Raginis procreate a ‘Ragaputra’ or son of a Raga. These ‘Ragaputra’ in
turn have their own Raginis or consorts. Many but not all of the Ragas that were
described in ancient genealogies are practiced in modern times. Vishnu Narayan
Bhatkhande was a famous Sitar player and a great scholar of Indian Classical
Music who was born in 1860 in Mumbai. A national musical institute in Lucknow,
Uttar Pradesh, is named after him. He developed a classification system for
Indian music that is commonly called Thatt system of Bhatkhande. He identified
ten Thatts: Bilawal, Khamaj, Kafi, Asavari, Bhairav, Bhairavi, Kalyan, Marwa,
Poorvi and Todi. The Bhatkhande system of classification is for north Indian
music called the Hindustani Music. Its southern Indian counterpart is called the
Melakarta that has 72 Ragas. The southern Indian music is called the Carnatik
Music and it is generally considered older than Hindustani Music. There is
further classification of music according to Gharanas or families. The Gharanas
developed mostly when rulers patronized certain artists and encouraged them to
accept disciples in the ancient Indian tradition of Guru Shishya (Teacher pupil)
relationship. Thus lineages of artists developed that for generations practiced
certain Ragas until they reached perfection. Delhi, Agra, Patiala, Gwalior,
Jaipur, Rampur and Banaras are some of the important Gharanas whose artists are
still very famous in India and abroad.
The best
way to ‘Aghat’ or strike the ‘Anhad’ or silence is by human voice. All other
ways to strike the Anhad are merely to imitate the human voice. The other ways
can be by striking by palms (clapping), with nails when using ‘Tat Vadya’ or
‘Tantri Vadya’ that are stringed instruments like Veena, Sitar, Tanpura, Sarod
or Sarangi; with wind or breath when using ‘Sushira Vadya’ that are blowing
instruments like the ‘Bansuri Flute’ or ‘Shahnai’ or with leather when using
‘Avanaddha Vadya’ or percussion instruments like Pakhawaj, Mradangam or Tabla.
Apart from these there are ‘Ghan Vadya’ or solid instruments like ‘Manjira’ or
cymbals, various types of gongs and bells. Among the ‘Tantri Vadya’ Veena is the
most ancient. It has been referred to in Vedic literature and is the instrument
of ‘Saraswati’ the Goddess of all knowledge. Veena is similar to Sitar but it
has two gourds on either end of a bamboo stem. It is one of the most rarely
played instruments in India. Rudra Veena is the original and most ancient form
of Veena. Among the players of Rudra Veena Ustad Asad Ali Khan and Ustad Zia
Mohiuddin Dagar are very popular. The most popular Tantri instrument is the
Sitar that became internationally known when players like Ravi Shankar, Amjad
Ali Khan and Imrat Khan became famous outside India. The ‘Tantri’ instrument
that creates the sound nearest to the human voice is the ‘Sarangi’ that is a
stringed instrument played with a bow and Pandit Ram Narayan is its most well
know player. Hari Prasad Chowrasiya is certainly the most famous player of the
‘Shushira Vadya’, Bansuri Flute. The most famous player of another ‘Shushira
Vadya’, the Shahnai was Ustad Bismillah Khan of Varanasi. Among the Avanaddha
Vadya players Ustad Alla Rakha was the most famous Tabla player. His son, Zakir
Hussain, is now perhaps the most versatile Tabla player. Ram Kishore Das is very
well regarded for his mastery of the Pakhawaj that is a two-faced drum that
gives a much heavier and deeper sound than the Tabla drum instrument.
