Baisakhi, also known as Vaisakhi, is a significant festival celebrated by the Sikh community around the world. It marks the beginning of the Sikh New Year and commemorates the formation of the Khalsa Panth in 1699 by tenth sikh guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Baisakhi falls on April 13 or 14 every year and…
Holi is one of India’s most widely observed festivals. There are numerous reasons to enjoy the festival of colours, ranging from playing with gulaal to indulging in sweets and thandai. But, it also taxes your skin and hair to a great degree. The onslaught of colours, the majority of which are chemically infused, long hours…
On the first day of the five-day Diwali festival, Dhanteras is observed. The suffix “Teras” in Hindi is equivalent to the Sanskrit word “Trayodashi,” which designates the thirteenth day of the waning moon’s phase. The various Dhanteras rituals are meant to be prayers for the husband’s health and long life, as well as for the…
In North and Western parts of India people distribute leaves of Apta, or Apati, tree leaves on Dussehra and Vijayadasami day. In this ritual, Apta tree leaves symbolically represent gold or sona. People present Apta tree leaves to friends, relatives, and neighbors and wish them happy Dasara. There is an interesting story on why Apati…
India has many dances, coming from every state in the country, although there are only six forms of the classical dances recognised by India on a national level. They are Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, and Odissi. The folk dances of India are much more than mere body movements, from the very ancient times the classical…
