India is, in a very real sense, the Land of Multiple Religions and Cultures. Different states in India have their own languages and cultural traditions. Many different ethnicities in India celebrate a wide variety of festivals. While many are celebrated for their historical or cultural significance, others are observed because of their religious significance.
Here is a schedule of some of India’s biggest celebrations that you won’t want to miss.
Ganesh Chaturthi (September 19, 2023)
Ganesh Chaturthi, a joyous festival honouring the Hindu god Ganesh, is celebrated yearly with thunderous applause in India. The festival celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha. It is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi and Ganesh Utsav. It always occurs on the Chaturthi of the Hindu calendar month of Shukla Paksha.
Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka, particularly the metropolitan areas of Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad, host the largest and most elaborate Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in the nation.
Durga Puja (October 20, 2023 – October 24, 2023)
Kolkata, on the eastern coast of the country near the Hooghly River, is sometimes called “India’s cultural centre.” Every year, the city hosts the world’s largest Durga puja, a religious and cultural event. Traditional Durga Puja celebrations last five days during the Hindu calendar month of Ashvina and are held mostly in the eastern Indian states of Bengal, Assam, and other neighbouring regions.
Durga Puja honours the goddess Durga (the divine feminine Shakti) for vanquishing Mahishasura, ruler of the demons. UNESCO recognised Durga Puja as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021.
Diwali (November 12, 2023)
Diwali, or Dipawali, is one of the most celebrated festivals in India. The event is named after the avali, or row, of clay lamps (deepa) that Hindu Indians place in front of their houses to ward off evil spirits.
Diwali is celebrated not only by Hindus but by people of all faiths and cultures throughout India. Communities of Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism also celebrate Diwali in India.
Chhath (November 17, 2023 –November 20, 2023)
Chhath means sixth in Nepali, Maithili, and Bhojpuri. This festival is called Chhath Puja because it falls on the 6th day of Kartikeya in the Hindu Luni-Solar Bikram Sambat calendar. Hindus celebrate this longest and most significant event after Navratri.
Maharaja Krishnachandra developed the largest Jagadhatri Puja, which Bengalis celebrate during Chhath (and marks the Chhath day as Shashti). In Chandannagar, West Bengal’s former French colony, this puja is renowned.
Pushkar Camel Fair (November 20, 2023 – November 28, 2023)
The town of Pushkar (Rajasthan) has a camel and animal fair every year in October and November, known as the Pushkar Camel Fair or Pushkar Mela; the largest livestock fair in the world. It’s now becoming a major destination for tourists.
