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Fairs and Festivals of India

The Colorful medley of Indian festivals and fairs - as diverse as the land, is an eternal expression of the spirit of celebration. Observed with eagerness and gaiety, festivals are like gems ornamenting the crown of Indian Culture. They are round the year lively interludes in the mundane routine of life. Every season brings along new festivals, each a true celebration of the bounties of the wealthy traditions followed for time immemorial. That's not all! The birthdays of Gods and Goddesses, saints and prophets, great historical happenings and the arrival of the New Year, all find expression in colorful festivities. The same festival, though celebrated differently in the various parts of the country, displays an eternal harmony of the spirit of celebration. Packed with fun and enthusiasm, festivals serve as an occasion to clean and decorate houses, to get together with friends and relatives and to exchange gifts. New attire, dance, music and rituals- all add to their wonderful rhythm. It is a time for prayer, for spectacle and procession…a time to rejoice, in celebration of life.

Lets see some important Fairs and Festivals:

Pongal

The zeal and the interest of the Tamilians come alive during the four-day festival of Pongal, which is the harvest festival of the Tamil Nadu. The Tamilians provide greatest importance to pongal. It is considered as the biggest event of the year in Tamil Nadu. The literal meaning of pongal is "boiling over". This festival is celebrated for four days such as Bhogi - Pongal, Surya -Pongal, Mattu -Pongal and Kanya pongal. The very first day is devoted to the Rain God, Indran. The second day is celebrated in the respect of the Sun God Surya. In several places of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Jallikatu, a kind of bullfight is held. The third day is devoted to honor and worship the cattle (mattu). On the last day the colored balls of Pongal are offered to birds. All houses exhibit their collection of dolls for three days.

Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival. It marks the start of the sun's journey towards northern hemisphere. People would take dip in the rivers and worship the sun. Gangasagar Mela is being prepared near Calcutta where people come from all over India. In Gujarat, people celebrate Makar Sankranti by the flying of kites.

Tyagaraja Festival

The Tyagaraja festival is celebrated in the reminiscence of Tyagaraja. South Indian composer and saint is Tyagaraja who was born in 1767. He composed a number of Telugu songs in praise of Lord Rama. Many young poets and musicians are stimulated by this man's amazing work. Every year, South Indian musicians accumulate at Thiruvaiyaru- 13 kms from Tanjore, to sing in his praise. The People whether young and old, sing in perfect harmony. The melody is such that one cannot linger untouched by its sheer devotion and divine resonance.

Ganga Sagar Mela

Gangasagar Mela is the leading and the most important fair celebrated in West Bengal. This fair is held where a nexus is formed by Ganga and Bay of Bengal. Hence it is named as Gangasagar Mela. This festival is a major magnetism for millions of pilgrims from all over India. It is said that a dip in the Ganga purifies their 'self' and thus 'punya' could be. A special 'puja' is performed that is offered to the Sun God as a thanksgiving for good harvest. It is also supposed that the girls who take the holy dip get handsome grooms and the boys get beautiful brides.

Vasanth Panchmi

The ceremonial welcomes mechanism when people, colorfully attired, especially in bright shades of yellow, dance, sing and make merry. In West Bengal, 'Saraswati' - the goddess of knowledge is worshipped. This festival is celebrated with great fervor in the university town of Santiniketan.

Shivaratri

All over the country, Shivratri is observed as the night, when Lord Shiva danced the 'Tandav' - his space dance. Fasting and prayers mark the day and devotees throng the temples. The major temples Shaivite at Varanasi, Kalahasti (Andhra Pradesh) and Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu) are noted for their special celebrations.

Holi

Holi is one of the mainly excited Hindu festivals that bring the message of the onset of spring. Holi is the festival of colors, which is celebrated by throwing colored water and powder on each other. Huge bonfires are lit on the eve of it as its symbolic representation. The festival of Holi is being celebrated since centuries with the same passion and zest.

Gangaur

The most significant local festival in Rajasthan, Gangaur celebrations last for eighteen days. It is devoted to Gauri, a manifestation of goddess Parvati. Girls and married women celebrate the festival throughout Rajasthan. The images of Gauri are decorated and offerings are made. This is also an auspicious day for young people to choose their life partners. Colorful processions with the town group playing, horses and elaborate palanquins make it a fascinating spectacle.

