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FAIRS & FESTIVALS OF INDIA |
Calender of Events
Dussehra
Deepawali
Holi
Maha Shivaratri
Janmashtami
Ganesh Chathurthi
Rakshabandhan
Baisakhi
Pushkar Fair
Desert Festival
Nagaur Fair
Camel Fair, Bikaner
Gangaur Festival
Hemis Festival, Ladakh
Dussehra
 The festival of Dussehra (also spelled
Dasara or Vijaya Dasami) marks the triumph of
Lord Rama over Demon king Ravana. On this day,
Rama killed Ravana. Dussehra marks the end of
the nine days of Navratri, and is celebrated
on the tenth day. On this festival, people decorate
the house and shop entrances with flower studded
strings called "Torans" (Floral Gateways). At
night effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakaran and Meghanad
are stuffed with firecrackers and set alight.
From the little temples in the hills, deities
are brought in procession to the Kullu Fair
ground with a lot of gaiety, music and colour.
Down South in the city of Mysore, the exotic
and colourful celebration of Dussehra leaves
many a visitor enthralled.
Deepawali
 Meaning an array of lamps, it is the Festival
of Lights and perhaps the only festival that
is celebrated along the length and breadth of
the country without any diversity as well as
amongst Indians all over the world.This festival
is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Rama,
his consort Sita and brother Lakshmana, to their
kingdom after 14 years of exile. To celebrate
their return, the people of Ayodhya are believed
to have lit up their houses and streets with
lamps and the tradition is followed till date.
People also conduct Lakshmi Puja to please the
Goddess of Wealth.
Holi
 The ‘Holi’ festival is a very fun-filled
and popular occasion in the northern part of
India. It is an occasion when people smear each
other with bright colored powders, which are
known as Gulal, and colored water. This festival
is celebrated around early March each year.
It can be said that ‘Holi’ festival is called
a bright festival as a wide range of bright
colors is used during it. The people believe
that the bright colors represent energy, life,
and joy.
There are many legends given as the reason for
celebrating ‘Holi’. There is one popular legend
that is reputed to bring about the birth of
‘Holi’. It seems that long ago there was an
evil king named King Hiranyakasipu. His son,
prince Prahlad however was very holy and often
prayed to God and this infuriated his father.
One day, the wicked king ordered his sister,
the demon Holika, to kill his son. The demon
Holika, who was immune to fire, captured prince
Prahlad and entered a fire furnace. She had
done this to kill the prince, however it was
her who was burnt to ashes. Prince Prahlad was
safe and was not burnt at all. The legend goes
that before the demon aunt died, she begged
for prince Prahlad’s forgiveness and the prince
forgave her and announced that her name would
be remembered once a year. Thus the festival
‘Holi’ was created.
Maha Shivaratri
 Shivaratri is celebrated on the 6th night
of the dark Phalgun (Feb or March) every year.
On the auspicious day, devotees observe fast
and keep vigil all night. Mahashivaratri marks
the night when Lord Shiva performed the 'Tandava'.
It is also believed that on this day Lord Shiva
was married to Parvati Ma. On this day Shiva
devotees observe fast and offer fruits, flowers
and bel leaves on Shiva Linga.
Janmashtami
 Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna
is celebrated with great devotion in the August/September
months, on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksh or the
8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of
Bhadon, in the whole of north India. Temples
and homes are beautifully decorated and lit.
An attractive feature of the celebrations are
cribs & other decorations depicting stories
of Lord Krishna's childhood. There are five
main "jhankis" of Janmashtami which depict the
entire sequence of events from Lord Krishna's
birth to his being discovered in Gokul. The
"jhankis" include the birth of Krishna in jail,
Vasudev carrying Krishna to safety across the
river Yamuna amidst thunder and lightning, Vasudev's
return to the jail, Kansa killing Yashoda's
daughter and finally the little Krishna in the
cradle in Gokul. "Jhankis" are created out of
dolls dressed up as kids, men and women with
lehangas, chunnis, dhotis & kurtas. Raslila
of every type are also performed - Janmlila,
Shankarlila, Putnalila and Naglila. In the evening
bhajans are sung which end at midnight, the
auspicious moment when Lord Krishna was born.