Dance
The
ancient treatise ‘Natya Shastra’, as mentioned above, has been historically the
guiding principle behind most of the dance forms practiced on the sub-continent
of India. Dance is classified in broadly two distinct categories, the first
being ‘Margi’ or the dance that used to be performed in temples to honor the
various deities. This category of dance was further classified into Tandav, the
dance that the Lord Shiva of the Hindu Trinity of Gods performed. This is a
dance in which actions and feelings are expressed strength and vigor. Despite
the fact that Lord Shiva is the originator of ‘Tandav’ dance, it is performed by
both men and women. The second form of ‘Margi’ dance is ‘Lasya’ and this dance
was originated by the Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. ‘Usha’, the
daughter of ‘Rishi’ (sage) Bana learnt this dance from Parvati and in turn
passed it on to the women of India. The ‘Lasya’ form of dance is graceful,
delicate and expresses gentle and subtle emotions. The classical dances of India
can generally be assigned to Tandav or Lasya forms of ‘Margi’ category. Because
these dances are historically linked to Hindu religion, a whole range of Gods,
Goddesses and even demons from the Hindu mythology figure in these dances, like
Indra, Surya, Vishnu, Agni Saraswati, Lakshmi, Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, Vayu,
Kali, Ravana, Krishna, Rama, Naga, Varuna, Some, Usha, Kinnare, Manu and Yama
(the God of death)
The
‘Desi’ (native) dance in contrast to ‘Margi’ form of dance is for the pleasure
of human beings. The folk dances come in this category although some of them may
have originated in the Indus Valley Civilization much before the ‘Early Aryan’
or ‘Vedic’ period dating from 2000 to 1500 years BCE.
Classical Dance
Bharatnatyam (Tamilnadu
State in south-eastern India)
Kathakali (Kerala
State in south-eastern India)
Kucchipudi (Andhra
Pradesh State in southern India)
Mohiniattam (Kerala
State in south-eastern India)
Manipuri (Manipur
in eastern India on the border of Myanmar or Burma)
Odissi or Orissi (Orissa
State, south of Bengal in eastern India)
Satriya (Assam
State in eastern India – it was initiated to promote religion by Srimanta
Shankar Dev about 600 years ago)
Kathak (Rajasthan
and Uttar Pradesh in northern India)
The
Indian Classical Dances have 3 important aspects that are Nritta, Nritya and
Natya. These aspects are common to almost all classical dances of India.
‘Nritta’ is a dance of pure rhythm, which visualises and reproduces music
and rhythm by means of abstract gesture of the body, hands and precise use of
footwork. ‘Nritya’ is the element of dance whose main point is to express
emotion and feelings which are conveyed through facial expressions and gestures.
Thus it suggests ‘Ras’ or sentiment and ‘Bhava’ or mood. ‘Natya’ is the
dramatic element, which has a story in the dramatic dances. It shows emotions
and feelings for the story with gestures and poses. There is a subtle difference
between ‘Natya’ and ‘Abhinaya’ (that is much more related to theatrical
performance. There are four types of ‘Abhinaya’
‘Angika’ is
derived from the word ‘Ang’ or body part. Under ‘Angika’ physical movements of
the body are described in all their subtle intricacies. Physical gestures and
facial expressions are used for the ‘Angikabhinaya’ or the ‘Abhinaya’ of ‘Angika
type’. Great emphasis is laid on a perfect coordination between gestures and
facial expressions.
‘Vacika’ describes
the vocal component in the dance and theatre.
‘Aharya’ describes
the manner in which make-up and costume assist in communicating the message in a
particular performance.
‘Sattvika’
explains how precise representation of the mental and emotional feelings
contributes in the theatrical and dance communication.
9
‘Rasas’ or aesthetics of Indian Dance
that depict emotional experience and sentiments:
Shringar
(happiness)
Hasya
(cheerfulness)
Karuna
(tragedy)
Rudra
(anger)
Veer
(heroism)
Bhayanaka (fear)
Bibhatsa
(ugly)
Adbhuta
(surprise or amazement)
Shantam
(peacefulness)
The
Indian classical dancer endeavors to portray these 8 emotions through facial
expressions and gestures. The reason for long years of training to achieve
perfection in a particular dance form is because it takes coordination of so
many different functions to represent what is expected and expressed through
song by the vocal and instrumental musicians who accompany the dancer.
Mudras in Indian Dance
There
are various classifications of Mudras that are used by the Indian classical
dancers. According to one system there are 28 ‘Aasanyukta Mudras’ or single
handed gestures: Pataka, Tripataka, Ardhapataka, Kartarimukha, Mayura,
Ardhacandra, Arala, Sukatunda, Musti, Sikhara, Kapittha, Katakamukha, Suci,
Candrakala, Padmakosa, Sarpasiras, Mrgasirsa, Simhamukha, Kangula, Alapadma,
Catura, Bhramara, Hamsasya, Hamsapaksa, Sandamsa, Mukula, Tamracuda and Trisula
In the
same system of classification there are 23 ‘Sawyakta Mudras’ or both handed
gestures: Anjali, Kapota, Karkata, Svastika, Dola, Puspaputa, Utsanga,
Sivalinga, Katakavardhana, Kartarisvastika, Sakata, Sankha, Cakra, Samputa,
Pasa, kilaka, Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Garuda, Nagabandha, Khatva and Bherunda
In the
texts relating to Yoga the Mudras are utilized for wellness as well as for
curative therapies.
