Most Famous Festivals of India to Celebrate with Friends and Family

They say we ought to rejoice in life, not just special occasions. In a nation like India, where there are an endless number of fiestas that reflect our customs and culture, life is essentially defined by festivals. These celebrations generate a rush of joy and excitement that breaks the monotony of everyday life. It’s interesting to note that celebrations are thrown in India for nearly all occasions, big and little. There are always things to celebrate, whether it’s the arrival of spring, the harvest of crops, or something else entirely. Taking in the country’s joyful vibe is like celebrating life with lots of colours, music, dance, folk songs, cuisine, and friends packed into a package.

You must personally experience the unique spirit and flavor of each Indian celebration. We present to you a carefully curated collection of India’s most well-known, colorful, and extensively observed festivals, which showcase this nation’s rich cultural heritage.

1. Diwali

One of the famous festivals of India is Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is without a doubt the most magnificent celebration observed throughout the Indian subcontinent. This famous festival of India is Hindu festival of lights, which is observed all around the nation, and is welcomed in the fall. People decorate their homes with lights, candles, and clay lamps, pop crackers, and exchange gifts and candies with relatives and close friends to commemorate the festivities. Given that it’s a new moon celebration, the scene is made even more enchanting by the glistening lights and lamps. Diwali, a celebration celebrating Lord Rama’s homecoming with his spouse following a 14-year banishment, and his victory over Ravana, represents the ultimate triumph of humanity over evil. You can visit Rama’s janmabhoomi, the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, during this event.

Also Read:- 5 Hot Destinations To Spend A Long Weekend On the Occasion Of Diwali

2. Holi

Another notable and famous festival of India is named on the list of Indian holidays is Holi. Celebrated as a celebration of colours and love, it marks the coming of springtime and the triumph of purity over evil. It is wildly and enthusiastically observed across the nation. Huge bonfires are lit, and people gather around the roaring fire to sing and dance, signifying the demise of the legendary demoness Holika. They paint each other with both wet and dry paints of different hues on the occasion of the Holi celebration. Some of the essential activities on this famous festival of India include sipping bhang thandai, a desi cocktail created with Indian spices, and experimenting with water pistols and balloons stuffed with colored water.

Also Read:- How To Celebrate Holi In Mathura And Vrindavan 2024

3. Navratri

Famous festivals of India are one of the main holidays is Navratri, which is celebrated for weeks on end. Navratri means “nine nights” in Sanskrit. This famous festival of India  lasts for nine days and nights, as its name suggests. The Hindu deity Shakti is adored in various forms during Navratri. Men, women, and children clothed in colourful traditional garb enjoy the lively Dandiya Raas and Garba dances during the Navratri celebrations in North India.

Also Read:-  10 Reasons India Should be your Favorite Tourist Destination

4. Durga Puja

Religious festival of India is Durga Puja, which is celebrated for four days with great fanfare and merriment, is an emblem of cultural belonging for Bengalis. It is one of the Famous festivals of India, especially in the states of West Bengal, Assam, India Odisha, Tripura, Jharkhand in and Bihar. Huge clay statues of the ten-armed Hindu deity Durga and her four kids are venerated in specially constructed mandaps during Durga Puja. Individuals get dressed up, grab their family and friends, and head out pandal hopping. The goddess idol is submerged in water to mark the conclusion of the celebration.

Also read:- Top 5 Places to Visit During Durga Puja Break

5. Dussehra

Durga Puja and Navratri come to a close on Dussehra. It is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami and is an established name in the Indian festival calendar. On these Religious festivals of India there are several ways that people celebrate Dussehra around the nation. While it is observed in some states to honor Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana, others celebrate Goddess Druga’s victory over Mahishasura. Dussehra is celebrated with Ramlila enactments and the torching of enormous effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran, and Meghnad. In India, the ideal site to celebrate Dussehra is Mysore in Karnataka. Due to its widespread celebration across the nation, Dussehra is regarded as one of India’s top ten festivals.

6. Janmashtami

Krishna, the deity who is regarded as Lord Vishnu’s eighth avatar, was born on Janmashtami. It is the most important Religious festival of India, observed with great fanfare and grandeur throughout the nation. On these Famous festivals of India, people cook and give a variety of bhog to Lord Krishna and settle him at temples and in  their houses. The two ancient Indian locations of Krishna’s birth and boyhood, Mathura and Vrindavan, are the scene of opulent festivities complete with songs and dances. Little children frequently dressed up as Krishna, the Hindu deity, on this particular occasion. The festival’s dioramas, which depict the tale of the midnight of the virgin birth and include tiny mountains, a river that represents the Yamuna, and the Kansa prison where Devki was imprisoned. It is a very famous Religious festival of India.

7. Ganesh Chaturthi

One of the important festivals of India is Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, is one of the most important Indian holidays for Hindus. The celebration honours the birth of Lord Ganesha, a beloved Hindu god. The celebrations take place over ten days with colourful events. Installing beautifully made Ganesha idols in residences and public mandaps is the first step in the ritual. People joyfully and fervently worship the deity. The celebrations come to a close on the ninth day when the idol is submerged in water.  On this important festival of India, everyone celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi, particularly in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh.        

8. Raksha Bandhan

Rakhi, also known as Rakshabandhan, one of the important festivals of India, honours the relationship between a brother and a sister. Sisters adorn their brothers’ wrists with talismans or amulets at this well-known Hindu holiday. On their part, the brothers agree to protect their sisters in an emergency and give them a gift. For siblings of all ages, the celebration is quite important. Innumerable Bollywood films have also used it to emphasise the sentimental brother-sister relationship.

9. Makar Sankranti

One of the few Indian holidays observed according to the solar calendar is Makar Sankranti, One of the famous festivals of India  As the sun enters the constellation of Capricorn, it signifies the autumn hemisphere and the start of longer days. In India, the event is referred to and observed by several names. For example, it is observed as Sukarat in Central India, Pedda Panduga in Bangalore and the state of Andhra Pradesh, Maghi in North India, and Thai Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu. Makar Sankranti is also celebrated in a number of other states, including the state of West Bengal, Tripura, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and many more places. People participate in a variety of customs and rituals to commemorate the day, such as kite flying, presenting water to the Sun God, and having a plunge in the Ganges.