DIWALI 2009… The ‘Row of Lights Festival’ starts 17th October

Diwali: Festival of Lights

Light Up Your Life!

Deepawali or Diwali is certainly the biggest of all Hindu festivals. It’s the festival of lights (deep = light and avali = a row i.e., a row of lights) that’s marked by four days of celebration, which literally illumines the country with its brilliance and dazzles all with its joy. Each of the four days in the festival of Diwali is separated by a different tradition, but what remains true and constant is the celebration of life, its enjoyment and goodness.

(photo.net)

Historically, the origin of Diwali can be traced back to ancient India, when it was probably an important harvest . However, there are various legends pointing to the origin of Diwali. Some believe it to be the celebration of the marriage of Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. Whereas in Bengal the festival is dedicated to the worship of Mother Kali, the goddess of strength. Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed God, the symbol of auspiciousness and wisdom, is also worshipped in most Hindu homes on this day. In Jainism, Deepawali has an added significance to the great event of Lord Mahavira attaining the eternal bliss of nirvana. Diwali also commemorates the return of Lord Rama along with Sita and Lakshman from his fourteen year long exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana. In joyous celebration of the return of their king, the people of Ayodhya, the Capital of Rama, illuminated the kingdom with earthen diyas (oil lamps) and burst crackers.

These Four Days
Each day of Diwali has it’s own tale, legend and myth to tell. The first day of the festival Naraka Chaturdasi marks the vanquishing of the demon Naraka by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. Amavasya, the second day of Deepawali, marks the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth in her most benevolent mood, fulfilling the wishes of her devotees. Amavasya also tells the story of Lord Vishnu, who in his dwarf incarnation vanquished the tyrant Bali, and banished him to hell. Bali was allowed to return to earth once a year, to light millions of lamps to dispel the darkness and ignorance, and spread the radiance of love and wisdom. It is on the third day of Deepawali – Kartika Shudda Padyami that Bali steps out of hell and rules the earth according to the boon given by Lord Vishnu. The fourth day is referred to as Yama Dvitiya (also called Bhai Dooj) and on this day sisters invite their brothers to their homes.

The Significance of Lights & Firecrackers
All the simple rituals of Diwali have a significance and a story to tell. The illumination of homes with lights and the skies with firecrackers is an expression of obeisance to the heavens for the attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace and prosperity. According to one belief, the sound of fire-crackers are an indication of the joy of the people living on earth, making the gods aware of their plentiful state. Still another possible reason has a more scientific basis: the fumes produced by the crackers kill a lot of insects and mosquitoes, found in plenty after the rains.

The Tradition of Gambling
The tradition of gambling on Deepawali also has a legend behind it. It is believed that on this day, Goddess Parvati played dice with her husband Lord Shiva, and she decreed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night would prosper throughout the ensuing year.

From Darkness into Light…
In each legend, myth and story of Deepawali lies the significance of the victory of good over evil; and it is with each Deepawali and the lights that illuminate our homes and hearts, that this simple truth finds new reason and hope. From darkness unto light – the light that empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds, that which brings us closer to divinity. During Diwali, lights illuminate every corner of India and the scent of incense sticks hangs in the air, mingled with the sounds of fire-crackers, joy, togetherness and hope. Outside India, Diwali is more than a Hindu festival, it’s a celebration of South-Asian identities. If you are away from the sights and sounds of Diwali, light a diya, sit quietly, shut your eyes, withdraw the senses, concentrate on this supreme light and illuminate the soul.

(Soure: 10/2008 | About Hinduism – Subhamoy Das (Hinduism Guide))

Global Diwali – Celebrations Around the World…

Global Diwali

« 10 Reasons to Celebrate Diwali – The Festival of Lights is for All

« DIWALI 2009… The ‘Row of Lights Festival’ starts 17th October

Celebrations Around the World

Diwali is also celebrated outside of India mainly in Guyana, Fiji, Malaysia, Nepal, Mauritius, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago, Britain, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Africa, Australia and the US among the Hindus across the world.

