Hindu Festivals 2011 calendar

Hindu Festivals 2011 calendar

Hindu Festivals 2011 based on Hindu traditional calendar - India Standard Time. This is a list of important festival dates in Hinduism in 2011 based on various regional Hindu calendars. The same festival might be celebrated a day earlier or later in different parts of India. The calendar is incomplete as there is confusion regarding few Hindu festivals in 2011.
January 2011
Makar Sankranti – 14th January, 2011 - (15th January in western and eastern parts of India)
Pongal – 15th January, 2011
Thai Pusam – January 20, 2011
February 2011
Vasant Panchami – Saraswati Puja – February 8, 2011
March 2011
Shivratri – 3rd March, 2011
Holi – March 20th, 2011
April 2011
Ugadi (New Year in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh) – April 4th, 2011
Gudi Padva – April 4th, 2011
Chaitra Navratri Begins - April 4th, 2011
Cheti Chand - April 5, 2011
Ram Navami – 12th April, 2011
Chithirai 1 (Tamil New Year) – 14th April, 2011
Vishu (Kerala) – 15th April, 2011
New Year in Bengal and Assam – 15th April, 2011
Hanuman Jayanti – 18th April, 2011
May 2011
Akshaya Tritiya – 6th May, 2011
Narasimha Jayanti – 16th May, 2011
June 2011
Puri Rath Yatra – 3 July, 2011
July 2011
Vyas Purnima, Guru Purnima – 15th July, 2011
August 2011
Raksha Bandan – 13th August, 2011
Sri Krishna Janmashtami – 22nd August, 2011
September 2011
Ganesh Chaturthi - 1st September, 2011
Onam - September 9, 2011
Pitru Paksha Shradh - 13th September, 2011 to 27th September
Navratri Begins – 28th September, 2011
October 2011
Durga Ashtami – 4th October, 2011
Maha Navami – 5th October, 2011
Vijaya Dashami – Dussehra – 6th October, 2011
Karva Chouth – October 13, 2011
Deepavali – Diwali – 26th October, 2011
Gujarati New Year - 27th October, 2011
November 2011
Karti Purnima - November 10
Sabarimala Mandala Kalam begins – 16th November, 2011
December 2011
Sri Dattatreya Jayanti - December 10

Important festivals

Dates of important festivals associated with Hinduism in August 2011 – based on major Hindu calendars and Panchangam used in India. The festivals, Vrats and auspicious days are based on Indian Standard Time (IST). You can also take help through the comment section on good dates for various purposes including house warming, joining job, buying car or house, moving into new rented home etc.

August 1, 2011 – Shravan Somvar Vrat
August 1 – Sindhura Dooj
August 2 – Hariyali Teej
August 2 – Madhusrava Teej
August 3 – Durva Ganapati Vrat
August 4 – Nag Panchami
August 5 – Muruga Sashti Fasting
August 6 – Tulsi Das Jayanti
August 8 – Shravan Somvar Vrat
August 9 – Mangala Gouri Vrat
August 9 – Ekadasi Fasting – Putrada Ekadashi
August 11 – Pradosh Fasting
August 12 – Varalakshmi Vritham
August 13 – Shravan Purnima – Full moon day
August 13 – Raksha Bandhan
August 13 – Nariyali Purnima
August 13 – Rig Upakarma
August 13 – Yajur Upakarma
August 13 – Avani Avittam
August 13 – Hayagriva Jayanti
August 14 – Gayatri Japam
August 14 – Bhadrapad Month begins in North India
August 15 – Ashunya Shayan Vrat
August 16 – Kajari Teej
August 17 – Sankashti Ganesh Chaturthi Vrat
August 17 – Chinga Masam begins in Kerala Malayalam Calendar
August 18 – Aavani Month begins in Tamil Calendar
August 19 – Bhadra Month begins in Bengali Calendar
August 20 – Hal Sashti
August 21 – Sri Krishna Jayanti in South and Western parts of India
August 22 – Sri Krishna Janmashtami in North India
August 22 – Dahi Handi and Gopala Kala
August 23 – Goga Navami
August 25 – Ekadasi Fasting
August 26 – Pradosh Fasting
August 28 – Amavasya begins
August 29 – Amavasya ends – Somvati Amavasya
August 30 – Bhadrapad month begins in Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat
August 31 – Sam Pancham – Sama Upakarma
August 31 – Swarna Gouri Vrat

How to make Ganesha

If you are looking to be creative and eco-friendly this Ganesh Chaturthi, then you can make Ganesh idols at home. Ganesh idols can be made at home using clay, paper, wood, flowers and vegetables. If you are buying a Ganesh idol, please opt for an environment friendly Ganesha.

