Festivals In India 2024 – 2025

India is popularly known as the ‘Land of Festivals’ where each festival is celebrated by people all around the country harmoniously. The wide variety of festivals celebrated in India is a true manifestation of its rich culture and traditions. There are various festivals to celebrate and the topmost ones are mentioned below. Though the festivals are celebrated the whole year one can see the vibrant colors of the country between October to January.

The majority of Religious festivals celebrated in India are associated with Mythological stories. These stories are passed from one generation to another generation so that the relevance and importance of the festival is known by the future generations as well and they can have a meaningful celebration.

Each festival in India is celebrated wonderfully with a mix of lights, colors, decorations, dance, music, and mouth-watering food. All the festivals are celebrated on a grand level in India. you will find people dancing, singing, and celebrating in the streets.

India is a country where every individual celebrates its own culture and tradition. There are festivals in India state-wise, religion-based, and community-wise.

1. Diwali: Festival Of Lights:-

One of the most prominent festivals celebrated in India with a lot of pump and show is Diwali. During Diwali, all the houses are decorated with clay lamps, candles, and Ashok leaves. On this auspicious day, people wear new clothes, participate in family Puja, burst crackers, and share sweets with friends, families, and neighbors. It is considered one of the most important festivals of India.

When: The darkest new moon night of Kartik month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to mid-October – mid-November as per the Gregorian Calendar

Where: All over the country

• Holi: Festival Of Colours:-

Holi is celebrated as a festival of colors all around the country with a lot of passion and emotion. On the eve of Holi, people make huge Holika bonfires and sing and dance around it. on this auspicious day, people gather around in the streets or in an open area where they play Holi with multiple different colors which they apply on each other with some carrying water guns and colored water-filled balloons.

When: Full moon (Purnima) of the Phalgun month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to the month of March of the Gregorian calendar

Where: Almost all over the country; most vibrant celebrations can be seen in North Indian states.

• Dussehra:-

Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashmi is one of the most popular festivals in the Hindu religion. It is celebrated differently across the country. An enactment of scenes from Ramayan called Ramlila is organized in various parts of the country for about 10 days. It culminated with “Ravan Dahan” – the burning of huge effigies of Ravana, Meghnath, and Kumbhkaran which is a real spectacle to see. While in Mysore, a colorful procession is taken out, In Kullu people celebrate this festival for 10 days where they welcome their mountain deities to the valley. The Mysore Palace is lit like a bride and the atmosphere is filled with the music of drums. It is something that you should not miss on your trip if you are visiting. It is considered to be one of the holiest festivals of India.

When: 10th day of the month of Ashwin according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to September to October of the Gregorian calendar

Where: Pan India

• Navratri:-

Navratri celebrated all around India is one of the most festivals in the country. People have their own way to celebrate it. In Gujarat, it is celebrated for nine days with garba nights and highly energetic Dandiya Raas dances. People during these nights wear traditional and colorful clothes and the environment is youthful and invigorating. Fasting is a famous tradition in Hindu religion and there is a scientific fact behind this. Whenever there is a change in one season one should fast to give rest to their digestive system and boost their immunity for the next season.

When: The first nine days of the month of Ashwin according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to September or October of the Gregorian calendar Where: Almost all over the country; most vibrant in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and the metros.

• Durga Puja: Of Prosperity, Goodness, And Devotion:-

Another festival that is ranked as one of the top festivals in the country is celebrated by Bengalis all over the country. The 10 days of fasting, feast, and worship of Goddess Durga are accompanied by cultural songs, dances, and dramas. Huge and beautiful Durga idols are made and placed in specially made artistic Pandals(canopies). During this time, people wear traditional clothes and visit pandals to pray and eat various delicious traditional delicacies.

When: 10th day of Ashwina Shukla paksha according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to September or October of the Gregorian calendar.

Where: Kolkata is the best places to be in India during Durga Puja celebrations.

• Krishna Janmashtami:-

Janmashtami is another festival that is quite popular and important for Indians. The celebration of Krishna Janmashtami is very famous in Vrindavan and Mathura. In this festival, people fast for the day and break that fast with a very special meal after dusk. Visiting temples, praying, dancing, and singing bhajans (hymns) at midnight is a part of the celebrations of the birth of Lord Krishna. On this day, small children dresses like Lord Krishna. Images and picturization of Krishna’s life story are depicted in the “jhankis” in temples. It is such a wholesome festival that is celebrated around the country with a lot of pump and show.

