INDIA FAIR AND FESTIVALS
Durga Puja is the one of the most famous festival celebrated in West Bengal and particularly in Kolkata, in honor of Goddess Durga during the period of Navaratri. It is celebrated for 10 days, however starting from the sixth day till the ninth day,the pandals with grand idols of Goddess Durga are open for visitors. The tenth day, also known as Dashami marks the Visarjan (immersion in water) of the idol with grand celebrations and processions. This year, Kolkata Durga Puja 2016 begins on October 1st and goes on till October 11th. However, other parts of country celebrate it as a 5 day festival starting from October 6th and going on till October 11th.
According to the Hindu Mythology, Goddess Durga emerged from the collective evergy of all gods as an embodiment of Shakti or divine feminine power, to destroy demon Mahishasura; who was blessed to not be defeated by any man or god. The name Durga in Sanskrit means ‘the impenetrable’; she exists in a state of self-sufficiency and in ultimate power. This powerful form of Mother Goddess is highly revered in Kolkata which is why her return is celebrated with much grandeur and ceremonies.
Durga Puja is the one of the most famous festival celebrated in West Bengal and particularly in Kolkata, in honor of Goddess Durga during the period of Navaratri. It is celebrated for 10 days, however starting from the sixth day till the ninth day,the pandals with grand idols of Goddess Durga are open for visitors. The tenth day, also known as Dashami marks the Visarjan (immersion in water) of the idol with grand celebrations and processions. This year, Kolkata Durga Puja 2016 begins on October 1st and goes on till October 11th. However, other parts of country celebrate it as a 5 day festival starting from October 6th and going on till October 11th.
According to the Hindu Mythology, Goddess Durga emerged from the collective evergy of all gods as an embodiment of Shakti or divine feminine power, to destroy demon Mahishasura; who was blessed to not be defeated by any man or god. The name Durga in Sanskrit means ‘the impenetrable’; she exists in a state of self-sufficiency and in ultimate power. This powerful form of Mother Goddess is highly revered in Kolkata which is why her return is celebrated with much grandeur and ceremonies.
Durga Puja is the one of the most famous festival celebrated in West Bengal and particularly in Kolkata, in honor of Goddess Durga during the period of Navaratri. It is celebrated for 10 days, however starting from the sixth day till the ninth day,the pandals with grand idols of Goddess Durga are open for visitors. The tenth day, also known as Dashami marks the Visarjan (immersion in water) of the idol with grand celebrations and processions. This year, Kolkata Durga Puja 2016 begins on October 1st and goes on till October 11th. However, other parts of country celebrate it as a 5 day festival starting from October 6th and going on till October 11th.
According to the Hindu Mythology, Goddess Durga emerged from the collective evergy of all gods as an embodiment of Shakti or divine feminine power, to destroy demon Mahishasura; who was blessed to not be defeated by any man or god. The name Durga in Sanskrit means ‘the impenetrable’; she exists in a state of self-sufficiency and in ultimate power. This powerful form of Mother Goddess is highly revered in Kolkata which is why her return is celebrated with much grandeur and ceremonies.
1. Thaipuism Festival, Tamil Nadu:
An unusual and uncommon religious event but popular amongst the south Indians and travellers with enthusiasm for Indian culture…. The Thaipuism Festival is a Hindu festival that commemorates the occasion of Parvati giving Murugan a Vel “spear” so he could vanquish the evil demon soorapadman. Devotees during this religious event perform various ritualistic acts that include fasting for 48 days, shaving of heads and undertaking a procession with a pot of milk, and Kavadi cavadee Attam (a local dance form). The most unusual part of this religious event is body piercing with spears.
Date: Jan 24, 2016
Venue: Palani
Nearest Railhead: Coimbatore (CBE)
Nearest Airport: Coimbatore International Airport
2. Jaisalmer Desert Festival, Rajasthan:
Every year, usually in the month of February, the sandy dunes of Rajasthan comes to live with Jaisalmer Desert Festival. The festival is a unique showcase of rich and colourful folk culture. Once you are there you will be welcomed by the folk singers, puppeteers, acrobats, fire dancers and many more in their traditional, colourful and vibrant attires. Between all this traditional glitters you will find a special place for the ships of the desert, the camel. Apart from a camel ride you can enjoy watching the camel polo and the Camel. Decoration. One can even participate in competitions like Tug of War and Matka Phod Race.
