18 most famous festivals in India in 2022
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India is a land of festivals. It is a country where people of different castes and communities coexist, and their respective festivals are celebrated together and prosper. Whether it is Diwali for Hindus, Eid al-Fitr for Muslims, or Buddha Jayanti or Guru Nanak Jayanti; together they make up the festivals of India and are celebrated with equal enthusiasm and excitement. The list of festivals is so long that there is hardly a month without any festivals happening. The following list of Indian festivals is a list of festivals with the names of the top 20 Indian festivals. Check them out here.
List of the most important festivals in India:
1. Diwali:
Diwali is one of the most important festivals in India. This is a very solemn day to celebrate. Diwali is also known as the Festival of Lights, people across the country light lamps and candles and decorate their houses with rangoli and tolan. People put on new clothes, perform pujas, and greet friends and neighbors with candy. Diwali also marks the New Year for Hindus.
significance: According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that on this day, Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana after completing a 14-year exile in the forest.
Main Attractions:
- People clean their homes and decorate them with lamps, candles, diyas, rangoli, toran, etc.
- lively in the market
- people set off firecrackers
- They exchange sweets and greet friends and family.
when: Diwali falls on the moonless night of the Hindu calendar month of Kathik, which usually runs from mid-October to mid-November.
Where: All over the country and even abroad where Indians live.
Holidays:
[See Also: Famous and Joyous Festivals in Tamil Nadu]
2. Holi:
Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, is a very colorful festival in India. People all over the country celebrated this festival with great enthusiasm and joy. They also light a huge bonfire (called Holika) and perform pujas and singing and dancing around it. The next day, people gathered and smeared wet and dry on each other. Children play with water guns and water balloons. Holi is one of the major festivals in India.
significance: Holi is celebrated as the triumph of good over evil. In Hindu mythology, in order to kill Hirnyakashyap’s son Prahlad, his sister and the demon Holika sat in the fire to burn him, but to everyone’s surprise, Holika, who was blessed to never be burned, was burned to ashes, Prah Nothing happened to Ladd. Since then, people have celebrated Holi. It also heralds the arrival of spring.
Main Attractions:
- People would make a bonfire called Holika and then practice, sing and walk around it.
- People play with wet and dry colors as well as water guns and water balloons.
- It is also famous for drinking thandai that day
when: Full moon day in the Hindu calendar month Phagun.
Where: Almost all over the country
Holidays:
[See More: Major festivals celebrated in Bihar]
3. Dussehra (including Navratri and Durga Puja):
Dussehra or Vijayadashami is known to again symbolize the triumph of good over evil. It is celebrated in different ways in different parts of the country.
Dussehra (including Navratri) in Western India
In Ramlila, northern India, a drama about Ram’s story ran for 10 days. In Gujarat, Navratri is celebrated as Garba and Dandiya for 9 days. People wear traditional colourful Garba costumes and compete in Dandia until the early hours of the morning. The whole environment is filled with enthusiasm and inspiring. On the 10th day, the large demon statues of Ravana, Kumbhkarna, Meghnath, etc. were burnt down and it was a spectacular sight.
Dusera in Eastern India (including Durga Puja)
Just as Navratri is celebrated in western India, Durga Puja is celebrated in eastern India during the same period. It is a celebration that includes fasts, feasts, worship of Goddess Durga, dance, drama, cultural songs and more. Huge artistic icons of Goddess Durga are made and decorated and kept in pandals. People dressed in traditional costumes go to Pandar to dance, sing and pray.
significance: According to Hindu mythology, it was on this day that Lord Rama killed the demon Ravana. Lord Rama entered the battle after praying to the goddess Durga.
Main Attractions:
- Played by Ram Lira
- hustle and bustle in the market
- A 9-day dance festival in Gujarat, where girls wear traditional chaniya choli and boys kediyu.
- Farali saviours like Wafers, Sabudana Khichdi, Singoda ni Kheer and Mandvi Paak.
- Huge statue of burning Ravana
- Durga’s large idols are worshipped in great and glorious form throughout the East Indies
when: The first 10 days of the Hindu month Bhadrapada.
Where: National
Holidays:
- October 6 to October 15, 2021 (15th Dussehra)
[See Also: Festivals in Karnataka You Must Attend]
4. Jan Mashtami:
Janmashtami is a beautiful Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna. People fast all day and break the fast at midnight after Lord Krishna’s birth. Visiting temples, praying to God, singing bhajans and hymns are part of the festivities. Small children often dress up as Lord Krishna and perform jhankis in temples depicting the story of Krishna’s birth.
significance: This is the celebration marking the birth of Lord Krishna.
Main Attractions:
- Lord Krishna’s Jenkis presents Krishna’s birth and life story
- Big hits in the game all over the country.
when: On the 8th day of Krishna Paksha of the Hindu month Bhadrapada.
Where: Nationally, although Mathura and Vrindavan are more famous in Lord Krishna’s birthplace.
