‘Maun’ means silence, and ‘Amavasya’ means new moon or no moon. Unlike most vibrant Hindu festivals, Maun Amavasya celebrates the darkness of nature with silence.

People practice ‘Maun Vrat’ - a vow of silence, aligning it with the moon cycle. It is mainly practiced by Yogis (Yoga practitioners) in India.

This day is named after the sage Manu who, according to Hindu scriptures, meditated in silence for penance and forgiveness.

Give yourself a break: Maun Amavasya is a day to take a break from the daily hustle of life, practice silence, and gather your energy back.

As the energies in nature are believed to be dark on this day, people try not to do anything important

Bhishma was a demigod is the Hindu epic called ‘Mahabharat’. He is the son of the river Goddess ‘Ganga’ and King Shantanu. He is one of the greatest figures in the holy books of the Hindus. Known to be the most dutiful son, prince, guardian, and a great warrior. His selfless vows to maintain celibacy and look after the kingdom brought him many boons from his parents.

‘Bhishma Ashtami’ is celebrated to honor him, and just like him, receive blessings from one's ancestors to aid difficulties in one's life. This festival is mainly celebrated in the southern part of India.

Detachment

Bhishma sacrificed and detached from all desires in order to fulfil his duties.

This is a great day to practice detachment. Detach yourself from the fruits of your work, from anything that makes you anxious or upset. It is time to fulfil your duties but detach from their outcomes.

Give Back
Bhishma Ashtami is a great day to give offerings to animals or donate to causes and to honour your ancestors.

Happiness studies have shown that those who give back to society are often happier.

Shivaji Jayanti is celebrated in honour of the Indian Maratha King named Shivaji or ‘Shivrai’ as many love to call him. He re- established indigenous governance in the Indian subcontinent. Although not a deity, he is revered as a holy historical figure of sorts sent to protect the indigenous faiths. Many attribute the survival of Hinduism to him.There is also a temple dedicated to him in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

To know why this particular king is so special to the Hindus, one must know that most of the Indian subcontinent at the time was under what some historians consider, the most brutal Turkic rule of all time for 300 years. His efficient & righteous governance in alignment with Hindu principles, after such dire times, makes it hard to not admire him.

Shivrai is not only regarded as a king of the past, but a thought, a purpose and, taking pride in your own identity. And this is the main focus of this celebration.

Shivaji Jayanti is a time to reiterate Shivrai’s stories & take lessons from history. He would wear a ‘Chandrakor’-A crescent moon-shaped drawing on his forehead. It was to maintain focus on his goals. So that each time he looked at himself, he’d be reminded of the purpose of this goal. He took his oath and carved it in a stone at the age of 15, such strong was the belief.

We learn that not only should one set goals, but have strong focus and belief in them for them to be manifested into reality. It is also important to remember the purpose of the goal as it is a daily motivator to pursue said goals with determination.

Events: Celebrate Shivaji Jayanti by participating in events at your closest Indian cultural societies.

Activities: Visit a museum of your choice or take a heritage walk. Read history books of your choice.

At Home: Write down your goals, set timelines to achieve your goals, and steps you can take in the near future to achieve those goals.