Navroz Navroz also called Nowruz is the Iranian New Year and the word means “a New Day”. It is also the Persian New Year. This day is celebrated by the Iranians throughout the world and also by few other cultural linguistic groups as the start of the New Year. This particular day has been observed for more than three thousand years in the Black Sea basin, the Balkans, Central Asia, Western Asia and the Caucasus. This day marks the very first day of Farvardin which is the first month of the official Iranian Calendar. It is the day of the Northward Equinox, also known as Vernal Equinox in the Northern hemisphere. Navroz is the beginning of spring season in the Northern Hemisphere. And generally occurs around 21st March depending on the place where it is being observed. Even though this day has Zoroastrian and Iranian roots, it has been observed and celebrated among various other groups for centuries. This secular holiday is enjoyed by all the people but it continues to be religious day for the Zoroastrians. Etymology of the word The meaning of the word “now” is new and it is linked to other words like new in English, neu in German, novus in Latin, nava in Sanskrit and many more. However the pronunciation of this word differs from one Persian dialect to another. In modern Persian “Ruz” means day. However, the traditional meaning of this word was light. It is connected to the various other words like loys in Armenian, lux in Latin, light in English and ruci in Sanskrit. History Even though it is not at all clear whether the Iranians used to celebrate the first day of the year by holding a feast but indication are there that they might have observed both Autumn and Spring’s beginning which are related to harvest and sowing of seeds respectively, for the new Year’s celebration. Navroz is partially or partly engraved in the traditions and rituals of Iranian religions like Zoroastrianism and Mitraism. In Mitraism sunlight plays a significant role in more or less all the festivals. The festivals of Iran such as Tirgan, Mehrgan which is the autumnal equinox and eve of Chelle ye Zemestan which is the winter solstice have connections with the Sun God, Surya. Zoroastrianism is the first religion that believed in the existence of one God and also in other concepts like good and evil works simultaneously in this world and linkage between the nature and human beings. The most important festivals in this religion are Nowruz and the six Gahambar festivals. The time span between the sunset on sixth Gahambar day and sunrise on Nowruz day, Hamaspathmaedaya was observed. These are the only festivals mentioned in the text of Avesta. Regions of Celebration This day is celebrated by many people in the Black Sea basin, the Balkans, Central and Southern Asia, Western Asia, the Caucasus and by the Iranians all over the world. It has been officially declared as public holiday in many places including Afghanistan, Albania, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan etc. On 30th March 2009, the parliament of Canada added Nowruz to its national calendar. This day is widely celebrated among the Kurdish people of Turkey and Iraq and also by the Parsis in India. It is also celebrated by the Iranian communities of Europe and America. Rituals and Observances One of the most common traditions is cleaning and decorating of household on the arrival of this day. Iranians decorate their houses with symbols of stars, birds, fish and butterflies as they are considered to be auspicious. Buying new clothes is a must on the New Years. The eve of Navroz is called the festival of Charshanbe Suri which is celebrated in the evening. People make bonfires and are seen to jump over them followed by burning of firecrackers. The festival of Gul-i-Surkh is the main festival of Navroz and is celebrated during the first forty days of the year in Mazar-i-Sharif. The festival of Dehqan is observed on the very first day of the year on which all the farmers walk around the cities to encourage agricultural production. During this holiday people visit one another and spend time with family and close relatives. There are various other festivals observed during the Nowruz and each has its own set of customs and traditions.
