81 Festivals Of India| Beautiful Festivals in India | Fresio Blogs

Festivals In India - 81 Beautiful Festivals Of India

India(Bharat) - The Land of Spices and the Largest Democracy in the World is also known for its beautiful culture, monuments, and of course, its festivals. Festivals in India are celebrated with immense pride and faith. Although India is home to more than 8 different religions, every festival of every religion in India is celebrated like nowhere else. Well, we all knew that festivals have a very special place in the hearts of Indians but have you ever thought about how many festivals does India Celebrate? Well, if you didn't, we've figured it out for you! By the way, feel free to leave a comment below, if you think I missed a Festival, I'll make sure the list is updated. ;)

"To other countries, I may go as a tourist, but to India, I come as a Pilgrim"  

Martin Luther King, Jr.

But Before diving into this long list of festivals, did you know what India was around 140 million years ago? Well, if you don't, get ready to get shocked! The answer is here!

1. AKSHAYA TRITIYA: Annual springtime festival of Hindus and Jains which falls on 3rd of Vaisakha month as per Hindu calendar.
2. ARMY DAY: Celebrated on 15th January for giving a tribute to field marshals. 
3. BANDANA: Celebrated in Eastern India during Amavasya of Kartik Month. Cattles are worshiped in this festival.
   
4. BHAI-DOOJ: Celebrated on 2nd lunar day of Shukla Paksha. On this day sisters pray for a long and prosperous life for their brothers. Brothers and sisters give gifts to each other on this day. 
5. BUDDHA PURNIMA: Celebrating the birth of Gautam Buddha this day usually falls in April or May depending upon the Asian Luni-Solar Calendars.
6. CHILDREN'S DAY: Celebrated on the birth occasion of India's First Prime Minister, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, this day is celebrated to share awareness about rights, care, and education of children. It is celebrated on 14th November every year.
7. CHETI CHAND: Celebrated at the beginning of lunar Hindu new year for Sindhi Hindus.
8. CHRISTMAS: Commemorating the birth of Jesus, this festival is celebrated on 25th December every year, all over the world. 
9. CHHATH PUJA: Marked as the most auspicious celebration amongst the Bihari Hindus and some parts of Nepal, this is celebrated as a thanks-giving to Sun and Shashti Devi for bestowing the bounties of life on earth.
   
10. DIWALI: The festival of lights usually lasting 5 days to celebrate the victory of good over evil.
11. DIWALI(Jainism): This Diwali celebrated amongst Jains holds a lot of importance in Jainism as it marks the anniversary of Nirvana or liberation of Mahavira's soul.
12. DHAMMACHAKRA PRAVARTAN DAY: Celebrated on 14 October, this day celebrates the Buddhist Conversion of B.R.Ambedkar and his 600,000 followers approximately.
13. DURGA PUJA(NAVRATRI): Celebrated for 9 days at a stretch, Hindu Goddess Durga is worshiped in this festival and is believed that on this day, she earned a victory over an evil which can be clearly seen in every statue showcased on this day in different 'Pandels'.
    
14. DUSSEHRA: Celebrated at the end of Navratri, this day marks as the victory of Hindu God Ram over the evil superpower Ravan.
15. DWIJING: A popular festival celebrated in Assam.
16. ENGINEER"S DAY: 4th March is observed as the World Engineer's Day to mark the contributions of the engineers all over the world towards the economy.
17. EID AL-FITR: Celebrated by the Muslims worldwide, this day marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan.                                         
18. EID AL-ADHA: Again celebrated by the Muslims worldwide, this day honors the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God's command.
19. VAIKUNTHA EKADASHI: It is believed that 'Vaikuntha Dwaram' or 'The gate to Lord's Inner Sanctum' is opened on this day.
20. EASTER SUNDAY: This day commemorates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
21. GANDHI JAYANTI: Celebrated as a festival, this day marks the birthday of the Father of India, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi also known as Mahatma Gandhi.
    
