Halloween in India: Halloween is the largest festival in America after Christmas. Halloween is celebrated every year on the 31st of October, people wear different customs and do activities like trick-or-treating. It continued to evolve over the years, incorporating various traditions and customs from different cultures. Halloween has also become a significant commercial holiday, with people purchasing costumes, decorations, and candies in large quantities.
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History of Halloween
Halloween’s roots can be traced back over 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”). Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter in Celtic Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. To ward off these spirits, people lit bonfires and wore costumes to disguise themselves. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as All Saints’ Day, a day to honor all saints and martyrs. The evening before became known as All Hallows’ Eve, eventually transforming into Halloween. Trick-or-treating, a popular Halloween activity, is believed to have its origins in medieval Europe when the people with low-incomewent door-to-door on Halloween (November 1st) to receive food in exchange for prayers for the dead. This tradition evolved into the modern practice of children dressing up and going from house to house for candies and treats.
Celebrations of Halloween in India
In India, Halloween is not as popular as in Western countries, but now people in urban areas especially the young generation started celebrating Halloween in India. People celebrate Halloween by going to Halloween-themed parties hosted by clubs, pubs, and upscale restaurants in major Indian cities. Some international schools and colleges in urban areas organize Halloween-themed events. Students dress up in costumes, participate in contests, and engage in Halloween-related activities and games.
Quotes on Halloween
- “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.” – William Shakespeare
- “When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, ’tis near Halloween.” – Unknown
- “Magic is really very simple, all you’ve got to do is want something and then let yourself have it.” – Aggie Cromwell, ‘Halloweentown’
- “Clothes make a statement, costumes tell a story.” – Mason Cooley
- “There is magic in the night when pumpkins glow by moonlight.” – Unknown
- “This witch can be bribed with chocolate.” – Unknown
- “On Halloween, you get to become anything that you want to be.” – Ava Dellaira
- “Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen, voices whisper in the trees, ‘Tonight is Halloween!'” – Dexter Kozen
- “Eat, drink, and be scary!” – Unknown
- “Where there is no imagination, there is no horror.” – Arthur Conan Doyle
- “Halloween wraps fear in innocence, as though it were a slightly sour sweet. Let terror, then, be turned into a treat…” – Nicholas Gordon
- “When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, may luck be yours on Halloween.” – Unknown
These are the History and Celebrations of Halloween in India. Stay tuned for updates