JOIN USReligious fervour marks three festivals on Friday
With three festivals falling on the same day, Friday was a day of celebration and rejoicing among people of different communities. People across the City observed Onam, Varamahalakshmi Vratha and Upakarma festivals with fervour and spirit.
While the markets were crowded with people making a last minute purchase of items required for the festival, temples echoed with prayers and hymns. Sweet and savoury dishes were made on the occasion of Varamahalakshmi Vratha and Onam by the people.
Harvest for Keralites
Raghukumar Paramparampath, a resident of Thubarahalli, hailing from Kerala, said that Onam signifies the beginning of the harvest season. He added, “People make 'Pookalam' (a flower decoration) in front of their houses. It is drawn to symbolically mark the yearly homecoming of King Mahabali. Pujas are performed, followed by which, Onam Sadya, a variety of around 22 vegetarian dishes, is prepared by households. It is a kind of a get-together for us as we visit our relatives on this day.”
Kerala Samajams and educational institutions dotting the City celebrated the festival by holding cultural programmes. At Canadian International School, the students and the staff celebrated by dressing up in Onam attire.
Varamahalakshmi
Varamahalakshmi Vratha, considered an women's festival dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, was observed with enthusiasm.
Women prayed at temples and visited their near and dear ones. The festival, which marks the onset of the festival season in the Hindu month of Shravana, was complete with the distribution of sweets and offerings.
At Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Malleswaram, hundreds of devotees turned up to offer prayers to Goddess Lakshmi. Special pujas and decorations of dieties was organised at temples.
Upakarma
Meanwhile, Upakarma, one of the ancient Vedic rituals, involving changing of Janivara (sacred thread) was also performed on Friday.
Sudarshan R, a committee member of the Raman Nagar Asthika Samajam Trust that conducts the Upakarma annually, said, “People wearing old Janivaras will wear a new one on Upakarma. While the Rig Veda Upakarma is observed on Friday, the Yajur Veda Upakarma is being observed on Saturday. Vedas are taught on the occasion which symbolises the start of a new vedic semester or chapter in Vedic schools.”
He added that their trust will be conducting Yajur Upakarma at Bhuvaneshwari temple, Bhuvaneshwari Nagar and about 200 to 250 people are expected to take part in the event.