Written by: Aakanchhya Khadka - 27001, Grade VII
Posted on: 17 January, 2022
Day of the dead or Dia de Muertos is a festival that is celebrated in Latin America and Mexico. It is a celebration of life and death. It usually falls in the first week of November. It is celebrated with the belief that the dead will be inserted by sadness or mourning so, instead they are honored by food, drink ,parties and various activities that the dead enjoyed in their life . People conduct various offerings, decorate the altar with Marigold flowers, and keep a photo of the departed member along with their favorite fruits and drinks . This festival first originated in Mexico .Skull represents or is the most used symbol to represent the Day of the dead . According to tradition and peoples belief it is said that the gate of heaven opens at midnight on October 31 for children spirit but for adults on November 2 only for 24 hours to visit their family and friends by offering them food which is believed to please them. It is one of the famous festivals celebrated in Mexico and Latin America. There are also various similar festivals celebrated in some parts of Europe .Day of the dead festival is a combination of the ancient Aztec festival called All Souls Day, a festival that was brought by Spanish invaders in the 1500s in Mexico. Many movies like COCO, The Book of Life, Dia de muertos etc have featured this festival in their movies.This festival represents that death is a natural part of life .There is no need to be afraid of it and is not only about sadness or mourning bit can be joyful.