The travel restrictions around the world have been eased down. Though many countries have opened up their borders for tourists as well. India has also opened its borders and has started welcoming tourists for the upcoming festive season. Every year, millions of tourists travel to India during festive seasons. There are a variety of activities in which you can take part. Here are some of the things you can do during the festive season in India.
Take a look at things to do during the festive season in India:
Makar Sankranti/Lohri:
Makar Sankranti or Lohri is celebrated in India in the month of January. The Hindus celebrate Makar Sankranti to mark the new year of Hindu calendar. In the north, people celebrate it as Lohri to mark the end of winter. On Lohri, people dance around a bonfire and share sweets and groundnuts with each other.
Holi:
Holi also known as The Festival of Colours is an Indian festival which is celebrated to mark the eternal love of Radha and Krishna. The fun festival is celebrated by putting colours on each other and sharing sweets.
If you want to visit India in the summer season, then plan your trip to India by adding Holi celebrations to your things to do in India list. The experience of celebrating this festival will be everlasting and will stay with you forever.
Baisakhi:
Baisakhi is a popular festival in north India, specifically in Punjab. Baisakhi is celebrated in Punjab to mark the birth anniversary of Khalsa – the Sikhism. Different parts of the country celebrate Baisakhi with different names.
In Punjab farmers celebrate the Baisakhi after harvesting their crops. On this day, Sikhs visit Gurudwaras, hold prayers, organise Langars to mark the festival.
Different states have different names for this festival. In Assam, it is called Bihu, in Kerala it’s Vishu, in Odisha it’s Maha Vishuba Sankranti.
To experience spirituality and celebrations, you must visit India during Baisakhi.
Eid Ul Fitr:
Eid Ul Fitr is the festival celebrated by Muslims around the world. It is celebrated to mark the end of Ramadan.. During Ramadan Muslims observe dawn-to-sunset fasting and offer prayers.
The mixed cultures of Indian society have everything for everyone. On Eid Ul Fitr, Muslims greet each other and share sweets.
The festival is celebrated throughout India.
Janmashtami:
Janmashtami is a Hindu festival which is celebrated in India to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. On this day, devotees gather in temples to celebrate the festival. Kids who dress up as Krishna attract lots of attention.
Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Dwarka and Mumbai are the best places to experience the Janmashtami fervour.
To get the early access of festival offers, book your tickets to India now and avail heavy discounts.
Onam:
Onam is mostly celebrated in Kerala state of India. The harvest festival of Kerala is the official festival of the state. Statewide cultural events are organized to celebrate Onam.
On this day, a special food is prepared which is called Sadhya – a variety of food items served on banana leaves is the main highlight of this festival.
To feast on delicious Sadhya and to have a glimpse of the festivals book your tickets to India for the month of August and September. Onam usually falls in the months of August and September.
Ganesh Chaturthi:
Ganesh Chaturthi is the Indian festival which is celebrated to mark the arrival of Lord Ganesha to earth. During this festival people welcome Ganesha’s deity to their homes, hold prayers and then immerse the deities after the celebrations. The festival is a 11 days long celebration and is celebrated throughout the country. Maharashtra state has the biggest celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi. The energy and the excitement of native Maharashtrians will force you to dance along with them.
Navratri Festival:
After Ganesh Chaturthi, it’s the season of Navratri. Navratri is being celebrated in India for various reasons. Navratri is a nine day festival to mark the victory of good over evil by Goddess Durga. The tenth day of Navratri is celebrated as Dashmi or Vijay Dashmi. During Navratris people observe fast and pray to Goddess Durga.
Navratris have special fervour in Gujarat. People in Gujarat love Dandiya and they dance the whole night with small sticks in their hands and wearing traditional attire. It’s called Garba. The nine night long festival is one of the widely celebrated festivals of India and most popular in Gujarat.
To experience the Dandiya, book flights to India and avail the festive discounts.
Durga Puja:
A ten day long festival of fasts, feast and worship of Goddess Durga, the festival is celebrated in West Bengal and other eastern Indian states.
During the festival people in Kolkata, participate in various cultural activities and pay obeisance in Durga Pandals. Every year there is a different theme for the festival and artists usually pick up the current affairs to present the drama.
The delicious food during Durga Puja will satisfy your taste buds.
To get a glimpse of Durga Puja festivities, book flights to India now.
Dussehra:
The tenth day of Navratri, which is celebrated as Dashmi or Vijay Dashmi is also known as Dussehra. Dussehra is widely celebrated in northern India. On this day, Lord Rama has killed Ravana who had ten heads. It’s marked the victory of good over evil.
On Dussehra, the celebration is held in open air ground, where giant idols of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath are fired up in the evening along with fireworks.
Diwali:
Diwali is considered as the biggest festival of India. Diwali is celebrated in almost every region of the country. Different religions have different significance of Diwali. In Hinduism, Diwali is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshman after killing Ravana. In Sikhism, on this day the sixth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Hargobind was released from the prison along with 52 other kings and that’s why Diwali is also known as Bandi Chorr Diwas in Sikhism.
On Diwali, people light Diyas and candles in their homes. The homes get decorated with beautiful fancy lights and fireworks in the evening add a different charm to this festival. Diwali is also called the festival of lights.
Diwali is the biggest and best festival of India and everyone should have experienced it once in a lifetime. So grab your tickets to India now and immerse yourself in the festive spirit of India.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurpurab:
Gurupurab is generally celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji – the first Guru of Sikhism. On this day, prayers are organised in Gurudwaras along with religious processions and Langar (Community Kitchen).
Immerse in the divine spirituality, book your flights to India today.
These are the primary festivals of India, which you can celebrate and enjoy on your trip to India. Plan your Indian vacations considering these festivals and experience the festive fervour. You can book flights today and avail some exciting festive offers.
Christmas:
The year ends with Christmas. A festival widely celebrated among Christian community. Over the years, the festival is also gaining popularity among non-Christian communities.
In India, Kerala has the maximum number of Christians and that’s why, Christmas celebrations in Kerala have lots of activities.