History of Halloween, like any other festival's history is inspired through traditions that have transpired through ages

from one generation to another. We follow them mostly as did our dads and grandpas. And as this process goes on, much of their originality get distorted with newer additions and alterations. It happens so gradually, spanning over so many ages, that we hardly come to know about these distortions. At one point of time it leaves us puzzled, with its multicolored faces. igging into its history helps sieve out the facts from the fantasies which caught us unaware. !et, doubts still lurk deep in our soul, especially when the reality differs from what has taken a deep seated root into our beliefs. "he history of Halloween ay, as culled from the net, is being depicted here in this light. "his is to help out those who are interested in washing off the superficial hues to reach the core and know things as they truly are. '"rick or treat' may be an innocent fun to relish on the Halloween ay. #ut $ust think about a bunch of frightening fantasies and the scary stories featuring ghosts, witches, monsters, evils, elves and animal sacrifices associated with it. "hey are no more innocent. Are these stories a myth or there is

a blend of some reality% &ome and plunge into the halloween history to unfurl yourself the age'old veil of mysticism draped around it. #ehind the name... Halloween, or the Hallow ('en as they call it in Ireland , means All Hallows (ve, or the night before the 'All Hallows', also called 'All Hallowmas', or 'All )aints', or 'All )ouls' ay, observed on *ovember +. In old (nglish the word 'Hallow' meant 'sanctify'. ,oman &atholics, (piscopalians and -utherians used to observe All Hallows ay to honor all )aints in heaven, known or unknown. "hey used to consider it with all solemnity as one of the most significant observances of the &hurch year. And &atholics, all and sundry, was obliged to attend .ass. "he ,omans observed the holiday of /eralia, intended to give rest and peace to the departed. 0articipants made sacrifices in honor of the dead, offered up prayers for them, and made oblations to them. "he festival was celebrated on /ebruary 1+, the end of the ,oman year. In the 2th century, 0ope #oniface I3 introduced All )aints' ay to replace the pagan festival of the dead. It was observed on .ay +4. -ater, 5regory III changed the date to *ovember +. "he 5reek 6rthodo7 &hurch observes it on the first )unday after 0entecost. espite this connection with the ,oman &hurch, the American version of Halloween ay celebration owes its origin to the ancient 8pre'&hristian9 ruidic fire festival called :)amhain:, celebrated by the &elts in )cotland, Wales and Ireland. )amhain is pronounced :sow'in:, with :sow: rhyming with cow. In Ireland the festival was

known as )amhein, or -a )amon, the /east of the )un. In )cotland, the celebration was known as Hallowe'en. In Welsh it's *os 5alen'gaeof 8that is, the *ight of the Winter &alends. According to the Irish (nglish dictionary published by the Irish "e7ts )ociety; :)amhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in 0agan and &hristian times, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till .ay, during which troops 8esp. the /iann9 were <uartered. /aeries were imagined as particularly active at this season. /rom it the half year is reckoned. also called /eile .oingfinne 8)now 5oddess9.8+9 "he )cottish 5aelis ictionary defines it as :Hallowtide. "he /east of All )oula. )am = /uin > end of summer.:819 &ontrary to the information published by many organizations, there is no archaeological or literary evidence to indicate that )amhain was a deity. "he &eltic 5ods of the dead were 5wynn ap *udd for the #ritish, and Arawn for the Welsh. "he Irish did not have a :lord of death: as such. "hus most of the customs connected with the ay are remnants of the ancient religious beliefs and rituals, first of the ruids and then transcended amongst the ,oman &hristians who con<uered them.