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Epiphany (holiday)
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Nativity scene with the adoration of the Magi
Epiphany is a Christian holiday or festival on January 6. It celebrates the revelation of the Christ child to the Gentiles, when the Magi or wise men visited Bethlehem to see Jesus, by following a star. It is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2.

Epiphany is included in the Christmas time.

Epiphany (holiday). (2022, January 3). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:20, October 24, 2022 from https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Epiphany_(holiday)&oldid=7941799.

New Year's Day
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New Year's Day
New Year's Day
Fireworks in Mexico City at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day, 2013
Observed byUsers of the Gregorian calendar
SignificanceThe first day of the Gregorian year
Date1 January
CelebrationsMaking New Year's resolutions, church services, parades, sporting events, fireworks[1]
Related toNew Year's Eve, Christmastide
New Year's Day is a holiday in many countries. It was created to welcome the new year. In most countries, New Year Day is celebrated on 1 January. This holiday has been the most celebration with over 200 countries and territories in the world.

The new year is an event that happens when a culture celebrates the end of one year and the beginning of the next. Cultures that measure yearly calendars all have new year celebrations.


Contents
1Modern new year celebrations
2Historical dates for the new year
2.1Early Christmas
3References
4Other websites
Modern new year celebrations
DateCelebration
1 JanuaryChristian New Year
14 JanuaryEastern Orthodox New Year
21 JanuaryChinese New Year (also known as the lunar year. It takes place every year on the first lunar month)
21 JanuaryVietnamese New Year (also known as the Tết Nguyên Đán)
January to MarchTibetan New Year
14 MarchSikh / Nanakshahi New Year (also called Hola Mohalla)
20 or 21 MarchIranian New Year (also called Norouz. It is the day containing the exact moment of the vernal equinox)
19, 20, 21 or 22 MarchBahá'í New Year (also called Naw-Rúz. It is the day (starting at the previous sunset) in Tehran containing the exact moment of the vernal equinox)
1 AprilAssyrian New Year (also called Rish Nissanu)
13 or 14 AprilTamil New Year
March or AprilTelugu New Year
13 AprilPunjabi New Year (also called Vaisakhi and celebrates the harvest)
13 to 15 AprilThai New Year (celebrated by throwing water)
13 or 14 AprilSri Lankan New Year (when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries))
13 to 15 AprilCambodian New Year
14 or 15 AprilBengali New Year (also called Pohela Baisakh)
October or NovemberGujarati New Year
October or NovemberMarwari New Year
Muharram 1Islamic New Year
Historical dates for the new year
Early Christmas
In Christmas Style dating, the new year started on 25 December. This was used in Germany[2] and England until the thirteenth century, and in Spain from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century.

In Annunciation Style dating the new year started on 25 March, the feast of the Annunciation. This was used in many parts of Europe in the Middle Ages. The style was started by Dionysius Exiguus in AD 525. Annunciation Style was used in England until 1 January 1752, and in Scotland until 1 January 1600, when the kingdom of Scotland changed to Circumcision Style. England, the kingdom of Ireland, and the Thirteen Colonies changed to Circumcision Style on 1 January, after the United Kingdom of Great Britain changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar on 3/14 September 1752. This happened because the Parliament of Great Britain made an act of parliament, the Calendar (New Style) Act 1750.

References
Mehra, Komal (2006). Festivals of the World. Sterling Publishers. p. 69. ISBN 9781845575748. In many European countries like Italy, Portugal and Netherlands, families start the new year by attending church services and then calling on friends and relatives. Italian children receive gifts or money on New Year's Day. People in the United States go to church, give parties and enjoy other forms of entertainment.
"Saying Happy New Year In German". www.events2021.com. Archived...

