Key Transformation for Deckers Outdoor Corporation Research Paper

Key Transformation for Deckers Outdoor Corporation - Research Paper Example According to the model, structure refers to an arrangement of functions, responsibilities of those working in an organization, those authorities represented in the organization, as well as communication that assist the organization to attain it goals and strategy. Identification of DOC structure will aid in comprehending the variables highlighted above. Deckers utilize a decentralized structure for its management. In this method of management, the top management delegates the key responsibilities of the organization to the middle managers, who in turn direct the workforce on what they ought to do. It is, therefore, evident that the top management spends much of their time in developing useful ideas that would propel the company to attain success (Burke & Litwin, 1992).At Deckers, the application of the decentralization principle has significantly assisted it in various ways. As this structure allows the employees involvement in decision making for the organization, it makes them feel empowered unlike in a centralized management system. These employees attain satisfaction after seeing their ideas being implemented for the growth of the organization. Moreover, decentralization relieves the owner of DOC from pressures that emanate from managing the operations of an organization solely. After the delegation of such duties to other individuals in the organization, the owner of DOC spends adequate time in devising strategies to utilize in the expansion of the business (Burke & Litwin, 1992).

Islamic Civilization and Byzantium Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Islamic Civilization and Byzantium - Essay Example This small group moved to Medina under the command of Allah, where many Muslims already resided. This became the first Muslim State (von Sivers, Desnoyers & Stow 302-305). Despite this, the Muslims in Medina were attacked by those in Mecca several times. Due to their status as idol-worshippers and the breaking of a peace treaty, Mohammed decided it was time to conquer Mecca, where many of those living there were converted into Islam (von Sivers, Desnoyers & Stow 301). From here, Islam began to flourish under the Prophet Mohammed until his death in 632AD, as the people of Mecca were converted and no longer provided a threat (von Sivers, Desnoyers & Stow 318-322). Despite this, Islam would face several challenges following the death of the Prophet Mohammed (von Sivers, Desnoyers & Stow 308-335). As with many religions, there was a split in Islam reflecting an internal conflict; the Sunni sect, who hold Mohammed’s life up as an example of purity and are said to follow tradition, and the Shi’a sect. who follow the word of Imams as they believe they are directly descended from Mohammed and he appointed this lineage as his successors (von Sivers, Desnoyers & Stow 325-335). ... Sufism is slightly different to the Shi’a/Sunni split, as followers of Sufi can identify with a separate sect whilst still following Sufi Islam (von Sivers, Desnoyers & Stow 325-335). Islam refers to the people of the book (referring to those of other religions that follow similar ideals to those within Islam, like Christians and Jewish people) as dhimmi (von Sivers, Desnoyers & Stow 325-335). These peoples are allowed to live in the Muslim State and can be exempted from some parts of Sharia Law. The dhimmi are afforded the utmost respect in Islam (von Sivers, Desnoyers & Stow 325-335), as the teachings of Allah and the Prophet Mohammed suggest they should be. Additionally, the constitution of Medina suggests that those who follow religious and good lives should be treated as equals. Additionally, being an Abrahimic religion, there are many similarities between Islam, Christianity and Judaism. All three religions worship one God, in contrast to many of the smaller religions th at were around in the area at the time of Mohammed (von Sivers, Desnoyers & Stow 325-335). There are also many similar guidelines and practises within Islam when compared with those found in Christianity and Judaism. What circumstances brought Abd al-Rahman I to Iberia? Discuss his efforts to establish the Umayyad dynasty in Iberia. How do these efforts impact Jews and Christians during his rule and afterwards? In what ways did language (Arabic) and culture impact the Jews and Christians of Iberia? What were their respective reactions? Relate and discuss examples of these reactions. What happened to the Umayyad dynasty under Abd al-Rahman III? Abd-al-Rahman I first came to Iberia as a result of having to flee the old Umayyad dynasty, found in Damascus, as the Abbasid were coming to power in the