International Women’s Day Initially known as the International Working Women’s Day, this day is celebrated every year on 8th of March. It is celebrated all over the world in honor of all the women and their achievements throughout the years in social, political and financial fields. This day is used to convey love, respect and appreciation towards all the women of the world. In many places spreading of awareness regarding all the struggles a woman has to face daily are pointed out and examined. Many people wear purple ribbons to mark this day. This day was first held as a Socialist political event in the year 1909. This combined the traditions and culture of many countries especially in Europe. The Soviet Union declared this day as a national holiday in the year of 1917 after which it started spreading to the neighboring countries as well. Today this day is also observed in various Eastern countries. History The very first Women’s Day was observed in New York in the year 1909 on 28th February. The Socialist Party of America organized it remembering the strike of International Ladies Garment Workers Union which took place in 1908. An International Women’s Conference was arranged to take place right before the general meeting of Socialist International in Denmark. Luise Zietz, a German Socialist, set forth the proposition of observing International Woman’s Day annually. This proposition was seconded by Clara Zetkin, Socialist and Communist leader. However no particular date was fixed at the conference. Delegates which consisted of around hundred women from seventeen different countries supported this idea in order to promote equal rights for women including suffrage for them. On 19th March, 1911, this day was observed for the very first time by people of Denmark, Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The people of America however continued to celebrate this day on the last Sunday of February. All the women of Russia celebrated this day first time on the last Saturday of February in the year 1913. There were various protests and marches held on International Women’s day but nothing happened on 8th March. In the year 1914 the International Women’s Day was celebrated on 8th March probably because it was a Sunday and has been held on that date ever since. The main goal behind 1914’s celebration in Germany was introduction of right to vote for the German women which they did not achieve till 1918. Modern Day Celebration The International Women’s Day is a national holiday in countries like Armenia, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Cuba, Georgia, Russia, Vietnam and many more. In few countries like China, Macedonia, Nepal and Madagascar it is a public holiday for women only. In the other countries, this day is widely celebrated but not officially declared to be a holiday. It is a tradition for the men to gift flowers and small gifts to the women who play crucial role in their lives. It can be mother, wife, sister, daughter or colleague. In countries like Romania and Bulgaria, this day is equivalent to the Mother’s Day and children give small gifts to their grandmothers and mothers. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in Armenia, the celebration of this day stopped. Instead, a holiday celebrating the beauty of motherhood was introduced in the 7th of April. It became very famous among the people even though they continued to celebrate Women’s Day on 8th March. The two existing women’s day celebration led to the introduction of Women’s month in Armenia. It is a custom for the men to give women yellow mimosas in Italy. This flower was chosen by Teresa Mattei as a symbol of International Women’s Day. Yellow mimosas along with chocolates are a common gift in Albania and Russia on this day.
Pingxi Lantern Festival The Pingxi Lantern Festival or the Taiwan Lantern Festival is celebrated in Taiwan every year. It was introduced by Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms era. This festival is observed during the Chinese New Year and the night sky gets filled with floating sky lanterns. Such a bewitching and enchanting view cannot be found at any other places of the world. Various activities take place during this festival. Thousands and thousands of sky lanterns adorns the sky of Pingxi which is a district in Taiwan creating a mesmerizing view. Another event that takes place is the firework ceremony in Wumiao Temple in Yanshui District. This firework display was believed to drive different diseases and evil spirits out of town. The Pingxi Lanterns were traditionally released in order to let people from other towns know that the town from which they were released was safe and was also used as signals to convey military information. Typically these lanterns have various wishes written on them and pictures related to the owner. People believed that these lanterns carried their wishes to heaven and conveyed them to God. In ancient times people would go to temples in order to pray for being blessed with a son and release a lantern into the sky. Together people refer to these two events as fireworks in the South sky and lanterns in the North sky. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, this day is celebrated when the first full moon appears on the sky. This celebration is accompanied by street carnival, performances and various other contests. History Originating in 1990, Tourism Bureau of Taiwan combined the resources of both local and civilian government to organize this event and celebrate this festival. Spreading Chinese traditional folklore was the main essence or purpose of this Lantern Festival. This festival is also called the Yuan Xiao Festival. The Wumiao Temple’s firework ceremony in the district of Yanshui had started centuries back to show respect for Guan Yu who is worshipped as God throughout China. There is another ceremony, Fengpao, where people burn thousands and thousands of firecrackers which are hung from wooden stands whose height ranges from 5 to 25 meters. This starts from 6 o’ clock in the evening and continues till the next morning. All the locals as well as people from other parts gather here in order to behold the exotic ceremony. Pingxi sky lantern festival is the most significant lantern festival of Taiwan. Before 2001 this festival used to take place in Taipei at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park. America’s one of the most popular channels, Discovery Channel, has given this festival the title of one of the best events or festivals of the world and has also been voted by people as the second biggest celebration of the New Year’s. The Lanterns In this festival there are main lanterns and thousands of other small lanterns that are released in the night sky. Traditionally the main lanterns have Chinese Zodiacs beautifully drawn on them and their heights are generally more than ten meters. From the year 1999, all the main lanterns have been given a particular theme music which varies from one to another. This music lasts for a period of around three minutes. However the small lanterns generally have historical characters, birds, animals drawn on them. They are mainly carried by the children and are also used to adorn the temples.
