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A country of many
climates, many languages and many beliefs, Indians are constantly
celebrating a festival or a fair. Some mark the passing of seasons;
there are six seasons and each one is ushered with festivities in
different ways in the many parts of India. Local faiths being many -
festivals in India are many too. The land being ancient - old customs,
traditions continue to be followed and culminate in celebrations of
varied order. The varied fairs and festivals of India add color and
integrity to this beautiful land of culture.
Fairs are the
focal point of socio, economic activities and attract people from far
and near - a camel to be sold – like the Pushkar camel cattle fair, a
land deal to be negotiated, a marriage to be fixed- a meeting place is
necessary & fairs are ideal!
The Fairs and
Festivals in India celebrated round the year showcase the resplendence
of its arts and crafts tradition.
Two cycles of the
moon per month, 365 days in a year - there is a fair, a festival in some
isolated corner, perhaps unnoticed elsewhere - all the same a
celebration! Some of these functions make a pleasant interlude for
visitors who chance upon them, while others are worth the effort of a
special trip!
The Indian
calendar is a long procession of festivals in india; if you can find
yourself in the right place at the right time, it is possible to go
through your visit with a festival each day ! Pongal, the harvest
festivals of the South India the immersion of Ganesh in Mumbai, Ratha
Yatra, the car festival of Puri, snake-boat races in Kerala, Republic
Day celebrations in Delhi….. every region, every faith has something
to celebrate. Let us look at them month wise
January/February
-
Republic Day:
- 26th January of every year.
(A spectacular March Past by armed forces/cultural tableau/folk
dances)
-
Beating The
Retreat Ceremony - 28th January of every year.
A poignant event at sun set with the back drop of the Presidential
building.
-
International
Kite Festival of India: - at Ahmedabad in Gujarat,
-
Bikaner
Festival in India: - in Rajasthan,
-
Pongal: or
Harvest Festival of India
-
Mainly in
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka - usually on 15th Jan every
year
-
Vasant
Panchami: - the advent of Spring celebrated mainly in Eastern India
-
Float
Festival of India: - elaborately illuminated barge carrying
decorated temple deities at Madurai and few other temple towns of
South India on the Full moon of Jan/Feb
February/March
-
Surajkund: -
Craft Mela (Surajkund near Delhi), from 1st to 14th February of
every year
-
International
Yoga Week: - (Rishikesh),
-
Desert
Festival of India: - (Jaisalmer, Rajasthan), full moon of
January/February every year.
-
Taj Mahotsav:
- (Agra - Uttar Pradesh),
-
Nagaur Fair:
- (Nagaur - Rajasthan),
-
Deccan
Festival: - (Andhra Pradesh),
-
Maha
Shivratri: - (worship of Lord Shiva, Special celebrations at
Chidambaram, Kalahasti - in South India, Khajuraho,Varanasi and
Mumbai), new moon of February / March of every year.
-
Holi: -
Mainly in North India, full moon of March of every year. Popularly
called the festival of colours. Advent of spring.
-
Lively
festival with much throwing of colored water and powders. (Public
Holiday).
-
Mardi Grass:
- Goa, mainly three days before the commencement of Lent.
March/April
-
Khajuraho
Dance Festival: - (Khajuraho),
-
Mahavir
Jayanti: - National; Jain festival in India, birth of Mahavira, the
24th and last Tirthankara, full moon of April every year.
-
Baisakhi: -
Northern India, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu; Hindu Solar New Year.
Known as Bihu in Eastern India - Orissa and Assam. Ushering Summer
Celebration and Dances Almost always on the 14th of April every year
-
Pooram: -
Trichur, New Moon of April/May. Spectacular sight of large number of
elephants carrying ceremonial umbrellas going round the temple;
midnight firework display,
-
Id-ul-zuha: -
(Bakri id), Muslim, National.The most celebrated Islamic festival in
India, commemorating the sacrifice of Issac by Abraham,
-
Id-ul-fitr: -
(Ramzan id), Muslim, National. Celebration to mark the end of the
holy month of Ramzan,
-
THE ABOVE TWO
FESTIVAL OF INDIA WILL VARY ACCORDING TO THE MUSLIM CALENDAR
-
Meenakshi
Kalyanam: - Madurai, Marriage of Meenakshi with Lord Shiva.
Colourful temple festival. Deities borne by colossal chariot. Ten
day festival, ending with the float festival In April May accordiong
to the constellations
-
Fair
Rajasthan, Urs Ajmer Sherif: - Ajmer, 6 days religious, cultural and
commercial extravaganza dedicated to the Sufi.
-
THIS DATE
WILL ALSO VARY ACCORDING TO THE MUSLIM CALENDAR..
