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List of Festivals in India (State-wise)
● Brahmotsavam- celebrated at Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati,
for nine days during the months of September – October.
Andhra
Pradesh ● Bhishma Ekadasi, Deccan Festival, Pitr, Sankranthi, Tyagaraja
Festival
● Losar Festival- Tibetan New year, Marked with ancient ceremonies
Arunachal that represent the struggle between good and evil
Pradesh
● Chalo Loku, Pongtu
● Bohag Bihu- The spring festival of Bohaag Bihu or Rongali Bihu
ushers in the New Year in the State of Assam, which marks the onset of
Assam a new agricultural cycle.
● Magh or Bhogali Bihu
● Chhath Puja- Also called Dala Puja devoted to worshiping the sun is
Bihar traditionally celebrated by the people of Bihar.
● Bastar Dussehra - The longest Dussehra celebration in the world is
celebrated in Bastar and spans over 75 days starting around August and
ending in October.
Chhattisgarh
● Maghi Purnima- It is the flagship festival of this state which
encompasses the birth anniversary of Guru Ghasidas.
● Carnival- Three-day non-stop extravaganza of fun, song, music, and
dance celebrated just before the 40 days of Lent.
Goa ● Shigmo Mela- it is a counterpart of the festival of colors Holi
● Sunburn Festival
● Janmashtami - Birth anniversary of Lord Krishna
● Diwali - Festival of lights, Festival marks the beginning of the New
Gujarat Year.
● Navaratra, Kutch Rann Utsav
● Gochi Festival- In this festival the villagers celebrate the birth of
male children. Token marriages of children below the age of six are also
performed
Himachal
● Mahashivaratri- A week-long international Mandi Shivratri Fair and
Pradesh Sobha Yatra are held near the Temple of Bhoothnath (Lord Shiva) every
year
● Rakhadumni
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● Gugga Naumi - Snake-worship. It is observed in the months of
August-September.
Haryana
● Surajkund Mela, Baishakhi
● Eid-ul-Fitr - marks the end of fasting month of Ramadan.
● Eid-ul-Azha - More prominent for the Qurbani (sacrifice). People
sacrifice goats, sheep and some even camels
Jammu and
Kashmir ● Bahu Mela- It is a biannual festival held at the Kali Temple in Bahu
Fort. It is celebrated twice a year in the month of March-April and
September-October.
● Chhari (Pilgrimage to Amarnath cave), Urs, Har Navami
● Karam Festival - It is celebrated 15 days after the Kunwaar-Shukla-
Paksha.
Jharkhand
● Holi- Festival of colors, celebrated in the months of February/March.
● Ugadi- Celebrated in the second half of March or in early April. It
marks the beginning of the new Hindu lunar calendar.
Karnataka ● Mahamastakabhisheka – Held once every 12 years in veneration of
Gomateswara Bahubali at Sravanbelagola.
● Mysore Dasara, Makar Sankramana.
● Onam- The festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali. It is
celebrated in Chingam (August-September) and lasts for ten days.
Vallamkali, the enchanting Snake Boat Race, Folk performances like
Kerala Kummatti kali and Pulikali add to the zest of celebrations. Nehru
Trophy Boat Race is also organized.
● Vishu, Pooram
● Lokrang festival - Most iconic dance festival of MP which signifies
Madhya the existing legacy of its dance
Pradesh
● Diwali, Khajuraho Dance Festival
● Nongkrem Dance Festival- Five days long religious festival devoted
to appeasing the Goddess Ka Blei Synshar for a rich bumper harvest and
Meghalaya prosperity of the people
● Khasis - Dance festival
● Ganesh Chaturthi- Falls in months of August - September. Ganesh
images are kept in houses as a divine guest for five to ten days by
people. The image is then taken out ceremoniously and immersed in the
Maharashtra river, sea or well. It is called the Visarjan.
● Nag Panchami, Navratri, Gudi Padva
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● Yaoshang- It is celebrated for five days. It commences from the full
Manipur moon day of Phalguna (February/March). The main highlight of the
festival is the Thabal Chongba dance.
● ChapcharKut Festival - Marks the clearing and readying of hill
Mizoram slopes for jhum or shifting cultivation.
● Hornbill Festival- It is one of the biggest cultural extravaganzas in
the North East & held every year from Dec1-10. It is a festival to
protect, revive and promote the richness of the Naga heritage and
traditions.
Nagaland
● Sekrenyi – It is celebrated by the Angami Tribe. It is also associated
with celebrating the rich culture of the tribes that has lasted for many a
moon.
