We had the ancestor's fortnight last month and then the nine day Devi festival, then burning of Ravana effigy (Dussehra). We will have five-day Diwali festivities from this Wednessday to Saturday. Dhan Teras (lit. Money Thirteenth - the auspicious day to buy new things, especially utensils and house-hold items, even if it is just a spoon, or gold if one has money), Lesser Diwali, Diwali, Govardhan Puja (ritual feeding of animals) and Bhai Dooj (a festival for brothers and sisters).
Normally, we have a gathering of people of three generations for dinner on this day (some 40 people). I do not know if that has been arranged this time or by whom (this is by rotation). We will be informed. Then we will have a four-day Chath festival (worship of Sun God and his spouse) from Nov. 8 to 11. This is for North and Central India. People in South will have their own festivals, I am not completely aware of them, but finding it out through the religious calendars is easy. Oh, yeah, every day is a festival day in India.
Dhan Teras, Diwali, Govardhan, Bhai Dooj, Chath
