1.Durga Puja- Durgotsava or Navaratri
A festival celebrating the powerful Goddess Durga, Durga Puja is a major festival for the Bengalis in India. The colourful and high energy festival is celebrated by decorating huge pandals, in the middle of which a heavily decorated idol of Goddess Durga sits.
The festival is marked by a lot of dancing, singing and wholesome enjoyment. Celebrations of Durga Puja in Kolkata is a can’t-miss sight, it is really a lifetime opportunity to witness a festival in the heart of its existence.
2.Janmashtmi- Birth of Lord Krishna
The revered Hindu God, Lord Krishna’s birthday, is celebrated as Janmashtmi prominently in North India. However, the main festivities take place in Vrindavan and Mathura, the birth place of Krishna.
Here, the temples are filled with throngs of people, fasting on this auspicious day and waiting for the temple priest to reveal the Krishna idol at the exact time of his birth. Elsewhere, the festival is celebrated with much gusto, with programs in the local community dedicated to the life stories of Krishna, depicted in an artistic manner.
3.Ganesh Chaturthi- Vinayaka Chathurti
Prominently celebrated in the state of Maharashtra, the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is the exemplar of a culturally charged environment. The festival spans over a period of 10 days, the last of which is marked with the maximum amount of revelry.
Humungous idols of Lord Ganesha are carried to the sea shore for the procession of Visarjan, immersing the idol inside the water body. The walk from one’s home to the sea shore is filled with a rich amount of dancing and singing.
- Eid-Ul-Fitr- Marks the End of Ramadan
Eid-Ul-Fitr is a major festival for Muslims in India. The festival is marked by people visiting the mosque for an auspicious prayer, wearing new clothes and preparing delicacies like sewainyan to be savoured.
Children are given idi, a small token of money as a gift and relatives exchange sweets and gifts with each other. It is a festival that celebrates brotherhood among humanity.