June/July
-
Hemis Festival: -
(Leh-Ladakh), DATES DETERMINED ANNUALLY BY THE TIBETAN CALENDAR
-
Rath Yatra: -
Mainly Orissa. Greatest festival in honour of Lord Jagannath (Lord of
the Universe). Three colossal chariots drawn from Puri temple by
thousands of pilgrims. Similar festivals, on a smaller scale, take place
at Ramnagar (near Varanasi), Serampore (near Calcutta) and Jagannathpur
(near Ranchi).Mostly in July
July/August
-
Teej: - Rajasthan
- Particularly Jaipur, Procession of the Goddess Parvati to welcome
monsoon; elephants, camels, dancers, etc. Women wear colorful clothes.
-
Raksha Bandhan: -
Northern and Western India. Legendary reenactment, girls tie 'rakhis' or
talisman on the wrist of their brothers for protection. Full moon of
July /August
-
Nag Panchami: -
Mainly in Rajasthan and Maharashtra, dedicated to the thousand-headed
mythical serpent called Sesha. The day is also observed in different
ways in many other parts of Western and Eastern India,
-
Amarnath Yatra: -
Lidder Valley, Kashmir on the full moon of July/August. Pilgrims visit
the place where Lord Shiva explained the secret of salvation to his
consort Parvati .
 August/September
-
Nehru Trophy Boat
Race: - Kerala, 2nd Saturday of Aug.
-
Independence Day:
- 15th August of every year. The Prime Minister of India addresses the
people of India from Red Fort, Delhi.
-
Janmashtami: -
Eight day after the full moon of August celebrated all over India
particularly in Mathura and Brindhavan the supposed birth place of
Krishna.
-
Onam: - Kerala's
Harvest Festival; spectacular snake boat races in many parts of Kerala,
full moon of August/September
-
Ganesh Chaturthi:
Fourth day after the New Moon of August. Celebrated all over India
particularly in a grand manner particularly in Maharashtra
September/October
-
Dussehra - The
most popular festival in the country, celebrated in different ways in
different parts of the country. In the north and particularly in North
India, where it is known as Ram Lila, plays and music recall the life of
Rama; in Kullu considered the land of Rama, the festival is an equally
colorful celebration. In Bengal and many parts of Eastern India it is
known as Durga Puja, and in the South as Navratri - the nine nights
dedicated to the Mother Goddess.
-
Fair, Himachal
Pradesh: - Kullu Valley to coincide with Dussehra (10 days),
-
Gandhi's
Birthday: Mahatma Gandhi's birthday - 2nd October of every year.
-
Diwali: - One of
the most lively and colourful festivals in India. In some parts, it
marks the start of the Hindu New Year. In Eastern India, the goddess
Kali, the destroyer of evil is particularly worshipped. Elsewhere, it is
Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, who is venerated. Everywhere there
are magnificent illuminations and fireworks.
November/December
-
Sonepur Mela: - (Sonepur-Bihar),
-
Hampi Festival: -
(Hampi-Karnataka),
-
Muharram:
- Muslim. Commemoration of Imam Hussain's Martyrdom. Tiger dancers lead
processions of colourful replicas of martyr's tomb. Colourful,
particularly at Lucknow . DATES CHANGE ACCORDING TO THE
MUSLIM CALENDAR
-
Cattle Fair,
Bihar: - Largest cattle fair in the world; lasting one month in Sonepur,
Patna; on banks of Ganges. Full Moon of November
-
Pushkar Mela: -
Pushkar, near Ajmer, Rajasthan. Important and colourful. Camel and
cattle fair attended by people from miles around. Camel races and
acrobatics etc.Full Moon of November.
-
Shilpgram Crafts
Mela: - Udaipur-Rajasthan - dates are announced annually.
-
Kurukshetra
Festival: - Kurukshetra, Haryana - dates are announced annually.
-
Konark Dance
Festival: - Konark-Orissa- dates are announced annually.
-
Gurpurab: - The
birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikhism spiritual
teacher or preceptor of Sikhism,. Full moon of November
-
Christmas Day: -
Celebrated all over India on 25th December every year
 Special
Events/Fairs
Kumbh Mela: - The oldest and most important of the Hindu festivals. It takes
place once in three years, at one of the four great holy cities; Nasik on
the banks of river Godavari, in Maharashtra, Ujjain on the banks of River
Sipra in Madhya Pradesh, Allahabad on the banks of the confluence of rivers
Ganga and Yamuna ,and Haridwar on the banks of the river Ganga .
Allahabad and Haridwar are in Uttar Pradesh. Kumbha Melas are attended by
millions of pilgrims who take a holy bath in these sacred Rivers
As you will notice -
all Festivals and Fairs of India fall on the lunar cycle-the New Moon and
the Full Moon playing an important role. Hence, dates vary from year to
year.
The fascinating fairs
and festivals of India reflects the expression of joy and happiness.
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