Published - Tue, 15 Oct 2024

Significance of Hindi in Indian Festivals: A Cultural Overview

Significance of Hindi in Indian Festivals: A Cultural Overview

When we talk of major traditional Indian festivals that are extravagantly celebrated across the country, each of them has some associated values of life. Let us focus on the three most celebrated occasions:

1. Diwali

The festival of lights is celebrated across the country, and each community follows different customs during the celebration. It is a celebration of knowledge over ignorance and good over evil. The Sikh community celebrates Diwali as the Sikh battle for freedom, while Kali Puja is performed in East India. In North India, people worship Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi. 

Several books contain Hindi prayers and songs along with tales, keeping everyone engaged and also telling them about the cultural references that occurred decades ago. People who are interested in history can refer to numerous Hindi books and gain a better understanding of Indian heritage.

2. Holi

Holi, the festival of joy and colors, is an occasion that symbolizes forgetting conflicts from the past and reuniting to celebrate love. On this day, people gather, dance, and enjoy every moment. There are regional Hindi folklore and songs that are sung and played during the celebration. 

In Uttar Pradesh, the day is dedicated to the unconditional bond that Lord Krishna and Radha shared. There are events like Lathmar Holi where men smear women with colors while women use lathis to keep them away. 

In Haryana, Holi is played as Dhulandi, while in Vrindavan, Holi is played with flowers instead of colors. People from West Bengal observe Holi as Basant Panchmi, where Rabindra Sangeet is played while individuals meet and enjoy. 

3. Navratri

Navratri means a nine-day carnival during which different incarnations of the deity Durga are glorified while on the tenth day, Dussehra or Vijayadashami is celebrated. It symbolizes Lord Rama's victory over Ravana. Goddess Durga is believed to purify everyone’s souls. She brings happiness and prosperity. 

In Gujarat and Maharashtra, people glorify Navratri as Garba. People dance to folk tunes. In other parts of India, people sing devotional songs and dedicate their time to worship by fasting. In West Bengal, people celebrate the nine days with festivities and food. 

Indian Cultural Festivals and Hindi Language

Apart from the traditional festivals around the year, there are a few Indian cultural festivals that are celebrated by communities that bring them together. 

1. Janmashtami

Marking Lord Krishna's birth, Janmashtami is enthusiastically commemorated across India. Hindi books have poetry and tales of how naughty the little Kanha was, and even in childhood, he killed many evils. 

In Maharashtra, Janmashtami is celebrated as Dahi Handi, where a group of individuals form a pyramid and break a pot like Kanha used to do in his childhood. 

In North India, people observe fast and celebrate God’s birth at midnight. In most parts of India, there are cultural events where people participate, perform, and celebrate the festival.

2. Raksha Bandhan

Unlike other festivals, Rakshabandhan is an occasion that celebrates the loving sibling bond. Brothers visit their sisters and get a Raksha dori tied on their wrists, pledging to take care of their loving sister always. 

Hindi literature signifies the importance of this festival through folktales so that generations know its significance and continue celebrating it with absolute zeal and zest. 

Imperative Role of Hindi Language in Preserving Cultural Heritage of India

As Indians, we need to preserve and pass on our culture and heritage, and what can be better than scriptures written in Hindi? 

In modern times, when people are becoming more practical and moving out of the country to have a successful career, it is crucial to keep the values intact, especially in situations when someone is living abroad, and there are few people with similar traditions around. 

However, even NRIs and diaspora communities have contributed to make the best of Hindi literature and scriptures, which detail each of our festivals. Hindi learning books, applications and online learning resources make it easy to find references and understand the Indian traditions better. 

Key Takeaways 

India has an unbelievingly rich heritage and cultural values that attract the attention of people globally. They wish to know more about Indian festivals. Books that focus on details of festivals and celebrations written in Hindi ensure that our values are passed on and practised perfectly in the future.

You can explore our online Hindi learning application and courses, exceptional Hindi learning digital books and Hindi learning series of physical books to easily learn Hindi language. This variety of online and physical resources enables online Hindi learning for both beginners and professionals.

FAQs

Q1: What role does the Hindi Language play in Indian festivals?

India has a number of regional languages and cultural values; therefore, Hindi plays a vital role since it is the common language used in all states. Books on Indian festivals and heritage written in Hindi ensure that more people learn about the tradition. 

Q2: How has Hindi Language evolved in the context of cultural festivals?

Most ancient and regional books are transcribed in Hindi to ensure that a maximum number of people can refer to the details. With modern influence, the values are carried forward to future generations. 

Q3: Are there regional variations in the use of Hindi during festivals?

With regional variation, people use Hindi differently. There is a difference in tone and dialect. Hence, numerous books and scriptures highlight the traditions, culture, and history. 

Q4: How do Indian festivals improve and support the Hindi learning journey?

Individuals who are learning Hindi may find readings about Hindi festivals engaging and resourceful. Ancient scriptures written in Sanskrit, Devanagari, and other regional languages are transcribed in Hindi, which is a great learning source. 

Q5: How does Hindi contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage in festivals?

Hindi literature focusing on Indian heritage, culture, and festivals ensures that individuals with limited knowledge can better understand and value our traditions, carrying them forward.

Created by

Geetanjali Dhar

Meet Geetanjali Dhar:  a dedicated educationist  and the visionary Founder and CEO of Sanskriti Group. She was inspired to start Sanskriti Group by her deep passion for the Hindi language and her desire to share it with a global audience. Since 2006, Geetanjali has been passionately refining and customizing Hindi teaching methods for a global audience. What began as a small initiative driven by her enthusiasm for popularizing Hindi has now evolved into a cutting-edge, global educational powerhouse.

Geetanjali’s journey as an educationist has included realising her vision of creating a curriculum that not only taught the language but also connected learners with Indian culture.  She recognized the need for a more customized and engaging approach to teaching Hindi, especially for students outside India. After achieving remarkable success in Hong Kong and Singapore, Geetanjali expanded her reach globally.

Geetanjali holds a postgraduate degree in business management from Birla Institute of Management and Technology, a diploma in hotel management from IHM Srinagar (under NCHMCAT), and is an accredited educator in Hong Kong. Her outstanding work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the ‘Woman of Influence Award’ by the American Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong in 2019, ‘Pioneering Women Leader’ at the World Woman Leadership Congress in Mumbai, and Hong Kong’s Women Leaders Award in 2018.

Today, Sanskriti’s innovative Hindi teaching methods are accessible to students worldwide. This incredible growth has benefited over 12,500 students from various nationalities and age groups. The curriculum, designed for learners of all ages and stages, helps them connect with the Indian culture and Hindi language.

As Sanskriti continues to grow, it transforms future leaders and change-makers into multilingual global citizens.

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