The Significance of Religious Festivals - Research Paper Example

It takes place on every Chaturmas, the twelfth day of the waning moon. During this day, all Jains congregate in temples for devotions. a) New Year Festive- in nations like Sri Lanka and Thailand, the New Year is usually celebrated for about three days from the first full moon in the month of April. In other Mahayana countries, this celebration is held the first full moon of January. b) Vesak- Vesak is held to commemorate the birth and death of Buddha, the enlightened one. It is, thus, the most important event for the Buddhists.

The celebrations usually happen during the first full moon of May. Other Buddhism festivals that remember the life of Buddha are the Magha Puja and Asalha Puja Day. a) Oshogatsu- this is the celebration of the closure of the old year and opening of the New Year. During the closure of the year, the people party as they symbolically wash away the misfortunes of the past. They also express their wishful expectations of the New Year. These festivals usually give the members of these religions the opportunity to come together as one family and share their spiritual experiences.

Most worshipers usually get spiritual nourishment from these festivals. In Hinduism for instance, the festivals help them divert their attention from the worldly things and concentrate on the spiritual matters. In Shinto, the visiting of the graves helps them make peace with their ancestors and gods. It is during such times that the members of these religions decide to give to the poor in the society and preach peace. As they give back to the community by helping the poor, they create a harmony between the community and religion.

During these celebrations, the people usually feast with food and drinks and the outsiders are always invited to take part. Diwali is a good example. Therefore, such celebrations bring the people together and help create peace in a social set