Sukkot 2010: Sept 22-29:
Sukkot 2010 begins at sundown on September 22, running until sundown on September 29. Sukkot is also called "the Feast of Tabernacles", and falls on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Sukkot literally translates to "booths" or "tabernacles". Sukkot began as a sort of Jewish Thanksgiving, celebrating the harvest of crops and wine ("Feast of the Ingathering"). Historically, Sukkot commemorates the 40-year period during which the Israelites wandered the desert: a tabernacle, in its original sense, is a portable and somewhat fragile dwelling in which Israelites used after the Exodus from Egypt. It is one of the three biblically mandated Shalosh regalim where Jews make pilgrimages to the Temple. The Holy time lasts seven days, including Chol Hamoe, and is immediately followed by another festive day known as Shemini Atzeret.
Oktoberfest is a 16 to 18 day festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany with some six million people attending every year. The Oktoberfest is an important part of the Bavarian culture. Other cities, across the world, also hold Oktoberfest celebrations modeled after this Munich event.
The Munich Oktoberfest traditionally takes place during the 16 days up to and including the first Sunday in October. In 1994, the schedule was modified in response to German reunification so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the festival will go on until October 3rd, which is German Unity Day. The festival is now 17 days when the 1st Sunday is October 2nd and 18 days when it is October 1st. In 2010, the festival lasts exceptionally until the first October Monday, to mark the 200 year jubilee of the event. Festivity gather-ee’s eat huge amounts of traditional hearty fare - such as Hendl (chicken), Schweinsbraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Würstl (sausage) along with Brezn (pretzel), Knodel (potato or bread dumplings), Kasspatzn (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancake), Sauerkraut/Blaukraut (red cabbage), as well as Obatzda which is a spicey cheese butter spread and Weisswurst, which is a white sausage.
Dussehra (Oct. 17) is a popular festival celebrated by Hindus all over India, although it can be known by different names. It is also known as Vijayadashmi ('Vijay' meaning 'victory' and 'Dashmi meaning 'tenth day), as it is believed that it was on this day that Lord Rama killed the demon-king, Ravana and rescued his abducted wife - Sita. In other words, it signifies the triumph of good over evil. The legendary triumph is reenacted to the day. In the northern parts of India, huge effigies of Ravana, his giant brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghnath are placed in vast open grounds. Fireworks and crackers are placed inside the effigies.
Actors will dress as Rama, Sita (Rama’s wife) and Lakshmana (Rama’s brother) and re-enact the time of the battle at the Ramlila ground. After the enactment of the climax of the war with Ravana, the character playing Rama shoots an arrow with a flaming tip and the crowd gatherers will cheer. Merriment ensues as people indulge themselves games, dance and music that are held at the fair.Bengalis celebrate Dusshera as a part of their main festival - Durga Puja. This day marks the end of Durga Pooja celebrations, the preceding nine days being collectively referred to as 'Navratri'. Vijayadashmi is dedicated to Mother Goddess Shakti, who incarnated in the form of Goddess Durga, a combined manifestation of the divine energies of the Holy Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and all the other devatas, when they summoned her to kill the mighty demon known as Mahishasura and freed the world from his terror.
On Vijayadashmi, the idols of Goddess Durga are immersed into water, after the nine days of festivities. It is said that the people of the earth in the eastern state of West Bengal adopted Durga as their daughter and thus, she visits the home of her parents every year, during the last four days of Navratri, along with her sons Ganesha and Kartikeya, and daughters Lakshmi and Saraswati. She finally leaves for her husband's place on Vijayadashmi. Similar customs are seen in Orissa and Assam. In the North-eastern state of Tripura, huge fairs are conducted and effigies of Ravana, Meghnath and Kumbhkarna are burnts at Ramlila maidans.
In the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Vijayadashmi holds special significance. The day is considered auspicious for starting education or any form of art, such as dance and music. Saraswati Puja is conducted on the day, when the formal commencement of education of small kids takes place. It is called 'Vidya aarambham' (the beginning of Vidya, meaning education). In Karnataka (especially Mysore) and Andhra Pradesh, Dusshera is celebrated with fanfare. Huge processions can be witnessed in both the States. Although Dussehra is celebrated in different ways across India, the motive remains the same - to spread good cheer and celebrate the victory of good over the evil.
Halloween: October 31
Behind the name, Halloween (Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland) means All Hallows Eve or the night before the 'All Hallows.' It’s also called All Hallowmas, All Saints or All Souls Day. Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherians would observe All Hallows Day to honor all Saints in heaven, known or unknown. They used to consider it with all solemnity as one of the most significant observances of the church year and all Catholics were obliged to attend Mass. The Romans observed the holiday of Feralia, intended to give rest and peace to the departed. Participants made sacrifices in honor of the dead, offered up prayers for them, and made offerings to them. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day to replace the pagan festival of the dead. It was observed on May 13. Later, Gregory III changed the date to November 1.
The Greek Orthodox Church observes it on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Despite this connection with the Roman Church, the American version of Halloween Day celebration owes its origin to the ancient Druidic fire festival called Samhain, celebrated by the Celts in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Samhain is pronounced "sow-in", with "sow" rhyming with cow. In Ireland the festival was known as Samhein, or La Samon, the Feast of the Sun. In Scotland, the celebration was known as Hallowe'en. In Welsh it's Nos Galen-gaeof (that is, the Night of the Winter Calends. According to the Irish English dictionary published by the Irish Texts Society: "Samhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till May, during which troops (esp. the Fiann) were quartered. Faeries were imagined as particularly active at this season. From this, the half year is reckoned and is also called Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess). The Scotts defines it as Hallowtide. The Feast of All Soula. Sam + Fuin = end of summer. Contrary to the information published by many organizations, there is no archaeological or literary evidence to indicate that Samhain was a deity. The Celtic Gods of the dead were Gwynn ap Nudd and Arawn for the Welsh. Most of the customs connected with the Day are remnants of the ancient religious beliefs and rituals, first of the Druids and then transcended amongst the Roman Christians, who conquered them.
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