HINDU FESTIVALS Makar Sankranti.—On the 1st of the month Magh the sun enters the sign Capricorn or Makar. From this day till the arrival of the sun at the N. point of the zodiac the period is called Uttarayana, and from that time till he returns to Makar is Dakshinayana, the former period being lucky and the latter unlucky. At the festival of Makar Sankranti the Hindus bathe, accompanied by a Brahman, and rub themselves with sesamum oil. They also invite Brahmans and give them pots full of sesamum seed and other things. They wear new clothes with ornaments, and distribute sesamum seed mixed with sugar. Vasant Panchami is on the 5th day of the light half of Magh, and is a festival in honour of Spring, which is personified under the name of Vasanta or Spring. Rathsaptami. From Ratha, a car, and Saptami, seventh, when a new sun mounts his chariot. Shivarat, the night of Shiva, when Shiva is worshipped with flowers during the whole night. Holi.-A festival in honour of Krishna, held fifteen days before the moon is at its full, in the month Phalgun, celebrated with swinging and squirting red powder over every one. All sorts of licence are indulged in. Gudhi Podava, on the 1st of Chaitra. The leaves of the Melia Azadirachta are eaten. On this day the New Year commences, and the Almanac for that year is worshipped. Ramanavami, held on the 9th of Chaitra, in honour of Ramachandra, who was born on this day at Ayodhya. A small image of Rama is put into a cradle and worshipped, and red powder called gulal is thrown about. Vada Savitri, held on the 15th of Jyeshth, when women worship the Indian fig tree. Ashadhi Ekadashi, the 11th of the month Ashadh, sacred to Vishnu, when that deity reposes for 4 months. Nag Panchami, held on the 5th of Shravan, when the serpent Kali is said to have been killed by Krishna. Ceremonies are performed to avert the bite of snakes. Narali Purnima, held on the 15th of Shravan. The stormy season is then considered over, and offerings of cocoa-nuts are thrown into the sea on the west coast. Gokul Ashtami, held on the 8th of the dark half of Shravan, when Krishna is said to have been born at Gokul. Rice may not be eaten on this day, but fruits and other grains. At night Hindus bathe and wor an image of Krishna, adorning it with the Ocymum sanctum chief votary of the temple of Kanhoba dances in an ecstatic fashi is worshipped and receives large presents. He afterwards scourges the spectators. Pitri Amavasya, held on the 30th of Shravan, when Hindus go to Valkeshwar in Bombay and bathe in the tank called the Banganga, which is said to have been produced by Rama, who pierced the ground with an arrow and brought up the water. Shraddas or ceremonies in honour of departed ancestors are performed on the side of the tank. Ganesh Chaturthi, held on the 4th of Bhadrapad, in honour of Ganesh, a clay image of whom is worshipped and Brahmans are entertained. The Hindus are prohibited from looking at the moon on this day, and if by accident they should see it, they get themselves abused by their neighbours in the hope that this will remove the curse. Rishi Panchami, held on the day following Ganesh Chaturthi, in honour of the 7 Rishis. Gauri Vahan, held on the 7th of Bhadrapad, in honour of Shiva's wife, called Gauri or the Fair. Cakes in the shape of pebbles are eaten by women. Waman Dwadashi, on the 12th of Bhadrapad, in honour of the 5th incarnation of Vishnu, who assumed the shape of a dwarf to destroy Bali. Anant Chaturdashi, held on the 14th of Bhadrapad, in honour of Ananta, the endless serpent. Pitri Paksh, held on the last day of Bhadrapad, in honour of the Pitras or Ancestors, when offerings of fire and water are made to them. Dasara, held on the 10th of Ashwin, in honour of Durga, who on this day slew the buffalo-headed demon Maheshasur. On this day Rama marched against Ravana, and for this reason the Marathas chose it for their expeditions. Branches of the Butea frondosa, are offered at the temples. This is an auspicious day for sending children to school. The 9 preceding days are called Navaratra, when Brahmans are paid to recite hymns to Durga. 66 66 Diwali, "feast of lamps," from diwa, a lamp," and ali, a row," held on the new moon of Kartik, in honour of Kali or Bhawani, and more particularly of Lakshmi, when merchants and bankers count their wealth and worship it. It is said that Vishnu killed a giant on that day, and the women went to meet him with lighted lamps. In memory of this lighted lamps are set afloat in rivers and in the sea, and auguries are drawn from them according as they shine on or are extinguished. Bali Pratipada is held on the 1st day of Kartik, when Hindus fill a basket with rubbish, put a lighted lamp on it, and throw it away outside the house, saying, "Let troubles go and the kingdom of Bali come." Kartik Ekadashi, held on the 11th of Kartik, in honour