Dnc Times - October-2016

both the festivals people reflect on the goodness in their
lifeandwish prosperityandsuccess inlife.
“Life is what you celebrate, All of it. Even its
end." (Joanne Harris) in the same context, Danielle
Moniz ( A writer by choice and profession, I blog at
thedeniverse.com) reflects on his life and articulates
through his article the meaning of Christmas and Easter
in daily life and even in death. Perhaps, we lack the
ability to look beyond the worldly celebration and
reconnectthebond withtheAlmighty.
Sch. Jeyaseelan, on the other hand, defines the
festivals as the
prototypes of life
and indicates the
challenges that are
creeping in today's
world. In this issue
there is also an
article written by
V e n e r a b l e
Sugatananda who
s h a r e s t h e
implications of
May, the important month for Buddhists and the very
practice of Dharma in day- to -day life. He tells us more
about how they signify the full moon day as Vasakha
Purnima. On this day, they call to mind three important
events of Gautama Buddha. Many people voluntarily
make their offerings to all the Buddhist monks. Indeed,
all writers have penned the view of various festivals in
their respective articles and have drawn profound
insights as well as critical significance in the current
scenario. To know more about festivals and celebration
of life read on what our writers have to say. I Hope this
issue will inspire you to become a better human person.
Haveafruitfulreading.
rd
(Wilson is3 yrstudentofphilosophy atJDV)
Life is a precious gift given by the Supreme
Being, and definitely, whatever comes from
him is incredibly good and marvelous. We need
not look for reasons to celebrate our life because it is
defaultinour beingtobepersons ofcelebration.
In the past, there was a time when every day of
the year was a celebration of life – '365 days of
celebration.' People celebrated every bit of their life.
Every event in the primitive societies, like hunting,
tilling, planting, collecting woods etc. was a sort of
celebration. Celebration of life was not merely a matter
of merry and bang.
On the contrary, it
c o n t a i n e d a n
attitude of gratitude
in an act of love and
in a vision for the
care of future.
Unfortunately, the
current scenario has
missed such kind of
c e l e b r a t i o n s .
However, we do
have few occasions to celebrate our life through various
festivalsthatdefineas wellasinstillpurpose inourlives.
Therefore, DNC TIMES team gladly presents
this issue on the theme “Festival, celebration of life".
This issue focuses on various festivals of our country
both traditional and religious. No matter what they are,
celebrations of these festivals play an important role in
our lives. It can be even said that without celebrations, we
cannot enjoy life to its fullest. Festivals also give the
opportunity to come together and leave behind religious,
caste, state and national boundaries. Fr. Shanaka
Mendin(Archdiocese of Colombo,Sri Lanka) highlights
the celebration of Deepawali andAluthavurudu (Sinhala
NewYear)inSri Lanka.Hedescribesthatincelebrating
oCtoBEr - 2016oCtoBEr - 2016oCtoBEr - 2016 020202
EditorialEditorialEditorial
Pranay Wilson SJPranay Wilson SJPranay Wilson SJ

participating in the festivals like Christmas, Diwali, Id-
ul-fitr and Ganesh Chaturti. Festivals are celebration of
life and they help to instil in the minds of all, especially
children, a feeling of unity, no matter what religion they
follow, a feeling that festivals are meant to be celebrated
together.
For children festivals mean holidays, fun, feasts,
presents, new clothes, dancing, singing, bursting
crackers, rituals, blessings and happiness. Of course
grown-ups too have a big share in these celebrations, and
the way they look at these festivals, the children learn
from them and pass it down
t o t h e i r c h i l d r e n .
Surrounded by family and
friends, festivals become
memorable moments
l e a v i n g a l a s t i n g
impression on their minds
and creating a bond with
the members of the family,
creating a sense of culture,
heritageandtradition.
India is the land of most festivals. More than 500
festivals in 365 days are celebrated in different parts of
India at different times. Festivals revolve around events
like the changing of the seasons, (harvesting and
sowing), commemorating an event, legend or history,
births of prophets, or invoking the blessings of Gods and
Goddesses. For eg. Gudi Padwa is the beginning of a new
year for many Indian people and it is celebratedin March.
Holi is one of the most colourful festivals. It arrives in our
country every year with spring. Onam is a harvest
festival, usually celebrated in August or September.
People in Kerala enjoy grand feasts and play festive
games during Onam. Pongal is also an important harvest
celebration in Tamil Nadu. People offer thanks to their
cows and bulls on this day and make sweets. Raksha
The poet John Keats in his poem 'A Thing of
Beauty' says: 'Athing of beauty is a joy forever.
Its loveliness increases, it will never pass into
nothingness.'
Reflecting on the theme 'Festivals – Celebration
of Life', I would say that 'festivals are beautiful occasions
to celebrate the love and togetherness of families which
increase year by year passing its beauty and significance
down to generations to come. Festivals bring people
together and strengthen their bonds of union. The
remembrance of some past events, religious or national,
is the usual basis for
common celebrations.
Some festivals have in the
course of time become so
deeply rooted in the
consciousness of people,
that they constitute
essential and inseparable
elements of culture.
Throughout the year these
festivals are incorporated
in the calendar, and they are often celebrated in such a
manner that the external rituals and customs overshadow
the deeper meaning and more spiritual values they are
supposed to enshrine and transmit to the succeeding
generations. Unfortunately, owing to difference of
religion or culture, the unitive force of festivals at times is
not fully utilized and so sometimes they can even become
occasionsfor strifeandcommunalclashes.
Festivals are occasions that serve to remind us of
our spiritual and cultural heritage. In India most festivals
are declared as national holidays and people from all
walks of life, belonging to different communities,
celebrate them with fervour, gusto and enjoyment. There
cannot be a more powerful symbol of communal
harmony than a sight of people of all religions
Festivals–CelebrationofLifeFestivals–CelebrationofLifeFestivals–CelebrationofLife
ArticleArticleArticle
Cont’d on Pg. 15
Sr. Susanne PereiraSr. Susanne PereiraSr. Susanne Pereira

