Indian festivals reflect religious, social, and regional traditions, which represent family and community bonds

Hindi Translation: भारतीय त्यौहार धार्मिक, सामाजिक और क्षेत्रीय परंपराओं को दर्शाते हैं, जो पारिवारिक और सामुदायिक बंधनों का प्रतिनिधित्व करते हैं

Indian festivals form the foundation of Indian culture and religion. As we already known that India a Hindu-majority country that is fully rich with numerous traditions, cultures, and festivals celebrated throughout the year, offering something new to enjoy with family, friends, and society. Perhaps, as a reader, you may not be fully aware, but Indian Dharma (Hindu Dharma) is one of the oldest Dharma of belief, known for promoting mental peace and prosperity, influencing many peoples around the world who believe in spirituality, religion, truth, purity, goodness, and honesty.

Deep Meaning of Indian Harvest Festivals

Harvest Festivals are related to the roots of Indian agriculture, which are named according to the location and the harvested crop. Here are some festivals that are celebrated in India by location, such as Pongal, Onam, and Baisakhi, which reflect India’s agrarian roots.

• Pongal: The Tamil New Year festival, celebrated by the cooking of new rice.
• Onam: Primarily celebrated in Kerala for the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali and the Vamana avatar of the god Vishnu.
• Baisakhi: Celebrates the spring harvest of crops sown in winter (rabi crops). Vaisakhi is derived from the Sanskrit word "Vaisakh," which is the name of the Hindu lunar month.

Deep Discussion of Indian Festivals, Major Indian Festivals List with Descriptions

You know, India has something new to celebrate every month, sometimes festivals, marriage muhurat, parties, and some occasions and pujas that make India one of the well-cultured countries around the world. Just like that, here going to share some interesting Indian festivals that are gaining popularity around the world, and people love to celebrate them even whose not originally related to India.

India has very versatile festivals according to the location and state, but some festivals are very popular aroung the whole India, such as Holi, Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, Durga Puja, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc. You may sometimes learn that more than a hundred languages are spoken in India, they love to wear multiple types of dresses, as well as Indian people have a very special bonding to welcoming any guest just like god, which is why one paragraph much popular in India, "Atidhi Devo Bhava". Okay, without taking more time, let's come to our original topic and describe some important Indian festivals together.

1. Raksha Bandhan: Historical, Cultural, and Background

Raksha Bandhan (in Hindi also known as Rakhi, which is celebrated in the full moon day of the month of Shravan between July–August) festival describe the love, care, and strong bonding between siblings (between brothers and sisters), not just only between biological siblings, but also between cousins, friends, or even chosen "brothers and sisters". When it comes to the story of Raksha Bandhan or what exactly they do on Raksha Bandhan then first understand the meaning of both words, where Raksha means protection, and Bandhan means bond or tie. In general, day of Raksha Bandhan festivals, the sisters put a Raksha (you can also say that Hand Bracelet, which is made with both metal and normal threads) on their brothers' right hand and pray to the god to take care (protect) of both siblings from any harmful activity and stay away from negativity.

Mythological VS Modern Significance of Raksha Bandhan

In terms of mythological and historical significance, when Lord Krishna injured his finger, Draupadi tore a piece of her saree and tied it to his wound. Moved by her care, Krishna promised to protect her forever, a bond that inspired Raksha Bandhan. But in modern times, the Raksha Bandhan festival goes beyond, symbolising unity, family love, and mutual respect.

2. Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the biggest festivals in India, celebrated by Hindus. Being an Indian visitor, you may know all about the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, but being an international visitor, you may not understand, and many questions may arise in your mind, like why do Indian people celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi? What is the main story behind the Ganesh Chaturthi festival? Why is the Ganesh Chaturthi festival held for 10 days? Here is the whole story of why to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi:

Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, Vinayaka Chavithi, or Vinayagar Chaturthi, is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birthday of the deity Ganesh. According to mythological tradition, the festival is observed for ten days to commemorate an event in which Sage Vyasa narrated the Mahabharata epic to Lord Ganesh, who diligently wrote it down over this period.

Maharashtra is one of the Indian states that celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in a traditional manner, and here the Ganesh Chaturthi festival is much more popular compared to other states that do not celebrate this festival. People in other states also celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, but Maharashtrian people go beyond. During the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Maharashtra, you can easily see each family bringing the Ganesh Murti (a statue made of mud) into their home and performing puja every day in the morning and evening. After completing the puja, they perform the "Murti Visarjan" (मूर्ति विसर्जन).

What is the basic process of Murti Visarjan in Ganesh Chaturthi?

According to traditional rituals, on the last day of the puja, known as Murti Visarjan, people perform the final aarti, conduct the puja, and chant mantras. The murti is then lifted into the water three times while chanting phrases such as "Ganpati Bappa Morya". (मूर्ति विसर्जन एक पारंपरिक प्रक्रिया है जिसमें सबसे पहले मूर्ति की अंतिम पूजा और आरती की जाती है फिर उसे उठाया जाता है और जल के पास ले जाया जाता है। जल में मूर्ति को तीन बार डुबकी लगवाकर "गणपति बप्पा मोरया" जैसे नारे लगाकर विसर्जित किया जाता है।).