Folk
Dances
By its
evolution and nature the folk dances are entirely different from the classical
dances. The common characteristic of almost all folk dances of the world is the
spontaneity and participation of many people. Nonetheless the inherited
traditions from ancient times have influenced the folk dances also in India in
subtle ways. India has a wide variety of people of different ethnic, racial and
linguistic origin in the states of the union. The folk dance reflects the
dialect, language, religion, customs, traditions, festivals and a vast variety
of costumes of the particular state or region within the state where it is
popular. Folk dances certainly have a distinct connection with the tribal people
of India whose population is by some estimates about 40 million. The tribal
regions are spread in the northwestern Himalayas, Rajasthan, Gujarat, parts of
Uttar Pradesh, Chota Nagpur and parts of Madhya Pradesh, southwestern Ghat
region of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bengal, eastern hills of Assam, Manipur,
Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya. Apart from tribal people the folk dances are
also popular among the people of villages of India where they are related to the
festivities for celebrating the harvest. Natas, Bhavais, Charans, Bhandas and
Kathakars are some other groups that have continued to maintain the vibrant
traditions of folk dance in India. A brief list of some of the important folk
dances of India is:
Bihu
dance - Assam
Naga
dance - Nagaland
Jatra
and Baul - West Bengal
Burra
rasa - Bihar
Bhangra
and Gidda - Punjab
Dhamal
and Loor – Haryana
Kullu
Nati and Thoda - Himachal Pradesh
Roff -
Kashmir
Gindad ,
Kataputori, Ghummar, Shankeriya, Kachi Ghodi - Rajasthan
Karuma -
Madhya Pradesh
Jadur
Dance - Orissa
Tamasha
and Lavani -Maharashtra
Dandia
Raas,Garba Dance,Bhavai,Tipni and Koli dance - Gujarat
Yakshaganam - Karnataka
Kummi
dance - Goa
Limbadi
- Andhra Pradesh
Kurabanji – Tamilnadu
Poetry
Poetry
has an ancient tradition in India. Vedas, the earliest Hindu scriptures were
composed in a complex Sanskrit poetic form. Many later texts that followed were
also composed in poetry form. These works are still recited and read in India.
Throughout the history of India waves of foreign invaders and adventurers came
to the sub-continent. They brought with them the literary and other traditions
from their former homelands. These foreign influences were absorbed into the
Indian culture. Poetry concerts and competitions have been held in India from
earliest historic times. In modern India ‘Kavi Sammelans’ (meeting of poets for
recitation) are still popular for Hindi poetry. Especially during the Holi
(festival of colors) these poetry concerts are held in cities, towns and
villages in which the poets poke fun at famous personalities, political and
other leaders using satire and comedy. For ‘Urdu’ language poetry the
‘Mushairas’ are similarly held in which not only there are recitations but
sometimes famous singers compose music to accompany the Urdu poetry. These
compositions are called ‘Gazals’ that are mostly but not always love songs. The
most famous Gazal singers in India are Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali (from Pakistan),
Udhas Brothers – Pankaj, Nirmal and Manhar and Mehndi Hasan. Another very
popular singing tradition in India is that of Qawwali music. This music started
in the Sufi monasteries mainly as devotional music. Among the most popular
Qawwali musicians in India are the late Nusrat Ali Khan (from Pakistan), Warsi
Brothers and Badauni Group comprising of Jafar Husain Khan Badauni, Wahajat
Hussain Khan, Talib Hussain Sultani, Salim Jaffar, Rafiq Ahmed, Iltafat Hussain
Khan and Dillan Khan among many other Qawwali musicians of newer generations.
The concerts of these famous musician are usually held during the celebration of
the death anniversaries of famous Sufi saints like Hazrat Muinuddin of Ajmer or
Hazrat Nizamuddin of Delhi. People from all over India and even from Pakistan
come to these all night Qawwali concerts.