of Vishnu, who is said then to rise from a slumber of 4 months. Kartik Purnima, held on the full moon of Kartik, in honour of Shiva, who destroyed on that day the demon Tripurasura. Voyage of Skylax down the Indus by order of Dareius Hystaspes 490 Second Buddhist Convocation at Vesali 443 The Parsis, formerly inhabitants of Persia, are the modern followers of Zoroaster, and now form a numerous and influential portion of the population of Surat and Bombay. When the Empire of the Sassanides was destroyed by the Saracens, about 650 A.D., the Zoroastrians were persecuted, and some of them fled to Hindustan, where the Rajah of Guzerat was their principal protector. They suffered considerably from the persecution of Mohammedans until the time of the British occupation. Their worship, in the course of time, became corrupted by Hindu practices, and the reverence for fire and the sun, as emblems of the glory of Orm" degenerated into idolatrous practices. The sacred fire, which Zor [India] was said to have brought from heaven, is kept burning in consecrated spots, and temples are built over subterranean fires. Priests tend the fires on the altars, chanting hymns and burning incense. A partially successful attempt was made in 1852 to restore the creed of Zoroaster to its original purity. In order not to pollute the elements, which they adore, they neither burn nor bury their dead, but expose their corpses to be devoured by carnivorous birds (see Towers of Silence, Bombay). There is now a marked desire on the part of the Parsis to adapt themselves to the manners and customs of Europeans. The public and private schools of Bombay are largely attended by their children, and every effort is made to procure the translation of English works. Many follow commercial pursuits, and several of the wealthiest merchants of India belong to the sect. PARSI MONTHS There are 12 months, of 30 days each, and 5 days are added at the end. They approximate as below to the English months. 1. Farvardin, September. 2. Ardibihisht, October. 5. Amardad, January. 6. Sharivar, February. 7. Mihr, March. 8. Aban, April. 12. Asfandiyar, August. THE PARSI FESTIVALS Patati, New Year's Day. The 1st of Farvardin. The Parsis rise earlier than usual, put on new clothes, and pray at the Fire Temples. They then visit friends and join hands, distribute alms and give clothes to servants and others. This day is celebrated in honour of the accession of Yezdajird to the throne of Persia, 632 A.D. Farvardin-Jasan, on the 19th of Farvardin, on which ceremonies are performed in honour of the dead called Frohars or "protectors." There are 11 other Jasans in honour of various angels. Khurdad-sal, the birthday of Zoroaster, who is said to have been born 1200 B.C. at the city of Rai or Rhages near Teheran. Jamshidi Nauroz, held on the 21st of March. It dates from the time of Jamshid, and the Parsis ought to commence their New Year from it. Zartashte Diso, held on the 11th of Deh in remembrance of the death of Zartasht or Zoroaster. Muktad, held on the last ten days of the Zoroastrian year, including the last five days of the last month, and the five intercalary days called the Gatha Gahambars. A clean place in the house is adorned with fruits and flowers, and silver or brass vessels filled with water are placed there. Ceremonies are performed in honour of the souls of the dead. THE SIKHS It remains to add a few words about the followers of this comparatively new religion. In the middle of the 16th century the Sikhs, who had been gradually rising into power, struggled with the Afghans for supremacy in the Panjab. On the 7th invasion of Ahmad Shah, in 1764, they fought a long and doubtful battle with Ahmad Shah's troops in the vicinity of Amritsar. They then captured Lahore, destroyed many mosques, and made their Afghan prisoners, in chains, wash the foundations with the blood of swine. From this period, 1764, the Sikhs became the ruling power in the Panjab. The following is a chronological table of their Gurus, or leaders : GURUS OF THE SIKHS 1. Nanak, founder of the Sikh sect, born 1469, died . 2. Guru Angad, wrote the sacred books, died A.D. 1539 1552 1552 1574 1581 1606 1644 8. Har Krishna, died at Delhi. 1661 under a Sirdar, or chief. These were― The Sikhs were now formed into confederacies called Misls, each 1. Bhangi, called from their fondness for bhang, extract of hemp. 2. Nishani, standard-bearers. 3. Shahid or Nihang, martyrs and zealots. 4. Ramgarhi, from Ramgarh, at Amritsar. 5. Nakeia, from a country so called. 6. Alhuwali, from the village in which Jassa lived. 7. Ghaneia or Khaneia. 8. Faizulapuri or Singhpuri. 9. Sukarchakia. 10. Dalahwala. 11. Krora Singhia or Panjgarhia. 12. Phulkia. All the other Misls were, about the year 1823, subdued by Ranjit Sing of the Sukarchakia, and for a long time Ranjit was the prominent personage in India |