Z for Zagor

Zagor is an age old traditional festival in Siolim area of Goa, in which Hindus and Christians jointly celebrate the harvest.

Siolim is a small hamlet thirty minutes away from the famous Calangute beach of Goa, On the first Monday after Christmas, Hindu and Christian residents of the waddo, or hamlet, of Dando congregate on an open plot of land to keep a night-long vigil and appease the deity who is believed to protect the village. The zagor, or wake, begins with prayers that are unmistakably Christian, though the sing-song chants are said to have been drawn from the abhangs of Sant Tukaram, Maharashtra's poet-saint. And the wizened priest leading the congregation is a Hindu villager from the toddy-tapper caste who does this just once a year.

Zagor - Night wake

The main priests' annual ritual is preceded by 40 days of abstinence when he stays away from non-vegetarian food and prepares for the zagor with prayers and rehearsals with the villagers. The proceedings begin with a procession from the house of his neighbours, with a coconut ritually offered to the deity. The procession halts at wayside crosses and Hindu shrines, including St Annae's chapel. Traditionally, three hymns are sung by Hindus and Christians at the chapel before the procession moves on. Then the Hindus make offerings of oil while the Catholics offer candles at the chapel.

At prayers before Zagorio, as the formless deity is called, the priest offers salutations to the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The ritual five hymns are followed by traditional dances and folk theatre enacted by the villagers, hereditary participants whose roles are inherited through generations which marks the essence of the main celebration. Principal characters like the firangi-raja (white lord), mali (gardener), malin (gardener's wife), mahar (untouchable), etc, represent Goan society as it evolved through the years.

Zagor procession

The all-night vigil is also helped by the Konkani tiatr, or theatre, where skits on political and social issues are performed.

Musical performance

People offer oil, candles and even cigarettes and feni (a local intoxicant) in thanksgiving. The khazan-style of agriculture unique to this region enables paddy cultivation, Pisciculture and salt manufacture on the same land, by regulating the ingress of seawater.

With the Siolim zagor now firmly on the tourist agenda, hereditary participants in the zagor have money in their pockets. The festival is now facing its problem with communism and moving towards extinction. Growing prosperity, though, poses a bigger danger. With the spread of education, entire Catholic families are migrating out thereby altering the colour of the zagor.

Aditya Sinha

30.04.2016

That’s for today with Z. 

So I have cleared the challenge ---- HURRAH ! 

List of Other Festivals : Anant Chaturdashi, Akshay Tritiya ,Buddha Purnima, Basant Panchmi, Baisakhi,  Chhatha, Diwali/Deepawali, Easter, Festival of Breaking Fast - Eid ul Fitr, Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Id-ul-Zoha or Bakra-Eid , Janmashtmi , Karva Chauth, Lohri, Mahavir Jayanti, Nag Panchmi, Onam, Pongal , Queer Facts , Ramnavmi , Simhastha, Teej, Ullambana or Ghost Festival, Vijaydashmi , Wangala, Xmas, Yamdvitiya, Zagor

For my parallel second Challenge blog with A pls visit : Let the Soul Pour

For other A to Z challenge blogs visit : A to Z Challenge 2016

S for Simhastha or Ujjain Simhastha

Simhastha 2016 

SIMHASTHA or Ujjain Simhastha is a Hindu religious fair held every 12 years in the Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh, India famous for Mahakaleshwar Mandir devote to Lord Shiva. The name derives from the fact that it is held when the Jupiter is in Leo. (Simha in Hindu astrology).

After 12 years Sinhastha is starting today on 22^nd April 2016 with the first Holy bath in River Shipra, Ujjain. It would continue till 21^st May 2016 with other Holy baths on different important dates as mentioned in the photo below. 

It is one of the four fairs traditionally recognized as Kumbha Melas, and is also known as Ujjain Kumbh Mela. According to Hindu mythology, Vishnu dropped drops of amrita (the drink of immortality) at four places, while transporting it in a kumbha (pot). These four places were Haridwar, Allahabad, Ujjain & Nasik as the present-day sites & thus form the centers of Kumbh Mela.

Naga Saints gathered for Shahi Snan ( Holy Bath)

Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river and is held every 12 years at each of the four sites.  Traditionally, four fairs are widely recognized as the Kumbh Melas: the Haridwar Kumbh Mela, the Allahabad Kumbh Mela, the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha and the Ujjain Simhastha. These four fairs are held periodically at one of the following places by rotation The main festival site is located on the banks of a river the Ganges (Ganga) at Haridwar; the confluence (Sangam) of the Ganges and the Yamuna and the now extinct (disappeared/ dried/ lost in time) Sarasvati at Allahabad; the Godavari at Nashik; and the Shipra at Ujjain. Bathing in these rivers is thought to cleanse a person of all sins. The exact date is determined according to a combination of zodiac positions of the Jupiter, the Sun and the Moon. At Nashik and Ujjain, the Mela may be held while a planet is in Leo (Simha in Hindu astrology); in this case, it is also known as Simhastha. At Haridwar and Allahabad, an Ardha ("Half") Kumbh Mela is held every sixth year; a Maha ("Great") Kumbh Mela occurs after 144 years.

