No Worries Curries Blog: Indian Festivals

Indian Festivals: Maha Shivratri - The Festival of Lord Shiva

By Conchita de Souza

Indian Festivals: Maha Shivratri - The Festival of Lord Shiva

Image: Sabudana Kheer is a pudding made from sago and can be consumed during fasts.

If you are not familiar with Hinduism and its many deities, it can be difficult to follow the elaborate and intricate mythologies and accompanying rituals that have developed over the millenia. Though I come from a strong Catholic upbringing, my time spent living in India as an adult as well as my practice of a classical Indian dance form (Kathak) have given me the opportunity to experience hindu traditions and learn about the customs, stories and practices that define it. From a very basic introductory level, the three Gods you might want to acquaint yourself with are Brahma (The Creator), Vishnu (The Preserver) and Shiva (The Destroyer), the last of whom this grand festival honours. 


In Indian mythology, Lord Shiva is pictorially depicted as a muscular being with long flowing dreadlocks, the crescent moon on the side of his forehead and the third eye at its centre, a snake draped around his neck, a bare torso and his loins draped only with the skin of a tiger. He is depicted sitting in a meditative position, cross-legged with his four hands, two of which are held in mudra and the other two holding a trident (thrissur) in one hand and a percussion instrument (damaru) in the other. Aesthetics aside, Shiva is not so much a physical character as he is an all-pervasive energy and consciousness itself.

Shiva

Image: A depiction of Lord Shiva (unknown)

Maha Shivratri literally means the Great (maha) Night (ratri) of Shiva and falls on the night before the new moon in Hindu month of Maagha or Phalguna (marking the start of springtime in the Northern Hemisphere). Like many grand festivals in India, it is celebrated in different ways according to the region and community and even the lore surrounding the origins of this festival differ. The underlying purpose of this festival is to honour, worship and rejoice in Lord Shiva.


The stories behind the origins of the festival include: 

  1. The emergence of Shiva linga - Lord Shiva, at the request of the other gods, decided to humble Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu who were arguing that each was the greatest of all gods. Shiva manifested as a great fire spreading across the universe. Brahma and Vishnu tried to find the ends of the fire with the former deity taking the form of the swan and trying to reach the top and the latter taking the form of the boar and ploughing through the earth. Brahma on his way up came upon a frangipani flower  (ketaki) and when he asked where she came from she told him she was an offering from the pinnacle of the fiery column. Brahma stopped there and carried the flower as proof that he reached the summit. Shiva saw through the lies and punished Brahma so that he would not be worshipped by anyone.

  2. The day that Lord Shiva performed his cosmic dance of creation, preservation and destruction. This dance is known as Tandavam and will be performed by classically-trained dancers at major Hindu temples across India (such as at Khajuraho in the central state of Madhya Pradesh).

  3. Lord Shiva’s union with Goddess Parvati whose devotion to him was pleasing and who is the avatar of the Goddess Shakti, representing the power to defeat evil.

  4. Lord Shiva is said to have saved the world by drinking a pot of poison when the oceans were being churned. Shiva never swallowed the poison but only held it in his throat which is why he is depicted as blue in colour. 

Lord Shiva and Yoga 


In the Yogic tradition, Lord Shiva is known as Adi Guru or Adi Yogi, which means that he was the first Guru from whom the science of Yoga originated and the first to practise Yoga. Those of you who practise yoga might be familiar with the position shavasana which is laying still, as though dead. Shava, lifelessness is the opposite of Shiva which embodies the potential for life. It is believed that on this auspicious day Lord Shiva, who had been in a state of meditation for millenia become completely and utterly still.


What happens on this day


Maha Shivratri is an auspicious time when the positioning of the northern hemisphere of the planet allows for human beings to experience a natural upsurge of energy. It is therefore a time of prayer, meditation and fasting.


