Festivals of India

Festivals are the soul of India, they are a true picture that depicts the culture, art, beliefs, traditions, morals, and values of Indians and they serve as a link between people and the great Indian mythology. The feeling of following the legacies, trends, rituals, and values set by our ancestors, generation after generations is something very unique about the Indians which makes them feel proud wherever they go in the world and keep them connected with their roots.

Festival means “Utsava!” It is a Sanskrit word. India is an incredible country with a blend of a variety of cultures, legacies, trends, impacts of stories from the past and beliefs, celebrates every possible occasion and enjoys the fullest. Festival, is a very small term given to the spirit of those occasions and to justify this statement, we have tried to pen down some of those festivals, their origins and the reasons that why they hold such special place in the hearts of the people of India.

The days and dates of the Indian festivals are decided by the Hindu Calendar which is based on the changing phases of the Moon. It is called the lunar calendar as well.

These festivals have different names and are celebrated in different fashion all over the country. These are harvest festivals, national festivals, changes in weather in some places are also celebrated, some are spiritual festivals, some are celebrated to seek blessings and long life for husbands, children & family and many more.

List of Festivals According to Religions

In the beautiful words of Mark Twain -

“In religion, India is a millionaire...the one land that all men desire to see and having seen once, by even a glimpse, would not give that glimpse for all the shows of all the rest of the globe combined.”

The colors of different cultures and religions of India brighten its heritage. In India, various religions go hand in hand and the spirit of togetherness is its strength. So, to cover the vast range of festivals we can divide them and study them on a religious basis.

These festivals and fairs can be categorized as:

• Hindu Festivals
• Parsi Festivals
• Sindhi Festivals
• Sikh and Punjabi Festivals
• Muslim Festivals
• Christian Festivals
• Buddhist Festivals
• Bengali Festivals

Apart from these, there are some:

• Fairs
• Tribal Festivals
• National Festivals - birth/death anniversaries of Great Indian Leaders, Freedom Fighters, Saints, etc.