An Arial View

The festival is one of the largest peaceful gatherings in the world, and considered as the "world's largest congregation of religious pilgrims". An estimated 120 million people visited Maha Kumbh Mela in 2013 in Allahabad. This year Simhastha is expected to be visited by 5 crore pilgrims over the month-long period.

Mythological Reference:

According to medieval Hindu mythology, the origin of the festival can be found in the ancient legend of samudra manthan. The legend tells of a battle between the Devas and Asuras for amrita, the drink of immortality. During samudra manthan, or churning of the ocean, amrita was produced and placed in a kumbha (pot). To prevent the asuras (malevolent beings) from seizing the amrita, a divine carrier flew away with the pot. In one version of the legend, the carrier of the kumbha is the divine physician Dhanavantari, who stops at four places where the Kumbh Mela is celebrated. In other re-tellings, the carrier is Garuda, Indra or Mohini, who spills the amrita at four places.

Holy Bath on banks of Shipra

In its current form, Sinhastha began in the 18th century when the Maratha ruler Ranoji Shinde invited ascetics from Nashik to Ujjain's local festival. Both Ujjain and Nashik fairs adopted the Kumbha myth from the Haridwar Kumbh Mela.

For more details of the festival one can visit this year’s official website : http://www.simhasthujjain.in/

Aditya Sinha

22.04.2016

That’s for today with R. Tomorrow it would be another festival with “S”
List of Other Festivals : Anant Chaturdashi, Akshay Tritiya ,Buddha Purnima, Basant Panchmi, Baisakhi,  Chhatha, Diwali/Deepawali, Easter, Festival of Breaking Fast - Eid ul Fitr, Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Id-ul-Zoha or Bakra-Eid , Janmashtmi , Karva Chauth, Lohri, Mahavir Jayanti, Nag Panchmi, Onam, Pongal , Queer Facts , Ramnavmi , Simhastha , Teej, Tulsi Vivah, Ullambana or Ghost Festival, Vijaydashmi , Wangala, Xmas, Yamdvitiya, Zagor

For my parallel second Challenge blog with A pls visit : Let the Soul Pour

For other A to Z challenge blogs visit : A to Z Challenge 2016

Photo : Courtesy internet

Q for Queer Facts - Festivals of India

Bhagoriya Festival (MP)

Queer Facts:

Writing on Festivals of India has led to some astonishing revelations. No doubt we know that India is a land of diversity and so does appear in all its aspects. I was astonished with the number of festivals that I came across.

If I say there is more number of festivals than the number of days in the year – I would not be wrong.  To summarise I have tried to put it as following 10 points.

There are - 

Festivals to celebrate all relationship:

Husband – wife relationship: Teej (Hariyali Teej, Hartalika teej &Kajri teej), Karva Chauth, Vat Savitri Puja.

Son’s longevity – Jivitya ot Jitiya

Brother – Sister Relationship – Bhai Dooj, Raksha Bandhan

Entire Family - Chhatha

Festival to celebrate Harvest Season : 

Makar Sankranti (North), Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Zagor(Goa), Wangal (Meghalaya), Lohri (Punjab), Satuani( Bihar), Baisakhi (Punjab), Min Kut (Mizoram), Sekrenyi (Nagaland), Tsukhenyi (Chakesang Nagas), Pongtu Kuh Festival, (Arunachal Pradesh),

Festivals to worship Flora & Fauna: Nag Panchmi (Snake), Govardhan Puja, Chhath (Sun), Karva Chauth (Moon), Thai Pusam (related to Pusam star ), Ganga Snan (Bath in River Ganga), Animal Weddings normally frogs in different parts of India for appeasing Rain God, Ambubachi Mela, Assam, Fertility of Mother nature and tantrik means festival, Mattu Pongal

Ambubachi Mela

Vat SDavitri Puja ( worship of Banyan tree)

Birth Celebrations :Ram Navmi, Krishna Janmashtmi, Shiv Ratri, Chitragupta Puja, Mahaveer Jayanti, Budh Poornima, Hanuman Jayanti, Saraswati Puja, Christmas, Guru Poornima etc. Valmiki Jayanti, Lakshmi Puja, Guru Gobind Jayanti, Guru Nanak jayanti, Guru Parv, Hemis Festival (Buddhism)

Hemis Festival- laddakh

National & Regional Fairs : Kumbh Mela, Simhastha, Rath Yatra, Ram Barat, Shrawan Mela, Kanwar Mela, Sonepur Mela (largest Animal Fair), Pushkar Mela (Camel Fair), Vautha Mela, Gujarat (trading of donkeys), Minjar Festival, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, Gauchar Mela, Garhwal, Uttarakhand, Dhinga Gavar festival,  Rajasthan, Karni Mata - Mice feeding festival (Bikaner)

Minjar - Chamba (HP)

Festivals with Day wise importance: Akshay Tritiya, Dhanteras, Narak Chaudas, Ekadashi, Poornima (Full Moon Night), Amavasya (No Moon Night); Eid, Bakra – id, Easter, Brihaspati devta Vrat (Thursday), Santoshi Mata Vrat (Friday), Santan Ashtmi, Vaibhav Lakshmi (Friday), Hanuman Ji Vrat , (Tuesday), Shani Vrat ( Saturday), Ganesh Chaturthi, Anant Chaturdashi, Mauni Amavasya, Dev Uthan Ekadashi, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Kartik Poornima, Losar (Laddakh’s New Year Festival)

Santoshi Maa Vrat

National Festivals : Independence Day, Republic Day, Bapu’s birthday, Quit India Day, Ambedkar Jayanti.