Diwali celebrations in Britain
The Indians are the second largest ethnic minority in Britain. To get rid of the feeling of missing their homeland, especially during festival times, the Indians here celebrate most of the festivals. The occasion is marked by visit to the local temple to worship the shrine of Lakshmi, which they have made for Diwali. Eating special sweets, burning of incense sticks, lighting the home and surroundings and the blowing of the conch shell follows the prayer session in the Lakshmi temple. The festival here is celebrated according to the Hindu solar calendar hence it falls in the months of October-November, amongst the cold, damp and windy months in Britain. Still the enthusiasm of the festival celebration makes the task of leaving small lamps on windowsills or by open doorways possible ignoring the chill. The lamps and diyas play their part in maintaining the atmosphere of Diwali at home.

Diwali celebrations in Guyana
Guyana, formerly known as British Guiana, is located on the northeast coast of South America. Guyana is 82,978 square miles in area and has a population of about 7,70,000. Hindus constitute 33% of Guyana’s total population. The Co-operative Republic of Guyana in Southern America celebrates Diwali according to the Hindu Solar calendar. The day of the festival is declared as a national holiday in the official calendar of Guyana. The tradition of celebrating the festival is believed to have been brought to Guyana in the year 1853 by the first indentured people from India. The legends related to the festival are similar to that of India. The celebration of the festival includes, distribution of sweets, illuminating the inside and outside of the house, exchange of greetings, cleaning of houses and wearing of new clothes. The celebrations hold special significance for the people of Guyana. The distribution of sweet signifies the importance of serving and sharing whereas exchange of greeting cards denotes the goodwill of each other. The sweets distributed mainly consist of pera, barfi, and kheer. The tradition of wearing new cloth for the people of Guyana is significant especially in this festival. They believe that wearing new cloth is the symbol of healthy souls in healthy bodies. Cleaning of their homes and keeping them well illuminated in and outside is a practice meant to illuminate the road for Goddess Lakshmi so that while goddess Lakshmi visits their home she faces no problem of light as the Diwali night is regarded as the darkest night of the year.

Diwali celebrations in Indonesia
The name Indonesia came from two Greek words: “Indos” meaning Indian and “Nesos” meaning islands. The majority of population follows Islam. Hindus constituent about 2% of Indonesia’s total population. However, the Indonesian island of Bali is famous for celebrating the festival of Diwali, as a majority of the population here is that of Indians. It is one of the most revered festivals of the locals here. The celebration and rituals of the festival is mostly similar to that celebrated by their counterparts in India.

Diwali celebrations in Malaysia
Fascinating in its diversity, Malaysia has many mesmerizing charms and attractions. With a population of about 20 million, comprising of a harmonious multi-ethnic mix of Malays, Malaysia promises a colorful potpourri of cultural traditions. Most are based on the various religious practices, beliefs and traditions influencing the costumes, festivals, ceremonies and rituals. The Hindu community of Malaysia constitutes about 8% of its total population .The community celebrates Diwali as a symbol of triumph of good over evil. The Malaysian people call Diwali as Hari Diwali. This festival is celebrated during the 7th month of the Hindu solar calendar. The south Indian traditional of oil bath precedes the festivities. The celebration includes visits to temples and prayers at household altars. Small lamps made from clay and filled with coconut oil and wicks are a common sight to signify the victory of Lord Rama, the hero of the Hindu epic Ramayana, over the demon king Ravana. Diwali is celebrated almost all over the Malaysia except in Sarawak & Federal Territory of Labuan.

Diwali celebrations in Mauritius
Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean that lies to the east of Madagascar. This beautiful landmass is full of picturesque landscapes and enchanting spots. Mauritius accounts a 63% of Indian majority of which 80% follow Hinduism. Hence, celebration of almost all the Hindu festivals in this island is a common phenomenon. In Mauritius, Diwali celebration is an age-old tradition. It holds special significance for the natives, who believe that Diwali has been celebrated even long before the return of Lord Rama from 14 years of exile and his coronation as the king. The festival is marked by lightening of earthen lamps in rows making images out of the rows. Lakshmi is worshipped as the goddess of wealth and crackers are burnt to scare away evil spirits.