A devotee would start the day with a sunrise dip in the holy river Ganga (or a shower/bath for those who are not able to bathe in the river) and put on fresh and clean clothes. They would proceed to a temple to offer a pooja (prayer) that involves a specific ritual of bathing Shiva’s linga in milk and/or water. The linga ritual will happen every 3 hours and the statue is bathed in natural items including that of milk, honey, yoghurt, sandalwood paste and rosewater. 


Most devotees would observe a complete fast throughout the day (no food or water), or, if eating, would consume light meals such as fruit, milk and certain vegetables and non-grain items. Spices are restricted to jeera (cumin), pepper, green cardamom, cinnamon and ajwain. Salt is avoided and instead black salt is used. Vrat foods such as sabudana khichdi (a dry risotto made from sago) and sabudana kheer (sago pudding) can be consumed, but usually only after the evening prayer.


In the evening the prayers continue and devotees will meditate, recite vedic mantras and chant hymns as well as offer seasonal fruit to Shiva. They keep vigil throughout the course of the night until dawn the next day when they will break their fast eating prasad (the food offerings made to the gods).

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Indian Festivals: Raksha Bandhan -The Festival of Sibling Love

By Conchita de Souza

Indian Festivals: Raksha Bandhan -The Festival of Sibling Love

Raksha Bandhan is a less known festival outside of India, but is faithfully celebrated amongst Hindus in the Indian subcontinent and throughout the diaspora. Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the day of the full-moon in the month of Shravan in the Hindu calendar, which is usually around the end of July or early August. This is an auspicious time for Hindus and there are variations of this festival celebrated throughout India. 

India, known for having as many festivals as there are days in the year (if not more) celebrates the love between siblings, specifically the bond between a brother and a sister but also between male cousins and female cousins. This festival extends beyond blood and kinship to meaningful friendships shared between others, especially those involving a degree of care.* 

A similar festival called Bhai Dhooj takes place soon after Diwali and carries with it the same significance and almost similar traditions (a thread isn't tied, but tilak is applied by sisters on their brother's foreheads).


Origins of Raksha Bandhan 

There are different references to the origins of this festival but we will discuss the most prevalent one. Click here if you would like to read more about the different stories in Hindu mythology pointing to the origins of this tradition. 

The account from the ancient epic Mahabharata, tells of Lord Krishna receiving a cut to his finger (some accounts have it as his wrist) as he threw his sudarshan chakra (a speared disk with 108 serrated edges) to behead Shisupala, his maternal cousin and a king who had become an arrogant and cruel ruler. 

This event was prophesied at Shisupala’s birth, when Lord Krishna healed Shisupala of his deformities and promised Shisupala’s mother that he would forgive Shisupala of his mistakes one hundred times over before he killed him. 

Draupadi was Lord Krishna’s close friend and a princess herself (later a Queen). After throwing the chakra, Draupadi was quick and tender to react to Lord Krishna’s cut, tearing off a strip of cloth from her beautiful saree and bandaging it around Lord Krishna’s finger. Lord Krishna was moved by this gesture and vowed to always protect her. 


Raksha Bandhan Traditions 

In the ancient language Sanskrit, raksha signifies protection and bandhan is the verb ‘to tie’. ‘The knot or tie of protection’ or ‘the bond of security’ are some loose translations that might assist with a general understanding of this festival. 

On this day, the ‘sister’ ties a rakhi band or bracelet, usually made of thread, around the ‘brother’s’ wrist as a reminder of the prayers she will offer for her brother’s safety and well-being. The brother in turn offers to protect his sister to the best of his ability and presents his sister with gifts. 

Amongst the religious, the tying of rakhi is usually preceded by a puja (prayer) ceremony during which prayers are offered to the gods, and sisters apply teeka (red powder used in religious ceremonies) and grains of raw rice onto the foreheads of their brothers. As is the case with most festivals, a grand meal follows. 

Around this time it is not uncommon to see boys and men of all ages with multiple threads tied around their wrist in a colourful fashion. 

