Emergence Of New Festivals

Himachal This Week Team (cover story)

Apart from traditional festivals of Himachal, other festivals have also emerged and are gaining popularity in this hilly state. However, these festivals, Ganesha Chaturthi and Chhat Festival, were immensely popular in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In addition, Himachali youth are also going crazy to celebrate Valentine’s Day in the recent past. The most celebrated festival in Maharashtra, the Ganesh Chaturthi festival is also celebrated in this hilly state now with great fervour. Trend for celebrations of Ganesh Utsav had started about two decades ago in Himachal but it has gained momentum during past one decade as different organisations and groups celebrate it in almost all towns of Himachal. People worship Lord Ganesha and observe fast to please the God in various ways mentioned in the Shastras. People were very enthusiastic during the celebrations of the festival which were held in Kangra, Mandi, Kullu, Baijnath, Shimla and other towns. Ganesha Festival started with Ganesh Chaturthi utsav on August 25 where people performed pooja in the morning. People also thronged Ganesha temples where special prayers were conducted before the grandly decorated idols. The clay moulded and plaster of Paris idols fetched different prices as these were also available at roadside vends.

Ganesha Festival Gaining Popularity

Rakesh Kathuria

Raja Ram, a native of Maharashtra came to Kangra town about two decades ago and started celebrating Ganesh Utsav along with half a dozen people here. Earlier celebrated in Maharashtra, this festival has now become popular in entire Himachal as different groups celebrate it in various towns across the state. Raja Ram, working with a jeweller here, established a Ganesha idol and immersed in Baner Khad after three days. Currently hundreds of Ganesha idols are immersed in different khads after people take out a shobha yatra on the occasion. There has been a tradition of worshiping Lord Shiva and Parvati in hill areas. Now worshiping of Ganesha is also practiced here. Madan Verma of Abdullapur says a tradition has begun to establish Ganesha idol in almost every house. People in rural areas too establish Ganesha idol collectively. Religious belief in Lord Ganesha has taken the shape of a festival now in Himachal, he says.

Ganesha Utsav is celebrated at a large scale in Kangra town headed by Kewal Krishan Malhotra associated with Sarafa business. Hundreds of people join the shobha yatra singing bhajans to celebrate the occasion. Notably, workers from Maharashtra are working at places where jewelers are present. As a result, Ganesha Utsav is also celebrated at all such places with much fervour. This festival is gaining popularity in Kangra, Una, Mandi, Solan and Hamirpur districts. This festival was started in Mandi district in the year 1989. Ajay Verma, a sarafa buisnessman of Kangra, says a tradition has begun to celebrate Ganesha Festival in entire state. The idol is established on Ganesha Chaturthi and immersed on third, fifth, seventh or ninth day thereafter.

Preparing Idols

Earlier these idols were brought from Jalandhar and other cities but now skilled workers from Maharashtra and Rajasthan besides locals are engaged in preparing idols here. A big market of Ganesha idols has been established at Matour near Kangra. These idols are made up of clay or plaster of Paris. Moti Lal, a worker from Rajasthan says that coconut fibre if filled in POP frames whereas idols made up of clay are painted. He has been working here for the past 12 years. Price of POP Ganesha idols ranges from Rs. 100 to Rs. 10,000 whereas clay idols are sold between Rs. 25 to Rs. 5000.

Importance of Festival

Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi and is one of the important Hindu festivals celebrated across the country with a great devotion. This day is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lord Ganesha is the symbol of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on Shukla Chaturthi of the Hindu month of Bhadra, generally falling between August and September. People bring idols of Lord Ganesha to their homes and worship with duration of the festival varying between 1 day to 11 days depending on the place and tradition. The idols are taken out in a colorful and musical procession and immersed traditionally in water on the last day of the festival. As per Hindu mythology Lord Ganesha is considered as “Vigana Harta” (one who removes obstacles) and “Buddhi Pradaayaka” (one who grants intelligence). As per Hindu calendar, Bhadrapada month’s fortnight is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganpati.

Chhath Utsav In Industrial Areas

Vipin Sharma

Chhath Utsav, celebrated in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, is also gaining popularity in Himachal.  It is celebrated in most of the industrial areas of Himachal, including BBN, Parwanoo, Kala Amb, Paonta Sahib, Una and Kangra where lakhs of migrant labourers work in industrial units. It is such an important festival for migrants that they  celebrate it in Himachal also to conserve their legacy. Even changing life style and modernisation has also failed to impact this festival as migrants celebrate it after Diwali by singing traditional songs. The culture of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar has left a different mark in industrial areas of Himachal where markets wear a festive look. Himachali too get a chance to have look at the rich culture of Poorvanchal. Prayers are offered at the sunrise and sunset during five day festival. Migrants Sanjay Mishra, Jagdish Patel, Sumitra Devi and Ajay Singh say they were happy that Himachalis too help them in celebrating this festival. The Chhath fast is undertaken after a couple is blessed with a baby boy. The couple offers prayer alongside rivers and nullahs till the sunset.

Youths Crazy About Valentine’s Day

Himachali youth are also crazy to celebrate Valentine’s Day in an era of modernisation. It seems western culture has pushed our traditional festivals to the backstage. Festivals celebrated in the west have caught the fancy of youths and Himachal is no exception. As Diwali is our costliest festival, but circumstances have changed due to the impact of sound and smoke pollution on the occasion. Similarly youths are now less interested in celebrating Holi festival. However, they celebrate New Year eve and valentines’ Day with much enthusiasm. Reason is simple. More glitter is attached to the celebrations of New Year even and Valentine’s Day.

विवाह प्रस्ताव की तलाश कर रहे हैं ? भारत मैट्रीमोनी में निःशुल्क रजिस्टर करें !

 

Keep watching our YouTube Channel ‘Divya Himachal TV’. Also,  Download our Android App