 Festival of the Dead, Festival of the Dead or Feast of Ancestors is held by many cultures throughout the world in honor or recognition of deceased members of the community, generally occurring after the harvest in August, September, October, or November. As an example, the Ancient Egyptian Whacking Festival took place in early August. In Japanese Buddhists' custom the festival honoring the departed deceased spirits of once ancestors is known as the Bonn Festival and is held in July or August. This annual festival begins with participants flocking towards the ocean with gifts, messages and lit lanterns for the deceased. All of these gifts are found in small boats which are then released into the water at midnight. For the Hindus the ritual done for the dead ancestors is called the Tri-Pakja. It is based on the Hindu lunar calendar and the period lasts for 15 days, falling towards the end of September. In Nepal, the popular festival of Gayjitra honors the deceased and is observed in the month of Dhadra, the date of which corresponds to the first day of the month of Gunpla in the lunar-Napalir calendar. The Roman Catholic Church celebrates three days of all Halotide from October 31 to November 1, marking all Saints Eve all Saints Day and the second of November as All Souls Day. The Mexican holiday celebrated at Halotide is called Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, prior to the Spanish colonization and the conversion of local people to Christianity. This festival was celebrated in the summertime. In many cultures a single event, Festival of the Dead, lasting up to three days, was held at the end of October and beginning of November. Examples include the Peruvians, the Pacific Icelanders, the people of the Tonga Islands, the ancient Persians, ancient Romans and the northern nations of Europe. In the Inca religion the entire month of November is Aya market, which translates to Festival of the Dead. The Chinese and Buddhist festival is called Ghost Festival. In the 21st century, European traditions mark the celebrations of Halloween. It has been thought that the three-day festival of the dead is a ritualistic remembrance of the deluge in which the first night, Halloween depicts the wickedness of the world before flood. The second night then celebrates the saved who survived the deluge and the last night celebrates those who would repopulate the earth.