a k h a d a ; t h e
celebration has a
strong impact on the
youngsters. Though
the youngsters are
easily influenced by
the fast changing culture and attractive fashions of the
modern world, a lot of youth make sincere effort to make
progress inacquiringlanguagesanddanceaswell.
In today's world, the special celebration, like
Karam, is a need to preserve our identity and legacy of
our ancestors. In villages people work together and
celebrate Karam together but the setting of cities is
different. People who live in cities have a very different
lifestyle from that of the villagers. Many job holders and
workers quietly bear diasporic feelings in the cities.
There are some youth too who stay in cities to pursue
their studies. In this regard, Karam celebration creates a
special opportunity to reunite people. All categories of
people can come to celebrate Karam and share the joy of
life. The feeling of natural belongingness to a vibrant and
lively community itself eases them to lead a satisfactory
life in the cities. With this satisfactory feeling, the
momentofcelebrationdoublesthejoyoftheTribals.
The Karam story delivers some inspiring
messages for our life. It invites us to become human. It
calls us to be lovers of nature. It holds our attention to
celebrate life but also be responsible for our mother
earth. The Karam teaches us that our real and original
home is nature; by caring for the nature we care for
ourselves. Let us be aware that our relationship with the
earth is from eternity and we can never be happy by
exploiting and misusing it. Nature has always protected
us and will protect us. But in turn, we too should ever
strive to become more human, constantly transform
ourselvesfor bettercaringofourcommonhome.
rd
(Paleshwar is a 3 yr student of philosophy at JDV)
heTribals of Chhotanagpur, generally known as
TAdivasis have a beautiful inheritance of
celebrating Karam. Karam, for the Tribal
community, is an expression to commemorate their
salvation story. On the feast of Karam, the community
prays specifically for the young unmarried women so
that they may have good husbands and family. The
celebration is also a reminder to each Adivasi that he/she
is a person who feels at home with nature and cannot
existinseparationfromitandthefellowhumanbeings.
This special event of Karam has a special
relationship with the Tribals, since it started from their
ancestral home which was in Rohtasgarh. It is said that in
Rohtasgarh, the Adivasis had plentiful to eat, drink and
celebrate life. But unfortunately, this celebration of life
came to an end when men of the community were
completely drunk and were defeated by their enemies.
The Tribals had to run for life: they crossed rivers and
dense forests to find a secure place, and finally hid
themselves in a cave. When they had entered in the cave,
green branches of a tree called Karam covered the mouth
of the cave. In this way theTribals were saved by the tree.
The Christians, due to its given protection, consider it the
crucifix, on which the Lord surrendered Himself
willingly in order that the whole race of humanity may
havelifeinfullness.
Karam feast presents some of the beautiful
features of the Tribal community. The people come
together and thank God, for He saved them through this
tree. It shows them that they belong to a nature loving
community. They have a close bond with nature. At the
dancing place, akhada, all the members of the
community gather and enjoy dancing together. They
become so aesthetic that they forget their daily struggles
and worries. And they sing and dance for hours with the
resounding music of mandar (the traditional musical
instrument).In spite of some difficulties like not having
the knowledge of the tongues, languages used in the
Karam:ACelebration,Prayer& MissionKaram:ACelebration,Prayer& MissionKaram:ACelebration,Prayer& Mission
ArticleArticleArticlePaleshwar Lakra SJPaleshwar Lakra SJPaleshwar Lakra SJ

parents' lives by coming home for Christmas! This
exchange of gifts, sweets, dancing and merriment is all a
reflection of the celebration of us feeling loved and cared
for,by our Fatherinheaven.
Coincidentally, my grandmother was also born
th
on 25 December. As little kids, we found this quite
exciting and used to have her cut a birthday cake with,
'Happy Birthday Jesus & Grandma' iced on the cake!
When she passed away a few years ago, one of the priests
at her funeral said something that completely changed
my perspective on life and death. He said, “If a group of
people are to take a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and one
of them falls sick and is left behind, whom will we feel
sorry for? The sick person? Or the others who took the
pilgrimage? Similarly,
someone who has died
before us has already met
the Father and we should
be happy about it, not
sorrowful.” What an
amazing way of looking at
death! As Catholics, we
probably know this, no
wonder we celebrate the
feast of Easter with as
much joy as we celebrate Christmas! For if Christmas is
about celebrating the birth of Jesus, Easter celebrates the
way He lived his life! His obedience, his faith, his
empathy, his forgiveness, his kindness, his selflessness,
his simplicity, his miracles, his triumph over death, and
most of all, his love! So with Christmas round the corner,
as we prepare our homes for His coming, let us also
prepare our hearts to serve like He did, and live a life of
love, which will be remembered and celebrated, even
muchafterwe'regone!
(Danielle Moniz is a writer by profession. Her blog is
thedaniverse.com. )
I've always loved the month of December. The cool
breeze, the snuggly warm clothes, bonfire parties
and above all, Christmas Day! And this time,
Christmaswas goingtobeevermorespecialforme!
It was Christmas Eve and amidst the joyful carols
and the aroma of scrumptious Christmas sweets, I
realised that we hadn't put up the main Christmas
decoration! So after some rummaging around, we finally
found, decorated and put up…the Christmas cradle. Yes,
that's right, Christmas cradle. For this year, along with
baby Jesus, we were to welcome the little one in my
wombaswell!
Now isn't Christmas a celebration of the birth of
Jesus?And considering He wasn't lucky enough to have a
cradle to cuddle up in then,
shouldn't we offer him
one, now? A cradle in our
homes, and in our hearts!
But unfortunately, most of
u s b r i n g o u t t h e
meaningless Christmas
tree instead. I was
fortunate enough to
deliver my baby on
Christmas Day and have him cuddle up with baby Jesus
in the same cradle.What a wonderful feeling it must have
been for him! Watching him peacefully sleep in Jesus'
arms, I hoped he would grow up to be the wise, obedient
andlovingson, likeourLordwas.
He was God, yet He chose to be born and live like
one of us.And just like we clean the house and prepare to
welcome a newborn, we do the same before Christmas.
It's a day we want to commemorate each year, year after
year! Christmas reminds us of the Lord's coming,
especially for us. And it is this very feeling that we
celebrate! Parents celebrate it by bringing their
childrenfancy gifts and children bring joy into their
Christmas & Easter- Celebrations Of Life!Christmas & Easter- Celebrations Of Life!Christmas & Easter- Celebrations Of Life!
ArticleArticleArticleDanielle MonizDanielle MonizDanielle Moniz

