Experience the vivid colours of India with these Festivals

India is a beautiful concoction of traditions and cultures, which is reflected in its festivals and their pulsating celebrations. With harmonious co-existence of diverse religions and communities, India remains enveloped in the beauty of festivals throughout the year. Many of these festivals are shared by communities across the country, albeit with variation on their history, theme and method of celebration. From interesting ceremonies to unique folklores, the splendor of each and every festival here is something to experience. India is a land of more colours than you can imagine in a palette, so vibrant that it is more of a painter’s dream than a country. So, here are some of the most colorful and lively festivals of India that you would just love being a part of –

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Kumbh Mela – Undeniably the biggest and most colourful fair of India and the world, the Kumbh Mela is famous as the world’s largest religious congregation. It is held in four Indian cities, including Haridwar, Allahabad, Nashik and Ujjain, with each city hosting it every 12th year. The fact that this festival finds a place in UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, makes it grandeur. Not to miss events in these fairs are the main processions that see sages, naga sadhus, and yogis marching around the town on horses, elephants, camels and what not!

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Bihu Festival – The major festival of Assam, Bihu comprises of three different festivals, Rongali, Kogali and Magh, held in April, October and January under their own significance. The Rongali Bihu sees celebrations on a massive scale, and serves as the perfect festival to get an insight into the culture and tradition of Assam. Apart from some immensely delectable food, Bihu is a festival wherein you will get to experience Assam’s folk dance and music as well. The sheer energy here will take your breath away.

Hemis Festival – Ladakh is a visual delight in itself, for its silent beauty, and the Hemis Festival takes its reputation a notch up. It is an annual two day festival that is celebrated on the 10th day of the Lunar Month as per the Tibetan Calendar. Embellished with an enticing and immensely colourful Cham dance performances, one gets to witness masked dancers in awe-striking outfits dancing to the tunes of fascinating Ladakhi instruments. The parade of vibrant colours is something that attracts tourists from far and wide.

Pushkar Fair – How can we miss out one of the most colourful fairs of all, the Pushkar Fair of Rajasthan? An annual, five day event, the Pushkar Fair is also hailed as the country’s biggest animal fair. The Pushkar Fair hosts a legal animal trading, which is like the mammoth event that turns the fairground into a carnival with shepherds coming from all over the state and pitching tents on the fairground itself. The Pushkar Fair is also famous for its delicious Rajasthani cuisine, which is well-complimented by the state’s rich legacy of music, dance and other arts. Pushkar Fair is a riot of colours in what can be called as India’s most colourful state.

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Durga Puja – The biggest festival of West Bengal, you can actually feel the Bengali culture vibes in every bit of Durga Puja. Celebrated with unmatched enthusiasm, locally the festival is also known as “Akal Bodhan”, an uncustomary time for beginning of the worship. The artistic pandals are the major attraction, apart from the idols of Goddess Durga. You are bound to be wonder-struck by the grandeur and the colourful ambiance. The best thing about the Durga Puja is the “Bhog” that they serve. It has Khichdi, sabzi, Rasgulla, and tomato chutney as part of the menu. The 5 days celebration reflects the vibrant mood, tradition, art and colours of Bengalis.

International Kite Festival – Marked as a sign for farmers that the sun is back and the harvest season is approaching; the International Kite Festival of Gujarat is a prominent celebration in the state. The kite lovers assemble with their handmade kites and makes for an extraordinary kite flying day. The best kite is also chosen and titled as the best among all. Try your hand at this quintessential Indian sport of kite flying, and we bet you are going to enjoy it.

Each of these festivals narrates a different story, whilst signifying the importance of different regions. Grab the chance to experience the vivid flavours of colourful India through its fairs and festivals, and we promise you won’t regret it.

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