India, the land of varied cultures and traditions is a land of festivals and fairs. It is a land of festivity - religious as well as folkloristic. Whether you go to the East or the West, North or the South you would be able to enjoy every month a festival or a fair.
Every day of the year there is a festival celebrated in some part of the country. Be it cultural or religious, it gives everyone an opportunity to enjoy and join the festivity. Festival is the time to rejoice and have fun.
Pushkar Festival
Excitement, gaiety and a keen sense of competition fill the air as the long journey to Pushkar begins. The only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma (the creator) is located at Pushkar. The Pushkar lake is surrounded by 52 flights of steps called ghats.
Desert Festival
The Desert Festival is a three days long extravaganza of colour, music and festivity, held at the golden city of Jaisalmer. Gair and fire dancers swaying to traditional tunes, a turban-tying competition and a Mr. Desert contest are part of the fun and frolic.
Elephant Festival
The Elephant Festival is an inimitable event held annually in Jaipur. Groomed flawlessly, rows of elephants do a catwalk before an enthralled audience liked best fashion models to make this festival an amazing one. The elephants move with poise in pageant, run races, play the regal game of polo, and finally participate in the spring festival of Holi. It is festival time with elephants typically celebrated one day before the Holi, Indian festival of colours.
Goa Carnival
Among the various colourful feasts and festivals feasts and festivals that Goa celebrates -with great eclat, Carnaval and Shigmo are the most rumbustious, awaited by the population with intense enthusiasm. Unlike 'Shigmo' which is also celebrated in some oilier parts of India, although under different appellations, 'Carnaval Goa's own, unique, and the Union Territorys contribution to India's other expressions at untrammelled revelry.
Holi
Is the most boisterous of all Hindu festivals, observed all over the North. It heralds the end of winter and the beginning of the Spring. The night before the full moon, crowds of people gather together and light huge bonfires to burn the residual dried leaves and twigs of the winter.
Onam
Onam is Kerala's most popular festival, celebrated with great enthusiasm. It is primarily a harvest festival celebrated to welcome the spirit of the pious King Mahabali from eternal exile and to assure him that his people are happy and wish him well.
Pongal
In the South Sankranti becomes Pongal. It is a celebration of the harvest which is observed for three days in Tamil Nadu as well as in Andhra Pradesh. The first day is the Bhogi Pongal which is celebrated as a family festival.
Deepawali
The festival of lights is one of the most beautiful of Indian festivals. It comes 21 days after Dussehra and celebrates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after his 14 year exile. Homes are decorted, sweets are distributed by everyone and thousands of lamps lit in houses all over the country making it a night of enchantment.