theoretical one. It is the step between the conception and
execution of an idea. It, then, means that festivals are the
primitive form of our lifestyle and that they could lead us,
if only they are possible of course, to a flawless lifestyle
intended at. Thus any festival has to be an enlivening
experience of our life so that it narrows down the gap
betweentheidealandtheoneatpresent.
However, festivals are now celebrated only with
a view of gaining something.The politicians want to gain
the support of the people by announcing bonuses and
freebees. Marketing of clothing and jewels keeps
breaking its own records every year. The release of films
has become a must; needless to say of the amount of
profit that the companies of fire crackers make. Those
who are not part of all the
above are happy because
they have got a holiday.
Thus, almost all are
interested only in gaining
something. It all thus results
in the losing of the
significance of festivals;
they are no longer festivals
but only days of marketing
and gaining. There hence
arise a series of questions. Are festivals any longer
celebrations of life?Are they the prototypes of our lives?
Arethoseprototypesevenworking?
It is our duty to make the people realize the
significance of such festivals, not that they are to be
celebrated but that they are the prototypes of our way of
life. If the prototypes are only for marketing, then it
means that our life too is at stake which is, actually, the
reality now. What are we going to do? The questions
raisedaforeareawaitingourresponse.
rd
(Jeyaseelan is a 3 yr student of philosophy at JDV)
Festivals are not merely days of celebration nor
are they days of remembrance of something
unique and thanksgiving, rather they are
celebrations of life itself. The traditions of any
celebration, therefore, imply the primordiality of their
being amidst our ancestors. It means that it is not because
of the festivals that people came together as one group,
rather the other way around. This very well implies that
what we celebrate as festivals today were the very ways
of life of our ancestors. Yes! They are our ideal yet
possibleways of life.
Speaking of festivals, we have Ugadi which is the
celebration of the Telugu New Year and Pongal which is
the harvest festival of the Tamils. Both these festivals
share, as they should be, the
a f o r e - m e n t i o n e d
characteristic of any festival.
For instance, 'shedruchi' is a
dish, prepared on the Ugadi
day, which is a mixture of all
available six tastes meaning
that life is a mixture of six
different emotions which
actually make it a life.
Similarly the day of 'Maattu
Pongal' is dedicated to thank all the cattle that help the
farmers in farming. This tradition came to be because
such was the attitude of our ancestors towards the cattle
on any given day. Thus festivals are no longer customs
that have to be celebrated, rather they must be our very
way of life. I would like to, hence, view the festivals as
prototypes(workingmodels)oflife.
The word prototype derives from the Greek
prototypon meaning 'primitive form' or 'first'. A
prototype is an early model of a product built to act as a
thing to be learned from. Prototyping serves to provide
specifications for a real, working system rather than a
Harvest of South IndiaHarvest of South IndiaHarvest of South India
ArticleArticleArticleJeyaseelan SJJeyaseelan SJJeyaseelan SJ

Guru Amar Das to be celebrated by Sikhs, the others
being Maghi and Diwali.To mark the celebrations, Sikh
devotees generally attend the before dawnGurdwara
with flowers and offerings in hands. Processions through
t o w n s a r e a l s o
common. Vaisakhi is
celebrated in much
the same way as
Gurpurbs Gudwaras.
are decorated and
visited. Parades,
dancing and singing
happen throughout the day. Many Sikhs choose to be
baptisedintotheKhalsabrotherhoodonthisday.
The festival is marked with nagar kirtan
processions: processions through the streets (nagar
means "town") which form an important part of Sikh
culture and religious celebrations. Kirtan is a term
meaning the singing of hymns from the Guru Grath
Sahib, the Sikh holy book. Celebrations always include
music, singing and chanting scriptures and hymns. The
processions are led by traditionally dressed Panj Piaras.
The Guru Granth Sahib will be carried in the procession
inaplaceof honour.
Since, Vaisakhi is primarily a harvest festival, the
central traditions revolve around harvesting of the crops.
The main tradition, that is the Awat Pauni, is
characterized by people getting together in large groups
to harvest wheat. Men, women and children take part in
this ritual, and work tirelessly to harvest the crop, to the
beat of drums, which are played simultaneously in the
fields. The tradition also includes people singing special
songs and dohas to the tune of the drums. People also
perform the traditional Punjabi folk dance- the giddah, or
the Bhangra, on this day. Bhangra, is traditionally a
harvestdance.
(Gurpreet Kaur Saluja livesinMumbai)
veryApril, communities across the world come
Etogether to celebrate Vaisakhi. For centuries,
Vaisakhi has marked the spring harvest, and
Punjabi farmers have celebrated this occasion with
communitygatheringsandfestivals.
Vaisakhi is celebrated on the first day of the second
month of Vaisakh according to the .Nanakshahi calendar
The festival is celebrated on 13th or 14th April, with the
era starting in 1699 A.D. Vaisakhi is a Punjabi harvest
festival for people of the . This day is alsoPunjab region
observed as a thanksgiving day by farmers whereby
farmers pay their tribute, thanking God for the abundant
harvestandalsoprayingforfutureprosperity.
Vaisakhi took on special significance for the Sikh
community in 1699, when the tenth of the Sikh Guru-
Prophets—Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708
CE)—invited his disciples to join him in the city of
Anandpur Sahib. At this gathering, Guru Gobind Singh
formally established the Khalsa Panth, the Order of the
Pure, giving rise to the festival of Khalsa Sirjana Divas. It
is also used as a celebration for those accepting the five
Ks.
During the Vaisakhi festival Guru Gobind Singh
came out of a tent carrying a sword. He challenged any
Sikh who was prepared to give his life to come into the
tent. The Guru returned alone with his sword covered in
blood. He then requested another volunteer and repeated
the same action four times until five men disappeared
into the tent. The crowd was very concerned until they
saw five men return wearing blue turbans with the Guru.
These five men became known as the Panj Piare, or
'Beloved Five'. The men were then baptised into the
Khalsa by the Guru. He sprinkled them with Amrit
('immortalising nectar': the Sikh term for holy water) and
said prayers. This is the basis of the Sikh baptismal
ceremony.
Vaisakhi is one of the three festivals chosen by
Vaisakhi - A Punjabi Harvest FestivalVaisakhi - A Punjabi Harvest FestivalVaisakhi - A Punjabi Harvest Festival
ArticleArticleArticleGurpreet KaurGurpreet KaurGurpreet Kaur