Holidays:
[See Also: Vibrant and Colourful Festivals of Assam]
5. Ganesh Chaturthi:
Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most important Hindu festivals celebrated across the country. This is a 10-day festival where handmade Ganesha idols are installed in homes and public spaces. Pujas are held every morning and evening, and many competitions are held as part of the festivities. On the 10th day, the idol was immersed in water and bid farewell to God.
significance: Ganesh Chaturthi marks Lord Ganesha’s birthday
Main Attractions:
- Beautifully handcrafted and decorated Ganesh idols and pandals.
- Various competitions are held in different parts of the country, with different scales.
- immerse idol in water
- Farewell to God’s Magnificence
when: Day 4 of the Hindu Bhadrapada month Shukla Paksha
Where: Celebrate with enthusiasm and joy in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
Holidays:
[See More: Major Festivals Celebrated in Telangana]
6. Rakshasa Bandan:
One of the most important festivals in the country. It symbolizes the bond between siblings, the sisters apply a tilak on the brother’s forehead and tie a rakhi around his wrist, perform his aarti and pray for his happiness. On the other hand, the older brother swore to protect the younger sister.
significance: This holiday symbolizes the strong bond between siblings.
Main Attractions:
- The market is full of colorful rakhis and various sweets
when: The festival occurs on the full moon day of the Hindu month Serrana, which usually corresponds to August or sometimes September.
Where: Across the country, but more pronounced in northern, central and western India.
Holidays:
[See Also: Most Popular Festivals in Gujarat to Celebrate]
7. Maha Shivratri:
This is an important festival in India where people are full of reverence and respect for Lord Shiva. This is an important day because it is believed that those who pray to Lord Shiva on this day will be free from all sins and be able to obtain salvation. It is of particular importance to both married and unmarried women for marital happiness. People fast on this day.
significance: Devotion to Lord Shiva.
Main Attractions:
- Many people perform Shiv Abhishek at various temples
- People fast and drink thandai
when: This day is the 14th day of Pagon’s dark fortnight.
Where: Nationwide
Holidays:
[See Also: Best Festivals of Uttarakhand]
8. Makar Sankranti:
This is a true New Year for Sikhs and North Indians, celebrated the day after Lohri. On this day, people worship God and seek his blessings in the new year. It also marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring, which means a new season for farmers. Unlike other festivals whose dates are determined by the lunar cycle, the dates of this festival are determined by the solar cycle. In some parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan, people celebrate the day by flying kites, eating turtles and bajrikakhichda.
significance: It marks the northward movement of the sun after this day and also marks a new season for agriculture.
Main Attractions:
- Kite flying festival
- The sky was filled with colorful kites and people were enjoying loud music on the terrace. The whole atmosphere is very lively and warm.
- In Maharashtra, people celebrate by organizing haldi-kumkum
- People eat Til candies and say “Tilgulghya god god bola” which means eat sweet talk
when: January 14th or 15th every year
Where: Western and Northern India.
Holidays:
[See More: Important Andhra Pradesh festivals]
9. Basant Panchami:
Basant Panchmi is a festival dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. As the name itself describes, the festival falls on the 5th day of Mag, which means the beginning of spring. This day holds special significance for scholars and students because people worship the goddess of knowledge. It is one of the most religious festivals in India.
significance: It marks the beginning of spring.
Main Attractions:
- People wear yellow clothes and prepare yellow dishes.
- In Rajasthan, jasmine garlands are offered to deities, while in Punjab langars are held to provide free food to everyone.
when: 5th day of the month of Mag in the Hindu calendar.
Where: The festival is widely celebrated in Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Punjab and Haryana.
Holidays:
[See Also: Experience the Major Festivals of Rajasthan]
10. Baisaki:
Baisakhi is an important festival for Sikhs. Celebrate the harvest season of rabbinic crops. Sikhs celebrate this festival with pomp and excitement. They perform traditional dances such as giddha or bhangra. It also marks the 10th Sikh guru Guru Gobind Singh who laid the cornerstone of Panth Khalsa in 1699.
significance: Welcome to the harvest season of Rabbi crops.
Main Attractions:
- Sikhs decorate their houses and Gurudwaras
- Punjabi banquets and Punjabi folk dances like Bhangra and Giddha performed to express excitement and happiness
when: Date according to the Gregorian calendar
Where: Sikh communities around the world, but more so in Punjab
Holidays:
[See Also: Most Celebrated Festivals of Haryana]
11. Eid al-Fitr:
Eid al-Fitr is one of the main festivals of Muslims. People dressed in their best clothes, offered sacrifices, visited relatives and friends, and exchanged sweets. Muslims fast throughout Ramadan, they eat only at night, all day long, and the fast after seeing the moon, known as Eid-Ul-Fitr
significance: marks the end of Ramadan
Main Attractions:
- Beautifully decorated mosque and market
- delicious candy
- Eid al-Fitr morning in the mosque is a beautiful sight.
when: The first day of the third lunar month (usually July)
Where: Muslims across the country celebrate this holiday
Holidays:
[See More: Delightful Festivals Celebrated By Kashmiri People]
12. Eid al-Adha:
This is the second Islamic holiday…