Nowadays rakhis aren’t just limited to the simple temple threads but are also made from precious metals like gold and silver, for those sisters who wish to take things up a notch or two. 

Image: https://bangalorean.com/festival/raksha-bandhan/

As a side joke and especially amongst the younger population, many men find themselves ‘friend-zoned’ on this day, utterly disappointed by the fact they received rakhi from the women whom they were interested in and with whom they thought that they might have a chance at something more than just friendship. Sorry guys, you should have made your intentions clearer from the outset. 


*It must be noted that the concept of ‘siblings’ in India, as well as in many other cultures, is broader than our understanding here in Australia. Many refer to their immediate or more distant cousins as their brother or sister and the term ‘cousin brother’ or ‘cousin sister’ is also used to signify the same. 

Featured Image: Indian Express 

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Fasting in the Monsoons - The Auspicious Month of Shravan

By Conchita de Souza

Fasting in the Monsoons - The Auspicious Month of Shravan

The passing of the Indian monsoon also marks one of the holiest periods of the year for Hindus. Shravan is the fifth month of the Hindu calendar and usually commences in the middle of July and ends in the middle of August.  

This is an auspicious time for Hindus because there is believed to be a divine energy contained in the cosmos that makes it an opportune time for worship and reflection. 

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Indian Festivals: Navratri or Durga Puja

By Conchita de Souza

Indian Festivals: Navratri or Durga Puja
Navratri in Sanskrit, means ‘nine nights’ (‘nava’ is ‘nine’ and ‘ratri’ is ‘nights’) and the festival goes exactly for that duration. It is dedicated to the Goddess Durga (also known as Maa Durga)and the nine avatars (forms) which she manifests herself. Each night celebrates one of her forms. During this time, devotees come together to fast, worship and celebrate the different forms of the devi (female god) and her victory over the demon Mahishasur.

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Indian Festivals: Ganesh Chaturthi - The Birthday of The Elephant God

By Conchita de Souza

Indian Festivals: Ganesh Chaturthi - The Birthday of The Elephant God
Ganesh Chaturthi is 10 day-long festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha - the elephant God. Lord Ganesha is the God of Wisdom, Success and Prosperity and therefore he is honoured at the commencement of all things big and small, so that they may turn out well. Whether it be the beginning of a road trip or the beginning of a child’s first day at school, his name will always be invoked.

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Indian Festivals: Holi - The Festival of Colour

By Conchita de Souza

Indian Festivals: Holi - The Festival of Colour
Holi is probably the most fun of Indian festivals, that is if you don’t mind being bejewelled with a multitude of colours and squirted with water guns by friends and strangers alike. It is celebrated with more fervour in the North than compared with the South. 

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Saffron and Cardamom - The Royal Spices of Indian Desserts and Sweets

By Conchita de Souza

Saffron and Cardamom - The Royal Spices of Indian Desserts and Sweets

The concept of adding spices to sweet dishes, is traditional as it is delicious. You can take an ordinary banana bread to new heights by just adding a dash of cinnamon and/or nutmeg powders. A sprinkle of dried ginger or the addition of cloves into puddings or cakes add an extra element of undeniably tasty goodness. Have you ever tried chilli hot chocolate - a remedial concoction invented by the Mayans of ancient Mexico? In India, two spices dominate the sugary realm of sweets and desserts and add an extra dimension of flavour, with the subtle release of their aromas. 

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An Indian Banquet for Your Christmas Celebrations

By Conchita de Souza

An Indian Banquet for Your Christmas Celebrations

This Christmas why not change your traditional menu for something a little more, let’s say, Indian? The richness of certain Indian dishes perfectly encapsulate that Christmas Day feeling of a belly full of food cooked with love.

If going all-out Indian this Christmas is a bit overwhelming, you can always choose to replace your traditional Christmas menu with one or two dishes that are Indian. You are the chef, so you decide!

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