Indianholidays – Bryanna Vs The World

Hey fellow adventurers! Happy Indian Independence Day! This isn’t a normal day that I post but I had to say something about Independence Day today! Also, kudos to whoever made today’s featured image! That’s beautiful!

You might remember me talking about Indian independence from Britain in my history blog post but I’ll recap in case you forgot or haven’t gotten around to that one yet. The British Parliament signed the Indian Independence Act in August 1947 and it went in to effect on the 15^th of August 1947. Also on this day, Britain split up what was then India into today’s India and Pakistan. However, we’re focusing solely on modern day India. I’ll talk about modern day Pakistan another month. Independence Day is observed as a national holiday in all Indian states and union territories.

On the morning of Independence Day, the current president of India (Ram Nath Kovind) gives a speech, the “Address to the Nation” and then hoists the Indian flag on top of the Red Fort. In his speech, the prime minister pays tribute to the leaders of the Indian independence movement, acknowledges India’s achievements over the past year, raises important issues and talks about the future of India. Twenty-one gun shots are fired for the occasion. They sing the national anthem “Jana Gana Mana.” After the speech, the have a parade to show off the Indian armed forces and paramilitary forces as well as showcase scenes from the independence struggle and India’s diverse cultural traditions. Independence Day parades aren’t limited to Delhi however, other parades will start popping up across India. Government and non-government institutions will hold flag-hoisting ceremonies and events. Some cities will have kite flying events. You’ll see the Indian flag everywhere as people try to show their allegiance to India. People will even try to match their clothing, wristbands, cars, household accessories to the Indian flag. Independence Day now a day is more of a celebration of all things India. Some cities outside of India celebrate today as well (specifically places with a lot of Indian immigrants).

Until our next adventure! Satyameva Jayate.

Hey fellow adventurers! There’s going to be two posts today. The first is the usual post and the second is this one about Krishna Janmashtami since that takes place today, on the 14^th. Hope you enjoy them! 🙂

Krishna Janmashtami, usually just referred to as Janmashtami, is a Hindu holiday that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the god of compassion, tenderness, and love. He is worshiped as the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right. Janmashtami is one of the largest festivals in the Hindu world, and is observed on a different day each year since the date is determined by the lunisolar cycle rather than the Gregorian calendar.

The festivities take place over forty-eight hours. For the first event, Krishan Ashtami, Hindus wake up before dawn to sing and pray in honor of Krishna. Some will also dance and preform dramatic rituals that tell the story of Krishna’s birth and life. A lot of Hindus will also fast in his honor. Vigils (staying awake during a time people normally sleep to keep watch or pray) are held until midnight when it is believed that the deity was born. Sometimes, people will also bathe and dress statues of the baby Krishna to commemorate his birth. On the second day, Janam Ashtami, Hindus will break their fast of the previous day with elaborate meals that often contain milk or cheese curds, said to be two of Krishna’s favorite foods.

Until our next adventure!