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Festivals
Hampi Festival
The magnificent ruined city of Hampi, 353 kilometers
from Bangalore, Karnataka once the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire (One
of the greatest empires in the history of India), comes alive during the
lively festival of dance and music, held in the first week of November.
The Vijaynagar city ruins near the village of Hampi, are one of the most
fascinating historical sites in South India. Read
more...
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Ugadi
Ugadi falls on the first day of the month of Chaitra
which marks the beginning of the Chandramana New Year in March-April.
This festival is not associated with many rituals. After an oil bath,
people wear new clothes, worship their deities and then eat a little quantity
of mixture of neem juice, jaggery etc. This is to remind everyone that
life is not a bed of roses but is a combination of happy and sorrowful
events. Hearing of a new almanac is a significant event of the day. The
agriculturists generally start their pre-sowing operations in the field
on this day. Read
more...
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Dussera
Dussera
is celebrated for 10 days from September end to early October. Although it is
celebrated all over India, it has special significance in Mysore, South India.
It symbolizes the victory of goddess Chamundeswari (Durga) over the demon
Mahishasura. i.e. the victory of the good over the evil. Mysore palace is fully
illuminated for a whole month. On the last day, with the accompaniment of a band
colourfully bedecked elephant carrying the statue of goddess starts from the
palace as a procession with palace chariots and units of the army through the
city to Banni Mantap (where Banni tree is worshipped), about five kilometres
away. In the evening, there is a torchlight parade by the horse mounted guards
who provide an exciting display of horsemanship and the night ends with a great
display of fireworks.
Kar Hunnive
This is observed on the Full moon day of Jyestha (June) by
worshipping the bullocks and the agricultural implements. A special feast
is prepared in the afternoon. In the evening a function called Karihariyodu
is performed, in which the chief event is bullocks race. Many pairs of
bullocks participate in the running race and the pair which come first
is acclaimed by the public. If the bullocks which comes first are red
or brown colour, it is supposed that red variety of jowar will grow in
abundance during the ensuing season and if they are white in colour, white
jowar is supposed to grow in plenty.
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Shravan Mondays
Every Monday in
the month of Shravan is considered as a festival day in the village.
People offer special worship at the temple of Shidlingappa. They carry the deity
in a palanquin in a procession accompanied by music on all the Mondays in
Shravana and offer special worship. Many of them observe partial fasting on
these days. On the last Shravana Monday they arrange special festivities. They
arrange bhajans near the Patrappa tree and feed about 100 people next day.
Nagarpanchami
Nagarpanchami falls on the 5th day of the bright half of the
lunar month of Shravana. On this day, newly married girls visit their
parents. Swings are put up in the village on which both adults and children
indulge themselves without any inhabitation, irrespective of caste, creed
or sex. The religious part of the festival consist of offering worship
to cobras and snakes by pouring milk. In several houses, clay images of
snakes are worshipped.
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