Celebrations

[JustGeorge]

I sadly sit looking out the window, at the snow, rain, and sleet coming down.

I'm happy for the precipitation, which is badly needed, but this means I miss the Holi festivities(which have been postponed to a date that doesn't work for us to travel) for the second year in a row.

I've noticed there does seem to be a lot of religious festivities and observances going on right now, though.

Are you, or have you recently or plan on in the near future, celebrating or observing any cultural or religious festivals?

 

[mangalavara]

Are you, or have you recently or plan on in the near future, celebrating or observing any cultural or religious festivals?

I am sorry that you and yours might miss out on the Holi festival. Nothing is impossible, so I hope that you get to attend the Holi festival. Of all people, you are more than worthy of a wonderful and fun Holi event.

Although I’m not a Buddhist, I could attend a local temple for Buddha Jayanti (which they call something very different in Korean) on the eighth day of the fourth month on the Korean Calendar (in May). I will probably do so.

There are no Hindu temples in my area, so there are no Hindu festivals in which to participate. What I have are mostly days of upavāsa or fasting, which are more personal than community oriented.

 

[JustGeorge]

I am sorry that you and yours might miss out on the Holi festival. Nothing is impossible, so I hope that you get to attend the Holi festival. Of all people, you are more than worthy of a wonderful and fun Holi event.

Thank you for your kind words.

I was so looking forward to circumambulating the fire, and letting it burn away all the terrible energy of the last year...

Maybe something unexpected will occur... If it happens, it happens. If not, it doesn't.

Although I’m not a Buddhist, I could attend a local temple for Buddha Jayanti (which they call something very different in Korean) on the eighth day of the fourth month on the Korean Calendar (in May). I will probably do so.

Tell me more about Buddha Jayanti.

There are no Hindu temples in my area, so there are no Hindu festivals in which to participate. What I have are mostly days of upavāsa or fasting, which are more personal than community oriented.

Have you ever had an opportunity to fast with others?

 

[ChristineM]

Last weekend the village held the annual "fête du printemps" (spring festival). Described as a market for flowers, perennials and annuals, aromatic and aquatic plants, tropical flavors (?), seeds, organic plants, vines, trees, shrubs, truffle oaks, rose bushes... Art and craft exhibitions. Refreshments available.

Colourful and enjoyable.


A couple of weeks ago was the children's "jugement of Pétassou" (judgement of Pétassou). Pétassou was a mythical evil sorcerer responsible for bad smells, explosion, missing cows etc. Every year the children dress up and parade an effigy of Pétassou through the streets, take him to the village hall, have a meeting with singing and snacks and judge him guilty to be burned at the stake. And so the village is free of evil for another year.

Shame you miss Holi

 

[JustGeorge]

Last weekend the village held the annual "fête du printemps" (spring festival). Described as a market for flowers, perennials and annuals, aromatic and aquatic plants, tropical flavors (?), seeds, organic plants, vines, trees, shrubs, truffle oaks, rose bushes... Art and craft exhibitions. Refreshments available.

Colourful and enjoyable.

A couple of weeks ago was the children's "jugement of Pétassou" (judgement of Pétassou). Pétassou was a mythical evil sorcerer responsible for bad smells, explosion, missing cows etc. Every year the children dress up and parade an effigy of Pétassou through the streets, take him to the village hall, have a meeting with singing and snacks and judge him guilty to be burned at the stake. And so the village is free of evil for another year.

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Your village sounds so magical...

How long have those festivities been a tradition around there?

 

[mangalavara]

Tell me more about Buddha Jayanti.

I only know that it is the birthday of Gautama Buddha. What goes on in the temples is currently a mystery to me.

Have you ever had an opportunity to fast with others?

In a different religious context many, many years ago, yes. It was not anything special to me. These days, if a person who I knew here in my locality were fasting as an act of devotion to Śiva or Śakti, I would likely do the same fast and try to get a session of japa and/or pūjā going with them. This is because one who is devoted to Śiva has a good disposition toward other Śaivas. In my experience, this naturally includes the same disposition toward Śāktas. (When we heard that @SomeRandom had passed away, I wept because she was Śākta.)

 

[Vinayaka]

I sadly sit looking out the window, at the snow, rain, and sleet coming down.

I'm happy for the precipitation, which is badly needed, but this means I miss the Holi festivities(which have been postponed to a date that doesn't work for us to travel) for the second year in a row.

I've noticed there does seem to be a lot of religious festivities and observances going on right now, though.

Are you, or have you recently or plan on in the near future, celebrating or observing any cultural or religious festivals?

We just did Sivaratri, and Tamil New year is reasonably soon. Our temple has shrunk due to construction before the third kumbabhishekam, taking place in July.

