The Importance of Festivals for a Child

What makes festivals truly meaningful? There’s more to it than just the rituals we follow, says Lina Ashar, emphasizing the need for festivals in a child’s life.

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In an increasingly global world, a child in India celebrates not only Diwali but also Halloween. Similarly a child in Australia celebrates Christmas but also experiences Diwali. Road signs in some Western countries read ‘Diversion ahead due to Ganesh Chathurthi procession’. The great thing about this is that it promotes an understanding and hopefully a tolerance of other cultures, rituals, ceremonies and traditions. In a world where intolerance and religious disputes are in abundance, teaching children about other festivals can help to build a bridge towards a more peaceful world. This will only hold true however, if we bring in a depth of understanding to the rituals that most festivals are marked by.

Festivals today have become more about gifting, buying chocolates, buying new clothes and bursting crackers. Many companies benefit from this and sales in stores spike during festive times. Allowing children to celebrate a festival and its associated rituals without an understanding of their significance will lead to increasing ignorance. Most rituals are handed down from generation to generation with no real understanding - they just become a tangible way of experiencing an abstract concept! How many people believe that the intention behind any festival or ceremony is much more important than the rituals?