How to make clay Ganesha?

Materials needed: Clay, paints, coil, aluminum foil, paint brushes, sandpaper, putty or glue and clothes.

Mix the clay. You can get clay from riverbeds or buy it from stationary stores.
While mixing the clay and using it, make sure that your hand is slightly wet.
Make a skeleton – round face, hands, body and leg – using the coil or copper wire.
Next create Ganesha by adding clay to each body part on the coil skeleton.
First create the body and large stomach by filling that part of the coil with clay.
Next create the head.
Next create the trunk and stick it at the center of the head.
Next fill the coil ears with clay. Create small balls of clay and flatten them like ears.
Next fill the coil hands with clay, flatten the clay near palm.
Next fill the coil legs with clay. Flatten the clay near feet or create separate feet.
Now you will have a figure of Ganesha. If you want to be more creative, you can opt for four hands and other additions found in Ganesh Pictures. (Never expect your Ganesh to match those available in markets as they are created by professionals. But with trial and error you mind even end up creating better ones).
Using a brush smoothen the exterior. Make sure that you don’t damage the structure.
Now leave the Ganesha to dry but not in direct sunlight as cracks may appear.
When the idol is dry, use sandpaper or brush to smoothen the exterior.
If there are cracks use glue or putty. Use putty or glue at joints and brush it make it smooth.
You can draw eyes and other aspects like ‘tilak’, eyebrows etc
Make the idol dust free and smooth before painting.
You can use chemical acrylic paints to beauty Ganesha but please don’t immerse such Ganesha’s in rivers, seas and ponds.
You can also try out other natural methods to color but this is a difficult task as it is hard to prepare natural colors. But still you can look around for readymade natural colors.
Now you can make crown and other items found on Ganesh idol using aluminum foil.
You can also stitch small dress for Ganesha and decorate the idol with flowers.

If you are living in Mumbai or Pune you will get Ganesha mould in the market or from idol makers. Using this you can create Ganesha from paper.
How to make paper Ganesha?

Materials needed for Paper Ganesha: Paper, ghati gum, whitening powder, flour, aluminum foil or clay.

Depending on the size of your idol, tear waste paper and soak it in water. Once soaked create fine pulp out it by grinding it.
Take 150 grams of ghati gum and dilute it in water and mix it with paper pulp.
Leave the pulp for a day and on the next day, the pulp will be like chutney. Add some whitening powder to it.
Now the pulp will be like chappati atta. Make chappatis out of the atta. And stick them to the Ganesha mould.
Now create a flour paste. Cover the mould with two to three layers of flour paste and finally cover it will paper and leave it to dry.
Once dried, pull off the protective layer of flour. Use a brush or sandpaper to smoothen the idol.
Use water colors to paint them.
Draw eyes, eyebrows, tilak and other aspects.
Make ornaments, crown and other items using aluminum foil or clay.

If you are interested in carving, you can create Ganesh from vegetables like pumpkin. The choice of the vegetables depends on the size and style of the Ganesha you intend to create.

You can also use flowers or rangolis to create Ganesha on the ground or on boards.

Vinayaka Chaturti

Ganesh Chaturthi, or Vinayaka Chaturti, is the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom, prosperity and auspiciousness. Ganesh Chaturthi 2011 date is September 1, Thursday. Ganesha is today worshipped around the world and the Elephant-faced Hindu god is one of the most popular deities associated with Hinduism. Like symbol ‘Om’, Ganesha is slowly becoming the face of Hindu religion. The Ganapati Festival ends with the immersion (Visarjan) of the idol on Ananta Chaturdasi day - September 11, 2011.

Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day after new moon in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada (August - September).

Ganesha is the remover of obstacle - Vighneshwara or Vignaraja – and is always invoked when Hindus are beginning a new enterprise. It is believed that Goddess Parvati created Ganesha out of clay and breathed life into him. Letting him stand guard at the door, Goddess Parvati went to have her bath. When her husband, Lord Shiva returned, the child who had never seen him stopped him. Ganesha did not allow Shiva to enter and finally an enraged Shiva severed the head of the child. Goddess Parvati returned to find her son dead and was distraught and asked Shiva to revive him. Shiva cut off the head of an elephant and fixed it on the body of Ganesha and giving birth to elephant-headed Ganesha.

In Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated for 10 days. In other parts of India, it is celebrated for one day on the Ganesh Chaturthi day. On the day special prayers are performed in all Hindu homes and hymns and songs are sung in praise of Lord Ganesha.
The origin of public celebration of Ganesh festival is traced to the period of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja, the great Maratha ruler, who asked people to perform public celebration to promote culture and nationalism in the 17th century.

The large-scale Ganesh festival of today was revived by Lokmanya Tilak, freedom fighter, in the last decade of 19th century in Pune to spread the message of freedom struggle and to defy the British who had banned public assemblies.

Thousands of Ganesh statues are installed in various public places in India and in Hindu Temples around the world. Millions of small Ganesh idols are installed in Hindu homes in India, especially in Maharashtra, Goa and Andhra Pradesh. After the festival these statues are immersed in the sea (Ganesh Visarjan ceremony).

Ganesh Festival is also attracting lot of criticism from environmentalists and nature lovers primarily due to pollution caused by the use of Ganesh idols made of Plaster of Paris. Hinduism and Nature are so entwined that one cannot be separated from another. Ganesha itself is a classic example. But still we Hindus do little to stop pollution. At least we can stop creating more pollution in the name of Ganesha by only buying natural Ganesh idol and natural items for Ganesh Puja.

Bhagavad Gita

Bhagavad Gita and money and Hindu spirituality and wealth creation are still perceived as odd combinations and it often raises several eyebrows. If a Hindu wants to take the spiritual path, the first advice is 'give away all your money and wealth and head towards the Himalayas.' Who needs money in a Himalayan Cave? But to be spiritually oriented and to live in a society we need money and we need to generate wealth. Generating wealth through hard work is not a sin. But money is like water. Water is essential for survival but it can also drown the life it sustains.

Bhagavad Gita helps us in striking a balance – it shows us how to create wealth, enjoy it and not to drown in it.

To create wealth the brain has to be challenged continuously and we have to put to use it in family, society, market and in business deals. Family, community and business are all realities and when faced with these realities many begin to tremble. Qualifications and abilities melt and many resign to a quiet life in the corner of a large government building or in a private sector company. Some at this juncture take to spirituality – for them everything is Maya – leave children and wife and head towards the Himalayas to seek God. In Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna when faced with the realities of life wanted to take refuge in meditation and spirituality. Krishna scoffed at that Arjuna who could not face reality.

Real spirituality is the one which is practiced in society and not in caves. Look at the profile of the successful entrepreneurs in independent India, majority of them faced the reality and addressed the challenges boldly. They did not take refuge in caves or in fate.

Spirituality today is spending time in satsangs, visiting temples, donating money in the hope that the Lord will automatically make one a multibillionaire. This spirituality has no meaning at all and it is the product of ignorance. Did Krishna fight for Arjuna? No, but by sitting in the chariot, God or Brahman or Spirit was stating that it lives in the heart of every single individual. But we have to bring it out when we interact with the society, and realize the potentiality hidden in us. In Sanatana Dharma, God does not sit in the heaven instead Brahman exist in each one of us. There is no point in meditating and chanting mantras, if we cannot realize our potentiality and bring it into action. Arjuna was finally ready for action when he realized the Krishna in him.

When you are ready for action by realizing the Krishna or Brahman in you, wealth and success automatically follows. When the spiritual strength hidden inside is realized, one automatically overcomes the physical and intellectual strength that may be lacking. It is this spiritual strength that helped Gandhiji to overpower the British Empire.

Most of us does not like to work. Many are forced to work and do it halfheartedly. Learn to enjoy what you are doing, whether it is cleaning the table or writing a program or playing. When you enjoy doing something, you will automatically excel in it. Quite often instead of enjoying the work, we worry more about what we will get from it. Instead of concentrating on the cleaning of the table, the waiter is more bothered about the tip the guest will offer, the programmer is thinking about increment and player is thinking about endorsement. Net result is that we do the job badly, we don’t enjoy the work or the moment and ultimately all the monetary dreams are shattered.

The Bhagavad Gita says

Work done with selfish motives is inferior by far to the selfless service or Karma-yoga. Therefore be a Karma-yogi, O Arjuna. Those who seek (to enjoy) the fruits of their work are verily unhappy (because one has no control over the results). (2.49)

Our selfishness is always thinking about the end product and to create wealth without hard work. Put heart and soul in whatever you do because it is more worthwhile than chanting mantras. When you work wholeheartedly, you are indulging in creation and it touches the spirit in you and you experience spirituality. Wealth, success and fame will automatically follow.

