Indian Festivals 

A celebration of spring on the occasion of the ‘ascent’ of the Sun to the north. This is the day of Goodwill and friendship.

In the North Makar Sankranti is called Lohri. It is the only Hindu festival, which falls regularly on the 13th of January. Lohri is the time after which the biting cold of winter begins to taper off.

In the South Sankranti begins “Pongal”. It is a celebration of the harvest, which is observed for three days in Tamil Nadu as well as Andhra Pradesh.

Festival dedicated to Kartikya or Marimman where trenches of burning coal are laid out for the devotees to walk over. It has been seen that people who volunteer to undertake this experience with faith, come away unharmed and unscathed.

This magnificent festival is celebrated in Madurai on the night of the full moon. The ornamented icons of the two deities, the God Sundresa (incarnation of Shiva) and the God Meenakshi (incarnation of Parvati) with pearl crowns on their heads and riding on a golden bull are taken out in a splendid procession from the Meenakshi Temple.

In Gujrat and other western states the change in the direction of winds on Makar Sankranti is marked by thousands of colourful kites of all patterns and Dimensions which dot the blue sky. The Kites are hand made and the thread is given a coating of glass powder mixed in either resin or a paste made of refined wheat flour. Special kites with paper lamps fill the night sky with myriad flickering lights.

This festival is celebrated in the lush villages around Kovalum, every year. Traditional thatch houses are decorated during this ten-day long festival and are the venue for folk dances, music and festivities.

The festival starts off with a magnificent procession of bedecked camels. It is a colourful spectacle of beautifully decorated camels that fascinates the onlookers with their charm and grace. Several competitions are held, marked with typical Rajasthani colour, joyous music and lilting rhythms and gay festivities.

This is a festival of dance, which is held at Pattadakal (Karnataka), the ancient capital of the Chalukyan Kings.

This celebrates the end of Ramzan (the muslim month of fasting) The faithful gather in mosques to pray, friends and relatives meet to exchange greetings. The family elders, conveying their blessings give Idi or presents of money to the youngsters.

This is a festival in which their is ceremonial welcome to spring on the fifth day of the waxing moon of Magh, when Saraswati, Shiva- Durga and Vishnu – Lakshmi are worshiped. In west Bengal, Saraswati (the goddess of learning) is worshipped.

On the 14th night of the dark half of Magh occurs the festival of Mahashivratri, the great night of Lord Shiva. The devotees stay awake throughout the night offering their prayers to Lord Shiva. They offer special food made from the fruits of the season, root vegetables and coconuts to Lord Shiva.

The Desert festival is a three day long extravaganza of colour, music and festivity, held at the golden city of Jaisalmer. Gair and fire dancers swaying to traditional tunes, a turban – tying competition and a Mr. Desert contest are part of the fun and frolic. The grand finale is a trip to the sand dunes at Sam where one can enjoy the pleasure of a camel ride and even view the folk dancers and musicians perform at the sand dunes.

At this time of the year, the Goa carnival is celebrated at Goa. For three days and nights, the legendary King Momo takes over the state and the streets come alive with colour. The weeklong event is a time of festivity.

Nagaur Fair is famous for the annual cattle fair which is one of the largest in the country. The Nagaur bulls are renowned for their fleet – footedness and attract buyers from all over. The day begins with earnest bargaining between the buyers and sellers. Once the price of a horse or camel has been settled, the days draws to a close followed by exciting games, tug of war, camel races and strains of ballads which create a joyful atmosphere.

Yoga sessions are held along the banks of the River Ganges at Rishikesh. U.P. Tourism organizes this festival, lectures and demonstrations are held by prominent exponents of yoga throughout the week.

This festival is held across the Mumbai harbor, on the Elephanta Island, near the world-renowned Elephanta Caves. This feast of music and dance celebrated under the stars transforms the entire island into a large auditorium.

This festival is being celebrated in the city of Hyderabad. Cultural programmes with Ghazal nights, Qawalis and Mushairas are held. A pearl and bangle fair display creations in lustrous pearls and multi-hued bangles that are local specialties. A food festival serves the best of Hyderabad’s famed cuisine to the visitors.

This ten day long event celebrated at Agra is a cultural vibrant platform that brings together the finest Indian crafts and cultural nuances. Folk music, Shayari (Poetry) and classical dance performances as well as the elephant and camel rides, games and food festival – all form part of the festivities.

In order promote the traditional Indian handicrafts, a delightful handloom and handicrafts fair is held annually at Surajkund. Skilled artisans and craftsmen display their skilled and crafts in a rural setting. Cultural programmes and rural cuisine are also a part of this colourful fair.

A lively festival in Mizoram which celebrates the arrival of spring. It is an occasion for dance, music and feasting.

This festival is celebrated in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and is a ten-day long festival of dance, drama and music. Exhibitions displaying arts and crafts, flora and fauna and marine life, are parts of the event. Aqua sports, Tele-games and parasailing are added attractions.

This is organised by Orissa Dance Academy & Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Calcutta at the Natya Mandap, Konark. Everyday in the evening thAquaere is live show of different folk and classical dance.