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Pongal: A three-day harvest festival and one of the most joyful events in the South. In Tamil Nadu, newly harvested rice is ceremonially cooked. In Karnataka, the festival is called 'Sankranti', and cows and bullocks are gaily decorated and fed on 'Pongal' ( a sweet preparation of rice). In the evening, the cattle are led out in procession to the beat of drums and music.

Republic Day: January 26 marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution in 1950 and is India's National Day. Celebrations in the State capitals are colourful. The celebrations in New Delhi, a magnificent parade of the armed forces and civilians, is followed by an impressive cultural pageant and a colourful folk-dance festival.

Id-ul-Zuha: Commemorates the sacrifice of Abraham. The Muslims offer prayers all around the country.

Muharram: Commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the holy Prophet Mohammed, and observed by the Shi'ite Muslims, who take out processions of colourfully decorated 'Tazias', which are paper and bamboo replicas of the martyr's tomb at Karbala in Iraq. The processions are specially impressive at Lucknow. In parts of the South, tiger dancers--men painted over with stripes and wearing tiger masks--lead the procession.

Holi: The most boisterous of all Hindu festivals, observed all over the North. It heralds the end of winter. Men, women and children revel in throwing coloured powder and squirting coloured water on each other. Greetings and sweets are exchanged.

Mahavir Jayanti: The anniversary of the birth of Vardhamana Mahavira, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara, more than 2,500 years ago. The festival attracts pilgrims from all parts of the country to the ancient Jain shrines at Girnar and Palitana in Gujarat.

Good Friday: Services and recitals of religious music are held in hundreds of churches all over India.

Easter: The Christian belief in the resurrection of Christ is celebrated with enthusiasm by the members of the community. Processions are taken out in some parts of the country.

Baisakhi: The Hindu Solar New Year Day. People bathe in rivers and go to temples to offer puja (worship). Baisakhi is of special significance to the Sikhs. On this day in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh organised them into the 'Khalsa', brotherhood of man. In Punjab, farmers start harvesting on this day with great fanfare. Villagers perform the 'Bhangra folk-dance.

The Night of 16th /17th of February

Maha Shivaratri (2 Weeks after the full moon 02 - 02 - 2007 = 02 - 16 - 2007)

**Om Nava Shivaya**

sing with me and pray with me to Shiva and Parvati (Durga)

Mythological Significance

The Purans contain many stories and legends describing the origin of this Maha Shivratri festival. According to one, during the samundra manthan, a pot of poison merged from the ocean. This terrified the gods and demons as the poison was capable of destroying the entire world, and they ran to Lord Shiva for help. To protect the world from its evil effects, Lord Shiva drank the deadly poison but held it in his throat. Because of it, he was given the name Neelkantha. On the eve of Maha Shivratri festival we worship lord "Shiva" or "Nilkantha"

It is believed that once Brahma and Vishnu, the two pillars of the holy Trinity were having an argument as to who was supreme. Brahma declared himself to be the Creator and the Destroyer, he commanded more respect. At that moment a huge lingam ablaze with flames appeared from nowhere. Both the gods were so overwhelmed by its constantly increasing size that they forgot the quarrel and decided to determine the size. Neither could ascertain the size. Just then, Shiva appeared out of the lingam and proclaimed that he was the progenitor of both of them. He was the Creator, Preserver and the Destroyer. He demanded that there after he be worshiped in his phallic form, the lingam.

Ritual & Celebrations

According to the Shiva Purana, the Maha Shivratri worship must incorporate six items: the ceremonial offer of cooling bael leaves to the deity, representing purification of the soul; the vermilion paste applied on the linga after bathing it, representing virtue; food offering which is conducive to longevity and gratification of desires; incense, yielding wealth; the lighting of the lamp which is conducive to the attainment of knowledge; and betel leaves marking satisfaction with worldly pleasures.