Socioilogy Essay Example for Free

Socioilogy Essay Many people are under the impression that the United States prison system is meant to punish those who have committed acts against the law. Although this is true, it has been proven that as a whole, the country has become exponentially more punitive, sentencing individuals at a far greater rate than in decades before. Nicola Lacey explains in American Imprisonment in Comparative Perspective that America is on an imprisonment â€Å"binge†. Until 1980, 110 people per 100,000 individuals were behind bars whereas today the numbers are increased to 740 people per 100,000. We live in a society of mass incarceration in which 1 out of every 100 adults are currently incarcerated. For a comparative perspective, America accounts for 5% of the world’s population while also accounting for 25% of the world’s incarcerated population. It is clear by the numbers that something has happened within the last thirty years to drastically increase the use of punishment. There are different explanations for the imprisonment binge in America, however the effects of incarceration on individuals, and consequences of penal practices have become a growing social problem. The extremely racialized incarceral system not only diminishes family life and distorts democracy, but also outcasts ex-convicts by discriminating them educationally and black-listing them from many everyday activities in society. Now more than ever, social circumstances effect one’s likelihood to be involved with crime and the criminal justice system as a whole. Class, Race and Hyperincarceration in Revanchist America by Loic Wacquant argues that mass incarceration does not exist in the United States, rather hyperincarceration, or finely targeting incarceration by class, race and place. This method of categorization associates imprisonment with poor, African American males. This triple selectivity of class, race and place is the reason Wacquant believes we have an absurd criminal justice system in the United States. It is unfair that predetermined factors dictate the involvement of blacks and other minorities with crime and incarceration. Not only has an increased punitive system in the United States contributed to discriminating against blacks, but it forms society’s view of blacks overall. Another piece of Saperstein and Penner’s paper investigates the hypothesis that â€Å"incarceration affects how respondents indentify themselves and how they are perceived by others: respondents who are or have been incarcerated will be more likely to be classified as black, and less likely to be classified as white† (Saperstein 93). The researchers use data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) to examine the relationship between different dependent variables such as racial self-identification and racial classification. The independent variables in the experiment are incarceration and interviewer characteristics. The authors suggest that this racial affiliation based on incarceration creates a vicious cycle where inequality is reproduced. Saperstein and Penner’s hypothesis leads me to draw a direct connection between race and crime. The connection is not that blacks are more likely to commit crimes, rather society’s lens is more likely to affiliate crime with blacks. Because of the phenomena of mass incarceration, when a person thinks of a criminal, they tend to think of a black person. In turn, police officers, judges and prosecutors tend to assume the same, making blacks the targets of racial profiling and harsher sentencing. Not only are members of the courtroom workgroup likely to be more harsh on a black person, but this causes other people to look at members of every person in the black community as criminals. This scenario has a far greater effect on society than thought of at first glance. The prison system has a far greater effect on society beyond the prison walls themselves, especially in terms of family life. Although the prisoner is the person who directly feels the temporal sentence itself, families bear the cost of incarceration as well. As many people know, the majority of prisoners in the United States prison system are male. This is exemplified by the numbers at San Quentin Prison, being that 95% of all visitors are women. Wives, sisters, daughters and mothers travel for hours to spend a few short minutes with their loved ones behind bars. Megan Comfort explains the struggle to maintain family bonds â€Å"In the Tube at San Quentin: The Secondary Prisonization of Women Visiting Inmates†. The visitation system in many prisons are degrading in that cueing and waiting degrades the visitors time and depreciates the visit. Visitation restrictions stretch to the regulation of clothes and belongings in that 1/3rd of female visitors are asked to change some aspect of their attire for one reason or another. Female visitors experience many pains of imprisonment. In assimilating to the regulations and degradation of prison, female visitors undergo what Comfort calls a form of secondary prisonization. Not only are women penalized based on visitation regulations, but the prison system disorganizes families, causing them to bear many costs of incarceration. Marriage and divorce becomes an issue with many couples going through the prison system. The hardships of imprisonment on family life has a destabilizing effect, causing problems for wives and children equally. Bruce Western and Len Lopoo state in Punishment and Inequality In America, that although 60% of prisoners have at least monthly contact with family members in some way, visitations are relatively rare in that prisoners are places more than 100 miles away from home. An even greater effect that the carceral facility plays on the family is the stigma and shame many family members endure. Family life is one of the overlooked consequences of imprisonment that has a large effect on many individuals affiliated with the criminal justice system. It is evident that the incarceration system as a whole accounts for a civil death in the distortion of democracy. Essentially, prisoner votes count in the districts in which they are incarcerated. This means that more funding is given to districts which have a greater population due to the existence of a prison, however those behind the prison walls are not accounted for in their voting rights. This form of prison-based gerrymandering influxes the number of votes in an area in which prisons are located, giving a political advantage to those running for office. Christopher Ugger and Jeff Manza write about the elimination of voices of formally incarcerated people in their piece Lost Voices: The Civic and Political Views of Disenfranchised Felons. Since the prison system is on based around raced, the criminal disenfranchisement in the United States has taken the right to vote from 17% of African American men. It is clear that a major collateral consequence is the elimination of eliminating the voices of such a specific racial and social category. On major challenge of prisoner re-entry is the denial of access to education, not to mention the social ostracization the prison system imposes on individuals. Issac, a formally incarcerated individual and a member of the Center for Community Alternatives explains that after he was let out for criminal possession of a controlled substance, it was extremely difficult for him to get into college. The Dean at SUNY Oswego did not want him in the school because he was an ex-convict. Access to education is an issue for both formally incarcerated individuals, and individuals behind bars. President Bill Clinton passed the Crime Control Law Enforcement Act under his presidency which denied Pell Grants to criminals despite unanimous professional opinion that post secondary education reduces recidivism, bolsters carceral order, and increases public safety. Josh Page explains this in Eliminating the Enemy: The Import of Denying Prisoners Access to Higher Education. Page argues that lawmakers enacted this legislative penal drama oriented in the pursuit of political capital. The denial of prisoners access to education is not an economic decision being that prisoners receive less than 1% of Pell Grant dollars, rather a symbolic, communicative act. How can anyone argue this when it has been proven that it costs more not to educate prisoners? Aside from the implications of not allowing prisoners to gain secondary education, the hardships of ex-convicts to gain education effects their life and society greatly. If people cannot gain education after prison, they are less likely to get jobs, and in turn, more likely to reoffend. Making it more difficult for people to become re-acclimated with society creates a vicious cycle of recidivism. Aside from hindering access to education, the penal system as a whole creates a stigma for individuals life after prison. After being in prison, it is hard to rebuild connections with one’s family since they have been apart for so long. Ex-convicts are separated from society physically and institutionally. After being in prison, it is very difficult for an individual to regain their life and adjust to the new social circumstances they are subjected to, and have been shielded from for so long. An example of this occurs in Miami Day County. In Florida, Jessica’s Law banishes sex offenders to the streets by requiring that ex sex offenders live 2,500 feet or more away from parks, schools and daycares. Since parole requires that ex-convicts live in the county they committed a crime, Jessica’s law left hundreds of individuals living homeless under a bridge. This is one example of many ways in which prisoner re-entry becomes very difficult for individuals. Overall, the penal system is a cultural performance which challenges individuals across society and creates a system of inequality for all those affiliated with it.

