Traditional with a dash of Contemporary
The first thing that comes to our mind when we think of October is ‘festivals’. India is a land of festivals and festivities with some of the biggest ones being Janmashtami, Onam, Eid-ul-Fitr, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Durga Puja and Holi. The festivals have become not only personal, family and social occasions of fun and merriment, but also for the prayer and worship of various gods and goddesses.
It’s seen that people generally celebrate festivals with their loved ones, be it family or friends. No matter what religion you belong to, you will definitely celebrate your festival in the best way possible. The festivals in India revolve around the birthdays of lords, traditional myths, seasonal changes, relationships and more. Festivals are generally celebrated irrespective of religion or caste in our country, thus bringing people closer and creating a strong bond of humanity.
Festivals are definitely a break for everyone from their daily routine. Workaholics like you and I get a chance to spend time with our families and if we’re lucky, also get some rest. Whether you are young or old, celebrating festivals is always fun for everyone. Children are an integral part of every festival celebration and this helps them understand the rituals of each festival and they develop a liking for the festivals and celebrations from a very young age. As they get older they get more fond of these festivals and they want to celebrate them at their full potential to enjoy it thoroughly. We now get to see a lot of youngsters participating in festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Durga Puja, Christmas, Eid, Holi and more.
Let’s see what the youth has to say about celebrating festivals in India.
“ Festivals define us, as Indians and also as individuals. When it comes to celebrating them, I love to keep it traditional, but with a dash of contemporary in it. I try bringing in something new every year.
I prefer comfort over trends. I am not brand conscious so one may find me wearing a kurta with jeans or something which looks decent and classy – shirts with denims or t-shirts with trousers, and at times shorts with shirts.”
– Vipul Ahuja, Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication,Delhi
“The rich and the vibrant festivals of India are a testimony to our diverse tradition and culture. A festival in India means dressing up in different styles and the whole city comes together to celebrate. I personally like to celebrate Indian festivals with family and sometimes with friends as well. Being in Indian attire and getting the chance to celebrate the festivals with your loved ones is always an amazing option. Each festival in India has its own significance and I like to be a part of all of them every time.”
– Anshi Agrawal, International College of Girls, Jaipur
“Since I am not an outgoing person, I celebrate the festive season with my family at home. We all go out for shopping and buy gifts for relatives and friends and I also help my mother in cooking some of the traditional festive dishes. I love to wear Indian attire during the festive season so I opt for light weight lehengas or suits in bright and happy colours like pinks, yellows and reds. I like accessorising my outfit with a pair of jhumkas and nice bangles.”
– Rashi Chandhok, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi
“I celebrate the festive season with both friends and family and divide time so that I am able to spend time with both. If you ask me about what I do during the season, well then it is the same thing I do on ordinary days, but with a better and happy feeling. I also dress up according to the festival because this is the only time when I get to wear Indian clothes.”
– Shijin Santharam, Symbiosis Institute of Management, Noida
“I celebrate the festive season with both friends and family. I often help my mother in cooking some amazing mouth-watering delicacies. We generally dress up in ethnic wear and decorate our whole house according to the festival. Going shopping and eating out during the festive season is a very normal thing. I mostly prefer wearing indo-western for the festive season. Ethnic wear depends on the occasion and the place where I am going. I love wearing lehengas and sarees.”
– Gunjari Mukherjee, Pearl Academy, Mumbai
We should learn to celebrate each moment of our lives by choosing to feel happy, joyful and reaching out to share these sentiments with our family members and friends. However, the spirit of festivity remains the same. It is not just in India that these festivals are celebrated – Indians abroad too, have not forgotten their roots and culture and celebrate each festival with immense zeal. Today, around the world wherever you find Indians, you will surely find them celebrating their festivals.
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