Historically, all feasts and
festivals have been celebrated to mark the time of peace
and prosperity. Naturally, the etymology of the word
Bihu takes us to two, supposedly Dimahasa, words 'bi'
and 'shu'. Bi literally means 'to ask' and shu means 'peace
and prosperity; hence, Bihu literally means 'asking for
peace and prosperity'. However, over the year the word
has evolved from just being 'asking', to celebrating and
reminding one another of the peace and prosperity that is
integralpartof our life.
Despite all these historical and cultural richness
of the festival, the question arises as to whether Bihu has
still retained its significance as a time of celebration,
especially amidst the varied trouble torn situations that
are prevalent in modern dayAssam.We know thatAssam
is one of the biggest and culturally most diverse states of
India. There is also this perennial social and political
unrest. This is accompanied by the annual floods due to
the regular monsoon uproar of the River Brahmaputra. In
such a context, Bihu, I think, indicates not just some days
of celebration in a year, but also the fullness of life that
keeps reappearing and so retelling oneself that even
difficult moments of life are passing. Bihu becomes a
symbol of hope, and the triple Bihu celebration emerges
as a moment that reminds one that life is not just a battle
tobefought,butajourneytobeenjoyed.
( Pradeep is pursuing his MA in English in Pune
University)
Ihave not met a singleAssamese whose face does not
shine with a broad smile on hearing the word Bihu.
That is the power of the magical word Bihu. Bihu is a
common festival that is celebrated all over Assam. One
of the important aspects of the growth of 'a group of
individuals' into 'a community' is its celebration of the
regular cyclic phenomena of life. The celebrations
marking these phenomena are what we call festivals.
Bihuis onesuchfestivalof theAssamesecommunity.
Bihu, as often thought to be, is not a single
festival. There are three Bihus: Bohag/Rongali Bihu,
Kongali/Kati Bihu, and Bhogali/Magh Bihu. Rongali
Bihu celebrates the arrival of the spring, and usually is in
April. Kongali Bihu is usually in October, and it is a
celebration of the appearance of the first fruits in the
field; and Bhogali Bihu is celebrated in January as
harvest festival. Besides being social celebrations, they
also have religious significance associated with them.
While Rongali and Bhogali Bihu are occasions to thank
gods for the harvest and good ambience around, Kongali
Bihu is a time not only of thanksgiving but also of
pleading the gods not to bring any curse on the newly
growing crop, but to protect and nurture it. Further, Bihu,
on all the three occasions, is a time of celebrating life
with one another. Performing religious rites, eating and
drinking, singing and dancing with musical instruments
like Dhol, Taal, Pepa, Toka, Baanhi, Xutuli and Gogona,
having adventurous sports like buffalo fights – all are
partoffun.
Bihu – Celebrating LifeBihu – Celebrating LifeBihu – Celebrating Life
W. K Pradeep SJW. K Pradeep SJW. K Pradeep SJ

you my experience way back in 2010, when as an
aspirant I was sent to a certain outstation for mission
exposure. It was a very rich experience. There I prepared
the cathecumens alongside the cathechist et al.
On the eve of the solemnity, all the outstaions
approximately 23 assembled at the quasi parish for the
preparations; confessions, choir practice, liturgy
animation and much more. What stroke me was the
welcoming spirit of the Christians of the locality who
welcomed those who had come from far off outstaions
andhadtobeaccommodatedbythem.
You can imagine what a massive celebration
which of course went on. There was the Mass which
lasted for almost three to four hours and also sandwitched
within the mass, all the groups under the patronage to our
lady, dedicating new members. Oh what a celebration!
After the celebration of the mass, we shared a common
meal and a great eureka could be seen on the expressions
of themasses.
This is just a glimpse of the celebration of the
solemnity of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Hope to share with you more on subsequent editions.
Until then may the peace of the Lord be with you all!
MotherMaryprayfor us.
st
( Tapang is 1 yr student of theology at JDV)
Cameroon which has been baptised with the
name “Africa in Miniature”, is one of the West
African countries that make up the African
continent. Among the richness of its vast varieties and
contributions to the world at large, I bring to you the
celebration of the solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
th
whichfallsonthe15 ofAugust annually.
This feast celebrated by the holy mother Church
is held on a very high platform in Cameroon. It will be
worthwhile for you to know that Cameroon is highly
percentaged with Christians and other ecclesial
communities come on board. It is on this day that the
ministers of God and the lay faithful are quite engaged
into different activities. I remember it was on this day in
the year 2002, I received the First Holy Communion.
The celebrations through out the country are very lively
andofcourse, itisdeclaredapublicholiday.
In the villages especially, more flavour is given to
this day, especially in outstaions where the priests
seldom go. Cathechists in these outstaions ensure that the
cathecumens are well prepared and ready for the
sacraments. During this trek of the priest, he tries to visit
all of these outstations, listens to confessions and
celebrates the Mass, while the cathecumens receive the
sacraments. Permit me at this juncture to share with
Assumption of Mary in CameroonAssumption of Mary in CameroonAssumption of Mary in Cameroon
ArticleArticleArticleMarius TapangMarius TapangMarius Tapang

