Festival Season Begins in IndiaA drive through any Indian city, town, or village these days will tell you that the festivity is in the air. Generally, the festival season in India starts in October and goes all the way till the year end. But in 2009, it all began a little early. Navratri, the auspicious nine nights, has already started as of Sep 19. India's culture is rich and diverse but there are a few festivals like Navratri that bind almost all its cultures and regions. May be in different forms but Navratri (The Nine Nights) is celebrated throughout India. In northen India, Navratri time is considered very auspicious. People throng temples and religious places to offer special prayers and make wishes. Many Indians fast on all the 9 days to purify the body and mind. In Gujrat, western state of India, Navratri are celebrated with Dandiya and Garba (a form of dance). It's the time of the year when you can see socialization and celebration taking over the otherwise busy lives. Durga Puja festival celebrations take the center stage in eastern India during Navratri. It begins by Durga Murti Sthapna (installing Goddess Durga idol) in pandals in every nook and corner of the city, community halls, and parks. Thousands of temporary Puja Pandals come up in Kolkata metro alone. But you will find them easily even in other major cities of India. Durga Puja festival concludes with the immersion of Durga idol. Right after Navratri, i.e. on the 10th night, falls the popular Dussehra festival which celebrates the victory of Good over Evil. Because it comes on 10th night, the festival is also referred as Vijaydashmi - vijay means victory and dashmi 10th. In many parts of the country Dussehra festival is celebrated by burning the effigies of Ravana the king of Devils. It's believed that it was on Dussehra when Lord Rama had killed Ravana marking the victory of truth and good. Exactly 20 days after Dussehra comes the festival of festivals - the mega Diwali also called as Deepavali, the festival of lights. This is by far the biggest festival in India and is celebrated thtroughout the nation with lots of excitement. The celebrations peak during Diwali. The mega shopping season begins with Navratri itself and lasts till the year end. Indians buy precious items like gold, jewelry, cars, houses during Navratri. It's believed that anything you buy during Navratri brings good luck for the family. It's also considered auspicious to donate or exchange gifts in Navratri and in the festival season in general. The sales of Televisions, Refrigerators, Washing Machines, Microwaves and other Kitchen Appliances start soaring. Retailers offers special discounts to lure shoppers. As Diwali approaches, home improvement and gift exchange gets into a high gear. A variety of Diwali gifts are exchanged. Sweets, diyas, and candles are traditional gifts but the modern list goes much beyond that. It includes Digital Cameras, Mobile Phones, MP3 Players, Laptops/Netbooks, and much more. Manufacturers release special models around Diwali season to take advantage of the highly motivated shoppers. Shoppers too enjoy all the attention, sales, discounts, and special promotions. If you haven't started your festival shopping yet, it's time to start making that shopping list. India Festival Gift Ideas:
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