Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Baisakhi, and Holi are Indian harvest festivals celebrated in various parts of the country. People take dips in rivers, worship the sun, fly kites, and throw colored powders at each other. Republic Day on January 26 marks the adoption of India's constitution and is celebrated with parades and cultural performances in state capitals and New Delhi. Other festivals mentioned include Gangaur, Raksha Bandhan, Independence Day, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navaratri/Dussehra/Durga Puja, Diwali, Christmas, and various regional festivals held throughout the year showcasing local arts,

1. Makar Sankranti / Pongal : These are celebrated predominantly inthe southern partof India. Thisharvestfestival marksthe
commencementof the sun'sjourney tothe Northern Hemisphere. Peopletake dipsinrivers andworship the sunInGujarat,
Makar Sankranti iscelebrated bythe flyingof kites.
RepublicDay: RepublicDay, whichmarksthe anniversary of the adoption of India's Constitution (January 26,
1950) isan importantnational occasion. Inthe state capitals, colourful pageantsandparades are
held. The mostspectacularcelebrations are heldinNew Delhi, where amagnificentparade of the
ArmedForces and civilians isaccompanied byanimpressivecultural pageant. Thisisfollowed
by a colourful folk dance festival bytroupes fromdifferentpartsof India.
Gangaur : "Gangaur" is the colourful andthe one of the most importantfestivals
of people of Rajasthanandisobserved throughoutthe state with
great fervouranddevotion bywomenfolk whoworship Gauri, the consortof Lord ShivaduringMarch–April.
Baisakhi: Thisis HinduSolarNew Year Day observed inmany partsof the country. It fallsonApril 13, though
once in 36 yearsit occurs on14th April.Itis a religious festival
whenpeople bathe inriversandgoto temples toofferworship. Forthe Sikhcommunity,
Baisakhi isof special significance. Onthisdayin1699, Guru GobindSingh organised the Sikhs
intothe 'Khalsa'. In Punjab, farmersstarttheirharvestingoperations onthisday withgreatfanfare.
Holi : Amongthe mostcolourful of India'sfestivals isHoli, observed all overIndia. Itisafestival in
whichmen, womenandchildren revelinthrowingcoloured powderandsquirtingcoloured water
on theirfriends. Greetingandsweetsare exchanged. Itiscelebrated every yearinthe monthof Phalguna(February-March).
Raksha Bandhan : isan integral partof the Hindufamily structure wherebyawomantiesa rakhi or decorative threadonthe
wristof her brotherto remindhimtoprotecther if the need arises.RakshaBandhan, celebrated inIndiainthe monthof Shrav
ana (July-August), isanage oldfestival whichstrengthens the bondof love betweenbrotherandsister.
Independence Day: The anniversary of India'sindependence commemorates the day onAugust15th. The prime Minister
delivers anaddress fromthe rampartsof Delhi's RedFort. It is celebrated all overthe country withmeetings andflag-
hostingceremonies.
Janamashtami : The festival of Janmashtami isobserved inthe monthof Bhadra(August-September) inhonour
of Lord Krishnawhowasborn onthisday at Mathura. It is celebrated witheclatatMathura and
Vrindavan where LordKrishnaspenthischildhood. Night-longprayersare heldandreligious
hymnsare sungintemples. Scenes are enactedfromLordKrishna's early life.
GaneshChaturthi : Thisfestival iscelebratedthroughoutIndiainthe monthof Bhadra (August-September) inhonour
of the popularelephantheadedGod, Ganesha. Pune, madras, andBombay are
the importantcenters of celebration. InMaharashtra, huge imagesof Ganeshaare carriedin procession. Onspecificdatesin
the followingtendays, these imagesare immersed inthe seaorrivers withthousands of worshippers dancingandsinging
afterthem.
Navaratri/Dussehra/Durga Pooja. : Dussehra, one of the mostpopularfestivals of Indiaiscelebrated all overthe country fort
endays inthe month of Asvina(September-October). The Navaratri festival endswithDussehrato
celebrate Rama'svictory overRavana. Every region celebrates thisten-day festivalinaspecial
way. In NorthIndia, itis 'RamLila'and consists of plays, recitations andmusicwhichrecall the
heroicand moral deedsof the legendary hero, Rama. InKulu, againstthe backdrop of now-
covered mountains, villagersdressed intheircolourful bestassemble totake outa procession of
local deities, withpipesanddrums inattendance. InMysore, the festival iscelebratedwithpomp
and pageantry reminiscentof medievaltimes. InBengal andotherpartsof EasternIndia,
Dussehraiscelebrated asDurga Puja. Imagesof the goddess are worshipped fortendaysand
on the lastday are takenoutin procession andimmersed inariverorthe sea.

2. Diwali or Deepawali : Diwali, the festival of lights,isobserved inhonourof goddess Lakshmiinthe monthof Kartika
(October-November). One of the happiestof Indianfestivals, Diwaliisanoccasionof great
excitementandrejoicingall overthe country. Every city, townandvillage isturnedintoa
fairylandwiththousands of flickeringoil lampsandelectriclightsilluminatinghomesandpublicbuildings.
