Tag Archives: Festival

The Golden Stupa found at the capital, Vientiane, contains the hair and bosom bone of Buddha. Otherwise known as “Pha That Luang” (the Grand Stupa), the Golden Stupa, constructed in 1566 and renovated many times over, is the symbol of the Lao nation as it reflects the country’s devotion to …

The Songkran Festival in Thailand is celebrated as the country’s traditional New Year’s Day. To the Thais, Songkran is one of the happiest and most anticipated holidays of the year. The festival has been celebrated in the country for centuries, but is believed to be adapted from a holiday in …

Holi is a religious festival strongly observed by India and Nepal. Countries with a diaspora of Hindus also celebrate Holi, particularly Malaysia, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, United Kingdom and Mauritius. Holi has a particularly strong significance for the people in the Braj (Uttar Pradesh) region in …

Christmas is one of the world’s most recognizable and celebrated holidays. Countries and cultures all over the world prepare for this time of the year and celebrate with much pomp and revelry. It is one of the holidays which have both religious and secular roots. Every year, Christmas falls on …

In most parts of the world, summer means beach. White beach. And blue waters. But in Boryeong, 200 kilometers south of Seoul, summer means mud, the biggest mud festival there ever is in Asia. Mud madness this year starts on July 19 and concludes on July 28. It’s a Mud …

Throughout different countries and cultures, people come together to give thanks for the blessings that they have received. One of the most common reasons for such gatherings is to give thanks for a bountiful harvest season. It is observed in many European and Asian countries whose main livelihood is by …

The World of Music, Arts and Dance is a spectacular universe unto itself. Dancers, musicians, instrumentalists, storytellers, thespians, fire-eaters, jugglers, sitar players, and even bit performers, all find a home – and a large audience – in WOMAD. Anything that is the expression of the spirit and manifested in tunes, …

As much as Filipinos are religiously devout, they are also hopelessly comic. Leave it to them to put a mundane (and hilarious) twist to liturgical celebrations. St. John the Baptist’s festival on June 24 is observed all over the country with water dousing ritual. Generally, the people do it the …

One may think that paganism is a relic of the past in a country steeped with Vatican influence, but such is not always the case. Pagan festivals have managed to survive in the Philippines, even if they evolved to accommodate religious elements that were introduced when the Spanish arrived in …

Deepavali is the “Festival of Lights” and is a five-day celebration that is considered to be the most important holiday in the Hindu calendar. Its literal translation is “a row of lights”, as the festival’s name is derived from the words “deep” that means lights, and “avail” to mean a …

Makha Bucha is one of the most important religious festivals celebrated in Thailand, and is done to venerate the teachings of Buddha. In 2016, Thailand will celebrate this public holiday on the 22nd of February which falls on the full moon day of the third month in the lunar calendar. …

When the moon is full on the tenth month of the Hindu calendar, the Tamil celebrate Thaipusam, a major Hindu festival in honor of  Lord Murugan. In 2013, the Thaipusam will fall on January 27. Devotees come together for a procession, carrying signs of their devotion and gratitude. Lord Murugan …