November 2020 festivals: From Karwa Chauth to Bhai Dooj, check out all celebrations lined up

November is a month of festivities. This year the festivities begin on November 4 (Wednesday) with Karwa Chauth and end with Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jayanti on November 30 which is also Kartik Purnima.

Let us look at the list of festivals in the month of November 2020:

November 4: Karwa Chauth is the festival when women observe a fast for the long lives and prosperity of their husbands. In the evenings, they dress up in their bridal fineries and pray to the moon.

November 6: Sarwath Siddhi Yoga - When certain nakshatras fall on a particular weekday, it creates a yoga which is auspicious for carrying out any activity and usually guarantees success for any new endeavor - this special muhurat is Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga.

November 7: Pushya Nakshatra Yoga is being observed on November 7. According to astrologers, the purchase of new goods/jewellery/machinery/bookkeeping etc. in Pushya Nakshatra, the king of constellations, is a permanent auspicious occasion. It is believed that shopping on Pushya Nakshatra gives good results and Pushya Nakshatra is also considered Karyasiddhi Yoga.

November 8: Just four days after Karwa Chauth is Ahoi Ashtami, when women observe a day-long fast for their children.

November 11: Hindus will be celebrating Rama Ekadashi considered to be the most auspicious of all the Ekadashis in a year. This Ekadashi falls four days before Diwali on the 11th day of Kartik month during Krishna Paksh (waning phase of the moon). So Rama Ekadashi is also known as Kartik Krishna Ekadashi or Rambha Ekadashi. On this day, devotees worship  Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. An interesting fact is that Rama is another name of Goddess Lakshmi.

November 13: Dhanteras is considered to be the first day of Diwali. This year, Dhanteras is on November 13 and Lord Dhanvantari is worshipped on this day. People shop according to their own. When you buy jewellery, many people buy utensils. Whatever is brought into the house on this day is believed to increase by 13 times.

November 14: Both Choti Diwali and the main Diwali are on the same day this year. Kali Puja will also be observed on this day. Devotees in the eastern part of the country worship Goddess Kali, one of the fiercest avatar of the Mother Goddess. Pandals are erected, and idols of the Mother Goddess are installed in states such as West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Tripura and Bihar.

November 15: Devotees will be celebrating Govardhan Puja, a popular festival observed a day after Diwali. Govardhan puja occurs on the first day of Shukla Paksha of the Kartik month. On this day, devotees worship and supplicate Lord Krishna.

November 16: Bhai Dooj is a festival defining the bond between brothers and sisters.

November 18: Devotees of Lord Ganesha observe a day-long vrat on the Chaturthi Tithi (fourth day), Krishna Paksha (waning or the darker phase of the Lunar cycle) every month, and break it only after sighting the Moon at night. This ritual is in stark contrast with the Vinayaka Chaturthi Puja on the Chaturthi Tithi of Shukla Paksha (waxing or brighter phase of the Lunar cycle). 

November 20: Chhath Puja is the most prominent festival in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Chhath is celebrated six days after Deepawali. On this day, Chhath Maiya is worshipped and devotees observe a strict fast.

November 23: On this day, the Jagaddhatri form of Mother Goddess is worshipped. She is hailed as the bearer of the world or the mother of the earth.

November 26: On this day, devotees perform the marriage ceremony of the holy Tulsi plant, also known as Vrinda and Lord Krishna. After Tulsi Vivah, the wedding season among Hindus begins.

November 29: The full moon of Kartik month's Shukla Paksha is called Dev Deepawali. On this day, Lord Shiva slaughtered a demon named Tripurasura. It is said that on this day all the deities come to earth and ignite the lamp along the Ganges.

November 30: This year, 551st Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jayanti will be observed on November 30. This day, a Full Moon Day (Kartik Purnima) marks the birth anniversary of the founder of the Sikh religion.