India Festivals

Festivals mark the grand, gay and happy moments in the life of an Indian citizen. These are the occasions of family gatherings, exchange of greetings, thanks giving’s, relaxation, joy, praying, fasting and elders. Festivals come round year after year and enthuse people with a new spirit of joy. India has a great number of festivals, fairs, and holidays, and some of them are bound to coincide with the occasion of your visit to this country. The most of Indian festivals follow lunar religious calendar, which differs much from the western one. Only the approximate times are indicated below.

HOLI (March/April)

The most colourful and boisterous festival, marks the advent of spring and ripening of the crops. People throw colourful water and powder and perfume, at each other in gay abundance; sing, dance and enjoy to the heart’s content.

GANGAUR (March/April)
This is a festival dedicated to Parvati, the consort of Shiva. It’s chiefly celebrated in Jaipur (Rajasthan) and a colourful procession is taken out. Women and damsels decked in their finery visit temples, worship Gauri or Parvati and invoke her blessings for happy marital life.

BAISAKHI (April/May)
This is of special significance to the Sikhs. The Hindu solar New Year is celebrated and people visit temples after ritual bathing in holy rivers, ponds and tanks.

MEENAKSHI KALYANAM (April/May)
A huge procession of large temple chariots is taken out through the streets of Madurai to celebrate the annual marriage of Shiva.

BUDDH PURNIMA (May)
The Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and nirvana are celebrated on this day and special celebrations are held at Sarnath and Bodhgaya. Buddha was born, got enlightenment and the nirvana on the same day (purnima, the full moon day), but in different years.

RATH YATRA (June/July)
One of the most spectacular events when Lord Jagannath’s huge chariots roll out in procession from the temple in Puri, Orissa.

TEEJ (July/August)
A women’s festival celebrated in Rajasthan to welcome the rains. An occasion of local fairs, singing and enjoying swings set up in every village and town.

AMARNATH YATRA (August)
This coincides with another festival called Rakshabandhan, when the women and girls tie colourful threads round their brother’s wrists and receive gifts. Pilgrimage to this occasion to offer their prayers.

NAGA PANCHAMI (July/August)
This festival is dedicated to the worship of the cobra deity and snakes.

JANMASHTMI (August)
The birth anniversary of Krishna is celebrated throughout the land and dance-dramas are performed to represent the scenes from Krishna’s life. At Mathura, the birthplace of Krishna special festivities are held.

GANESH CHATURTHI (August/September)
The images of elephant headed god Ganesha are worshipped, and then ceremonially immersed in sea or a lake. In Mumbai and surrounding areas it is celebrated with special fervour and gay abandon.

PUSHKAR FAIR (October/November)
It is one of the most spectacular cattle fairs held at the Pushkar Lake near Ajmer in Rajasthan.

GURU PARAB (November)
This festival is a major Sikh festival, which marks the birthday of the founder of Sikh Religion, Guru Nanak.

CHRISTMAS (December 25)
It is also celebrated with great fervour all over the country.

MUHARRAM (Winter)
This commemorates the martyrdom of a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. In cities such as Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad and Jaipur mourning processions are there.

PONGAL/SHAKRANTI (Mid-January)
It is celebrated as a harvest festival in the south. In the north it marks the change of season when the sun moves into its northern course called uttarayana.

ONAM (September)
This is the harvest festival of Kerala, celebrated for four days with feasting, dance and famous snake-boat races.

ID-UL-FITER (September)
This is a Muslim festival which marks the end of month long Ramzan fat.

DUSSEHRA/DURGA PUJA (September/October)
Dussehra is also called Vijayadashmi and is celebrated to mark the victory of Rama on the Demon King Ravana, or of good over evil. The popular Ramayana epic is presented in dance-drama form on the stage all over India during the preceding nine days. It is popularly called Ram Lila. The effigy of Ravana is burnt and fireworks are there. It is followed by Bharat Milap, an occasion of family reunion. In Mysore great royal procession is taken out on this occasion. In Kulu also it is observed as Durga Puja.

DIWALI (October/November)

This is the festival of lights and fireworks. At night earthen lamps and candles are lit illuminating the dark night, greetings and sweets are exchanged and Lakshmi, the goddess of riches and prosperity, is worshipped. The businessmen close their old accounts and open the new ones.

VASANTA PANCHAMI (January/February)
This is a Hindu festival dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of learning. At some places it is associated with kite flying.

DESERT FESTIVAL (February)

This is a great tourist attraction. It is celebrated at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Colourful camel races, folk dances and songs mark the festivity. You can go on a camel safari to explore the great Indian Desert on this occasion.

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