Source: http://importanceofstuff.com/festivals
The festival forms an auspicious day for everyone and also for other celebrations that are prevalent in every society and religious communities.
Festivals are an important part of our life. In a country like India, festivals are associated with religion. The Hindus worship many deities. This is why there are many Hindu festivals. Here is why celebrating festivals is important :
• We celebrate festivals mainly to propagate the cultural heritage of nations.
• A festival also helps us to embrace one another in a bond of love.
• Across the globe the festivals bring convergence.
• All of the festivals have some scientific reason to celebrate. The most important thing behind celebrating a festival is to spread happiness.
• It is during a festival that people exchange gifts with one another and celebrate the events together. In fact, it is one of the best times to meet friends and family members which otherwise is not possible.
• At festival time the family members, friends, neighbors, and relatives meet together and enjoy the time spent in the company of each other. This meeting helps to make relations stronger forever. It also provides us with a chance to know better about our culture and each other.
• At the national level, the festivals help to promote patriotic spirit and solidarity in the society.
• Festival keeps us together.
• Festivals depict the many different aspects of a society.
• Festivals have many stories, customs, and traditions connected to them. Each and every festival has a symbolism and the entire proceedings is centered on that particular theme.
• Festivals teach us to forget our enmity.
• It is at the time of a festival that we are worshiping God. A festival helps to enhance our faith in truth. Now all community peoples celebrate all festival together. This increases feelings of brotherhood.
• Ethical, moral as well as social values of life that blend well with entertainment through festivals.
• The international festivals enhance brotherhood as well as to eliminate ethnic racism in the world.
• They also help to create an environment of cultural harmony.
• We also celebrate festivals to make someone smile. We should celebrate our festivals in such a way that we can stop too much waste of money, should not pollute the environment. Other importance of festivals are as follows:
• We celebrate festivals in memory of the victory of truth, victory of light over darkness.
• When we celebrate a festival, it helps to relieve ourselves from the monotony of life.
• When we celebrate festivals of all kinds in a country, it improves the overall image of the country and shows the acceptance of cultural diversity in the country.
It is advantageous for our business: It is during festival times that we shop a lot prompting the retail stores so that the shopkeepers can provide us with heavy discounts. During Christmas, Diwali or Eid people tend to purchase gifts for each other. It also helps us to decorate our homes. This is why the festivals have a major impact on the sales of vehicles and electronic items also increase during the festive period. It is during a festival that the shopkeepers have a gala time and they wait especially for these occasions to make a sound profit.
Eating out: These days the families rarely have free time left on their hands. This is why the festival is the only event when they can go out and have a good time at the malls. There are many people who prefer to watch movies while others dine in multi cuisine restaurants.
Happiness all-around: A major advantage of celebrating a festival is that it helps to instill happiness amongst the people. The people visit one another or gather around at a particular place or visit each other, it is also the best time for them to talk over the dinner and chill out in a relaxed environment. This is why a festival serves as a welcome break from the mundane routine of performing household chores and office work. Festivals add color to the life.
It helps promote tourism: Festivals are celebrated to promote tourism, the traditional handicrafts, the potential of the state as well as the unity in diversity of its people.
A festival teaches us to take care of the poor: At festival times a very important charity activities is feeding the poor and giving them alms. It serves as a wonderful gesture especially from the rich people to give back to the society. In a nutshell, the occasion increases the feeling of brotherhood amongst the neighbors as they meet and have a good time.
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Matsuri: The best summer festivals in Japan for 2019
Source: https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/summer-festivals-japan
Japan is a land steeped in tradition. These customs, often centuries old, come to life in vivid detail during Japan’s numerous matsuri, or popular festivals. Traditional costumes and clothing, special and authentic food, and stunning, colorful decorations are facets of each unforgettable festival experience.
The summer months are especially populated by festivals. Many are held outdoors, and favorable weather allows visitors to enjoy the celebrations both day and night. Consider the list below of some of Japan’s most popular summer festivals.
Mitama Matsuri festival
What: Twenty thousand lanterns light Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine for the four days of the festival. Traditional food stalls offer their fare along the temple’s main alley. Attendees often wear yukata, traditional kimonos made of lightweight cotton. Floats, traditional dance, and theatrical performances contribute to a festive atmosphere.
