Indian Festivals

[Guest]

yes winter solstice has been celebrated since ancient times all over the aryan world. thats where chrismas comes from - winter solstice - celebrated in germanic lands as the "feast of the invincible sun". in india the winter is not so severe and thus the winter solstice - which marks the coldest and/or longest night of the year is not of much consequence (viv.a.vis, in north european countries, where it signals the beginning of the end of the severe winter).

the europeans also had a lot of regard for the spring/vernal equinox (and so did we). for them it marked the begging of the summer and the plants bearing fruit. they used to worship the germanic dawn godess of fertility called Eostra or something if i remember right. ofcourse that pagan festival has now been replaced by Easter. the godess of fertility was symbolised by eggs and rabbits/bunnies - which are potent symbols of fertility - and have survived to this day in their mickey mouse versions as easter eggs and playboy bunnies



now i want to ask - whats the origin of Ugadi.


i know the origin/concept behind the diwali, dussehera, durga puja, garbha festival (the last 3 are essentially the same), baisakhi etc.