Festivals are occasions to celebrate a joyous happening, collectively. Seekers can choose a few from the list given below to celebrate the same. It would be nice if one celebrates at least one occasion which is from outside the tradition one follows. Forgiveness day and Silence day are festivals which must form a part of the list of our celebrations/ observations.

–          Forgiveness day: Called Kṣamā-vāṇi, it is celebrated by the Jainas to seek and give forgiveness to all. This day falls in July/ August on the last day of the annual Paryusana festival.

 –          Thanksgiving day: It is a harvest festival celebrated largely in the USA (fourth Thursday of November) and Canada (second Monday of October). It is a day when families and friends get together to exchange gratitude for one another.

–          Day of Silence: Called the Nyepi, it is celebrated in Bali as a national festival of silence when even the airport is shut down for the day. The next day is celebrated as Ngembak Geni, a day of seeking forgiveness from near and dear ones. This falls in the month of March/ April. A similar day of silence is celebrated in India called the Mauni Amāvasyā, which falls on the new moon falling in the month of January/ February.

 –          Festival of Lights (Diwali): A festival to celebrate the advent of light of knowledge, an abundance of wealth and joy, it is celebrated on the new moon falling in the month of October/ November.

 –          Festival of Colours (Holi): A spring festival of colouring each other and losing oneself in the myriad-coloured collective reality of the Self, it is celebrated on the full moon falling in the month of March.

 –          Christmas: Birthday of Jesus Christ, it is celebrated on 25th December each year. Jesus is embodied Love and Peace.

–          Eid: Muslims celebrate Eid-al-Fitr at the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in which they have been fasting and intensely praying. This is a festival that signifies unity amongst all.

–          Buddha Jayanti: Birthday of the Buddha, it is celebrated on the full moon falling in the month of May. Buddha is the state of one’s Enlightened Mind.

–          Guru Pūrṇimā: Dedicated to the Guru, including one’s parents, teachers and elders, it is celebrated on the full moon falling in the month of July or August.

–          Śrī Hanumāna Jayanti: Birthday of Śrī Hanumāna, it falls on the full moon falling in the month of April (Caitra). Śrī Hanumāna represents the spirit of embodied selfless service towards Mother Earth.

 –          Navarātris (all four, if possible or any): These are nine sacred nights at the confluence of the four seasons which fall during Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, Jun-Jul, and Sep-Oct. The second and the fourth are widely celebrated. All of these navarātris can be a period of intense personal practice and staying in a mood of celebration.

Dr. Pawan Kumar Mishra