Akshaya Tritiya 2012 Date
October 11, 2011
When is Akshaya Tritiya in 2012 – Akshaya Tritiya 2012 Date falls on Tuesday, April 24.
Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej is an auspicious day for Hindus and Jains. Akshaya means ‘imperishable’ and ‘Tritiya’ means the third in Bengali. It falls in months of April-May which according to Hindu Almanac is the third lunar day of the bright half or Shukla Paksha of Bengali month Baisakh. As per the planetary positions, both sun and moon remains in exaltation that is at the peak of brightness.
Legend of Akshaya Tritiya
Several legends have been associated with the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya. According to Hindu mythology, the day of Akshaya Tritiya marks the commencement of ‘Satya Yug’ or ‘Golden Age’. Another story suggests that on Akshaya Tritiya, both Veda Vyasa and Lord Ganesha started writing the epic ‘Mahabharata’. Mother Ganges, the sacred river imagined as the holy Goddess also descended on earth on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. According to the scriptures of Mahabharata, Lord Krishna presented the Pandavas with an ‘Akshaya Patra’, a container that supplies unlimited food on this propitious occasion. Krishna’s poor friend Sudama received his boon on Akshaya Tritiya. It is also considered the birth date of Lord Parashurama who happens to be one of the ten ‘Avatars’ of Lord Vishnu.
Celebrations and Rituals of Akshaya Tritiya
Akshaya Tritiya is considered one of the most momentous days in Hindu calendar. The day is chosen as the best time to perform religious activities like ‘Yagya’ and ‘Puja’. People start new ventures and businesses on the day of Akshaya Tritiya hoping that this will bring in sheer fortune and opulence to their lives. Hindus take sacred dip in the river Ganges and worship Devi Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. In Bengal, shop owners perform Puja on Akshaya Tritiya and start their new account book or ‘Haal Khata’ as they call it. All their customers are invited to the shop on this day and are treated with sweetmeats. People purchase Gold coins, lands and jewelry on Akshaya Tritiya to retain fortune and wealth forever.
Significance of Akshaya Tritiya
Akshaya Tritiya is the festival that initiates good luck and prosperity. Every year, the sacred day sparks rays of new hope in Hindus from all over India and thus the day is celebrated by people irrespective of caste, creed and cultural diversities.
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National Sports Day In India
October 11, 2011
National Sports Day Date happens to be on 29th of August, the birth anniversary of Dhayan Chand.
National Sports Day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dhayan Chand, the greatest hockey player India has ever seen. He was born on 29th of August in 1905 in Allahabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. This day is celebrated as National sports day throughout the country.
Legend of National Sports Day
Dhyan Chand(ध्यान ‘चंद’ सिंह) was known as Major Dhyan Chand as he had joined the army at the age of 16. He learnt the game of hockey from his coach Pankaj Gupta and became an expert in ball dribbling and goal scoring. He soon became the captain of the Indian Hockey Team due to his excellent playing techniques and was nicknamed as Chand which means Moon. Throughout his career Dhyan Chand had won 3 Olympic medals and till date remains only hockey player who has received Padma Bhushan. From 1928 to 1956, he had won the Olympic Gold medal for hockey 6 times in a row. His lifetime achievement and awards in sports is considered as the highest in the history of India.
Celebration of National Sports Day
National Sports Day is celebrated on August 29th to pay respect to the dedicated and brilliant hockey player Dhyan Chand. On this day, friendly matches are played between different hockey teams of India at the Dhyan Chand National stadium in New Delhi which was built in honor of Major Dhayan Chand. The President of India gives away prestigious awards such as the Arjun Award, Dronacharya Award, Dhayan Chand Award which were initiated in 2002 to acknowledge the sportsmen who have contributed to the development of sports throughout their career as well as after retirement. Many schools across the country celebrate this day as their Annual Sports Day. Young people are also made aware of the advancement of the country in sports and they are encouraged to try out different sports.
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Vat Savitri Puja 2012 Date
October 2, 2011
When is Vat Savitri Puja in 2012 – Well, Vat Savitri Pooja in 2012 is on Monday, 21st May and Vat Savitri Vratam Poornima Pooja is on Monday, 4th June.
Vat Savitri Puja is a festival of the Hindus which is generally celebrated in the month of Jyestha (mid May to mid June). The festival is celebrated throughout 3 days and 3 nights. It begins on the 13th day of the bright or dark half of a lunar fortnight and continues till the full or new moon day. It is celebrated by Hindu married women for the prosperity and longevity of their spouses.
Legend of Vat Savitri Puja
The festival is celebrated in honor of Savatri, the wife of Satyavan who brought her demised husband back to life. Savitri was the daughter of Aswapati, King of Madra. She married Satyavan, who was an exiled prince living in the forest with his blind parents. Savitri left the dignitaries and comforts of the royal palace and went to live in the forest with her husband and in-laws. She served them with love and devotion. A year later, Satyavan died in the lap of his beloved consort Savitri and Yamraj, the God of death appeared to take away his soul. Savitri sincerely appealed to Yamraj to take away her soul as well. Yamraj was moved by her determination and granted life to Satyavan along with other boons that brought their suffering to an end.
Celebration and rituals of Vat Savitri Pooja
On this auspicious day Hindu women observe a 3-day fast and worship Savitri as the Goddess. They visit banyan trees. They pour the holy water of River Ganges on the tree and go around it 108 times tying a red thread around the bark of the tree praying for their long conjugal life. On the day of the full moon or new moon, they break their fast and take a religious food offering consisting of rice, pulses and various fruits. Finally the priest of the temple recites the story of Savitri and Satyavan.
