Cultural Heritage of India

1.Why Do We Celebrate Diwali? State the Significance of Bursting Firecrackers.

• Diwali is celebrated to commemorate the win of good over bad.
• Lord Ram defeated the demon king Ravana and returned to Ayodhya on this day, as per Hindu mythology.
• Hence Diwali is celebrated with lights and crackers. In ancient times, loud sounds and lightning kept the bad energy away from us.

2.Why Do Muslims Fast During Ramadan?

• Fasting during Ramadan is a ritual followed by Muslims.
• Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and people practice fasting to show their spiritual devotion to god.
• The children, old fellows, and ladies with babies are excluded from fasting for health issues.

3.What Is the Difference Between Different Eids That Are Celebrated Everywhere?

• Eid means a feast or festival. As per the lunar calendar, there are two types they are- Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha.
• The eid-al-adha is celebrated as the feast of the sacrifice made by the prophet towards Allah. It is celebrated at the end of the Annual Hajj pilgrimage.
• Eid-al-Fitr is celebrated to mark the end of a fast during Ramazan. Muslim devotees consider their fasting after they see the new crescent moon in the sky.

4.Why Do We Have Parades During the Republic Day Celebration?

• Republic day is a national festival celebrated to commemorate the formation of the Republic of India.
• Government organises a Republic Day parade to offer tribute to the martyrs and confer military awards to defence personnel.
• It is also a way to showcase the mightiness of our great military and the diversity in the cultures of different states.

5.What Is Thanksgiving Day? Why Do People Celebrate It?

• Thanksgiving day is celebrated mainly in the USA, Canada, Australia, etc.
• They celebrate it as a harvest festival.
• It is their way to thank each other for the blessings and sacrifices made in the past.
• It is celebrated by sharing the harvest feast.

6.What is Teej Festival? How is it celebrated?

• The third day, which falls after every moon night, is called Teej.
• Teej, in other months, is celebrated in different regions of India.
• It is characterised by the worship of lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. Hartalika Teej, Hariyali Teej and Kajrari Teej are celebrated with zeal in the states of north India like Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh etc.

7.Is Holi a Religious or Harvest Festival? Why Do We Celebrate Holi?

• The festival of Holi is celebrated as both the harvest and the religious festival.
• Holi is celebrated in the Spring after the end of the summer season, which is the time of harvesting.
• People celebrate Holi by burning a giant wood fire called Holika and playing with colours which symbolise the end of negativity (demoness) and the onset of positivity (good things).

8.What Is Easter Sunday?

• It is believed that when the Lord Jesus was crucified, he returned to life after a few days. Therefore, to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the celebration of Easter Sunday started.
• Christianity prohibits the consumption of eggs during this week. Hence, eggs laid this week are decorated by people as a symbol of the rebirth of the Lord Jesus.

9.Why Do People Sing Carols on Christmas Eve

• The Christmas carols are prayers sung in the form of songs
• They are based on the birth of the Lord Jesus and explain the conditions during Christ's birth.
• Carols are meant to pray during this time and spread the stories of the birth of Jesus Christ.

10.Why Makar Sankranti Is Celebrated? How Is Kite Flying Connected With Makar Sankranti?

• Makar Sankranti is celebrated to specify the onset of the spring season in India.
• The sun's position changes on this day, letting warm sunlight reach the Earth. This sunlight, absorbed by our bodies, proves beneficial.
• To enjoy the benefits of early sunlight, people started flying the kites in the morning of Makar Sankranti, which gradually became a tradition.

11.Why Is the Boat Race Organised During the Festival of Onam?

• The king of the Nambudiri family in south India used to bring Prasadam (food) to the temple during the Onam festival.
• To protect it from the river pirates, he asked to build fast-moving snake boats that could be used to carry food. With time this became popular in public, and boat races became a part of Onam.