Citizens of Bowling Green Celebrate a Variety of Religious Holidays this Winter

December 6, 2005

Source: The BG News

http://www.bgnews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/12/06/4396eb369d239

On December 6, 2005 The BG News ran a feature article on various religious holidays celebrated by students at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. "Senior Shantha Das... [celebrates Hindu] religious holidays, such as Diwali. Known as the festival of lights, Diwali is a five-day holiday celebrated around Christmas time. This year Diwali began on Nov. 1... [According to Birender Anand, a University sophomore], the biggest Sikh celebration commemorates the birth of the last guru. For this celebration, many Sikhs will wake up around 4 a.m. and join a procession to the temple. They will sing hymns, pray and visit family members. They will eat sweets and watch fireworks. Afterwards, they will meet at the 'langar,' or community kitchen... Every New Year — the most sacred Buddhist holiday — [Seuss Khanthabouth's] parents and friends tie blessed white yarn around his wrist. The yarn is meant to protect him from bad energy... As a Muslim, Salim Elwazani [keeps] many of his traditions alive with his children. An associate professor for the VCT-tech department... [Elwazani celebrates] Eid al-Fitr, which follows the month-long fast, Ramadan... After the sun sets on the last day of Ramadan, the Eid al-Fitr celebrations begin. Forgetting each other’s indiscretions, many Muslims go the mosque and embrace. It is a time to congratulate one another on finishing this spiritual journey."