Festivals are a period of time where people together celebrate something for a specific special reason behind them or focus on a specific theme. In simple terms, the festivals are nothing but the gathering of people in order to celebrate together. There are an average of 700 festivals celebrated all over the world in a month, which may differ from people, time, place, country,culture, tradition, religion etc.
The term festival was actually derived from Latin and was used as an adjective, where it was once regarded as the religious holiday. The festival is an aspect of feeling grateful to the almighty and to fulfill or satisfy a special purpose of the respective society
“The greatness of culture can be found in its festivals“
The festivals play an important role in the culture and tradition of the country and its group of people. In general the festivals usually depict the rich uniqueness and royalties of the tradition.It is the most expressive way in order to
History of festivals:
“We are a culture of festivals celebrating all aspects of life”
Festivals were initially created to get all the people together and to pass the knowledge,tradition and culture to our next generations respectively.
Due to modern lifestyle, technological development and peoples busy schedules various things about the festivals have been changed and never remained the same. It has evolved as per the people’s lifestyle.
Activities of a Festival:
Various aspects and different activities that takes place during the Celebration of Festivals are as follows:
- Ceremonies
- Concerts, Music, Singing
- Competitions, Contents
- Dancing, Parades
- Meals, Eatings, Drinks
- Parties, Speeches
- Performance
- Sports, Races
Importance of festivals:
- The festivals play an important role in the community or society by connecting the people, family and friends who have been apart.
- It depicts the unity in diversity of the country by binding people together.
- Festivals acts as a day to spread love, joy and happiness to our surroundings
- The main purpose of festivals is to strengthen the bond of love and care between peoples
- We still acknowledge the harvest festivals through sharing food among people, poor and needy
- Festivals are an important mandatory tool for economic development.
- It helps to preserve and protect our culture and traditions.
- Enhances the community building and relationship bond among various people of the society by bringing them together.
Types of festivals:
Religious festival:
This type of religious festival helps to enhance the teachings, principles and ethics of our religion and to follow them in order keep them alive for generations. Every religion brings out the aspect of blessings and grace of the almighty for the welfare of the family and their people in the way of worshipping, celebrating and performing poojas.
Ex: Diwali, Chrishtmas, Ramzan etc.
Arts festival:
These kinds of arts festivals include various art forms such as music, dance, literature, drama, exhibitions, paintings, sculptures and various other forms of art which are celebrated in a grand manner in honour of Art and the artists. This acts as a platform for various budding artists which provides them a chance to exhibit their hidden extraordinary talents and let the world know about it.
Ex: Tomorrow land, Woodstock, international film festival etc.
Food Festivals:
Regardless of nation, caste, religion, a food festival is one which can be celebrated by all kinds of people assembled with their favorite and signature food items and sharing them with everyone out there.
Ex: Taste of chicago, La tomatina, oktoberfest etc.
Seasonal and harvest festivals:
The annual celebration in a year during the harvest period which belongs to different seasons and feeling grateful for the crops which have been grown is known as the harvest festival or seasonal festival. This is the day we thank our mother earth and almighty, by offering them with the harvested food stuff.
Ex. Pongal, Onam, Vishu kani etc.
National festival:
Pride of every country , national holiday throughout the country, celebrated by all
Vacation festivals. National festivals generally help to connect us as the citizens and people of the nation.
Ex: Independence Day, Republic Day etc
Cultural Festival:
The cultural festival is nothing but the festival of celebrating a particular tradition of people, place, region etc, which is followed from ancient days till now as their own identification of culture. These types of festivals will help to extend the culture to the next level and spread them eventually.
Ex: Bihu, Carnivals, Holi
The other types of festivals include; Trance festival, film festival, language and literature festival, historical festivals, science festivals etc.
Famous Festivals of World
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Carnival of Venice:
Carnevale di Venezia or the Venice Carnival is the grand festival of Venice in Italy which starts 40 days before easter, on shrove thursday or before ash wednesday and extends for 2 weeks, remembering the republic victory of the state of Venice in the war. It is the annual festival which is world famous for its masks. People will Parade with historical costumes and masks over the runway streets of Venice.
- Newyear
The new year is the most familiar and common festival celebrated by all kinds of people all over the world despite their caste, religion, culture etc. Thi is the celebration of welcoming the first day of the new year. This happens annually and regularly every year. It signifies the beginning of a new calendar year. Every country may have their separate new year as per their calendar calculations and varied time zones.
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Diwali
Usually Diwali lies between the month of October to November and it is the predominant festival of Hindus all over the world.Diwali is called as festival of lights.People decorate their palace with diyas and burn crackers to express their joy and excitement. Besides various legends diwali is celebrated in remembrance of Lord Krishna defeating the demon narakasura.Diwali symbolises the victory of light over darkness.