Thereafter arti is done, prasad distributed
and flowers showered on the idol.
Ganesh Chathurthi
 Lord Ganesha, affectionately called Ganapati,
is commonly depicted in homes and offices throughout
India as a chubby, smiling and a little mischievous
God. His devotees scribe to Ganesha the ability
to bestow wisdom and wealth upon us humans,
thus making him probably the most popular deity
in the Hindu pantheon. To repay Ganesha’s bounty,
in India, especially in Maharashtra and nearby
areas, the entire population celebrates the
ten-day festival of Lord Ganesha’s birthday.
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated
all over India with great festivities and zest.
It is celebrated as the birth anniversary of
Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom and prosperity.
The festival honors Ganesha, the elephant-headed
God of the Hindu pantheon. During the ten days
of Ganesh Chaturthi, the image of the God is
worshipped and feted in most homes, temples
and halls, and on the last day the images are
taken in a procession and immersed in water.
Fasting, feasting and distribution of sweets
are important aspects of Ganesh Chaturthi rituals
in India. Hindus pray to images of Lord Ganesha,
large and small, many of them made specially
for the occasion by cottage industries and street-side
artisans. Even those that do not wish to keep
the idols alive by daily prayers, offerings,
and lighting oil lamps, immerse them in the
nearest water body (rivers, lakes and the sea
that are sacred to the Hindus). Ganesh Chaturthi
falls on the fourth day of Bhadrapada (August/September)
month of Indian calendar. The celebration of
this festival is followed according to the Indian
calendar and hence the month in the English
calendar varies every year. The festival is
celebrated for as many as ten days in areas
like Maharashtra, Pune, and nearby areas.
Rakshabandhan
 The chaste bond of love between a brother
and a sister is one of the deepest and noblest
of human emotions. 'Raksha Bandhan' or 'Rakhi'
is a special occasion to celebrate this emotional
bonding by tying a holy thread around the wrist.
This thread, which pulsates with sisterly love
and sublime sentiments, is rightly called the
‘Rakhi’. It means 'a bond of protection', and
Raksha Bandhan signifies that the strong must
protect the weak from all that’s evil. The ritual
is observed on the full moon day of the Hindu
month of Shravan, on which sisters tie the sacred
Rakhi string on their brothers' right wrists,
and pray for their long life. Rakhis are ideally
made of silk with gold and silver threads, beautifully
crafted embroidered sequins, and studded with
semi precious stones.
Baisakhi
 Several Indian festivals coincide with
the harvest time and Baisakhi is one of them.
Baisakhi is celebrated by the people of Punjab
with vigor and joy. It is celebrated by different
names and with different rituals almost all
over India, when the Rabi crop is ready for
harvesting. Baisakhi is also the day when the
tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh,
founded the Khalsa Panth over three hundred
years ago. The Vaishakha period of April and
May is filled with festivals of fun, frolic
and merry-making and Baisakhi, derived from
the word Vaishakh, falls in this auspicious
period. Based on the Indian solar calendar,
this festival falls on April 13 every year and
on April 14 once every 36 years. Other festivals
celebrating the harvest are Bihu in Assam, Pongal
in South India.
Pushkar Fair
 Every November, the sleepy little township
of Pushkar in Rajasthan, India comes alive with
a riot of colors and a frenzied burst of activity.
The occasion: PUSHKAR FAIR. Very few, if at
all any, fairs in the world can match the liveliness
of Pushkar. Most people associate the Pushkar
Fair with the world's largest camel fair. But
it is much more than that:
Every ingredient that makes Rajasthan a distinct
place can be spotted in the fair including men
dressed in colorful traditional clothes, women
in mirrored skirts and vivid shawls, embroidered
clothes, exquisitely designed jewelry, pots
and ornaments. This four-day long fair full
of fun and frolic falls on the full moon of
Kartik Purnima and offers an unique opportunity
for a shopping spree while giving an edge to
the consumer product marketing in rural Rajasthan.
Improved accommodation facilities have made
it an International event. A large camel fair
in which traders from all over Rajasthan participate
to parade, race and trade their camels, horses
and cattle give it a fascinating touch. The
acrobats, jugglers, snake charmers and fire-eaters
will leave you mesmerized with their skilled
performances. Cruise on a camel safari and get
the real flavor of the fair.
