>>>>Sikh Festivals<<<<

Sonia_Nz

>>>>MaHiYa<<<<
Holla Mohalla is the festival of Punjab. It is celebrated over three days and retains the character of fun and enjoyment that Holi has always embodied. In addition to that, it is also a community festival that brings people together in an atmosphere of sharing and caring. It is also an occasion to remember the valour of the Sikhs in battling the enemies of the land. The festival day begins with early morning prayers at the gurudwaras. The Guru Granth Sahib is ceremoniously taken out and bathed ritually with milk and water. After that, it is placed on the platform and venerated.

Kirtans are sung and people perform kar seva. The prasad is consecrated and everyone partakes of it. After the service, community lunch is served at the common hall.

Evening is the time for cultural activities. The Nihang Sikhs, who are part of the Sikh army that Guru Gobind Singh founded, exhibit their martial skills and daring through mock battles, sword-fighting displays, archery and horse-riding exercises. The Nihangs also splash colour on the spectators, and everyone follows suit.

Special programmes are organised for Holla Mohalla. Stories and songs about the life, valour and wisdom of the ten Sikh gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh, are told and recited.

Music, dance and poetry programmes and competitions are held at many venues. A highlight of the last day of the festival is the procession through the important gurudwaras in town.

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Holla Mohalla, while being an occasion to rejoice, is also a time to restore faith in the Khalsa Panth and rededicate oneself to the service of the community. Everyone, irrespective of their social standing, involves themselves in kar seva - manual labour, like helping in the langars, or public kitchens, cleaning the gurudwaras, and washing dishes.

The festival is celebrated grandly at Anandpur Sahib. Thousands of people visit the shrine to participate in prayers. Holla Mohalla is a reminder that enjoyment of life should go hand in hand with the responsibilities to society and constant effort to improve oneself and contribute to helping others and bettering life for others
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Sonia_Nz

>>>>MaHiYa<<<<
Introduction
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Maghi is the occassion when Sikhs commemorate the sacrifice of forty Sikhs, who fought for Guru Gobindh Singh Ji.

Maghi, Makara Sankranti, the first day of the month of Magh. The eve of Maghi is the common Indian festival of Lohri when bonfires are lit in Hindu homes to greet the birth of sons in the families and alms are distributed. In the morning, people go out for an early-hour dip in nearby tanks. For Sikhs, Maghi means primarily the festival at Muktsar, a district town of the Punjab, in commemoration of the heroic fight of the Chali Mukte, literally, the Forty Liberated Ones, who laid down their lives warding off an attack by an imperial army marching in pursuit of Guru Gobind Singh.
The action took place near a pool of water, Khidrane di Dhab, on 29 December 1705. The bodies were cremated the following day, the first of Magh (hence the name of the festival), which now falls usually on the 13th of January. Following the custom of the Sikhs to observe their anniversaries of happy and tragic events alike, Maghi is celebrated with end-to-end recital of the Guru Granth Sahib and religious divans in almost all gurdwaras.


Significance
The day of Maghi is observed to honour the heroic fight of the Chali Mukte, or the Forty Liberated Ones, who sacrificed their own lives defending an attack by the imperial army marching in pursuit of Guru Gobind Singh. The action took place near a pool of water, Khidrane di Dhab, on 29 December 1705.

Celebration
Sikhs celebrate the Maghi with an end to end recital of the holy Guru Granth Sahib and religious rituals in all the Sikh Gurudwaras. On the eve of Maghi falls the common Indian festival called the Lohri when bonfires are lighted in Hindu homes and alms are also distributed. . however The largest assembly, however, takes place at Muktsar (Punjab) where big fairs are organized and pilgrims take a holy dip in the sacred waters of sarovar and also visit several shrines. A mahala or big march of pilgrims from the main shrine to gurdwara Tibbi Sahib, sacred to Guru Gobind Singh, concludes the three-day celebration.

 

Ramta

Member
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'Holi', also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Spring festival observed in India.
Agrarian communities of India welcome the spring season, during which the weather changes.

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'Magh' is the Tenth month in the Hindu calender and 'Maghi' is the name of an festival which in
Punjab and Himachal-Pradesh is celebrated as Lohri. Popularly it is known as 'Makar Sankranti', and
is a festival that signifies the beginning of the harvest season for the farmers of Indian Sub-Continent.
This is a harvest festival celebrated not only all over India but other South East Asian Countries as well.

The festival has special geo-agri-economical significance to people of Indian Sub-Continent and is
about transition of Sun into Capricorn on its celestial path.(Sankarnti being Sanskrit for transition ).
This is significant considering Winter Solstice marking gradual increase of duration of day. Also
traditionally this has been one of many (considering vastness of land and climatic variation ) harvest days.

The day on which the sun begins its journey northwards is referred to as Makara Sankranti.
Sankramana means "to commence movement" and hence the name Makara Sankranti given to one of the largest,
most auspicious, but varied festivals in the Indian subcontinent. It usually falls in the middle of January.
Because of the geography and size of India, this festival is celebrated for innumerable reasons depending on
the climate, agricultural environment, cultural background and position in the context of north or south of India.

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Thanks

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Ramta

Member
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.....and it must be noted that Baisakhi is celebrated not because Guru Gobind Singh initiated
the Khalsa on this day. Guru Gobind Singh chose the auspacious day of Baisakhi to declare
the creation of the Khalsa-Panth. Baisakhi is a festival of farmers.

Thanks

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