Page 42 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

40  INTRODUCING INDIA

crops such as mustard and
wheat. The chill is at its worst in
the northern plains and hills
between mid-December and
mid-January, and though
temperatures often fall below
3° C (37° F), the days are sunny.
The southern region does not
experience very low winter
temperatures, the minimum
being around 19° C (66° F).
Dussehra (Sep/Oct). For nine
days, episodes from the
Ramayana (see p31) depicting
Rama’s adventures against
Women teams participating in the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Kerala Ravana are enacted. The tenth
day, Vijaya Dashami, celebrates
Lalbagh Flower Show (Aug), Rama’s defeat of Ravana, and
Monsoon (Jul–Sep) Bengaluru. This pretty flower huge effigies of the demon-
The monsoon season is show is held in the Glass House king, his brother and son are
celebrated for the magical of the Lalbagh Gardens. burnt. In Delhi, the Shriram
transformation of the earth. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race Bharatiya Kala Kendra’s month-
south, especially the coastal areas, (Aug), Kerala. Lavishly decorated long dance-drama encap-
and the northeast experience snake boats (see p637) take sulates the epic. Bengalis
very heavy rains. Rainfall is fairly part in a thrilling race celebrate Durga Puja (see
good in the northern plains. at Alappuzha. p285) at this time.
International Mango Festival Janmashtami (Aug/ Gandhi Jayanti
(Jul), Delhi. Over 1,000 varieties Sep). The day is given (2 Oct). Mahatma
of mangoes grown in North to fasting, and Gandhi’s birthday is
India are exhibited and sold festivities reach their widely celebrated
at the Talkatora Stadium. peak at midnight, which as a national holiday.
Kanwar Mela (Jul/Aug), Haridwar. is when Lord Krishna Id-ul-Zuha (Oct).
Thousands of Kanwarias (Shiva was born. The One of the several The Muslim feast
devotees) journey to the Ganges merrymaking in varieties of rakhi of sacrifice, popularly
barefoot and saffron-clad, to carry Mathura (see p182) and known as Bakr Id,
gaily decorated kanwars (vessels Brindavan (see p183) is commemorates Abraham’s
hung on bamboo poles) filled especially grand. willingness to sacrifice his own
with water from the sacred river son, Ismail. Since then, a goat is
back to their local Shiva temple. sacrificed to Allah on this day,
Independence Day (15 Aug). Winter (Oct–Feb) prayers are offered in mosques
A national holiday commemora- This is the best season in India. and special delicacies are served.
ting India’s freedom from British The monsoon is over, and the Pushkar Fair (Oct/Nov),
rule in 1947. The Prime Minister days now begin to grow cooler. Pushkar. Asia’s largest camel,
addresses the nation from the It is also the most auspicious horse and cattle fair takes
ramparts of the historic Red period in the Indian calendar and place in this pilgrim town.
Fort in Delhi. ushers in a number of festivals. Diwali (Nov). Oil lamps
Raksha Bandhan (Aug). Winter also marks the sowing of illuminate homes to
Women tie sacred woven
threads (rakhis) around their
brothers’ wrists as a token of
love, and receive in exchange
gifts and a promise of
everlasting protection.
Id-ul-Fitr (Jul/Aug). This festival
is celebrated when the sighting
of the new moon signals the
end of Ramadan, the 40-day long
period of fasting for Muslims
that marks the revelation of the
Koran to the Prophet by Allah.
It is also called Mithi (sweet)
Id, as sewian, a delicacy made
with sweetened vermicelli, is
prepared on the occasion. Huge effigies of Ravana, his brother and his son during Dussehra, Delhi

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