Festivals Of India

 


1. Diwali- Festival of Lights

This pan Indian festival, famous for lighting up our
lives, Diwali is joyously celebrated globally now. Sending a
powerful message of the triumph of good over evil, the festival is celebrated
in every nook and corner of the country. People enjoy the festival of lights by
beginning the day with an auspicious pooja, followed by welcoming the night
with new traditional clothes, sweets and glowing deeyas. The houses are
decorated with garlands of electric lights and colourful rangolis. Ignite the
light of brotherhood and goodness in you being through the festival of Diwali.




2. Holi- Festival of Colors

The Pandora box of wholesome fun and good natured pranks
characterise the atmosphere in the colourful festival of Holi. This
festival is also slowly gaining popularity in the global sphere. Holi is
celebrated by throwing and applying colours on each other, in myriad hues of
jubilance. The festival is even played by throwing and splashing water on each
other, via a friendly weaponry of water guns and water balloons. Immerse
yourself in the pinks, greens and reds of Holi, and forget all your blues for
this day.







3.Christmas sees the prevalence of these caps and reindeer headgear
decorating the heads of civilians. Many people decorate Christmas trees in
their homes with colourful stars and hanging balls. 

The birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated with ecstatic merriment
and wonderful joy, throughout India. The warm smell of walnut cakes can be
inhaled in every household. As if captivated by a confetti of Santa caps, 







4. Dussehra- Vijayadasami

The culmination of the 9 days of Navrati, end in the 10th day of Dussehra.
The key attraction of this festival is the burning down of the effigies of
Ravan and his two brothers, symbolic of when Lord Rama destroys Ravan in the
epic tale of Ramayana. The effigies are filled with firecrackers, resulting in
a cacophony of loud sounds as the entire- almost 100 feet high- structure
breaks down. This is followed by even loud cheers from the crowd, that
celebrate the symbolic feat. At some places, the days following up to Dussehra
are marked by portraying the entire Ramayana through street plays called
Ramlila.



5.Durga Puja- Durgotsava or Navaratri

A festival celebrating the
powerful Goddess Durga, Durga Puja is a
major festival for the Bengalis in India. The colourful and high energy
festival is celebrated by decorating huge pandals, in the middle of which a
heavily decorated idol of Goddess Durga sits. The festival is marked by a lot
of dancing, singing and wholesome enjoyment. Celebrations of Durga Puja in
Kolkata is a can’t-miss sight, it is really a lifetime opportunity to witness a
festival in the heart of its existence.



6. Janmashtmi- Birth of Lord Krishna

The revered Hindu God, Lord Krishna’s birthday, is celebrated as Janmashtmi prominently
in North India. However, the main festivities take place in Vrindavan and
Mathura, the birth place of Krishna. Here, the temples are filled with throngs
of people, fasting on this auspicious day and waiting for the temple priest to
reveal the Krishna idol at the exact time of his birth. Elsewhere, the festival
is celebrated with much gusto, with programs in the local community dedicated
to the life stories of Krishna, depicted in an artistic manner.



7.
Ganesh Chaturthi- Vinayaka Chathurti

Prominently celebrated in the state of Maharashtra, the festival
of Ganesh
Chaturthi is the exemplar of a culturally charged environment.
The festival spans over a period of 10 days, the last of which is marked with
the maximum amount of revelry. Humungous idols of Lord Ganesha are carried to
the sea shore for the procession of Visarjan, immersing the idol inside the
water body. The walk from one’s home to the sea shore is filled with a rich
amount of dancing and singing.







8. Eid-Ul-Fitr- Marks the End of Ramadan

Eid-Ul-Fitr is a major festival for
Muslims in India. The festival is marked by people visiting the mosque for an
auspicious prayer, wearing new clothes and preparing delicacies like sewainyan
to be savoured. Children are given idi, a small token of money as a gift and
relatives exchange sweets and gifts with each other. It is a festival that
celebrates brotherhood among humanity.





9. Onam- Harvest Festival of Kerala

An important festival of Kerala, the festival of Onam is
a very colourful affair. People celebrate by decorating their house with
various floral arrangements and woman wear the gorgeous white and golden border
sarees. The festival is marked by Kathakali dances and theatrical plays of
artist dressed as tigers and hunters.










10. Raksha Bandhan- Rakhi or “Bond of Protection”

Raksha
Bandhan is a festival celebrating the eternal bond of
brothers and sisters. In this festival, sisters tie an auspicious thread to the
brother’s wrist, as a symbol of protection, that the brother bestows on her. In
return, the sister receives varieties of gifts and goodies from her brother.
People dress up in fine clothes and eat traditional sweets during this festival.





11. Pongal- Tamil Harvest Festival

A harvest festival, Pongal is a

popular festival in south India. The festival is celebrated in a traditional
costume, through dances, bonfires and songs of celebration. People even
decorate their homes with beautiful rangolis, using coloured rice and power
petals, symbolising the nurturing harvest produced by the farmers.













12. Gurupurab- Anniversary of A Guru’s Birth or
Death

Celebrating the birth anniversaries of the Sikh Gurus, Gurupurab is
an important festival for the Sikh community. Gurdwaras are lit up in a spark
of love and humanity. Kadha prashad, a sweet and holy dish is served at langars
and people even burst crackers in the night to celebrate Gurgupurab.










13. Maha Shivratri- The Great Night of Shiva

Shivratri, translating to the night of Shiva is a Hindu festival
dedicated to the destroyer, Lord Shiva. In this festival, people visit Shiva
temples and pray and chant auspicious hymns. Some people even fast the entire
day to show their devotion to the Almighty. Maha Shivratri is
marked by devotees flocking Shiva temples and revelling in the radiant aura of
the great Shiva.







14. Hemis- Birth of Padmasambhava

It
is an important two-day festival in the lovely landscape of Ladakh. Hemis festival
is marked by a plethora of activities, including traditional dancing in
traditional costumes, that attract many tourists from all over the world. It is
celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of the founder of Tibet Tantric
Buddhism.

15.
Lodhi- Punjabi
Folk Festival

Aharvest festival of North India, Lodhi is a
lively festival celebrated with warmth and harmony. The festival is meant to
celebrate the winter harvest in January. It is enjoyed around a warm bonfire at
night, where people eat popcorns and peanuts, basking in the fire and the love
for each other in this glorious festival.

Celebrate the
various hues of India through the prism of festivals by
celebrating each of these- with full enthusiasm and jubilance