Top Festivals of India – 7 Most Popular Festivals

Festivals are one of those unique ways to know more about the culture of the country. Our India Travel Specialists offers tailor-made tours to get you up-close with the festivals and the country India. In India, we say every day is a festival as several festivals are celebrated in different regions of the country at different times of the year, amongst them below are some of the biggest and largely celebrated festivals.

Diwali or Deepawali

The word Deepawali means rows of lighted lamps, is India’s biggest festival celebrated with so much excitement across the country, and usually falls in the month of Oct-Nov. Diwali is a five-day-long festival, marking “Vasu Baras” as the beginning. Vasu Baras is a day dedicated to worship the cows. Cows are sacred in Hindu culture and on this day cows are beautifully decorated and women observe fasting. In the evening, first, the cows are fed, and then women break the fast. This day is largely celebrated in the state of Maharashtra.

Next on the Diwali calendar comes “Dhanteras”. This day is considered very auspicious for making new purchases, especially Gold, and hence Dhanteras is associated with wealth and prosperity. Then there is “Lakshmi Puja” which is the main day of Diwali. This day is dedicated to worship Goddess Lakshmi who is the Goddess of wealth. Every household in the country perform this Puja in the evening and light earthen lamps all around the house.

The day after Lakshmi Puja is the day to celebrate the love and devotion between husband and wife and is called  “Padwa”.  The last day of five days Diwali is “Bhai Duj” where the eternal love of a brother and sister is celebrated. Hence, it is always truly said that Diwali brings family and friends closer and thus is a major festival of the country.

The Festival of Colours “Holi”

Holi festival is well-known to many as a festival where water and colors are splashed on each other, there is music, dance and so much fun. Children, youngsters & the elderly all participate in this.  But Holi, like any other Indian Festivals, also has its origin in ancient Indian History and is celebrated for a good harvest in the month of March every year. A day prior, a huge bonfire is lit up on the evening of Holi to burn the spirit of the evil and is famously called as “Holika Dahan”. On this day, people make arrangements and create a bonfire with collected dried leaves and stems, Cow Dung cakes, coconuts, etc. A rangoli is made around the bonfire as good luck. Everyone gathers in the evening and lit up the bonfire, women perform the ritual around it and men try to take out the hot roasted coconut from the fire and then distribute it amongst all as “Prasad” (a devotional offering made to a god, typically consisting of food that is later shared among devotees). So, next time you travel to India, don’t forget to experience Holika Dahan- the other side of the festival and the next day continue the celebration with colors and dance.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Lord Ganesha festival is a 10 days long festival celebrated across India particularly in Maharashtra state and is filled with spirituality, devotion, and enthusiasm. You can see cities where the lanes are packed with large marquees that are beautifully decorated to welcome Lord Ganesha. Artisans display their creativity at its best in making the clay idols of Lord Ganesha and that can be felt when every devotee is seen emotionally attached to the idol. You can also experience the sensational & traditional drum beats during these 10 days. In the evenings, aarti ceremony is conducted which in itself an everlasting experience. Foodies can enjoy a traditional steamed Modak which is said to be the favorite food of Lord Ganesha (Stuffed with a mixture of Jaggery & grated coconut and covered with rice flour).  On the last 10th day devotees immerse the Ganesha Idol into the sea or river marking the end of the festival. This festival usually falls mid-August to September. Bespoke Luxury India Travel specialists will help you plan a tour to enjoy Ganesha festival of India.

Onam Festival

Onam festival is the most popular festival of Kerala, celebrated each year between August- September, which is the first month of the year as per the Malayalam calendar and the festival lasts for ten days. If you wish to visit and experience Kerala in its true traditional form then the time of Onam festival would be the best. Almost every house and temple in Kerala has an attractive flower decoration at the entrance during this festival which is called as Pookkalam. A delicious nine-course meal called Onasadya meal is prepared and served on a banana leaf. One can also enjoy the boat race which is another captivating event during Onam. Women perform folk dances, which includes Kaikottikkali dance a traditional clap dance. So, join the fun and festivities of Onam on your next tour with Bespoke India Holidays.

Pongal Festival

Pongal is an ancient festival and the word “Pongal” means “to boil” which is derived from Tamil literature. It is a harvest festival similar to the Holi & Baisakhi festival in the north that usually falls in the month of January-February. Pongal is a four-day-long festival that starts with Bhogi as the first festival. On this day early morning, people start a bonfire along with playing drums and other musical instruments. Women chant mantras around the fire. One can see colorful rangolis outside every house. Then is Thai Pongal which is a harvest festival. The farmers who are dependent on the elements of nature like the sun, rain, water, etc to get bountiful crop harvest, worship this day to thank mother nature. Mattu Pongal is the third day of Pongal and is dedicated to cattle, specifically bulls, as they play an important role in farming. On this day cattle are given a nice bath, decorated with garlands, their horns are painted and all farmers worship the cows by touching their forehead and feet to take blessings. Kaanum Pongal is similar to Diwali’s Bhai Dhuj or Rakshabandhan where families come together, spend time visiting each other and a scrumptious meal is prepared and enjoyed.

Durga Puja

To know why Durga Puja is the largest festival in India, one has to visit Bengal and indulge in this festival which is in the month of Ashvina (September-October). A nine-night long festival is a celebration of life where streets are seen with large marquees full of lights, traditional music, people worshiping, and hand-carved huge stunning idols of Goddess Durga. Mother Durga symbolizes the power of women, which includes both aspects of a fierce warrior and nurturer. Durga Puja is a celebration of victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasur. You can get into Bengali attire and participate in the traditional dance called “Dhunuchi dance” that is performed by all the devotees during Durga Puja on the drum beats. Also, light up an earthen lamp and seek blessing from the goddess. Like Ganesh Chaturthi Festival, the idol of Mother Durga is also immersed in the sea or river on the last day. The ambiance during Durga Pooja is like purifying your soul and heart.

Navratri

“Nava” means nine and “Ratri” means night, as the name suggests it is a nine nights long festival similar to Durga Puja. Like Durga Puja, Navratri is also dedicated to Goddess Durga, but Navratri is also a celebration of victory of Lord Ram over Ravana. Navratri is more popular in the north-west region of the country and is celebrated in September-October every year. Many devotees follow strict fasting during this festival. Each of these nine days has a significant color attached to it that is dedicated to the distinct nine incarnations of Goddess Durga. During the festival, every evening will be filled with music, a traditional dance called “Garba” and ”Dandiya Raas” which is played throughout the night and one can see people clad with colorful dresses. In the southern India Navratri is celebrated in the form of “Golu” which is an artistic display of idols of God and Goddess, Dolls and animals that depict the stories of epics, Puranas, weddings, etc. These dolls are handed over from generation to generation.  On the last day of Navratri which is called “Dussehra”  is a celebration of  victory of good over evil.  On this day people worship all the tools that are used to earn an income like factory machinery, transport trucks, and other vehicles which are called “Ayudha Puja”.  In Northern India Navratri is celebrated twice a year and the first Navratri falls in March or April is known as Chaitra Navratri. So, on your next tour to India don’t forget to dance on the Garba beats during this festival.

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