Desert Festival of Jaisalmer Jaisalmer also known as the “Golden City” is located in the heart of the Thar Desert in the western state of Rajasthan, India. The Jaisalmer Desert Festival is a vibrant event which is arranged by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation. This festival takes place every year in the month of Magh of the Hindu calendar or better known as February for three consecutive days prior to the full moon. It is celebrated amidst the gorgeous sand dunes of the Thar Desert known as Sam sand dunes which are at a distance of 42 kilometers from Jaisalmer and can be reached in an SUV or on a Camel safari. This three-day affair had begun because of the marketing aspect of it, as foreigners and non-overseas tourists both could come to this festival, explore the rich heritage of Rajasthan and also facilitate the sale of locally produced goods and handicrafts. This is one of those few Indian festivals which don’t have a religious aspect to it and attracts tourists from all over the globe to enjoy the three-day extravaganza of fun events like moustache contest, camel tug-o-war and turban tying competitions. History Of This Festival According to the legend, Lord Krishna who was the ruler of the Yadav community told Arjuna, one of the Pandavas that one of his successors from the Yadav community will establish a kingdom on the Trikuta Hill. His prediction came true in the year 1196 when a Yadav descendant, Rawal Jaiswal, set up his kingdom in Jaisalmer. Celebrations were carried out all over the kingdom when it was discovered that the prediction had actually come true. These celebrations over the years took the name and form of the Jaisalmer Desert Festival. This vibrant and cultural festival is organized by the government today and draws thousands of tourists both local and overseas. Ways Of Celebrating This Festival The events of this festival make the whole desert come alive with happiness, enthusiasm and vibrant colors. The festival starts with a ceremonial procession from the Jaisalmer Fort to Shahid Poonam Singh Stadium, called ‘Shobha Yatra’ in the local language, during which men carry swords and ride atop horses, elephants and camels as they enter the stadium. The local people and Rajputs dress up in their colorful and traditional attire during this festival and sing and dance to folk music. A group of local nomads called the Kalabaz or the Nat’s are famous for the gymnastic acts that they put up. The Gair and fire dances performed by the traditional folk dancers of Rajasthan are one of the most popular acts of this festival. Other elements of the celebration include snake charmers, puppeteers, balladeers, acrobats and folk musicians performing live. The visitors can satisfy their taste buds with mouth-watering local dishes as well as purchase silver jewelry, woven goods, artifacts, souvenirs and embroidered cloths from the stalls. The Langhar and Manganiyar folk musicians create an enrapturing atmosphere with their voices. Moustaches and turbans symbolize honor according to the people of Rajasthan and thus, competitions like turban tying and best moustache came into practice. The judges decide which person has the best moustache depending on the length and quality and he is awarded the title of Mr. Desert or Maru-Shri. This contest is one of the major attractions of the festival and foreigners often cluster around the winner to take photographs with him. Camels play a major role in the festival as these Jaisalmeri humped beasts which are specially known for their speed and agility, feature in quite a number of events consisting of camel races, camel decorations, camel rides, camel dances, camel polo and also camel games including camel tug-o-wars. Gymnastic stunts on camel back are also performed. The most popular camel event of the lot i.e. the camel polo match takes place between the polo club and the Border Security Force (BSF). The three-day festival is concluded on the last day with a full moon or ‘poornima’ and fireworks are set off, splashing the skies with bursts of color and light against the silent yet mystic backdrop of the Jaisalmer Fort. The dates for this festival in the year 2019 are from 17th to 19th February.
