Top 7 Cultural Festivals of India You Must Experience

India is one of the few nations in the world that welcomes citizens of various races and religions. Every religious holiday in India is observed with the same fervour and assiduity, and each faith uses its own calendar to determine the day on which the holiday should be observed. With over 3.3 million deities in this nation, it is not surprising that every month also delivers a distinctive Indian celebration! Holi, the festival of colours, is observed in the early spring, along with Makar Sankranti, the Kumbh Mela, Onam to mark the end of the harvest season and Baisakhi to mark the beginning, Durga Puja, Christmas, Ganesh Chaturthi, Eid, and Buddh Poornima. However, to truly explore and comprehend the culture, history, and You should concentrate on India’s cultural events and the history and culture of this nation.

 

1. Snake Boat Race in Kerala, India

 

The event known as Vallam Kali, or Snake Boat event, is named for the canoe-like traditional battle boats that are employed.

Every year during Onam, large lakes, and rivers host celebrations of this 650-year-old festival, with the Nehru Trophy Race on Alleppey’s Punnamda Lake being the most notable. Traditionally attired rowers queue up in their team boats as over 2200 competitors compete simultaneously in 20 teams, with musicians and folk performers encouraging them from the beach as the audience watches.

 

2. Jaisalmer’s Desert Festival

 

The Jaisalmer Festival, crowded with people, has sand dunes, traditional music, fervour, colours, and pleasure from all facets of Rajasthan’s cultural landscape, brings vigour to the otherwise lifeless desert.

This three-day festival, with a sole focus on displaying the regional components and culture of the desert state, demonstrates the healthy coexistence of Rajasthani art, music, folk dance, and lifestyle. Along with the performances, you will have the chance to take part in and watch thrilling activities like camel races, rural fashion shows, turban-tying competitions, and the longest moustache contest.

 

3. Thrissur Pooram, Kerala

 

Thrissur Pooram is one of the rare Indian festivals that has both religious and social origins, in contrast to most festivals in India. The then-Maharaja of founded it more than 200 years ago to promote communal peace via large-scale festivals Raja Rama Verma of Cochin.

 

The public show of elephants dressed differently as chariots of Gods with golden headpiece, ornate bells & ornaments, and exquisitely constructed Kolam is the biggest event of Thrissur Pooram. Massive fireworks show, traditional music, and cultural representation are used to honour the occasion.

 

4. Ladakh’s Hemis Festival

 

Hemis Festival, a well-known festival of Ladakh in North India, is an annual celebration of religion and tradition held in Hemis Gompa, the biggest Buddhist Monastery in the vast, arid region of Ladakh.

The early morning ceremony honouring Lord Padmasambhava is followed by celebrations. The most mysterious of them is the Sacred Mask Dance, when participants don striking costumes and unusual attire and wear extraordinary masks that represent celestial beings & magnificent figures, and watch the master artists as they play a symphony of drums, trumpets, and cymbals while performing the elegant Padmasambhava dance.

 

5. Rajasthan’s Pushkar Camel Fair

 

The greatest cow market in India, or Pushkar market, is an annual celebration honouring the Pushkar Lake and the 100-year-old, dynamic, and courteous Rajasthani heritage. This distinctive Indian festival, held in the small town of Pushkar, three hours’ drive from Jaipur, attracts thousands of international visitors every year. It is held on the banks of the Pushkar Lake.

The attractiveness of the Pushkar festival rests in fine jewellery markets and stores for local clothing, tie-and-dye scarves, tattoos, and gorgeously adorned animals being sold for the best price by highly eloquent owner’s patchwork. Every day is marked by a variety of breathtakingly beautiful competitions, such as camel races, traditional dances, the longest moustache contest, tug-of-wars, and bridal contests.

Hindu pilgrims, who come to wash away their sins in the sacred waters of the Pushkar lake, are given special attention during the final five days of the Pushkar fair.

 

6. Ganesha Chaturthi

 

A ten-day event called Ganesh Chaturthi honours the birth of the elephant-headed divinity Lord Ganesha. It is observed across Maharashtra, particularly in Mumbai, with considerable zeal and excitement.

 

7. Navratri

 

The nine-day celebration of Navratri honours the might of the goddess Durga. It is celebrated across India with tremendous fervour and excitement, particularly in Gujarat and West Bengal. So, what is the hold-up? Explore These Indian Cultural Festivals now.

The list goes on forever. There are many more festivals in India than just the five you just read about that allow you to learn more about its distinctive cultural elements.

 

• Pongal,
• Bihu,
• Baisakh,
• Durga Puja,
• Dussehra,
• Makar Sankranti,
• Basant Panchami,
• Mahavir Jayanti,
• Losar Festival, and
• Eid-ul-Fitr

 

are just a few examples of the holidays. The list is indeed excessive to compile all at once. But if you are interested in learning more, please let us know and return often for updates.

 

End Note

With more than 3.3 million deities and a unique celebration every month, India is a varied country. Concentrate on the Thrissur Pooram, Jaisalmer’s Desert Festival, and the Snake Boat Race to fully comprehend Indian history, culture, and culture. The Thrissur Pooram, the Hemis Festival in Ladakh, the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, and several more Indian festivals provide tourists the chance to learn more about the country’s particular cultural aspects.