from the samsara, only Dhamma, as taught by the
Supreme Buddha, when practised sincerely, cuts the
bondageof theworld andleadspersons toNibbana.
The flow of Dhamma remains uninterrupted for
those who seek it sincerely. Dhamma is there to be seen,
experienced and realized in our day-to-day lives
provided we pay wise attention accompanied by
mindfulness. Mindfulness is the key to correct
understanding and development of RightView.When we
see the phenomena around us as they really arise and pass
away and not as they
generally appear to us,
namely, apparently
pleasing or unpleasing,
t h e n w e s t a r t
understanding their true
nature. All phenomena
that we experience, we
did experience in the
past or will experience
in future, internal or
external, far or near,
loss or subtle, inferior
or superior, belonging to past, present or future, they are
essentially impermanent, productive of un-
satisfactoriness and devoid of a permanent abiding self,
i.e., they are empty of any substance. However, because
of lack of wise attention and mindfulness, the clear
comprehension of the phenomena does not arise and this
leads to development and strengthening of wrong view
within us. This wrong view makes us believe that some
phenomena are pleasant and shall remain so for all times
in future, and, therefore, they should be craved for,
whereas some other phenomena are unpleasant and are
going to continue in the same way and hence, they should
bepushed awayby us.
Guided by our wrong view, we behave
incorrectly; and tend to crave for pleasant
May is a special month for Buddhists. The full
moon day in May is celebrated as Vesakha
Purnima. Three Great Events in the life of
the Supreme Buddha, namely, the birth, the
Enlightenment and the Mahaparinibbana took place on
thisday.
On Vesakha day, Buddhists and followers gather
in their various temples before dawn for the ceremonial,
and honorable, hoisting of the Buddhist flag. They sing
hymns in praise of the holy triple gem: The Buddha, The
D h a r m a ( h i s
teachings), and The
Sangha (his disciples).
People make simple
offerings of flowers,
candles and joss-sticks.
Many wear white robes
and only eat vegetarian
food on and around
Vesakha. They spend
the day in the temple
trying to renew their
determination to live
the eight fold Precepts. They also donate money, food or
goods to the poor, the elderly and the sick. Keeping with
the spirit of The Buddha's teaching many birds, insects
and animals are released in what is known as a 'symbolic
act of liberation.' In some temples a small statue of the
Buddha is placed in front of the altar in a small basin of
water and decorated with flowers, allowing devotees to
pour water over the statue. Monks also recite verses
utteredby theBuddhatoinvokepeaceandhappiness.
All of us seek for happiness but it can be achieved
if we practice Dhamma. We are indeed lucky to be living
in a time when the Supreme Buddha's Noble
Dispensation is still there and we are in a position to
practise the Dhamma. Dhamma is the most shining and
valuable of all things because nothing else liberates us
Vesakha PurnimaVesakha PurnimaVesakha Purnima
ArticleArticleArticleVen. Bhikkhu SugatanandaVen. Bhikkhu SugatanandaVen. Bhikkhu Sugatananda

our dependence on the objects and people around us. At
this level we start developing the understanding that
previously we kept our mind engaged and burdened with
a lot of things that were not useful for us and then start
letting go of these phenomena one by one and
immediately, with the giving up of the attachment
towards these phenomena, our mind automatically
becomes lighter and we start feeling the happiness that
comes from a lighter and less burdened mind. This is the
beginningpointof freedom.
The further we remove our dependence on the
phenomena, the calmer the mind becomes and wiser we
get.Those who are developing this path start realizingthe
inherent burdensome nature of the unwholesome
qualities such as greed, hatred, ignorance etc. and also
the lightness and relief that comes from the wholesome
qualities such as detachment, loving kindness and
compassion and wisdom and consequently, the mind gets
more inclined to perform more and more wholesome
actions and wishes to avoid unwholesome actions. On
account of growth of wholesome actions, the meditation
starts spreading its deeper roots and wisdom starts
growing and then there comes a time when the wisdom
reaches the threshold and our defilements start getting
eradicated. Then we experience the liberation which is
Unbinding(Nibbana)andallour sorrows fadeaway.This
is thepathtohappiness.
(Sugatananda is a monk at Maha Bodhi Loka Shanti
Buddha Vihara)
phenomenon by the unpleasant phenomena. By this
constant play of attraction and repulsion, we do not allow
our mind to settle down nor allow it to develop wisdom
about the real nature of the phenomena. All phenomena
arise only to pass away, and is essentially empty and
consequently, incapable of producing any abiding
happiness for us. But our deluded mind does not see this
simple fact and gets caught in the constant wrangling of
liking and disliking and remains burdened for all times.
When this mind is burdened, then the happiness that
could have arisen out of unburdening of the mind by
developing the detachment remain an impossibility and
we never experience the happiness that is borne of a
burdenfreestateinmind.
Our suffering is necessarily self-wrought; we
through our wrong understanding tend to attach to a lot of
things which are unnecessary and burdensome for us.
But due to the lack of wisdom in us, we do not see them
correctly and take delight in the burden. For some time
these burdens appear to us as a source of great joy,
however, in the long run they become the reason for far
greater sorrow. And then when we tend to feel the pain
then we blame the phenomena for our suffering and
move on to another equally burdensome object, not
realizing the suffering is just round the corner.After some
time, the process of arising of un-satisfactoriness gets
repeated and we continue to search for another
phenomena thinking the new one might be able to help us
overcome the suffering and give happiness. However, by
their very nature, all phenomena are unsatisfactory and
therefore as long as we cling on to them, there is no
opportunityforus toovercomethesuffering.
When we start seeing the inherent non-
dependability with regard to all the objects that are
around us, by developing the wisdom bit by bit, then we
no longer rely on them and consider them as substantial.
The insubstantiality becomes clearer and clearer and as
we move towards being independent by giving up

year wishes with family members, relatives and friends
in the morning, people, put rangolis outside their homes
and garlands of flowers outside and inside their homes.
We light divas in our houses to ward off evil. Go to the
fire temple after taking a bath and pray to god for the year
ahead.
People cook special food at home called rice dal
and fish patio, or even order food for lunch and dinner
from Parsi caterers. Evenings are generally spent by
going out for a Parsi Natak or a movie or going out for
dinner. We Parsis are famous for wine and dine and so
generally on such auspicious occassion as new year men
generally like to drink at home or outside with family and
friends.
For the Irani new year of Jamshedi Navroze the
routine followed is the same except that a special table is
set up with selected food items and liquids which has its
own significance. This table is generally kept for the
whole day of new year. May the glory of King spread all
over, May Lord praise us in galore, Lets pray for
happiness and prosperity, May this Parsi New Year gives
us Happiness. Lasting ever and ever !!…Happy New
Year!
(Sorab is working as a Chief Engineer in the
Merchant Navy)
he Parsis landed in the west coast of India in
TGujarat 1386 years ago in a small town called
Sanjan, in alsad district, after fleeing from our
motherland Iran to save ourselves from the invaders from
a particular region who wanted us to get converted or get
executed. Some out of fear had got converted and
majority fled to save their lives and religion. In India we
were welcomed by the ruler of Gujarat, provided we
fulfilled certain conditions put down by him, which we
havebeendoingforalltheseyears.
Festivals:
There are two major festivals we Parsis celebrate
one being our new year also called as navroze and the
other being the new year of Iranis called as jamshedi
navroze, which every year falls on the day of the equinox
21st march. This festival is still celebrated in the Persian
GulfcountrieslikeIran.
Parsi new year of navroze falls every year in
August as of now and with every leap year gets back by
one day as we have only 365 days in a calendar year and
noleapyears.Beforeour newyear t h e 1 0 d a y s
preceeding that is our holy days when we worship our
departedsouls andaremourningdaysforus.On the day
ofthenewyeargenerallyaftergetting
Parsi & Irani New yearParsi & Irani New yearParsi & Irani New year
ArticleArticleArticleMr. Sorab SadriMr. Sorab SadriMr. Sorab Sadri