Venice Carnival This festival is celebrated in Venice in Italy every year. It begins almost two weeks before the Ash Wednesday. This carnival ends on Shrove Tuesday, which comes right before Ash Wednesday, with the celebration of Lent which again falls fifty days prior to the Easter Sunday. This festival is famous all over the world for the elaborate costumes and exotic masks which people wear during the celebration. Carnival which means “removing meat” or “farewell to meat” is the pre-Lent festival and is celebrated all over Italy. History It is believed that this carnival started as the celebration of victory of the Republic of Venice over Ulrico di Treven, who was the Patriarch of Aquileia, back in the year of 1162. In order to celebrate and rejoice this major achievement, all the people gathered in San Marco Square and danced to their heart’s content. The Venice Carnival is believed to have originated from that time and was made official by the Government of Italy during the Renaissance period. The baroque carnival in the 17th century was a way of protecting and saving the highly prestigious image of Venice in front of the rest of the world. This carnival became famous and gained popularity in the 18th century. However under the King of Austria’s rule in the year 1797, celebrating it was forbidden and wearing of masks were banned completely or outlawed. Gradually the carnival returned in the 19th century only for a very short period and was only accompanied by small and private feasts. The Venice Carnival finally reappeared in the year 1979 after a long absence. It was brought back with the effort of the Italian Government whose main goal was to restore and bring back Italian culture and traditions which had started to fade away. For them bringing back the celebration of the carnival was the first stepping stone towards restoring the history and traditions of Venice. The traditional concept of wearing beautiful masks and costumes were reintroduced by some students of Venetian colleges. Ever since the return of this gala carnival, approximately three million visitors from all over the world gather in Venice in order to be a part of this festival. One of the events of major importance is the contest of the prettiest mask worn by the people and it is judged by a panel of renowned international fashion and costume designers. The Masks The carnival is famous all over the world for the wide display of exotic masks during the celebration. Earlier people could wear these masks between St Stephen’s Day and the beginning of the carnival which took place at midnight of Shrove Tuesday. People also wore masks on the day of Ascension as well as from 5th October till Christmas. Thus people used to spend a large portion of the year wearing masks and in disguise, hiding their day to day identity. The makers of these masks would enjoy a special position in the society and had their own sets of rules. These colorful masks are generally made from glass, porcelain and leather. Originally the masks were much simpler in design and often had a symbolic significance. The modern Venetian masks are however has great deal of intricate designs which are hand painted. They are also adorned with gold leaf, original feathers and have various gems engraved on them. This makes the Italian masks way more expensive than their counterparts manufactured from American factories. Though the essence behind wearing masks in Venice is not very clear, one scholar believes that covering one’s face in the public was Venetian response to one of the most rigid hierarchical class in the history of Europe. Types of Masks Bauta: These masks were originally completely white and unadorned. The modern ones cover the entire face and have grotesque features and no mouth at all. Colombina: These covers only half of the face and are highly adorned with silver, gold, feathers and crystals. It has a ribbon at the back like all the other masks. Medico Della peste: It is a bizarre and unusual looking mask that has a long beak. These types can be easily recognized. It was originally worn by doctors to prevent the spread of plague while treating the victims. Moretta: It is a small oval strapless mask made out of black velvet. These have large eyeholes and no mouth.
