Google Doodle celebrates the Japanese star festival Tanabata

livemint.com:

Search giant Google is celebrating the Japanese festival Tanabata with a special doodle. Tanabata is celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month every year. However, the star festival is also celebrated on August 7 in some places in Japan based on the older Chinese calendar.  Tanabata is based on the ancient Chinese legend of two star-crossed lovers, Zhinü (Orihime) and Niulang (Hikoboshi), who were only allowed to meet once a year.

The legend, called Qixi in Chinese, came to Japan in the 8th century BC and has been celebrated ever since. According to the legend, Orihime was the daughter of Tentei (God of Heaven). She wove clothes by the heavenly river, but soon became sad because she couldn't find love in her life.

In desperation, Tentei arranged for her to meet a cowherd named Hikoboshi, and the two fell in love. However, after falling in love, Orihime stopped weaving and Hikoboshi stopped tending his cows, angering Tentei, who forbade the two lovers to meet. Legend has it that after much pleading, Orihime and Hikoboshi were allowed to meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month.

According to the legend, magpies built a bridge that allowed Orihime to meet her estranged lover. It is believed that if it rains on the day of Tanabata, the magpies will not come and the two lovers will have to wait another year to meet. Japanese people celebrate Tanabata by coming together for lively festivals in the months of July and August.

Many people also make wishes for the coming season on small pieces of coloured paper called tanzakus. These wishes are then hung from bamboo trees and floated down a river the next day.