But what if I fail? This is lack of self confidence. This comes out of unnecessarily thinking about the fruits of your work. Rarely does one achieve success in first attempt. Each failure teaches us several lessons. Each failure takes us close to success. Every work creates a result, so work without getting attached to results.

Bhagavad Gita says

A Karma-yogi gets freedom from both vice and virtue in this life itself. Therefore, strive for Karma-yoga. Working to the best of one's abilities without getting attached to the fruits of work is called (Nishkaama) Karma-yoga. (2.50)

When we succeed we are happy, when we fail we are unhappy. But what was our state of mind when we were working. Gita is more interested in the state of mind when you were working. Krishna asks Arjuna to enjoy the moment and do the work efficiently. Arjuna should think about the first arrow that he will aim at Bhishma not about the last arrow striking Bhishma. Each arrow send by Arjuna will find an answer from Bhishma, Arjuna has to answer all these arrows before reaching the final arrow. Similarly, each moment you have to stand up to challenges, take risks and by enjoying each moment, you slowly move towards the victory podium. Finally, when you reach the victory podium you will only have a smile left because you already tasted bliss.

While doing a work be rooted in yourself. Bhagavad Gita calls such a person ‘Sthiraprajna’ – a person of steady wisdom and self knowledge and who cannot be shaken. To create wealth and to enjoy it, you need to be a ‘Shiraprajna’ and then you will realize that your very nature is happiness.

These are just my thoughts and experiences. Pick up the Bhagavad Gita and read it and it will answer your problems and create wonderful ideas and thoughts in you.

Vinayaki Chaturthi

The fourth day after new moon and fourth day after full moon in the Hindu calendar is observed as Chaturthi and is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Most people must be aware of only the Ganesh Chaturti festival that takes place in the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). But there are two Chaturthis in a month – Sankashti and Vinayaki – and staunch Ganesha devotees observe a fast on the Chaturthi after full moon.
The monthly Chaturti day which falls after full moon in which a fast (fasting) is observed is known as Sankashti Chaturthi. The fast ends on the day after moonrise. Special Ganesh pujas are done in the evening.
The monthly Chaturthi after Amavasi or new moon is known as Vinayaki Chaturthi.
When Sankashti Chaturthi falls on Tuesday, it is known as Angaraki Chatutrhi and it is considered highly auspicious.
The benefits of Chaturthi fasting include material progress, happiness and fulfillment of desires. The importance of Chaturthi vrat was explained by Lord Krishna to Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandavas. It is also mentioned in the Narasimha Purana and Bhavishaya Purana.

Sankashti Chaturthi

Sankashti Chaturthi, or Ganesha Sankashta Chaturti, is dedicated to Hindu God Ganesha. Apart from fasting, special pujas are performed on the day. Sankashti Chaturti August 2011 date is August 17 – Moonrise or Chandrodaya time is 9:04 PM. Sankata Nivarani Chaturti, which is observed for removing problems in life, is observed on the fourth day of the Krishna Paksha (waning phase of moon) in a traditional Hindu lunar calendar. Sankashti Chaturthi fasting is considered to be highly auspicious by Lord Ganesha devotees.
Sankata Nivarani Chaturti fasting begins at sunrise and ends after evening puja or after the sighting of the moon. Ganesh Temples conduct special pujas on the day.
Popular belief is that observing Sankashta Chaturthi will help in alleviating problems and it will bring prosperity, happiness and fulfillment of desires. The holiness of Sankashti Chaturthi Vrata was explained by Sri Krishna to Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandavas. It is found in the Narasimha Purana and Bhavishaya Purana.

Amavasya is the no moon day

Amavasya is the no moon day in a month in a traditional Hindu lunar calendar. In August 2011, Amavasya date is 28 and 29. Time – Amavas begins at 10:33 AM on August 28 and ends at 8:10 AM on August 29, 2011. The Amavasya Vrat is on August 28. Snan, dhan, Shradh and Tarpan are performed on August 29. As August 29 is a Monday, the day is observed as Somvati Amavasya.

August 28 is observed as Khushagrahani Amavas and Pola Amavasya.

As per traditional North Indian calendar the August 29 Amavasya is of the Bhadrapad month. In other regions it is the Shravan Amavasya.

In Tamil Calendars it is the Avani Amavasya.

Amavasya is the darkest day in a traditional Hindu month and is considered both auspicious and inauspicious by different Hindu communities.

There are many Hindus who undertake a fast on Amavasi. Some devotees only take a single meal on the day.

Shravan month ends in traditional calendars followed in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on August 29.