Hanukkah
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Members of the DC Minyan light Hanukkah candles
1:36
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday which celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the larger Syrian army. It also celebrates a miracle that happened during this time, where just a day's supply of oil allowed the menorah (Hanukkiah or Hanukkah Menorah) in the rededicated Temple in Jerusalem to remain lit for eight days. Therefore, Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah for eight days. Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which on the Gregorian calendar is late November or December. For example, in 2013 it started on November 27. The Hebrew word hanukkah means rededication.[1]

The hanukiah (or hanukkah menorah) is a candle holder, an important Hanukkah symbol. It has nine branches. Traditionally, one candle is separated from the rest, usually by being higher than the other eight. On the first night, only one candle is lit, on the right side of the hanukiah. On the second night, a second candle is added, and they are lit from left to right -- but the Hanukkiah is filled from right to left. This continues for all eight nights. The candles are never lit directly - instead, the higher candle, (called a shamash, meaning "attendant") is lit first, and then used to light the rest of the candles. While the candles are lit, blessings are said over them.

Jewish children often play a game called dreidel. The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top, each side having a Hebrew letter. The four letters (nun, gimel, hey, and shin) stand for the Hebrew phrase, "Nes gadol haya shaam," meaning, "A great miracle happened there." In Israel, by contrast, the dreidel reads "Po" instead of "shaam," meaning "here." So in Israel the phrase is, "a great miracle happened here."


Contents
1History of Hanukkah
2Dates
3References
4Other websites
History of Hanukkah
Approximately 2,200 years ago, there was a war between the Greeks and the Jews. The Greeks won and forced their culture on the Jews. A group of Jewish people called the Maccabees revolted and liberated Jerusalem. The Maccabees found their Temple defiled. They sought to rededicate it to God, as the Greeks had been worshipping Zeus there. As part of the rededication, they needed to relight the menorah, whose source of fuel was olive oil.

According to the Talmud, the Jewish people only found a single jar of undefiled oil, and that oil was only enough to last a single day. The Jewish people took a leap of faith and relit the menorah. To their surprise, the menorah stayed lit for eight days, which was seven more days than they expected. The Jewish people attributed the surprising amount of time that the oil lasted to God (a miracle).

Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration, and each day commemorates each day that the oil lasted. On each day, a branch of the nine-branch Hanukkah menorah is lit with the shamash ("helper" candle), which sits on the middle branch.

Dates
2017: 12-20 December
2018: 2-10 December
2019: 22-30 December[2]
2020: 10-18 December
2021: 28 November-6 December[3]
2022: 18-26 December
2023: 7-15 December
References
Rosenblum, William F. (1978). "Hanukkah". World Book Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. World Book-Childcraft International. p. 56.
"Chanukah - Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication - חנוכה - Hebcal". Hebcal.com. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
"Festivals Celebrated During Month of December". Retrieved 2022-05-16.

Hanukkah. (2022, October 18). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:02, October 24, 2022 from https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hanukkah&oldid=8496934.

Guru Nanak Dev
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Guru Nanak Dev

OfficeThe first Sikh gurus
Date of birth15 April 1469
Place of birthNankana Sahib, Punjab, Delhi Sultanate
Date of death22 September 1539 (aged 70)
Place of deathKartarpur, Punjab, Pakistan
SuccessorGuru Angad Dev
Known forCreator of Sikhism

Guru Nanak Dev
Sri Guru Nanak Ji (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539) was the creator of Sikhism, and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His father's name is "Mehta kalu" and mother's name is "Mata tripta" .The last Guru said that there would be no more Gurus after him and Sikhs would be taught by the Sikh holy book, which is called Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The word "Guru" means "teacher".[1] His two son's are "Sri Chand" and "Lakshmi Das".

Beside followers of Sikhism, Guru Nanak is considered holy by Punjabi Hindus and Sahajdhari Sindhis across the Indian subcontinent.[2] Because of his close connection with Hazrat Sheikh Farid-ud-din Ganj Shakar, the Punjabi Sufi saint, Nanak Dev is also considered by many Muslims to be a Sufi, or adherent of Sufic tenets.

His main teaching to the world was written down to be "devotion of thought and having good actions as the first of our jobs".

Life
Guru Nanak Dev by Raja Ravi Varma.jpg
Guru Nanak was born in Nankana Sahib, in Punjab. This is now part of Pakistan.

