This is How Holi Starts in north Karnataka region

 

New moon day of Phalguna month ( Spring season) of Hindu calendar. This new moon day is special in Northern part of Karnataka. It has got its own significance as, it give a start to the Holi celebration.

This is a small try to cover the pre Holi celebration that take in my home district Bagalkot, which is quite famous throughout India.

I hail out from an artistic town that gives richness to Indian ladies, Ilkal. Yes, I’m telling about Ilkal  Sarees which are the result of master-class art of weaving. Ilkal sarees increase richness of Indian ladies, Just like Sarees Holi celebration that takes in most of the places of Bagalkot district takes place even in my Hometown as well.

Halage mela

Right from the period of Before Christ to until date android era, every creed, every human believes music is an asset of praying almighty. Halagemela  is one such music procession that starts after Phalguna Amavasya. Almost every man in our town takes part in the procession every evening in their respective residential areas.

Each man will play kanjra (Halige) in their unique styles, beats. Kanjra is Avanadda type of Classical instruments, which is prepared by the skin of ox or buffalo (Nowadays with Polymer). This instrument gives a unique sound on beating with thin wooden stick.

Halige mela is supported by Ghana vadya’s such as Tala, anklets, Jagate(bell), Ginchi (Anklets), which are all classical folklore instruments, which are of metallic origin.

Combination of Halige and other solid metallic instruments provides unique mesmerizing sounds. This attracts any music lover and Halige mela start immediately after Phalguna Amavasya and procession runs for 15 days until HOLI. This gives environment of the bliss and celebration and showcase unique musical culture of Northern parts of Karnataka.

Dance

Music and dance are always inseparable. Where there is music, there exists the Dance.  We can experience it when you hear wonderful music of folklore. Especially; the one similar to Halagemela . The participants move their legs; shake their body by their own without their notice.

One such wonderful dance one should watch is the Banjara dance made by the Banjara communities of Northern karnataka. They are special in their dresses, steps, beats and the way they celebrate this Pre Holi period.

Sogu

This a mock of the somber, sorrow, fun mixed with the folk stories and lesson. Sogu is similar to mock plays. Sogu is where, men acts as women and showcase the sombre, sorrow that occurs after the loss of a family member or a friend. People often narrate folk story combined with the moral lessons in a funny style. This Sogu also runs for 15 days after Halige mela and it will be a treat to watch for all the lovers of Indian tradition, culture.

Wood theft

This is one more bizarre activity that is allowed by people only for 15 days from Phalguna Amavasya to Holi festival. Kids and men stole wood, cowdung cakes, rags, waste materials, plastic materials, dried fruit peels, and Waste clothes from the households of their respective colonies. They burn all these theft items along with Lord Kama (the god of Lust) on the day of Full moon day.

Even if their own materials get stealed, nobody will not care, instead people believe they lost their dirty omen and it will bless them prosperity. Phalguna Amavasya signifies the start of summer and people in North Karnataka usually sleep on terrace of their houses to bear the heat from this period. This enhances theft activities.

Unfortunately, tradition of wood theft is wrongly utilized by few of cunning bastards to rob the houses, to attack layman in the night, to conduct burglary activities.

Conclusion

It is always great to be part of different culture, customs and celebrations. These all rituals, which are part of pre Holi celebration, are nothing but a part of celebration that contributes to our culture, way of living, peace and harmony.

8 significance's of Sankranti to feel proud to celebrate this festival

Hinduism is not just a religion but it’s a way of life. Many might question how the religion that teaches worsh

ipping an infinite number of gods in the form of lifeless idols can be a way of life.

Worshipping many gods is a metaphor for worshipping different forms of nature. Hinduism believes in absolute equality and respect every other form of life. Hinduism tells the way of leading life according to time, climate and emotions.

One such way of expressing bliss and expressing the victory of nature are the festivals Hindus celebrate. Hindus celebrate festivals more than any other believers in the world do. Hinduism is the celebration of nature.

One such beautiful celebration that comes in the month of January is Sankranti. Below are the reasons to justify “Why Sankranti is one of the most important festivals of the year”.

1      1. Worshipping significance of change in nature

Festival is all about worshipping Sun and celebrating the beginning of long days. Festival signifies the end of winter season and dawn of the summer season, which is important with respect to agriculture- the main occupation in India. On the day of Sankranti Sun leave Dakshinayana and enter Uttarayana that lasts for 6 months. Uttarayana means celestial revolving of earth towards north direction. This is a very important phenomenon with respect to year’s harvest cycle.