Festivals of India
Republic Day is
one of the most important national events that is celebrated on January 26th
every year in India. On this day in 1950 the constitution of India came into
force and India became a truly Sovereign, Democratic and Republic state. The
Indian people proclaimed the guidelines on which the freedom of spirit, rule of
law and fundamental principles of governance are based. In New Delhi and in
provincial capitals there are parades to mark the occasion. The parade in New
Delhi is the most elaborate one. It starts from Vijay Chowk (Victory Square)
near the Prime Minister’s office and continues on the Raj Path, the tree lined
avenue from President’s mansion to India Gate. The President of India takes the
salute on this day. Apart from military forces there are very beautiful cultural
dances and floats that participate in this parade in New Delhi. The official
buildings of the Indian government are illuminated in the night for this
festival.
Independence Day
is the other most important national celebration in India. Viscount Lord
Mountbatten, the last British Viceroy and Governor-General of India declared on
June 3, 1947 the intention of the British government to grant independence to
India. At the hour of midnight on August 15, 1947 Prime Minister Jawahar Lal
Nehru declared India an independent nation with the following historic speech: “Long
years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall
redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. 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, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long
suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take
the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still
larger cause of humanity.
At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless
centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her
failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she has never lost sight of that
quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of
ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate
today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and
achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this
opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?
Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this
Assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before
the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labor and our hearts are
heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains continue even now.
Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now.
That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we
may fulfill the pledges we have so often taken and the one we shall take today.
The service of India means the service of the millions who suffer. It means the
ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. The
ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from
every eye. That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering,
so long our work will not be over.
And so we have to labor and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our
dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the
nations and peoples are too closely knit together today for any one of them to
imagine that it can live apart Peace has been said to be indivisible; so is
freedom, so is prosperity now, and so also is disaster in this One World that
can no longer be split into isolated fragments.
To the people of India, whose representatives we are, we make an appeal to join
us with faith and confidence in this great adventure. This is no time for petty
and destructive criticism, no time for ill-will or blaming others.
We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may
dwell. The appointed day has come-the day appointed by destiny-and India stands
forth again, after long slumber and struggle, awake, vital, free and
independent. The past clings on to us still in some measure and we have to do
much before we redeem the pledges we have so often taken. Yet the turning-point
is past, and history begins anew for us, the history which we shall live and act
and others will write about.
It is a fateful moment for us in India, for all Asia and for the world. A new
star rises, the star of freedom in the East, a new hope comes into being, a
vision long cherished materializes. May the star never set and that hope never
be betrayed! We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and
many of our people are sorrow stricken and difficult problems encompass us. But
freedom brings responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the
spirit of a free and disciplined people.
On this day our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the Father
of our Nation [Gandhi], who, embodying the old spirit of India, held aloft the
torch of freedom and lighted up the darkness that surrounded us. We have often
been unworthy followers of his and have strayed from his message, but not only
we but succeeding generations will remember this message and bear the imprint in
their hearts of this great son of India, magnificent in his faith and strength
and courage and humility. We shall never allow that torch of freedom to be blown
out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest.
Our next thoughts must be of the unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who,
without praise or reward, have served India even unto death. We think also of
our brothers and sisters who have been cut off from us by political boundaries
and who unhappily cannot share at present in the freedom that has come. They are
of us and will remain of us whatever may happen, and we shall be sharers in
their good [or] ill fortune alike.
The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our Endeavour? To
bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of
India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a
prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic
and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to
every man and woman.
We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem
our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended
them to be. We are citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advance, and
we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may
belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and
obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation
can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action.
To the nations and peoples of the world we send greetings and pledge ourselves
to cooperate with them in furthering peace, freedom and democracy. And to India,
our much-loved motherland, the ancient, the eternal and the ever-new, we pay our
reverent homage and we bind ourselves afresh to her service. Jai Hind.
Ganesh Chaturthi
is celebrated with great fanfare in the state of Maharashtra. In Mumbai there
are massive scale celebration for 10 days from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the
Ananta Chaturdashi. On the 11th day the gigantic idols of Lord Ganesh
are taken from the temporary temples constructed in tents to be immersed in a
river or the ocean. The immersing symbolizes the ritual farewell to Lord Ganesh
on his journey to Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva & goddess Parvati, his
parents. The immersing also represents the removal of all obstacles and
misfortunes in human life. The crowds in the procession chant: Ganapati Bappa
Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya! (O father Ganesh, return early next year).
Before the idol is immersed offerings of coconuts, flowers and camphor are made.