When Guru Nanak was a child he refused the upanayana (holy thread) to initiate him into the Hindu religion. Later in his life he married Mata Sulakhani with whom he had two sons. They were called Sri Chand and Lakshmi Das. According to the Sikh religion, one day he was bathing in the river and god took him up to heaven. His family members were very worried as they had thought he died. After three days he returned with the message of god. He gave up his job to spread the message on how to be a good person.

He died in Kartarpur.

References
"Guru Definition and Meaning". merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
Duggal, Kartar Singh (1988). Philosophy and Faith of Sikhism. Himalayan Institute Press. pp. xxii. ISBN 0-89389-109-6.

Guru Nanak Dev. (2022, April 8). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:55, October 24, 2022 from https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guru_Nanak_Dev&oldid=8158868.

Kartik Purnima
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kartika Purnima is a Hindu, Sikh and Jain cultural festival, celebrated on the Purnima (full moon) day or the fifteenth lunar day of Kartik (November–December) month. It is also known as Tripurari Purnima or Deva-Deepawali, the festival of lights of the gods. Karthika Deepam is a related festival celebrated in South India and Sri Lanka on a different date.

ignificance

Here, the five-headed Tripurantaka is seen pointing an arrow towards the Tripura (rightmost top corner) with the bow made of mount Meru, the serpent Vasuki is seen as its string. The four-headed god Brahma is seen. The moon and the Sun are depicted as the wheels of the chariot.
Radha Krishna
In Vaishnavism tradition, this day is considered significant and special for the worship of Radha and Krishna. It is believed that on this day, Radha Krishna performed Raslila with their Gopis. At Jagannath Temple, Puri and all other Radha Krishna temples, sacred vow is observed throughout the Karthik month and performances of Raslila are organized on the day of Kartik Purnima. According to other legend, Krishna worshipped Radha on this day.[3]

Shiva
'Tripuri Purnima' or 'Tripurari Purnima' derives its name from Tripurari – the foe of the demon Tripurasura. In some legends of Kartik Purnima, the term is used to denote the three demon sons of Tārakāsura. Tripurari is an epithet of god Shiva. Shiva in his form as Tripurantaka ("Killer of Tripurasura") killed Tripurasura on this day. Tripurasura had conquered the whole world and defeated the gods and also created three cities in space, together called "Tripura". The killing of the demon(s) and destruction of his/their cities with a single arrow – by Shiva overjoyed the gods and they declared the day as a festival of illuminations. This day is also called "Dev-Diwali"—the Diwali of the gods.[4]

Tulsi and Vishnu
Kartik Purnima is also celebrated as the birth anniversary of Matsya, god Vishnu's fish-incarnation (avatar) and Vrinda, the personification of the Tulsi.[5]

Kartikeya
In Southern India, Kartik Purnima is also celebrated as the birthday of Lord Kartikeya, the god of war and son of Shiva.[3] This day is also dedicated to the pitrs, dead ancestors.

Guru Nanak
In Sikhism, Kartik Purnima is celebrated as the birthday of famous Sikh preceptor Guru Nanak.[3]

Underhill believes that the origins of this festival may lie in ancient times, when a sacrifice called Shakamedhah was performed to attain victory over enemies.[6]

The festival has even more significance when the day falls in the Nakshatra (lunar mansion) Krittika and is then called Maha Kartik. The nakshatra is Bharani, the results are stated to be special. If it is Rohini nakshatra, then the fruitful results are even more. Any philanthropic act on this day is supposed to bring benefits and blessings equal to the performing of ten yajnas.[7]

Hindu rituals
Kartik Purnima is closely associated with Prabodhini Ekadashi which marks the end of Chaturmas, a four-month period when Vishnu is believed to sleep. Prabodhini Ekadashi signifies the awakening of the god. Chaturmas penance ends on this day. Many fairs that begin on Prabodhini Ekadashi end on Kartik Purnima, Kartik Purnima usually being the most important day of the fair. Fairs that conclude on this day include Prabodhini Ekadashi celebrations at Pandharpur and Pushkar Fair. Kartik Purnima is also the last day to perform Tulsi Vivah ceremony that can be performed from Prabodhini Ekadashi.[citation needed]

Also, it is believed that Vishnu, on this day, returns to his abode after completing his stay in Bali. Hence, the day is known as Deva-Diwali.[8]


Pushkar Mela, 2006
In Pushkar, Rajasthan, the Pushkar Fair or Pushkar mela commences on Prabodhini Ekadashi and continues till Kartik...