International Festivals: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, New Year, Children’s Day, Labour Day, Teacher’s day, Women’s Day etc.

Festival to remember Dead Souls: Ulambana (Buddhism), Shabe Barat (Muslims), Pitrapaksha (Hinduism), Shraadh (Hinduism)

Shab - e - barat

Festivals as per season: Shravan (Monsoon), Vasant Panchmi (Autumn), Kajri Teej (Rainy), Bohaggiyo Bishu Festival, Assam (spring)

Thematic and Mythological Reference:  Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, Navratra, Durga Puja, Dawat Puja, Vishwakarma Puja, Holika Dahan, Kshamavani (Jainism); Muharram, 

Vishwakarma - The God of Engineering

Tribal Festivals: Madai Festival (Bastar), Wangal (Garo tribe), Bhagoria festival – Bhils of MP with tradition of eloping with would be wife, Karma (Bihar, MP, Orissa), Sume Gelirak festival (Orissa – sacrificing birds & animals), Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, Telangana, fight of a mother and daughter against unjust law, Bija Pandu festival, Odisha, Made Made Snana, Karnataka (Rolling over left over food) Agni Keli, Karnataka, Aadi festival, Tamil Nadu breaking coconut on head, Tossing infants from the roof for good luck – Maharashtra and Karnataka ( Baba Umer Daragah, Sholapur) , Behdienkhlam, Meghalaya, Bani Festival, Andhra Pradesh, beating on head with lathi.

Karma - Chhotanagpur - Bihar

Fun Festival: Jallikattu (Taming of Bull), Holi (Festival of Colours); Thimithi (Fire walking), Kila Raipur Rural Olympics, (Punjab), Pulli Kali (Lion Dance festival), Dree Festival, Arunachal Pradesh sacrifice of animal & birds, Lath Mar Holi - Braj

Dree Festival

These are just some and can go on unending as we research more and more .

Aditya Sinha

20.04.2016

That’s for today with Q. Tomorrow it would be another festival with “R”
List of Other Festivals : Anant Chaturdashi, Akshay Tritiya ,Buddha Purnima, Basant Panchmi, Baisakhi,  Chhatha, Diwali/Deepawali, Easter, Festival of Breaking Fast - Eid ul Fitr, Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Id-ul-Zoha or Bakra-Eid , Janmashtmi , Karva Chauth, Lohri, Mahavir Jayanti, Nag Panchmi, Onam, Pongal ,  Queer Facts , Ramnavmi , Simhastha, Teej, Ullambana or Ghost Festival, Vijaydashmi , Wangala, Xmas, Yamdvitiya, Zagor

For my parallel second Challenge blog with A pls visit : Let the Soul Pour

For other A to Z challenge blogs visit : A to Z Challenge 2016

Reflections on A to Z 2016 - Festivals of India

Reflections - Festivals of India

As I said -  30 days - 2 blogs a day – 52 blogs altogether in a month- exhausted right!

Very true, it was lot of writing and the pressure was there. But, especially writing on a topic like festivals of India - it brought lots of insights surfing and searching. And that’s what as a writer anyone  enjoys. 

As this was my second year and I had gone ahead with two posts a day - festivals of India and the second – poetry – tender and soulful. Poetry was more from the heart, but this needed lots of inputs. This really made me realize a lot of fact. A crux of the same is in the post from Q .Queer Facts 

The complete list goes here:

Anant Chaturdashi, Akshay Tritiya

Buddha Purnima, Basant Panchmi, Baisakhi

Chhatha

Diwali/Deepawali

Easter

Festival of Breaking Fast - Eid ul Fitr

Ganesh Chaturthi

Holi

Id-ul-Zoha or Bakra-Eid

Janmashtmi

Karva Chauth

Lohri

Mahavir Jayanti

Nag Panchmi

Onam

Pongal

Queer Facts

Ramnavmi

Simhastha

Teej,

Ullambana or Ghost Festival

Vijaydashmi 

Wangala, 

Xmas,

Yamdvitiya,

Zagor

As I said earlier now I am looking forward to next year with more varied themes and participation. Till then you all go through the posts and do put your comments. I’ll also relax and go through the same by other participants.  Meet you again next year.

For the reflection on poetry - let the Soul pour : Reflections on A to 2016 - Let the Soul Pour 

For the other participants of challenge visit : A to Z Challenge 2016

Aditya Sinha

11.05.2016