When: July 12 to 15.
Where: The Yasukuni Jinja Shrine, Tokyo, near Kudashita Station.
Gion Matsuri
What: The Gion Festival dates back to the ninth century. It is famous for its floats, which may be 25 meters in height and weigh 12 tons. Thirty or more floats may be used, each representing a distinct neighborhood or corporation of Kyoto.
The wheels that mobilize the floats are often as tall as a person. During the height of the festival, traffic is barricaded from Kyoto’s city center to allow stands and yatai stalls containing food and games to be set up. Later, traditional neighborhoods are decorated with flowers, banners, and flags, and illuminated with lanterns. The famous parade begins at the Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto’s Gion district. The festival received the designation of “World Intangible Cultural Heritage” event in 2009.
When: The entire month of July; the most popular events occur on July 14 to 17.
Where: Near Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto (buses from Kyoto Station).
Tenjin Matsuri
What: The Tenjin Matsuri is a boat festival that dates back 1,000 years. The festival is a tribute to arts patron Tenman Tenjin. Festivities involve upwards of 3,000 performers dressed in traditional attire of the 700’s through the 1100’s, who carry portable shrines, or The Tenjin Matsuri is a boat festival that dates back 1,000 years.
The festival is a tribute to arts patron Tenman Tenjin. Festivities involve upwards of 3,000 performers dressed in traditional attire of the 700’s through the 1100’s, who carry portable shrines, or omikoshi, through the city. One hundred boats also set out in procession; as evening falls, fires are lit aboard the boats as fireworks light the night sky.
When: July 24 and 25.
Where: Near Temmangu Shrine in Osaka (next to Osakatemmangu Station).
Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival
What: The Sumidagawa is the oldest fireworks festival in the world, established in 1732. It celebrates hanabi, Japanese fireworks, and includes fireworks display competitions. The festival attracts one million attendees annually, many of whom dress in traditional yukatakimonos.
When: The last Saturday in July (27th on 2019). In the event of rain, the festival will be cancelled.
Where: Tokyo, on the banks of the Sumida River, near Asakusa Station and district. Sumida Park is the most popular viewpoint.
Aomori Nebuta Matsuri
What: Considered one of the top three Japanese festivals, the Nebuta festival has been designated as a “World Intangible Cultural Heritage” event. Each evening, parades of dancers carry illuminated floats. The parades last for hours, and on the final day of the festival, fireworks are lit as the floats are literally set afloat on the sea.
It is thought that this festival has its origins in the Tanabata Festival, which was appropriated from China during the 700’s.
When: Nightly, from August 1 to 6.
Where: Aomori, Aomori Prefecture.
Awa Odori Matsuri
What: This festival is a part of the Buddhist Obon rites, which bid welcome to the spirits of the dead. It is a holiday of family reunion when the spirits of ancestors are thought to visit household altars.
Having been celebrated for over 500 years, it is one of the most famous events in the country, and boasts of being the largest festival. Each evening, the streets are awakened to the sound of drums, shamisen – a traditional guitar-like instrument with three strings – and other instruments. Bon-Odori dancers wear straw hats and yukata kimonos.
When: Nightly, from August 12 to 15.
Where: Tokushima, in the region of Shikoku.
Kanamara Matsuri
What: Also known as the Festival of the Steel Phallus, this festival is considered one of the more “unusual” and “infamous” of Japan’s summer festivals. Its purpose is to raise money for HIV and AIDS research; therefore, its decorations, candy, and souvenirs are often “modeled after symbols of fertility.”
When: April 7th.
Where: Kawasaki, just south of Tokyo.
Where: Tokushima, in the region of Shikoku.
Kanamara Matsuri
What: Also known as the Festival of the Steel Phallus, this festival is considered one of the more “unusual” and “infamous” of Japan’s summer festivals. Its purpose is to raise money for HIV and AIDS research; therefore, its decorations, candy, and souvenirs are often “modeled after symbols of fertility.”
When: April 7th.
Where: Kawasaki, just south of Tokyo.
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