Photos for the Spring Equinox
A Happy and Blessed Vernal Equinox and Ostara from Tommy
Click Here and click the images:
Cultural aspects
A number of traditional spring and autumn (harvest) festivals are
celebrated on the date of the equinoxes.
Asia
The traditional East Asian calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms
(节气, literally "climatic segments"), and the vernal equinox (Chūnfēn,
Chinese and Japanese: 春分; Korean: 춘분; Vietnamese: Xuân phân) and the
autumnal equinox (Qiūfēn, Chinese and Japanese: 秋分; Korean: 추분;
Vietnamese: Thu phân) mark the middle of the spring and autumn
seasons, respectively. In this context, the Chinese character 分 means
"(equal) division" (within a season).
In Japan, (March) Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日 Shunbun no hi) is an
official national holiday, and is spent visiting family graves and
holding family reunions. Similarly, in September, there is an Autumnal
Equinox Day (秋分の日 Shūbun no hi).
Neopaganism
Wiccans and many other Neopagans hold religious celebrations of Ostara
on the spring equinox, and Mabon on the autumnal equinox.
[edit] March equinox commemorations
Bas-relief in Persepolis - a symbol Iranian/Persian Nowruz - on the
day of an equinox, the power of an eternally fighting bull
(personifying the Earth) and that of a lion (personifying the Sun) are
equal.
Chichen Itza pyramid during the spring equinox - Kukulkan, the famous
descent of the snakeNear East
The March equinox marks the first day of various calendars including
the Iranian calendar. The ancient Iranian new year's festival of
Nowruz can be celebrated March 20 or March 21. According to the
ancient Persian mythology Jamshid, the mythological king of Persia,
ascended to the throne on this day and each year this is commemorated
with festivities for two weeks. These festivities recall the story of
creation and the ancient cosmology of Iranian and Persian people. It
is also a holiday celebrated in Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Turkey, Zanzibar, Albania, and various countries of Central Asia, as
well as among the Kurds. As well as being a Zoroastrian holiday, it is
also a holy day for adherents of the Bahá'í Faith and the Nizari
Ismaili Muslims.[6] The Bahá'í Naw-rúz is stationary; the new year
always starts at sunset March 20.[7]
Sham El Nessim was an ancient Egyptian holiday which can be traced
back as far as 2700 BC. It is still one of the public holidays in
Egypt. Sometime during Egypt's Christian period (c. 200-639) the date
moved to Easter Monday, but before then it coincided with the vernal
equinox.
In many Arab countries, Mother's Day is celebrated on the March equinox.
Abrahamic tradition
The Jewish Passover usually falls on the first full moon after the
Northern Hemisphere vernal equinox, although occasionally (7 times
every 19 years) it will occur on the second full moon.[citation
needed]
The Christian churches calculate Easter as the first Sunday after the
first full moon on or after the March equinox. The official church
definition for the equinox is March 21; however, as the Eastern
Orthodox Churches use the older Julian calendar, while the Western
Churches use the Gregorian calendar, both of which designate March 21
as the equinox, the actual date of Easter differs. The earliest
possible Easter date in any year is therefore March 22 on each
calendar. The latest possible Easter date in any year is April 25.[8]
South Asia
According to the sidereal solar calendar Vernal Equinox is erroneously
celebrated throughout South Asia on the day when the sun enters the
sidereal Aries generally around 14 April.
It marks the beginning of the new year of the Tamil calendar and is
celebrated in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu
This day is celebrated as the last day of the year according to the
Bengali calendar and Assamese calendar in West Bengal, Assam, Tripura,
Bangladesh and throughout the Eastern and North Eastern India. The day
is known as Chaitra Sankranti in Bengali. The following is celebrated
as the Bengali New Year's Day and Assamese Bihu.
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharastra people celebrate new year
ugadi set by Satavahana on the first morning after first new moon from
the sidereal vernal equinox. Also the calculations of the great Indian
Mathematician Bhaskaracharya proclaim the Ugadi day as the beginning
of the New Year, New month and New day.
In the Indian states Orissa, this day is celebrated as the new year
around April 14. It is known as 'Vishuva Sankranti' (meaning "equal"
in Sanskrit). In Kerala though the new year is on Chingam 1, the
beginning of sidereal zodiac Leo, sidereal vernal equinox is
celebrated much more than new year as 'Vishu'
Europe
in Norse paganism, a Dísablót was celebrated on vernal equinox.[9]
Far East
Japan Shunbun no hi
Modern culture
World Storytelling Day is a global celebration of the art of oral
storytelling, celebrated every year on the spring equinox in the
northern hemisphere, the first day of autumn equinox in the southern.
World Citizen Day occurs on the March equinox.[10]
In Annapolis, Maryland in the United States, boatyard employees and
sailboat owners celebrate the spring equinox with the Burning Of The
Socks festival. Traditionally, the boating community wears socks only
during the winter. These are burned at the approach of warmer weather,
which brings more customers and work to the area. Officially, nobody
then wears socks until the next equinox.[11][12]
More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox#March_equinox_commemorations
--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy
--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy
--
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