Topic started by vibhu (@ dialpool-210-214-145-43.maa.sify.net) on Wed Feb 6 06:51:57 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

In India we have so many festivals in a year. Bengalis have at least one Pooja per month. Other states are also not much way behind.
We have Pongal, /Sankranthi,/ Uttarayan, saraswathi pooja, Holi,Ugadhi, Vishu,Bihu,Janmashtami, Ganesh Chathurthi, Mansa Pooja, Karthika, Durga Pooja/Dassara/Navrathri, Laksmi Pooja, Viswakarma Pooja,Onam, Deepavali/Kalipooja, Ram navami, Budha Poornima etc etc etc …
We have festivals in local temples etc..
We have National holidays like I-day R-day Gandhi’s birthday etc
In addition we celebrate the English new year and even many other special days of the west are also getting popularized in India at least in the urban area( eg. Valentines day, Father’s day, Mother’s day etc
Festivals do have a significant contribution in refreshing the minds of people and give some joy to their otherwise tense life.
Do we really need to celebrate all these festivals and end up with high waste of money and time? Even the poor and middle class people are spending too much for the festivals. In Kerala we say “Kaanam vittum Onam unnanam” ( We have to celebrate Onam even if we have to sell our property for that) .
I would like to share your views on the advantages and disadvantages of having such a large number of festivals and your views on the necessity of them

Responses:

• From: fridge (@ netcache6.is.co.za) on: Wed Feb 6 08:02:15
  
  Hi Vihbu
  
  Who benefits from all these festivals
  
  
• From: Tamil Babe (@ rn251-65.resnet.uoguelph.ca) on: Wed Feb 6 12:14:20
  
  vibhu,
  
  You always have the choice of not celebrating a festival. No one is holding a gun to your head and making you do it. But if one celebrates festivals because of the pressures of the society and not because of their free will, then you should blame the individual and not the number of festivals.
  
  
• From: Soothram (@ webluis12.lib.usf.edu) on: Wed Feb 6 14:04:10
  
  Don't forget Kerala's Thaipooyam!
  
  
• From: vibhu (@ dialpool-210-214-145-17.maa.sify.net) on: Thu Feb 7 02:11:34
  
  Tamil Babe
  As an individual one can decide not to celebrate one festival. But he cannot fully escape from it as the society will impose many obligations for each festival like buying new clothes, giving gifts to relatives etc. We should see an individual as a part of the society.
  fridge:
  What is your opinion? I think the businessmen and financiers are mostly benefiting from the festivals. Some festivals give benefits many of the artists also.
  Soothram
  My list is not a complete one. Thaipooyam which was celebrated recently is a major omission.
  
  
• From: fridge (@ netcache6.is.co.za) on: Thu Feb 7 05:43:08
  
  Vihbu
  
  Pros
  "We should see an individual as a part of the society"
  I think that this is great, and very rewarding to individuals.
  Artists benefits at festivals, nothing wrong with that.
  
  Cons
  People not being able to escape from it, it is true that people are looked down upon from the rest of society, if they do not participate, But this is humanity.
  
  Societies norms and values are needed to ensure the growth and survival of that society,
  Not all people will look down on the poor for not being able to buy expensive gifts, but most will. The individual faces pressures of the community and his own pocket, two choices buy a cheap gift and endure being classed as cheap or buy an expensive gift to impress people and not being classed as cheap.
  So who is doing the right thing, I think both, are right, Both are practicing self preservation.
  
  I think that a sound business mind is needed in any religous organisation, however it becomes sad when a priest or preacher gives preferance to a rich mans offerings over a poor mans offerings.
  
  This leaves the individual feeling guilty and inadequate, when religion backs up this guilt people will give in and you get "high waste of money and time."
  
  
  
• From: Karthi (@ 0-1pool222-139.nas33.somerville1.ma.us.da.qwest.net) on: Sat Feb 9 00:42:44
  
  Festivals were created in the first place to help people get out of their boring routines and everyday's life pressures and unite with family and friends for a day or two or as in India, a week or two and just enjoy.
  
  The idea seems to work as long as the sense of give and take, or just give if can't take, is there. It becomes a pain only when it is used by people to flaunt their wealth and power.
  
  It becomes more of an illness when the religion behind most of these festivals becomes the driving force so much so that people can't even try skipping them if they want to, lest God may punish them or the society may speak ill of them.
  
  There could be (or probably are) health reasons behind celebrating certain festivals in India during certain time of the year. Knowledgeable sources can shed some light on this.
  
  
• From: n.r.moorthy (@ 203.163.163.155) on: Wed Feb 20 13:03:30
  
  religeous activities should be held in public.
  there should not be any holidays for any kind of festival.we have jayantis for every other leader or some festival or other for each religeon.
  india should have only two national holidays namely the independance day and the republic day
  added to this fifty two sundays.rest of the days people should be made to work.
  schools and colleges should close for about a month during summer or for changeover periods.
  all kinds of hartals and strikes should be banned.
  if some of these are implemented we can hope for
  an economically prosperous india free of religious
  fanaticisms and communal problems.indians should wake up before it is too late.
  
  

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