It's Time to Celebrate Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bhau Beej

Baisakhi is celebrated in Punjab on the 14th of April and marks the beginning of the solar year. Pongal is celebrated in Tamil Nadu in the month of January, while Onam is celebrated in Kerala in the months of August-September. The traditional snake boat race is held in Kerala during this festival where around 100 oarsmen are required to row a single boat.
In the coastal city of Mangalore, Catholics celebrate their harvest festival called 'Nove' on September 8 - the birthday of Mother Mary.
Bhau Beej is celebrated after Diwali. Sisters perform an arti for their brothers' well being and the brothers in turn shower them with gifts.

Answer: Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh, the elephant headed Hindu deity, is worshipped during this festival. It is generally celebrated around August-September. The idol is brought home and worshipped for ten days, after which it is immersed in the sea. It is celebrated with particular fervour in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Answer: Holi

People celebrate Holi by throwing water and coloured powder on each other. Traditionally, neem, turmeric and other medicinal herbs were used to make these powders though synthetic colours are used more often today. 'Bhaang' is a special drink prepared on this day which may also contain mild traces of cannabis.

Answer: Karwa Chauth

During Karwa Chauth, married Hindu women fast for an entire day for the long life of their husbands. The fast is broken in the night only after the moon is sighted. In Punjab, women start fasting after eating the traditional dish of sergi prepared by their mothers-in-law. While breaking their fast, they look at the moon and then at their husbands through a sieve.

Answer: Durga

Durga Puja (Dussehra) is celebrated on a grand scale in the states of West Bengal, Orissa, Tripura, Assam and Jharkhand as also in the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. The festival is celebrated over a ten-day period in the months of September-October.

Answer: Navroze

Parsi New Year's Day is known as Navroze. Parsis may follow one of three different calendars - Shahenshahi, Fasli and Kadmi. Since the Indian Parsis follow the Shahenshahi calendar, their new year is celebrated in August. On this day, they visit the Fire Temple and cook traditional food. Pateti is the day before the New Year and is a day for repentance and thanksgiving.

Answer: Diwali

Diwali literally means 'array of lamps' and is celebrated on the darkest night of the Hindu month of Karthik (October-November). It is celebrated to commemorate the return of Lord Ram after 14 years of exile.

Answer: True

Kumbh Mela or Pitcher Festival is held every four years in one of four locations - Allahabad, Nashik, Ujjain and Haridwar and is attended by thousands of people.
Makar Sankranti is the only Hindu festival based on the Solar calendar (the others are based on the Lunar calendar). Kite flying competitions are held on this day.

Answer: Teej

Teej is celebrated mostly in the states of Rajasthan and Bihar and also by the Bania community in Delhi in the month of August or early September. Married women pray to Goddess Parvati for the well being of their husbands and children. Special swings are hung on tree branches for the occasion.

Answer: Mani Bihu

Rice is the principal crop of Assam. The three Bihus constitute a festival complex and are celebrated at various stages of paddy cultivation - preparing the fields (Magh Bihu in mid-January), growth of young seedling after cultivation (Bohag Bihu in mid April) and gathering of harvest (Kati Bihu in October-November).

In addition to the festivals already mentioned, a number of others including Christmas, Easter, Ramzan Id, Buddha Poornima, Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah are also celebrated.