2     2.Harvesting period for Rabi crops

Sankranti is very important, as it is also the festival of celebrating the growth of Rabi crops. Usually, farmers rotate the kind of crops grown Kharififf and Rabi harvest season. In one season, they grow monocots and dicot in the other. This is a period where the farmers grow vegetables in abundant.

3. End of Winter cold

India is a land of temperate climate. We love coziness more than the wind and cold. Sankranti brings a lot of Happiness, as it brings the end to the winter (except for newly married couples). People start planning pilgrimages, which are majorly  located in the cold areas.

4. Food and digestion

Winter is a trouble period in India, as cold slow down the metabolism process. Indians cannot afford heavy food during winter. Cases of flu, pneumonia and respiratory diseases are quite common. Skin loses Moisture, in-digestion iwill be a spot of bother for many Indians. Sankranti puts a full stop for all these imbalances. It is the best period in the year , in India for humans to break their diet and have as many as they can. As a start, Sankranti festival begins with high lipid cereals like sesame, dry coconut, and groundnut and so on. These foods gives balance to the body and increases activeness and bring back the moisture in the skin to increase your charm.

5.One festival many names

India is the most tolerant country. Tolerance is in every heartbeat of the Indians.  It is even portrayed in Indian constitution as a fundamental prospective of Indians. Sankranti is a perfect example of this perspective. It is celebrated throughout the country but with their own provisional nomenclature.

In Andhra Pradesh  and Telangana ,it is called as Bhogi and Makara Sankranti. In Karnataka, it is celebrated as Sankranti or Sankramana. In Tamilnadu and Kerala it is celebrated as Pongal.

In Assam, It is celebrated as Magha Bihu. In Bihar It is Sankranti or Sakraat. In Gujrat it is Uttarayan, Sankrati In Rajasthan, Lohrii in Punjab, Pahari in Himachal Pradesh and many names exists in every province for the same province.

6.Culture and games

Kite festival is celebrated in many states of India and most prominently in  Gujrat. Bull fighting, goat fighting, rooster fights are commonly seen in many villages.  Few States arrange crackers shows and special kite lights in the night, which is treat to watch. Bhangra dance in Punjab, Pot breaking in Assam are mesmerizing show of class and quality of celebration of the festival.

People worship land, Animals, field crops, trees, rivers, mountains and entire environment for its glory and request every aspect of nature to bestow peace in life.

7.Harmony

Harmony and peace lies in every family on this occasion. People exchange sweets along with sour pulses to signify their co-operation in happiness as well as bad times. In many states people invite their friends and relatives for home. Few of them arrange mass food fares to elevate the harmony between communities. In Haryana, they observe a special tradition Called “Sidha”. Sidha is observed by few communities in Haryana, Punjab and Delhi. Brothers visit their sister’s place and give the gifts to their in-laws and perform celebration as a metaphor of giving happiness to their sisters and in-laws.  

8. Food

Food is the most special during this occasion. People prepare most delicious, healthy and varieties of food that is prepared only in this occasion. Different provinces, different varieties of foods  are prepare according their own food styles.  Kichdi, Sweets, Bajra roti’s, raw vegetables, Milk products varieties, Flattened rice are commonly found in food varieties.

Conclusion

India is a land of festivals, pomp and celebration. Sankranti is one of the many beautiful celebration. With its high significance, Indians should be proud of themselves to celebrate highly scientific festivals like Sankranti.

Ugadi-The start of a new era

According to the Gregorian calendar, the world celebrates the new year on January , but according to Hindu  lunisolar calendar, the new year falls in the month of March/April.  Ugadi/Yugadi -literally means;the start of a new era. It is derived from two Sanskrit words yuga means era and adi means the start.

The festival is celebrated throughout India from Vindhya parvata ( mountain)to the provisions of  Kaveri  river who follows the lunar calendar which is called as panchangam/panchanga. 

In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh festival is known as Ugadi, in Maharashtra it is known as Gudi Padwa, Thapna in Rajasthan, Baisakh in Punjab, Puthandu in Tamilnadu and so on.

The festival has got its own importance, because, it signifies the start of the spring season, it signifies the start of the new season with the month Chaitra initiates the start of growth of plants ; thereby, the celebration is worshiping of the nature, and praying mother earth to keep the earth greener and  help us live with prosperity.

As per mythology , the festival has got its meaning ;where, it’s a day on which the earth started, Lord Brahma, who is the creator of the universe has started the creation of the earth on the first day of the Chaitra month. Also, it is believed that this was the day Lord Rama came back to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile.

