10 Most Popular Religious Festivals of India

Festivals are the celebration of togetherness in India.

The wide variety of festivals celebrated in India is a true manifestation of its rich culture and traditions.

They play an important role to build a better society, where positive values flourish and the spirit of co-operation prevails.

Not a single festival in India is complete without the typical Indian festivities, the gatherings, and celebrations, exchange of sweets and gifts, lots of noise, singing and dancing.

Indian festivals are reminders that good will always win over evil or to remember how lucky we are to belong to a nation which gives us freedom and opportunity and the sacrifices made to build it.

Owing to this dense cultural identity of India, we hereby bring to you the most popular festivals of India that are celebrated:

10. Pongal :-

Next Pongal : 15-18 January, 2019.

Pongal is a thanksgiving festival dedicated to the Sun God.

The four-day long harvest festival of South India is one of the most famous festivals of India, mainly of Tamil Nadu.

On this day, rice is first boiled in milk and then it is offered to God as a means of showing gratitude.

After that, the boiled rice is offered to cow and then to all the members of the family.

This first day is celebrated as Bhogi festival in honor of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains.

On the second day, a puja is performed and the third day is known as Mattu Pongal, the day of Pongal for cows.

The last day is known as Knau or Kannum Pongal day.

9. Eid-Ul-Fitr :-

Next Eid-ul-Fitr : 4 June or 5 June, 2019.

Eid-ul-Fitr is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

Muslims all around the world will celebrate the three-day Eid-ul-Fitr festival depending on the sighting of the moon.

This breaking of fast is one of the most widely celebrated religious occasions in the world.

Many Muslims attend communal prayers, listen to a khutba (sermon) and give zakat al-fitr (charity in the form of food) during Eid-ul-Fitr.

8. Maha Shivratri :

Next Maha Shivratri : 4 March, 2019.

Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the God Shiva.

Unlike most Hindu festivals which are celebrated during the day, the Maha Shivratri is celebrated at Night.

This is an important day for the devotees of Shiva, who stay awake through the night, praying to him.

People often fast on the night of Shivratri and sing hymns and praises in the name of Lord Shiva.

People also drinks bhang thandai as a Prasad of Lord Shiva.

7. Raksha Bandhan :-

Next Raksha Bandhan : 15 August, 2019.

Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi is the physical symbol of the emotions involved with the festival, the emotions of love, affection and care.

The festival of Raksha Bandhan is observed as a symbol of duty between brothers and sisters.

It is believed that when a woman ties a rakhi to a man it becomes his duty to protect her.

According to the Hindu mythology, it is believed that on every Shravana Purnima day the diety Yamuna used to tie a sacred thread on Yama’s wrist.

On this day, a sister ties a rakhi around the wrist of the brother in order to pray for his prosperity, health and well-being.

6. Ganesh Chaturthi :-

Next Ganesh Chaturthi : 2 September, 2019.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of God Ganesh, the younger son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

The festival is celebrated with the installation of statues of Lord Ganesh in the homes and offering special sweet called Modak to Lord Ganesh.

Devotees buy idols of Lord Ganesh and then worship the idol for anything up to eleven days, after which the idols are taken out in extravagant ceremonial processions, through the streets and immersed into the river, sea or well.

5. Krishna Janmashtmi :-

Next Krishna Janmashtmi : 24 August, 2019.

Krishna Janmashtmi, also known simply as Janmashtmi, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eight avatar of the Vishnu.

On the day of Janmashtmi, people keep fast, sing devotional songs of love for Krishna and keep a vigil into the night.

After midnight, devotees then break their fast, by sharing food and sweets.

In some places of India, dahi-handi is organized where in a group of men form human pyramid to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break it.

Images and picturization of Krishna’s life story are depicted in the Jhakis in temples.

4. Dussehra :-

Next Dussehra : 19 October, 2018.

Dussehra is the major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navratri every year.

Dussehra celebrates the Hindu god Rama’s victory over the demons and demon’s king Ravana and the triumph of good over evil.

It is normally celebrated by flaming the effigies of the Ravana, Meghanatha and Kumbhakarna.

On the day of Dussehra, Ram-Leela acts also performed in temples.

3. Navratri :-

Next Navratri : 10-18 October, 2019.

Navratri is also known as Durga Puja, the festival full of lights, joy and festivity.

Navratri is the nine days festival, one of the main festivals of Gujarat state and one of the greatest Hindu festivals.

During Navratri, Gujaratis perform their traditional dances Garba & Dandiya-Rass.

The traditional method includes fasting for a day or partially for nine days such as by not eating grains or just taking liquid food such as sabudana khichdi, potato wafers and singoda ki kheer.

2. Diwali :-

Next Diwali : 7 November, 2018.

Diwali is known as festival of lights, one of the most popular festivals of Hinduism.

Diwali is celebrated to honour Rama-chandra, the seventh avatar of the lord Vishnu and intend to the victory of light over the darkness.

It is believed that on this day Rama with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, returned to his people after fourteen year exile.

Hindu households begin preparing for Diwali nearly two weeks in advance.

On the day of Diwali, homes are decorated with fancy lights, candles and clay lamps and kids plays with fire crackers.

1. Holi :-

Next Holi : 20-21 March, 2019.

Holi is a Hindu festival widely known as festival of colours, celebrated in the spring season.

Holi is celebrated to signify the victory of good ever evil, also as the honour of Hindu god Vishnu and his follower Prahlada.

People exuberantly throw coloured powder and water all over each other, have parties and dance under water sprinklers.

On the day of Holi, people also drinks bhang thandai and enjoy holika bonfire.

Love reading this?

Then now have a look on best festivals of India.

All Image credits: Google Search Engine

-Written by Hitendra(Intern at BoldBlush)

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