All
India Festivals - 2008
|
| PONGAL
/ SANKRANTI - January - 14
|
The four day harvest festival of thanks giving in
the South. Commences with prayers and rituals and
ends with the thrills of racing bulls and bullock
carts. |
|
REPUBLIC
DAY - January
- 26 |
The
constitution of India was formed on this day in 1950.
The celebrations all over the country are characterised
by colourful parades, specially in New Delhi where
one has glimpses of folk-dances representing different
regions of India.
|
|
VASANT PANCHAMI - Febuary
- 11 |
A spring festival in the North when Saraswati, the
Goddess of Learning, Wisdom and Fine Arts, is worshipped
by the Hindus.
|
| MAHA
SHIVARATRI - March
- 06 |
This festival commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain,
grandson of the Prophet. Tajias, the bamboo replicas
of the martyr’s tomb are taken out in procession
by the Muslims. |
|
GOOD
FRIDAY - March
- 21
|
Christians
fast and pray in memory of the crucification of Lord
Jesus Christ. |
|
HOLI
- March - 22
|
|
The most colourful festival in India, celebrating the
advent of spring. Men and women throw coloured powder
and water on each other. Its rustic fervour is still
manifest in Mathura, the home of Lord Krishna. |
|
|
RAMANAVAMI
- April
- 14 |
The birth anniversary of Rama. The hero of the Epic Ramayana,
is celebrated by decorating temples and holding religious
discourses. |
|
VAISAKHI
- April
- 14
|
Celebrated as the festival of spring, on this day Guru Govind
Singh, organised the Order of the Khalsa. |
|
MEENAKSHI KALYANAM - April - 20 |
A ten day celebration at Madurai, marking the anniversary
of the mythical marriage of Lord Shiva with Meenakshi.
|
POORAM
- May
- 13 |
This
is spectacular temple festivel in Thrissur,Kerala. Richly
caprisoned elephants, sounds of trumpets, pipes and fireworks
add a lot of gaeity and grandeur to the celebrations. |
|
BUDDHA
PURNIMA - May
- 20 |
Buddhists
celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. |
|
RATH
YATRA - July
- 16 |
A
magnificient temple festivel at puri in Orissa, held in
honour. Lord Jagannath, whose image is placed in decorated
carriage and brought out in an eloborate procession by thousands
of pilgrims. |
|
TEEJ
- August - 04- 05 |
The
onset of monsoon sends hundreds of Rajasthani women, dressed
in green, to the outdoor swings. It is also an occasion
to celebrate Goddess Parvati’s departure for her husbands
home. |
|
| INDEPENDENCE
DAY - August
- 15 |
An annual celebration of India’s Independence achieved
in 1947, is marked by processions and flag hoisting ceremonies. |
|
NAG
PANCHAMI -
August - 19 |
It
is the festivel of the mythical thousand - headed serpent
- Sesha. A spectacular celebration in Jodhpur, where huge
cloth effigies of the serpent are displayed at a colourful
fair. |
 |
RAKSHA BANDHAN - August - 16 |
Sisters tie ‘Rakhis’, a bracelet made of coloured
thread, on their brother’s wrists, which symbolises
an everlasting bond of love and protection. |
|
AMARNATH
YATRA - August
- 16 |
Nestled in the Himalayas, the Ice Lingam that symbolises
Lord Shiva, is worshipped on Full Moon at the Amarnath cave
in Kashmir’s Lidder valley. |
|
| JANAMASHTAMI
-
September– 24 |
| To celebrate
the birth of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu the
Preserver, Krishna stories are enacted througout India with
greater fervour in Mathura and Brindavan, the birth place
of Lord Krishna. |
 |
| ONAM
- September - 12 |
| The harvest
festival of Kerala is characterised by the picturesque boat
race - Vallokali alongwith joyous singing and fasting by the
local folk. |
 |
GANESH (VINAYAK) CHATURTHI - September - 03 |
A
festivel in honour of Lord Ganesh, the elephant headed God
of Wisdom & Success. Huge images are taken out in grand
processions and then immersed in the sea.
|
|
GANDHI
JAYANTI - October
- 02 |
Solemn
prayer meetings are held all over the country, on this day,
the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi the Father of the
Nation, is celebrated. |
|
| ID-UL-FITR
- October - 02 |
Also
known as Ramzan Id, marks the end of Ramzan, the Muslim
month of fasting. Thousands of Muslims gather to pray and
exchange greetings. |
|
DURGA
PUJA - October
- 07 - 09 |
Durga, the warrior Goddess is worshipped in colourful Puja
Pandals and the images are taken out in grand processions
to the sea river where they are immersed amidst chanting
and singing. |
|
DUSSEHRA
-
October - 09 |
Huge
effigies of Ravana, the demon king, are burnt on the last
day of the ten day festival. The heroic deeds of Lord Rama,
the destroyer of Ravana, are enacted in song, dance and
music dramas which is known as Ramlila. |
 |
DIWALI
- October
- 28 |
A festivel of lights and fireworks. Houses are decorated
with oil lamps to welcome Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth
and to celebrate the return of Lord Rama from exile. |
|
GURU
NANAK JAYANTI - November
- 13 |
The ‘Akhand Path’ the Guru’s verves, are
recited on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder
of Sikhism. |
|
CHRISTMAS
- December
- 25 |
Celebrated mainly in Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Calcutta, Chennai
& Bangalore. The birth of Jesus Christ is marked with
an all-night mass, hyms and feasts. |
|
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