Indian Festival Guides

Baisakhi is a harvest festival, a Punjabi new year festival, and commemoration of the founding of the Khalsa (Sikh religion brotherhood) all rolled into one occasion.

Buddha Jayanti, also known as Buddha Purnima, commemorates the birthday of Lord Buddha. It's the most sacred Buddhist festival. Find out where Buddha Jayanti is celebrated in India.

Christmas in India is more of a commercial occasion than a religious occasion. However, it's ardently celebrated in a traditional manner by Catholic communities.

The two week long Chithirai Festival is one of the biggest celebrations in Madurai. It re-enacts the wedding of Lord Sundareswarar (Lord Shiva) and Goddess Meenakshi (Lord Vishnu's sister).

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is India's biggest and most significant festival. It sees the whole country glowing under the light of lamps, candles, and fireworks.

Gangaur, an important festival of Rajasthan, is all about honoring the goddess Gauri. A manifestation of Parvati (Lord Shiva's wife), she represents purity and austerity.

The two day Hemis Festival commemorates the birth of Guru Padmasambhava, who founded Tantric Buddhism in Tibet. It's held in June or July every year at the 300-year-old Buddhist monastery of Hemis Jangchub Choling, near Leh.

Holi, Festival of Colors, is a fun festival where people cover each other in colored powder and water.

The best places to celebrate the Holi festival in India really depend on what kind of experience you want to have. See which of these five places, with totally different Holi festival celebrations, appeal.

The unique Hornbill Festival, named after the bird, is one of the largest celebrations of the indigenous warrior tribes of Nagaland.

The Jaipur Elephant Festival is a great opportunity to see the sturdy symbol of Rajput royalty, the elephant, at its finest and kick off Holi celebrations.

The exuberant Jaisalmer desert festival is a wonderful opportunity to experience the sandstone city of Jaisalmer and surroundings at their magical best. For three days in late January/early February, you can enjoy a host of weird and wacky activities.

The famous 600 year-old Karni Mata temple, near Bikaner in Rajasthan, is home to thousands of rats. Twice a year, pilgrims flock to the Karni Mata temple to worship Goddess Durga and her incarnations, in the form of the rats.

The Indian state of Kerala is filled with temples that are renowned for their elaborate and exotic festivals. The main attraction at these Kerala temple festivals is the elephants.

Snake boat races take place from July to September each year in and around Alleppey, in India's southern state of Kerala. These races, in long canoe style boats, often coincide with other festivals. Here's what you need to know about Kerala's snake boat races.

The Kila Raipur Rural Olympics is a rural sports festival that's grown over six decades, to become a sports bonanza that attracts competitors from around the globe. Bullocks, camels, dogs, mules, and other animals competing in highly professional events must be seen to be believed!

The festival of Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Govinda, is a celebration of Lord Krishna's birthday. Lord Krisha is revered for his wisdom about how to live life on Earth.

The Kumbh Mela in India is as mesmerizing as it is spiritual. This ancient northern Indian festival is a meeting of mystical minds. The Kumbh Mela brings Hindu holy men together to discuss their faith and disseminate information about their religion.

The next Kumbh Mela will be the 2010 Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Find out auspicious Kumbh Mela bathing dates here.

Here are some travel tips to keep in mind when planning your trip to attend the 2010 Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.

Nag Panchami, the festival of snakes, isn't for the feint hearted! This festival is all about the worship of snakes, which are especially dug out and gathered for the occasion.

Onam is a traditional ten day harvest festival in Kerala that marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali. It’s a festival rich in culture and heritage, and is the biggest celebration of the year there.

Every year, on the fourth day of the Onam Festival, a curious activity takes place at Swaraj Round in Thrissur. The tigers come to town!

Pongal is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu. Find out all you need to know about it in this guide.

An astonishing 50,000 camels converge on the tiny desert town of Pushkar, in India's state of Rajasthan, for the Pushkar Camel Fair. It's a fascinating and peculiar sight, and a great opportunity to witness an old traditional style Indian festival.

The Rath Yatra festival is based around the worship of Lord Jagannath (a reincarnation of Lord Krishna). It commemorates his annual visit to his aunt's home. The gods are transported through Puri on towering chariots.

Republic Day is an important national holiday in India. Find out the meaning of India Republic Day and how it's celebrated here.

A huge India Republic Day parade is held in Delhi every year. Find out all you need to know about it here.

India Republic Day Parade tickets are on sale from January 23 to January 25, before Republic Day on January 26. They are available from the following outlets.

The Teej festival is an important festival for married women, and much anticipated monsoon festival. It commemorates the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The festivities are most spectacular in Jaipur.

Do you have a favorite Mumbai Christmas Mass? Share your favorite midnight mass in Mumbai here and find out the favorites of others.

The Jaipur Literature Festival has grown in leaps and bounds from humble beginnings into an important literary event. Find out all you need to know about planning your trip and attending the festival here.