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-Shivratri


Shivratri is celebrated for lord Shiva's birthday. Auspicious festival of Mahashivaratri falls on the 13th or the 14th night of the new moon during **Krishna Paksha** in the Hindu month of **Phalgun.** The Sanskrit term, Krishna Paksha means the period of waning moon or the dark fortnight and Phalguna corresponds to the month of February - March in English Calendar. Shivaratri Festival is celebrated on a moonless night.

According to Hindu mythology, Shivaratri or **'Shiva's Great Night'** symbolizes the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Many however, believe, Shivaratri is the night when Lord Shiva performed the **Tandava Nritya** - the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. Celebrating the festival in a customary manner, devotees give a ritual bath to the Lingam with the **panchagavya** - milk, sour milk, urine, butter and dung. Celebrations of Shivaratri Festival mainly take place at night. Devotees of Lord Shiva throng Shiva temples across the country and spend ‘the Night of Lord Shiva’ by chanting verses and hymns in praise of the Lord. The festival holds special meaning for the ladies. They pray to Goddess Parvati also called 'Gaura', the giver of 'suhag' for good husbands, marital bliss and a long and prosperous married life.

Krishna Janamastymi

Krishna Janam-Astymi is the celebration of krishna's birthday. It is celebrated for eight days. On the eight days you have to be vegeterian that includes no eggs because indians believe eggs aren't vegeterian. You have to go to prayers everyday normally starting at 7:30pm-9:00pm. Krishna was born at 7:45pm. Some people that hevn't eaten salt do something called Hawan. It starts of with a fire then you pour something called ghee after a mantar(a veiw words of of prayer). The women can also dancearound the statue of Krishna on a swing. Swung by a little girl.



-Raksha Bandan Raksha Bandan is brothers and sisters day. We celebrate this day by the sister tying a Rakhi (a type of bracelet) to their brother and they give each other a gift. They do this because indians believe that when you do this brother's get the strength to protect their sisters from evil spirits and the Rakhi protects the brother.

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