HINDUISM

FESTIVALS

DASERA

• Honors the Mother Goddess
• Lasts nine nights
• Gift-giving and friendliness abound
• Said to be a very lucky time of year
• Story of Rama killing Ravana is told

DIWALI

• Most important festival
• Decorate house with lights and candles to ward away evil
• Leave windows open to let Lakshmi in
• Lakshmi- Goddess of wealth and good fortune
• The story of Rama saving his wife, Sita, from Ravana is retold

HOLI

• Spring Festival of Color
• People are allowed to throw colored powder at eachother
• This is akin to Krishna playing pranks on others as a kid
• Story told at this time is of Holika, a princess wanting to kill her father
• People light bonfires and smear ashes on their faces for good luck

RAKSHA BANDHAN

• People tie thread with an item on it to protect from harm
• Some celebrate it as Sister's Day, brothers pledge to protect sisters
• Others celebrate Brother's Day, sisters rub powder on brothers' foreheads
• Comes from a story of god Indra
• Indra saves his wife from harm by tying a magical string to her finger

CHARIOT FESTIVAL

• Celebrates Jagannath, god of the Universe
• Parade massive chariots across town
• Chariots have Jagannath on them
• Jagannath is considered a form of Vishnu