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Christmas:
The birth of Jesus Christ into this world is celebrated as the Christmas all over the world on December 25. People belonging to christianiy all over the world celebrates it in a grand way. This is a kind of cultural cum religious festival. The name is derived from the Mass of christ which then turned out as christmas.People share food and gifts to their kith and kin and spread love, joy and happiness.
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La Tomatina:
This famous Food fight festival is celebrated in the valencian town of Bunol which starts by the last Wednesday of the August month. About 100 tons of ripe tomatoes are thrown and squeezed all over the people gathered in a place during this friendly fight. Without any story, legend or reason behind it, this festival is celebrated fully for the entertainment purpose of people.
- OktoberFest:
This happens during the September and October months. Oktoberfest is termed as the the world’s largest volksfest which takes place at Munich of Germany. This is regarded as the celebration in remembrance of the wedding between king louis to princess therese which then followed for year after year continuously. People will have so much fun and entertainment throughout the festival.
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Holi:
Holi is One of the biggest religious festivals of the world and is also called as festival of colours, love, and spring. It actually falls at the end of the month february and starting of March in the countries of India and Nepal. Holi is the end of winter and the start of spring harvest season The festival of holi in general depicts and celebrates the divine eternal love of Lord Krishna Radha and also the victory of good over evil
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Rio carnival:
Brazil is where this Rio carnival started during friday and ends by ash wednesday(during february-March). It is said that there is no carnival like Rio’s carnival as it is considered as the biggest carnival in the whole world. Signature cultural festival of Brazil’s capital Rio de janeiro. It is celebrated in honour of the Greek God of wines (Bacchus the god of grape harvest).
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Boryeong Mud Festival:
It is a kind of Summer festival, which is grandly celebrated in the coastal town of Boryeong, South Korea during the month of july. The Daecheon beach is the centre point of attraction for this festival where the mud is used for various entertainment activities. It mainly involves the aspects of boryeong mud cosmetics as this mud is rich in essential minerals.
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St.Patrick’s Day:
March 17 is celebrated as St.Patrick’s day mainly in Ireland and in some other parts of the world. It is a cultural and religious festival celebrated in remembrance of the traditional death date of the saint patrick and the arrival of crishtianity in ireland.The most significant part of this celebration is people make parades by wearing dress accessories and every attire in green colour which is its speciality.
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Songkran Water Festival:
April 13 to 15 It is the traditional new year of Thailand which is celebrated in this unique weird way and also a holiday throughout Thailand. The term songkran is derived from sanskrit which means to move and step forward. Thai people believe that sprinkling water is signified as a form of purity and holiness that brings the grace of the almighty. People playing with water and spraying over other people with joy and happiness .
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Burning Man:
This art kind of festival is celebrated during the last Sunday of August month till the first Monday of the September month. Burning a large wooden sculpture of a man toy is the main event of this festival. This burning man celebration symbolizes the freedom of expression of art and love which acts as a famous festival of US black rock desert. The self expression community is mainly focused on it.
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Yi Peng Lantern Festival:
Full moon of the 12th lunar month in the Thai calendar(mid November), is the most famous festival of Northern Thailand. It is known as the Festival of lights. People will light and release 1000s of sky lanterns in the air along with entertainment, music and prayers. According to Thai people the lanterns symbolise the releasing of Past sins in air and commencing a new fresh start.
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Dia De Los Muertos:
This festival is called Day of the Dead which is celebrated from the End of October to the start of November. Dia De Los Muertos is a kind of Halloween celebration with the blend of ancient europe and chatholic traditions. The main theme of this festival is about praying and remembering the family and friends who were dead already.It originated in Mexico as the celebration of life and death with colorful skulls and skeletons.
Other world famous Festivals:
- Ballon Festival – USA
- Vesak – sri lanka
- Krampus Run – Austria
- Semana Santa – Spain, Guatemala, Antigua
- Harbin Ice and Snow Festival- China
- Thanks giving
- Halloween
- Mardi grass – new orleans
- Kings day
- Mevlana – turkey
- Light festival japan
- Film festival
- Boryeong Mud Festival
- Tomorrow land
- Rockslide -europe
- Thaipusam – Malaysia
India:
Other main significant festivals of our Indian country are as follows:
Onam,Thrissur pooram,Holi,Eid ramzan bakrid,Rakshabandhan,Janmashtami,Durga puja/Dussehra,Ganesh chathurthi,Navratri,Easter,Makar Sankranti,Ugadi,Bhaisakhi,
Pongal,Shivaratri,Bihu,gurpurab,Kumbh Mela,Radha yathra,Independence and Republic Day.
“Blessed is the festive season,which binds and engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love “
Our Cultural Heritage and Traditions followed since ancient period till this modern age have gifted and present our countries and people with various kinds of unique festivals to celebrate.
Though this modern world people’s lifestyle doesn’t get more into many old forgotten festivals, they still never fail to takepart in certain important festivals besides their busy schedule, to spread love and share joy and happiness to their dear and near.
“Fall into Festivals and Make life a celebration”