The Values And Ethics Of The Profession Social Work Essay

The Values And Ethics Of The Profession Social Work Essay Social workers are put into difficult situations on a regular basis. The Health and care professions council (HCPC) set guidelines to aid the challenges social workers face. To remain registered, a social worker needs to abide by the HCPC code of ethics to ensure delivery of the best possible service for users. Working within the guidelines set can be challenging as it may cause conflict with the service users values or potentially the social workers own values. For the purpose of this essay, ethics will be defined as professional obligations and rules of conduct (Meacham, 2007). Social work values will be defined as a range of beliefs about what is regarded as worthy or valuable in a social work context (BASW, 2012 p17). This essay focuses on two areas of the personalisation agenda that can cause challenges for social workers; accommodation and personal budgets. The target service user group for the purposes of this essay is people with disabilities. Using the definition stated in t he Equality Act, (2010) A person is considered disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities. Legislation and requirements to support adults with disabilities is increasing for the over eleven million people with a limiting long term illness, impairment or disability in Great Britain (office for disability issues, 2012). However, disabled people report mixed feelings and reactions to the legislations and rules put in place regarding their care and allowances (Dalley, 1991). The social philosophical approaches to social work will be used to deal with the challenges and conflicts social workers face. This essay touches upon Kants deontology; Benthams and Mills utilitarianism and Biesteks 7 principles approach. Immanuel Kant (1785) developed the theory of deontology. This means that social workers need to be promoting good actions and the correct motive, however the consequence is not important and the idea of an acceptable motive is subject to judgement (Adapted by Hartsell, 2006; Banks, 2001; Reiman, 2009; Meacham, 2008). Subsequently, Kant introduced the idea of a categorical imperative (CI). A CI maintains a persons motives for their actions and they therefore should be acceptable as a universal law. Â  Thus people should act on motives that can be used by everyone in a moral society and lead to respect for people (Darwell, 2002 cited in Reiman, 2009). From this it is seen that people should be treated as an end, for example a choice or desire, rather than a means (object) to our own ends. He believed that everyone should be treated with respect regardless of their characteristics or behaviour (Banks, 2001). Kant talks about respect for the individual person and promoting self determination. Biestek (1961) produced 7 principles that over time have become highly influential to social workers looking at values and ethics within their practice. 5 main principles have been used: Individualisation; Recognition that each service user has unique qualities, good and bad. Purposeful expression of feeling; Recognition that service users need to express their feelings (especially negative ones) freely. Acceptance; The social worker should be able to work with a service user without passing judgement and accepting Individuals for who they are, including their strengths and their weaknesses. Non judgemental attitude; Social workers should be able to not pass judgement or assign guilt to the service user. It is about judging the service users behaviour User self determination; the social worker should be able to guide the service user, depending on their on their capacity, to have freedom in making their own decisions and choices (Adapted by Banks, 2001). Utilitarianism focuses on a consequentialist approach as it focuses on the consequences of the action, rather than the actions themselves. (Scheffler, 1994 cited in Reiman, 2009). Decisions should be made on the results and consequences it could have on society rather than on a personal and individual basis, and to promote maximum good within society. The right action produces the greatest balance of good over evil the principle of utility. (Banks, 2001). Utilitarianism is based on a theory developed by Bentham and Mills who looked into two branches of utilitarianism; hedonistic and ideal utilitarianism. Bentham explored hedonistic utilitarianism, where good was matched with happiness. Mills explored the idea of ideal utilitarianism. This focused on good being about virtues, truth and knowledge, not just happiness. (Banks, 2001). The theory promotes the greatest good for the greatest number of people. When making a decision it is imperative that the consequence is considered. Theref ore as a social worker, it would be beneficial to look at the consequences of the forthcoming action and evaluate what would be most beneficial and least harmful to the service user. In the late 1980s, the Government recognised that an improvement in access to community services was required. The Government were committed to providing more support for people with long term needs by assisting and supporting individuals to manage their conditions and providing services they require in the community rather than in long-stay hospitals.