IELTS Speaking Cue Card

I live in India which is a diverse country where people celebrate festivals throughout the year. One of the most important festivals that is celebrated in India is Dasara. It is for praying to Goddess Durga and celebrating her triumph over evil. Almost every city in the country celebrates with sheer devotion. Kolkata is one of the cities that is renowned for its unique way of celebrating Dasara grandly as the biggest festival. It is usually celebrated in October for 9 days. People from all over the country as well as other countries come to visit Kolkata during this time of the year. 

Dasara is a Hindu festival, but everyone in the country from different religions celebrate it. The preparations for it begin well before a month of the festival date. Pandals are set up in every corner of the city for people in the localities to visit and feel its essence. From Mahalaya till Vijaya Dashami, people pray for prosperity and celebrate the good that Dasara brings. 

Dasara is one of my favourite festivals. I get excited every year during this time as I get a chance to go out with my friends and family to see some beautiful temples and decorations for 9 days. All in all, the celebration of Dasara is unparalleled. 

Goddess Durga symbolizes the power of a woman and Dasara shows how strong and valiant women are. It could be said that this festival is the celebration of women. No matter how busy Indians are, everyone comes together during this time to celebrate and spend time with their loved ones.

 

Vocabulary:

1. Sheer- nothing other than
2. Renowned- well known
3. Unparalleled - exceptional
4. Valiant- courageous

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Part 3 Follow Up - Questions & Answers

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1. What are some important festivals in your country?

Some of the most popular national festivals in my country are Diwali, Holi, Navratri, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi and Eid-ul-Fitr.

2. What special foods and activities are connected with this festival?

Diwali and most of the other Hindu celebrations are famous for its “mithai” or sweets. Each and every household will have a combination of freshly made snacks ranging from Jalebis to Gulab Jamun, Shankarpali to Kheer, Gajar Ka Halwa to Kaju barfi and many more. During Eid, the fast is always broken by eating mouth-watering meals. One of those dishes is the Nawab Biryani which is loved by everyone. This Biryani is tagged as ‘Nawabi’ which means royal, for the reason being its rich taste.

3. What do you most enjoy about a festival?

What I love most about festivals is it give us a reason to celebrate, time to be around people we love, strengthens the feeling of togetherness and encourages us to keep differences aside.

4. Why are festivals important for a culture/country?

All festivals are cultural in one way or another. There are many types of cultural festivals such as National, Religious and Seasonal. They all serve the purpose of bringing happiness to our lives, and strengthen our sense of community. They connect us as a people of a nation.