Port Fairy Folk Festival The Port Fairy Folk Festival is a popular music festival that goes on at a stretch for four days. This festival takes place every year in the historic village of Port Fairy which is a fishing village in Victoria, Australia. It takes place annually on the very first Friday in the month of March by the seaside. Around 150 crew members and 1000 volunteers are involved in the management of this festival. The Festival The very first Port Fairy folk festival was held in the month of December in 1977 and became an annual event ever since. However traditionally it is held on the long weekend that comes during the local Labor Day on the month of March. Originally the music festival concentrated on the Irish folk and traditional music. However with the passage of time it opened up to various styles and types of music from all over the world. The type of music and songs played here varies from blues to world music. Every year about twenty international performances and ten national performances take place. This is accompanied by Children’s Program and Street Invaders in the village of Portland Fairy. It is a huge affair and people from various places gather here to listen to different kinds of music. Various national and international artists perform during this four day long weekend. Blues, Folk roots, jazz, Celtic roots, bluegrass, crossroads country and rocks and many more music from all over the worlds are performed here. The place with the beautiful scenery of blue sky over vast sea adds on the mood of the festival. Various other street plays also take place during this festival. The music festival usually begins on the Friday afternoon and continues till Monday afternoon. The whole village is seen to be in a festive mood. The stages for performances are built in venues like south end of the Sackville St, St Patrick’s church, St John’s church, St Pat’s hall, Lecture hall, Surf club, Bowls club and many other places. The main location is the Festival Arena which presents 10 stages, craft stalls, food festival and market. The stages include five enormous main stages which are covered, The Wine and Guinness Bar, The Folk Circus, and Lighthouse Café.
National Cheese Festival The National Spanish Cheese Festival or “La Feria del Queso” is an annual festival observed in the city of Trujillo in Spain. Spain is the fourth largest consumer of cheese in the world and thus has a huge number of cheese makers. All of them gather with their own cheese on this day at Trujillo. This event attracts thousands and thousands of cheese lovers from all over the world and they all agree on the fact that it is perfect holiday destination to make your tummy happy. It is the biggest cheese fair compared to the others that are observed in different places. This festival is generally held at the city’s Main Square or the Plaza Mayor. More than hundreds of stands filled with the finest cheese from Spain as well as from all over the world forms an irresistible picture. It is a treat for eyes and of course the taste buds too. Many local farmers and cheese makers of Trujillo have developed their own cheese from the milk of goat or sheep and sell them in this cheese fair. In addition to this, there are stalls of wine and beer that forms an amazing combination to be had with cheese and also refreshes the taste buds. This festival gives an amazing opportunity to the visitors to taste various type of cheese that are extremely rare and not found anywhere in the world outside the Extremadura area. Most of the cheeses are mainly made from goat and sheep milk in the Extremadura region. Torta Del Casar, Los Ibores and Torta La Serena are the three main types of regional or local cheese found here. Torta Del Casar This is one of the most famous cheeses of Extremadura and is made from the sheep’s milk. It is usually eaten by slicing off the topmost part and using the creamy part to form a layer over a thick bread crust. It is also traditionally used to form the topping of a cake made up of meat, minced beef and onion. Torta La Serena This cheese is made from the milk of Merino sheep and it eaten by slicing it open at the topmost part. A slight nutty flavor is brought out when the cheese is warmed before consuming and that is how people prefer to have it. Los Ibores This cheese is made in the Ybor valley from the Serranas goat’s milk. It has been made since the 15th century and has a slight salty and spicy flavor to it which makes it different from the others. Cheese Festivals in Other Places The Great British Cheese Festival- Britain has the biggest cheese market and hence we can deduce how much the people of UK love cheese. This festival takes place in late September every year and over 400 types of cheese are made from the milk of sheep, cow, goat and buffalo. The location keeps on changing each year but the hype remains the same. The event also sells beer, wine, cider and Perry which is a fermented drink made from pears. Vermont’s Cheese making festival– Vermont is America’s leading state in cheese making and this festival gives a perfect opportunity for the cheese lovers to meet the cheese makers. This is held at the Shelburne Farms on the shore side of Lake Champlain every July and includes attractions like cooking demonstrations, food and wine tasting, seminars and a huge amount of cheese. The Great Canadian Cheese Festival– Splendid artisan cheese has been produced by Canada since decades. This festival was first observed in the year 2010 and has been happening every year in the month of June since then. This event takes place in Prince Edward Country, Ontario which is also the newest wine region of Canada. The highlights of this event include cheese tours, cheese tasting and famous chefs preparing dishes of cheese with Ontario wine and beer.