When: August or September month

Where: Celebrated by the Hindu community all over, but the festivities at Mathura and Vrindavan are very popular.

• Ganesh Chaturthi:-

Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival celebrated to bring positivity to the house by welcoming Lord Ganesha into the house. It is one of the other religious festivals that is celebrated by Hindus. This festival is a 10-day affair of colorful festivities. During this festival, enormous Ganesh idols are welcomed in the houses and are even installed at the Puja pandals. Prayers are performed both in the morning and evening. The last day is the day of Visarjan – which is immersing the idols in the water bodies with heavy hearts. It is done in order to invite the Lord Ganesha again next year with the same energy and intensity. Cultural activities of singing, dancing, and theater, and free medical and blood donation camps are held.

When: The 4th day of the first fortnight (Shukla Chaturthi) in the month of Bhadrapada of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to August or September of the Gregorian calendar

Where: Celebrated in the states of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh with fervor and gaiety

• Gurupurab:-

Gurupurab is one the main festival celebrated by everybody but majorly by the Sikh community. It is the Sikh festival that assemblies the lives and the teaching of the gurus. In the gurudwaras, langars (community meals) are prepared. Karah Prasad is distributed in the Gurudwaras and hymn-chanting processions are held in the city. People celebrate this festival by lighting their homes up with candles and lamps and burst crackers.

When: The full moon day in the month of Kartik of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to November of the Gregorian calendar

Where: Celebrated by the Sikh community all over the world, especially in Punjab.

• Raksha Bandhan:-

Raksha Bandha or Rakhi is a Hindu festival that signifies brother-sister love. In Raksha Bandhan, sisters pray for their brother’s well-being as she performs some Aarti, applies tilak on his forehead, and tie rakhi on the brother’s wrist. The brother in exchange vows that he will always be the safeguard for his sister and protect her at any cost. Another festival that has a strong similarity to Rakhi is Bhai Dooj which comes just after Diwali.

When: The full moon day of Shravana month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to August of the Gregorian calendar

Where: Particularly in North, Central, and West India.

• Eid-Ul-Fitr:-

Eid is one of the major festivals that is celebrated by the Muslim community. People dress up in fineries, attend a special community prayer in the morning, visit friends, and relatives, and exchange sweets. Elders of the family give idi (money or gifts) to the children or the younger member of the family.
When: On the 1st day of the month of Shawwal of the lunar Hijri calendar, which corresponds to July of the Gregorian calendar

Where: Celebrated by Muslims all over the country.

• BIHU: DANCE, MUSIC, AND LAUGHTER:-

Bihu is a harvest festival of Assam normally celebrated in the North East. It is a month-long festival and during this festival, young men and women wear their traditional clothes and perform the Bihu dance in the village fields and the courtyards. During Bihu celebrations in India, a community feast is held with a lot of fanfare.

When: On the 1st day of the month of Shawwal of the lunar Hijri calendar, which corresponds to July of the Gregorian calendar

Where: Celebrated by Muslims all over the country.

• Hemis :-

Hemis is one of the most important festivals of India that is from Ladakh. A lot of foreign and local tourists travel to this festival during that time of the year. The festivities include the Cham dance done by the priests to the tune of the traditional music of cymbals, drums, and trumpets played by the monks. It is the festival where the dancing priest dresses up in elaborate brocade outfits and masks.

When: 10th day (called Tse-Chu in the local language) of the Tibetan lunar month, which corresponds to June or July of the Gregorian calendar

Where: Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir

• Onam:-

Onam is one of the most important national festivals that is mostly celebrated in the southern region of India. During this festival, people get ready in their traditional clothes, adorn houses with Pookalam (floral designs), and prepare Onasadya (an elaborate meal of about 13 dishes). Events such as Vallamkali (snake boat race), Kaikottikali (clap dance), Kathakali dance, and Pulikali procession (artists dressed and painted like tigers and hunters) are held.

When: In the month of Chingam of the Malayalam calendar, which corresponds to August or September of the Gregorian calendar

Where: Celebrated by people of all communities in the state of Kerala.

