FESTIVAL
Festivals constitute a special feature in the cultural life of the
Punjabi's.
There is seldom a month without a festival. Small festivals are numerous. The
festivals connected with the lunar days such as Ekadashi (eleventh lunar day),
Poornamashi (full moon), and Masya (new moon) occur every month.
Similarly, Sankranti, when the sun enters the new Zodiac sign, is celebrated
on the first of every month of the Vikrami era with great gusto. It is
also an occasion to prepare and eat the nicest of foods.
On festival days people get up early in the morning and have a bath, because
religious traditions attach great ceremonial importance to bathing. Water is
regarded as a purifying agent, and a clean body, it is believed, harbours and
nourishes a pure soul. Women don their best dresses and wear jewellery. It is
also an occasion when a lot of fuss is made about sending gifts to the daughters
of the family.
In the Punjab, where the Vikrami era is followed, the year begins with
Chet
(March-April). On the first of this month the arrival of the new year is
celebrated by the performance of a ritual of taking the new corn, known as
Ann Nawan Karna. Sheaf's of new Corn are roasted and then the parched grain is eaten.
Everyone must have a bath on the new year day, and put on new clothes.
Delicacies like kheer and halwa are prepared and eaten.
The Sankranti of
Baisakh, the second month of the year, is an important day,
and is celebrated in much the same way, only with an added accent on eating,
drinking and merry-making, which are counter-balanced by charity and fasting. Baiskakhi is one of the most popular festivals of the Punjab with fairs held at
various places.
On the eleventh day of the bright half of Jeth (May-June) falls
Nirjala Ekadashi, which is better known in the Punjab as Nimani Kasti. Hindus,
especially women observe fast on this day and smear the body with powdered
sandal wood. This fast is very hard to keep because for the whole day one has to
abstain even from water. Charitably inclined people put up stalls for free
distribution of sweetened and chilled water. The stalls known as chhabils, are a
common sight on this day.
Teeyan, a festival of the rainy
season, is celebrated on the 3rd of the
bright fortnight of Sawan (July-August). The four months from Harh (June-July)
to the first half of Assu (September) are called Chaumasa. During this period the
sky generally remains overcast and the weather shifts between sultriness
and rainfall. Rains bring the longed-for relief to the heat-stricken
Punjabis, and the rhythm of the little and big drops of rain instills in them the
enthusiasm which must seek expression in fun and frolic. A newly-married girl
looks forward to the rainy days when a brother or some other male relative from
the parental home may come to escort her to her father's place. This reversal
from bride hood to being just a daughter again is such a liberating and thrilling
experience that it cannot be put into words. One day before the Teeyan, girls
apply henna to their hands and feet, and on the day of the festival
they put on their best clothes and go out to the fair. The fair resounds with
the songs of love and the rhythm of dance. The songs are known as Teeyan songs.
The Giddha dance has become a regular and most enchanting feature of this
festival. At home women make kheer, a dish specially associated with Sawan.
In
Bhadon, on the day of the full moon, the Rakhi festival is celebrated. On
this day sisters tie the multi-coloured thread on the right wrist of their
brothers. So long as a sister has not tied the Rakhi to her brother, she is not
supposed to eat anything. After she has done so she offers some sweets to her
brother and he in return gives her some gift or money. Rakhi is meant to
remained the brother of his promise to protect his sister whenever she needs
this protection.
Gugga
Naumi, which is a festival in honour of Gugga
Pir, also falls in Bhadon.
The Pir's devotees paint his image on the wall in turmeric, as also paint a
snake in black, right in front of it and then perform the ritual of worship.
People also pour butter milk into the holes of snakes. Sweet Sevian is
the special dish of the festival. The Halbagis, who are devout followers of
Gugga Pir, also known as Zahir Pir, erect a long pole covered with flags,
coloured cloth, coconuts etc and render worship to it as to a god. The
devotees carry the Pir's stand from house and beg. The disciple who carries
the standard is known as the Pir's house. To propitiate Gugga Pir women sing
songs in his admiration.
|
