1. Festivals, Observances, and Milestones

2. Diwali Festival of lights Celebration of the triumph of light and knowledge (Lakshmi and Vishnu) over darkness and ignorance (Naraka) 5 days at the end of October or early November Fireworks, decorate houses with lights, give gifts, and wear new clothes Video

3. Holi Festival of colours Some time in March (full moon of last month of Hindu calendar) Prahalad was resented by his father for being pious. His aunt tried to burn him in a fire, but she was burned to ashes instead. People celebrate by covering each other in bright colours People celebrate

4. Mahashivaratri Not a festival, but an observance, dedicated to Shiva Vigil, fasting for 24 hours Between midnight and sunrise, devotees repeat Shiva’s name, and place grains and flowers on his image

5. Milestones

6. Naming a Child Traditionally, a child is named by a priest 10 days after birth. For most Hindus, however, parents choose the name, but a symbolic naming ritual is still held

7. Thread Initiation (Upanayana) Performed by boys of Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya castes Marks a boy’s transition into a student stage of life, when they will start to study religious texts Takes place over two days Boy wears a sacred thread over his left shoulder, and chants a mantra

8. Marriage Enters bride and groom into a new stage of life, called grihasta In India, arranged marriages are common, here less so. Even in a love match, parents will closely study the other family to make sure that the bride and groom are socially compatible Marriage is considered a union of two families

9. Marriage continued Ceremony lasts for about 3 hours Performed by a priest and can be elaborate, consisting of about 15 rituals, ex: – Giving away of bride – Clasping of hands of couple – Giving of auspiciousness to bride (a necklace the bride wears for the rest of her life) – The couple taking seven steps around a sacred fire Followed by a feast and celebration

10. Death A priest guides the family as they bathe and dress the body in new clothing, leaving the face uncovered Light and flowers are offered to the spirit of the deceased Priest recites passages of scripture to sanctify a fire Eldest son lights a funeral pyre, and the body is cremated. Ashes are collected and scattered in the holy rivers of India or another body of water