Fairs and Festivals in India in month of August

Teej Festival, Jaipur , Rajasthan : 09 - 10 August 2013: Teej is celebrated in India especially by women in the months of July-August marking the advent of monsoons. It has great significance in Rajasthan as it is observed to provide relief from the scorching heat of summer. Thus, it is popularly called the Sawan Festival. The festival of Teej symbolizes reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Teej teaches us the sacrifice of wife to win the heart of husband. It is said that Parvati reborn and went through stringent fasting for 108 long years to prove her dedication, devotion and unconditional love towards Lord Shiva. Finally, 108 years of long sacrifice paid off and Lord Shiva accepted her as his wife. Till today, the festival of Teej is celebrated to honor the devotion of Goddess Parvati - popularly known as TEEJ MATA. On this day, both married and unmarried women seek her blessings for their happy marital life.

Kajli Teej, Bundi, Rajasthan : 23 August 2013: Teej festival is celebrated all over the state with each region having its own unique touch. Kajli Teej of Bundi is different in several ways- while Teej is celebrated on the third day of the month of Shravana, in Bundi it is celebrated on the third day of the month of Bhadra. The festival starts with the procession of goddess Teej in a decorated palanquin from the beautiful Naval Sagar. It passes through the main bazaars and terminates at Azad Park. The procession has decorated elephants, camels, bands, performing artists and colourfully dressed people. The people who gather here from surrounding areas also get to watch and participate in the cultural programmes that are organised in the evenings. it provides a very good chance to see performances by local artists from Hadoti region. Though the main function of Teej is held only on two days, the celebrations continue upto Janmashtami, which marks the birth of Lord Krishna.

Nag Panchami -11 August 2013: Nag Panchami is the traditional Hindu festival of snakes celebrated within the months of July or August, whichever the fifth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Shravan falls. Hindu mythologies are filled with stories and fables about snakes, and there are no shortage of legends revolving the origin of this celebration. Celebrated during the rainy season of summer, Nag Panchami occurs as rain from the annual monsoon floods the holes in which various snakes of India inhabit. Naturally they come out in search of dry ground be it gardens or inside homes. The belief is that this festival will counter the increased possibility of a snake bite during this time. Snakes are collected in earthen pots and brought to various temples across the country where to be worshiped. The worship generally includes bathing a snake (or its idol) with milk, to the accompaniment of the music played by a snake charmer. Temples devoted to Lord Shiva, an admirer of snakes, are particularly favored during Nag Panchami. Temples in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamilnadu & Andhra Pradesh are well known for their Nag Panchami Festivities.

Raksha Bandhan-20 August 2013:Raksha Bandhan (the bond of protection), or Rakhi is a festival primarily observed in India, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. It is generally celebrated in North India by Hindus and Jains. It is icelebrated on Purnima(full moon) of Shravan Maas The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother's wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her and presents gift to his sister. The festival falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. It grew in popularity after Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of Chittor, sent a rakhi to the Mughal emperor Humayun when she required his help.

Krishna Janmashtami -28 August 2013: also known as Krishnashtami, Gokulashtami, or sometimes merely as Janmashtami, is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, an avatar of the god Vishnu. It is is observed on the Ashtami tithi, the eighth day of the dark half or KrishnaPaksha of the month of Shraavana in the Hindu calendar, when the Rohini Nakshatra is ascendant. The festival always falls within mid-August to mid-September in the Gregorian calendar. Rasa lila, dramatic enactments of the life of Krishna, are a special feature in regions of Mathura and Vrindavan, and regions following Vaishnavism in Manipur. While the Rasa lila re-creates the flirtatious aspects of Krishna's youthful days, the Dahi Handi celebrate God's playful and mischievous side, where teams of young men form human pyramids to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break it. This tradition, also known as uriadi, is a major event in Tamil Nadu on Gokulashtami.

Eid ul Fitr : 09 August 2013: Eid ul Fitr - the 'festival of fast breaking' is the most celebratory of all Muslim festivals. The term 'Eid' has been derived from the Arabic word 'oud', which means 'the return' and hence, signifies the return of the festival each year. The festival is significant as much for its timing, as for its religious implications. It is celebrated after the long fasting month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Islamic calendar), on the first day of the Shawwal month of the Hijri year (Islamic calendar). Legend says that the Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Mohammed in the last ten days of Ramadan. The month of Ramadan is historically associated with two important victories of Prophet Muhammad - the battle of Badr and the conquest of Makkah. Fasting during the month of Ramadan, according to Islamic beliefs, helps in developing self-control and is a way of getting closer to Allah. The festival of Eid ul Fitr marks the beginning of celebrations and merriment for a period extending over three days. Women prepare sweets at home and all Muslims are seen adorned with new dresses on this day. Eid ul Fitr is synonymous with joy and thanksgiving. Muslims form India's largest minority and constitute almost 12% of the country's total population. India is the second most populous Islamic nation in the world. Islam is also the most recent religion added to India's already potent cultural concoction. Islam came to India in 12th century AD and began interacting with the Indian culture, particularly under the Mughal era. Such is the spirit of this great festival that even a lot of Non-Muslims participate in Eid celebrations in India.

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