2013 Festival Calendar
2013 Festival Calendar
Hindus
observe sacred occasions by festive observances. All festivals in Hinduism are
predominantly spiritual in character and significance. Many festivals are
seasonal. Some celebrate harvest and descension of God. Some are dedicated to
important events in Hindu Ithihasa Purana (Historical Facts). Every festival is
a unique opportunity for everyone to remember the Divine glories of our beloved
Lord and their leelas (Divine past times). As Hindu’s we are graced with
multiple festival dates to remember Him and to celebrate their Divine glories.
The
following major festivals are celebrated in all the ashrams of Jagadguru Shri
Kripalu Ji Maharaj.
14th
January 2013 - Makar Sankranti / Jagadguru Divas
Makar
Sankranti signifies the beginning of the harvest season. It’s celebrated
not only all over India but other South East Asian Countries as well.
Jagadguru
Divas commemorates Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Maharaj Ji’s being proclaimed
the supreme Jagadguru of this age (Jagadguruttam) on Jan 14, 1957.
15th
February 2013 - Vasant Panchami
Vasant
Panchami marks the beginning of the spring season and falls on the fifth day of
spring (Maagh). Also known and celebrated as Saraswati Puja.
10th
March 2013 - Maha Shivratri
Maha
Shivratri or ‘Shiva’s Great Night’ symbolizes the wedding day of Lord Shiva and
Parvati.
23rd
March 2013- Rang Ekadashi
Shri
Maharaj Ji showers blessings and divine rose water with the essence of bhakti
on this auspicious day.
26th
March 2013- Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Jayanti / Holika Dahan
Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu Jayanti is the descension day of Shri Radha Rani as Gauranga Dev Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu in Nadia.
On
the eve of Holika Dahan huge bonfires are lit to commemorate the burning of the
Demoness Holika, the sister of Demon Hiranyakashipu.
27th
March 2013 - Holi Dulhendi
Festival
of Colours. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan
(burning of Holika) or Chhoti Holi. Holi
in the ashram is played with coloured powder and water dyed from the natural
colours of flowers.
29th
March 2013 – Pyari Amma’s Punya Tithi Aaradhana
Pyari
Amma’s (Guru Mata) Ascension Day to Divine Goloka. On Chaitra Masa Krishna
Paksha, Tritiiya Tithi at 3.35 am our beloved Pyari Amma left Her material body
and ascended to Divine Goloka. (13th March 2009 – On Gregorian calendar)
20th
April 2013 - Shri Ramanavami
This
festival commemorates the descension day of Lord Ram.in the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana ………On completion of the ritual six
seasons have passed by and then in the twelfth month, on the ninth day of
Chaitra month [March–April], when the presiding deity of ruling star of the day
is Aditi, where the ruling star of day is Punarvasu (Nakshatra), the asterism
is in the ascendant, and when five of the nine planets viz., Sun, Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus are at their highest position, when Jupiter with
Moon is ascendant in Cancer, and when day is advancing, then Queen Kausalya
gave birth to a son with all the divine attributes like lotus-red eyes, lengthy
arms, roseate lips, voice like drumbeat, and who took birth to delight the
Ikshwaku dynasty, who is adored by all the worlds, and who is the greatly
blessed epitome of Hari, namely Rama. (Bala Kanda, Ramayana by Valmiki,
Chapter (Sarga) 18, verses 8, 9, 10 and 11)
25th
April 2013 - Hanuman Jayanti
Hanuman
Jayanti is celebrated on full moon day during Chaitra month to commemorate the
birth of Hanuman.
12th
May 2013 - Shri Parasuram Jayanti
13th
May 2013 - Akshaya Tritiiya (2 days overlapping each other)
Akshaya
Tritiiya which is also known as Akha Teej is highly auspicious and holy day for
Hindu communities. It falls during Shukla Paksha Tritiiya in the month of
Vaishakha. Akshaya Tritiiya falling on a Rohini Nakshatra day with Wednesday is
considered very auspicious. The word Akshaya (अक्षय) means
never diminishing.
Akshaya
Tritiiya also is the appearance day of Lord Parasuram, the sixth descension of
supreme God. It falls during Shukla Paksha Tritiiya in the month of Vaishakha.
It is believed that Parasuram was born during Pradosh Kal and hence the day
when Tritiiya prevails during Pradosh Kal is considered for Parasuram Jayanti
celebrations. The purpose of the sixth incarnation of God is to relieve the
Earth's burden by exterminating the sinful, destructive and irreligious
monarchs that pillaged its resources and neglected their duties as kings. The
Kalki Purana states that Parasuram will be the martial guru of Shri Kalki, final
Avatar of God. It is not the first time that 6th Avatar of God will meet another
Avatar. According to Ramayana, Parasuram came to the betrothal ceremony of Sita
and Lord Rama and met the 7th Avatar of God.