Vat Savitri Puja symbolizes the traditional care and concern of Indian wives to their husbands.
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Tulsi Vivah 2011 Date
October 2, 2011
When is Tulsi Vivah 2011 – Well, Tulsi Vivah 2011 Date falls on Sunday, 6th of November.
Note: According to AAjTak News, Tulsi Vivah would be celebrated on 7th of November due to Bhadra.
Tulsi Vivah is celebrated in honor of the ceremonial marriage between the Holy Tulsi plant and Lord Vishnu, the God of creation, according to Hindu mythology. Tulsi or Holy Basil is a medicinal and aesthetic plant revered by Hindus. Tulsi Vivah is celebrated on the 11th day of the bright lunar fortnight of the month of Kartika (mid October to mid November), according to Hindu lunar calendar.
Legend of Tulsi Vivah
Once upon a time Tulsi used to be a woman named Vrinda. She was the wife of the demon Jalandar. Due to her devotion to Lord Vishnu, the demon was made invincible so that not even the Gods could harm him. At length, to save the world from the tyranny of the demon, Lord Vishnu took the form of Jalandar and violated Vrinda. Taking advantage of her absence Lord Shiva, the destroyer vanquished Jalandar. Coming to know of this, Vishnu was cursed by Vrinda due to which Vishnu turned into black stone and there after she ended her life on Jalandar’s funeral pyre. Her soul was transformed into a plant which came to be known as Tulsi. In her next incarnation, Tulsi was married to Vishnu in the form of Shalgram or a black stone.
Rituals and celebration of Tulsi Vivah
On the day of Tulsi Vivah, a fast is observed by married women. The Tulsi plant is covered with a sari and decked with flowers and garlands as a bride. The Shalgram which symbolizes Vishnu is covered in white clothing and placed before the plant. A priest then chants incantations and links the bride and groom with a white thread. Tulsi and Vishnu are showered with rice and flowers and the wedding is completed. Offerings of turmeric, vermilion & saris are made to Tulsi and sandalwood paste and a religious thread is offered to Shalgram. Sweets and food prepared from coconut, sugarcane, fruits and ghee are distributed among people. The wedding expenses are borne by a couple who do not have a daughter and they act as the parents of the bride. The Sampradana (giving away of the bride) is also performed wherein the plant is given to the temple where the Shalgam belongs. After the ceremony, the bridal offerings are given to the priest who performed the ceremony.
Tulsi Vivah is a gala celebration performed by Hindus which is also considered a tribute to the invaluable Tulsi plant.
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Jagadhatri Puja 2011 Date
October 2, 2011
When is Jagadhatri Puja 2011 – Jagadhatri Puja 2011 Date starts on Friday, 4th November in Rishra and Wednesday, 2nd November in Chandannagore. 3 days celebration happens for this festival. The goddess Jagadhatri idol is visarjit at the end of pooja.
Jagadhatri Puja(জগদ্ধাত্রী) is the occasion on which prayers and devotion is offered to Goddess Jagadhatri. In Bengali, the word Jagadhatri stands for ‘Protector of the world’. Deity Jagadhatri is a form of ‘Shakti’ or Durga. Jagadhatri Puja is an integral part of cultural celebration across West Bengal. Jagadhatri Puja is celebrated throughout three days starting from the 9th lunar day of ‘Shukla Pakkha’ in Bengali month Kathika.
Legend of the Festival
Sect of Goddess Jagaddhatri has been derived from ‘Tantra’ where she is sacredly signified by ‘Rajas’ and ‘Tamas’. According to mythology, she is the emblem of ‘Sattva’ alongside Devi Durga and Kalika. Idol of Jagadhatri is brightly portrayed in the color of rising sun. She has three eyes and four arms holding Conch, Chakra, Bow and arrow. Her sari is bright red and she is clad with precious jewels which personifies the Brahman and Yoga. She rides the lion and underneath her feet lays the slain elephant demon. It is said that after Devi Durga saved the Gods from the tyranny of Demon King Mahishasura, they became egoistic and started underrating the eternal power of the Goddess. This is when ‘Brahman’ appeared in front of them in disguise of ‘Yaksha’ and all the Gods failed to show their power before him. Thus all of them came to realize that it is the almighty protector Goddess Jagadhatri who saves the world and the heaven from all evils.
Celebrations and Rituals of Jagaddhatri Pooja
Maharaja Krishna Chandra, the ruler of Nadia initiated the ostentatious celebration of Jagadhatri Puja according to popular beliefs. Traditionally Jagadhatri Puja has been a part of legacy for some old affluent families in West Bengal. Jagadhatri puja is particularly hosted with great pomp and show in Howrah, Hooghly and Chandannagar at every nook and corner. Chandannagar is famous for its articulate lighting and decoration on Jagadhatri Puja. On ‘Ashtami’, the first day of celebration, the deity is worshipped as the patron of fortune, health and wealth. Animal sacrifices are made on the following day ‘Navami’. The celebration ends with Devi’s emersion on ‘Dashami’.
Significance of Jagadhatri Pooja
Devotees believe that one, who worships Devi Jagadhatri, is freed from egos and prides. He becomes a real Brahman, the true server and protector of the world. Jagadhatri Puja is another festive feather added to the cap of Bengali ethnicity.
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