be the god of Ayurveda) and also for their good health ,
while the businessmen worship their treasures on this
day.
 Narakchaturdashi: It is believed that on this
day the very cruel and powerful demon was killed by lord
Krishna.As asymbolicgesturetocelebratethisoccasion,
the family members crush a typical kind of fruit before
theirbath.Itsignifiesthevictoryof good overevil.
 Lakshmi poojan: On this day, people perform
rituals to please the Goddess Lakshmi, believed to be the
Goddess of wealth.
 Balipratipada : This is celebrated to mark the
conquestof LordVishnu overtheevildemonBali.
Then there is also the celebration of bond of love
between brothers and sisters called bhai dooj. And
Vasubaras where the holy cows are worshipped. And
there is also a day called Padwa, which also marks the
celebration of a bond of love between a husband and
wife.
Before the Diwali festival, people clean their
houses, paint or redecorate it. New clothes are bought
and Diwali sweets are prepared. It is believed that since it
falls at the beginning of the winter season, the traditional
sweets consumed during Diwali help us to prepare our
bodies for the cold and dry weather. Also special bath
rituals are observed during Diwali called Abhyanga
snana, where oil is massaged all over the body and
bathing is specially prepared using a herbal powder
called ubatan. Lighting of the lamps during this festival
indicates the victory of light over darkness. It is an
obeisance to the heavens/ universe for attaining health
wealth, knowledge, peace and prosperity. The aspects
important to human life are paid respect. Belief and hope
in triumph of good, removing darkness in our lives and
thosearoundus istheessenceof Diwali.
( Neeta Patil works at Capgemini Consulting Ltd)
n a culturally diverse country like India, a number
Iof festivals are celebrated throughout the year. They
are typically woven around mythological, seasonal,
religious or spiritual reasons. Most of them have a deep
philosophicalsignificancebehindthem.
Towards the end of the monsoon season, a chain
of festival begins, where people observe fast, consume
vegetarian food, worship various aspects of nature e.g.
Nagapanchami where the cobra/ serpent is worshipped
and a garland made from leaves of various kinds of
monsoon seasonal plants and flowers is offered to him.
These leaves are supposed to be from the plant habitat
wherethecobraissupposed toreside.
Although there are religious reasons offered for
consuming vegetarian food during monsoon, the
philosophy could be that the digestive system is sluggish
during this period, it's the breeding season for the fish and
consuming them at this time could lead to their
extinction. Also animals in general could suffer from
some kind of disease or the other and thus consuming
themcouldbeharmful.
Nagapanchami is followed by raksha bandhan,
Ganesh festival, Pola ( where bulls are worshipped since
they aid in farming ) then Navratri, Dassehra and finally
Diwali.
Though some festivals could be celebrated only
in some parts of India and not in others, Diwali is an
exception. It is celebrated across the length and breadth
of the country. It's an ancient festival. According to the
epic Ramayana, it is believed that Rama returned home
after 14 years of exile on this day and hence since then
Diwali is celebrated. Diwali also generally marks the end
of the harvest season for Kharip crops. It is celebrated on
4 consecutive days. Each day of Diwali has different
significance.
 Dhanatrayodashi : Ayurvedic doctors celebrate
this to pay respect to the deity Dhanvantari (believed to
Diwali -Diwali - Belief and Hope in Triumph of GoodBelief and Hope in Triumph of GoodDiwali - Belief and Hope in Triumph of Good
ArticleArticleArticleNeeta PatilNeeta PatilNeeta Patil

Eid al-Fitr “festival of breaking of the fast” is an
important religious holiday celebrated by
Muslims worldwide that marks the end of
Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. The
religious Eid is the first and only day in the month of
Shawwal during which Muslims are not permitted to fast.
The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30
days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of
Ramadan. The day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day
of the month of Shawwal. The date for the start of any
lunar Hijri month varies based on the observation of new
moon by local religious authorities, so the exact day of
celebrationvariesby locality.
Eid al- Fitr has a particular Salat (Islamic prayer)
consisting of two Rakats (units) and generally offered in
an opening field or large hall. It may be performed only in
congregation and has an additional extra six Takbirs
three of them in the beginning of the first raka'ah and
three of them just before Ruku' in the second raka'ah in
the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam. Other Sunni school
usually have twelveTakbirs, seven in the first , and five at
the beginning of the second raka'ah. This Eid al- Fitr
salat depends on which juristic opinion is followed, Fard,
Mustahabbor mandoob.
Muslims believe that they are commanded by
Allah, as mentioned in the Quran, to continue their fast
untilthelastdayofRamadanandpraytheZakatandfitra
beforeofferingtheEidprayer.
Traditionally, it is the day (beginning at sunset)
of the first sighting of the crescent moon shortly after
sunset. If the
m o o n i s n o t
o b s e r v e d
immediately after
th
the 29 day of the
previous lunar
month (either
because clouds
block its view or because the western sky is still too
brightwhenthemoonsets), thenitis thefollowingday.
Eid al- Fitr is celebrated for one, two or three
days. Common greetings during this holiday are the
Arabic greeting 'Eid Mubarak (“Blessed Eid”).
Muslims are also encouraged on this day to forgive and
forget any difference with others or animosities that may
haveoccurredduringtheyear.
Typically, practising Muslims wake up early in
the morning – always before sunrise-offer Salatul Fjr and
in keeping with the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad
clean their teeth, take a shower before prayers, put on
newclothesandapplyperfume.
It is forbidden to fast on the Day of Eid. It is
customary to acknowledge this with a small sweet
breakfast, preferable of dates, before attending a special
Eidprayer.
As an obligatory act of charity, money is paid to
the poor and the needy before performing the 'Eid
prayer'. The Eid prayer is performed in congregation in
open areas like fields, community centres, etc. After the
prayers, Muslims visit their relatives, friends and
acquaintances or hold large communal celebration in
homes, community centres or rented halls. Eid gifts,
known as Eidi, are frequently given to children and
relatives.
(Annet is studying in St. Vincent’s college, Pune)
EIDEIDEID
ArticleArticleArticleAnnet AnandrajAnnet AnandrajAnnet Anandraj