● Rath Yatra (Dola Yatra) – It triggers the construction of the Oriya
calendar and its consequent presentation to their deity Jagannath who
also carries another name of Dola Govinda. Mainly celebrated at Puri.
Odisha ● Raja Parba - It is the living cultural heritage and agricultural way of
life. It is held for three days in June.
● Akshaya Tritiya, Konark Festival
● Lohri – It is celebrated on the 13th of January a day before Makar
Sankranti. It is dedicated to the Sun god.
● Baisakhi - Marks the time for the harvest of Rabi crops. Traditional
Punjab folk dances Bhangra and Giddha are performed by men and women to
the beat of Dhol
● Bandi Chhor Divas, Guru Parab
● Gangaur Festival - It falls a fortnight after Holi & is celebrated for
18 days in honor of Goddess Parvati mostly by the womenfolk of
Rajasthan Rajasthan. It is also the consequent celebration of the harvest.
● Teej, Pushkar Fair, Urs at Ajmer.
● Losar – Celebrated on the dawn of the new Tibetan year
Sikkim
● Saga Dawa - Magnificent carnival famous for masked dances
● Pongal- Four-day-long harvest festival which falls in the month of
January-February. Bhogi festival, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal is
Tamil Nadu
celebrated. Is is the local Makar Sankranti of this state.
● Thyagaraja Aradhana, Jallikattu, Panguni Uthiram, Puthandu (Tamil
New Year)
● Bonalu- The word Bonalu came from "Bhojanalu" which is offered to
Telangana the goddess during festival time.
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● Bathukamma – It involves the worship of goddess Gauri and
consequent celebrations.
● Kharchi Puja - It is the worship of the fourteen gods of Tripura and
is celebrated in the month of July-August. It ends up with sacrifices of
Tripura cattle to the Earth God.
● Tripureshwari Temple Festival.
● Durga Puja- Also referred to as Durgotsava. It is commemorated by
West Bengal worshipping Goddess Durga
● Ganga Dusshera- It is a day of devotion and faith celebrated in the
month of June.
Uttaranchal
● Purna Kumbh Mela
● Navaratri - Celebrated for nine nights during which people worship
Goddess Durga and her nine forms to seek her blessings.
● Ram Navmi - Marks the birth anniversary of God Rama and is
Uttar Pradesh celebrated with the worship of girls and other females of the society
● Brahmostav, Kans ka Mela, Sravana festival, Ram Leela, Ganga
Mahotsav
Popular Harvest Festivals Of India
North India
1. Makar Sankranti (January) – celebrated Pan India in different ways but mainly in
the north.
2. Baisakhi (April)- Punjab and Haryana
3. Ladakh Harvest Festival (September) - Ladakh, Zanskar, Kargil (J&K)
4. Lohri (January) - Punjab
5. Basant Panchami (January)– A festival to celebrate birth of goddess Saraswati ,
Celebrated in different states of North India
North East India
1. Bhogali Bihu (January)– Assam
2. Wangala (November)- Meghalaya and Assam
3. Ka Pomblang Nongkrem (November) – Meghalaya
East And West India
1. Nuakhai (August) – Orissa
2. Gudi Padwa (March) – Maharashtra
3. Nabanna (November and December) - West Bengal
South India
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1. Onam (August) – Kerala
2. Pongal (January) - Tamil Nadu
3. Ugadi (March) - Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
4. Vishu (April) - Kerala and Karnataka.
New Year Festival
Ugadi / Chaitra Suddha Padyami Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
Gudi Padva Maharashtra
Samvastsar Padvo Goa
Naba Barsha West Bengal
Puthando Tamil Nadu
Vishu Kerala
Other Festivals
Religious Festivals of India Secular Festivals of India
• Diwali
• Sharad Purnima
• Holi
• Makar Sankranti
• Janmashtami
• Dussehra
• Ram Navami
• Durga Puja • Most of the NEW YEAR AND
• Ganesh Chaturthi HARVEST FESTIVALS (except -
• Karva Chauth Thai Pongal)
• Vasant Panchami • Gangaur Festival
• Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath • Khajuraho Dance Festival
• Mahashivratri • Teej
• Eid- Ul- Fitr • Sair-e-Gul Faroshan
• Id –Ul-Zuha ( Id-Ul-Azha) • ITC Music Festival
• Milad-Un-Nabi • Saptak Music Festival
• Muharram • Tansen Music Festival
• Shab-I-Barat • Thyagaraja Music Festival
• Christmas • Gharana Music Festival
• Easter and Good Friday
• Gurpurab
• Guru Purnima
• Mahavir Jayanti
• Paryushna
• Buddha Purnima
• Jamshedi Navroz
