2008 Calender

All great Indian festivals have religious, social and seasonal elements to them.

India presents a cultural religions with their own festivals and celebrations but the four major religions followed in India are Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and Sikhism in the descending order. There are a number of regional festivals which are celebrated in particular areas only. Bright colors, brightly lit religious places, illuminated houses, sweets and traditional dresses and dances and unwavering enthusiasm are the characteristics of all the festival holidays in India. Cuisine, dresses and ornaments, especially of the Indian women, with the profusion of golden, red and yellow colors, cultural and traditional performances and music, chariot and car procession of the deities and interesting folklores give the Indian festivals their universal appeal. The concept of universal brotherhood encompasses all the festivals of India and the vibrant colors, warm hospitality and infectious buoyant spirit of the Indians attract people from all over the world to take part in the Indian fairs and festivals.

So make it a point to get a few of your friends together to celebrate and remember the age old traditions of the past.

JANUARY 2008 3 Par Shwanath Jayanti Jain 5 Bir thday of Guru Gobind Singh Sikh 6 Epiphany Chr istian 13 - 14 Maghi Sikh 14 Makar Sankrant Hindu 22 Mahayana New Year Buddhist 31 Bir thday of Guru Har Rai Sikh	FEBRUARY 2008 8 Losar (3 days) Buddhist 8 Par inir vana - Nir vana Day Buddhist 11 Vasant Panchami Hindu
MARCH 2008 6 Mahashivratr i Hindu 16 Palm Sunday Chr istian 20 Maundy Thur sday Chr istian 21 Good Fr iday Chr istian 21 Holi Hindu 22 -24 Hola Mohalla (3 days) Sikh 30 Aadinath Jayanti Jain	APRIL 2008 14 Rama Navami Hindu 14 Vaisakhi (Baisakhi) Sikh 18 Mahavira Jayanti Jain 18 Bir thday of Guru Angad Dev Sikh 18 Bir thday of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sikh 19 Hanuman Jayanti Hindu 20 Chaitr i Poonam - Patta Darshan Jain
MAY 2008 1 Ascension of Christ Chr istian 2 Bir thday of Guru Arjan Dev Sikh 8 Akhatr ij (Akshay Tr itiya) Jain 11 Pentecost - Whit Sunday Chr istian 20 Vesak or Buddha Day Buddhist 23 Bir thday of Guru Amar Das Sikh	JUNE 2008 1 Shantinath Jayanti Jain 16 Mar tyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sikh
JULY 2008 5 Bir thday of Guru Hargobind Sikh 18 Asala - Dharma Day Buddhist 23 Bir thday of Guru Har Krishen Sikh	AUGUST 2008 15 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mar y Chr istian 16 Raksha Bandhan Hindu 16 Lailatul-Bara'at Islam 24 Janmashtami - Krishna Jayanti Hindu 27 Swetamber Par yushana (8 days) Jain
SEPTEMBER 2008 3 Ganesh Chaturthi Hindu 3 Digamber Par yushana (10 days) Jain 30 Navaratr i (9 nights) Hindu	OCTOBER 2008 1 Eid-Ul-Fitr (End of Ramadan) Islam 9 Dussera Hindu 9 Bir thday of Guru Ram Das Sikh 20 Gur u Granth Sahibji Sikh 28 Diwali Hindu 29 Diwali Jain 29 Diwali Sikh 29 New Year Day Hindu 29 New Year Day Jain
NOVEMBER 2008 1 All Saints' Day Chr istian 2 All Souls' Day Chr istian 3 Gyan-Panchami (Laabh Pancham) Jain 13 Bir thday of Guru Nanak Sikh 13 Kar tiki Poonam - Patta Darshan Jain 24 Mar tyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sikh 30 Advent Sunday Chr istian	DECEMBER 2008 8 Bodhi Day Buddhist 8 Hajj Islam 11 Eid-Ul-Adha Islam 21 Par shvanath Jayanti Jain 25 Chr istmas Day Christian