Christmas : The birth anniversary of JesusChristiscelebrated byChristiansandnon-Christians alike,with
special enthusiasminbigcitieslikeDelhi, Bombay andCalcutta, where shops andhomes take
on a festive air.Familiesgettogetherarounddecorated treesandgiftsare exchanged. On
ChristmasEve, midnightservices are heldinchurches.
Taj Mahotsav, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
A 10-day event, the Taj Mahotsav is a culturally vibrant platform that brings together the finest Indian crafts and cultural
nuances.Startingon18 Februaryeach yearinShilpgram, the Taj Mahotsav isa muchawaitedevent.Itisa festive introducti on
to India and Uttar Pradesh. India's extensive arts, crafts and culture are on display. Folk music, shayari (poetry) and classical
dance performances as well as elephant and camel rides, games and a food festival, all form a part of the festivities.
Nishagandhi Dance Festival, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
The Nishagandhi open-air theatre in the palace compound holds a dance festival every year. Renowned dancers perform
Bharat Natyam,Mohiniyattam,Kathak,Odissi,modern ballet and other folk forms. Artist and connoisseurs of dance from all
over India come to enjoy this cultural treat. The festival organised by the Tourism Development Corporation is free and is
usually accompanied with music.
GardenFestival,Delhi
A spectacularflowershowheldinDelhi,everyFebruary,where varieties of flowersandexoticplantsare ondisplay.Organised
by Delhi Tourism,thisannual eventshowcasesthousandsof varietiesof flowers.Flowerenthusiastsandhorticulturistsfind
have a fieldday.Apartfromthis,paintingcompetitionsforchildren,art campfor buddingartistsandthematiccultural shows
to entertainthe visitorsare alsoheld.
Elephant Festival, Jaipur, Rajasthan
The Elephant Festival is held every year a day before Holi. The festival begins with a procession of elephants, camels, and
horses,paintedandtastefullyattiredwithornamentsandembroideredvelvet,followed by lively folk dancers. The elephants
greet the visitors, offer garlands to the guests and walk past the ramp before a jury of experts and tourists who select the
Best-decoratedElephant.Elephantracesandelephantpolo matches are special features. The tug of war between elephants
and men is probably the most exhilarating highlight of the festival.
Urs, Ajmer,Rajasthan
The Urs are heldatAjmereveryyearat the tomb of the Sufi SaintKhwajaMoinuddinChisti,commemoratinghissymbolic
unionwithGod.Pilgrimsfromall overthe worldgathertopay homage.Qawalis(poems) are presentedinthe saint'shonour
and religiousassemblies(mehfils) and'fatihas'(massprayers) are held.The lakesidetownattractsthousandsof devoteesof all
faithsonthe occasion.
International Mango Festival, Delhi
The International MangoFestival, held annually in Delhi, during early summer, is a two-day festival showcasing mangoes. It
has beenheldsince 1987. More than 550 varietiesand cultivars of mango are featured in the festival for visitors to view and
taste. Cultural programmes make this a lively event.

3. Teej, Rajasthan and Chandigarh
Thisswingfestival welcomes the advent of the monsoon. Swings are hung from trees and decorated with flowers. Women,
colourfully attired, swing on them and sing songs in celebration. The occasion is also dedicated to the Goddess Parvati,
commemorating her union with Lord Shiva, and the festival celebrates marital bliss, well-being of spouse and children and
purification of own body and soul.
Ellora Festival,Maharashtra
Thisfestival of dance andmusicisheldeveryMarch in the splendidsurroundingsof the world-heritage listedcave templeof
Ellora, about30 km fromAurangabad,Maharashtra. The festival showcasesIndia'srenownedartistsinmusicanddance with
the cavesforminga splendidbackdrop.Itisa unique andcharmingwayto experience the magnificentcaves,andimbibe
centuriesof historyandculture.ThisfestivalisorganisedbyMaharashtraTourismDevelopmentCorporation(MTDC).
Navaratri
Navaratri iscelebratedfornine consecutive nightsinpraise of LordRam(heroof the epicRamayana) andGoddessDurga.
Continuouschantingfromthe greatepic'Ramayana',alongwitheveningperformancesfromthe episodesof hislifeare held
for nine days.Navaratri isa combinationof manyconcepts,withthe commontheme of the victoryof goodoverevil.The most
joyouscelebrationof Navaratri isseen inGujarat,Karnataka,Tamil Naduand Bengal.InGujarat,everynightpeople gatherin
courtyardsto dance the Garba and DandiyaRaas, a communitydance inwhichmenandwomendressedinfestive clothes
dancinginpairs withDandiyaorpaintedwoodensticks.
Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan
Thisfair isheldat Pushkartown,11 kmfrom Ajmer,for12 daysannually.Thiscultural,trade andreligiousfairisanattractive
and livelyspectacle withRajasthani menandwomenintheircolourful traditional attire,saffron-robedandashsmeared
Sadhus(holymen) andthousandsof bulls,cows,sheep,goats,horsesandcamelsinrichlydecoratedsaddles.Perhapsthe
largestcattle fairinthe world,itattracts more than 1,00,000 people,fromall overIndiaandabroad.Apartfrom the religious
ritualsandtrading,people participateinanumberof cultural and sportingevents.
Konark Dance Festival,Orissa
The sun temple inKonarkisfamedasa worldheritage site.Thisisthe venue of ajoyousfestival of classical dance andmusic
whichisheldannuallyinDecember.A hostof celebrateddancersfromall overthe countryperforminthe openair
auditorium.The festival isacelebrationof the muchappreciatedOdissi,BharatNatyam, Manipuri,KathakandChaudance,a
lavishfeastforthe eyesandears.A crafts mela,withavarietyof handicraftsandcuisine,isalsoorganisedduringthe fe stival.
The festival isjointlyorganisedbyOrissaTourismandOdissi ResearchCentre.
Marwar Festival, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
It isa festival devotedtothe musicand dance of the Marwar regionandwas originallyknownas Maand Festival. Held for two
days,itsmain attractionisthe folkmusiccanteredonthe romanticlifestyle of Rajasthan'srulers. The folk dancers and singers
assemble atthe festival andprovide livelyentertainment.Amongotherattractionsatthe festival isthe camel tattooshow and
polo.
ElephantFestival
ElephantFestival isafestival celebratedin JaipurcityinRajasthanstate inIndia.Itisheldon the day of Holi festival,usuallyin
the monthof March. The festival featuresElephantpolo andElephantDance.The Elephant Festival beginswithabeautiful
processionof bedeckedelephants,camels,horsesandfolkdancers.The ownersproudlyembellishtheirelephantswithvibrant

4. colors,jhools(saddle cloth)andheavyjewellery.Itisquite atreat to see female elephantswearinganklets,whichtinkle as
theywalk.One can see people sprinkling'gulaal'(coloredpowder) perchedontopof the elephant.The mostbeautifully
decoratedelephantisawarded.Elephantpolo,Elephantrace,the tug-of-warbetweenElephantand19 menand womenare
the featuredeventsof the festival.The elephantsare alsooutfittedineardanglersandbrocade scarvestoembellishtheir ears
and necks.The Mahouts,who are knownas the caretakersof the elephants,decorate the foreheadsof the animalswithhead-
platesaswell asgarnishtheirtuskswithgold,silverbraceletsandrings.Othereventsthattake place duringthe festival
include apolomatch and a tug of war contest,where the strongestelephantischosentocompete againstagroupof ten
people.
Althoughthe festivalisprimarilybasedonelephants,otheranimalssuchascamelsandhorsesalsoparticipate inthe elephant
festival.
The WinterFestival at Mount Abu, Rajasthan
Winterfestival isheldannuallyfrom29–31 December.The festival isjointlyorganisedbythe RajasthanTourismDevelopment
Corporationandthe Municipal Board of Mount Abu.[1]
Mount Abu,situatedatan altitude of 1,219 m above sealevel,isthe only hill station inRajasthan.
The WinterFestival featurestraditional dancing,concerts,fairs,andafireworksdisplay;participantsincludefolkartists from
majorly Rajasthanandalsofrom Haryana,Punjab,Madhya PradeshandGujarat.The festival openswithaprocessionto Nakki
Lake.
Otherattractionsof the festival include stage performance of Sufi Kathak andfolkdancessuchasDaph, Ghoomarand Gair,
and entertainmentssuch askite-flying,hotairballooning,cricket,gillidanda,poetryreadingandmusicperformances.
Khumbh Mela:
Kumbh Mela isa very big fairand the largestgatheringof Hindupilgrims, celebratedevery twelve yearsatfourholy placesPra
yag
(Allahabad), Haridwar, UjjainandNashik. The grandeventheldbyrotation, onthe banksof the sacredriverGodavari, Kshipra,
Yamuna andThe Gange.
Duringthisbig fairHindus pilgrims gatheratthe sacredGanges riverforholy bath. The majorattractionsof thisbiggestreligio
us fairare the procession of NagaSadhu“Holy Menof India”and procession of Akharasmarching.
THE GOACARNIVAL -
Goa The exuberantcarnival isheldforaweek every yearinGoajust before Lentinmonthof
December.All of Panaji goeswildforthatperiodand itisa time of feastingandfun,of dances, ballsandparades.
Withthe parade, the festival getsoff toaspectacularstart and the fun-lovingGoansmake the mostof theircarnival
before settingdown tothe solemnity atLent.
DesertFestival
The desertfestival celebrated inthe golden cityof Jaisalmerhasanaura of its own. The
festival becomes lively withlegionsof puppeteers, acrobats, andfolk dancersaddsplashes
of color. Camel races are of great significance and camel polo is a big attraction. The
turban-tyingcompetitions andthe best-dressed Rajputcontestsaddtothisthree daylongfestival.