It is a very well-known fact that the month of October is filled with a lot of festivals all over the world.
Here are 10 facts about October....
1. The name October has been derived from the Latin “Octo” which means eight because October was the eighth month of the year, according to the Roman calendar. It was called Winterfylleth, meaning the “fullness of winter”, by the Anglo-Saxons because it had the first full moon of the winter season.
2. Columbus Day, the second Monday of October, is a national holiday and celebrated in many countries of the Americas as the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in America in 1492.
3. Halloween, the spookiest night of the year, is celebrated in a number of countries on October 31, the eve of All Hallows’ Day. It is believed that on this day the spirits can wander the earth freely and children can hop for treats in the neighbourhood in the guise of various costumes. Interestingly, in terms of expenditure, Halloween is second only to the Christmas.
4. Also, in the U.S.A., October not only marks the onset of the festive season but is also celebrated as the National Pizza Month, Popcorn Month, Pork Month and Sausage Month.
5. The famous “October Revolution” led by the Bolsheviks in Russia in 1917 actually happened in November according to the Gregorian calendar but until then, the Russians hadn’t started following the Gregorian calendar. It is a landmark in the Russian history as it marks the inception of the first communist govt. in Russia.
6. Many famous personalities were born in October, including Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869. He was one of the famous leaders of the Indian Independence...
7. The movement against the British rule. His birthday is commemorated as the International Day of non-violence worldwide. He espoused the principles of non-violence and civil disobedience. He has inspired many renowned personalities all over the world viz. Nelson Mandela, Obama, etc.
8. Bill Gates, the world’s richest man from 1995 to 2017, was born on October 28, 1955. He is not only the founder of Microsoft but also an investor, author and philanthropist. He built Microsoft, the world’s largest PC software company. Bill Gates is a proponent of higher taxes, particularly for the rich.
9. Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize, was born on October 21, 1833, in Italy. Following his philanthropist calling, he founded the Nobel Prize. Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has been honouring men and women from all corners of the globe for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and for work in peace. Note that there is no Nobel prize for Maths.
10. A fun fact about October cites that the winter is hard if the deer have a grey coat in this month. The colour of the coat depends on the severity of winters. Shakespeare, the famous English poet, playwright and actor, has never mentioned October in any of his works. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer and dramatist in the English language.
