Today I woke up to posts in Facebook and Whatsapp wishing ‘Happy Siblings’ day. Now, this is something I had never heard of before. Maybe I have been living in a cave typing blog posts..
Globalization is becoming a problem back home in India. Already mothers in India are complaining about Valentine’s day (which focuses on lovers/spouses) having more importance and are canvassing for more attention for Mother’s day. It is to be noted that the same mother’s though are not canvassing their husbands to celebrate valentine’s day. Some of these mothers shun Valentine’s day saying that it’s against Indian culture yet embrace a similarly western tradition of Mothers day. Now on top of this comes ‘sibling day.’ I can see the matriarchs thinking ….what’s in it for them/what’s not in it for them.
So to keep this simple,I think Indians who worry about preserving ‘Indian Culture’ should stick to their own ‘Happy’ days, especially those who believe that it’s the best culture and more especially those who ask me “why can’t you wear an Indian dress when you go to work in America?” while their ‘traditional’ men go around wearing “westernised” pants/shirts in India.
As it is we have a plethora of ‘days’ to celebrate in a given year just for Hindus. The list below has about 75. Add in Christian and Muslim ‘day’s and we would easily have 100 special days to remember. Oops I forgot our Jain /Buddhist/Sikh /Parsi and other friends. Let’s add all their special days too. I’m sure we will end up with half the year being ‘Happy something or the other day’. Add to this birthday’s and anniversaries(death and marriage – some men joke that there is not much difference between the two).
Do we really need Sibling day on top of all this? Maybe we should declare everyday to be a “Happy day”.
By the way “Belated Happy Varaha Jayanthi” to all my Hindu friends.
Here’s the list of all “Special” Hindu days in 2015.
01-Jan-2015 Vaikunda Ekadesi
05-Jan-2015 Aaruthra Darisanam
14-Jan-2015 Boghi
15-Jan-2015 Pongal Festival
20-Jan-2015 Thai Amavasai
24-Jan-2015 Vasant Panchami
26-Jan-2015 Ratha Sapthami
28-Jan-2015 Thai Krithigai
03-Feb-2015 Thai Poosam
17-Feb-2015 Maha Shivaratri
04-Mar-2015 Masi Maham
05-Mar-2015 Holi
21-Mar-2015 Ugadi (Telugu New Year)
28-Mar-2015 Sri Ramanavami
02-Apr-2015 Mahavir Jayanti
03-Apr-2015 Panguni Uttaram
07-Apr-2015 Angarak Sankatahara Chadurthi
09-Apr-2015 Varaha Jayanthi
14-Apr-2015 Tamil New Year – Manmatha
14-Apr-2015 Vishu
16-Apr-2015 Matsya Jayanthi
18-Apr-2015 Sani Amavasai
21-Apr-2015 Akshaya Tritiya
21-Apr-2015 Balarama Jayanthi
23-Apr-2015 Sri Sankara Jayanthi
24-Apr-2015 Ramanujar Jayanthi
28-Apr-2015 Vasavi Jayanthi
30-Apr-2015 Madurai Meenakshi Thiru Kalyanam
02-May-2015 Narasimha Jayanti
03-May-2015 Chitra Pournami
04-May-2015 Kallalagar crossing Vaigai river function
29-May-2015 Nirjala Ekadesi
01-Jun-2015 Vaikasi Visakam
13-Jun-2015 Koorma Jayanti
24-Jun-2015 Aani Thirumanjanam
05-Jul-2015 Guru Peyarchi
17-Jul-2015 Aadi Velli
03-Aug-2015 Aadi Peruku
08-Aug-2015 Aadi Krithigai
14-Aug-2015 Aadi Amavasai
16-Aug-2015 Aadi Pooram
19-Aug-2015 Garuda Panchami
19-Aug-2015 Naga Panchami
25-Aug-2015 Avani Moolam
28-Aug-2015 Varalakshmi Vratham
28-Aug-2015 Onam Festival
29-Aug-2015 Aavani Avitam
29-Aug-2015 Raksha Bandhan
30-Aug-2015 Gayatri Japam
01-Sep-2015 Angarak Sankatahara Chadurthi
01-Sep-2015 Maha Sankadahara chaturthi
05-Sep-2015 Krishna Jayanthi
06-Sep-2015 Sri Jayanthi
12-Sep-2015 Sani Amavasai
15-Sep-2015 Kalki Jayanthi
17-Sep-2015 Vinayaga Chaturthi
18-Sep-2015 Mahalakshmi Vratham
18-Sep-2015 Rishi Panchami
19-Sep-2015 Purataasi Saturday
25-Sep-2015 Vamana Jayanthi
10-Oct-2015 Sani Pradosham
12-Oct-2015 Mahalaya Amavasai
13-Oct-2015 Navaratri Begins
21-Oct-2015 Saraswati Pooja / Ayudha Pooja
22-Oct-2015 Vijayadasami
10-Nov-2015 Lakshmi Kubera Pooja
10-Nov-2015 Deepavali / Diwali
17-Nov-2015 Skanda Shashti
25-Nov-2015 Dattatreya Jayanthi
25-Nov-2015 Thiruvannamalai Deepam
03-Dec-2015 Kala Bhairavashtami
21-Dec-2015 Vaikunda Ekadesi
26-Dec-2015 Aaruthra Darisanam
27-Dec-2015 Parasurama Jayanthi
Roots & Water 