Indian Festivals

Indian Festivals are celebrated by varied cultures and through their special rituals add to the colours of Indian Heritage. Some festivals welcome the seasons of the year, the harvest, the rains, or the full moon. Others celebrate religious occasions, the birthdays of saints and gurus (revered teachers), or the advent of the New Year. A number of these festivals are common to most parts of India. However, they may be called by different names in various parts of the country or may be celebrated in a different fashion.

Maharana Pratap Jayanti Information, Haldighati Mela, Moti Magri

Maharana Pratap Jayanti

Maharana Pratap Jayanti: Maharana Pratap (May 9, 1540 – January 29, 1597) was 16th century King who ruled Mewar, a state in north-western India. He was born on 9th May 1540 in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan. His father was Maharana Udai Singh II and mother was Rani Jeevant Kanwa. He was the eldest among 25 brothers and 20 sisters and was the …

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Pausha Putrada Ekadashi Vrat Information, Date and Legends

Pausha Putrada Ekadashi Vrat

Pausha Putrada Ekadashi / Paush Kabir Ekadashi is celebrated by Hindus with a lot of pomp and fervor across India. Addressed with several alternative names such as Pausha Putrada Ekadashi and Putrada Ekadashi, this is one of the important vrats (fasts) observed by the entire Hindu community in order to ensure that they are blessed with a son. Special pujas …

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Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Information

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Celebrated by the Sikhs, the birthday of their tenth and last guru, this day witnesses’ large processions and special prayer gatherings at all Gurudwaras. Background: Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Nanak (Sikh Guru), was born at Patna Sahib on December 22, 1666, (Poh Sudi Saptmi). His birthday generally falls in December or January or sometimes twice …

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Kenduli Mela: West Bengal’s Baul Mela Festivities, History

Kenduli Mela: West Bengal's Baul Mela Festivities, History

Kenduli Mela: There are many small and large festivals taking place in West Bengal, India throughout the year. Kenduli Mela or Kenduli Fair is one such festival which provides an opportunity to encounter the Bauls. The Bauls are a group of mystic minstrels from Bengal who travel throughout the land singing songs and playing music that transcend all religions and scriptures. The …

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Pongal Harvest Festival of Tamil Nadu, Legends, Celebrations, Rituals

Pongal

Pongal is an important festival in India, with prayers to the Sun God on this occasion. Pongal is one of such highly revered festivals celebrated in Tamil Nadu to mark the harvesting of crops by farmers. The house is cleaned, and all maintenance jobs are done before this festival. Pongal Harvest Festival: Held in the middle of January, it is …

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सूर्य उपासना का पर्व ‘मकर संक्रांति’

सूर्य उपासना का पर्व 'मकर संक्रांति'

सूर्य उपासना का पर्व: पर्व, अनुष्ठान भारत की प्राचीन उनज्जवल संस्कृति के आधार स्तम्भ हैं। हमारे मनीषियों ने इन पर्वों को विशेष रूप से ऊर्जा एवं दिव्यता का संचार करने वाला बताया है। हमारे शास्त्रों में उत्तायण और दक्षिणायन इन दो मार्गों का विशेष रूप से उल्लेख मिलता है। मकर संक्रांति के मंगल पर्व से सूर्य उत्तरायण में प्रवेश करता …

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Makar Sankranti Festival Information

Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is a major harvest festival celebrated in various parts of India. According to the lunar calendar, when the sun moves from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn or from Dakshinayana to Uttarayana, in the month of Poush in mid-January, it commemorates the beginning of the harvest season and cessation of the northeast monsoon in South …

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Lohri: Sikhs Bonfire Harvest Festival of North India

Lohri Festival

Lohri: Sikhs Bonfire Harvest Festival – Amidst the freezing cold weather, with the temperature wobbling between 0 – 5 degree Celsius and the dense fog outside, everything seems stagnant in the northern part of India. However, below the apparently frozen surface, you would be amazed to find a palpable wave of activity going on. People, especially in the northern states …

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Bikaner Camel Festival Date, Travel Information, History and Venue

Bikaner Camel Festival Date, Travel Information, History and Venue

Bikaner Camel Festival is organized in the beautiful city of Bikaner, Rajasthan by the state’s Tourism Department. The desert town of Bikaner is located in the Northern part of Rajasthan. The festival is organized every year in the month of January or late December to emphasize the value of ship of the desert – “Camel“. The two day festival is …

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Margashirsha Purnima, Battisi Purnima, Dattatreya Jayanti

Margashirsha Purnima / Battisi Purnima - Hindu Festival

Margashirsha Purnima: According to the Hindu scriptures, Margashirsha is regarded as a month of dedication. The full moon day falling in this month is known as Margashirsha Purnima. Moon is worshiped on the day of Margashirsha Purnima because the moon was blessed with Amrit on this day. Margashirsha Purnima is also celebrated as Dattatreya Jayanti. Lord Dattatreya was born on …

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