19th
May 2013- Shri Sita Mata Jayanti
Sita
Navami is celebrated as birth anniversary of Goddess Sita. This day is also
known as Sita Jayanti. Sita Jayanti is celebrated on Navami Tithi during Shukla
Paksha of Vaishakha month. It is believed that Goddess Sita was born on Tuesday
in Pushya Nakshatra. Goddess Sita was married to Lord Rama who was also born on
Navami Tithi during Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month. On Hindu calendar Sita
Jayanti falls after one month of Shri Rama Navami.
Mata
Sita is also known as Janaki as she was the adopted daughter of King Janaka of
Mithila. Hence this day is also known as Janaki Navami. According to Ithihasa
Purana, when King Janaka was ploughing the land to conduct a Yajna he found a
baby girl in the Golden casket. The Golden casket was found inside the field
while ploughing the land. A ploughed land is called Sita hence King Janaka
named the baby girl as Sita.
19th
May 2013- Mother’s Day
A
day of gratitude for our beloved Guru Mata, Ma Padma (Pyari Amma) so that She
may continue to grace us to be in the Seva of our beloved Gurudev Shri Maharaji.
2nd
June 2013- Father’s day
A
day of gratitude towards our beloved Gurudev, as a father figure in our lives,
so that He may continue to grace us in our Sadhana Bhakti towards Shri Hari.
22nd
July 2013- Guru Poornima
Full
moon day during Ashadha month is known as Guru Poornima day. Traditionally this
day is reserved for Guru Pujan or Guru Worship. On this day disciples offer
Pujan or pay respect to their Gurus. Guru refers to spiritual guide who
enlighten disciples by his knowledge and teachings. We are blessed indeed to
have Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj as our Gurudev and we offer our gratitude
to or spiritual master and thank Shri Hari for giving us a Guru.
10th
August 2013- Haryali Teej
Haryali
Teej falls on Shukla Paksha Tritiiya in Shravana (Savan) month and usually
falls two days before Nag Panchami. Nature can be seen flourishing. Heavy rains
can be witnessed during this period in which everything can be seen full of
life because of the Shravana month. Everything can be seen green because of the
trees and plants and that is the reason why this festival is known as Haryali
Teej. Teej is also the festival swings. Swings are an intricate part of the
festival. Beautifully decorated swings are hung in Krishna Temples and the deities
of RadhaKrishna are lovingly swinged by devotees.
12th
August 2013 - Nag Panchami
Shukla
Paksha Panchami during Shravana month is observed as Nag Panchami. Usually Nag
Panchami day falls two days after Haryali Teej. Currently Nag Panchami falls in
month of July and August in English calendar. The five Nagas worshipped on Nag
Panchami: Ananta, Vasuki, Taxak, Karkotaka and Pingala.
20th
August 2013 - Raksha Bandhan
The
day Shri Maharaj Ji ties a protective knot (Rakhi) on everybody’s hands.
28th
August 2013 - Shri Krishna Janmashthami
Shri
Krishna’s descension day. The festival is celebrated on the eighth day
(Ashtami) day of the dark fortnight of the month of Shravana (August–September)
in the Hindu calendar.
9th
September 2013 - Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh
Chaturthi is celebrated as birth anniversary of Lord Ganesh. On Ganesh
Chaturthi, Lord Ganesh is worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good
fortune. It is believed that Lord Ganesh was born during Shukla Paksha of
Bhadrapada month. Currently Ganesh Chaturthi day falls in month of August or
September in English calendar.
13th
September 2013- Shri Radha Ashtami
Shri
Radha’s descension day. She was about 1 year elder to Krishna, whose birth is
celebrated as Janmashthami 15 days earlier. She descended at 4am early in the
morning on the eight moon day. Shri Radha Rani descended in Barsana as the
daughter of King Vrishbhanu and Queen Kirti.
18th
September 2013- Anant Chaturdashi
Also
known as Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi or Anant Chaturdashi. The last day of
the Ganesh festival, which begins with Ganesh Chaturthi.
14th
October 2013 - Vijayadasami / (Dussehra)
On
this day in the Treta Yug, Bhagawan Shri Ram killed the great demon Ravana who
had abducted Shri Rama's wife Mother Sita to his kingdom of Lanka. Shri Rama,
his brother Lakshmana, Hanuman, Jambavan and an army of monkeys fought a great
battle to rescue Mother Sita. Dasha-hara means the “remover of bad fate” and
marks the victory of Lord Ram over Ravana. Concludes the festival of Navaratri
and commemorates the triumph of good over evil.