Magha Puja Day Magha Puja Day, also known as Makha Bucha, is referred to as one of the most important festivals of Buddhism and takes place on the full moon day of the month of Magha according to the Hindu calendar. This month coincides with January/February of the Gregorian calendar. The Thai term ‘Makha’ (Magha in pali) refers to the third lunar month and ‘Bucha’ (Puja in pali) means to honor and thus, as per the name, on this day, Buddha and his teachings are commemorated and venerated. This day is a public holiday in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar. It is celebrated by the Theravada Buddhists and they fulfill the spiritual aims of the day i.e. to not indulge in any kind of sins, to purify one’s soul and mind and to do what is good. This festival is going to take place on the 19th of February in the year 2019. Origin This day marks the occurrence of the four auspicious events that had taken place in the Veluvana Bamboo grove which is in Northern India and had occurred ten months after Buddha was enlightened. The notable events that had taken place on this day were: It was a full moon day. Around 1250 monks had come from different places to pay homage to Buddha that evening without being summoned. All of the monks were enlightened and had attained the Apinyas. They are called Arahants. All of the Arahants had been individually ordained by Lord Buddha himself. Thus, on Magha Puja Day, the “Ovadha Patimokkha” (Fundamental Teachings of Buddhism) that were recited by Buddha to the Arahants is commemorated and revered. Celebrations On this day, the people in Thailand get up early in the morning to distribute alms to the monks and beggars. During the evening time, it’s a custom the visit the temples which are adorned with lights and lamps on this day. After sunset, the followers of Buddhism walk around the temple three times in order to remember the three jewels of Buddhism- Buddha, Sangha and Dharma. In Burma, this day is a traditional merit-making day for the people. This festival is inaugurated with the ceremony of ‘nakyake shitsu’ which involves offerings to the 28 named Buddhas. On the evening of this full moon day, each temple in Thailand religiously organizes a candlelight procession known as ‘wian thian’.
Hinamatsuri Hinamatsuri is a festival annually celebrated all over Japan. This is also known as the Girl’s Day or the Doll’s Day. It is observed on the 3rd of March every year. The main attraction of this festival is the red carpeted platforms on which small ornamental figures or dolls depicting the Empress, the Emperor, musicians, attendants and all the other members present in the court wearing the traditional dress that was worn during the Heian Era are kept. Customs and Origin The origin of Hinamtsuri traces back to the custom which was observed in the Heian Era. The name of the custom was called Hina-nagashi in which dolls made out of straw were sent down the river in a boat which finally entered the sea. It was believed that those dolls took the evil spirits away along with them. Nagashi-bina is celebrated by Shimogamo Shrine in which these dolls are floated between the Kamo and Takano River as it was believed to keep the children safe. This custom is no more carried out because of these dolls getting entangled in fishermen’s nets. Now they are directly set afloat in the sea and people gather to watch this. As soon as the spectators go away these boats are brought back to the temple and set on fire. Cuisines Shirozake, a traditional drink made from fermented rice is prepared especially for this festival. Hishimochi, diamond shaped rice cakes, and Hina-arare, colored crackers flavored with soy sauce and sugar are served on this day. A special type of sushi called Chirashizushi is eaten on this day. Ushiojiru, a soup made with clams in shells, are also served. Clam shells used for preparing food are used to signify a couple sharing a strong bond as no pair other than the original pair of clam shells can fit so perfectly. Placement of the Dolls In the regions of Kansai and Kanto the order of placements of the dolls on the platforms are different. The dolls are placed in a different order from left to right in both the regions however the placements of the dolls on each level of the platform remains unchanged. The platforms are called Hina Dan in Japanese and the red carpet is called Dankake. These carpets are decorated with colorful rainbow stripes at the bottom. The topmost tier of the platform holds the two imperial dolls. These dolls include the Emperor, who is seen holding a baton and the Empress, who is seen holding a beautiful fan. On the second tier are the three ladies of the court and each of them is seen to be holding an equipment used to make sake. On the next tier sits the five musicians also called Gonin Bayashi. Each of them holds musical instrument apart from the singer who just holds onto a fan. The fourth tier holds the two ministers or the Daijins. The Minister of the right is depicted by a young man and the Minister of the left is depicted by an older man. On the fifth platforms are the three samurais who protect the royal Emperor and the Empress. Superstitions The platforms are decorated with the dolls in the beginning of February and the families displaying them take it down as soon as the festival ends. It is believed that if the dolls are left there even after the 4th of March, the marriages of their daughters will get delayed.
