The main purpose of festivals is to honour life. Can you picture a world without celebrations? Festivals provide a wonderful opportunity to connect with others and spread our happiness.
Festivals abound in India, a country where people of all religions cohabit. The wide variety of festivals celebrated in India showcase the nation's affluent culture and traditions. The most significant Indian holidays and rituals are listed below. While there are celebrations all year long, the months of October through January are when the nation is most alive. In India, each community and faith honours its own culture. Festivals are arranged in India according to state, religion, and society. As a result, there are new and distinctive celebrations taking place every day across this nation.
The top 10 festivals in 2022 that you need to travel to explore.
1.Makar Sankranti (Kite Festival)-
Every year on January 14 during Makar Sankranti, it is held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and is also known as the International Kite Festival. It lasts until January 15. On this day, winter officially ends and farmers may once again look forward to more agreeable weather. Sabarmati or the Ahmedabad Police Stadium are the greatest locations to take in this festival, when attendees lay down to watch the sky filled with hundreds of kites.
2.Jaisalmer Desert Festival
Every year, around February typically, the Jaisalmer Desert Festival coexists with the sand dunes of Rajasthan. This is a unique example of vibrant, sophisticated folk culture. Once you arrive, folk singers, puppeteers, acrobats, fire dancers, and many more performers will welcome you with traditional, vibrant, and exciting clothes.
3.Diwali: The Festival Of Lights
One of the biggest Hindu holidays in India is called Diwali, and it is observed with a lot of fanfare. Clay lamps, candles, and Ashok leaves are used to decorate homes for this festival of lights. New clothing is worn, family puja is performed, crackers are lit, and sweets are shared with friends, relatives, and neighbours. In India, it is the most well-known holiday.
4- Holi, The Colorful Festival
Holi, also known as the festival of colours, is one of the well-known Indian holidays that is fervently observed all over the nation. People build massive Holika bonfires and dance and sing around them on the eve of Holi. On the day of Holi, a well-known festival in Indian states, people congregate in open spaces and splash each other with both dry and wet colours of various hues. Some also carry water guns and coloured water balloons.
5- Navratri - The 9-day Festivals
One of the most significant holidays in India is Navratri, which is a nine-night celebration. Different regions of India observe this holiday in different ways. Dandiya and Garba celebrations are held throughout the Gujarati state, and Goddess Durga idols are revered in Bengal. This festival is observed during the Gregorian month of Ashwin, which occurs between September and October. Pandals are erected everywhere, and folk dances and plays are planned.
6- Chhath Puja
One of the commonly observed holidays in northern India, particularly in Bihar and the eastern regions of Uttar Pradesh, is chhath puja. The Sun God and his wife, Usha, are the subjects of a four-day festival. Six days after Diwali, this festival is observed to give thanks to the Sun God for supporting life on earth.
7 -Durga Puja: A Celebration of Prosperity, Goodness, and Devotion
Durga Puja is the most significant holiday in West Bengal and Kolkata. The goddess Durga's triumph over the buffalo monster Mahishasura is remembered. Ten days are dedicated to the celebration, with the final five days devoted to rituals and exercises.
8- Krishna Janmashtami: The Birth Of The Mighty & Mischievous
To commemorate the birth of Krishna, Janmashtami, also referred as the Krishna Janmashtami festival, is honored throughout India. According to Hinduism, Lord Vishnu took the form of Krishna in order to liberate the world from the oppression of evil dictators and to provide it hope. Celebrations of Janmashtami are highly well-liked in Mathura and Vrindavan. In order to break their fast, devotees fast during the day and have a special meal in the evening. When celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, people go to temples, worship, dance, recite hymns, and enjoy Dahi Handi.
9.Raksha Bandhan: Developing Family Bonds
Rakhi, also known as Raksha Bandhan, is a Hindu holiday that honours the bond between siblings. Raksha Bandhan means "to tie a knot of protection" in Sanskrit. It comes from the main ritual of the event. A sister gives her brother a bracelet in exchange for his well-being and success, and the brother promises to keep the promise.
10. Bihu: Music, Dance, and Fun
Assamese harvest festival Bihu is well-known among North-East Indian celebrations. Young men and women dress in traditional clothing and perform the Bihu dance in rural areas and courtyards throughout the month-long festivities. A large community feast is also celebrated in India during the Bihu celebrations.
Plan your trip to India and celebrate the festivals here! Travel and explore the beauty of India and its cultural festival celebration.
