Located in the northern most region of India, Kashmir is known as a paradise on earth. It is a state where there are no limits in god’s creation and is well maintained by the Kashmiri citizens. In India tourism, Kashmir remains to the most visited holiday destination by domestic and international tourists. The unmatched beauty and the unique fairs and festivals of the enchanting hill station are worth experiencing. Such diverse culture and traditions of Jammu and Kashmir provide evidence to be the real manifestation of the state to the outside world. Fairs and festivals of Kashmir are celebrated with pocketful of joy and fanfare. Each of the festivals in here is celebrated by people of all religion together. The state Jammu and Kashmir has three major regions; Jammu has a majority of Hindu, Kashmir by Muslims and Ladakh by the pure Buddhists. All these three religions live a happy life in respect which shows the way of living as a brotherhood. The celebration that takes place in the state during these festivals is something that cannot be expressed neither can be described. The citizen of Kashmir enjoys numbers of cultural events round the year and some of the major fairs and festivals in paradise on the earthare discussed below.
Lohri:
During this Lohri
festival the people rejoice on the harvesting of the winter crop which is
celebrated on the 13th of January. It is the end of the winter
season and a welcome to the beginning of spring season. In Hindu Lohri is known
as the Paush or Magh which is luck as it makes the entry of the Sun (surya) in
northern hemisphere. It is celebrated in night time where people gather and
make bonfires. Chajja dance is performed by young boys on the streets with
colorful flowers and papers with the beats of drums.
Jhiri Mela: The Jhiri Mela
is held yearly in Jhiri Village which is located at a distance of about 20
kilometers from Jammu. It is in the memory of poor farmer named Jitu Baba, who
committed suicide due to the unfair demands of his landlords. The Mela takes
place from the last week of October and early November as a protest against the
mayhems of the landlords. During this Mela, the followers of the Jitu Baba
gather here in Jhiri Mela from every nook of the North India.
Baisakhi Festival:
Baisakhi
Festival is a popular Sikh festival and the event is celebrated on the 13th
of April annually. Due to the majority of Sikhs, the festival is celebrated
wholeheartedly and it is for the start of harvesting season of North India. It
is a great time for shopping for local and traditional items. Another important
thing that makes the day more famous is that, it is the birthday of the tenth
Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.
Hemis Festival:
It is an
important festival of Ladakh region as it is celebrated in honor to the birth
anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava. The festival falls on the fifth month of 9th,
10th and 11th day in Tibetan calendar. It is believed
that it is the day when the Guru Padmasambhava defeated demons. The Monks
(Lamas) perform a ritual dance depicting the victory of god over demons. The
beat of the drums and the long horns takes your breath away.
Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha:
these two festivals are the most known and prominent festivals of
Muslims in the state J&K. The festival is hugely celebrated in Kashmir and
as well as in some parts of Jammu. During these festivals people have to offers
six times namaz instead of five times. If you really want to explore the real fun
and celebrations of ID than, make your visit to Kashmir where your dream comes
true. Eid-ul-Fitr marks end in the fasting month of Ramadan. Muslims wear new
clothes and attend grand feasts. Eid-ul-Azha festival is also equally important
as it is famous for Qurbani (Sacrifice) where people sacrifices goats, sheep
etc.