Teppam

Teppam is extensively celebrated every year in Tamil Nadu from mid-January to mid-February during the full moon month, which in Tamil is known as Thai. Fantastically dressed and festooned images of the goddess Meenakshi and her consort undaresvara are floated on rafts. All along the shore, the devotees would chant hymns as a bevy of bands beat drums in tempo with their chants.

Desert Festival

The desert festival celebrated in the golden city of Jaisalmer has a feeling of its own. The desert festival becomes lively with the legions of puppeteers, acrobats, and folk dancers add splashes of color. Camel races are of great implication and camel polo is a big attraction. The turban-tying competitions and the best-dressed Rajput competitions add to this three-day long festival.

Nagaur Fair

Nagaur bustles with life during its annual cattle pale, which is one of the largest in the country. Exciting games and camel races are part of the festivities. Owners of cattle’s from all over Rajasthan come and site around the outskirts of Nagaur while they buy and sell animals. This fair is also famous for the variety of sports events that are organized in it, Tug-of-war, camel races and cockfights. At nightfall, folk music and songs get out a magnificent musical touch to the quiet ambience of the desert.

Mahavir Jayanti

Mahasivratri marks the festival of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism. It commemorates the birth of Mahavira. Jane mainly celebrates this festival with great zeal and enthusiasm. They visit holy places and worship Teerthankaras on this day. It is celebrated on a large scale in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Ram Navami

The birth of Lord Rama is celebrated as Ramnavmi, a human incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Ayodhya and Pondicherry are the places said to have witnessed the events of Ramayana and these are the main centers for this festival too. During this auspicious day temples are decorated and prayers are offered. With great zest the chariot processions of Ram, Seeta and Lakshman are taken out from the temples.

Good Friday

The Christian marks the festival Good Friday as the memory of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Good Friday is celebrated all around the world it is also observed in India in the month of April every year. All the Christians would attend Mass held in the churches on this day. Following Good Friday comes Easter Sunday that is also celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy.

Easter

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter represent the victory of life over death. It is a celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead.

Vishu

The Keralites New Year’s Day is termed, as Vishu. New Year is thought that it would bring better knowledge and understanding among all humans. It is the festival, which is celebrated with much joy and happy minds and forgetting all the differences.

Nau Roz

Kashmir's New Year's Day is Nau Roz. On this occasion there is a general festivity and rejoicing throughout the state.

Goru Bihu

It is the cattle festival, which is celebrated on the Hindu New Year's Day that is in the month of April or May. The cattle are washed and decorated on this day. The cattle are smeared with turmeric and are treated to Gur (Jaggery) and Brinjals.

Naba Barsha

The New Year's Day of the Bengalis is called Naba Barsha. On this day, the Bengalis welcomes the New Year with early morning processions, songs and dance. Beautiful designs called Alpana are made on the floor by the housewife.

Gudi Padva

In Maharashtra Gudi Padva is widely celebrated. This day is very auspicious for the people of Maharashtra. In general it is believed that any venture started on this day gives nothing but success.

Ugadi

The beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in the moon's orbit is marked as Ugadi. It is believed that Lord Brahma started creation on this day. The Telugu New Year's Day is Ugadi. On this day, the mantras are chanted and predictions made for the New Year.

Puthandu

The Tamil New Year's Day is celebrated as Puthandu. A big car festival is held near Kumbakonam at Tiruvadamarudur.

Cheti Chand

This is the festival, which reflects the tradition and culture of the Sindhis. The birthday of Asht Dev is celebrated as Cheti Chand and it is believed to be the community God of the Sindhis. His birthday falls on the second tithi (occasion) of Chaitra (which falls on the first month of the year according to Hindu calendar). This is the day, which is considered to be very auspicious and is rejoiced with much pomp and splendor.

Buddha Purnima

Buddhists all over India celebrate Buddha Purnima, the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. Buddha Purnima is very popular in Sarnath and Bodhgaya. On this day, the Buddhists offer prayers in their temples. He was born on a full moon day in the month of Vaisakh in 563 B.C. Enlightenment as well as Nirvana was achieved on the same date by him.

