Gujarat Gujarat is a state on the Western part of India bordering Pakistan It is one of India's most developed state Mahatma Gandhi was born in this state Gandhinagar is the capital of this state

Janmashtami (Birth of Lord Krishna) Deepavali (Festival of Lights) Holi (Festival of Colours) Kite Festival (on Makar Shankaranti) Navrathri (Festival of Nine Nights)

Janmashtami Janmashtami, is known to be the festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna amidst all the conspiracies of his maternal Uncle, King Kansa. He is usually depicted as a young cowherd boy playing a flute. Janmashtami, which is celebrated in Gujarat, in which colourful costumes and jewellery amongst the devotees is the order of the day.

Picture showing Lord Krishna as a baby being bathed by his mother

Janmashtami celebrations are carried on in the town of Dwarka, situated in Gujarat, India. Dwarka, is replete with temples dedicated to Lord Krishna and so when the festive occasion of Janmashtami comes along, the temples are all filled with decoration and pageantry which culminate with the midnight birth of Lord Krishna, who as a child is adorned with a crown and made to sit on a cradle

As part of the Janmashtami festivities, People form a human pyramid to get to the pot of butter hung at the top

Deepavali – The Festival of Lights Lord Ram made a triumphant return to his Capital Ayodhya after vanquishing the ten headed demon, Ravana where he was crowned the King. To mark the joyous occasion people decorated their homes with lamps and since then this day is celebrated as Deepavali – the festival of lights. The backdrop of the black night enhances the beauty of the tiny earthen oil lamps decorating the houses. On this day, people worship Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, Saraswati, the Goddess of learning and arts, and Lord Ganesh, the God of plenty. To mark this joyous occasion, a large number of crackers are burst. The next day of Deepavali is celebrated as a New Year’s in Gujarat.

Lord Ram (centre) with wife Sita (right) and brother Lakshmana (left) and lord Hanuman (kneeling) Lord ram fighting Ravan the, ten headed Demon of Lanka

People light lamps in front of their houses during Deepavali Traditional mud lamps or Diyas

Holi Holi – Festival of Colour Holi is a festival of colour. With age being no bar, the young and old alike take to sprinkling coloured water and Gulal (coloured powder) on one another. Bonfires are lit in the main squares of the villages, localities and colonies, Men, women and children collect at the time of the bonfire and sing and dance. The bonfire is the symbolic repetition of the victory of good over evil.

People splash coloured water on each other during Holi

KITE FESTIVAL The International Kite Festival is always held at Ahmedabad on January 14, to coincide with the festival of Uttarayan or Makar Shankaranthi. It is a joyous day, with a bright sun, clear skies and breezes strong enough to lift innumerable kites aloft. It is in fact a celebration to mark the end of winter, when the heat of summer is still to come. Kites are flown all over Gujarat, and Ahmedabad and Baroda become cities of kite-flyers,. Special food is eaten. Even for the religious, it is a time to rejoice, for it marks the movement of the sun into the Northern Hemisphere.

Kite flying starts at dawn and continues without a pause throughout the day. Friends, neighbours and total strangers' battle one another for supremacy and cries of triumph rend the air when someone cuts the line of a rival. A tremendous variety of kites is seen and one can choose precisely what he wants. Experts specially prepare even the lines with which the kites are flown before the great day. Special mixtures of glue and ground glass cover the lines which are dried and rolled onto reels known as" firkees". So sharp are these lines that, carelessly used, they can cut a finger.

Navratri, meaning 'nine nights', is an ancient and colourful festival. Throughout Gujarat, Navratri is celebrated with joy and religious fervour. They celebrate Navaratri festival which is by far the most colourful and prominent festival in the State. Many women and children participate in the Garba dance to the accompaniment of chorus singing and beating of the drums and other folk instruments. There are Garba competitions in major cities and towns. In the Garba and Ras dances there is music, rhythm, grace, sweetness and above all colour. It is mode of culture and self expression of people unique to Gujarat. NAVRATRI

In Gujarat, painted earthen pots are used to represent the Mother Goddess called 'ghata', which is revered as the abode of the goddess. Devotional Garba dances are performed by the Gujarati women around 'ghata' in circles performed by the Gujarati women around 'ghata' in circles clapping their hands or decorated sticks to the rhythm of clapping their hands or decorated sticks to the rhythm of the music of energetic traditional songs. After worshipping and 'Aarti', 'Dandiya raas‘, a group dance, is performed in and 'Aarti', 'Dandiya raas‘, a group dance, is performed in colourful traditional attire of Gujarat as a community dance colourful traditional attire of Gujarat as a community dance all through the night. Navratri is considered auspicious for buying jewellery and gold.

This festival has threefold significance. It is the day on which Brahmins change their sacred thread, sisters tie rakhi to their brothers,and seafaring communities worship the sea The day is celebrated by all the sections of Hindu society as the day dedicated to love of sister for her brothers. RAKSHA BANDHAN

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