Hymns in praise of Lord Shiva are sung with great fervor and devotion during the night of mahashivratri. People repeat the Panchakshara Mantra, Om Namah Shivaya on the eve of mahashivratri festivals.It is believed that one who utters the name of Shiva during Maha Shivratri with proper devotion is freed from all sins. Shiva being an ascetic god, Maha Shivratri festival is very popular with ascetics. Thandai, a drink made with cannabis, almonds, and milk, is essentially drunk by the devout. This is so because cannabis is said to have been very dear to Shiva

Hindi New Year Monday 19-03-2007
Spring Navaratri Begins Monday 19-03-2007
Gudi Padwa / Ugadi /

31.03.2007 * Geburtstag des Propheten Muhammad
(Moloud / Mevlid)
31-03-2007 Mahavir Jayanti Saturday

Holi Festival - March 3, 2007

Rituals & celebration of Holi Festival is an aspect of Hindu dharma. Rituals & celebrations are an important and human component of our participation in the social and cosmic order, of our dharma. Holi Festival is a spring celebration, the exuberant ritual of throwing paint at each other and not sparing each other at all, is a variation of the common theme of spring rituals the world over. The logic is that on the first day of spring, people need to wake up from their winter slumber.

Holi also known as festival of colors has a traditional significance of social harmony between the various classes of society. It is the day when all classes of people are free to draw all parts of society into a celebration including passers by. The celebrations of holi festival in india are usually carried out on people of different class on each other, thus representing a time for breaking down barriers.

Story Of Holi Festival
Long ago there was a king called Hiranyakashipu, who thought himself to be an omnipotent and supreme being; he was the recipient of a divine gift of immortality and believed that he alone was to be worshipped. The king had a nine-year-old son named Prahalad, who was a great follower of Lord Rama. This outraged the king, who ordered that his son be killed. The boy was put to death in various ways, but each in vain; he walked away every time chanting, "Ram, Ram, Ram."

The king remembered his sister, who was called Holika. She owned a magic orhni (scarf / mantilla) that allowed the wearer to step into a fire without getting burned. The king ordered Holika to wear the orhni and carry Prahalad into a fiery pit, where the boy would be burnt to ashes. However, God would again intervene. A strong breeze blew the orhni off Holika's head and she was the one who burned to ashes while Prahalad was miraculously saved.

An outraged King Hiranyakashipu then decided to kill Prahalad himself. However, the youngster's faith in God would again triumph. A beast with a man's body and a lion's head appeared and attacked the king. His immortality disappeared and the man-lion tore him limb from limb. The moral of the story; Prahalad's faith in God saved him; no man is bigger than God.

Celebaration
Essentially, Holi means the triumph of good over evil and conquest of sensual values by spiritual values. The tender green leaves on the trees, the blossomed flowers in the gardens and the sweet calls of the Cuckoo mark the advent of a new season that is Spring (vasant). Enriching the freshness is the festival of Holi with a splurge of colours and an aura of romance all around. On Holi Festival, people are suddenly caught unawares with colours being poured from a top of the houses, bursting balloons or long pistons squirting coloured water. People in small groups are seen singing, dancing and throwing colours on each other.

Holi in Uttar Pradesh
Holi in Uttar Pradesh is one of the most celebrated festivals. The land of Uttar Pradesh is very much diverse in the cultural terms, and this is evident in the modes of Holi celebrations across the state. Uttar Pradesh is known for its Braj Holi and Varanasi Holi. Holi in Brajbhoomi is said to be celebrated the same way today, as it was celebrated thousands years back (during Krishna's era). Similarly in Varanasi, Holi is celebrated in context with Lord Shiva and Ganges. Holi is one festival when all the religious, linguistic and cultural barriers are broken. To feel the real essence of Holi, it must be celebrated in Uttar Pradesh.

April 2007

02.04.2007 * Buddhas Birthday
06.04.2007 * Karfreitag
(in USA kein gesetzlicher Feiertag)
14.04.2007 Masadi

May 2007

02-05-2007 Wednesday Buddha Purnima / Vaisakhi Purnima

18.05.2007 Rath Yatra

June 2007

25-06-2007 Monday Ganga Dashami
29.06.2007 Raksha Bandhan

July 2007

07.07.2007 * Janamashtami

16-07-2007 Monday Rath Yatra

29.07.2007 Birthday from Hazrat Ali
29-07-2007 Sunday Guru Purnima / Asadha Purnima

August 2007

Celebrate the National Friendship Day 2007 on August 5, Sunday

Human being are social creatures and have always valued the important of friends in their live. To celebrated this noble feeling it was deemed fit to have a day dedicated to friends and Friendship. Accordingly, first Sunday of August was declared as a holiday in US in honour of friends by a Proclamation made by US Congress in 1935. Since then, World Friendship Day is being celebrated every year on the first Sunday in the month of August