Id-Ul-Fitr

Id-ul-Fitr or Ramzan Id is the festival that marks the end of Ramzan, the month during which the Muslims fast everyday. Ramzan means the 'festival of breaking the fasting'. ‘Fatar’ is the word from which Fitr is derived meaning 'breaking'. Ramzan Id is celebrated on a day only when the new moon appears. In mosques or Idgahs prayers are offered and elaborate festivities are held. The Muslims with great fanfare celebrate the festival.

BAISAKHI

Held on first 'Baisakh'- the 13th April - Baisakhi is one of Himachal's most important festivals. It is rooted in the rural agrarian tradition, which it bids a final farewell to winter. The Sikhs celebrate this festive as a collective birthday, filling the atmosphere with gaiety, music, dancing and good cheer. This festival is celebrated as an opportunity in villages to enjoy with sheer abandon since they know that a season of hard work follows soon, after which is the time for harvesting corn and other grains.

Karaga Naba

The dramatic festival of Karaga, which begins from the Dharmaraja temple in Bangalore. A devotee is chosen and a Karaga or a soil pot is placed on his head. The pot is the one that represents Shakti, the mother-goddess of archaic strength. The devotee has to balance the pot as he has a staff and a blade that occupy his hands.

Meenakshi Lalaynam (Chitra Festival)

This is the festival, which takes place at the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai for 10-days, for celebrating the mythical marriage between Siva and Meenakshi. The Meenakshi temple is one of the most spectacular extreme shows of architecture on earth. The temple has nine towering gopurams and thousands of pillars, covered from top to underneath with some 30 million colorful carvings and gypsum images of gods, demons and animals.

Dhungri Forest Festival

It is the festival, which is celebrated at the Hadimba or Dhungiri temple in Manali. The Dhungiri temple is a four story wooden temple located in the middle of a forest called the Dhungiri Van Vihar. The Goddess is worshipped by the local women, who land in their colorful dresses to carry out the ritual dance before her in order to appease her. The history states that the king who commissioned the temple was so highly satisfied with the results such that he cut off the craftsman's right hand to prevent him from duplicating it elsewhere.

Id-Ul-Azha Or Id-Ul-Zuha (Bakri Id)

Bakrid is celebrated with ritualistic fervor particularly in Andhra Pradesh. Bakrid is an important festival of Muslims declining in the last month of Islamic Calendar. The importance of the festival is the commemoration of the ordeals of Prophet Ibrahim. On this auspicious day, prayers are held and goats are sacrificed.

Rath Yatra

Rath Yatra is a spectacular chariot festival that is held at the famous Jagannath Temple at Puri. Images of Lord Jagannath - the Lord of the Universe, his sister Subhadra and brother Balbhadra are taken out in parade in three immense chariots. The procession or Rath Yatra brings a huge crowd from all over the country.

Mela Hemis Gompa

Mela Hemis Gompa is a big fair that is held at Hemis Gompa about 50 kilometers from Leh, for celebrating the birthday of Padmasambhava, the founder of Lamaism. The ceremony dances by masked dancers are the main attraction, as are the local handicrafts.

Teej

The women celebrate this Rajasthani festival on the third day of the moonlit fortnight of Shravan in the memory of Goddess Parvati’s departure to her husband’s home. Besides Rajasthan this festival is also renowned in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Puja is performed in the morning and later in the evening Young ladies and girls would dress up in lehengas and chunaris to perform dandia dances.

Bonalu

The Bonalu festival is a chief welcome for the people of the Telangana region. This festival is and old custom and is celebrated with undiminished ebullience and religious ardency. Bonalu is one-month long festival witnesses musical treats and ritualistic worship. The word "Bonalu" has been resulting from "Bhojanalu" sense food, which is accessible to the Goddess. The prayers are offered to the village deities Yellamma, Mahankali, Maisamma, Pochamma, and Gundamma. It is also an annual blessing by the people to the Goddess for fulfillment of their vows.

Raksha Bandhan

In the month of Sravana (July-August) Raksha Bhandan is celebrated on the full moon day. Raksha Bandhan is a festival, which symbolizes love, affection and the feeling of brotherhood. On this occasion, sisters tie an amulet that is the Rakhi, around the right wrist of their brothers praying for their long life and happiness. Raksha means protection, and in some places in medieval India, where women felt insecure, they tied Rakhi round the wrists of men they can count upon, regarding them as brothers. The tradition of tying a thread or "rakhi" around the wrist to express different feelings has been coming down through the ages since the Vedic times.