Desert Festival
 The otherwise sleepy town of Jaisalmer
reverberates with enthusiasm and zeal during
the Desert Festival that provides it with an
occasion to parade its exuberant charm to the
world. This colorful spectacle of dance and
music showcases the rhythmic dances like Ghoomar,
Gangaur, Gair, Dhap, Moria, Chari and Terahtal.
The fire dancers are the special highlights
of the festival. Held in the month of January-February
the major attractions include turban-tying competition,
Gair dancers and fire-dancers presenting enchanting
displays of folk dance and music The various
interesting contests including turban tying
and Mr. Desert contest, the Camel races, acrobatics,
dances and camel polo are sure to leave you
spellbound. An awe-inspiring fusion of traditional
dances backed by the folk music of the desert
is sure to give you a time of your life. The
major attraction of the festival remains the
music and dance performance on the sand dunes.
Nagaur Fair
 Nagaur awakes to the thronging of cattles,
horses and camels during the time of cattle
fair, which is reputed as one of the biggest
in the country. The Nagaur bulls are renowned
for their fleet-footedness and attract buyers
from all over the world. Their owners with large
moustaches and colorful costumes add a unique
charm to the fair. Renowned for trading in cows,
bullocks, camels and horses Held every year
during the month of Magh (Jan-Feb) Provides
an opportunity for a shopping spree to the locals
The fair comes to an end with a series of exciting
games including tug of war, camel races and
strains of ballads that create a joyful atmosphere.
Mirchi Bazaar (Red Chilly Market) is the main
attraction and wooden items, iron crafts and
leather accessories are also available in abundance
during the fair.
Camel Fair, Bikaner
 A unique blend of color, rhythm and melody.
The Camel Festival begins with a colourful procession
of bedecked camels, Ships-Of-The-Desert, in
the red sandstone backdrop of the Junagarh Fort.
The festivity advances to the open sandspreads
of the Polo Grounds, followed by camel races,
camel milking, fur cutting design, the best
breed competition, camel acrobatics, camel bands
and watching all this, are the gaping spectators.
The camel display amazing foot-work, dancing
gracefully to the slightest direction of their
riders. Colourful bridles, bejewelled necks,
jingling anklets and long, lanky camel shadows
on dusky sands, cast a magic spell. The jubilant,
skirt-swirling Gair dancers, the awe inspiring
Fire dance, and dazzling fire-works light up
the fortified desert city of Bikaner.
Gangaur Festival
 The most important local festival in Rajasthan,
Gangaur is held about a fortnight after Holi
and the celebrations go on for eighteen days.
The festival is held in honor of Gauri, a manifestation
of goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva.
The festival is celebrated by girls and married
women throughout Rajasthan. Images of Gauri
are ornamented and offerings are made. This
is also an auspicious time for young people
to select their life partners. Colorful processions
with the town band, horses, and elaborate palanquins
make it a fascinating spectacle. The Gangaur
festival is celebrated throughout Rajasthan
with great enthusiasm but the celebrations in
Jaipur and Udaipur have their own special charm.
The festival is also celebrated with great pomp
and show in Bikaner, Jodhpur, Marathwara and
Jaisalmer. Girls worship the goddess throughout
the fortnight. Colorful images of Gauri, beautifully
dressed and bejeweled, are taken out in a procession
accompanied by the town band. A boat procession
is taken out on the Pichola Lake in Udaipur.
Women balancing several brass pitchers on their
heads add to the gaiety of the Udaipur celebrations.
Thousands of people from the countryside come
to take part in the procession of Gangaur, which
goes around from village to village. Tribal
men and women get the opportunity to meet and
interact freely and during this time, they select
partners and elope to marry. An unusual, romantic
custom sanctioned by the community, it helps
many young people find their life partner.
Hemis Festival, Ladakh
 The courtyard of Hemis - the biggest Buddhist
monastery in Ladakh, is the stage of the famous
Hemis Festival, that celebrates the birth anniversary
of Guru Padmasambhava. Splendid masked dances
are performed to the accompaniment of cymbals,
drums and long horns. A colourful fair, displaying
some beautiful handicrafts, is the special highlight
of the festival.
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