Festivals add a
little color and gaiety to the life of the people in the Jammu
city. A number of festivals are celebrated in Jammu, ranging
from Lohri to Ramnavmi to Navratri.
Lohri festival is celebrated
on the 13th of January to welcome the onset of spring season
and the end of the winter season. The people rejoice on the
harvesting of the winter crop at the time of Lohri. Sweets,
puffed rice and popcorn are thrown into the flames and the
fire is worshipped.
Baisakhi Festival
falls on April 13th or April 14th and marks the beginning
of the solar year. People of North India, particularly Punjab
thank God for good harvest. For the Sikhs Baisakhi is the
day their tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, formed the Khalsa
sect in 1699.
Bahu Festival in Jammu
is held in the Bahu Fort where the idol of Goddess Kali is
worshipped. People adore Kali Goddess because of her miraculous
power which is said to do magic and solve men's problems.
The Bahu Fort, in which the idol of Mother Goddess Kali has
been kept, is situated 5 kilometer from the Jammu City.
Chaitre Chaudash is
celebrated at Uttar Behni and Purmandal, about 25 km and 28
from Jammu respectively. Uttar Behni gets its name from the
fact that the Devak river (locally also known as Gupt Ganga)
flows here in the northerly direction.
Purmandal Mela is organized
at a venue that is 39 km from Jammu. This three-day fair is
held during the time of Shivratri. It is a celebration of
the marriage between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, the darling
daughter of the king of the Himalayas who arranged his daughter's
marriage with Lord Shiva after a lot of hesitation.
Jhiri Mela A tribute
to a legendary farmer is an annual fair held in Jammu every
year in the months of October-November. The fair is celebrated
to salute the courage of a farmer, his sacrifice for the liberation
of the farming community. The Samadhi of Baba Jit Mal, popularly
known as Baba Jitto at Shama Chak Jhiri, about 22 km from
Jammu.
Navaratri is a Hindu
festival of worship and dance. The word Navaratri literally
means nine nights in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri
meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine
forms of Shakti/Devi are worshipped.
Urs In Srinagar the saints,
holy men and pious people are seen on the altar of life. The
Urs (Ziarats) Festival in Srinagar is a portrayal of the reverence
and admiration of the saints and pious people. This festival
is related to the Sufi movement in the valley of Kashmir.
The Urs (Ziarats) Festival in Kashmir takes places annually.
This celebration takes place to recollect the death anniversaries
of Muslim Saints.
Ramnavami
Ramnavami commemorates the birth anniversary of Lord Rama.
On this festival, processions are taken out in the city, with
the major attention being tableaux that portray scenes from
the Ramayana.
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