Our

States
4
 CONTENTS
(states in alphabetical order)

Andhra Pradesh (AP) 3

Karnataka (KA) 5
Kerala (KL) 6
Madhya Pradesh (MP) 8
Maharashtra (MH) 9
North-Eastern Region (NE) 10
Tamil Nadu (TN) 11
Telangana (TS) 13
My Favourite Festivals 14
My State 15

Photo Credits
Front Cover: background image (freepik.com); kathakali (www.imagesbazaar.com);
Naga man (imagelibrary/EPA); Onam sadya (with permission from individuals concerned);
Gaarudi gombe (Wikimedia Commons, Pavanaja/CC by SA 4.0); Pung cholom (flickr.com,
Matsukin/CC by 2.0); bisi bele bhath (Wikimedia Commons, Munegowda/CC by SA 4.0)
© RATNA SAGAR P. LTD
Back Cover: background image (freepik.com); dancer (www.imagesbazaar.com); Kalamkari
(flickr.com, Anuradha Sengupta/CC by 2.0); Hussain Sagar Lake (Wikimedia Commons,
Nikhilb239/CC by SA 4.0); Mekhla chador (Wikimedia Commons, Satnath/CC by SA 3.0);
Manipuri dance (Wikimedia Commons, Abhishekjoshi/CC by 2.0) © RATNA SAGAR P. LTD
Shutterstock.com: Page 6 ANILKUMART (ONAM SADYA); Page 7 AJP (VISHU KANI),
SANTHOSH VARGHESE (CHRISTMAS); Page 9 STOCKIMAGEFACTORY.COM (GANESH
CHATURTHI), SURBHI S (MODAKS), STOCKIMAGEFACTORY.COM (GUDI PADWA PUJA),
ANANT JADAV (GUDI); Page 10 DIGANTA TALUKDAR (BIHU), PLATSLEE (EASTER EGGS);
Page 11 SREELEKHAS (BOMMAI GOLU); Page 12 INDIAN CREATIONS (VADAI), SANTHOSH
VARGHESE (PAYASAM); Page 13 SONY HERDIANA (EID PRAYER)
Wikimedia commons: (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) Page 3 bommala
koluvu (Ksiva21); Page 5 modaks (Dharmadhyaksha); Page 8 Karma puja (Pankaj076),
Karma dance (Lijo Baby CMI), Ujjain Simhastha (Suyash Dwivedi); Page 10 The Hornbill
Festival (Vikramjit Kakati); Page 11 Sweet pongal (VSharmilee); Page 13 folk art
performance—Bonalu (Pranayraj1985) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
Page 11 Pongal preparation (Thamizhpparithi Maari) (https://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by-sa/2.0) Page 4 Ugadi pachadi (Kalyan Kanuri) (https://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by/2.0) Page 4 Diwali (zobacz zasady)
With permission from individuals concerned: Page 5 Kannada flag (Ramalakshmi,
flickr.com); Page 6 pokkkalam; Page 12 kolam
 ANDHRA PRADESH FESTIVALS

Vijayadashami or Dussehra

Pan-India

bommala koluvu (doll arrangement)

displayed during the festival

Vijayadashami or Dussehra is usually celebrated all over

India in September or October at the end of Navaratri
festivities. It stands for the victory of good over evil. People
wear traditional clothes and offer prayers to Goddess Durga
and in some cases, Goddess Saraswati. In northern India,
people celebrate Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana.

3
 Ugadi

the Ugadi pachadi

combines sweet,
sour, salty and
bitter flavours
TS, KA
also

Ugadi is celebrated as the beginning of the new year by the

people of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka (where
it is called Yugadi). Muggulu (a colourful pattern) is drawn
on the floor, gifts are exchanged and donations are made to
charities.

Deepavali

a festive
arrangement
of diyas
Pan-India

Deepavali or Diwali is usually celebrated in October or

November in many parts of the country. It is known as
the Festival of Lights since diyas (oil lamps) and candles
are used to light up homes. People wear festive clothes and
4 exchange sweets.
 K A R N ATA K A

Rajyotsava Day
This is Karnataka Formation
Day, also called Kannada
Rajyotsava. It is celebrated
on 1 November. The state
has a festive look and people
wear traditional clothes.
The Rajyotsava Awards are
announced and the Chief
Minister and Governor of
colours of the Kannada flag
the state address the people.

Gowri Habba and Vinayaka Chaturthi

These festivals are usually celebrated in August or
September. Gowri Habba is observed a day before Vinayaka
Chaturthi. People celebrate motherhood and family by
worshipping Goddess Gowri, the mother of Ganesha. The
female members of the family make an idol of the goddess
with turmeric, install it at home on a plate of grains and
offer prayers.
On Vinayaka Chaturthi,
idols of Lord Ganesha/
Vinayaka are installed
at home and in public
Pan-India

places. This festival is

also celebrated in states
such as Andhra Pradesh,
Telangana, Tamil Nadu,
Maharashtra, Odisha,
modakas (sweet dumplings)
Madhya Pradesh and made during the festival
Gujarat. 5
 KERALA

Onam

People prepare
a special feast called
the Onam sadya.

Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala. It is celebrated for

ten days. People wear traditional clothes during Onam.

People decorate
their houses with
flower designs
called pookalam.

6
 Vishu

Vishukani is an
arrangement of
auspicious things
such as fruits,
yellow flowers
called konna and
so on. They are
usually placed
before an idol of
Lord Krishna.

Vishu marks the beginning of the new year for the people
of Kerala. It is celebrated in mid-April. People wake up to
the Vishukani on Vishu day.

Christmas

a child
celebrating
Christmas
Pan-India

Christmas is celebrated on 25 December every year

as the birthday of Jesus Christ. Christmas carols are sung
and prayer services are held in churches. People make
special cakes and set up decorated Christmas trees
at home. Gifts are exchanged. It is also celebrated in Goa,
the North-Eastern states and other parts of India. 7
 M A D H YA P R A D E S H

Karma or Karam

Karma or Karam is a harvest

festival celebrated in Madhya
Pradesh by tribal communities.
This festival takes place during
the monsoon (August–September).
Pan-India

people worshipping with

branches of the Karma tree

It is also celebrated
in Assam, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Odisha and
West Bengal.
tribes performing the Karma dance

Ujjain Simhastha or Ujjain Kumbh Mela

Ujjain Kumbh Mela gathering – River Shipra

The Kumbh Mela is the largest religious gathering in which

people from all over the world participate and bathe in the
holy river. It is held every three years in one of these four
cities – Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nasik and Ujjain. The last
8 Ujjain Kumbh Mela was held in 2016.
 MAHARASHTRA

Ganesh Chaturthi

a family celebrating
Ganesh Chaturthi

Pan-India
A sweet dish called
modak is the main
prasad (offering) of
the festival.

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on a grand scale throughout

the state. Large painted clay idols of Ganesha are kept in
pandals for ten days. On the eleventh day, the idols are taken
out in a procession and immersed in the sea or a river.

Gudi Padwa

Gudi Padwa puja

Gudi Padwa marks the beginning of

the new year for the people of
Maharashtra. It is a harvest festival.
People worship the gudi on this Gudi is
the arrangement of
day. Gudi symbolizes good luck and a pot, flowers, leaves
prosperity. and cloth on a stick. 9
 NORTH-EASTERN REGION

The Hornbill Festival

The Hornbill Festival
is held annually in the
first week of December
near Kohima, Nagaland.
The state government
organizes the festival to
encourage inter-tribal
ties and to preserve
and celebrate the rich tribal performers rehearsing
heritage of the Naga people. their routine for the festival

Bihu
Assam celebrates Bihu in
spring, before harvest and
after harvest. Magh Bihu
is celebrated in January
or February. There is
community feasting and
distribution of rice cakes.
People sing Bihu songs
Bihu dance
and play the dhol.
Easter
Easter is celebrated in many
parts of the North-Eastern
states, Goa and Kerala. There
Pan-India

are candlelight processions and

prayer services in churches at
sunrise. Greetings and good
wishes are exchanged. Some
churches arrange thanksgiving Painted Easter eggs are a
10 feasts for the community. common sight during Easter.
 TA M I L N A D U

Pongal

A sweet dish called pongal is prepared during this festival.

Pongal is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated

on the first day of the Tamil month called Thai, around
mid-January.

Navaratri
Navaratri is celebrated
over a period of nine
nights. During this
festival, Goddess Shakti
is worshipped. A variety
Pan-India

of special snacks called

sundal is made during this
festival. It is also celebrated
in Telangana, Karnataka,
Maharashtra and West
Bengal.
People set up bommai (doll)
golu for Navaratri – the artistic
display of dolls on steps.
11
 Tamil New Year
Tamil New Year, also called Tamil Puthandu, is celebrated
on the first day of the Tamil month Chitirai, around
mid-April. People wear new clothes and offer prayers.

› ¹ˆî£‡´ ï™
îI õ£
ò › ˆ¶
Q ‚è
Þ
œ

On Tamil New Year

day, the entrance
of the houses is
decorated with
kolams (patterns
drawn on the floor
using rice powder).

vadai payasam
Dishes such as vadai and payasam are
prepared during this festival.
12
 TELANGANA

Eid

believers
gathered for
Eid prayer

Pan-India
Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of the Ramadan month of
fasting. People offer special prayers, exchange gifts, organize
community feasts and support charity on this day. It is also
celebrated in parts of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Kerala,
Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Bonalu

a folk art
performance
during Bonalu

The Bonalu festival is celebrated in July or August.

Special prayers are offered to Goddess Kali. Rice is cooked
with milk and jaggery in a pot adorned with neem leaves,
turmeric and vermilion. 13
 My Favourite Festivals
Paste pictures of any two of your favourite festivals.

14
 My State
Paste pictures of any two popular festivals celebrated in
your state*.

*If you live in a Union Territory, paste suitable pictures. 15

 an ISO 9001:2015 and 14001:2015 company
Virat Bhavan, Commercial Complex, Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi 110009
PHONE: (011) 47038000 u FAX: (011) 47038099
rsagar@ratnasagar.com u ratnasagar.com u ratnasagar.co.in