Naga Panchami

It is observed on the 5th day of the bright half of Shravan (July-August). On this day nag, cobras and snakes are worshipped with milk, sweets, flowers, lamps and yet sacrifice. The image of Nag deities that are made of silver, stone, wood are first bathed with water and milk, and then they are worshipped with the reciting of the mantras.

Jhapan (Manasa) Festival

It is the festival, which is dedicated to Goddesses Manasa, the daughter of Lord Shiva. She is believed to be the godly leader of the fertility cult of snake worship. More popularly, it is celebrated as a festival of snakes. The main attraction of this festival is the deadly cobra.

Nanda Devi Raj Jat

The serene mountains of the Chamoli district of Garhwal reverberates with a flurry of festive activity during the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra, a royal pilgrimage through the steep mountains, which has been in vogue since time immemorial. It is an important religious occasion mired in deep rooted religious tradition, folklore and mythology. The Yatra is linked with the legend of Nanda Devi, a Goddess held in reverence by the local inhabitants of the region.

Ganesh Chaturthi

The day, which is dedicated to the Lord Ganesha, is Ganesh Chaturthi. Ganesha is an elephant-headed god of all good beginnings and success. This festival is a ten daylong event, which is held annually. The images of Lord Ganesha are kept and worshipped and on the last day these are taken in processions to be immersed in flowing water. The spectacular sight is the seafront at Mumbai packed with people.

Onam

Kerala's most significant festival is celebrated in the honor of the ancient asura king Mahabali. The Onam is an occasion, which also heralds the harvest season. The decorating of houses with carpets of flowers, a luxurious lunch and songs in praise of the golden reign of Mahabali, mark the ten day long festivities. A major magnetism of the Onam celebrations is the famed snake boat races along the backwaters at Champakulam, Aranmula and Kottayam.

Janmashtami

The birth of lord Krishna is celebrated with great devotion called as Janmashtami and éclat on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksh or the 8th day of the dim fortnight in the month of Bhadon, in the entire of north India. Raslila, tableaux depicting scenes from Krishna's life especially the love for Radha, is performed. In the evening, bhajans are sung, which end at midnight, the positive moment when lord Krishna was born. Thereafter, arti is taken, Prasad are distributed and flowers are showered on the idol.

Muharram

Muharram is the breach month of the Hijra year. Muslims of Kerala honors the 10th day of this month (May). Muharram marks the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, grandson of Prophet Mohammed. Taziyas which are bamboo and paper fakes of the martyr's tomb, adorned with mica are carried throughout the streets of the city. The tragedy is uttered by mourners by beating their breasts and grieving over the murder of the Imam accompanied by drumbeats. An important ritual of this day is fasting.

BATKAMA

The festival of Batkama in Andhra Pradesh is the majority aesthetic occasion. Batkama is known as a festival of flowers. It is celebrated for about a month and this festival commences from the Ganesh Chaturthi and ends on the Dussehra Festival. Flowers are arranged on a square wooden plank or a square bamboo casing with the size of frames in a conical shape to form an apex on top. This little floral mountain represents and it is worshipped as Goddess Batkama.

Dussehra

Dussehra or Vijay Dashmi is an extremely popular Hindu festival, celebrated with éclat throughout the country. It is observed on the tenth day of the bright halk of Ashvin in the month of September to October. Dussehra festival is a ten-day celebration, commemorating the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, the demon king. ‘Ramlila’ which is based on the marathon story of Ramayana, is staged at various places in most of the cities and towns in northern India. During this performance the Ramayana is constantly declaimed accompanied by music. It presents a excellent blending of music, dance, mime, and poetry before an enthusiastic and religious audience sharing every event of the story with the actors.

Id-E-Milad (Barah Wafat)

During this Id-E-Milad festival sermons are delivered in mosques by learned men, focusing on the life and noble performance of the Prophet who was born on the twelfth day of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Muslim year. The word 'barah' means for the twelve days of the Prophet's sickness. In some parts of the country, a ritual known as 'sandal' rite is performed over the symbolic footprints of the Prophet engraved in stone.

