EmbRACE Update - Worldwide Festivals 🌍

Each month we will be sharing information on the many celebrated Worldwide Festivals. Developed by our very own EmbRACE Working Group Colleague, Mandy Kaur, have a read of the latest update below which includes September's dates. 😊

1^st September  – Pahila Parkash - Installation of the Guru Granth Sahib in the Golden Temple 

This holiday commemorates the first parkash (opening ceremony) of the Guru Granth Sahib (The Sikh holy book) installed in the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, in 1604 by the fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev Ji. The Sikh scripture is called the Guru Granth Sahib, which is considered the revealed Word of God spoken through Sikh Gurus and other blessed Saints. The Holy Words contained in the Scripture are called Gurbani which literally means 'from the Guru's mouth'. The Granth Sahib began with the first Guru, Nanak Dev, as a collection of his holy hymns. The scripture was known as Adi Granth and was added to by subsequent Gurus. In 1708, Adi Granth became Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Eternal Guru of Sikhs as was declared by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. To some Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib is respected as the 11^th eternal Guru as the teachings continue to share in Gurdwaras (Temples) all over the world. The Guru Granth Sahib provides all Sikhs with the guidance to live their lives to the highest principle. 

1^st September – Samvatsari – International Day of Forgiveness  

Jainism is an ancient Indian religion. Jainism teaches that the path to enlightenment is through non-violence and reducing harm to living things (including plants and animals) as much as possible. Similar to Hinduism and Buddhism, the Jain religion believes in reincarnation and that the cycle of birth and death is determined by an individual's karma. During Samvatsari, there is a ritual of saying “Michhami Dukkadam” to one another which asks for forgiveness for any knowingly or unknowingly hurtful words, actions or deeds. Jains are said to perform a penitential retreat called ‘Samvatsari Pratikramana’ after which they seek forgiveness from others.  As the day is one of the holiest days in the Jain calendar, many people will keep a fast and share in prayers. 

10^th September – Chung Ch’iu - Rabbit in the Moon Festival 

This Chinese festival symbolises the harmony between man and nature and is also considered as the Chinese ‘Thanksgiving’. Traditionally, families celebrate the holiday by hosting reunions, eating a delicacy called moon cake, watching the full moon and singing moon poems. Legend has it that the old man on the moon decides upon future marriage partners making it a particularly important holiday for those in love, or wishing to be. The Moon Festival is believed to bring romance and happiness. Folklore throughout Asia has long held the rabbit as a symbol of rebirth that is commonly taken to represent the moon. The festival is celebrated with special ‘moon’ cakes containing ground lotus and sesame seeds or dates. These contain an image of the crescent moon or of the rabbit in the moon, and children holding brightly coloured lanterns are allowed to stay up late to watch the moon rise from some nearby high place.

26^th/27^th September – Rosh Hashannah

Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish celebration which usually takes place on what is considered the first day of Autumn. The celebration marks a fresh start and is a time for people to reflect on the past year, ask for forgiveness, and write their wrongs and is considered as a festival of judgement. This is when Jewish people believe that God balances a person’s good acts over the last year with their bad acts and decides what the coming 12 months will be like for them. Many Jewish families will spend time at a synagogue where they will worship. One of the traditions of Rosh Hashanah is to blow a big horn called a Shofar. One hundred notes are blowing the horn to create a special rhythm and the Shofar is one the world’s oldest known wind instruments! Of course, with any festival and celebration, food is very important and my favourite thing about this celebration are the slices of apples dipped in honey and the honey cake to symbolise a sweet new year ahead!

Have a try at making the Honey Cake here. 😊

27^th September – 2^nd October – Navratri – Nine Nights 

Navratri is celebrated differently in India’s various regions. For many people, it is a time of religious reflection and fasting, while for others it is a time for dancing and feasting. Among fasting, customs are observing a strict vegetarian diet and abstaining from alcohol and certain spices. Dances performed include garba, especially in Gujarat. Typically, the festival’s nine nights are dedicated to different aspects of the divine feminine principle or shakti. Offerings are often made to the goddesses and their various aspects, and rituals are performed in their honour. 

National Days in September:

• 4^th September – World Samosa Day 😊

• 5^th September – International Day of Charity

• 7^th September – International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies

• 15^th September – International Day of Democracy

• 21^st September – International Day of Peace

• 27^th  September – Tourism Day

See you all next month for some more exciting celebrations! To all those celebrating, hope you enjoy yourselves! And if you are please send in your pictures to embraceworkinggroup@midcounties.coop 😊