FESTIVALS OF INDIA - Ages of rich tradition, warm and hospitable people, a landscape of breathtaking variety and beauty – all mixed together every year in India resulting in a variety of fairs, festivals and celebrations that will mesmerise everyone.

These festivals are celebrated with pomp and splendour and bring colour to the lives of millions of people in the Subcontinent.. During the festival celebrations, there are dance performances, music, dramas and a variety of entertainment which are attended by thousands of tourists from across the globe.

No matter where your plans take you to in this sub-continent, we are in a position to include a festival or a fair in your programme and make your trip a memorable one. .

As most of these festivals and fairs are once a year affair, no regular hotels are there. To overcome this we organize our own exclusive camping. We will give you the dates of some of the major fairs around the sub-continent at least a year in advance to make it possible for you to plan well. We have given a list of the festivals month-wise for your convenience.  

January

Pongal
Certain Hindu festivals are associated with the annual cycle of seasons. Pongal in the South is celebrated to mark the withdrawal of the southeast monsoons as well as the reaping of the harvest. It is the biggest harvest festival, celebrated for three days.

Makar Sakranti
Makar Sakranti marks the commencement of the sun's journey to the Northern Hemisphere and is a day of celebration all over the country. Wherever there is a body of water, people take a dip in the waters on this day and worship the sun. Also known as Gangasagar Mela. On this day, people come from all over India for a ceremonial cleansing in the River Hooghly, near Calcutta. In Gujarat, brightly coloured kites dot the skies, in celebration of Makar Sakranti.

Lohri
The people of Punjab and Harayana celebrate Lohri, marking the end of winter. The countryside is dotted with bonfires, around which people gather to meet friends and relatives and sing folk songs. Children go from house to house singing, and collecting money and sweets, which they throw into the bonfires. 

February

Vasant Panchami
This festival is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, goddess of learning, wisdom & fine arts . Ganesh, Vishnu, Shiva and Surya are also worshipped.

Maha Shivratri
Devotees of Shiva keep fast during the day and maintain a long vigil during the night. In temples all across the country, bells ring, sacred texts are chanted and traditional offerings of leaves and milk are made to the Shiva lingam, the phallic symbol of the god. According to ancient scriptures, Shiva manifests himself in the form of a huge flaming lingam known as Jyotirlinga on Shivratri. It is the duty of every worshipper to worship this lingam with at least one bilwa leaf.  

March

Holi  (Festival of Colours)

Holi announces the arrival of spring and the passing of winter. Young and old alike are drenched with colors. On Holi, people are suddenly caught unawares with colors being poured from the terraces and roofs of houses, bursting balloons, or long pistons squirting colored water. People in small groups are seen singing, dancing and throwing colors on each other. They also eat food laced with bhang, an aphrodisiac that leaves one feeling light and happy.  

April

Ram Navami
Lord Vishnu is worshipped in his human incarnation as Rama , the divine ruler of Ayodhya, on his birth anniversary known as Ram Navmi. It is widely celebrated in Ayodhya and Pondicherry, two places closely connected with the events of the Ramayana, to participate in Ram Navmi festivities. In Ayodhya, thousands of pilgrims converge at the Kanaka Bhawan Temple. Colourful processions are held, which comprise brilliant floats of Rama, his wife Sita, Rama's loyal brother Lakshmana and Hanuman, Rama's monkey-general. Plays based on the Ramayana are also enacted. As the sun rises, a coconut is placed in a cradle and at midday (when Rama is said to have been born), a priest announces his birth.

Baisakhi
Held on the first Baisakh -the 13th April -Baisakhi is one of Himachal's and Punjab's most important festivals. Rooted in the rural agrarian tradition, it bids a final farewell to winter. At Tattapani near Shimla, at the Rewalsar and Prashar lakes near Mandi people take purifying dips in the water. Numerous village fairs complete with wrestling, dancing and archery are also held on this day.

July

Teej
The fair is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and commemorates the day when she was united with Lord Shiva. Young girls, newly wedded girls and old women can be seen attired in flashy traditional costumes and ornaments. Basically a women's festival, it is interesting to watch them enjoying in groups all over the city and in the colourful bazars.

Jagannath Rath Yatra
At the temple town of Puri in Orissa, the image of the god Krishna (known as Jagannath) is taken out with great ceremony in June-July each year. This spectacular chariot festival is held at the famous Jagannath Temple at Puri. Images of Lord Jagannath, his sister Subhadra and brother Balbhadra are taken out in procession in three chariots to their summer temple for a week.

Guru Purnima
A special worship is performed on this day of all teachers and is called Guru Purnima. Worship of the great Vyasa, the author of the great epic, Mahabharata, is a part of the celebration. On this day students visit their elders, teachers and guides with gifts of coconuts, clothes and sweets. These gifts are called gurudakshina.

August

Krishna Janamashtami
This Hindu festival, which falls during the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadra, is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Krishna to kill the demon - Kansa. It is marked by fasts, prayers and the enactment of incidents from Krishna's childhood.

Poori Fair
This fair is held at the Triloknath Temple in the Pattan Valley every year during the month of August. The holy lamp at this temple is always kept burning in pure ghee (clarified butter). It has a circumference of about two feet and a depth of six inches. The common belief is that the god Triloknath rides a horse that takes him around the temple.

