Bihar Customs and Traditions

1.  Diwali Festival

·  People begin to celebrate this holiday two days before it actually arrives

·  The picture on the wikiflex has what appears to be a swastika but is really a backwards swastika meaning “peace for the world”.

·  Two days before Diwali a festival is celebrated in honor of Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods.

  1. People buy new kitchen utensils, because there is a myth that Dhanvantari came out of the ocean with a large pot in his hand
  2. Everyone bathes very early in the morning
  3. They fast beginning in the morning until sunset

·  One day before Diwali is called “Choti Diwali” which means small Diwali. They do things on a smaller scale in this day.

  1. They have some oil lights and some firecrackers, but nothing big yet.

·  The day of Diwali is when the celebration really picks up.

  1. In the doorways of houses and in the courtyards women make colorful rangolis which are pictures made out of colored rice. They put foot prints in their pictures today to symbol Lakshmi entering the house.
  2. Songs are sung for the gods.
  3. Oil lamps also known as ghee diyas are lit.
  4. Gods are offered sweet meals around the houses.

2.  Chhath

·  Takes place a week after Diwali

  1. The evening before Chhath people clean their houses thoroughly
  2. For a day and a night people live on the banks of the Ganga
  3. They make a ritual offering to the sun god
  4. It is celebrated very early in the morning which sets a gorgeous picture to worship
  5. The people fast for twenty four hours without water
  6. They bathe once in the night and once at the crack of dawn to receive the blessings of the worshiper
  7. Some mothers and daughters sing songs during the gathering

3.  Music of Bihar

·  Bihar has many different types of songs sung for many different important occasions such as marriage, birth, and festivals.

·  Songs are normally sung in a group

·  Instruments that are used are a Dholak and a bansuri

·  Their music reflects their history in a way that during sad time periods sad songs were written and during happy time periods happy songs were written