Halloween

Halloween – All Saints’ Day Halloween, pronounced in Irish “sow-in” dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area, presently of the United Kingdom, Ireland and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest season and the beginning of cold winter. Celts believed that that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth on the night of October 31, when the boundary between the alive and the deceased dissolved, and the dead become dangerous for the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops. On this occasion they extinguish the lights in their homes. They build huge sacred bonfires in their colonies, and gather around wearing costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them, and burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During this celebration of Samhain, the Celtic priests would make the prediction of the future in the presence of the otherworldly spirits. For the people who were entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies assured them as a source of comfort and direction during winter. After the celebrations, they re-lit their hearth fires which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter. When the Romans conquered the majority of Celtic territory during A.D.43 the two festivals of Roman origin, Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead, and the second a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween. During the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 as All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs to replace the Celtic festival of the dead. The celebration was called All-hallows, meaning All Saints' Day from Middle English. The night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Later the church made November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead, celebrating similar to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas. Halloween, one of the world's oldest holidays, is still celebrated today in several countries around the globe, and All Souls' Day, the third day of the three-day Hallowmas observance, is the most important part of the celebration for many people. Many families construct an altar to the dead in their homes to honor the deceased relatives and decorate it with candy, flowers, and photographs, samples of the deceased's favorite foods and drinks, and fresh water. Often, a wash basin and towel are left out so that the spirit can

wash before indulging in the feast. Candles and incense are burned to help the deceased find the way home.

Kamala Sampath and Lakshmi Karan carving the pumpkins

The carved pumpkin, lit by a candle inside, is one of Halloween's most prominent symbols, and is commonly called a jack-o'-lantern. Originating in Europe, these lanterns were first carved from a turnip. Believing that the head was the most powerful part of the body containing the spirit and the knowledge, the Celts used the "head" of the vegetable

to frighten off any superstitions. The name jack-o'-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a greedy, gambling, hard-drinking old farmer. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross into the tree trunk. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack, condemning him to wander forever on earth at night with the only light he had a candle inside a hollowed turnip. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their home's doorstep after dark. The carved pumpkin was originally associated with harvest time in general in America and did not become specifically associated with Halloween until the mid-to-late 19th century. Halloween costumes are traditionally those of monsters such as ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Even in India Halloween celebrations has gained popularity as a time to pay reverence to the departed soul, and fun for the kids. - Tamarapu Sampath Kumaran