Diwali celebrations in Nepal
Nepal is a landlocked country nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. Nepal, a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society is the only Hindu Kingdom of the world. Diwali is celebrated here with the usual Hindu festivities and rituals. Diwali in Nepal is known as Tihar. Just like most places in India Diwali is celebrated here to honor the goddess of wealth and god of prosperity Lakshmi and Ganesh respectively. The festival of light falls in the months of October or November on the day of Amavasya – the darkest day of the year. The festival here continues for five days. Every day has its special significance. The first day is dedicated to cows as they cook rice and feed the cows believing that goddess Lakshmi comes on cows. The second day is for Dogs as the Vahana of Bhairava. Preparation of delicious food especially meant for the dog is a typical characteristic of the day. Lights and lamps are lit to illuminate the entire surrounding and some of the specialty items are prepared to mark the third day of the festival. Fireworks, Lamps and crackers are widely used. The fourth day is dedicated to Yama, the Hindu God of Death. He is prayed for long life. The fifth final day is Bhhaya Dooj dedicated for the brothers who are wished long life and prosperity by their sisters.

Diwali celebrations in South Africa
South Africa is located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa. It is a mix of cultures and has one of the largest immigrant Indian communities in the world. The country has almost one million immigrant Indians. Most of these Indian immigrants are concentrated in the eastern regions of Natal and Transvaal of the country. About 65% of Hindus, 15% of Muslims and 20% of Christians live in this area. Due to the majority of the Hindu population, a number of Hindu festivals are celebrated here. Diwali also holds an important place in the festival calendar of the region. The celebration is more or less same to that in India. Most of the Hindus here are from Gujarat and Tamil Nadu and continue to follow their regional variations of Hinduism.

Diwali celebrations in Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad is the most southern of the Caribbean islands, lying only seven miles off the Venezuelan coast, is one of the most exciting, colorful islands of the West Indies. Considered as the land of the Humming Bird, Trinidad and Tobago has a good number of Indian population. For that reason, Hindu festivals, customs, traditions and observances forms an integral part of the society, which comprises the unique beauty of the twin island state. The Diwali celebration has a unique flavor here in the Caribbean island nation. Here 43 per cent of the 1.3 million populations are ethnic Indians. The Diwali celebrations are usually marked as an occasion to unify the nation that consists of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Indo-Trinidadians and Afro-Trinidadians. The festival day is regarded as a national holiday. The festival is also marked by scores of functions besides the usual rituals of the festivity. The functions and celebrations also have an official imprint as the Ministers of the Government also participate in the celebrations sometimes. The belief behind the festival is same as of India, which is, prevalence of good over evil. The celebrations continue for over a week and the headquarters of the National Council of Indian Culture at Diwali Nagar becomes the focal point.

(Soure: 10/2008 | About Hinduism – Subhamoy Das (Hinduism Guide) | part 1 | part 2)

10 Reasons to Celebrate Diwali – The Festival of Lights is for All

Wish you a happy Diwali!

Why do we celebrate Diwali? It’s not just the festive mood in the air that makes you happy, or just that it’s a good time to enjoy before the advent of winter. There are 10 mythical and historical reasons why Diwali is a great time to celebrate. And there are good reasons not just for Hindus but also for all others to celebrate this great Festival of Lights.

1. Goddess Lakshmi’s Birthday: The Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi incarnated on the new moon day (amaavasyaa) of the Kartik month during the churning of the ocean (samudra-manthan), hence the association of Diwali with Lakshmi.
2. Vishnu Rescued Lakshmi: On this very day (Diwali day), Lord Vishnu in his fifth incarnation as Vaman-avtaara rescued Lakshmi from the prison of King Bali and this is another reason of worshipping Ma Larkshmi on Diwali.
3. Krishna Killed Narakaasur: On the day preceding Diwali, Lord Krishna killed the demon king Narakaasur and rescued 16,000 women from his captivity. The celebration of this freedom went on for two days including the Diwali day as a victory festival.
4. The Return of the Pandavas: According to the great epic ‘Mahabharata’, it was ‘Kartik Amavashya’ when the Pandavas appeared from their 12 years of banishment as a result of their defeat in the hands of the Kauravas at the game of dice (gambling). The subjects who loved the Pandavas celebrated the day by lighting the earthen lamps.
5. The Victory of Rama: According to the epic ‘Ramayana’, it was the new moon day of Kartik when Lord Ram, Ma Sita and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya after vanquishing Ravana and conquering Lanka. The citizens of Ayodhya decorated the entire city with the earthen lamps and illuminated it like never before.
6. Coronation of Vikramaditya: One of the greatest Hindu King Vikramaditya was coroneted on the Diwali day, hence Diwali became a historical event as well.
7. Special Day for the Arya Samaj: It was the new moon day of Kartik (Diwali day) when Maharshi Dayananda, one of the greatest reformers of Hinduism and the founder of Arya Samaj attained his nirvana.
8. Special Day for the Jains: Mahavir Tirthankar, considered to be the founder of modern Jainism also attained his nirvana on Diwali day.
9. Special Day for the Sikhs: The third Sikh Guru Amar Das institutionalized Diwali as a Red-Letter Day when all Sikhs would gather to receive the Gurus blessings. In 1577, the foundation stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid on Diwali. In 1619, the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind, who was held by the Mughal Emperor Jahengir, was released from the Gwalior fort along with 52 kings.
10. The Pope’s Diwali Speech: In 1999, Pope John Paul II performed a special Eucharist in an Indian church where the altar was decorated with Diwali lamps, the Pope had a ‘tilak’ marked on his forehead and his speech was bristled with references to the festival of light.

