Thanksgiving day (fourth Thursday of November)

   Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on the fourth Thursday in the month of November, every year. It is a time characterized with lot of fun and frolic, gifting, family feasting, community praying etc.

   The natives of UK, pleased the God of fertility by offering him the first sheaf of corn. This was done to ensure a good harvest in the coming season. The ritual of offering an animal sacrifice, generally a hare, is accompanied with the cutting of last sheaf of corn. It is said that the last sheaf of corn contains its spirit. "corn dolls" are made to symbolize Goddess of grain. The entire community is invited for a celebratory dinner as part of the festivity.

   Origin of Thanksgiving Day

Journey of Pilgrims
The legendary pilgrims, crossed the Atlantic in the year 1620 in Mayflower-A 17th Century sailing vessel. About 102 people traveled for nearly two months with extreme difficulty. This was so because they were kept in the cargo space of the sailing vessel. No one was allowed to go on the deck due to terrible storms. The pilgrims comforted themselves by singing Psalms- a sacred song.

Arrival in Plymouth
The pilgrims reached Plymouth rock on December 11th 1620, after a sea journey of 66 days. Though the original destination was somewhere in the northern part of Virginia, they could not reach the place owing to winds blowing them off course. Nearly46 pilgrims died due to extreme cold in winter. However, in the spring of 1621, Squanto, a native Indian taught the pilgrims to survive by growing food.

Day of Fasting and Prayer
In the summer of 1621, owing to severe drought, pilgrims called for a day of fasting and prayer to please God and ask for a bountiful harvest in the coming season. God answered their prayers and it rained at the end of the day. It saved the corn crops.