3. Durga Puja: Victory of goddess Durga

Before discussing the topic of Durga Puja, it's important to understand that Navratri, which held for nine days, is a major festival for Hindus, celebrated twice a year (once in April and again in October). During these nine days, devotees worship nine different goddesses, known as the Navadurga: Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri.

Durga Puja, also referred to as Durgotsav or Sharadotsav, commemorates the victory of the Hindu goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. According to Wikipedia, Durgotsav and Sharadotsav are celebrated over six days: Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami, and Vijayadashami. This festival is particularly prominent in the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Odisha, and Tripura, many of which observe a five-day annual holiday during this time.

In addition to Western India, Durga Puja is also celebrated in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. Furthermore, Durga Puja holds significance as a major festival in Nepal, which has a 91% Hindu population, and in Bangladesh, where around 8% of the population identifies as Hindu.

4. Dussehra Festival: Victory of good over evil

Dussehra is one of the most popular festivals in Hinduism, celebrated on the tenth day following the nine-day Navratri festival. Typically, Dussehra falls in either October or November. To provide a better understanding, Navratri is a nine-day festival that honours the goddess Durga, while Dussehra marks the conclusion of Navratri and symbolises the triumph of good over evil.

If you're unfamiliar with the significance of Dussehra, you might be wondering, "Why do we celebrate Dussehra?" The answer is that on this day, we celebrate Lord Rama's victory over the demon king Ravana, as well as Goddess Durga's triumph over the buffalo demon Mahishasura.

5. Diwali: Dipawali

Diwali is one of the largest Hindu festivals in India, typically celebrated in October or November each year. During the Diwali festival, people perform a puja (worship) to Maa Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh, seeking blessings for wealth (संपत्ति, धन, दौलत), health (स्वास्थ्य, सेहत, आरोग्य), and prosperity (समृद्धि). The Diwali puja generally spans five days, beginning with Dhanteras. On Dhanteras, it is customary for people to purchase items that symbolize the increase of wealth, such as gold and silver jewelry, vehicles (like cars, bikes, and cycles), and kitchen tools made of metals.

Diwali, also known as the Hindu festival of lights, holds religious significance for Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists as well. This festival symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. According to Hindu mythology, Diwali is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and his brother Lakshmana to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, during which Rama defeated the demon king Ravana. For Jains, Diwali commemorates the release of Guru Hargobind Singh from prison in 1619.

6. Makar Sankranti or Bhogi

Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival celebrated annually on January 14 (or January 15 in a leap year) as a mid-winter harvest festival in India and Nepal. This festival is known by various names depending on the language and region in India. For example, it is called Uttarayana in Jammu, Sankranti in Odisha and Karnataka, Til Sakraat in Mithila, and Magha in Assam. Other variations include Môkôr Sôṅkrānti in Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Goa, and West Bengal; Mela and Ghughuti in Uttarakhand; Pedda Panduga in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana; Bhogi and Sakraat in Rajasthan; Pongal in Tamil Nadu; Maghi Saaji in Himachal Pradesh; Makaravilakku in Kerala; Sakrat in Haryana; Khichaṛi in the Bhojpuri region; and Sankramana.

Makar Sankranti Celebrations in Various Countries Around the World

In addition to India, Makar Sankranti is celebrated in various countries under different names. For instance, it is known as Maghe Sankranti in Nepal, Songkran in Thailand, Thingyan in Myanmar, and Mohan Songkran in Cambodia.

7. Holi: Color Full Holi

Holi, or Colourful Holi, is also one of the biggest Indian Hindu festivals, which is celebrated to express the Love and Spring of colours, as well as the eternal and divine love of the deities Radha and Krishna. It is mostly celebrated in the month of March in general, but maybe sometimes it is also celebrated in the early days of April, according to the Nakshatra of Hindu Dharma.

Just like Makar Sankranti, Holi also known by the multiple names according to the language proficiency such as in Hindi: होली, Gujarati: હોળી, Kannada: ಹೋಳಿ, Marathi: होळी, Nepali: होली, Punjabi: ਹੋਲੀ, Telugu: హోళి, Odia: ହୋଲି, Bengali: বসন্ত উৎসব, Assamese: ফাকুৱা, Nepali: फागु पूर्णिमा, Odia: ଦୋଳଯାତ୍ରା, and Bhojpuri: 𑂤𑂏𑂳𑂄, Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dola Purnima, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, Ukuli, Manjal Kuli, Yaosang, Shigmo, Phagwah, or Jajiri.

What do Indian people generally do on the day of the Holi festival?

According to the data of the very basic and ground level of Indian villages and towns, people love to celebrate Holi in their own style by spending their time making some special sweets and foods which they share with their friends, family and neighbours to express their love for them. As well as many people also enjoy a traditional drink known as Thandai, made from specific ingredients that some may find difficult to handle. This drink is particularly popular among men, though women enjoy it as well.

8. Eid Mubarak

Eid or Eid al-Fitr (عيد الفطر) festival is one of the main festival in Islam that is not only celebrate in India. It is world popular festival in all Islamic countries, including Egypt, Nigeria, Tunisia, Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa, Morocco, Sudan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, China mainland, Taiwan, Turkey, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Guyana, Argentina, and Australia.

On the day of the Eid festival, people enjoy gathering with their families and friends, greeting each other with the phrase "Eid Mubarak." They share large meals that often feature special dishes and sweets. Additionally, children receive many gifts and money from their elders as a token of love, which is known as "Eidi."