Kite
Festival
This is held in January
and is organized at Shilparamam
and some other parts of the city. There are many sporting kite
flyers around to take the challenge. Various sizes of kites
are on display from palm-sized ones to huge kites as big as a
bus. If you are visiting with kids, buy a kite and let them
join in.
Sankranti or
Makara Sankranti is the main
harvest festival in Andhra Pradesh and is celebrated by the
name of 'Pongal'
in other parts of South India. The word Pongal derives its
name from 'Pongali', a sweet preparation made from freshly
harvested rice and is celebrated over three days.
Deccan
Festival
highlights
Hyderabad's arts, crafts, culture and cuisine and also
includes a Pearls and Bangles fair not to be missed. Cultural
programs, food stalls arts and craft shops etc offer
interesting adventures for new comers and visitors worth
sampling.
Sivratri
is one of the pre-historic festivals celebrated all over
India.
It is a religious festival devoted to Lord Shiva, the
Destroyer. The devotees dedicate the entire day to the worship
of Lord Shiva. During the night people remain awake, go to the
temple and listen to the Vedic recitals and their meanings.
Bakrid
is also known as Id-ul-Zuha
and is the festival of sacrifice. After Ramadhan, it is the
one festival, which Muslims around the globe celebrate with
religious fervour and gaiety. Bakrid falls on the last month
of the Islamic calendar. Bakrid, coincides with the Haj
pilgrimage at Mecca, where Muslims from all over the world
congregate annually. In Hyderabad, Bakrid is celebrated with a
lot of enthusiasm and religious fervour and temporary markets
spring up along the roadsides where thousands of goats are
brought for sale which for those interested creates a great
photo opportunity.
Moharrum
is celebrated in Hyderabad
and is as popular as Dasara
in Mysore and is a religious festival. On this day of
mourning, Muslims commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain,
the grandson of Prophet Mohammed. Tazias, gorgeous replicas of
the martyr's tomb are carried in procession through the
streets, and men beat their chests and wail as an expression
of grief and distress.
Ugadi
This local New Year comes soon after the celebration of 'holy'
Spring is considered as the first season of this native New
Year of Andra.
Vinayak
Chaturthi
is the day when Lord
Ganesh or Vinayak was born (created) is celebrated as Vinayak
Chaturthi. The day is celebrated with devotion and enthusiasm
throughout the country. Every year the largest Ganesh idol is
installed at Khairatabad in Hyderabad that is taller than
thirty feet. On the 11th day of celebration, processions
converge at Hussain Sager Lake. The ten-day Ganesh festival
concludes with the immersion of Ganesh idols in the lake.
Ramadhan
(Ramzan)
Held is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. Muslims fast
the whole month and at the end of it they celeberate the
Ramadhan with joy. Fasting occurs from sunrise to sunset
during this month and it is a time of intense worship. The
real Ramadhan action is seen in the Charminar area. As one
wades through the crowds one comes across rows of well lit and
decorated shops, eye-catching banners and traditional
food stuffs being sold (after sunset). The activity picks up
around dusk, goes on brisk, and uninterrupted well into late
hours of the evening and are worth joining in on.
Diwali
The festival of light is
celebrated in Andra Pradesh together with other areas
throughout the country. It is a festival that revolves around
Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. During the festival the whole
country explodes into colour and noise and makes for some
great entertainment worth seeing and experiencing.
Lumbini
Festival
is organized to celebrate the
Buddhist Heritage of Andra Pradesh. The festival is celebrated
in Nagarjunasagar and Hyderabad for three days and is
interesting to see or experience. |