(Oliver, 1996) Morris (1993) conducted a study that looked into disabled individuals who needed day to day services. He found that disabled individuals were starting to feel a sense of hopelessness and helplessness when trying to access statutory services. Historically, social workers assessed and told service users what services they needed. Through the personalisation agenda, and the introduction of direct payments, service users told the social worker their needs. For the first time, the social worker had to accept the service users self-assessment and then use the assessment to see if the highlighted issues were eligible under Fair Access to Care (2003) legislation. Direct payments were introduced in 1997 and social workers had to translate service user needs into a monetary value to enable them to purchase their own service. The aim was to give individuals control over their care and their lives. Direct payments evolved into personalised budgets and have further evolved into a more individualised budget / service plan. The need for change and equality of service provision has been recognised as more views are being voiced by people with disabilities. In line with Beisteks theory, service users are using purposeful expression of feeling and self-determination to enable the social workers to know their wants and needs. This has resulted in changes which could reduce the potential for conflict in the future. A further challenge is budgetary control. Service users often want services that are financially unavailable to them. Although ethics state that service users should be encouraged to have self- determination, be treated as a whole and the social worker should promote and provide information regarding their care (BASW, 2012), the service users choice cannot always be guaranteed. Utilitarianism would suggest that this is because if service users always received the services they wanted, the social worker would not be promoting the greatest good for the greatest number, instead would be taking a more Kantian approach of promoting moral good. These two philosophical approaches cause conflict within themselves. The Mental Capacity Act (2005) says a person lacks capacity in relation to a matter if at the material time he is unable to make a decision for himself in relation to the matter because of an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain. (s2). This leads to challenges and conflicts for social workers. If the service user had capacity, there could be conflict over the way they spend their budget which could lead to the social worker treating that individual without respect. Following the BASW code of ethics (2012), it states that social workers should respect the right to self-determination. Kant would support this view as, by the social worker supporting the individual to meet their own self-defined needs, the social worker is promoting good actions that will in turn produce good outcomes for the individual. The social worker needs to recognise that the individual has human rights and freedom to voice their views. Burton (1996) showed that there was a fail ure to recognise the unequal power relations between the social worker in control of provision of services and the service user who relies on the services. This therefore would undermine Beisteks principles of self-determination as, although the service user is voicing their opinion, the social worker is not listening and this could be seen as jeopardising the principles of personalisation and the code of ethics that are imperative. The implementation of The Mental Capacity Act needs to be reviewed to ensure workers are following legislation and ethics. It should not be assumed someone lacks capacity because they have a disability. On the other hand, if the service user didnt have capacity, it could cause conflict between the social worker and the paid carer and/or unpaid carers. If the service user lacks capacity, how would the social worker or the carers be able to assess what was best for the individual? A social worker would have to uphold and promote human dignity and well-being as well as empowering the individual. (BASW, 2012). These ethics and values are supported by Beisteks theory. Workers need to treat the service user with respect, be non -judgemental and accept the situation the service user may be in. The social worker therefore would only be able to act upon their assessment which should include the carers views on what is best for the service user. Utilitarianism, an alternative argument, would argue whats the greatest good for the greatest number? What would benefit the service user more? The social workers views or the carers views? The outcomes need to ensure that the maximum people are happy . The social worker could reach the maximum happiness and reduce conflict by using empowerment. The social worker would respect the needs and preferences of the service user, via the carers and family members as well as recognising their own prejudices to ensure the correct services are offered. The Community Care Act (1990) promotes care in the community and people staying within their own home, allowing the individual to use their personal budget and have carers to promote independence. There is evidence to suggest for example, individuals who have fractured a limb, fare better when they recuperate in their own homes. (Pignolo, Keenan and Hebela, 2011). Accommodation is a major concern for many service users (Davis and Wainwright, 1996). One aspect that could cause conflict is the practice of placing young people in young disability units, properties that are specifically designed for people with learning disabilities. Although this could be seen as a solution for people to interact and have