(Soure: 10/2008 | About Hinduism – Subhamoy Das (Hinduism Guide))

• Light Lamps – www.globalspec.com
• Diwali sweets? – Diwali Sweets, Saris, Salwars, Cakes! – www.ChennaiStore.com
• Diwali Gifts, Sweets & Dry Fruits… http://SaharaCareHouse.com/Diwali-Gifts
• Diwali Gifts to India – Sweets, Savouries, Dry fruits, Silver… www.emporiumonnet.com/Diwali
• Gift Decorative Diyas – Silver, Metal, Creative Diyas… – www.Window2India.com/DiwaliDiyas

Diwali – Deepavali – Dee-wah-lee.

Gossary: Diwali

Diwali (Deepavali) is the Indian New Year, celebrated annually in honor of the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi. It is often referred to as the “Festival of lights.”

Diwali literally means “row of lights,” and lamps symbolizing the light of wisdom and knowledge are lit every night of the five day festival to welcome prosperity in the new year. Diwali is also celebrated in more secular fashion by Sikhs and Jainas.

Pronunciation: Dee-wah-lee * (noun)

e.g. Sikh symbols:

from left to right: Khanda | Ekonkar | Kirpan | Nishan Sahib | Kara | Kanga

Sikhism is one of the world’s largest religions, blending elements of Islamic and Hindu belief into one egalitarian system.

(Source: 10/2008 – Alternative Religions – Diwali | About.com (Library – Glossary))

Sify.com : German woman joins Durga Puja celebrations in Patna (IANS)

2009-09-27 15:30:00

Attracted towards the festivities and decorated pandals (marquees) of Durga Puja celebrations, a German woman joined thousands of Hindu devotees in this Bihar capital to pray for peace and prosperity.

Caroline, a German student in her mid-20s, had been visiting various attractive and decorated puja pandals here for last two days to offer prayers to Hindu goddess Durga. This is her first visit to India.

‘I am here to participate in Durga Puja and enjoy the festival by visiting puja pandals. I want to understand this culture,’ Caroline told IANS.

She was happy to eat prasad (holy offerings) given to her by Hindu priests, devotees and puja pandal committee members.

‘It was amazing for me to move from one puja pandal to another. I never imagined that such enthusiasm exists among devotees,’ she said referring to the crowds near the puja pandals here.

Carolina said it was a rare experience for her to participate in a popular Hindu festival.

‘Durga idols in colourful dress at puja pandals were fantastic,’ she said.

She has also decided to witness the immersion of idols of goddess Durga and other Hindu deities in Ganga river here.

‘I was told by local people that immersion of hundreds of idols is a part of the festival. I will definitely see that,’ she said.

