Phalguna or Phagun is the twelfth and last month of the Hindu calendar lunar calendar and the Indian national calendar.
In the Hindu solar calendar, it corresponds to the month of Kumbha and begins with the Sun's entry into Aquarius.
In the Hindu lunar calendar, each month has 29 or 30 days. The month begins on the next day after Amavasya (new moon) or Purnima (full moon) as per amanta and purnimanta systems respectively. A month consists of two cycles of 15 days each, Shukla Paksha (waning moon) and Krishna Paksha (waxing moon). Days in each cycle is labeled as a thithi, with each thithi repeating twice in a month.
Festivals
Holi
Holi is a
Hindu festival celebrated to mark the end of winter and the arrival of spring (Vasanta). It celebrates various events from
Hindu mythology including the love between god
Krishna and his consort
Radha.
It symbolises the victory of good over evil and includes the ritual of lighting
bonfires (Holika Dahan) the night before. The bonfire is lit to symbolise the burning away of evil, and is attributed to the event in which
Prahalada is saved by god
Vishnu from a fire lit by demoness
Holika, who is made to instead burn in it.
The festival involves throwing coloured powders (gulal) and coloured water, with each colour carrying symbolic meanings.
Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri is a major
Hindu Shaivism festival celebrated on
Chaturdashi (14th lunar night)
thithi of
Krishna Paksha (
waxing moon) of the month. It is dedicated to worshipping lord
Shiva.
The festival commemorates several events from
Hindu mythology associated with Shiva including his union with
Parvati.
People remain awake the entire night, while offering prayers, chanting mantras and performing various rituals.
Panguni Uthiram
Panguni Uthiram is a
Tamils festival that falls on the day when the
Nakshatra (star) of Uttiram aligns with
purnima (full moon day) in the Tamil month of
Panguni.
The day commemorates the divine marriages of Hindu deities such as Shiva and Parvati,
Murugan and
Deivanai, and
Vishnu and
Lakshmi. It also marks the day of manifestation of lord
Ayyappan.
On the day, special rituals, processions and marriage ceremonies of gods are conducted across
Hindu temples.
Shigmo
Shigmo is a spring-festival celebrated by agricultural communities in the state of
Goa. The festival marks the onset of spring and the upcoming harvest season.
The festival features various folk dances accompanies by music and parades.
See also
Notes
External links