support, there is a potential conflict as the individual cannot choose where they want to live and may live a distance from family/friends. If placed in a purpose built establishment, the individuals are classed as being housed by the local authority and therefore do not get to choose alternative locations (Oliver, 1996). The dilemma for the social worker is the need to take the individuals views into account whilst balancing their needs and wants, particularly if the service user lacks the capacity to make the decision. It is unlawful for anyone to sign a tenancy agreement on behalf of an individual who lacks capacity. A capacity assessment needs to be undertaken to ensure the service user understands how to maintain that tenancy. In order to proceed, an application needs to be made to The Court of Protection. This could lead to conflict as the social worker and housing department need to uphold the law, however many families feel they have the right to sign a tenancy for their disabled family member and find it difficult to accept that this is not the case. According to BASW (2012), the social worker needs to develop professional relationships with the service user and the family, uphold the reputation and values of the profession as well as recognising diversity and treating the individual as a whole. Utilitarianism would recommend looking at what benefits the whole family, rather than just the service user. Challenges arise when the service user lacks capacity. Using the utilitarian approach, it could be said that the service user shouldnt be given a tenancy as it doesnt promote the greatest good for the greatest number. This view is in conflict with BASW codes of ethics. It could be seen as unethical practice and lead to further conflict. Beistek would support the view of BASW in using the specific value base that service users should be allowed to freely express their feelings, both positive and negative, and the social worker should listen and make a decision in an accepting and non-judgemental way. However, Kant would say that although the consequence of not getting a choice in where the service user lives is a negative outcome, the intention of placing them in a home, with other people to socialise is a good moral judgement that is solely benefitting the individual. Another potential conflict could be older disabled individuals being forced into care. The Sutherland Report (1999) claimed that older disabled people were being forced into institutional care too early due to the lack of alternative care at home. Sixsmith and Sixsmith (2008) provided evidence that by 2008 there had been a shift in care provision and that the Personalisation Agenda meant that people were remaining in their home for longer and receiving appropriate services. However there is a further potential for conflict when accommodating people, with disabilities, to stay in their homes. Individuals may want to grow old at home but is this possible for people with significantly reduced mobility? Many homes are inaccessible to wheelchair users and those with significant mobility impairments (Burns, 2004). There is a Government scheme whereby disabled people can apply for a disabled facility grant to have their homes adapted, and certain individuals have to re-pay the Government, t herefore the Government is not financing expensive care packages. The role of the social worker would be to negotiate, support and empower the service user to have their needs met in the most appropriate, desired way. According to Kants theory, having a loan is the moral good as people will be able to remain at home for longer, promoting happiness and community care. This would be supported by the values of BASW which states social workers need to treat the service user as a whole and respect their right to self-determination. In contrast to Kants theory, Utilitarianism would consider weighing up the consequences of removing the service user from their house and into an adapted and safe environment. I.e. a care home could be seen as an easier option for disabled people to receive care. This view could cause conflict because the social worker is going against the wishes and desires of the service user. Utilitarianism looks at the best outcome for society rather than on an individual level. Therefore, by moving individuals out of the house into the care home may provide maximum happiness for society, although it disregards the individuals views and opinions. This is a criticism of the model as many service users could potentially not have their needs met in a manner that is acceptable to them due to the focus being on the benefit to society. This could be particularly true e.g. for people with English as a second language or who follow a religious faith. However, Beistek would agree with Kant in promoting self-determination. A key theme running throughout this essay is respect for the individual person as a self determining being. Both Kant and Beistek promote this and therefore appear to be the social philosophical models best tailored towards social work values and ethics. There are clear conflicts between traditional social work and the personalisation agenda for people with disabilities. These conflicts have been reduced with the introduction of HCPC ethics. If the social worker consistently uses these theories whilst working with conflict and challenging service users then the BASW ethics will be maintained and the service users will receive the best appropriate service available within Fair access to care criteria.

