IAS Gyan

Daily News Analysis

Regional festivals

14th April, 2021 Culture

GS PAPER I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Context: PM greets people of Assam on Bohag Bihu; people of Kerala and Malayalis  around the world  on the festive occasion of Vishu; conveyed his greetings on the occasion of Puthandu to Tamil sisters and brothers in Tamil Nadu and across the world and greeted the people of Odisha on Odia New Year and MahaBishuba Pana Sankranti.

About regional festivals:

Bohag Bihu

  • Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu also called Xaat Bihu is a traditional aboriginal ethnic festival celebrated in the Northeastern Indian state of Assam and other parts of northeastern India by the indigenous ethnic groups of Assam, and marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year.
  • In Assam locally the onset of'Bohag' (Assamese Calendar) marks the starting of Rongali Bihu.
  • The three primary types of Bihu are Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu, Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu, and Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu.
  • Each festival historically recognizes a different agricultural cycle of the paddy crops.
  • During Rangali Bihu there are 7 pinnacle phases: 'Sot', 'Raati', 'Goru', 'Manuh', 'Kutum', 'Mela' and 'Sera'.

Vishu:

  • Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala, Tulu Nadu region in Karnataka, Mahé district of Union Territory of Pondicherry, neighbouring areas of Tamil Nadu and their diaspora communities.
  • The festival marks the first day of Medam, the ninth month in the solar calendar followed in Kerala.
  • The Vishu arrangement typically includes an image of Krishna.

Puthandu

  • It is also known as Puthuvarudam or Tamil New Year, is the first day of year on the Tamil calendar and traditionally celebrated as a festival.
  • The festival date is set with the solar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, as the first day of the Tamil month Chithirai. It falls on or about 14 April every year on the Gregorian calendar.
  • The same day is observed by some Hindus elsewhere as the traditional new year, but is known by other names such as Vishu in Kerala, and Vaisakhi or Baisakhi in central and northern India.

MahaBishuba Pana Sankranti

  • Pana Sankranti, also known as Maha Bishuba Sankranti is the traditional new year day festival of Odias in Odisha, India.
  • The festival occurs in the solar Odia calendar on the first day of the traditional solar month of Meṣa, hence equivalent lunar month Baisakha.
  • The festival is celebrated with visits to Shiva, Shakti or Hanuman temples.
  • People take baths in rivers or major pilgrimage centers. Communities participate in mela (fairs), participate in traditional dance or acrobatic performances.
  • A notable climax of the social celebrations is fire-walk, where volunteers sprint over a bed of burning coal while being cheered with music and songs.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1711653