Queen’s Day Koninginnedag also known as the Queen’s Day was celebrated all over Netherlands and was declared to be a national holiday. It was an annual festival celebrated on 30th of April each year. Initially this holiday was celebrated on 31st August in the year 1885. Back then it was called the Prinsessedag or the Princess’s Day. It marked the 5th birthday celebration of Princess Wilhelmina who was the heir to the throne. As she succeeded to become the Queen and took over the Dutch throne, in the month of November in 1890, this holiday was renamed as Koninginnedag or the Queen’s Day. It was celebrated for the very first time on 31st August in 1891.In 1948, in the month of September, Queen Wilhelmina’s daughter, Princess Juliana, succeeded her. On her accession the holiday was shifted to 30th of April which was Queen Juliana’s birthday. From 1949, this holiday was observed on this particular date every year. The Dutch thrown was taken over by Queen Juliana’s daughter, Princess Beatrix, in the year 1980. Even though her birthday was on 31st of January, Queen’s Day continued to be celebrated on 30th April on Queen’s order. However unlike Queen Juliana, who received a floral parade every year on this day at Soestdijk Palace, Queen Beatrix visited various Dutch towns each year. She used to be a part of this festivity and was accompanied by her children. In the year 2009, when the Queen was celebrating this day in Apeldoorn, a man tried to attack her by ramming his car into the bus of the Royal family. However he missed his target drove into a crowd of people and finally came to a standstill after crashing into a monument. Seven people along with the driver were killed in the incident. In 2013’s Queen’s Day celebration, Queen Beatrix denounced the throne and was succeeded by her son, Prince Willem-Alexander. From the year 2014 this holiday was named as Koningsdag or the King’s Day. The date of observance was also shifted to 27th of April which is the King’s birthday. Celebration of this Day The entire Netherlands starts preparations weeks before the arrival of this day and is seen to be in a festive mood. In Amsterdam, this day is more like a Carnival with huge number of parties being celebrated throughout the city along with various street markets. Every year around seven hundred thousand visitors from all over the world gather here to be a part of this festivity. Even though the city becomes extremely over crowded during this time of the year, people are still seen to be in a relaxed yet joyful mood. Queen’s Day has been celebrated throughout the entire Netherlands for around 50 years. The celebration that takes place in Amsterdam, the capital of Netherlands, is the biggest and the most attractive among all. Free Market A free Market or Vrijmarkt is held every year on this day. People gather all the things that are of no use to them and then bring them to this market. They trade such goods with their neighbors and other people who come to visit this flea market. It is a unique social occasion which requires the involvement of the entire family and strengthens the social bonds as well. The prices are kept for namesake as fun and frolic is what matters the most on this event. Queen’s Night Koninginnenacht or the queen’s Night is celebrated on the night before the Queen’s Day. Various parties are held at different clubs across Netherlands. These parties generally start at 7 pm and continue till the next morning. Usually the young people are seen to attend these parties with friends and colleagues. Amsterdam is the main centre of attraction on this night.
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