Indian Festivals

13 Amazing celebrations in India

1. Diwali

Diwali is a five day festival that honors the victory of good over evil and brightness over darkness. It's known as the "Festival of Lights" for all the fireworks, small clay lamps, and candles that are lit. The festival marks the return of Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, after a long exile of 14 years. So this festival is celebrated all over the country.

2. Holi

Holi is a two day festival that also celebrates the victory of good over evil, as well as the abundance of the spring harvest season. It's commonly referred to as the "Festival of Colors".On the eve of Holi, people make huge Holika bonfires and sing and dance around it. On the day of Holi, people gather in open areas and apply dry and wet colors of multiple hues to each other. It is celebrated in all over the country specially North Indian states.

3. Dusshera/ Navratri/ Durga Puja

Dussehra, also referred to as Vijayadashami, it is celebrated in different forms countrywide. Ramlila is held everywhere for 10 days. It celebrates the death of the demon king Ravana at the hands of Lord Rama. It is celebrated across India.

4. Eid-Ul-Fitr

Eid is one of the major festivals of India for the Muslim community. People dress up in fineries, attend a special community prayer in the morning, visit friends, and relatives and exchange sweets. It is marked by the millions of Muslim worldwide. It celebrates the conclusion of the holy month of fasting called Ramadan.

5. Christmas

It is one of the biggest festival in the world. It is observed that Christians in India and now a days HinduMuslim also take part in this festival. Family reunions and the exchange of gifts are the stock features of the festival. Christmas carols, cards and Santa Claus are some of the popular derivatives of the festival that have developed across the globe and have become a crucial part of Christmas celebrations. It is mainly celebrated in the states of Tamil nadu, Goa, Kerala, Mizoram and Mumbai.

6. Ganesh Chaturthy

The spectacular eleven day Ganesh Chaturthi festival honors the birth of the beloved Hindu elephant-headed god, Lord Ganesha. Huge handcrafted Ganesh idols are installed in homes or outdoors, in public pandals. Pujas are performed in the morning and the evening. The last day is the day of Visarjan – immersion of an idol in a water body. It is celebrated in the states of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh with fervor and gaiety.

7. Onam

Onam is the biggest festival of the year in Kerala. This ten day harvest festival marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali. It’s a festival rich in culture and heritage. During Onam people wear traditional wear, adorn houses with Pookalam (floral designs), and prepare Onasadya(elaborate meal of 11/13 dishes). It is celebrated by people of all communities in the state of Kerala. The main attraction is the spectacular Snake Boat Race, the enigmatic Kaikottikali dance, and the Elephant procession.

8.Pongal

The four-day long harvest festival of South India is one of the most famous festivals of India. People prepare Pongal dish and wear their traditional attire. Celebrities include bonfires, dance, cattle races, sweets, and savories. Every year it is celebrated on 14 January in south India with great enthusiasm. On this occasion, people pray to the Sun God and thank Him for the good harvest that He has hitherto given. People decorate their houses with beautiful flowers, banana leaves and mango leaves. The main attraction is the variety of Kolam designs and cattle races.

9. Bihu

Popular among the festivals of India celebrated in the North East, Bihu is the harvest festival of Assam. During the month-long celebrations, young men and women wear their traditional clothes and perform the Bihu dance in the village fields and courtyards. Ket attractions are The Bihu dance and the local cuisine – coconut laddoo, til pitha, ghila pitha, and fish pitika. It is celebrated by the Assamese diaspora around the world, especially in Assam.

10. Janmashtami

Janmashtami or Krishna asthami marks the annual birth celebration of the Hindu deity Lord Krishna. The day is celebrated on the eight night of the dark fortnight in the month of Shravana. The sacred towns of Mathura and Vridavan host several events like Rasa lila, and dramatic enactments depicting the life of Lord Krishna. This is celebrated by the Hindu community all over, but the festivities at Mathura and Vrindavan are very popular.

11. Rann Utsav 

The Rann Utsav or the Kutch Mahotsav is a quarter year long winter celebration in the white sandy deserts of Kutch. During the Rann utsav makeshift tents are set up in the desert for the tourists, and the Goverment facilitates tourists the opportunity to experience the local culture, cuisine and hospitality.        

  

12. Puri Rath Utsav

Dedicated to Lord Jagannath… the Chariot Festival in Puri, popularly known as the “Puri Rath Yatra”, witnesses a huge gathering of Hindu pilgrims and travellers from different corners of the world who seek to explore the cultural diorama of India. The Puri Rath Yatra is a sacred journey on a richly decorated chariot of the Hindu deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Subhadra from the Jagannath temple to Gundicha temple via Mausi Maa Temple, which is near Balagandi Chaka in Puri. 

13. Guruparab

On the most important Sikh festival of India, special assemblies on the lives and teachings of the gurus, and langars (community meals) are organized in the gurudwaras. Karah Prasad is distributed among all, and hymn chanting processions are held in the city. People light up their homes with lamps and candles and burst crackers to celebrate Gurpurab. This is celebrated by the Sikh community all over the world, especially in Punjab.