The festival starts early in the morning after the cleaning the house. Some families even paint the house with the festival few days away. After cleaning house, clean premises of the house are cleaned and sprinkled with clean water to avoid any dust, after cleaning process ladies execute their artistic culture and talent through beautiful and colorful Rangoli’s.

After all this, everyone in the house applies  their bodies with sesame or coconut oil and expose themselves to the sun . After sunbath a fresh hot water bath with neem and turmeric used as a soap to rejuvenate the body and help themselves to keep their mind calm.

Ladies prepare special dishes, sweets, but the specialty of the Ugadi is a kind of dish called as Bevu-which is a fixture of neem leaves, neem flowers, jaggery, un-ripened mango, tamarind juice to make it either a powder or juice .

This dish is a symbol of sweet and sour of life; hence, this dish is spread to all the neighbors, friends and relatives as a token of exchange of happiness and sorrow equally. 

Prayers, wishing , worshiping the sun, nature, cattle, farmland is a very common in all the festivals and Ugadi is not at all exclusive.

In some parts of India, people even play color to celebrate the joy of the new year.

Apart from dishes; Ugadi is a very auspicious occasion for Hindus, people buy the vehicle, gold and other bigger properties on this day. They start building houses, shops on this day, it’s a very big day on which people start their business. People keep up their pace in doing all the good things to keep the year a good and prosperous one.

Hindu New Year celebration is a very auspicious, ambitious, important festival celebration that prays for the welfare of all.

     

Sankranti- A meaning-full Festival

Sankranti- A meaning-full Festival

I remember the school days and the next day after Sankranti. We used to take sesame mixed with jaggery, roasted groundnut, dried Coconut kernel pieces, sugar and many more,  these all were mixed in a polythene bag.

It was a dish like preparation done by mother and give instruction all of us to give a bit to all the teachers and bow their feet to acquire their blessings, then distribute it to friends and wish them the best.

Sankranti is a unique and meaning-full festival celebrated in most of the parts of India, named as Lohri, Bhogi, Pongal, Sankranti, Sankramana etc. This festival is meaning-full and depicts the great culture of India. 

This festival exclaims the human relationship with nature and nurture human life as a part of nature itself.  This is truly proved in  festival celebrated in villages by farmers. They bow to nature and worship agricultural land; ornament their livestock, which helps in every part of their lives. 

Apart from traditional worshiping, this festival is the celebration of triumph of nature. Its time for green in India, all the crops will be at their peak; hence, the festival has got greater meaning. The day will be dedicated to animals; they are ornamented and amused with great food and sports.

Sankranti is a joy throughout the country, and it’s specially celebrated in pomp in North-Karnataka region in their own special  way. 

The houses in North-karnataka villages and towns worship land and animals like the rest of the Country; but,special thing I have to say about is the food they prepare for the day of Bhogi.

Jowar and Bajra blended with Sesame, and there will be a variety of traditional North- Karnatakan sweets, curries of Brinjal, a special curry  made of mixed vegetables; which, they call “Bartha”. Carrot, sweet potatoes, radish and many vegetables are used to prepare Bartha and, probably, this is the only day in the year people prepare this special curry because of availability of a variety of the vegetable in the season. 

Along with curries butter, Ghee, spicy Niger seed powder, Fenugreek leaf, raw Radish, Carrot, Boiled Sweet-Potatoes and the list goes on. The menu of food on the day of Sankranti is one of the biggest, richest and healthiest food will ever hear.

A plate of food is taken to friends and relative's houses,everyone relishes each other’s food with different tastes and varieties to impart happiness to everyone. 

In the evening people gather to amuse themselves by singing, dancing and doing various activities. People exchange sesame and jaggery as an indication of exchanging each other’s happiness and miseries. 

Sesame indicates sorrow for its sour taste, and jaggery indicates happiness.

Apart from the celebrations, the festival has got its scientific importance. The festival is to worship the sun-the energy source for all living beings on earth. It’s an astrological event where the sun enters Capricorn zodiac constellation on that day. 

Scientifically, this day marks the beginning of warmer and longer days compared to the nights. In other words, Sankranti marks the end of the winter season and the beginning of a new harvest or spring season.

The period of Sankranti is a season when the skies filled with empty clouds the temperature will be cold for Indian sub-continent. It’s a time when farmers are at the edge of harvesters, forest blossom with green lush, and scientifically it’s a period in which human digestive power will be stronger than any other seasons in the year.  This is why all the food mentioned above is lipid containing items, and this also helps rejuvenate the skin, which has lost its moisture in the cold seasons.

Overall Sankranti is a festival that has got great significance and scientific bases.