Fairs and Festivals
India's cultural and religious diversity allows occasion to celebrate myriad festivals and fairs. Most festivals mark a particular event in the Indian calendar lending color and joviality to life where celebrations are marked with processions, dances, songs and prayers.
The myriad festivals are rooted in legends and myths mostly describing the victory of good over evil. Some festivals and fasts are religion specific aiming for a personal communication with the divine whereas others are in rhythm with the cycle of seasons, sowings and harvesting.
India being a secular republic makes it a land where a plethora of festivals are celebrated some which are determined by the diverse religions where Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian festivals are celebrated with equal aplomb.
However being predominantly a Hindu nation, festivals like Diwali and Holi are common to most parts of India. Nevertheless being a land of varied cultures some festivals are celebrated exclusively within a particular state moreover birthdays of divine beings, saints and gurus are also celebrated as festivals.
The scale and multiplicity of Indian festivals are characterized by color, gaiety, enthusiasm, prayers and rituals throughout the year. Only a few of the festivals take place on a particular date. Most of them follow the lunar or solar calendar and hence the exact dates of the festivals vary from year to year.
Some of the famous festivals of India are as follows:
India's cultural and religious diversity allows occasion to celebrate myriad festivals and fairs. Most festivals mark a particular event in the Indian calendar lending color and joviality to life where celebrations are marked with processions, dances, songs and prayers.
The myriad festivals are rooted in legends and myths mostly describing the victory of good over evil. Some festivals and fasts are religion specific aiming for a personal communication with the divine whereas others are in rhythm with the cycle of seasons, sowings and harvesting.
India being a secular republic makes it a land where a plethora of festivals are celebrated some which are determined by the diverse religions where Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian festivals are celebrated with equal aplomb.
However being predominantly a Hindu nation, festivals like Diwali and Holi are common to most parts of India. Nevertheless being a land of varied cultures some festivals are celebrated exclusively within a particular state moreover birthdays of divine beings, saints and gurus are also celebrated as festivals.
The scale and multiplicity of Indian festivals are characterized by color, gaiety, enthusiasm, prayers and rituals throughout the year. Only a few of the festivals take place on a particular date. Most of them follow the lunar or solar calendar and hence the exact dates of the festivals vary from year to year.
Some of the famous festivals of India are as follows:
| Diwali | Holi | Dussehra | Christmas | Eid Ul Fitr Pongal |
| Baisakhi | Raksha Bandhan | Onam | Muharram | Janmashtami |
| Mahavir Jayanti | Buddha Purnima | Navratri | Maha Shivratri | Ganesh Chaturthi |