It is well known that no other country holds so many festivals of antiquity as does India. Each festival brings an episode of some remote past back to the memory. Owing to its religious and regional variations, India has a number of festivals.
There are said to be more number of festivals in India, than there are days in a year. The religious and national ones are celebrated with great gaiety. The cultural ones attract many great artists from all over India. Hardly a day passes without a festival taking place somewhere in India. They range from small one-day village or temple functions to weeklong art functions.
In India, during the pre-historic Indus valley civilization (3000BC to 1500BC) people had been celebrating various occasions of joy. This is evident from the archaeological excavations at Mohenjadaro and Harappa. Those practices continued during the Epic and Vedic times (800-300BC). During the Mauryan times functions like birthday, marriages, return from a victory were indeed a grand show of wealth and pomp. Festive assemblies like Utsavs were held by the Kings to entertain people where delicious food and drinks were supplied. Such social festivals continued to be popular during the imperial Gupta age too. Festivals accompanied the worship of Gods and Goddesses.
Only a few of the festivals take place on a particular date. Most of them follow the lunar calendar and hence the exact date of the festivals varies from year to year. Muslim holidays and Muslim festivals follow the Islamic calendar. Most of the cultural festivals take place during the winter season. Most of the days of the festivals are not determined by the pre-set dates of a linear calendar, but according to the waxing and the waning of the moon. Fairs and festivals are moments of remembrance and commemoration of the birthdays and the deeds of great gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, gurus, prophets and saints. Seasonal or secular festivals underline the unity that draws together seemingly diverse groups.
For the men, festivals mean display of valour and virility through various races like the boat races of Kerala, or wrestling matches and animal fights. For the women it means cleaning the house and decorating it according to their artistic inclinations and proving their culinary skills to satisfy their wards and their hubbies. For the children, it is a time to be away from the tedious schools, with savories to munch all the time, new costumes and plenty of free time to roam around with their friends. Festivals also reinforce the presence of God in the life of the individual, the family and the community as a whole.
LIST OF FESTIVALS - 2023
| New Year's Day |
1st, January |
Id-Ul-Fitr
* |
23rd, April |
| Lohri |
14th,
January |
Independence Day |
15th,
August |
| Makara Sankranti |
14th, January |
Raksha Bandan |
30th, August |
| Republic Day |
26th, January |
Gokula Astami |
6th, September |
| Vasanth Panchami |
26th, January |
Id - Ul - Zuha * |
28th, June |
| Maha Shivratri |
18th, February |
Muharram |
29th, July |
| Holi |
8th, March |
Gandhi Jayanthi |
2nd, October |
| Good Friday |
7th, April |
Dussera |
24th, October |
| Easter |
9th,
April |
Diwali |
12th, November |
| Ram Navami |
30th, March |
Govardan Puja |
14th, November |
| Baisakhi |
14th, April |
Guru Nanak Jayanthi |
27th,
November |
| Tamil New Year |
14th, April |
Id- Ul - Milad * |
28th, September |
| Mahavir Jayanthi |
4th, April |
Christmas |
25th, December |
RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS OF INDIA - (2023)
Hindu Festivals
| Makara Sankranthi/Pongal |
January, 14th |
| Maha Shivratri |
February, 18th |
| Holi |
March, 8th |
| Telugu New Year |
March, 22nd |
| Tamil New Year |
April, 14th |
| Ram Navami |
March, 30th |
| Mahavir Jayanthi |
April, 4th |
| Onam festival |
August, 31st |
| Gokula Ashtami |
September ,6th |
| Ganesh Chathurthi |
September,19th |
| Dussehra |
October,24th |
| Diwali |
November,12th |
Christian Festivals
Buddhist Festivals
Jewish Festivals
| Purim |
March 6th - March 7th |
| Passover 1st Day |
April, 6th |
| Jewish New Year |
September 15th - September 17th |
| Day of Atonement |
September 24th - September 25th |
| Tabernacles |
September 29th- October 6th |
Sikh Festivals
| Birthday of Guru Gobind |
January , 20th |
| Baisakhi |
April, 14th |
| Martyrdom of ArjanDev |
June, 16th |
| Gurunanak Jayanthi |
November, 27th |
| TeghBahadur Martyr Day |
November, 24th |
Islamic Festivals
| Id-Ul-Zuha * |
June 28th - June 29th |
| Al- Hijira( Muslim Newyear) |
July 18th - July 19th |
| Muharram |
July, 29th |
| Milad-Un-Nabi* |
September 26th - September 27th |
| Id-e-Milad |
September 26th - September 27th |
| Lailat-Al-IsrawaAl-Miraj |
February , 18th |
| Ramadan 1st |
March , 23rd |
| Id-ul-fitr |
April 21st - April 22nd |
| Ramzan Id |
April 21st - April 22nd |
| * Subject to appearance of Moon |
NATIONAL FESTIVALS OF INDIA - (2023)
FESTIVALS OF INDIA