Raksha Bandhan
The Raksha Bandhan stirs up one of the deepest and noblest emotions in the human heart - the abiding and chaste bond of love between the brother and the sister. Shravan purnima’s second festival is Raksha Bandhan. This is an ancient tradition. Bhavishya Purana refers to a battle between gods and demons, and Indra (the king of the gods) was feeling depressed. At that time Indra’s wife Sachi took a thread, charged it with sacred verses or Mantras for protection and tied it on Indra’s hand. Through the strength of this thread Indra conquered his enemies. Since then till today this festival is celebrated.

September

Onam - Kerala
It is Kerala's notable festival. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm. It is primarily a harvest festival observed not only in every home but also out in the open, against the backdrop of lush green tropical vegetation in which the region abounds. Onam is also celebrated Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

October  (Month of Festival)

Navratri (All over India)

Navratri is the longest Hindu festival that continues for nine consecutive nights in praise of Lord Rama. Continuous chanting from the great epic Ramayana, along with evening performances from the episodes of his life, is held for nine days.It is a combination of many concepts. It is believed that Durga, the Goddess of power and vitality, has nine forms called Navadurga and on each day of the nine days, she takes a new form, with an arsenal of weapons, to ride a lion and fight the demon Mahishasura. Vijaydashmi or Dussehra, the 10th day, is celebrated with feasting and rejoicing as her day of victory. Lord Rama is said to have worshipped the Goddess, seeking her blessing in order to overpower the evil force of Ravana, the abductor of his beloved Sita.The most joyous celebration of Navaratri is seen in Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Bengal. Every night people gather in courtyards to dance the dandiya raas and garba, a community dance in which men and women dressed in festive clothes, dance in pairs with dandiyas or painted wooden sticks.

Durga Puja - Bengal

It is performed during the nine days of Navratri. Community pujas in Bengal are organised in every locality. Families visit each other to share feasts. On Bijoya day, the idols are taken in elaborate processions for immersion in the river or the sea.

Dussehra (All over India)

The Kangra valley celebrates the festival of Sair. This is also celebrated with stalls, singing and buffalo fights at Arki and Mashobra, both near Shimla.

Mewar Festival

The festival is celebrated in the Hindu month of Ashwin (Sept-Oct) in Jodhpur, the former capital of Marwar Province. The festival has on display the music and dance of the Marwar region. The spirited folk dancers assembled here, perform with gusto and entertain the audience with Rajasthani folklore. These folk artists bring to life the myth and legends of the area and sing songs in memory of the brave heroes. Other attractions include of the festival include horse riding and horse polo. Various other competitions are also held during the festival.

Karva Chauth

Karva Chouth falls about nine days before Diwali on the Kartik ki Chouth (fourth day of the waning moon or the dark fortnight) some time in October or November.

It is the most important fast observed by the women of North India. A woman keeps such a fast for the well being of her husband, who becomes her protector after she leaves her parent's home. In the past, a widow was regarded as a burden to the house and was burned on the funeral pyre of her husband. This was glorified by attributing great virtue to the woman concerned, and she was known as a Sati. Hence, it was in her best interest that her husband remains alive.

November

Diwali or Deepawali (Festival of Lights)

This Diwali which leads us to Truth and Light is celebrated throughout the country on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark. The festival of lights is one of the most beautiful of Indian festivals. It comes 21 days after Dussehra and celebrates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after his 14-years of exile. Homes are decorated, sweets are distributed by everyone and thousands of lamps lit in houses all over the country making it a night of enchantment. Doorways are hung with torans (a decorative garland for the door) of mango leaves and marigolds. Rangolis (designs on floor) are drawn with different coloured powders to welcome guests. Worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and fireworks and festivities are an essential part of the occasion.

Sharad Purnima (All over India)

It is a harvest festival when Laxmi, the Goddess of prosperity, visits all homes to bring fortune and good luck to all. Kojagiri, the special night, is celebrated with ice-cold, saffron-flavoured sweet milk, shared in the cool moonlight.

Pushkar Fair (Pushkar - Rajasthan)

It is held every year at Pushkar, near Ajmer. Thousands of pilgrims come here to bath in the holy water of the Pushkar Lake. Pilgrims take a dip in the holy waters of the Pushkar Lake during the Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan.

Trading of cattle, camel races and dazzling displays of bangles, brassware, clothes, camel saddles and halters are the major attractions of this colourful event which lasts for twelve days.

December

Konark Dance Festival

Konark Festival in the Sun Temple, Konark, offers an unforgettable experience every December 5th. A host of celebrated dancers from all over the country perform on the temple platform or beach.

The sound of ghungroo bells, flute and pakhauj fill the air and a marvelous crafts mela, with a variety of handicrafts and delectable cuisine, adds to the festive mood.

Christmas

The birthday of Jesus Christ is celebrated on December 25 every year. Christmas is a major event in Indian Christian households. There is a midnight mass held at all the churches on the night of 24-25 December and people attend church the next day too. It is a time for cakes and turkey though most of the Christians in India substitute chicken for turkey. Christmas trees are put up and decorated in homes and department stores, stuffed with gifts and sweets.