Accession Day

An Accession Day is usually the anniversary of the date on which a monarch or executive takes his or her office. The earliest records of accession celebrations date from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, and the custom is now observed in many nations.

Accession Day in India's Jammu and Kashmir commemorates the day in 1947 when the area joined the Dominion of India.

Belgium

In Belgium there are local celebrations of the reigning monarch's accession, but the anniversary of the accession of the first King of modern Belgium, Leopold I, on 21 July 1831, is celebrated as a full national holiday, known as "Belgian National Day".

Indian subcontinent

Accession Day is a state holiday in India's northernmost state, Jammu and Kashmir, commemorating 26 October 1947, when Maharaja Hari Singh signed off the Instrument of Accession, in which Jammu and Kashmir joined the Dominion of India. (This was part of the series of events of 1947 by which rule in the Indian Empire exercised through a Viceroy as representative of the King-Emperor George VI was converted into the two new Dominions of India and of Pakistan (Pakistan having two territories separated by the whole of northern India). As a Hindu ruler of a state with both Hindu and Muslim subjects the Maharaja's decision was crucial.

Accession Day (Jammu and Kashmir)

Accession Day is a holiday in India's northernmost state, Jammu and Kashmir, commemorating 26 October 1947, when Maharaja Hari Singh signed of the Instrument of Accession, in which Jammu and Kashmir joined the Dominion of India. The festivities of the day include holding rallies, bursting of firecrackers, singing India's national anthem, and raising the flag of India. In some areas, the festivities are as big as those of Diwali.

Views of Separatists

The "Accession Day" is observed as "Black Day" by separatist leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani and followers of All Parties Hurriyat Conference in protest of alleged Human rights violations by Indian army and Indian "occupation" of Jammu and Kashmir.

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References

Culture of Bahrain

The culture of Bahrain is part of the historical region of Eastern Arabia. Thus, Bahrain's culture is similar to that of its Arab neighbours in the Persian Gulf region. Bahrain is known for its cosmopolitanism, Bahraini citizens are very ethnically diverse and Bahrain hosts people from a variety of places such as India, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Malaysia and others. Though the state religion is Islam, the country is tolerant towards other religions; Catholic and Orthodox churches, Hindu temples as well as a (now-defunct) Jewish synagogue are present on the island.

People and heritage

Bahraini people are ethnically diverse. There are at least 8-9 different ethnic groups of Bahraini citizens. Shia Bahraini citizens are divided into two main ethnic groups: Bahrani and Ajam. Most Shia Bahrainis are ethnic Baharna, the Baharna being descendants of the original pre-Islamic inhabitants of Bahrain. The Baharna speak a variety of Arabic known as Bahrani Arabic. The Ajam are ethnic Persian Shias. Bahraini Persians maintain a distinct culture and language, but have long since assimilated into Bahraini culture; they tend to identify themselves as Persian Bahrainis rather than Iranians.