EmbRACE Update - November Worldwide Festivals 🌍

With just over 7 weeks left until Christmas here's another edition of exciting and vibrant festivals for the month of November! This edition brings you a lot of light, for all celebrating, so wrap up warm!

4^th November 2021 – Diwali – Festival of Lights  

One of my personal favourites is Diwali. Celebrated by many religions, Diwali is one of the most significant festivals in India and all over the world. In Hinduism, Diwali marks another triumph of good over evil and derives from the story of the God Ram and his wife Sita. Although there are many versions, the story depicts the capture of Sita by the 10 headed demon king Ravana. It is said that Ravana posed as a beggar and tricked her to leave a magic circle that Ram & Laxman had drawn around her to protect her whilst they were hunting. As she was taken away she left a trail of her jewellery so that Ram, Laxman could find her. With the help of the monkey God Hanuman, they found Sita and defeated the evil God with a magic arrow. Everyone in the kingdom lit lamps to help them find their way home. Some believe that Diwali is the night that the Goddess Lakshmi visits her devotees, so many people will have a spring clean of their homes, wear new clothes and buy new utensils. Today, many homes are adorned in candles and lamps, special dishes are shared between family and friends and there would often be firework displays. 

4^th November 2021 – Bandi Chor Diwas   

For Sikhs, Diwali is celebrated for a different reason. Bandhi Chhor Divas is celebrated in remembrance of the Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, who was who was imprisoned by the Mughal emperor Jehangir and released from Gwalior prison in on this day in 1619 CE. The day is known as Bandhi Chhor Divas (Prisoner Release Day) because 52 imprisoned Kings (Bandhi) were released (Chhor) by him on this day (Divas). The emperor grew jealous of the Guru’s popularity in prison so he arranged for his immediate release. The Guru refused to leave the prison without the kings, so the emperor told the Guru that those who could hold onto his cloak would be allowed to walk out with him, knowing that not all of the kings would be able to hold it and walk free. To meet the Emperor’s churlish condition, the Guru had a coat made for himself with long panels to which all 52 could cling. The princes each grasped a panel, 26 on the right and 26 on the left as they left. In this way, the Guru secured the release of all his fellow inmates. When he returned home, people were celebrating Diwali, when they saw the Guru, the golden temple was filled with light, and they everyone celebrated his safe return home. 

12^th November 2021 – Loy Krathong – The festival of Light

The history behind the festival is complex, and Thais celebrate it for many reasons. As the main rice harvest season ends, it’s time to thank the Water Goddess for a year’s worth of her abundant supply, as well as an apology for polluting the waters. Krathong is a Thai term which refers to a piece of banana trunk decorated with flowers, banana leaves, candle and incense sticks. The word Loy means to float in the Thai language.

Some believe that this is the time to symbolically ‘float away’ all the anger and grudges you have been holding onto, and including a fingernail or a lock of hair is seen as a way of letting go of a dark side of yourself, to start anew free of negative feelings, some people will add money to their boats as well. If your candle stays alight until your Krathong disappears out of sight, it means a year of good luck. Traditionally, Thais release their krathong into rivers and small canals called klongs. Many places host a string of cultural activities, such as Ram Wong dance performances, krathong-making competitions and a beauty contest

15^th November – Shichi-Go-San Festival - ‘ 7-5-3 The making of little adults’ 

Celebrated as a gala day for three and five-year-old boys (or, in many areas, for five-year-old boys only) and three and seven-year-old girls. On this day, prayers are offered for the healthy and happy futures of the children. These ages, in particular, are celebrated both because the ages of three, five and seven are seen as important markers of stages in a child's growth, and because odd numbers are seen as lucky in Japan. As per the tradition, families will visit their local shrine, and the children are given sweets which come in red and white, notoriously auspicious colours used for celebrations. The sweets will usually match their age — three sticks of candy for a three-year-old, and so on. The candy sticks are put inside a plastic bag and usually given to the child by the parents, grandparents or neighbours.

19^th November 2021 – Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Birthday 

Guru Nanak Dev Ji Is known to be the first founder of Sikhism and the first of 11 Guru’s. Many of the Guru’s messages of God were written as poems which were later included in the holy scriptures of the Guru Granth Sahib. In the Guru’s early days, he was known as quite the rebellion, his family would often ask him to herd the cows or to find a job but he would always get caught, sitting under a tree somewhere in blissful meditation. The most famous teachings attributed to Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the Sikh’s belief that there is only one God, and that all human beings can have direct access to God without the need of rituals or priests or status. His most radical social teachings denounced the caste system and taught that everyone is equal, regardless of caste or gender and these teachings created the foundations to Sikhism which were later passed on. 

28^th November 2021 – Advent Sunday  

The start of the Christian year, four Sundays before Christmas. It is often celebrated by lighting the first candle in the advent crown – a circular wreath of greenery. A further three candles are lit on subsequent Sundays, culminating with the Christmas candle on the 25th December. This signifies the transition from darkness to light.

Important Facts of November:

• The 5^th November is Guy Fawkes Night, it marks the failure of the Gunpowder Plot on November 5 1605, when a group of embittered Catholic conspirators planned to blow up parliament and kill the Protestant King James I.

• November has just one birthstone, the radiant topaz. The ancient Greeks also believed that the stone had the ability to turn oneself invisible

• November is the only month used to represent a letter in the phonetic alphabet

• The month of Thanksgiving and Black Friday sales!