India is a land of rich culture and heritage. There are so many beautiful things about India that will leave you amazed. One such beautiful thing about India is its festivals. Festivals are at the heart of people’s lives in India. The wide variety of festivals celebrated wholeheartedly by Indians throughout the year offers a unique way of seeing Indian culture at its best.

Breaking the monotonous lifestyle, these festivals bring a wave of excitement and happiness in our lives. Intriguingly, every small or big occasion calls for celebration in India. Be it the arrival of spring, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama or harvesting of crops, each and every festival calls for a big celebration and union of different cultures.

There are a wide variety of festivals and if you go on to make a list, your list probably will never be finished, because there are so many! So to save you some time I have made a list of the top 12 festivals that will prove that life is a party. 

1. DIWALI - Festival of lights

Undoubtedly, Diwali or Deepawali, the festival of lights, tops this list. It is one of the most spectacular festivals celebrated all over India. "Deepawali" literally means rows of diyas. The country celebrates the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom after a 14 year long exile by lighting Diyas, decorating their houses, making beautiful rangolis, burning crackers, dressing beautifully and distributing sweets and gifts to their loved ones. Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth and prosperity) and Lord Ganesha (symbolises ethical beginnings) are also worshipped.

Diwali is known by many names across the country. It is known as kali puja in West Bengal and Odisha. It is a five day festival in Karnataka. In Sikhism, it is celebrated as Bandi chor Diwas. Diwali is dedicated to Lord Krishna. This festival sends a powerful message of the triumph of good over evil. Diwali Melas are organised all over the country.

So ignite the light of brotherhood and goodness in you through the festival of Diwali.

2. HOLI - Festival of colours

The festival of colours is another noteworthy name in the list of festivals, celebrated with a lot of fervour across the country. This festival signifies the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil. 

Holika Dahan takes place the night before Holi, where all negatives are burnt in a bonfire, people sing and dance around this cracking fire and the next day Holi is celebrated by throwing colours, water and good-natured pranks at each other. It is celebrated as lath maar Holi in Mathura and Vrindavan, where wives beat their husband’s shields with a lath.  Holi is a pandora box of wholesome fun and enjoyment. The sweetest part of Holi is the sweets and the main centre of attraction are Ghujias. Various parties are organised where people groove to the beats of different Holli songs, enjoying their glasses of bhaang and lassi and throwing water-filled balloons at each other. Immerse yourself in the colors of holi and forget all your worries.

3. NAVRATRI

Navratri is also known as sharad navartri is one of the major Hindu festivals and the celebrations do not end in one day. It is observed in the honor of Maa Durga. In Sanskrit the word Navratri means nine nights and being true to its name, this festival spans over a period of nine days and nights. In the north and west regions of India, the ninth day of navratri is celebrated as Kanjak by calling little girls or kanyas to their homes and feeding them a delicious feast. It is known as the world’s longest dance festival. It is the main festival of Gujarat, celebrated with garba nights and highly energetic dandiya raas dances. People dress up in beautiful and colourful Gujarati clothes and the ambience is youthful and energetic.

Fasting is a part of Indian tradition and this festival is celebrated by keeping fast for nine days. The significance of this festival is that it represents the celebration of Goddess Amba in nine different forms/

4. DUSSEHRA

Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashmi, marks the end of Navaratri as well as Durga puja. It is a prominent name in the list of Indian festivals. Like all festivals, Dussehra is celebrated differently in different states. In Mewar, Rajasthan it is observed as the festival of Rajputs. In some parts of India, it is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Lord Rama by defeating Ravana. While in some parts it is celebrated for Goddess Durga’s triumph over Mahisasura. Idols of Durga are immersed in water with hearty goodbyes. To enjoy Dussehra at its best one should take a trip to Grand Mysore Dasara. Mysore palace is decorated with around 1 lakh bulbs. The sight of the palace is breathtaking. The centre of attraction of this festival is the burning down of effigies of Ravana along with his two brothers, Kumbhkaran and Meghanad. The effigies are made with different kinds of materials and filled with firecrackers, resulting in a cacophony of sounds as the huge structure comes breaking down, presenting an unbelievable view leaving people in awe. The story of Lord Rama’s victory is presented through a play called Ramlila.

5. JANMASHTAMI

Janmashtami is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary  of Lord Krishna, born in the Mathura prison, who is considered the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. It is one of the most popular festivals in India. It is celebrated all over India but if you want to see the real festivities, then Vrindavan and Mathura is the place to go. Temples are decorated beautifully, packed with people visiting from all over the country waiting for the temple priest to unveil the idol of Lord Krishna at the exact time of his birth. In other states it is celebrated with much gusto, little children are dressed up as little Krishna, plays are organised to depict the story of Lord Krishna. It is believed that heavy downpours will happen on this day because when Lord Krishna was born it rained heavily on that day.

