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Monday
2002 Nov 21 is Julian 2452600
= 2 x 2 x 2 x 5 x 5 x 12263
5763 kislev 16
1995 khedar 12 1719 hatur 12 1423 ramadan 17
1924 kartika 30 1381 aban 30 211 frimaire
01 159 qudrat 18
China-Republic - 91 - 10 - 17 // 78 - 19 / ren-Horse - 10 -
17
12 baktun / 19 katun / 09 tun /
13 winal / 17 k'in
// 13 - kaban //
10 - keh / g7
Julian 2002 Nov 08 ANTE
DIEM VII IDVS NOVEMBRIS MMDCCLV A.V.C
Explanation
of various calendars
India: Kartika Purnima
The whole month of Kartika (October-November)
is considered to be the most sacred among all the twelve months of the year.
During this month all the pious Hindus refrain from eating fish, meat or egg.
All of them take pre-dawn bath and visit temples as a matter of routine. The
last five days are consisted more sacred in which there is wide participation.
Taken together the days are called 'Panchaka', the last day being the Kartika
Purnima. Every day they take food only once in the afternoon which is known
as 'Habisha'.
For all the five days the women after purificatory
bath in the early morning draw beautiful flower-designs around the chaura
(a small temple like structure with a Tulasi plant overhead) with colour powders
produced indigenously. Fasting for the day is commonly observed. Most of the
Shiva temples get crowded with devotees offering prayers to Lord Shiva who
is said to have killed the demon Tripurasura on this day. Group-singing of
kirtans and loud beating of Mrudanga and cymbals continue for the whole day.
Another festival that takes place in the morning
is significant to the ancient history of Orissa. This reminds the maritime
glory of the State. In olden days the sadhabas (Sea traders) used to sail
off to district islands like Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Cevlon etc. for their
trade by huge boats (Boita). The women of the community were giving them a
hearty send off on this day. The days are now gone, but the memory is still
alive. now people float tiny boats made out of cork and colored paper or bark
of the banyan tree while reminiscing the past glory. This is called Boita
Bandana.
The next fortnight of the month is spent propitiating
the dead ancestors. In every evening, a covered but perforated earthen pot
carrying an earthen lamp inside is hoisted to a pole to help guide the ancestral
spirits to descend on their respective villages and homes. The members of
a family light a bunch of jute stalks with the invocation "Oh ! the ancestors
come in the darkness and go in the light." This is called Badabadua Daka.
In the city of Cuttack and some other places
huge images of Karikeswar are built and worshipped. At night they are taken
out in procession and are immersed in the river Mahanadi, near a Shiva temple.
Exactly at this place a big fair known as 'Bali Yatra' is held for about three
four days. The name of the festival has two significances. Some are of opinion
that on this day the Sadhabas were sailing off to Bali and therefore, the
name Some others believe that Sri Chitanya the great Vaishnavite saint of
Bengal on his way to Puri landed on this day at Cuttack after crossing the
sand-bed (Sand is Bali) of the river Mahanadi. Thousands of people congregate
at the fairground where inumerable varieties of goods are bought and sold.
People also enjoy boating with friends and family in the moonlit night.
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