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Cultural and Religious Observances title with an image of a man smiling, a religious stained glass window, a woman wearing a hijab and colorful Indian art made with sand and flower petals

Cultural and religious observances – October 19-25, 2020

October 16, 2020 by Diversity and Inclusion

Birth of Bahá’u’lláh

Culture/religion: Bahá’í
Date: October 19

Photo of the Shrine of Baha'u'llah
Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh. Photo credit: Marco Abrar, Wikimedia

Baha’u’llah was a religious leader and founder of the Bahá’í faith which advocates universal peace and unity among all races, nations and religions. Baha’u’llah was a follower of Báb and Bahá’ís regard him to be a Manifestation of God.

This day celebrates the birth of the Bahá’í founder and teacher, Baha’u’llah. Born to an affluent family in Persia in 1817, Baha’u’llah spent many of his later years as a prisoner and in exile for his work in the Bábi movement. It was in his prison cell that he had his new religious revelation and the Bahá’í faith was born.

On this day, one of nine holy days in the Bahá’í religion, Bahá’ís do not work. Many observe the day in small celebrations or gatherings where prayers are said from Baha’u’llah’s writings.

Pronunciation:

Bahá’í: Ba-HIGH

Báb: Bahb (Bob)

Bahá’u’lláh: Ba-ha-ul-LAH

Sources:

Baha’u’llah, Wikipedia

Style guide, glossary and pronunciation guide, Bahá’í World News Service

Dussehra

Culture/religion: Hindu
Date: October 25

Photo of a burning Ravana effigy at a Dussehra celebration
The Ravana effigy in flames at the Dussehra celebrations. Photo credit: Ministry of Culture/GODL-India, Wikimedia

Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami (“victory on the tenth day”) is one of the major Hindu festivals celebrated at the end of Navaratri every year. The festival signifies good over evil, commemorating the victory of Lord Rama over the demon Ravana.

Though observed for different reasons and celebrated in a variety of ways across India, celebrations are known to include processions of the statues of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya to a river or ocean and immersing them in the water for dissolution and farewell. In other locations, large effigies of Ravan, symbolizing evil, are burned with fireworks marking evil’s destruction.

The Dussehra festival starts the preparations for Diwali which is celebrated twenty days later.

Sources:

Dussehra Festival, TourMyIndia.com

Vijayadashami, Wikipedia

View more cultural and religious observances

Filed Under: Cultural and Religious Observances Tagged With: Baha'i, Birth of Baha'u'llah, Cultural and Religious Observances, Dussehra, Hindu

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