Rama Navami
Nepal
This is a wonderful event
to witness in Nepal, but
it is celebrated by Hindus
all over the world. Rama
Navami honours the birth of
the Hindu god, Rama.
The child of King Dasharatha
and Queen Kausalya is
believed to be the seventh
incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Hindu families gather to
recite puja (prayers), usually
led by the youngest female,
who applies a red tilak
(mark) to the foreheads of
family members.Wa t e r Festival
Myanmar & Thailand
Celebrators in Myanmar
call it Thingyan, whereas
the Thai call it Songkran.
Worshippers in both
country's pour water
over statues of the
Buddha, representing
the purification of sins.
The young will pour water
over the elders’ hands as
a sign of respect. Major
streets are closed so that
people can celebrate with
water fights; everybody
participates by splashing
water on each other.Navruz
Uzbekistan
Navruz is a favourite
holiday among the Uzbek
people, and has been
celebrated for at least
2,500 years. It signifies the
new year for the Turkic and
Iranian people because of
the equally long daytime
and nighttime. On Navruz,
conflict is forbidden, and
forgiveness is expected of
everybody. The acts made
within the first 13 days of
the new year are seen to be
sign of things to come for
the rest of the year.Sisters’ Meal
Festival
Guizhou, China
The legend behind this
Miao festival tells of two
cousins who fell in love,
much to their parents’
disapproval. During their
secret meetings, the girl
would bring along a rice
meal. In Miao language,
a meal taken to a secret
lover is called gad liangl,
which translates to 'sisters’
meal' in Chinese. On this
day, rice is dyed blue,
pink, yellow and white to
represent the seasons.“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world” – Gustave Flaubert
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