'Tis the Season

While it is predominately Hindu practicing, India, the second most populous country in the world (1.1 billion people) is a melting pot of religions and castes, each with its own practices, beliefs, and extensive calendar of holidays. And, unlike any other country in the world, it has over 100 holidays and festivals each year. While celebrations are in progress country-wide, year round, several of the more significant holidays occur between September and January, making this time of year the festive season.  Thanks to many of my neighbours and friends, I have been granted a front-row seat in some of India’s more colourful, traditional holidays.

On Thursday, we celebrated Krishna Janmashtami, a Hindu festival commemorating the birth of Krishna, an avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu.  The ritual is to fast the previous day  which is followed by a night-long vigil celebrating the birth of Krishna at midnight in the jail where his maternal Uncle Kansa was keeping them captive, and his immediate removal by his father, Vasudeva, to a foster-home for safe-keeping.  At midnight, the idol of the infant Krishna is bathed, adorned in new clothes and jewelry, placed in a cradle and worshiped. The fast is completed after Aarti, a special prayer. At day break, ladies draw patterns of little children's footprints outside the house with rice-flour paste, walking towards the house. This symbolizes the entry of the infant Krishna into his foster-home (their homes). 

So, at 10:30 pm, on Thursday evening, our good friend, Hirenbhai picked Eric, Zach and I up and drove us to his home so we could enjoy the festivities with his family.  It was a special event and I am so grateful for the opportunity to have witnessed it.  Hirenbhai’s house was colorfully decorated and a small shrine was set up for baby Krishna.  When the clock struck midnight, they began the prayer with incense and placed the (figurine) baby in his swing, presenting him with gifts and jewelry.  Then, we each had an opportunity to bless the baby and swing him back and forth.  I was lectured on how to swing the baby gently because apparently I was a little rough with the swing… oops!  At the conclusion of the celebration, we enjoyed several Indian sweets and spices.

On Friday, we enjoyed a much different celebration, with our Muslim friend, Taibaben and her family.  Our village is composed of only Hindus and Muslims and thankfully we have friends of both backgrounds.   And while this is a busy season for Hindus, Muslims also have one of their most important rituals, Ramadan, in September.  Ramadan is the holiest of months in the Islamic calendar. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month is spent by Muslims fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to sunset. Fasting during this month is often thought figuratively to burn away all sins. Muslims believe that the Qur'an was sent down to the lowest heaven during this month, thus being prepared for gradual revelation by the angel Gibril (Gabriel) to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.  Furthermore, Muhammad told his followers that the gates of Heaven would be open all  month and the gates of Hell (Jahannam) would be closed.  The first day of the next month, Shawwal, is spent in celebrations and is observed as the "Festival of Breaking Fast" or `Eid ul-Fit.

Taibaben invited Eric and I to break the fast with her family.  At 6:30 pm we arrived to the savory aroma of Indian food. The symbolic meal begins at exactly 7:03 pm every evening, when the sun sets.  We gathered around the table set on the floor.  There were numerous plates of Indian snacks, like my favourite, pakora (small onion rings) and many others I had never seen.  I decided to prepare a dish to share, so I made fresh vegetable pizza, which was a hit with the whole family, especially four year-old Afif.  We all ate with our hands, grabbing bits of each dish.  For those of you that know me well and can probably imagine, I spilled all over myself, attempting to eat sauces and pastas with my hands! But it was so fun to join in the celebration and share this unique meal with the family.  And the family extended a standing invitation to join them every night until September 12^th, the night of the grand festival, ending Ramadan.  Tomorrow I am going to join the family once again, and this time I am preparing quesadillas and salsa!

While these are only two of the countless holidays this time of year, I am eagerly looking forward to the rest of the season.  We have another five or so small festivals and two famous festivals approaching- Navatri, a festival that lasts 9 nights and Diwali, the 3-week festival of lights. And this Friday, I am heading out for a two- week backpacking journey through Rajasthan, India’s most colourful state.  And there are two or three religious celebrations overlapping with my trip, so I am looking forward to experiencing festivities in a different part of India! Stay tuned for my adventures.