 

[ChristineM]

Your village sounds so magical...

How long have those festivities been a tradition around there?

I have no idea about the spring festival, but guess a couple of hundred years maybe longer.

The children's festival since the 15th century that i know of.

 

[JustGeorge]

I only know that it is the birthday of Gautama Buddha. What goes on in the temples is currently a mystery to me.



In a different religious context many, many years ago, yes. It was not anything special to me. These days, if a person who I knew here in my locality were fasting as an act of devotion to Śiva or Śakti, I would likely do the same fast and try to get a session of japa and/or pūjā going with them. This is because one who is devoted to Śiva has a good disposition toward other Śaivas. In my experience, this naturally includes the same disposition toward Śāktas. (When we heard that @SomeRandom had passed away, I wept because she was Śākta.)

I find I enjoy fasting with others very much(if their devotion is genuine, and its not just an outward obligation). It makes me very happy to share Bhakti alongside others.

We just did Sivaratri, and Tamil New year is reasonably soon. Our temple has shrunk due to construction before the third kumbabhishekam, taking place in July.

Will it be complete in July?

Do you stay up all night for Sivaratri?

How do you observe Tamil New Year?

I have no idea about the spring festival, but guess a couple of hundred years maybe longer.

The children's festival since the 15th century that i know of.

That's awesome you can take part in something like that.

 

[Vinayaka]

I find I enjoy fasting with others very much(if their devotion is genuine, and its not just an outward obligation). It makes me very happy to share Bhakti alongside others.

Will it be complete in July?

Do you stay up all night for Sivaratri?

How do you observe Tamil New Year?

That's awesome you can take part in something like that.

Yes the renovations will be complete. They had to redo some tiling, and repaint the vimana, amongst other things. The kumbhabhishekhan is every 12 years, so this will be 24 years since the founding of the temple.

Personally, I completely missed Sivaratri due to health issues. We no longer stay up all night. Tamil New year is just bigger and longer pujas, and a bigger feast than regular.

 

[JustGeorge]

Yes the renovations will be complete. They had to redo some tiling, and repaint the vimana, amongst other things. The kumbhabhishekhan is every 12 years, so this will be 24 years since the founding of the temple.

Personally, I completely missed Sivaratri due to health issues. We no longer stay up all night. Tamil New year is just bigger and longer pujas, and a bigger feast than regular.

Who are pujas done for on Tamil New Year?

 

[Vinayaka]

Who are pujas done for on Tamil New Year?

Depends on temple. Here it would be Ganesha, Murugan, and Siva, as that's all this temple has. It's weird as we're temporarily in a 'stage' like setting. They do what's called a balasthapanam to move the energy of the deities. In this case they move all the deities except for the moolasthanam Ganesha, as He's really heavy, but they transferred the energy to a temporary wooden one. Balasthapanams are interesting on their own accord. (All agamic stuff.)

 

[JustGeorge]

Depends on temple. Here it would be Ganesha, Murugan, and Siva, as that's all this temple has. It's weird as we're temporarily in a 'stage' like setting. They do what's called a balasthapanam to move the energy of the deities. In this case they move all the deities except for the moolasthanam Ganesha, as He's really heavy, but they transferred the energy to a temporary wooden one. Balasthapanams are interesting on their own accord. (All agamic stuff.)

Our temple has a wall with those three, plus Parvati.

Does Parvati have any separate recognition in your temple, or is she seen as part of Shiva(or something else)?

 

[Vinayaka]

Our temple has a wall with those three, plus Parvati.

Does Parvati have any separate recognition in your temple, or is she seen as part of Shiva(or something else)?

In the bronze parade shrine, called the Vasantha Mandapam, she is there twice, once as Sivakami, beside Nataraja, and once as Rajarajeshwari, by herself. The Rajarajeshwari is used for the Navaratri celebration. So one of them is part of Siva, and the other is separate, on her own. We also have Murugan's two 'wives' in both His (Murugan's) main shrine, and the vasantha mandapam shrine.

 

[ChristineM]

That's awesome you can take part in something like that.

The judgement of Pétassou is a children's thing organised by 3 local schools, adults are spectators.

The spring fete is really just a market.

Other fetes, parades, dancing in the street, yes, join in and have fun.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I've noticed there does seem to be a lot of religious festivities and observances going on right now, though.
]

Indeed, today, Sunday March 24 is a holy day for all three Abrahamic faiths:
For Jews it is Purim, a fun fun holiday that remembers the Jews being saved by Esther.
For Christians it is Palm Sunday, honoring the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey to cries of Hosana
For Muslims it is Ramadan, a monthlong fast