22. GANESH CHATURTHI: This Hindu festival celebrates the arrival of God Ganesha and his Mother Goddess Parvati on Earth.
23. GUDI PADWA: A springtime festival that celebrates the new year for the Marathis and Konkani Hindus.
24. GURU PURNIMA: This day marks the birthday of the most brilliant Guru of India, Shri Ved Vyasa. This day in India is dedicated to the spiritual and academic teachers for providing knowledge to everyone.
25. GOOD FRIDAY: Celebrated Worldwide, this day commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary.
26. HANUMAN JAYANTI: Hindu God Hanuman, the divine monkey, is worshiped on this day.
27. HINDI DIWAS: Celebrated in Northern India as the day when Hindi was adopted as one of the official languages of India.
28. HOLI: The festival of Colours celebrated with lots of love in India. 
29. HOLA MOHALLA:  A day-long Sikh festival that usually takes place a day after Holi but may sometimes coincide with the same.
30. HALDI-KUMKUM: A social gathering in India where married women exchange Haldi(Turmeric) and Kumkum(Vermilion Powder), wishing for their husband's long life.
31. INDEPENDENCE DAY: Celebrated on the 15th of August every year, this day commemorates India's Independence from the British Rule on 15th August, 1947.
32. JIVITPUTRIKA: Celebrated mostly in India and Nepal between the seventh and ninth day of Krishna-Paksha in the Ashwin month, this festival is observed by the mothers for the well-being of their children. 
33. KARAM: A harvest festival In India, dedicated to the Karam God, who is the GOd of power, Youth, and Youthfulness.
34. KARTIK PURNIMA: Also known as Deva-Diwali, this day celebrated the festival of lights of the Gods.
35. KARWA CHAUTH:  A day-long fasting and worshiping of God, observed by the Women, for a long life of their husbands.
36. KUMBH MELA:  A major pilgrimage and big Hindu festival celebrated every 12 years at four river-bak pilgrimage sites: The Allahabad, Haridwar(Ganges), Nashik(Godavari), and Ujjain(Shipra). Every time Kumbh Mela attracts millions of people all over the globe. The gathered crowd is in fact, so big, that it is visible from space!
37. KOJAGIRI POORNIMA: A festival of Harvesting.
38. KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI: This auspicious day celebrates the birth of Hindu God Krishna.
39. KERALA SCHOOL KALOLSAVAM: A festival started in 1956, hosts several art competitions for high school and higher secondary school students of Kerala.
40. LOHRI: A popular Punjabi winter festival. Many people believe that this day marks the passing of winter solstice and a welcome of Sun's journey to the Northern Hemisphere.           
41. MAHAVIR JANMA KALYANAK: This festival celebrated the birth of Jain God Mahavir.
42. MAHAMASTAKABHISHEKA: An important Jain Festival held once in 12 years. It refers to the abhisheka of the Jain Images when held on a large scale.
43. MAHARASHTRA DAY: This day celebrates the commemoration of the state of Maharashtra United with Mumbai on May 1, 1960.
44. MAHASHIVRATRI: This festival is celebrated annually to worship the Supreme Lord in the Hindu Mythology, Lord Shiva.                                                      
45. MAKAR SANKRANTI: This festival is dedicated to the Hindu God, Surya(Sun).
46. MUHARRAM: A Muslim festival that celebrated the first day of the new year as per the Islamic calendar. 
47. NARIYAL PURNIMA: A ceremonial day observed by Hindu Fishing Communities in Maharashtra.
48. NAUKHAI: Observed as a welcome of new rice of the season, this festival is celebrated by the people of Western Odisha.
    
49. NAVRATRI: Celebrated every year the autumn season, this Hindu festival is observed to worship the divine Goddess Durga. 
50. NATIONAL SPORTS DAY: Celebrated worldwide, this is a special day celebrated in India too to honor the National Sports Team and sports traditions of those countries.
51. ONAM: An annual Hindu Harvest Festival celebrated mainly in Kerala, India.
52. PANA SANSKRITI: A traditional new year festival of the Buddhists and Hindus in Odisha, India.
53. PARYUSHAN: Referred to as the most important annual Jain Festival in which they increase their level of spiritual intensity by prayers or meditation.
54. PITRU PAKSHA: A Hindu festival in which people pay homage to their ancestor that mainly involves pryers and food offerings.
55. PONGAL: A Hindu harvest festival mainly celebrated in southern India, and is dedicated to the Hindu God Surya.
56. PUSNA: Also known as the spring cake festival, this is one of the most important festivals of the Hajong People which is celebrated on or around January 14th.
57. POLA: Celebrated by the farmers of Maharashtra, this festival is dedicated to the bulls and oxen for their contribution to the agricultural sector.
58. QUIT INDIA DAY: Launched by Mahatma Gandhi, on this very day, the All India Congress Committee demanded an end of the British Rule In India.
59. RATH YATRA: A very popular Festival of India, this festival involves public procession with a chariot. This festival is mainly celebrated in eastern India. 
    
