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Cultural & religious observances header image. A photo in the upper left hand corner is a stained glass image of Mary holding Jesus. The photo in the upper right hand corner is a woman wearing a burqua standing near a fence. The image on the bottom left corner is a monk, and the image on the bottom right corner is a mandala sand painting.

Cultural and religious observances – October 3-9, 2022

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Dussehra

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

Culture/religion: Hindu
Date: October 5

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

Yom Kippur

A painting of Jews praying in a synagogue on Yom KippurCulture/religion: Judaism
Date: October 5

Yom Kippur is considered to be the holiest and most solemn day of the year for many Jews. Known as the “day of repentance” as it inspires introspection, prayer and petitions for forgiveness so that Jews can enter the New Year with a clean slate.

Yom Kippur is a fasting holiday, with the end of the fast being a time for family and friends to reconnect. Some Jews wear white on Yom Kippur to symbolize purity and attend synagogue on this day and the preceding evening.

Yom Kippur begins at sundown October 7. No work permitted.

Pronunciation: YOHM ki-PAWR

Sources:

Yom Kippur, Rosenfeld Community of Practice Jewish Learning Matters

Glossary of Jewish Terminology, Judaism 101, jewfaq.org

Mawlid

Photo of Muslims participating in a parade for Mawlid
Muslims participating in a parade for Mawlid. Photo credit: Firdaus Latif, Wikimedia

Culture/religion: Islamic
Date: October 8

Mawlid commemorates the birth of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on 12 Rabi’ al-awwal, the twelfth day of the third month in the Islamic calendar. In predominantly Muslim countries, Mawlid al-Nabi is a public holiday.

Many Muslims do not celebrate this holiday, as they feel it puts too much emphasis on the prophet as human and distracts from the true divine source of revelation. On the other hand, many Muslims see this festival as a way of teaching their community about the prophet’s way of life.

Some Muslims celebrate in private homes, while others decorate mosques with lights and hold large festive gatherings.

Sources:

Birthday of the Prophet: Mawlid al-Nabi, The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

On-going observances

Navaratri – through October 4

Hispanic Heritage Month – through October 15