time to perform many rituals during this festival. This
practice of celebration is mostly observed by the farmers
in the villages, because this celebration is a form of
offering their gratitude to the Sun for their harvest. On an
auspicious time, the newly built hearth is lit up, and a pot
of fresh milk is kept on that new hearth to wish success
and prosperity in their life. Furthermore the whole family
rally around the dining table to light an oil lamp, which
symbolises the new beginning and bright future in their
family. It is obvious that in celebrating both Deepavali
and Aluth Avurudu, people reflect on the goodness in
their life, and wish for prosperity and success in their lief
for now andever.
( Shanaka is a priest in the Archdiocese of
Colombo, Sri Lanka)
Deepavali” festival is commonly celebrated by
both Sri Lankan and Indian Hindu faithful.
This festival is celebrated annually either in
October or November. Celebration of this festival in the
life of Hinduism reflects the defeat of the darkness in
one's life and one's family by the goodness. In other
words, it symbolizes the victory of good forces over evil
forces in one's life. Because of this reason this festival is
also termed as the “Festival of Lights,” By tradition, they
light up small lamps in their homes and the temples as a
symbolic of their celebration, and wish a bright and
prosperous future.
Sri Lankan Buddhist faithful traditionally and
th
annually celebrate a similar festival on 14 of April,
called “Aluth Avurudu” known as “Sinhala New Year,”
where the entire country is in festive mood on this special
day. The practice of this joyful celebration goes down to
the time of pre-historical period of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan
Buddhists mostly celebrate this colourful festival on the
basis of astrology and the study of the signs of the zodiac,
where they believe that the Sun, which is the base on
which time and seasons counted upon, journeys from
“Meena” to “Mesha”(from Pisces to Aries) in the
Zodiac.This journey of Sun is commonly called
“Mankranthiya” or “Transition.” During the period of
transition is called “Nonagathya” or no auspicious time.
During this time they refrain from engaging in their usual
works, and observe some religious ritual at Buddhist
temples. Therefore they observe “Nakath” or auspicious
Celebration of light in Sri LankaCelebration of light in Sri LankaCelebration of light in Sri Lanka
Cont’d from Pg.3
Bandhan is a celebration of a special bond
between brothers and sisters. The sister ties a 'rakhi'
around her brother's wrist and he, in return, promises to
look after her, and gives her a present.What better way
for a brother to show his love, respect, admiration and to
give protection to his sister especially in our country
when the girl-child is looked down on by society and
treatedshamefully.
Conclusion: Festivals play an important part in the
social bonding of Indians all over the world and develop
a sense of national integration. Indians living abroad
have their share in celebrating not only the Indian
festivals but also those of the countries in which they live
thus integrating themselves in the lifestyle and feeling
one with the people they live with. India being a land of
diverse culture, language, tradition, caste and creed, one
experiences a myriad of festivals enhancing the
celebrationof lifeandloveallover.
( Sr. Susanne is the Secretary to the Provincial of
Ursuline Franciscan Congregation)
Festivals, a Celebration of Life
ArticleArticleArticleFr. Shanaka MendisFr. Shanaka MendisFr. Shanaka Mendis

Hindus but Christians and Muslims also celebrate Onam.
It is one such festival that unites all the people of different
racesandreligions.
How significant is Onam today? It is said that
Kerala never witnessed a better time than it witnessed
during the rule of king Mahabali. He was the most just
king ever to rule Kerala. The legend says that the king
sacrificed his life and his wealth to stand true to his
words. The people were equally treated and respected
each other during his kingship. Keralites sing on that day
“maveli nadu vaneedum kalem manushyarelarum onnu
pole” it means all were equal, when Mahabeli ruled the
land. Like all other feast days, Onam also leaves us in a
world, to think over about the present society or to reflect
on theworld wherewelive.
The great disparities
between the rich and the
poor, conflicts due to the
religious fundamentalism,
t h e m a n i p u l a t e d
governments, corrupted
authorities etc. make the
meaning of Onam feast as a
matter of thought. If it is
celebrated only in peripheral
level, Onam also will pass us
with great noise like all other celebrations. It's a social
remainder to evoke the responsibility of a citizen. It's
somethingto mouldone's innervaluesto havea universal
mind to accept that all are equal and to sacrifice
everything for an authentic life. When the different
colors of flowers are brought together, the Pookalalm
(Rangoli of flowers) gains its beauty. The differences in
the society should not be a cause for division, it should
unite the people for creating a beautiful society. So let us
trytoimbibetherealthrustof thisgreatcelebration.
nd
(Charles is a2 yr student of theologyatJDV)
Onam is a festival which is still celebrated in
today's modern time. Onam is considered as
one of the most beautiful and meaningful
festivals in the world. It stands as very pure and beautiful
festival of the Indians and is known for its richness in
diversity. It is an ancient celebration surviving even
now. Sometimes people misunderstand Onam as a
harvest festival. Actually no harvest is happening on
Chingam (Malayalam month). That would be a term
given by English people. There are records of Onam
being celebrated during the Sangam age. The record of
Onam is found in earliest writings about Kulasekhara
Perumals around AD 800. Onam elevates the rich
cultural heritage of Kerala. Onam has two specific
significances. First it is the communal memory and
celebration of past history of
Mahabali legend. A story of
how paradise was lost by
sacrificing the life of the
King for his people. He was
known for his generosity and
love for his people. And he
was blessed for his desire to
visit his people once in every
year. So people make
elaborate preparations to
welcome their king on this day, to bless the people with
happinessandprosperity.
Onam is celebrated in the starting of the month of
Chingam, which is the first month of Malayalam
calander. And celebration lasts for ten days with great
pomp and enthusiasm. Now people who are outside
kerala also celebrate the Onam joining the other people in
the celebrations. They also feel involved in the festival
activities. Different kinds of fun games, Pookalam
(Rangoli of flowers), vegetarian lunch called
Onasadhya, Thiruvathirakali (dance), vallam kali
(boatrace), make the particular day special. Not only
OnamOnamOnam
Charles CSTCharles CSTCharles CST

