Hindu Festivals
Throughout the year, Chinmaya Mission Hong Kong organises celebrations of major Hindu festivals, providing the community with opportunities to come together, learn about their cultural roots and grow in their spiritual practice.
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Every year we coordinate vibrant events that bring the rich traditions of Hinduism to life. These celebrations, open to people of all ages and backgrounds, often feature the singing of bhajans and devotional chanting, storytelling, educational workshops and cultural experiences related to the festival.
Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri is celebrated every year in honour of Lord Shiva. It is seen as a time for spiritual reflection and honoring the eternal, formless nature of the divine. At Chinmaya Mission Hong Kong we celebrate this with a night of Shiva bhajans, Lingam Abhishekam, chanting and meditation. For the kids we have activities decorating Shiva Lingams and Lingam Abhishekam.
Holi
Holi is a vibrant and joyous festival, involving throwing of colour powder and water amongst friends, family and members of the community. It is a time that marks the triumph of good over evil, the arrival of spring and a reverence of the all-encompassing love between the divine and devotee. In 2024, Chinmaya Mission Hong Kong hosted and celebrated this festival for the first time. We did a Havan with everyone to commemorate the occasion before the colourful festivities began.
Hanuman Jayanti
Hanuman Jayanti is the celebration of the birth of Lord Hanuman, who is known for his unwavering devotion, strength and service. On this day, we gather in the Hong Kong Chinmaya Seva Ashram to chant the Hanuman Chalisa 108 times. It is a beautiful time to take up a sankalpa and invoke Hanuman ji's unwavering virtues within us.
Gurudev Jayanti
Gurudev Jayanti is the celebration of the birth anniversary of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, renowned spiritual master and founder of Chinmaya Mission. This days is celebrated annually with great reverence by the Chinmaya Mission community worldwide. Observed on May 8th every year, a Paduka Puja is organised by the Hong Kong Chinmaya Seva Ashram, including chanting of mantras and shlokas, singing bhajans and a short talk on Gurudev by Swamini Supriyananda.
Guru Purnima
Guru Purnima is a significant festival that celebrates the sacred relationship between the Guru and Shishya. In Hindu tradition, the Guru is revered as a symbol of divine knowledge and the conduit for spiritual enlightenment. It is a time to express gratitude and reverence towards one's Guru, as well as the Guru Parampara. On this auspicious day, Chinmaya Mission Hong Kong hosts a Paduka puja at the local ashram where we chant mantras and shlokas honouring Guru and sing Guru bhajans.
Janmashtami
Janmashtami is a major festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, commemorating the divine avatar of Lord Vishnu to Earth to vanquish evil and restore dharma. Every year at the Hong Kong Chinmaya Ashram, we have activities for the kids such as, the breaking of matkas, singing Krishna bhajans and hearing Krishna stories from Swamini Supriyananda. Later that evening with the adults, we do abhishekam of Krishna, chant the full Vishnu Sahasranaama, sing Krishna bhajans and do a midnight aarti.
Navaratri
Navratri is a festival that takes place over the course of nine days to celebrate and worship the Hindu Goddesses, Durga, Laxmi and Saraswati. Each day is dedicated to different aspects of the Divine Mother. At Hong Kong Chinmaya Seva Ashram, every year during this time a Matru Puja is organised where children of all ages come to worship the qualities of Devi that are present in their own mothers.
Diwali
Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most widely celebrated Hindu festivals all over the world. The festival commemorates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and His victor over Ravana. These celebrations signify light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and good over evil. At the Hong Kong Chinmaya Seva Ashram we light diyas, do aarti with our families and listen to a talk about the significance of Diwali from Swamini Supriyananda.