Festivals have always been the source of joy and happiness. The vibrance of colours, the amalgam of different sounds, all create a feeling of excitement and enjoyment. And the best way to celebrate any festival is with one’s own family. Family, being the strongest anchor in our lives holds all the flavours and aroma needed for the celebrations. The pull of one’s family, back home, to celebrate a festival is strong and yet, very pleasant and draws both young and old.
Festivals are ideal to enhance family bonding and unity. It is because during festivals the different members of the family come together as a single entity to celebrate. Festivals also contribute immensely to this because most festivals require the participation of the entire family. The entire family comes together to celebrate, creating a mood of gaiety and cheerfulness. After staying united in times of sorrow and hardships, festivals are symbolically the celebration of joys as one, happy family. During the festival season, the members of the family, who are away from home due to various reasons, make it a point to be there, and celebrate with loved ones. This makes the festival all the more enjoyable.
The gap between the older and younger generations in the family is bridged .It is during these festival times that the elders in the house are given paramount importance. Elders, being a storehouse of knowledge and wisdom, often provide insight into the procedures followed for various rituals during the festivals. They also assume the charge during the celebration for the different procedures. They also guide the youngster in preparing the traditional gourmet dishes of the festival. . Listening to their anecdotes and stories are an experience of a different kind. Most of the myths and folklore associated with the festivities are passed down as priceless immortal gifts from the elders in the family. In a way, the older generation sustains the festivals with the help of the young.
The festival season also provides the opportunity for everyone in the family irrespective of age and position to be given equal importance and the right to enjoy and have fun. Grandparents, parents and children come together to celebrate and silently echo the strong bond of love, the bond of blood that holds them all together.
Many religious festivals also portray the family as the fundamental entity. In Hinduism, Gokulashtami is celebrated by the followers heralding the birth of Lord Krishna. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ into a family. Many festivals also involve many traditions which require active participation of all the members of the family. The festival of lights, Diwali, is celebrated across India by many people, irrespective of caste and religion. During Diwali, all the members of the family enjoy the occasion by bursting crackers and distributing sweets. Young and old, alike enjoy the festivities and together adorn the house with lighted earthen lamps welcoming wealth and prosperity into the household. In the southern state of India, Kerala, the festival of Onam is celebrated where the members of the family together make the traditional floral carpet called the pookalam. The Christians celebrate Christmas with the family and everyone comes together to decorate the Christmas tree and the crib depicting the scene of Nativity. The members of the family exchange gifts, ushering in an era of peace and happiness. The Muslims also celebrate the festival of Eid ul –fitr with near and dear ones. The Eid ul –fitr feast is attended by the entire family spreading cheer and bliss.
The bliss of a festival makes it possible for the family to get over indifferences and come together. Members of the family who are involved in disputes try to make amends and maintain cordial ties amongst one another and their relationships are strengthened. The blissful mood and the festive aura brings about a subtle positivity in everyone present making it possible to unite happily as a family. Differences in opinions are forgiven and forgotten because, after all the essence of celebrating a festival is to ensure love, peace and compassion amongst all.
However, today, festivals are a show of pomp and splendour where the family is kept as a prop and is not given the top priority. Sadly, many family relationships weaken as a result of being ignored and treated with disregard. If celebrated in the right spirit, festivals are a boon to the family because it enhances the beauty of all the relationships within the family; be it parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren or amongst siblings, cousins, and other relatives. The various branches of the family tree are strengthened by an attachment which comes from the heart.
In the festival called life, there is no better way to celebrate it than with the most divine beings in your life, your family. After all home is where the heart is, and heart is where the festivities begin.
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