6. RAKSHABANDHAN

Rakshabandhan or Rakhi is a popular festival celebrating the eternal bond of brother and sister.  On this auspicious day sister ties rakhi (a sacred thread) on his brother’s wrist, applies tilak and performs an aarti (prayer). The brother in return gives her a gift and promises to protect her for a lifetime. It is a special occasion as cousins gather together, exchange sweets and reminisce about their childhood. It is celebrated widely in every state of India. The festival is believed to strengthen the bond between the brother and the sister. Another festival similar to Rakhi is Bhai Dooj, also a prominent festival among Indians. 

7. MAHA SHIVRATRI

Maha Shivratri, as the name indicates, is dedicated to the almighty Lord Shiva. On this auspicious day, people fast, dress up and worship Lord Shiva in Shiva temples, by chanting auspicious hymns. This event symbolizes the overcoming of ignorance and darkness in life. Unlike other Hindu festivals, this festival does not include cultural revelry. Devotees remain awake all night and perform the traditions. It is believed that whoever worships Lord Shiva on this auspicious day receives salvation and redemption from their sins. According to Hindu Mythology, it is celebrated on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalgun.

8. GANESH CHATURTHI

Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi holds a special significance for Hindus, among other Hindu festivals. This festival is quite famous in Maharashtra, Gujrat, Goa and Chattisgarh. It is famous all over India as it signifies the birth of a much loved Hindu deity, Lord Ganesha, also known as Bappa and Vighnaharta. Mandaps and pandals are placed in different places. Many cultural activities like dancing and singing take place. The festival spans over a period of 10 days. It starts with the installation of artistically crafted idols of Lord Ganesha in Hindu homes and public mandaps and ends with taking the idol to the seashore and immersing the idol in the water, bidding goodbyes to our Bappa. The walk from home to the seashore is filled with dancing and singing.

9. MAKAR SANKRANTI

People celebrate the new year on the eve of 31st December, but the real New Year of North Indians and Sikhs is celebrated on this day. This festival is celebrated based on the solar calendar.it marks the winter solstice and beginning of spring, which means the agricultural cycle for farmers. God is worshipped to seek his blessings on this special day. People celebrate this day by flying kites, making Bajre ki khichdi and sweet til Ke Laddoo. It is known by different names in different parts of India. Such as Lohri by North Indians and Uttrayan by Gujaratis.

Lohri is celebrated by bonfires, dhol, Nagada, eating Mungfali and Revdis, and singing traditional Lohri songs. 

Uttarayan is celebrated by flying kites of different colours, shapes and sizes. The sky looks colourful and beautiful on this day.

10. GURU PURAB

Guru Purab or Guru Nanak Jayanti is one of the most important Sikh festivals of India. This festival celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It has another name also, Guru Nanak’s Prakash Utsav. Gurudwaras are lit up beautifully with a spark of love and humanity. Langars (community meals) are organised in gurudwaras to feed the hungry. People light up their homes with lights and candles and even burst crackers, just like Diwali, to celebrate Gurupurab. Several observers travel to Gurudwara Nanaka Sahib in Pakistan, to mark this auspicious day.

11. EID UL FITR

Eid Ul Fitr is one of the prominent festivals of the Muslim community in India. It marks the end of Ramadan, which is the sacred month of fasting. This festival is celebrated by people visiting mosques in large numbers, attending a special prayer, dressed up in new clothes and making sumptuous buffets with sweets such as Sewaiyan. After offering prayers people meet their friends, family and feast with near and dear ones. This festival is celebrated on the day following the sighting of the crescent moon at night. Markets and mosques are decorated beautifully on this occasion and delicacies are sold in the market. Children are more excited for this day because they are given Idi, a small token of money as a gift and adults exchange greetings, sweets and gifts. 

12. CHRISTMAS

Christmas is celebrated every year on 25th December every year, celebrating the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ. Christmas trees are decorated with ribbons, gifts, electric lights, colourful stars, hanging balls and lamps. It holds a special place in the hearts of the Christian community. Since Christmas is followed by New Year, there is a festive spirit in the air. It is celebrated not only all over India but all over the globe. Not only children but adults also get excited about Christmas, because it is a festival of gifts and who doesn’t love gifts! It is Santa who is the centre of attraction because he is the one distributing gifts we wished for throughout the year. The warm smell of freshly baked cakes and cookies can be inhaled from a distance coming from every household. In India, not only houses but also Malls are decorated beautifully on this amazing day. Christmas sees the prevalence of Santa caps and reindeer head caps, decorating the heads of civilians. This day is celebrated with ecstatic joy and wonderful merriment.

This festival is celebrated by attending prayers at churches and feasting with friends and family. If you want to witness the real vibes of Christmas then you should visit Goa.

Thanks for reading this article. You have got good taste if you have read my whole article. I hope that this article provided you with the knowledge you were seeking.  I have put a lot of effort into this article and I made sure that you didn’t miss a single festival and I have given you the specific information you need to know about each and every festival. I know you have fallen in love with Indian culture and traditions again after reading this article. India has so many things that make you fall in love with it again and again and festivals are a major part of it.