Fairs & Festivals - Details
Dussehra
It is the nine days festival, which signifies the
victory of Good over Evil. As diverse as India is,
it is but natural that Good and Evil take various
forms in different parts of the country. Central and
North India celebrate Lord Rama’s victory over the
ten-headed Ravana. In the East, in west Bengal, this
festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the
demon Mahishasura. In the state of Himachal, a week
long fair at Kullu is a part of the Dussehra celebrations.
From the little temples in the hills, deities are
brought in procession to the Kullu Fair ground with
a lot of gaiety, music and colour. Down South in the
city of Mysore, the exotic and colourful celebration
of Dussehra leaves many a visitor enthralled.
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Deepavali
Literally meaning an array of lamps, it is the Festival
of Lights and perhaps the only festival that is celebrated
along the length and breadth of the country without
any diversity as well as amongst Indians all over
the world. This is an occasion for the young and old,
men and women, rich and poor-for every one, irrespective
of their religious and economic backgrounds. This
festival is celebrated throughout the country to ward
off the darkness and welcome the light to their lives.
This festival is celebrated to mark the return of
Lord Rama, his consort Sita and brother Lakshmana,
to their kingdom after 14 years of exile. To celebrate
their return, the people of Ayodhya are believed to
have lit up their houses and streets with lamps and
the tradition is followed till date. People also conduct
Lakshmi Puja to please the Goddess of Wealth.
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Holi
The festival of Holi symbolizes the victory of good
over evil. It also marks the advent of spring and
people celebrate it joyously with a splash of color.
It is the most boisterous of all Hindu festivals,
observed all over India, especially the North. It
heralds the end of winter and the beginning of 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. People throw
colored water with pichkaari (a traditional device
to spray coloured water), gubbare (balloons filled
with coloured water) and gulal (colour powder) at
each other and make merry. Singing and dancing add
to the gaiety of the occasion. In the northern, western
and eastern regions, Holi celebrates the joyful Raasleela
(dance) of Lord Krishna and the Gopis. Holi, also
known as phag, is a joyous celebration of the rejuvenation
of nature and renewed hope of happiness and peaceful
coexistence. Especially famous is the lathmaar Holi
of Barsana and Nandgaon. In Anandpur Sahib in Punjab,
Sikhs celebrate a special festival called Hola Mohalla
on the day after Holi. It marks a display of ancient
martial arts and mock battles. Holi is also an occasion
for the celebration of the burning of Lord Kama, the
Hindu equivalent of Cupid, with the fire that emanated
from Lord Shiva's third eye and also symbolizes the
burning of demoness Holika. Till date people burn
effigies of Holika.
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Maha Shivaratri
The festival of Maha Shivratri falls on the 13th
(or 14th) day of the month of Phalguna (February–March)
of the Indian calendar. The weather remains pleasant
throughout India during this time of the year. The
word Shivratri literally translates into "the night
of Shiva.” This is because the ceremonies take place
chiefly at night. A daylong fast, a nightlong vigil,
and the reverberating rhythm of sacred chants mark
the day. This is a festival observed in honor of Lord
Shiva. It is said that Lord Shiva married Goddess
Parvati on this auspicious day. The Shiva Lingam is
worshipped throughout the night by washing it every
three hours with milk, curd, honey, rose water, etc.,
whilst the chanting of the Mantra “Om Namah Shivaya”
continues. Offerings of bael leaves are made to the
Shiva Linga. Bael leaves are very sacred, for it is
believed that Goddess Lakshmi resides in them.
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Janmashtami
This festival associated with Lord Krishna’s birthday
and is a combination of religion and celebration together.
This festival is celebrated all over India especially
among Hindus. Mathura, the ancient north Indian town,
is Krishna’s birthplace, and it is one of the most
sacred places in the entire country. People celebrate
this festival with fun, frolic, and merrymaking. The
raasleelas, bhajan, kirtan, and various local functions
are the special attractions of the place. The festival
of Janmashtami is celebrated during the month of August
or September depending on the Indian calendar. The
celebration of this festival is followed according
to the Indian calendar and hence the month in the
English calendar varies every year. This day also
falls on the day of Shravan Poornima when the monsoon
season is at its high in most of the part of India.
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Ganesh Chathurthi
Lord Ganesha, affectionately called Ganapati, is
commonly depicted in homes and offices throughout
India as a chubby, smiling and a little mischievous
God. His devotees scribe to Ganesha the ability to
bestow wisdom and wealth upon us humans, thus making
him probably the most popular deity in the Hindu pantheon.