(Source: 2009-09-27 (15:30:00) – Sify.com)

Navaratri & Nava Durga: The Nine Forms of The Mother Goddess

Navaratri: The 9 Divine Nights

Hindus mark the advent of winter with Navaratri (19 – 28 Sept 2009 | Sept 30 – Oct 08, 2008 ) which includes nights/days of fast and prayer to Durga, the Mother Goddess… [more]

10 Days with the Mother Goddess!

The festive season for Hindus begins with the fast of “Navaratri”, and ends with the festivities of “Dusshera” and “Vijayadashami.” Read about the different ways it is celebrated… [more]

Nava Durga: The Nine Appellations – The 9 Forms of The Mother Goddess

Nava – that also means ‘new’ – denotes ‘nine’ the number to which sages attach special significance. Hence, we have Nava-ratri (9 nights), Nava-patrika (9 leaves / herbs / plants), Nava-graha (9 planets), and Nava-Durga (9 appelletions).

Here’re the 9 manifestations of Goddess Durga. Each goddess has a different form and a special significance. Nava Durga, if worshipped with religious fervor, it is believed, lift the divine spirit in us and fill us with renewed happiness.

Related resources…

• All About Durga
• Navratri/Dusshera Links
• Durga Puja Overseas
• Festival Resources
• Gods & Goddesses

Some related articles…

• 10 Days with the Mother Goddess: Navaratri, Durga Puja & Dusshera
• Navaratri: Nine Divine Nights
• Mahalaya: Invoking the Mother Goddess
• Top 10 Hindu Deities
• Divine Feminine

(Source: 09/30/2008 – Subhamoy Das | since 1999 Hinduism Guide @ About.com (Blog & Forum))

Goddess Gallery: Durga – Contemporary Paintings of Goddess Durga

A selection of contemporary the Mother Goddess Durga paintings by courtesy of Exotic India Art Gallery, New Delhi.

For bigger images please visit the About.com website.

KRISHNA JANMASHTMI: Indian festival to attract 70,000

Indian festival to attract 70,000

BBC News Channel: One of the largest Hindu gatherings outside India is expected to attract 70,000 people to Hertfordshire.

Celebrations marking the 5,000-year-old festival of Janmashtami are taking place at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna temple in Watford.

The festival marks the birth of Lord Krishna, the most highly venerated God in the Hindu pantheon.

Attractions include music, dancing and a new complex based on compassionate farming and cow protection.

Cow protection

Compassionate farming and cow protection are themes of the festival

Organisers said the theme of this year’s festival was the “symbiotic relationship that exists between man, cows and the environment”, and promised the event would “demonstrate the spiritual variety of India’s ancient Vedic culture in all its glory”.

Vedic scriptures teach the importance of cow protection to the welfare of human society.

The countryside temple is housed in a manor donated to the Hare Krishna movement in the early 1970s by the late Beatle George Harrison.

A spokesman for the festival said: “This festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor is the largest of its kind outside India and attracts over 70,000 during a two-day period.

“The event is a glimpse of the colourful taste of mystic India with a magnificent shrine, live stage shows, colourful costumes, enchanting music, meditation and exotic food set in a picturesque setting.

“It is backed by over 1,000 volunteers who give up many hours of their free time for months before the event.”

More events will be held on Sunday to allow those who have been working to attend.

(Source: 08:09 GMT, Friday, 14 August 2009 09:09 UK – BBC News Channel)

IMCOnAir-IMCRadio.Net wishes you a Happy Holi ‘09

About: Holi Feast | Easter Feast (Colored Easter Eggs | Easter Bunnies)

Around the world: Bada Din – Christmas in India…

Despite the same underlying spirit, the celebration of Christmas vary in the vast expanse of India. These variations are largely because India is a country of diversity. Christian community in India celebrate Christmas with pomp, gaiety and devotion. Celebrations of Christmas festival begin on the eve of Christmas on 24th of December and continue till New Year’s Day. Christians across the country mark the birth of Lord Jesus Christ on Christmas Day by participating in special masses organized in churches. Celebrations of Christmas are marked by carols, cakes, candles and decoration of Christmas Tree. Each area of India has a distinctly different way of celebrating Christmas. If in the North East it is celebrated in one way, in the South West it is done in a different way. In northwest India, the tribal Christians of the Bhil tribe go out night after night for a week during Christmas to sing their special carols the whole night through and tell the story of Christmas to everybody.

In South India, Christians light clay lamps on the rooftops and walls of their houses, the same way as Hindus decorate their homes during the Diwali Festival. People also prepare mouthwatering recipes, such as cakes, cookies, pudding etc.

