Hey guys,
I'm doing a bit of research on how Hindus preserve their culture in Canada. Here are a few questions I have. I am tackling this from the angle of how festivals are celebrated in both countries(India and Canada). Two festivals I am currently focussing on are Diwali and Holi.
How do you celebrate these two festivals here?
How is it different from the way you celebrate it In india and what are the major advantages/disadvantages and comparisions/Nostalgia etc?
Any and all thoughts are welcome. Thanks
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Quote:
Originally posted by jake3d
Hey guys,
I'm doing a bit of research on how Hindus preserve their culture in Canada. Here are a few questions I have. I am tackling this from the angle of how festivals are celebrated in both countries(India and Canada). Two festivals I am currently focussing on are Diwali and Holi.
How do you celebrate these two festivals here?
How is it different from the way you celebrate it In india and what are the major advantages/disadvantages and comparisions/Nostalgia etc?
Any and all thoughts are welcome. Thanks
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India Canada Bhai-Bhai
Jake,
Fortunately cities like Toronto where desi population is quite large the difference is not much. The folk festivals like Navaratri, as you should be knowing, are celebrated almost the same way as in India.
One major difference I could think is the day on which the festival is celebrated. On India it is based on the lunar calendar and here they are celebrated during the closed weekend. This is especially true for festivals those are celebrated in public (in Mandirs). The festivals which are among the families are of course celebrated on the given day (if one continues to celebrate)
Another difference is the number of festivals you can celebrate. For example in India, on the Shiv Ratri, you do certain things. Here it is not possible and many people even don't remember when the festival came and gone.
Diwali is still very important and people do celebrate it. The temples organize good events and you can do everything you want to do. Many things are even better than India. Like you are celebrating with fewer crowds.
Those who are associated with a particular social/religious group have better opportunities to celebrate festival the India way.
The festivals which I am missing most are - Duleti (next day of Holi) and Uttarayan. Yes you can fly the kites in a park but that is a different story. We do have a holy fire for Holi and we do play Duleti in a group, but that does not have a charm of India.
In the small towns, celebrating festivals should be problem, I think. I never lived in a small town so very difficult to say anything about it.
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A Proud Indian Canadian
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2139539.cms
NEW DELHI: If you thought Karva Chauth was an all-women affair, with the hubby's well being as its epicentre, think again.
This mainly north Indian festival gets glitzier by the year - a party that whole families now celebrate together, rather than just your traditional devoted wife.
Today, these wives will fast all day, and sit around goddess Gaura Mata, with a spherical clay pot called karva to pray for their husbands' long life.
Once this ritual is over, all that separates these women from their dinner is sighting of the moon, and then the husband's face.
For some reason this must be done through a sieve.
But the fasting puts off some. "It's the only bit I find hard to take. Why won't husbands ever fast for their wives? I love my husband, but I don't have to fast and pray to show it," explains Ajanta, 34, a bank executive.
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You know you are a desi when ........ You spew forth the virtues of India, but don't want to live there...............You've never had a tanning salon membership
Quote:
Originally posted by Loser
"It's the only bit I find hard to take. Why won't husbands ever fast for their wives? I love my husband, but I don't have to fast and pray to show it," explains Ajanta, 34, a bank executive.
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Bijou Bazaar
http://bijoubazaar22.googlepages.com
Quote:
Originally posted by Garvo Gujarati
Jake,
Fortunately cities like Toronto where desi population is quite large the difference is not much. The folk festivals like Navaratri, as you should be knowing, are celebrated almost the same way as in India.
One major difference I could think is the day on which the festival is celebrated. On India it is based on the lunar calendar and here they are celebrated during the closed weekend. This is especially true for festivals those are celebrated in public (in Mandirs). The festivals which are among the families are of course celebrated on the given day (if one continues to celebrate)
....
In the small towns, celebrating festivals should be problem, I think. I never lived in a small town so very difficult to say anything about it.
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Jake,
Regarding celebrating Christmas, our celebration is limited to attending Christmas party from work, attending kid's Christmas party from work, having some photos with Santa in the malls, and exchanging gifts with neighbour.
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A Proud Indian Canadian
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