Sarhul Festival celebrations by Jharkhand Tribals

Sarhul, the grand festival of tribals in Jharkhand and Orissa. This festival is celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, the third day of bright half in Chaitra month. In 2010, Sarhul was celebrated on March 18.

Sify published an article about the celebrations of Sarhul festival in Ranchi.

Tribals in Ranchi on Thursday celebrated ‘Sarhul’, a festival marking the beginning of New Year, by worshipping trees. This annual festival is celebrated during the spring season when trees and other elements of nature are worshiped. The festival is celebrated on the third day of the moon fortnight of ‘chaitra’, first month as per the Hindu calendar, every year.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren also marked his presence at the festival celebrations and gave good wishes to entire tribal community on this occasion.

“All the tribals and people living in Jharkhand celebrate this festival with huge fervor and joy. We worship the tree and rituals are also performed under the sakhua tree. The festival celebrations have also started in small villages. People offer prayers, sing, dance, eat and drink on this day,” Soren said.

‘Sahrul’ is also an occasion for sowing seeds and indulging in festivities. Tribals believe that they can use new crop mainly paddy, leaves of the trees, flowers and fruits of the season only after this festival is celebrated.

“From this day only, we start sowing of seeds. From this ‘chaitra’ (first month in Hindu calendar) month only, we believe our New Year has started. And until the prayers are offered on this day, we don’t use new flower and leaves and do not eat fruits. Today after performing prayers and worshipping the tree, we will use flowers and leaves and eat fruits,” said Amit Bara, a local.

After worshiping trees, the village priest locally known as Pahaan puts a few rice grains on the head of a hen.

Locals believe that prosperity for the people is predicted if the hen eats the rice grains after they fall to the ground, but if the hen does not eat, disaster awaits the community. ribes all across Jharkhand celebrate this festival with great fervor and joy. Tribal men, women and children dress up in colourful and ethnic attires and perform traditional dances.

In recent years a colourful procession, with tribal men and women dancing in groups and holding tree branches has also become part of the Sarhul festival.

They also drink a locally made beer, brewed out of a concoction of rice, water and some tree leaves and then dance around the tree.

Kancheepuram Ekambaranathar Temple Brahmotsavam 2010 – Kanchi Ekambareshwara swamy Temple Annual Festival

Kancheepuram Ekambaranathar temple Brahmotsavam is the annual festival held for 14 days during the Panguni masam in Tamil Panchangam. In 2010, Kancheepuram Brahmotsavam begins on March 19th and ends on April 1st, 2010. And Rathotsavam would be celebrated on March 25. This is the first Rathotsavam after 150 years.

Expressbuzz published:

For the first time in 150 years, the Ekambaranathar Temple chariot car got rolling on Thursday. The previous chariot car was gutted in a fire.

Scores of devotees thronged the streets to pull the Vadam or the temple chariot through the four Rajaveethis. The trial run began around 8.30 am and completed its course several hours behind schedule in the evening. Labour Welfare Minister T M Anbarasan and Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments K R Periyakaruppan, who were scheduled to join the procession, backed out in the last minute.

The 63-foot high chariot with four iron-framed wheel worth Rs 1.35 crore was donated to the temple by a group of chartered accountants operating both in India and the United States. BHEL engineers specially designed the giant steel wheels and the axle of the temple car. It was assembled by a team led by Sivagangai-based Sthapathi Somalakhsmana Achaari, who said a hydraulic brake system, also done by BHEL, would be later added in order to facilitate smooth movement and negotiate intricate curves on the road. This year the annual Brahmotsavam would be held from March 19 to April 1, and the Rathotsavam would be held on March 25.

Considering that Kancheepuram is one of the seven Mokshapuris, and the temple one of the Panchabhuta Kshetras, the revival of the car festival this year assumes added significance.

Even though the chariot has rolled out, one question still remains. Why it took more than 150 years to revive the practice of the temple car procession?

Informed sources argue that finding philanthropists to foot the bill was never an issue, especially with the Sankara Mutt during the days of the now deceased Periyaval inclined to find sponsors. According to them, temple-related oneupmanship between two middle order communities that constantly threw a spanner in the wheels of a new temple car project, before it was finally shelved, was the reason. Now, a very famous singer played a uniting role, they added.

Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple Brahmotsavam 2010 during Panguni Uthiram

Mylapore Kapaleeswarar temple Brahmotsavam is a ten-day festival celebrated during Panguni Uthiram. Kapaleeswarar Brahmotsavam 2010 will begin on March 20th, Saturday, and end on March 30 with Panguni Uthiram celebrations. It begins with Dhwajarohanam (flag hoisting) at 7.30 am on March 20. Kapaleeswarar Ratholsavam 2010 date is March 26 and Arupathmoovar will be on March 27, 2010. Mylapore Kapaleeswarar temple, located in Chennai, is one of the ancient temples dedicated to Lord Shiva in Tamil Nadu.

During the 10-day Brahmotsavam festival, Ratholsavam (Car festival) is the major event which attracts lakhs of devotees from all around Tamil Nadu and surrounding states. Panguni Uthiram festival is celebrated with utmost pomp and gaiety which marks the conclusion of Brahmotsavam festival.

Narasimha Chaturdashi 2010 – Narasimha Chaturdasi

Narasimha Chaturdashi, also known as Narasimha Jayanti, is the appearance day or birthday of Lord Narasimha, the half-Lion and half-man incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Narasimha Chaturdasi is observed on Vaisakha shukla Chaturdashi or fourteenth day in bright half of Vaisakha month. Narasimha Chaturdashi 2010 date is May 26. Some may celebrate the festival on May 27, 2010.

Narasimha Chaturdashi festival is of great significance in Vishnu temples and for Vaishnava sect of people. They observe fast during the festival and special pujas are performed in the temples dedicated to Lord Narasimha. In ISKCON Temples all over the world, it is celebrated with pomp and gaiety.

Legend of Narasimha Chaturdashi and Narasimha Avatar:

The main purpose of appearance or incarnation of avatar of Narasimha swamy was to restore peace in the world by slaying the demon Hiranyakashapa. Hiranyakashapu got a boon from Lord Brahma that neither man nor animal can kill him neither in the house nor out of the house and neither during the day time nor night. As per his boon Vishnu appeared as Narasimha swamy (Half-animal and half-man) to kill the demon in the evening (sandhya kaal) at the door of his house. Prahlada was the son of Hiranyakashapu and the devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashapu wanted to kill his son because of his devotion to Lord Vishnu.

Sri Rama Rajyotsavam 2010 – Sri Rama Pattabhishekam during Ram Navami Utsav

Sri Rama Rajyotsavam is the day of Sri Rama Pattabhishekam during when Lord Sri Ram was crowned. According to Ramayana, Lord Sri Ram was crowned on Chaitra Shukla Panchami, the fifth day in bright half of Chaitra month. In 2010, Sri Rama Rajyotsavam or Sri Rama Pattabhisheka dinotsavam date is March 20. It is observed as one of the rituals in Sri Rama Navami utsav.

Lord Sri Ram and Goddess Sita are worshipped during Sri Rama Pattabhisheka utsavam. Sri Rama Navami festival is celebrated just 4 days after this Utsav.

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