National Friendship Day is on the first Sunday in August.
Women's Friendship Day is on the Third Sunday in August
International Friendship Month is February
Old Friends, New Friends Week is the Third week of May

15.08.2007 * 1947 Tuesday - Independence day (60. Jahrestag)

15-08-2007 & 16-08-2007 Teej Tuesday
19.08.2007 DUSSEHRA (Maha Saptami)
20.08.2007 DUSSEHRA (Maha Asthami)
21.08.2007 * DUSSEHRA (Vijaya Dasami)
21.08.2007 Parsi Neujahr & Onam
27.08.2007 Birthday from Maharishi Valmiki

27-08-2007 Onam Monday

28-08-2007 Raksha-Bandhan

Festivals in AUGUST 2007

- Krishna Janmashthami

- Ganesh Chaturthi Sunday

September 2007

04-09-2007 Krishna Janmashtami

05-09-2007 Shikshak Divas (Teacher's Day)

12.09.2007 Bhai Duj / Tihar-Fest

13-09-2007 start of the Islamic time of Ramadan

Ramadan start: 13. Sep. - 11. Okt. / 12. Okt - Eid Mubarak (Beyram)
13.10.2007 * Islamic fast month - End
(Eid al-Fitr / Eid-e Fetr / Ramadan-Fest / Seker Bayrami)

15-09-2007 - 25.09.2007 Ganesh/Vinayak Chaturthi

23.09. - 01.10.2007 NAVRATRI - Fest of the dancing Shiva for 9 days

25.09.2007 * Guru Nanak Jayanti

27-09-2007 Pitr-Paksha begins Thursday

Festivals in September / October 2007

- NAVRATRI

- DUSSEHRA - Shri Shri Maa Durga

October 2007

02.10.2007 * Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti
08.10.2007 Jamat-ul-Vida

11-10-2007 Pitr-Paksha ends / Mahalaya

Navaratri begins Friday 12-10-2007

13.10.2007 * Islamic Fast month - End
(Eid al-Fitr / Eid-e Fetr / Ramadan-Fest / Seker Bayrami)
15.10.2007 Guru Teg Bahadur-Maertyrertag

Durga Puja begins (Maha Saptami) Friday 18-10-2007
Navaratri ends Saturday 20-10-2007
Vijaya Dashami/Dusshera Sunday 21-10-2007
Lakshmi Puja / Sharad Purnima Thursday 25-10-2007
Valmiki Jayanti Friday 26-10-1007
Karwa Chauth Monday 29-10-2007

DIWALI - LIGTFESTIVAL

You can celebrait this DIWALI - LICHTERFEST

HAPPY DIWALI - NATIONALFESTIVAL

Rama

KALI - becomes celebrates in Kolkata at the same day as Diwali

November 2007

Deepavali u.Naraka Chaturdasi 03.11.2007

Dhanteras Wednesday 07-11-2007
Chhoti Diwali Thursday 08-11-2007
Diwali Friday 09-11-2007
Govardhan Puja / Kali Puja Saturday 10-11-2007
Bhai Dooj / Bhai Phota / Bhav-Bij Sunday 11-11-2007
16.11.2007 Birthday from Guru Gobind Sing
Vikram New Year 2064
Guru Nanak Jayanti Saturday 24-11-2007

December 2007

14.12.2007 Basant Panchami
20.12.2007 * Islamic fest / Mountain Arafat day
(Eid al-Adha / Eid-e Ghorban / General meeting from the Mekka-Pilger on the mountain Arafat -

watch here for the Hindu - Islam - Christian Festivals for 2007

The Night of 16th /17th of February

Maha Shivaratri (2 Weeks after the full moon 02 - 02 - 2007 = 02 - 16 - 2007)

**Om Nava Shivaya**

sing with me and pray with me to Shiva and Parvati (Durga)

Holi Festival - March 3, 2007

Om Nava Shivaya