Jaiswals of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India

According to Deccan Chronicle of April 1, 2008; a retired chief engineer of Andhra Pradesh Housing Board (APHB) and his wife were convicted by a court for possession of disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 2.22 crore. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had registered a case against the chief engineer, Surendra Bahadur, in September 2000. Searches conducted by ACB sleuths had revealed that the chief engineer had seven houses, one plot and 14 lockers in seven different banks in the city. ACB officials seized Rs 2.08 crore cash from these lockers. They also froze bank balances of Rs 22 lakh.

• "Makar Sankranti", Pongal.

• "Makar Sankranti Bath". From this day onwards the "good days" start. After one month marriages etc can take place.

• "Sakath Chowth". This day all the mothers of the Jaiswal community perform pooja for the welfare of their sons. They make "Ladoos" of Til, Murmura, Groundnut and Gram etc. This is one of the important festivals of the Jaiswals Community.

• "Mouni Amavasya". This is the most scared Amavasya for us. Most of the hindus take a bath in river Ganga.

• "Vasant Panchmi" . Most sacred day for marraiges.

• "Shri Mahashivaratri Vrat" "Holasthak" begins today. From this day till the day when holi will be burnt, auspicious work like marriages is NOT performed.
  

• "Holikdahan". Burning of Holi (from 9:15 p.m to 2:17 a.m)

• "Dhuredi". The day to play with colours.

• "Sitlashtmi".

• First day of Hindu New year. First day of "Chaitra", "Gudipadva". YUGADI. First day of Navaratra.

• "Durgashtmi"

• "Sri Ram Navmi" - Birthday of Lord Rama

• "Sri Hanuman Jayanthi"

• "Satvai Amavasya"- Jaiswal community prepare "Sattu" and eat on this day. *Sattu is a good intake for minimizing body heat*

• "Akshaya Tritia"

• "Vat Savitri Vrat", "Baragdai Amavasya

• "Surya Grahan" (Solar Eclipse)

• "Ganga Dashara"

• "Nirjala Ekadashi"

• "Jagdish Ratyatra"

• "Devashayni Ekadashi"- It is believed that god goes to sleep from today until next four months.

• "Guru purnima"- On this day pooja of ones GURU (teacher) is to be performed.

• "Nag Panchmi"- Pooja of the NAG(snake) is performed on this day

• "Shravan Poornima" - Last day of Shravan. "Raksha Bandhan"- Sisters tie "Rakhee" to their brothers

• "Harchat" or "Halasthi Vrat" - This is also one of the important festivals of the Jaiswal community. All the mothers perform pooja and fast for the welfare of their sons.
  

• "Shri Krishna Janmashtmi"- Birthday of Lord Krishna

• "Haritalika", "Kajari Teej". Wives fast on this day to get the same husband in the next birth

• "Shri Ganesh Chaturthi"- On this day idols of Lord Ganesh are bought and are worshipped for 11 days. One can reduce the number of days of worship to 3,5,7 or 9 depending on ones convenience
  

• "Anant Chaturdashi" - Idols of Lord Ganesha are immersed in water this day.

• "Starting of "Pitrapaksha"- From this day till 15 days is called as Pitrapaksha and from this day we give "Pind" to our dead ancestors.

• "Matra Navmi". Pind-dan is given to all dead women of the family.

• "Pitra Moksha Amavasya". Last day of Pitrapaksha

• "Navratra" starts this day. "Kalash Stapna", "Gujrati Dandi" starts.

• "Durgastami Vrat"

• "Durga Navmi"- Pooja of machines is done on this day.

• "Vijay Dashmi" or "Dusshera" - Pooja of vehicles is done on this day.

• "Sharad Poornima" or "Kojagiri"

• "Karvachowdh". This is one of the most important festival for the ladies of the Jaiswal community. The ladies fast the whole day and then break their fast after looking at the moon in the night. * The moon will appear from 7:36 p.m onwards this year *
  

• "Avohai Asthmi"

• "Dhanteras"- First day of Deepawali*

• "Narak Chaturdashi" - Second day of Deepawali*.

• "Deepawali" Note: Laxmi Poojan can be done anytime between 6:00 a.m to 6:46 p.m

• "Annakut Govardhan Pooja"

• "Bhai dooj"- Sisters put tilak to their brothers on this day.

• "Akshaya Navmi" or "Avala Navmi"

• "Tulsi Vivah" & "Dev Uthani Ekadashi" - It is presumed that God wakes up after 4 months of sleep on this day. Marriages start from this day onwards.

• "Karthik Poornima"

I took part in the All India Jaiswal Mahasabha held at Mydam Anjiah Hall at Kachiguda in Hyderabad on January 6, 2008.

Shriprakash Jaiswal, Union Minister of State, Home Affairs, Government of India was the anticipated chief guest. The necessary security arrangements were made and he did not turn up. I wonder why. Also, looking back, who paid for the security arrangements?

Dr. Anand Raj Varma, B. Madhusudhan, Devendra Kumar Jaiswal, Chandra Prakash Varma, Arjun Kumar, Dr. Anil Kumar Modi, Uday Bhushan, Ajit Kumar Jaiswal, Mahesh Kumar, Indu Varma, G. Bansilal, Devi Prasad, Ramesh Adhlakhia, Dr. Surya Prakash, Swaroop Kumar, Ramesh Aminha, Radha Raman, Raghu Raj, B. Deepak, Surendra Prasad, Deepak Kumar, Surendra Varma contributed to the publication of Sansmarika 2007-2008. The publication was done at Chandraprabha Graphics, Sultan Bazar, Hyderabad.

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From http://www.khojhyderabad.com

An All-India Working Committee meeting of Akhila Bharatiya Jaiswal Mahasabha would be held in Hyderabad on Jan 6. The 81st Annual Day of Andhra Pradesh Kalwar (Jaiswal) Sabha would also be celebrated on the same day. Union Minister of State for Home, Prakash Jaiswal would take part in the celebrations. The Mahasabha general secretary, Chandra Prakash Verma told newsmen here on Thursday that the celebrations would take place at Mydam Anjaiah Hall at Munnurukapu Sangam, Kachiguda.

The Working Committee meeting would take place between 9am to 5pm, which would be followed by Annual Day celebrations. The Mahasabha All India Patron, Baleshwar Dayal, its national President Madan Mohan Jaiswal, MP Girish Sanghi and various local leaders would attend the programme. A community souvenir, brought out once in 10 years, would be released on that day. Giving the background of the community, the Mahasabha working President, Anand Raj Verma told that the community had settled in the city during the time of 3rd Nizam, Mir Akbar Ali Khan and now has a strength of 800 families in various parts of the State. The community has an all- India population of 6 crore. The population strength in the State was about 10, 000, he added.

Efforts are on to enlist the community in the backward classes list and many hearings before the BC Commissioner have taken place. But the Government in that connection took no decision, he said. The community in the city is also carrying out various welfare activities, he added. Out standing personalities in the community would be felicitated during the celebrations. The Sabha office bearers, B Madhusudan and N Uday Bhushan Jaiswal were present.