Festivals of India

Presenter : Tulika
Hemis festival

Hemis, the two-day religious festival from Ladakh, is one

of the most important festivals of India. It attracts a lot
of locals and foreign tourists each year. The festivities
include the Cham dance done by the priests to the tune
of the traditional music of cymbals, drums, trumpets
played by the monks. It’s among the most unique types of
festival where the dancing priests dress up in elaborate
brocade outfits and masks.
• Held in one of the most-visited
monasteries in Ladakh, Hemis
Gompa, the festival is a two-day
event that is celebrated on the 10th
day of the fifth month of Tibetan
Calendar, which is the month of
June/July in Gregorian Calendar.

• Significance: It’s the celebration of

the birth anniversary of spiritual
leader Padmasambhava, founder of
Tibet Tantric Buddhism.
Onam

Onam is the biggest festival in the Indian state of

Kerala.
Onam is among the important festivals of India,
wherein people wear traditional dresses, adorn houses
with Pookalam (floral designs), and prepare Onasadya
(elaborate meal of about 13 dishes). Events such as
Vallamkali (snake boat race), Kaikottikali (clap dance),
Kathakali dance, and Pulikali procession (artists
dressed and painted like tigers and hunters) are held.
• Significance: It celebrates the
homecoming of the legendary king
Mahabali.

• When: In the month of Chingam of

the Malayalam calendar, which
corresponds to August or
September of the Gregorian
calendar.
Pongal

The four-day long harvest festival of Tamil Nadu , South

India. The three days of the Pongal festival are called
Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal, and Mattu Pongal. Some
Tamils celebrate a fourth day of Pongal known as Kanum
Pongal.

This festival include bonfires, dancing, cattle races,

sweets, and savories. The houses look resplendent with
Kolam designs (traditional floral designs made with rice,
colored powders, and flower petals)
Pongal is also the name of the dish made
and eaten during this festival. It is a
mixture of boiled sweet rice. It is derived
from the Tamil word pongu, which means
“to boil over”.
Significance: It’s a festival of thanksgiving
to nature representing the first harvest of
the year.

When : It is observed at the start of the

month Thai according to Tamil solar
calendar,and this festival is celebrated
usually on January 14 or January 15
depending on the sun's orbit around earth
that particular year.
Mahavir Jayanti

Mahavir Janma Kalyanak is an important day for the

people from Jain religion as it marks the birth of Lord
Mahavir.
Mahavir Jayanti is one of the most auspicious festivals
for the Jain community. Jainism places great
emphasis on achieving world peace and harmony in a
manner that causes little to no harm to living beings.
• On the Gregorian calendar,
the holiday occurs either in
March or April.

• Significance: It is the birth

anniversary of Lord Mahavir

• When: It is celebrated on the

13th day of Chaitra month of
Hindu Calendar
Camel Festival – The Cattle Trading Fest

The Pushkar Fair, also called the Pushkar Camel Fair or

locally as Kartik Mela or Pushkar ka Mela is an annual
multi-day livestock fair held in the town of Pushkar near
Ajmer city in Ajmer district in (Rajasthan, India)
• Significance: Celebrated as the holy
day for cattle and camel traders to do
business.

• When : The fair starts with the Hindu

calendar month of Kartik and ends on
the Kartik Purnima, which typically
overlaps with late October and early
November in the Gregorian calendar.
Kumbh Mela – Major Pilgrimage Festival In Hinduism

Kumbh Mela is celebrated in a cycle of 12 years,

approximately at four banks of rivers that are considered
holy – namely Prayag, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. The
pilgrims in this festival dip in the holy waters to get rid of
all their sins in life.
• Significance: Celebrated based on the
astrological positions of the Sun, the
Moon, and Jupiter.

• Where: Haridwar, Allahabad, Ujjain,

and Nasik (On rotation)
Losar – The Tibetan New Year

Losar is one of the greatest Indian festivals and

celebrations. Majorly celebrated in the neighbouring
region, Tibet, Losar is a festival that is also celebrated
in India by the Tibetans or the followers of Buddhism
residing in this nation. Losar is the Tibetan New Year
that is celebrated in a fun and frolic way. This also
involves a way to show gratitude to God for the harvest.
• When : The holiday is a new year's
festival, celebrated on the first day
of the lunisolar Tibetan calendar,
which corresponds to a date in
February or March in the Gregorian
calenda

• Where: Himachal Pradesh, Leh And

Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh.
Dree Festival – A Harvest Festival

Dree festival is a popular festivalin Arunachal Pradesh

and it is an important agricultural festival of Apatani
tribe. Dree is celebrated in order to bring a bountiful
harvest season, hence, Apatani offers prayers to four
Gods they follow - Tamu, Harniang, Metii, and Danyi.
This three day long agricultural festival is joyously
celebrated with traditional cloths worn by women and
children. It is an interesting festival of Arunachal because
during this festival cucumber is distributed to the guests
and participants; this symbolizes the sacredness of
vegetables and perhaps for fruitful agriculture
• Significance: This is considered
to be one of the major harvest
festivals in India

• When : This festival is

celebrated on 5th of July .

• Where: Ziro Valley

Sekrenyi

Sekrenyi, also known as Sokre-n and Phousanyi, is a

major annual festival of the Angami Nagas, among
the many festivals held by them, in the northeast
Indian state of Nagaland. It is a "purification
festival" held to wash off all past sins. The objective
of the festival is to renew and "make holy" by
cleansing the "body and the soul" of the village as a
whole, and to bring forth unity among all
communities of Nagaland. It also marks initiation of
young people to adulthood and is considered an
"identity marker of the Angami"
When : It is observed for ten days from
the 25th day of the Angami calendar
month of "Kezei" (usually
corresponding to 25 February in the
Gregorian calendar) under the auspices
of the Angami Public Organisation in
association with many other
organizations and the state
government.
 Thank you

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