Durga
Puja is a festival
especially popular in the east Indian State of Bengal and generally very popular
in Bengali communities settled all over India. During the Navdurga or Navratri
the goddess is worshiped as Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati all forms of the
consort of Lord Shiva. Huge idols of the goddess are ceremoniously installed in
temples and in various residential areas. On the ninth day the idols are taken
in a procession for immersing in a river.
Vijayadashami or Dasehra
festival marks the victory of Lord Ram over the demon Ravana. It is celebrated
on the 10th day of the moon cycle. The festival is preceded by the
nine days of fasting called Navdurga. In north India there are enactments of
Ramayan Epic during this period. In Mysore in Karanataka State there is a very
elaborate procession with beautifully decorated elephants every year.
Deepavali or Diwali Festival
is the most popular
celebration among the followers of Hindu, Jain and Sikh religions in northern
India and among these communities around the world. Deepavali literally means a
row of lights. In Nepal this festival is called Tihar or Swanti. The Newar
Buddhists of Nepal also celebrate this festival. In northern India the Hindus
pray to Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge and
Ganesh, the remover of obstacles in life. Deepavali is celebrated on the
Amavasya or the ‘no moon’ day of the Hindu calendar. It marks the return of the
incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Ram, his wife Sita and his brother, Lakshman to
their capital in Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. Some Hindu communities in
southern India celebrate this festival one day earlier because they believe that
Lord Rama passed through their region before he reached his kingdom of Ayodhya.
All houses and business establishments are cleaned and freshly painted. In the
evening oil lamps used to be burnt inside and outside the houses but in modern
India electric illuminations are used. After the religious celebrations the
children burn fire crackers. The day is preceded by Dhanatrayodashi that is
popularly called Dhan Teras. On this day it is considered auspicious to buy a
metal object. Most families buy a utensil, the rich people buy jewelry. The day
after Deepavali is celebrated as Annakut day when families cook delicacies made
with as many different vegetables as possible. The vegetable vendors sell a very
large variety of vegetables on this occasion. In the evening Goverdhan Puja or
the prayer of Goverdhan mountain is celebrated to commemorate the victory of
Lord Krishna over Indra, the God of Rains. The Jain religion followers believe
that on this day Vardhaman Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankar or teacher of
Jain religion achieved Nirwana. The Sikh religion followers celebrate this
festival especially in Punjab to mark the day as Bandhi Chorh Divas. On this day
the Mughal Emperor Jahangir granted freedom to the Sikh Guru Hargobind Singh and
52 other Hindu Rajas (kings) from their imprisonment in Gwalior Fort in central
India.
Holi
is the enthusiastic of all Hindu festivals in India. In the early pre-dawn hours
of the day of the Holi festival, a bonfire is lit usually in a town or village
square. The people bring sheaths of wheat and barley etc. to roast in the fire
and then distribute the same to members of the family to eat. As the daylight
emerges people start throwing dry and wet paint (mostly red) on each other. On
the Holi day no one is supposed to have an enemy. All people greet each other by
saying “Holi Mubarak” or Holi Greetings and embracing each other in the streets.
In the afternoon people gather in gardens to hear humorous poems that have
satirical references to important political and other leaders. The festival is
celebrated in central and northern India generally but it is most popular in
Braj region of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Bhayia Dooj is a
festival that is celebrated one day after Deepavali when sisters mark the
foreheads of their brothers and the brothers offer gifts to their sisters.
Raksha Bandhan is
a similar celebration to the Bhayia Dooj but at Raksha Bandhan the sisters tie
decorative bands on the wrists of their brothers and the brothers promise to
protect them. The brothers also give gifts to the sisters after receiving the
wrist bands.
Krishna Janmashtami
is the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna that is especially celebrated
with scenes of the birth place of Lord Krishna in the Braj Region. This is the
area surrounding Mathura, Vrindavan and Agra in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur in
Rajasthan. The festival usually falls in the month of August.