Diwali

Diwali, the festival of lights, falls on 'Amavasya', the darkest night of 'Kartika'. It represents the victory of good over evil and the lifting of the spiritual darkness that envelops the soul. The festival commemorates Lord Rama's return to his kingdom, Adyodhya after implementation his 14 years of exile. The word Deepawali means rows of lighted diyas (earthen lamps), which brings a glow to the humblest home or the grandest houses. Sweets and gifts are swapped between families and friends amidst the bursting of crackers. Doors are left open on Diwali for inviting Goddess Laxmi. This occasion also symbols the beginning of the Hindu New Year. Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha who is the symbol of auspiciousness and wisdom worshipped together on this day.

Gurupurab

Gurupurab or Guru Nanak Jayanti is the birth bicentennial of Guru Nanak who founded the Sikh faith. For two days and two nights preceding the festival the Granth Saheb (Scriptures) is read. On the day of the festival, the Granth Saheb is taken out in an impressive procession. The celebrations at Amritsar are the most impressive one. Prayer gathering and processions are carried out particularly in Punjab. Sikh conducts 'langer' (distribution of food) in the Guru Dawara November, Govardhan Pooja a Hindu festival dedicated to the holiest of animals for the Hindus, the cow.

Pushkar Fair

This lovely and gigantic fair falls on the last day (Full Moon Day) of the Hindu month of Kartik (Oct – Nov) near the holy lake of Pushkar. This beautiful lake surrounded by bathing Ghats, has its religious consequence, rooted in a myth. The fair is above all dedicated to Lord Brahma, the creator and one of the holy trinity. The colorfully dressed people improve the exuberant mood of the fair. The fair is the largest camel market. Thousands of pilgrims gather here and take a dip in the holy lake. The other major crowd – pullers are Puppet shows.

Nagula Chatvithi

The festival, which is celebrated on the fourth day after Deepavali that falls on a New Moon day, is Nagula Chavithi. On this day serpents are worshipped with grand devotion and religious fervor. On this auspicious day women and children observe fast and worship snake god. Dressed in their festive best, women and children offer milk at the snake hills. On this day there is a grand demand for snake hills. Some of them complete the ritual at home placing a picture or idol of a snake. Nagula Chavithi is celebrated two times a year during the months of Karthika and Sravanam. 'Nagula' means the snakes and 'Chavithi' is the fourth day after every New Moon or Full Moon day.

Navratri

Navratri is the festive celebrated in honor of the goddess, the mother of the world, which begins on the very first day of Ashvin, and goes on for nine days. The goddess is the epitome of Power, or “Shakti”. She is known by many names like “Kali”, “Laxmi”, “Sarasvati”, “Chandi-ka”, “Durga”, “Bhavani”, “Ambika”, “Ashtabhuja” (eight hands). Her main task is to chastise the evil. She is engaged in war, and weapons are in her hands and she sits on a lion. Her weapons are the “shul” (pike), “chakra” (wheel), “parshu” (axe) and “talvar” (sword). This Goddess Kali is known as “Mahisha-surmardini”, the slayer of the demon Mahishasur. This festival is celebrated on symbolizing the fight against the demon begins on the first day until he is defeated on the ninth day.

Vaikunth Ekadashi

There are 24 Ekadashis observed by Hindus during the year. Vaikunth Ekadashi is experiential in November and is celebrated in the honor of Goddess Ekadashi. People do fasting and pray to the goddess. In Maharashtra, pilgrims march in a march, singing bhajans or devotional songs and assemble at the Vithal Temple in Pandharpur.

Sonepur Livestock Fair

The Sonepur Fair is held on Karthik Purnima (the full moon day) in the month of November in Sonepur (Bihar), on the banks of river Ganga. It lasts for a fortnight and the cattle are bedecked for the occasion. This is Asia's largest cattle fair from where anything can be bought right from elephants to camels, buffaloes, goats and all sorts of four-legged creatures. The fair becomes a virtual blast of colors, music, dances, magic shows, cattle, merchants and handicrafts as people from all over the world congregate to participate in this huge event. It has all the fun and hue of a popular fair that has religious connotations as well and is enjoyed with a lot of jest and fanfare by all.

Christmas

Christmas is a festival, which is celebrated in India with great fervor. All the major Indian cities wear a festive look. Shops and bazaars are festooned for the occasion and offer attractive bargains. Carol singing, get-togethers and the exchanging of gifts boosts the Christmas spirit. Christmas parties launch off celebrations for the New Year, thus keeping the festive mood for at least a week.