Mom: Teacher, Counselor, Role Model, and Friend Essay -- Friendship Ess

Mom: Â  Teacher, Counselor, Role Model, and Friend When asked to identify the person who has had the most powerful influence in my life, the most obvious choice is my mom. She has been my teacher, counselor, role model, and friend for the past 17 years. For me, she has become a source of inspiration and a constant reminder of what true love really means. In considering my mother's position and influence as a role model, I am reminded of a quote from Charlotte Bronte's Villette: "In addition she gave me the originality of her character to study: the steadiness of her virtues...the power of her passions to admire, the truth of her feelings to trust. All these things she had, and for these things I clung to her." (Chap. 4) The virtues that stand out most poignantly in my mother's character are her dedication and self sacrifice. On the strength of her principles, she gave up a successful career in order to give my brother and I the strongest educational foundation possible. No obstacle seems insurmountable when it comes to our education; even when my algebra classes seemed to ha...

Lil Red Riding Hoodlum:twisted Fairy Tale Essay examples -- essays res

Little Red Riding Hoodlum   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a teenager named little red riding hoodlum. If this girl sounds familiar, you guessed it right. She was formerly known as Little Red Riding Hood, until she turned to the life of crime. Right now she is paying for the trauma the wolf caused her. She is now in Utah State Youth Rehabilitation Center. I’ll tell you the part of the story they left out at the end that made it a fairy tale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the woodcutter killed the wolf, the wolf’s brother was furious, so he killed the rest of Li’l Red’s family. Luckily, the woodcutter was near the house where Li’l Red and her family lived in, so he ran over with his shotgun, and, when the wolf was running away, he shot him in the back of the head. The woodcutter took Li’l Red to live with him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A couple of years after Li’l Red’s incident, she started to show signs of traumatization. These signs that she showed were of criminal behavior. She turned rebellious and turned into a criminal. She would shoplift, commit grand auto theft, and other illegal activities. She liked to crash the cars that she had stolen. Soon, her friends started doing the same thing. Her friends looked up to her and thought she was cool for doing criminal things and not getting caught. After she turned to the life of crime, she started thinking she was a bad little chola. After a while, she started getting bored with the usual car theft or shoplif...

Indian Festivals Essay

A festival is an occasion of enjoyment and celebration. Indian festivals are known to attract the world due to their harmony, variety, colour and excitement. Thus we can divide the festivals into three categories—national or political, religious and seasonal. These are the festivals which punctuate the seasons of the year. National festivals like Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti and others are celebrated with great patriotic fervour. Now-a-days they have been declared National Holidays. Religious festivals and ceremonies are as varied as the people, their customs beliefs and faith. In Northern India, Dussehra is observed as Vijaya Dashmi celebrating victory of good over evil, of Rama over Ravana. In Bengal, the occasion is celebrated as Durga Puja. This festival is celebrated with gaiety and lasts for five days. Diwali is the most prominent of the Hindu festivals. The Hindus celebrate this day to commemorate the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after winning the decisive war against the evil forces of Ravana. The Muslim celebrates Id-UI-Fitra. It is celebrated to mark the end of Ramzan. It was during the month of Ramzan that Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed. Christmas is the greatest festival of the Christians. The festival marks birthday of Jesus Christ the founder of Christianity on 25th December. India is the only country where these festivals are celebrated with great devotion to the Almighty and seasonal variations. The main objectives of festivals are to bring people from different walks of life to welcome each section of society with open arms and to forget the narrow differences between one another.