18th
October 2013- Sharad Poornima
The
full moon day in the month of Ashwin. It is also referred as Ras Lila Divas or
Ras Lila day. Our Beloved Gurudev, Shri
Maharaj Ji’s birthday. He appeared in 1922 at midnight on Sharad Poornima in
the lap of the eternally Divine, most fortunate Shrimati Bhagwati Devi. On the
same night five thousand years ago, Shri Krishna bestowed the highest class of
Divine love Bliss in the form of Maharas to qualified souls.
22nd
October 2013 - Karva Chauth
Karva
Chauth is a fast observed by married Hindu women mostly in North India for the
well-being of their husbands. This festival comes 9 days before Diwali on
‘kartik ki chauth’, the fourth day of the dark moon.
1st
Nov 2013 - Dhan Teras
After
the Sagar Manthan between the Devatas and Asuras, Dhanvantri came out of the
Milky Ocean with celestial amrita. It is also known as Dhanvantri Jayanti. The
Mohini Avatar takes place on this day.
3rd
Nov 2013 - Diwali
Deepawali
or Diwali is the festival of lights. Goddess Lakshmi is also worshiped on this
day. , Shri Rama,
Mother Sita, and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya on the 30th day of Ashwin (19–20
days after Vijayadasami). To mark the return of Lord Rama, in the evening, the
residents of Ayodhya lit their city with millions of earthen lamps (called Diya
/ Deepak). Since then, this day is celebrated in India as Deepawali or Diwali.
Diwali is also the descension Day of our Guru Mata, Pyari Amma. Amma, our Divine Mother. Her name was Shrimati Padma Devi. She took birth in Leelapur in a family of Brahmins.
4th
November 2013 - Govardhan Puja
The
word Govardhan has two meanings. Go means cows and vardhan means nourishment.
In the other meaning Go stands for senses and vardhan means to divert the
senses towards Shri Krishna. Both of these are done by Shri Giriraja. By
residing in the foothills of Shri Giriraja, all the senses are inclined to
serve the Lotus Feet of Krishna. Lord Krishna also lifted Govardhan Hill to
save the Brajwasis from heavy rainfall caused by Indra.
5th
November 2013 - Bhaiya Dooj
Also
known as Bhaiya Dooj tikka festival, it honours the special bond between a
brother and a sister.
10th
November 2013- Gopaashtami
Gopaashtami
occurs on the eighth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Kartik. On
this day, as Krishna entered the pauganda age he was initiated as a cow herder.
Normally the pauganda age begins as a child enters his sixth year. Five years
are allotted for youth (kumara), five years for boyhood (pauganda), and on the
eleventh year adolescence begins (kisore). However, Krishna, being an
extraordinary child in every way, passed through these ages quickly such that
by the time he was seven he had entered adolescence. Even in ordinary human
society we find that some children are mature for their age, and Krishna was
such that he was one and one half times as mature as his actual age. At four,
he was six years in terms of maturity.
13th
November 2013 - Dev Prabodhini Ekadashi
The
importance of Dev Prabodhini Ekadashi was narrated to Sage Narada by Brahma in
the Skanda Purana. Prabodhini Ekadashi also known as Devotthan Ekadashi is the
11th lunar day (Ekadashi) in the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu
month of Kartik. It marks the end of the four-month period of Chaturmas, when
Lord Vishnu is believed to sleep. It is believed that Vishnu sleeps on Shayani
Ekadashi and wakes on Prabodhini Ekadashi, thus giving this day the name
"Prabodhini Ekadashi" ("awakening eleventh").
14th
November 2013 - Tulasi Vivah
Tulasi
Vivah is performed on this day, the symbolic wedding of Tulasi Devi (Vrinda Devi)
to Lord Krishna.
17th
November 2013- Kartik Poornima
Kartik
Poornima (Kartik Poornima) is a Hindu holy day celebrated on the full moon day
or the fifteenth lunar day of Kartik (November–December). It is also known as
Tripuri Poornima and Tripurari Poornima. It is sometimes called Deva-Diwali or
Deva-Deepawali - the festival of lights of the gods. The Kartik Poornima
festival also coincides with the Sikh festival of Guru Nanak Jayanti. Lord Shiv
killed the demon called Tipurasura on this day. Also marks the appearance of
Matsya (Fish Avatar) , the fifth descension of supreme God. The birthday of
Vrinda Devi, the personification of the Tulasi plant. The day when Shri Krishna was tied with a cord
(daama) around His waist (udara), denoting a divine pastime in which Krishna's
mother Yasoda bound Krishna for being mischievous, thus earning the name Damodara.
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