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moon day. Some common festivals were celebrated on days other than full-moon day also. On these days of festivity, the people used to eat
gether, dance together, sing together and enjoy together. People used to invite their friends, family members and relatives on these occasions. People from far and near participated in these festivities.
In the list of festivals, the main festivals are as under
Indramah-The festivity in honour of Indra. This festival was considered the top most among all the festivities. On this day god Indra was worshipped. Indra flag was also installed.
The next festival in the list is Skandmah. According to Vedic Puranas Skand' or 'Kartikeya' is the son of Mahadev (Siva). The gods during their fight against Tarak the demon, had appointed him as their chief. Kartikeya rides a peacock. This festival is celebrated on full-moon day of
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Aasoj.
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Rudramah—There are eleven rudras. They are companions of Indra, servants of Siva and his sons. Further they serve as body-guard of the Mantra
Mukundmah-According to Mahabharat name of Langool-Haldhar, Baldev is Mukund. Similarly festivities were held in honour of Siva, Kuber, Naag, Yaksh, Bhoot and others. Trees were worshipped in festivities held in honour of trees, mountains, sunshine, streams etc. Tree, well, tank and suchlike are gods of nature. They are very important for abundance in wealth and agriculture production and for purification of environment. By protecting, increasing and properly taking care of them the country becomes prosperous and food-stuff, water and clean air is received for mankind.
From this account and detailed description in Niryukti Bhashya, it is evident that big and small, rich and poor, king and servants all the people without any distinction of caste, creed or colour participated in such festivities and enjoyed them collectively. Thus after seeing public gathering and the rush in the town, Chitta Saarthi thinks—What festivity is there that such a big rush of people is going out of the town in one direction ?
२१६. तए णं से कंचुईपुरिसे केसिस्स कुमारसमणस्स आगमण-गहियविणिच्छए चित्तं सारहिं करयलपरिग्गहियं जाव वद्धावेत्ता एवं वयासी
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रायपसेणियसूत्र
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Rar-paseniya Sutra
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