environmentisveryyouthfulandinvigorating.
Significance: It represents the celebration of the
GoddessAmba(Power) inninedifferentforms.
5.Durga Puja
One of the important festivals of India, Durga
Puja is celebrated with grandeur by Bengalis, throughout
the country. The 10 days of fast, feast, and worship of
Goddess Durga are accompanied by cultural songs,
dances, and dramas. Huge and beautiful Durga idols are
made and placed in specially made artistic
Pandals(canopies). People dress in traditional wear and
go aroundthepandal–hopping,praying,andfeasting.
Significance: It commemorates Lord Rama's invocation
of Goddess Durga before going to war with the demon
kingRavana.
6.Vishu
Vishu, a Hindu festival, is among the most
important festivals of India. The festivities include
performing the puja, bursting crackers, decorating with
lights, buying and wearing new clothes, giving money to
children and loved ones, and having the Vishu feast that
has equalproportionsof salt,sweet,sour andbitteritems.
Significance: It is the start of the Hindu New year.
People celebrate Vishu to commemorate the return of
“Sun God”.
7.Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi, another important Hindu
religious festivals of India, is a 10-day affair of colorful
festivities. Huge handcrafted Ganesh idols are installed
in homes or outdoors, in public pandals. Pujas are
performed in the morning and the evening.The last day is
the day of Visarjan – immersion of those idols in a water
body.
Significance: It's the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the
elephant-headedGod.
rd
( Praveen Jose is 3 yr student of philosophy at JDV)
(Collated from Various Sources)
1.Diwali
Diwali, the most prominent Hindu festival of
India, is celebrated with a lot of pomp and show. During
this festival of lights, houses are decorated with clay
lamps, candles, and Ashok leaves. People wear new
clothes, participate in family puja, burst crackers, and
sharesweetswithfriends,families,andneighbors.
Significance: The festival marks the return of Lord
Rama to home, along with his wife Sita and brother
Lakshmana,afteralongexileof 14 years.
2.Holi
Also known as the festival of colors, Holi is one
of the famous festivals of India, celebrated with a lot of
fervor across the country. On the eve of Holi, people
make huge Holika bonfires and sing and dance around it.
On the day of Holi, people gather in open areas and apply
dry and wet colors of multiple hues to each other, with
some carrying water guns and colored water filled
balloons.
Significance: It signifies the victory of good (Prince
Prahlad)overevil(Holika)andthearrivalof spring.
3.Dusshera
Dussehra, also referred to as Vijayadashami, is
also among the most famous festivals of India. It is
celebrated in different forms countrywide.
Ramlila(enactment of scenes from Ramayana) is held
everywhere for 10 days. It's culminated with “Ravan
Dahan” – the burning of huge effigies of Ravana,
Meghnath and kumbhakaran which is a real spectacle to
see.
Significance: It celebrates the death of the demon king
Ravanaatthehands of LordRama.
4.Navratri
Navratri festival is celebrated by all people
throughout India in different ways. In Gujarat, it is a nine
day celebration of rejuvenating Garba nights and highly
energetic Dandiya Raas dances. People are dressed in
beautiful, colorful traditional clothes and the
Major Festivals in IndiaMajor Festivals in IndiaMajor Festivals in India
ArticleArticleArticlePraveen Jose SJPraveen Jose SJPraveen Jose SJ

St. Xavier’s Youth - Camp
Sunday 25th September 2016 was a very big day for our youth group.After
planning for almost a month and working together, the day had finally arrived.
This day we had organized, "Father Barco MemorialThrowballTournament 2016"
for girls. Teams from all over Pune Diocesan had come to take part in the
tournament. We had a list of almost 12 teams, including the teams of Mothers of
Xaviers which was called as MOX. Rev FatherAndrew and Rev Father Misquitta
inaugratedthefunctionandwelcomedtheteamsfor participation.
It was very exciting to see the matches. OurYouth Group members worked
together to make this tournament a very big success. Each one of us were given
different task to perform so that the tournament goes on very smoothly. There was
a surprise match for the boys as well. The day ended with nail-biting finals
between Sacred heart youth group and St. Patrick's youth group. The Tournament
was won by St Patrick's youth group. Father Andrew gave away the prizes n
Trophy. Finally one of the youth member gave the vote of thanks. After a tedious
day which finally ended with a smile on everyone's face and memories in
everyone's heart .We would like to specially thank Fr.Andrew Fernandes SJ for his
constant support n all the sponsors for their support without them we wouldn't b
abletoputabigshow n asmileoneveryone'sface. -SteffiPereira
Gorpuri. Telugu Sangam
The Ghorpuri Telugu sang am had arrived in Pune around 1970. They are mainly from the districts of
Cudapha , Nellore and Prakash ofAndhrapradesh. Majority of them do not have their own houses and so they stay
in rented houses resulting scattered houses as for their convenience. They have strong catholic faith and show
special devotion to Velankani Matha. Scholastics form DNC assist in their faith journey by going to ministry
regularly. Scholastic those who speak Telugu actively involved in teaching Telugu prayers, conducting family
prayers and helping them in the choir. Whenever there is special occasion in their families they invite scholastic to
bless the occasion by conducting special rosary service. Scholastics with dedicated commitment teach new Telugu
hymns for the church feasts and lead the faithful to share the love of Christ. Though it is tiring job to cycle 10k.m to
reachthecatholicbody yetitisrewardingeffortinthesightof thelordtocontinuehismission
181818
oCtoBEr - 2016oCtoBEr - 2016oCtoBEr - 2016

Dnc Times - October-2016

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