Chhath
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chhath
People gathered at a pond in Janakpur, Nepal to worship the god Sun and his consort Chhathi Maiya (2008)
People gathered at a pond in Janakpur, Nepal to worship Surya, the sun god and his consort Chhathi Maiya (2008)
Also called
ChhaithChhath ParvaChhath PujaDala ChhathDala PujaSurya Shashthi
Observed byBhojpuriyas, Bengalis, Maithils, Magahiyas and Nepalis
TypeCultural, Historical, Religious
SignificanceTo venerate Surya, the sun god and his consort Chhathi Maiya
DateKartik Shukla Shashthi
2022 date
5 April to 8 April (Chaiti)[1]
28 Oct to 31 Oct (Katiki)[2]
FrequencyAnnual
Chhath is an ancient Hindu festival historically native to the Indian subcontinent,[3] more specifically, the Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand,[4][5] and the Nepalese provinces of Madhesh and Lumbini.[6][7][8][9] Prayers during Chhath puja are dedicated to the solar deity, Surya, to show gratitude and thankfulness for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and to request that certain wishes be granted.[10]

Chhathi Maiya, the sixth form of Devi Prakriti and Lord Surya's sister is worshipped as the Goddess of the festival. It is celebrated six days after Deepavali, on the sixth day of the lunar month of Kartika (October–November) in the Hindu calendar Vikram Samvat.[11][12][13] The rituals are observed over four days.[14] They include holy bathing, fasting and abstaining from drinking water (vrata), standing in water, and offering prasad (prayer offerings) and arghya to the setting and rising sun.[15] Some devotees also perform a prostration march as they head for the river banks.[16]

Environmentalists have claimed that the festival of Chhath is one of the most eco-friendly religious festivals in the World.[17][18] All devotees prepare similar prasada (religious food) and offerings.[19][20] Although the festival is observed most widely in the Terai region of Nepal and the Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, it is also prevalent in areas where the diaspora and migrants from those areas have a presence. It is celebrated in all northern regions and major north Indian urban centers like Delhi.[21][22][23] Hundreds of thousands of people celebrate it in Mumbai.[24]


Contents
1Significance
2Description
2.1Nahaay Khaay (Day 1)
2.2Rasiaav-Roti/Kharna/Lohanda (Day 2)
2.3Sanjhka Aragh (Day 3)
2.4Bhorka Aragh (Day 4)
3Rituals and traditions
4History and associated legends
5References
6Further reading
Significance
Chhath puja is dedicated to the sun god Surya. The sun is visible to every being and is the basis of life of all creatures on earth.[25] Along with the Sun God, Chhathi Maiya is also worshipped on this day. According to Vedic astrology, Chhathi Maiya (or Chhathi Mata) protects the children from diseases and problems and gives them long lives and good health.[26]

As per legends, Chhath Puja stems from the early Vedic period, where sages would fast for days and perform the puja with mantras from Rigveda. It is believed that Chhath Puja was also performed by Karna, the son of Lord Surya and the king of Anga Desh, which is the modern-day Bhagalpur in Bihar. According to another legend, Pandavas and Draupadi also performed the Puja to overcome obstacles in their lives and reclaim their lost kingdom.[26] For the people from Bihar and other close by areas, Chhath Puja is considered as Mahaparva.[27][28]

Description
Rani Pokhari, a 17th-century pond in Kathmandu decorated with lights at night for Chhath celebration
Chhath celebration at Rani Pokhari, a 17th-century pond in Kathmandu (2015)
Chhath Puja is a folk festival that lasts four days. It starts with Kartik Shukla Chaturthi and ends with Kartik Shukla Saptami. Chhath is celebrated twice in a year.[29]br...