Id-ul-Zuha (Bakr-Id)
is an Islamic festival that is celebrated all over India by the Muslims. Bakr
means sheep in Arabic. It is believed that Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim was asked by
God to sacrifice the person dearest to him. The prophet decided to sacrifice his
own son, Ismail, to follow divine instructions. At the moment the prophet lifted
the sword the prophet was instructed that it was a test of his faith and he
could sacrifice a sheep instead. The prophet sacrificed the sheep at a place
called Mina that is near Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The day also marks the end of
the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca. Haj is one of the five important actions that all
Muslims should strive to fulfill. Muslims dress in festive attire and go to the
Mosque for the special Id-Namaaz (Id prayers). After the prayers they exchange
greetings by hugging each other and saying “Id Mubarak” to each other. Special
delicacies are prepared with the sacrificial sheep meat and distributed among
family, friends and also given to the poor and needy.
Id-ul-Fitr is an
Islamic festival that is celebrated all over India by the Muslims to mark the
end of Ramdan, the month of fasting. The actual date of Id-ul-Fitr depends on
the sighting of the new moon locally. The day starts with people going to the
Idgah mosque for prayers. After the prayers families and friends meet and greet
each other and exchange gifts. In India this Id festival is also called ‘Meethi’
or sweet Id.
Muharram is the
first month of the Islamic calendar. The festival of Muharram starts with the 1st
day of this month and ends on the 10th day of the month. During this
month Hazrat Imam Husain, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad was on a journey
in Iraq when he and his companions were ambushed by Yazid, the local ruler.
After the demise of Hazrat Ali, the fourth Imam who was also the son-in-law of
the prophet there was a dispute about the succession. Hazrat Imam Husain and his
companions were deprived of food and water for many days and finally they were
murdered. The 10th day marks the day of the martyrdom of the
prophet’s grandson and his companions. The Shia community in India celebrates
this festival is with great fervor especially in cities where Shia community is
large like Lucknow, Hyderabad, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. The Shia community
members meet in Majlis (meeting) dressed in black to signify the mourning. Prose
and poetry describing the dreadful events at Karbala are narrated for nine days
in great detail. On the tenth day large processions are formed in which men
inflict wounds on their own bodies to feel the pain suffered by Hazrat Imam
Husain. In these processions replicas of the mausoleum of Hazrat Imam Husain are
carried and the mourners chant ‘Ya Husain’. These replicas of the mausoleum are
called ‘Tazias’ and these are kept during the year in special buildings called
Imambaras. A white horse precedes this procession to commemorate the empty mount
of the grandson of the prophet after his martyrdom.
Barah
Wafat – the birth
and demise day celebration of the prophet of Islam is celebrated in Muslim
communities all over India. Prophet Mohammed was born in 571 A.D on April12th,
in Mecca in Arabia. Circa 610 AD, Prophet is said to have gained revelations
from Allah through the angel Gabriel that he was His Messenger. In 622 AD
Prophet Mohammed along with his followers went to Medina. The festival of
Eid-e-Miladulnabi or Barah Wafat literally means the twelfth day. The
celebrations of this day are subdued because the day commemorates the birth and
also the demise of Prophet Mohammed. Bara Wafat falls on the twelfth day of the
third month Rabi-ul-Awwal. Barah or twelve stands for the twelve days of the
Prophets sickness. The day is marked by holding religious discourses, reading
the Holy book of Quran and giving alms to the poor. Learned men and scholars
give sermons on the life and teachings of Prophet Mohammed and inspire people to
follow the path of good life as shown in Quran. Hence, the festival gives a
chance to people to introspect their deeds and try to behave in a manner that is
better for one self and for the community as a whole. In the Shia communities in
India ‘Marsiyas’ or elegies are recited to commemorate the last twelve days of
the life of the Prophet. This is also a time when the people are reminded about
distributing alms to the needy. Families invite relatives and dear friends for
feasts. Some mosques are illuminated in the night for this celebration. In some
mosques, however, a ‘sandal rite’ ceremony is performed over the symbolic foot
prints of the Prophet engraved in a stone. A stone imitation of buraq the horse
on which Prophet Mohammed is said to have ascended to his heavenly abode is
placed near the foot prints and anointed with sandal paste or scented powder.
Besides, the house and casket containing this are elaborately decorated.
Buddha Jayanti or Buddha Purnima
is celebrated as the birthday of the founder of the Buddhist religion. It
usually falls in April or May months corresponding to the Hindu lunar calendar
of Vaisakh. Siddhartha Gautam Buddha was born at a place that is now famous as
Lumbini in Nepal near the Indian border. His mother was going from the house of
her husband to the house of her parents, when she delivered Siddhartha in an
orchard. Buddha grew up at the house of his parents in Kapilvastu.