Gokulashtami and Sri Krishna Jayanthi

Gokulashtami and Sri Krishna Jayanthi

Janmashtami also known as Gokulashtami marks the celebration of the birth of Lord Sri Krishna. Sri Krishna was born in the ‘Rohini’ nakshatram (star) to King Vasudeva and Devaki Devi on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Sravana. This festival is also known as Sri Krishna Jayanti and Krishnashtmi. The actual day of celebration can be on two different days as the star ‘Rohini’ and Ashtami may not be on the same day. These days correspond to the August and September months on the Gregorian calendar.

Sri Krishna is considered as the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu’s, (one of three major Hindu Gods) on earth. He is considered to be the Lord’s most glorious incarnations. It is said that his remembrance true heart brings extreme joy and pleasure because Sri Krishna himself was a manifestation of joy at all levels and in all walks of life. No other God in the Hindu pantheon, or for that matter in any other religion, is associated with so many romantic tales and so fully radiating with all the divine attributes as Sri Krishna.

krishna janmashtami poster

Since Sri Krishna lived in luxury throughout his life, Sri Krishna Jayanti is celebrated with pomp and splendor. Plenty of sweets are made on this day. Among these are laddus (yellu oonde), chakli, cheedai, payasam (kheer), and so on. In addition, plenty of milk products especially butter, which was Sri Krishna’s favorite childhood food, is given in offerings. A wide variety of fruits are also offered. The most common sweets made laddus and payasam.

Great indeed are his many Leelas and the way in which he charms one and all. Several sages and seers have paid homage to him. Narada, Sri Kulashekara Azhwar, Andal, Tirumangai Azhawar, Nammazhwar have sung glorious verses in praise of Lord Krishna who embodies Shudda Satvam. The Bhagavad Gita coming from the Lord is the absolute truth which has withstood the test of time and has formed the basis and inspiration for many Acharyas and Azhwars.

The life and message of Sri Krishna is the most stirring saga of one of the greatest saviour and profounder of Dharma. Born in the dungeons of Kansa who was out to kill him at the very moment of his birth, Sri Krishna’s life is replete with many such mortal dangers which he successfully triumphs over. He was the unchallenged hero of his times both in terms of his bodily prowess and his intellectual brilliance.

Sri Krishna Jayanti, therefore, signifies not merely the birth of a great and Divine teacher of mankind in some distant past but the lighting of the spark of the Divine Power in every one of us, which spurs us on to play our dynamic part in this world of practical and hard realities with a sense of high spiritual purpose. Krishna represents the total power of attraction (Aakarshna Shakti) like a magnet of infinite rise. Hence Krishna is the source of joy.

The cultural aspects are represented by the traditionally dressed devotees. The raas or dance is also done with devotees taking part with spiritual fervor. Sri Krishna who manifests all levels of joy, is also the source of spiritual joy, which overrides mental or emotional joy, just as emotional joy overrides physical joy. If all the three are integrated and interdependent, then the observance of the festival takes on the full meaning of Sri Krishnaarpanamastu – let everything be offered to Sri Krishna.

Janmashtami 2011 – 22 August.

SHRI KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI

SHRI KRISHNA JAYANTHI

SRI KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI

Shri Krishna Janmashtami, or Sri Krishna Jayanti, celebrates the birthday of Lord Krishna. In 2011, the date of Sri Krishna Jayanti in North India is August 22. In some parts of South India and in some parts of western India it is on August 21. It is observed as Dahi Handi in Maharashtra, the formation of the huge human pyramids to break the pot hung high up. The festival is also known as Gokulashtami and Krishnashtami.

Shri Krishna is today one of the most widely revered and most popular of all Hindu Gods. He is worshipped as the eighth incarnation or avatar of Lord Vishnu. Krishna is also worshipped as a supreme god in his own right by numerous sects around the world.

In North India, Shri Krishna Janmashtami is observed eight days after the full moon day in Hindi month Bhadrapada (August – September). In South India, the festival is observed on the eighth day after full moon in the month of Shravan (August – September).

The Sri Krishna Jayanti festival is not celebrated on the same day in all parts of India and this is due to the various regional calendars and the various calculations in the time of the birth of Krishna.

In 2011, Sri Krishna Jayanti is marked on August 21 in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and is some parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. In North India, it is marked on August 22. The Smarta Tradition observes the festival on August 21 and the Vaishnava Tradition on August 22.

Special pujas are held in Sri Krishna Temples spread around the world and millions of people visit the shrines. Special poojas and rituals are held at midnight the time of Krishna’s birth.

Staunch Krishna devotees fast on the day. It is a 24-hour fast.
SHRI KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI