Easter is a major observance in the Christian faith, marking the belief in Jesus Christ’s resurrection. The day of celebration for Easter varies every year. For instance, in 2019, Easter was celebrated on Sunday, April 21. The Prime Minister extends greetings to the public on this auspicious occasion annually.
The Preparation and Passion of Christ
The celebration of Easter signifies the conclusion of the “Passion of Christ.” This is a series of events and holidays beginning with Lent – a 40-day period characterized by fasting, prayer, and sacrifice – and concluding with the Holy Week. The Holy Week involves several significant days including Holy Thursday, a day marking Jesus’ Last Supper with his 12 Apostles; Good Friday, an observance of Jesus’ crucifixion; and wrapping up with Easter Sunday, celebrated with great fervor as the day of Jesus’s resurrection.
Garia Puja Festival: An Ethnic Harvest Festival
The Garia Puja Festival is a significant event in Tripura, celebrating the harvest season. This festival commences from the last day of Chaitra and continues until the seventh day of Vaishakha, as per the Hindu calendar. Predominantly celebrated by the ethnic tribes of Tripuris and Reangs, the festival revolves around worshipping a bamboo pole adorned with flowers and garlands, symbolizing Lord Garia.
Various elements are used in the Puja including a fowl chick, cotton thread, rice, eggs, among others. The ritual also involves the sacrificing a fowl and offering its blood to the deity, a key part of the ceremony. After the sacrifice, the tribal people perform the Garia dance as a traditional custom.
| Fact | Description |
|---|---|
| Day of observation | From last day of Chaitra to seventh day of Vaishakha (Hindu calendar) |
| Mainly celebrated by | Ethnic tribes Tripuris and Reangs |
| Main worship item | Bamboo pole |
| Key ingredients of Puja | Fowl chick, cotton thread, rice, eggs, etc. |
| Important ritual | Sacrifice of a fowl |
| Custom after sacrifice | Garia Dance |
Agent Orange: The Pollutant of the Vietnam War
Agent Orange was a potent herbicide extensively used by the US military forces during the Vietnam War under Operation Ranch Hand in the 1960s. In a bid to oust the Viet Cong communist guerrillas by depriving them of tree cover and food, US forces sprayed millions of liters of Agent Orange over South Vietnam from 1962 to 1971. The key constituents of Agent Orange are 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T). Now, the US has initiated a clean-up project at a former storage site for Agent Orange in Vietnam, acknowledging the sprawling impact of this potent chemical mixture.
