Every year, as Ramazan comes to a close, it leaves a pang in the heart. We are all a little better, a little more giving, sacrificing and closer to God during the holy month. For Muslims, fasting from sunrise to sunset is a ritual that affords pleasure and a feeling of brotherhood as we collectively restrain and break fast at the same time.
Eid is a well-deserved culmination of Ramazan. Immersing oneself into three continuous days of no work, no school and no obligations except to visit and dine at numerous relatives, is uplifting — especially after a month of fasting, tarawih prayers and waking up for sehri at an undreamt-of hour (though the absence of these very things feels strange later on). Kids on the other hand love Eidi, and the tradition of gulping siwaiyan by the bucket loads, visiting annually-remembered relatives, choosing and donning new clothes, new shoes, new purse, new bangles...no wonder the advent of Eid as well as its preparation are so pleasurable. And of course, everybody loves festivals.
Apart from Eid for Muslims, people of various religions around the world celebrate various occasions individual to their beliefs. Such festivals are diverse, ranging from Diwali to Easter to Hanukkah. They are usually lively and cheerful with a conglomeration of sound, colour, the aroma of good food and social activity. Religious festivals usually require extra effort and financing, but they take us out of our daily routine and give us pleasure and much-needed relaxation (take the case of men sitting and watching a televised cricket match all day on Eid).
On the Internet, there are a wealth of web sites that help us understand these festivals. For Muslims, there is www.islamonline.net a site with large archives of information on a wide variety of topics: Ramazan, zakat, moon-watching, recitation of the Quran, etc. With regard to the holy month, in addition to related photographs, subjects such as the tarawih prayers and the different conditions of breaking fast are discussed. This is a very interesting site, with snippets on the miracles of Allah and references to historical events alongside the multitude of links for many different informative articles, all condensed on the main page. It is also well-presented and also offers multimedia such as audio files of various discourses.
Another site to delve into is http://mediaguidetoislam.sfsu.edu:16080/dailylife/05c_festivals.htm. This address offers information on the two Eids in Islam, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha, and their role in Muslim culture. More information on the month of Ramazan as well as the day of the Holy Prophet’s (Peace be upon him) birth is also accessible. The information is simple and presented from the point of view of Muslim communities in non-Muslim countries. You can also take a look at the Islamic calendar, available at the web site.
The web is also rich in sites pertaining to other festivals, including of course the fabulously-celebrated event of Christmas. ChristianityToday.com has compiled resources for people to enjoy the true spirit of Christmas at http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/christmas. A lucid article on the story of the birth of Christ is included here, as well as various pieces written by contributors on topics concerning Christianity: its celebrations, respecting Virgin Mary and motivational stories of faith stemming from personal experiences. There is also a Christmas Music Wrap-Up link through which you can access Christmas releases. Another link on the web site, http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/easter/ explains the importance of Easter. There are also numerous other pages devoted to special days such as Lent, National Bible Week and the Ascension of Jesus.
Virtual Chanukah, at http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/default.asp, is a very interesting web site that has detailed and sequenced information on the Jewish festival of Chanukah. Not only do they provide us with information about Chanukah, its history and the common way of celebrating it, but there is also a multimedia section as well as a separate section for kids (Children’s Chanukah Guide) which answers basic questions such as how to light the Menorah. Also featured are recipes for this eight-day festival, as well as games for kids. This is a very well-designed site that is a pleasure to browse.
Hindu festivals are mostly seasonal and fixed according to the lunisolar calendar. There are a lot of general days of festivals; the lesser festivals and fasts are observed only by the more devout Hindus. Hindu festivals involve lighted lamps, presents, sacrifices, purification by bathing, etc. At least once a year, every important Hindu temple holds its own festival, which is celebrated by dancing, singing, and reciting religious stories.
The Hindu Universe, at http://hindunet.org/festivals/2004/ presents a chronology of important Hindu dates for 2004. Every event has related links to access e-cards and specific sites featuring the event in great detail. Apart from this calendar, there are also forums for discussions and a section for chat as well. Another site, http://www.hinduism.org.za/holi-.htm is all about the Hindu festival of Holi. The detailed story of Prahlad as well as the importance of Holi are presented here. Both pieces are easy to read and can contribute to one’s understanding of Hinduism. The web site Hinduism.org contains countless other topics related to Hinduism, from Hinduism and Quantum Physics to Karma and Destiny and many more besides.
A site whose content offers ‘infotainment’ is http://india.coolatlanta.com/GreatPages/sudheer/book2/festivals1.html. It attempts to discuss the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Dassera and Holi from a rationalist’s point of view. Indeed, festivals are also discussed according to their historical and sociological aspects; the article on the site makes for an interesting read. The writer also addresses the similarity between Holi and different festivals in other cultures, such as Guy Fawkes’ Day and Carnival.
The selection of the mentioned web sites serves to increase our knowledge of festivals in other religions, that are celebrated by so many different kinds of people with similar devotion and joy.
Every year, as Ramazan comes to a close, it leaves a pang in the heart. We are all a little better, a little more giving, sacrificing and closer to God during the holy month. For Muslims, fasting from sunrise to sunset is a ritual that affords pleasure and a feeling of brotherhood as we collectively restrain and break fast at the same time.