Mahavir Jayanti
celebrates the birth of the twenty-fourth and last teacher (Tirthankar) of the
Jain religion. His name was Vardhaman and he was born on the 13th day
of the rising moon in the month of Chaitra in 599 or 615 BCE. This date
coincides with the months of March or April of the Gregorian calendar. There are
two different birth years followed by the different sects of the Jain religion.
Vardhaman Mahavir was born in Kaudinyapura that is on the outskirts of present
day city of Vaisali in the eastern State of Bihar in India.
Guru
Nanak Jayanti is
the most important celebration of the Sikh religion. It marks the birth of the
founder and first Guru of the Sikh faith in 1469 CE in the village of Tolevandi
that is about 30 miles from Lahore in present day Pakistan. He was born during
the period of the month when the moon is full in the Hindu lunar calendar month
of Kartik. The day is also known as Kartik Purnima or the full moon night in the
month of Kartik. On this day the Sikh religion followers visit the Gurudwaras
(temples) and huge ‘Langar’ or communal kitchens are set up to distribute food
to everyone irrespective of their faith. Nine more Gurus followed Guru Nanak as
head of the Sikh religion. The 10th and last Guru Gobind Singh
abolished the succession process and instead placed their holy book on the
throne of the Sikh Guru. The holy book is thereafter referred as the Guru Granth
Sahab.
Fairs of India
Bikaner Camel Fair
is held annually in the month of January and it is organized the Rajasthan
Government Department of Tourism. The fair is held in Bikaner where a
magnificent and colorful procession of festooned and ornamented camels goes
through the city to the Polo Grounds. Various folk dancers of the region display
their skills during the final ceremony.
Nagaur Festival is
held annually in the Hindu calendar month of ‘Magh’ that corresponds to January
or February of the Gregorian calendar. Nagaur is a small city near Jodhpur. This
is a traditional cattle trading fair. During the fair about 70,000 oxen, cows,
camels and horses are traded for a period of one week. The Chilly trade during
this fair is the largest in India.
Desert Festival is
held each year in the month of February and is organized by the Jaisalmer office
of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation. Various folk music, dance and
puppet performances are held during the three days. Camel polo match during the
festival is especially famous.
Elephant Festival
is held annually in the month of March one day before the Hindu festival of
Holi. A procession of colorfully decorated Elephants, Camels, Horses and
Palanquins passes through the pink city of Jaipur. The Elephant Polo match is a
very popular highlight of this festival. The Elephant Polo players wear saffron
and red turbans. Riding the elephants they play with long sticks and a large
plastic ball.
Gangaur Festival
is perhaps the most widely celebrated event in Rajasthan. The most attractive
ceremonies take place in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and
Nathdwara. The festival is held in the month of March or April to honor the
Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. This is a festival for the ladies of
Rajasthan. They decorate the houses and worship the idols of ‘Gan’ and ‘Gauri’.
The unmarried girls pray for a good husband while the married ladies pray for a
long, happy and healthy married life. A magnificent procession is organized with
the idols or ‘Gan’ and ‘Gauri’ that passes through the city with enthusiastic
fanfare. At the conclusion the idols are immersed in a lake or pond.
Kajli
Teej Festival is
very enthusiastically celebrated in the town of Bundi near Kota in south-eastern
Rajasthan in the Hindu calendar month of ‘Bhadra’ corresponding to July or
August. The ‘Teej’ Goddess idol is taken in a procession from the Naval Sagar
Lake to Azad Park through the main Bazaars of Bundi town. The Goddess is carried
in a palanquin that is very artistically decorated and accompanied by
caparisoned Elephants, Camels, horses, musical bands and many performing
artists. The main festival is held for two days but celebrations continue until
Janmashtami (the birthday of Lord Krishna).
Modhera Dance Festival
is held each year in the month of January at the Modhera Sun Temple in Mehsana
district of Gujarat State. It is organized by the Tourism Department of Gujarat
State. Prominent classical dance artists from all over India are invited to
participate in this festival that continues for three days.
Lucknow Festival
is held in the capital city of the State of Uttar Pradesh for ten days in the
months of November and December. Before the takeover by British East India
Company Lucknow was the seat of the Nawab of Awadh and was famous for its fine
literary and cultural traditions. This festival aims to revive and promote the
cultural highlights of the glory days of Lucknow and Awadh. Colorful
processions, traditional dramas, Kathak dance in the famous ‘Lucknow Gharana’
style, recitals on Sitar and Sarangi, Ghazal (Urdu Poetry) competitions, Qawwali
and Thumri Music performances along with ‘Ikka’ (single horse cart) races, Kite
flying and other village games are some of the activities during this annual
festival.