Christians in the plains decorate mango or banana trees at Christmas time. Sometimes they also decorate their houses with mango leaves. In several states of India a popular custom is to decorate banana or mango tree instead of traditional pine tree. In some parts of India, small clay oil-burning lamps are used as Christmas decorations; they are placed on the edges of flat roofs and on the tops of walls. Another interesting Christmas tradition in India is decorating the Churches with poinsettia flower. Churches are decorated with poinsettias and lit with candles for the Christmas Eve service. However, for the urban regions the ingredients of the festivities are the familiar X-mas trees (mostly potted) decorated with stars and tinsels, toys, plastic fruits, and colorful streamers and illuminated well are placed in front of the Christian houses, shops and restaurants. Santa is also seen in some streets and some shops and departmental stores deploy Santa to entertain their kid-customers.

In the major cities of India caroling processions are also seen on streets and thoroughfares. Days before the festival markets take a colorful look as they are decorated with traditional Christmas trees, stars, images of Santa, balloons and festoons. In several parts of India, especially in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, Christmas Festival has assumed secular overtones and is joyfully celebrated by people of all religions and communities. In Mumbai, which has one of the largest Roman Catholic communities in India, there is a tradition to depict nativity scenes and decorate home with big stars.

Christmas Day called ‘Bada Din‘ (Big Day) in Hindi is a national holiday in India and people from all religions join their Christian friends to make the most of the joyous celebrations.

Though the Hindus and Muslims comprise majority of the population, Xmas is celebrated with much fanfare in this secular country. Schools run by Christian missionaries celebrate Christmas by organizing nativity plays which depict the birth of Jesus Christ. Carols, songs and dramas make these celebrations even more joyful. Even non-Christian students enthusiastically participate in such celebrations.

In Christian households, preparations for Christmas begin at least a month in advance. People get their homes whitewashed and indulge in spring cleaning of the house to give it a fresh new look. Ladies start preparations for the traditional Christmas cake which is anxiously awaited not just by the entire family but also by the neighbors!! Hectic shopping activity takes place as everyone buys new clothes for the festival. Christmas Gifts are also bought for friends, relatives and kids in the family. The biggest festival for Christians, Christmas is also the time for family reunions. People staying in different cities for job or higher studies rush back to their homes to celebrate Christmas with their near and dear ones. Indian Christians do not believe in short services. The main service on Christmas Day is a midnight one which lasts from two to three hours, with hundred of communicants and many children all massed together on the floor. The Day is a national holiday and people irrespective of their religion enjoy it along with the Christians.

Most exhilarating celebration of Christmas can be seen in the vivacious state of Goa. A large number of domestic and international tourists flock to the beaches Goa during Christmas festival to watch Goa at its cultural best. One can also regale in the best of Goa music and dance during Christmas festivities. Catholics in Goa participate in the traditional midnight mass services locally called Missa de Galo or Cock Crow as they go on well into early hours of the morning. The Carnival, preceding Lent, is the most important event at Goa. This is similar to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Goa is one favorite destination for Christmas celebrations. In fact a very large number of people from the country as well as abroad make a beeline to this little coastal state to celebrate their Christmas holidays in style.

(Source: theholidayspot.com | Around the World – Christmas in India)

Some more links about “Christmas in India“…

• whychristmas.com: Find out how Christmas is celebrated in India…
  (http://whychristmas.com/cultures/india.shtml)
• allthingschristmas.com: Christmas In India. By Rudyard Kipling. Dim dawn behind the tamerisks — the sky is saffron-yellow — As the women in the village grind the corn…
  (http://www.allthingschristmas.com/stories/ChristmasInIndia.html)
• Indianchild.com: It is an interesting fact to note that the celebration of Christmas in India is held in a different manner in the various parts of the country…
  (http://www.indianchild.com/christmas/christmas_in_india.htm)
• christmas-day.org: christmas in India, christmas day in India, christmas celebrations in India…
  (http://www.christmas-day.org/christmas-in-india.html)
• the-north-pole.com: Christmas In INDIA. … Christians in India decorate mango or banana trees at Christmas time. Sometimes they also decorate their houses with mango leaves…
  (http://www.the-north-pole.com/around/india.html)