Date: Feb 20 – 22, 2016
Venue: Sahid Poonam Singh Stadium and SAM Dunes, Jaisalmer
Nearest Railhead: Jaisalmer (JSM)
Nearest Airport: Jodhpur Airport.
A complete picture of the folk tunes, tinges and twines framed within the sandy dunes, the Jaisalmer Desert Festival displays the traditional culture of the imperial state of Rajasthan. The festival sprays its colours, plays its tunes and whirs its heels from the heart of the Desert that reaches out to the eyes of global spectators. Just when you come out of the winter wools and step on to the cuddly blossoming season, the folk fusion from the golden city of India, Jaisalmer, captures the mind of thousands of travellers. This time it is your turn to delve into the vibrant daylong extravaganza that continues for three days in the midst of ancient havelis, historical frots, majestic palaces, Jain temples and indigenous culture. The Jaisalmer Desert Festival 2015 is thus a perfect break from the information age that falls upon the collage of old-fashioned grandeur and colourful art from the diorama of incredible India.
In a land of cultural and geographical diversities one gets to enjoy and experience wide varieties of cultures, fairs and festivals and India is the epitome of such experiences. A country where after every hundred kilometre you are embraced by a new cultural identity one gets to enjoy diverse backgorunds, beliefs and heritage. These fairs and festivals are part of the intrinsic cultural fabric of our society as well as a continuation of our heritage. It is in this spirit that we bring to you some of the vibrant, fascinating and most beautiful fairs and festivals of India that are organized and enthusiastically celebrated across the country.
3. Modhera Dance Festival, Gujarat:
This dance festival of India, celebrated in the beautiful backdrop of the Modhera Sun Temple is an effort on part of the Tourism Department of Gujarat to bring back to life the ways of our medieval past. Today, this cultural festival held in January every year gets together the finest classical dancing talent of the country to celebrate the art and the place.
4. Tarnetar Mela, Gujarat:
One of the most fascinating tribal fairs of India, Tarnetar Mela is a tribal fair held every year in the village of Tarnetar in Gujarat. This festival is fascinating for the simple reason that is one of the largest “marriage marts” or in where tribal men come to the fair dressed eloquently carrying the most elaborately and beautifully embroidered umbrellas in the world. The woman folk choose their prospective husband based on the umbrella they find the most beautiful. Besides this is a cultural event with folk music and dance performances for general entertainment.
5. Jaisalmer Desert Festival, Rajasthan:
The desert festival held in the month of February in the Red Sandstone city of Jaisalmer is a fascinating celebration of Rajasthan’s desert life for three days. It is a festival that brings to life the folk culture, the music, the clothes and the traditions of the nomadic life of the Indian desert. One can immerse themselves is three days of pure magic with folktales, music and dance performances. The camel, the most important animal in the desert, is one of the main attractions of the festival.
6. Goa Carnival, Goa:
Well the name Goa is synonymous with fun, beautiful beaches, laid back vacations and amazing beach shacks and continuing that tradition is the awesome Goa Carnival. This carnival of India is celebrated state wide with the help of the state government. It is part of the Portuguese heritage of Goa which sees people come out on the street to enjoy the fascinating parades full of creative floats, to dance and party all night. The carnival travels the whole state. This cultural event is held in the month of March just before the beginning of Lent.
7. Konark Dance Festival, Odisha:
The India’s biggest dance festival, Konark Dance Festival is the epitome of our Classical dancing heritage which represents itself in the most awe inspiring of settings. The festival is held in the backdrop of the UNESCO World Heritage Site the Sun Temple. The festival organized in the month of February is one of the biggest cultural festival in the country as it withesses the coming together of country’s best dance artists to celebrate the storied past of the temple and its traditions.
8. Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Kerala:
An event which is part of Kerala’s cultural identity, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race is among best cultural an eventin India. Celebrated every year on the second Saturday of the month of August, the boat race in Kerala is a famous festival celebrated in the backwater town of Allapuzha in the Punnamada Lake. The festival sees beautifully crafted boats of different shapes and sizes compete for prize money with the main attraction being the snake boat race, the winner of which receives the coveted Nehru Trophy.
9. Pushkar Mela, Rajasthan:
Arguably the biggest fair in the state of Rajasthan and one of the biggest livestock fairs in the world, Pushkar Mela is a fascinating coming together of the nomadic culture and the most beautiful town of Rajasthan. It is primarily a place where the buying and selling of camels and livestock takes place but in recent times with its increasing popularity among foreign tourists competitions like ‘matka phodh’, bridal games’ and ‘longest moustache’ have become popular events. The Pushkar Mela is the perfect opportunity for travellers to discover the nomadic lifestyle of Rajasthan.
10. Mamallapuram Dance Festival:
A place of great historic relevance, Mamallapuram is a beautiful coastal town known for being the hometown of the Pallavas in the medieval times. The beautiful beach town has some of the most breathtaking rock sculptures in India and it is against this background the Mamallapuram Dance Festival takes place every year during December-January for three days. Classic dancers from different schools of dancing unite to put on a scintillating display of their talent for three consecutive days. It’s a festival with a huge foreign appeal due to its culture appeal and Mamallapuram being a beach town.
11. Kila Raipur Festival:
Probably one of the quirkiest festivals you are to come across in India, Kila Raipur Festival is essentially a sports festival also known as Rural Olympics. Held every year in the first week of February in the village of Kila Rajpur near Jalandhar, the festival draws a crowd of thousands who travel from various parts of the Panjabi countryside to enjoy events such as kabaddi, Ox racing, wrestling and many others.
12. Puri Rath Yatra, Odisha:
One of the biggest religious events of the year in the country, the Puri Rath Yatra is a spectacle of the grandest scale. The Rath Yatra sees a coming together of over a million devotees every year near the famed Jagganath Temple of Puri. The yatra sees three huge temple shaped chariots being pulled to the Gundicha Temple and after nine days back to the Jagganath Temple. The yatra is held in the month of June or July and is supposed to be one of the holiest events in Hinduism.
13. Kumbh Mela:
The biggest gathering of human beings on the planet at a particular place every three years, that pretty much sums up Kumbh Mela. The most important and largest religious event in the country, the Kumbh Mela is a festival of mammoth proportion but also full of colors as the Naga Sadhus from various parts of the country travel with their Akhadhas to the site of the Mela. The festival is held in Allahabad, Banaras, Haridwar, and Ujjain. Hindus from all over the world come to take a dip in the holy river and listen to sermons from the various sadhus at the mela site. It is considered to be one of the most spiritually enlightening festivals in the world. The next Kumbh Mela known as the Ardh Kumbh is to be held in the beautiful hill city of Nashik.
14. Sonpur Mela, Bihar:
The largest cattle fair in Asia, Sonepur Mela has been a festival which has continued for over two thousand years since the times of the Mauryan Empire. The fair is essentially meant for the sale and purchase of various kinds of livestock such as birds, dogs, goats, buffaloes, donkeys and horses. But the main attraction of the fair is the Elephant market which sees hundreds of elephants lined up on the shores of River Ganga for sale. Besides this, there is musical and dance performance by famous artists of the region. The festival is a spectacle unlike any other and allows you travel back in time to understand how ancient people traded.
15. Elephant Festival, Jaipur:
A royal festival for a royal animal, Elephant Festival held on the occasion of Holi in Jaipur is a special festival loved by the people of Jaipur. The festival which is dedicated to the Elephants sees them decorated in the most lavish ways from head till toe. The event begins with a procession of beautifully decorated elephants, horses and camels. The events is considered to be very prestigious with the most well decorated elephant getting an award. Besides the procession there are events such as elephant racing, elephant dance and tug- of-war between elephants and humans.
