What is Mardi Gras? Is it a religious festival? When and where it is celebrated?

Answer 1

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is a non-religious celebration (blowout) that precedes Lent which is supposed to be time of abstinence and penance leading up to Easter. The Tuesday is the last day before Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of 40 days of Lent (1). It is primarily celebrated in Roman Catholic communities with a Mediterranean background, so New Orleans in the US and Italy, France, Spain in the old world and Brazil in the new. The length of Mardi Gras is variable depending on how much the community wants to put into it - New Orleans sharply cut back the length after Hurricane Katrina because of lack of people for security. NO had grown to many days with parades by different organized groups (krews) that build floats (or have them built.) The biggest Mardi Gras, I believe, is the one in Rio de Janero, Brazil, where huge troops of dancers, singers, and band members dance through the streets often in skimpy costumes. Many of the troops come from very poor neighborhoods where the effort of participating is a focus of the year, but takes up much of the income available. Where it is held, it generally is a big tourist event, bringing large quantities of money to the hotel, etc., industries.