60. RAKSHA BANDHAN: Considered as one of the most beautiful festivals of India, on this day, sisters tie a Rakhi(Talisman) around the wrist of their brother, in return of which, the brother promises her sister to protect her from all odds and stand alongside her every time,
61. RAM NAVAMI: A Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Ram, who is believed to be the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu.
62. RAMADAN: A Muslim festival celebrated in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, as a month o fasting, prayer, reflection, and Community.
63. RASHTRIYA EKTA DIWAS: A day celebrated as the National Unity Day in India.
64. RATHA SAPTAMI: A Hindu festival that falls in the seventh month of the Hindu month of Maagha. As per Wikipedia, "It is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya, turning his Ratha(Chariot) drawn by seven horses(representing seven colors) towards the northern hemisphere. It also marks the birth of Surya and hence is also celebrated as Surya Jayanti."
65. INDIAN REPUBLIC DAY: Celebrated on 26th January every year, this is the day when the Constitution of India came into effect, replacing the Government of India act of 1935 as the governing document of India. This made India turn into a newly formed Independent Democratic Republic.
66. SHARAD PURNIMA: A Hindu harvest festival celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Ashvin. 
    
67. CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ JAYANTI: This day celebrates the birth anniversary of one of the great rulers and the founder of the Maratha Empire, Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
68. SARASWATI POOJA: This day marks the arrival of spring in the Indian subcontinent and worship of Goddess Saraswati who is believed to be the Goddess of knowledge, language, music, and all arts.
69. SOHRAI: A harvest festival celebrated in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal.
70. SHIGMO: Another Spring festival celebrated mainly if Goa.
71. TAMIL NEW YEAR: This day celebrates the first day of the year on the Tamil Calendar. 
72. TEACHER'S DAY: Celebrated worldwide, this day celebrates or rather appreciates the teachers all over the planet for their unmatched and contributions to the world and imparting education to students all over the globe.
73. TULSI VIVAH: Tulsi Vivah is celebrated as a ceremony in which the Hindu Goddess Tulsi is married to God Vishnu.
74. TULSI PUJAN DIWAS: As per Wikipedia, " Tulsi is a sacred plant in Hindu belief. Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of the goddess Tulsi; she is regarded as the avatar of Lakshmi, and thus the consort of God Vishnu. The offering of its leaves is mandatory in ritualistic worship of Vishnu and his avatars like Krishna and Vithoba."
75. THAIPUSAM: Celebrated by the Tamil community of India, this day is mainly celebrated on the full moon of Thai(Jan/Feb), usually coinciding with Pushya star, known as Poosam in Tamil.
76. UGADI: A New Year's Day for the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka in India.
77. VAN MAHOTSAV: A traditional tree-planting festival celebrated over a week in India.
78. VASANT PANCHAMI: This day celebrates the arrival of Spring in the Indian SUbcontinent.
79. VISHWAKARMA POOJA: On this day, the Hindu God Vishwakarma, known ad the divine architect, is worshiped. Kids and people of all ages celebrate this day flying kites and eating sweets.
    
80. VISHU: Celebrated mostly in Southern India, this day marks the first day of Medam, the ninth month of solar calendar followed in Kerala.
81. VIVAHA PANCHAMI: This Auspicious day celebrates the wedding of Hindu God Ram and Sita and is observed on the fifth day of the Shukla Paksha.

With that, we come to an end to the list of festivals celebrated in India. We would love to know about your favorite festival. Comment below your favorite festival. Which particular festival do you love the most?If you think we missed out something, feel free to let us know in the comment section below.;) 

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