Dragon Boat Festival 2021 Google Doodle: Search Engine Celebrates The Annual Chinese Observance With a Vibrant Animation; Know Origin, History & Significance of Duanwujie

The Google Doodle on Monday celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival 2021 with an animated clip showing a group a Zongzi, a popular rice pudding in China, rowing a dragon shaped boat. The Duanwujie festival is celebrated with much zeal and jest in China on very fifth day of fifth month of the lunar calendar every year. This year it is being observed on June 14, Monday.The festival is said to trace its origin to more than 2,000 years ago and till today is celebrated with great passion and devotion. Raja Parba 2021: From Date, History and Significance, Here's All You Need To Know About The Festival That Celebrates Menstruation and Womanhood In Odisha.

This yearly festival is observed to commemorate the life and death of famous poet, statesman and ideologist Qu Yuan. Yuan is believed to be a high ranking official and advisor to the King of Chu, one of the seven Warring State, who lived from 476 BC to 221 BC. He was exiled from his land after his fellow officials accused him of treason out of jealously. He started living near River Miluo and composed several great poetry. Bloomsday 2021: History, Significance and The True Story Behind Irish Novelist James Joyce's Bloomsday.

Watch  Dragon Boat Festival 2021 Google Doodle Here:

Origin & History of The Dragon Boat Festival:

The history of this annual festival dates back to over 2,000 year. It is said that Qu Yuan advised the King of State of Chu to form an alliance with the State of Qi in the battle againt the State of Qin. However, the king did not paid heed to him. Yuan was also dismissed and exiled from his land after his fellow officials accused him of treason. He started living near the River Miluo. One day he came to know that his state had been captured by the State of Qin and the Kind of Chu had been imprisoned. A highly loyal statesman, Yuan could not tolerate this and out of the helplessness died by suicide by jumping inside the Miluo river on the fifth day of the fifth month of lunar calendar. Ever since people observed the day to remember the great poet and patriot.

Watch A Video About Qu Yuan Here: 

Significance of The Dragon Boat Festival:

To commemorate the life and death of Qu Yuan, a great poet and loyal statesman, people observe the Dragon Boat Festival. It is said that after Yuan jumped into the rive, people in the area tried to find his body but were not successful. So they rowed their boats through the river, played drums to ward away evil spirits to preserve the dead body of Yuan. They also poured rice into river to feed the fish so that they don't eat his body. Legends hold that locals also put some realgar wine. With time, this tradition evolved into proper Dragon Boat Racing, eating Zongzi, a rice dish and having wine to mark the life and death of Qu Yuan.

The annual festival garners a lot of attention as the people row their vibrant looking wooden boats in the Miluo river to win the race. A huge crowd is known to gather to witness the race of the zealous youth on boats in tune with the drum beats to keep the spirits high, while relishing Zongzi and realgar.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 14, 2021 08:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).