Ardha
Kumbh and Kumbh Mela
are the largest religious fairs of the world. Millions of Hindu ascetics and
devotees collect at the venue of this fair. The Ardha Kumbh Mela is held every
six years in four rotating venues. The Kumbh Mela is held every twelve years.
The venues for the Ardha Kumbh and Kumbh Mela are Prayag near Allahabad,
Haridwar in Uttaranchal State, Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh and Nasik in Maharashtra
State. The last Ardha Kumbh Mela took place in Prayag in January and February
2007.
Taj
Mahotsava is an
annual festival organized to honor the artists and artisans of Agra City. It is
held in the month of February at Shilpgram near the eastern gate of the world
famous Taj Mahal. During the festival there are wonderful dance performances and
displays of finest traditional workmanship by master craftsmen. A vast variety
of local cuisine is also available at the venue of the festival. A procession of
craftsmen and artisans goes through the town in which the decoration is inspired
by the art of the Mughal period of India. Among the handicrafts displayed at the
festival are brocade silk from Varanasi and hand-woven woolen carpets from
Badohi near Varanasi. Chikan Embroidary Kurtas (ladies and gents shirts) from
Lucknow and Blue Pottery from Khurja town are some of the other attractions of
this festival.
Sankat Mochan Music Festival
is held at the ancient temple of Lord Hanuman in Varanasi in the month of April.
Prominent classical musicians from all over India perform in the night at the
temple during this festival.
Khajuraho Festival
is held for one week during
the month of February or March at the Hindu temples of Khajuraho. Classical
dancers from all over India perform at the Vishwanath Temple and in an open
air-auditorium in front of the Chitragupta Temple in the western group of
temples. Both the temples are very artistically decorated with colorful and
bright lights and form the background for the dance performances. Apart from the
dance performances an open air market of local arts and crafts is also
organized.
Chennai Dance & Music Festival
is held annually for one
month during January. It is organized at a number of different venues in the
capital of Tamil Nadu State. The Hindus living in Tamil Nadu consider the month
of ‘Margazhi’ sacred. Music and Dance are relevant to the festival because these
arts were originally performed in the Hindu temple precincts. The festival
originated in 1927 to mark the anniversary of the Madras Music Academy in
December. With time the festival grew in prominence and is now held in
auditoriums, heritage bungalows as well as some temple premises. About 2000
artists are invited to participate in about 300 concerts that are organized as
part of this festival. Some of the rarest musical instruments can be seen in
performances at this festival including ‘Thavil’ (percussion instrument),
‘Mridangam’ (a two-faced drum), ‘Flute’, ‘Ghatam’ (a clay pot percussion
instrument), ‘Veena’ (an ancient string instruments with two gourds) and
‘Goottuvadyam’ (another rare instrument similar to Veena but without frets). At
this festival no discrimination is made between young and old or upcoming or
experienced artists. In the middle of the festival the birthday of the famous
Carnatic Music composer ‘Thyagaraja’ is celebrated.
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) Dance Festival
is held annually at the coastal site of the ancient Hindu rock temples. In
January and February these temples become the backdrop for the performances of
some of the finest classical dance artists from all over India. The dance
performances are held in front of the rock with the gigantic relief sculpture of
‘the penance of Arjuna’. The festival is organized by the Tamil Nadu Tourism
Department.
Natyanjali Dance Festival
is held annually for five days starting from the auspicious festival of
‘Maha-Shivaratri’ and continues for five days. The date of the festival is
usually in January or February. Lord Shiva is the God that inspired the Hindu
dance tradition and this festival pays homage to Nataraja. The Nataraja Temple
is the backdrop for some of the finest classical dances of India. The festival
is organized by the Natyanjali Trust and the Department of Tourism of Tamil Nadu
government.
Konark Dance Festival
is held annually for five days starting from December 1. The Odissi Research
Center and Orissa Tourism Department organize this festival. The 700-years old
Surya Temple on the Chandrabhaga Beach forms the backdrop for musicians and
dancers from all over India. Musicians and dancers of all different styles apart
from Odissi also participate in this festival.