• Pongal:-

Pongal is a four-day-long famous South Indian festival of India. On this day people wear traditional clothes and prepare various pongal dishes. On this famous festival of South India, celebrities include bonfires, dancing, cattle racing, sweets, and savories. The houses look absolutely gorgeous with Kolam designs (traditional floral designs made with rice, colored powders, and flower petals).

When: January to February

Where: Celebrated by Tamils all over India, primarily in Tamil Nadu

• Christmas: Celebrating The Birth Of Jesus Christ:-

Christmas is the most welcoming and awaited festival across the globe. Christmas happens to be of sheer significance for elders and children alike. Every person regardless of the religion that they follow waits for this festival, especially children because they receive gifts from Santa Claus. On this day, all the churches are lit up and heavenly decorated to celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus.

When: 25th December

Where: The festival is celebrated across India. The best places to celebrate Christmas in India are Goa, Pondicherry, Kerala and Kolkata.

• Makar Sankranti: Hindu’s New Year:-

The real new year of Hindus and Sikhs is celebrated as Makar Sankranti which is just one day after Lohri. People on this day, pray to God and seek their blessings for the beginning of the new year. It signifies the end of winter and beginning of the spring which means the agricultural cycle for the farmers start. The dates are set according to solar cycles, unlike other Hindu festivals where dates are decided by Lunar cycles. Everybody celebrates this festival by flying kites and having savory ‘Bajre ki Khichdi’ and sweet ‘til ladoo’. In Gujarat, it is known as ‘Uttarayan’.

When: January Month

Where: The festival is celebrated across North Indian and Sikh communities in India. The best place to celebrate Makar Sankranti in India is North region.

• Kumbh Mela – Major Pilgrimage Festival In Hinduism:-

Another religious festival in India is celebrated in a cycle of approximately 12 years. It is usually celebrated at the banks of the four rivers that are considered as holiest in India – namely Prayag, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. All the pilgrims coming for this festival take a dip in the holy water bodies to wash all the sins that they have committed in their life. Along with this, the celebrations also include exorbitant fairs, religious discourses by gurus and saints, mass feedings of the poor, and more!

When: Every time Date and Place are different, so we need to wait for the Government of India Announcement.

Where: Haridwar, Allahabad, Ujjain, and Nasik (On rotation).

• Maha Shivratri: Devotion To Lord Shiva:-

This festival is dedicated to Lord Shiva and this festival holds great respect among the devotees of Lord Shiva. It has a huge significance in Hindu mythology celebrated on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalgun. It has been said that whoever during this day worships Lord Shiva, that person redeems himself from all his sins. It is also known to be famous among unmarried women as they fast to get marital bliss.

When: March Month

Where: India and Nepal

• Easter:- 

It is a festival that is celebrated with absolute passion and joy by the Christan community. Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. According to the New Testament, Jesus is believed to have risen from the dead on the third day following his crucifixion by the Roman authorities. Different Christian families celebrate it differently. They decorate their homes and streets, decorating Easter eggs, presenting gifts, singing, feasting, and merrymaking. Although, these festivals are celebrated across the country the celebration in Goa, Kerela, and Pondicherry is worth the watch.

Where is Easter celebrated? – All over India

When is Easter celebrated? – March – April

• Baisakhi:-

Baisakhi is one of the main festivals of Sikhs and the Punjabi community. It is celebrated for the onset of the harvest season of Ragi crops. This festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and energy by all the Punjabis living across the globe. The celebrations are marked by performances of folk dances like Bhangra and Giddha, decorating the houses and gurudwaras, and enjoying lavish feasts. Baisakhi does have a religious aspect to it as the tenth guru, Guru Govind Singh on this day, placed founded the Khalsa order, way back in the year 1699.

Where is Baisakhi celebrated? – Punjab

When is Baisakhi celebrated? – April Month

• Ratha Yatra – A Festival Celebrated For Lord Jagannath:-

This festival has been dedicated to Lord Jagannath and is a festival of Chariots. People at this festival assemble at the famous Puri Jagannath temple located in Odisha. The idols of Goddess Subhadra, Lord Jagannath, and Lord Balabhadra are placed on a chariot and taken out for the procession.

When: June month

Where: Puri