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Tulshi Puja
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 The custom of planting a sapling of Tulshi on Harishyami Ekadashi
in the month of June-July and paying homage to it daily in the morning and offering
it a light of oil in the evening till Haribodhani Ekadashi in the month of November
is still found in Hindu community. These two ekadashies are known as Thuli Ekadashies
and the period of about four months in between these two ekadashies is known as
Chaumasha.
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Devoted male and female take Chaumasha brata (fast) and ceremoniously end their
fast by decorating Tulshi math and conjugating the marriage of the newly planted
Tulshi bush with puja on second Ekadashi. Next day, on duwadashi tithi they make
hawan of newly harvested cereal and worship sitting under an amala tree.
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The devotees do not consume amala, a kind of citrus wild fruit very rich in vitamin
C, till a day before this customary puja. After this puja all the members of the
family cook khir and eat it sitting under a pipal tree.
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The food, thus cooked under an amala tree on Kartik Sukla Duadashi was known as
Ban Bhat or Bhan Bhoj which now-a-days is called picnic and is organised any where
and at any time of the year
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Even the vicinity of a tulshi tree is considered as sacred because this tree has
the capacity to destroy germs that cause malaria and purifies air. It is believed
that the concoction made of tulshi and Ganga jal or the water of Shaligram, if taken
regularly, averts unnatural and premature death, increases longevity of life and
destroys disease causing germs. That is why the tradition of taking charandok is
still prevalent. With the same reason tulshi is offered to Shaligram or to Lord
Bishnu.
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The reference of Shaligram and tulshi are found in Puranas and because of the medicinal
value of Shaligram, tulshi and Ganga jal, these items have been associated with
Hindu religion since vedic period. Similarly, the shastras too have highly appreciated
beel and rudraksha because of their medicinal value.
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Sawanay Sankrati
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The first day of shawan i.e. the month of August, is celebrated as shawanay Shangkranti.
This festival is celebrated in memory of Kandakar and in order not to contact skin
diseases of any kind people throw away burning faggot during this festival. Fair
at some places are still organised during this festival and it is considered
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to be a harbinger of other festivals of the year. It is customary to take kokti
prepared from germinated cereals and soyabeans as an especial item of the festival.
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Ashar-Ko-Pandra
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This is a festival that is celebrated at a time when the harvest of rice nears completion.
The farmers wash away mud from their body and eat dahi chewra which is a customary
recipe of this festival.
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It is believed that the body which absorbs cold and moisture while working in the
fields is counter balanced and counter acted by this food.
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