To repay Ganesha’s bounty, in India, especially in
Maharashtra and nearby areas, the entire population
celebrates the ten-day festival of Lord Ganesha’s
birthday. The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated
all over India with great festivities and zest. It
is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha,
the God of wisdom and prosperity. The festival honors
Ganesha, the elephant-headed God of the Hindu pantheon.
During the ten days of Ganesh Chaturthi, the image
of the God is worshipped and feted in most homes,
temples and halls, and on the last day the images
are taken in a procession and immersed in water. Fasting,
feasting and distribution of sweets are important
aspects of Ganesh Chaturthi rituals in India. Hindus
pray to images of Lord Ganesha, large and small, many
of them made specially for the occasion by cottage
industries and street-side artisans. Even those that
do not wish to keep the idols alive by daily prayers,
offerings, and lighting oil lamps, immerse them in
the nearest water body (rivers, lakes and the sea
that are sacred to the Hindus). Ganesh Chaturthi falls
on the fourth day of Bhadrapada (August/September)
month of Indian calendar. The celebration of this
festival is followed according to the Indian calendar
and hence the month in the English calendar varies
every year. The festival is celebrated for as many
as ten days in areas like Maharashtra, Pune, and nearby
areas.
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Rakshabandhan
Rakshabandhan is an unspoken pledge exchanged between
a brother and sister cementing their fraternal relationship.
This also reinforces their protective bond against
all ills and odds. Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on
the day of Shravan Poornima that falls in the month
of August every year. On this very day, the sisters
tie a delicate, sometimes decorated, thread on the
wrist of their brothers as a symbol of love and affection.
This makes the brothers bound to protect their sisters
from any trouble or wound. The chanting of a holy
mantra by the sisters while tying the thread says,
“I am tying a Raksha to you, similar to the one tied
to Bali, the powerful king of the demons. Oh Raksha,
be firm, do not waver”. The mantra recalls how the
demon king Bali had become very powerful with the
Rakhi on. The power of the mantra is supposed to protect
the wearer from evil influences. This shows how dependent
and secure a sister feels when she has a brother.
Tying this Rakhi or Raksha signifies the re-strengthening
of the bond between the siblings of opposite sexes.
Raksha Bandhan is the most awaited festival of the
year for every girl. It is celebrated in the month
of August on the full-moon day known as the Shravan
Poornima in India. The celebration of this festival
is followed according to the Indian calendar, and
hence the month in the English calendar varies every
year.
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Baisakhi
Several Indian festivals coincide with the harvest
time and Baisakhi is one of them. Baisakhi is celebrated
by the people of Punjab with vigor and joy. It is
celebrated by different names and with different rituals
almost all over India, when the Rabi crop is ready
for harvesting. Baisakhi is also the day when the
tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, founded
the Khalsa Panth over three hundred years ago. The
Vaishakha period of April and May is filled with festivals
of fun, frolic and merry-making and Baisakhi, derived
from the word Vaishakh, falls in this auspicious period.
Based on the Indian solar calendar, this festival
falls on April 13 every year and on April 14 once
every 36 years. Other festivals celebrating the harvest
are Bihu in Assam, Pongal in South India.
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Pushkar Fair
Held every year in the month of November, Pushkar
fair is the ideal occasion to witness the charisma
of Rajasthan in full bloom. Every ingredient that
makes Rajasthan a distinct place can be spotted in
the fair including men dressed in colorful traditional
clothes, women in mirrored skirts and vivid shawls,
embroidered clothes, exquisitely designed jewelry,
pots and ornaments. This four-day long fair full of
fun and frolic falls on the full moon of Kartik Purnima
and offers an unique opportunity for a shopping spree
while giving an edge to the consumer product marketing
in rural Rajasthan. Improved accommodation facilities
have made it an International event A large camel
fair in which traders from all over Rajasthan participate
to parade, race and trade their camels, horses and
cattle give it a fascinating touch. The acrobats,
jugglers, snake charmers and fire-eaters will leave
you mesmerized with their skilled performances. Cruise
on a camel safari and get the real flavor of the fair.
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Desert Festival
The otherwise sleepy town of Jaisalmer reverberates
with enthusiasm and zeal during the Desert Festival
that provides it with an occasion to parade its exuberant
charm to the world. This colorful spectacle of dance
and music showcases the rhythmic dances like Ghoomar,
Gangaur, Gair, Dhap, Moria, Chari and Terahtal. The
fire dancers are the special highlights of the festival.
Held in the month of January-February the major attractions
include turban-tying competition, Gair dancers and
fire-dancers presenting enchanting displays of folk
dance and music The various interesting contests including
turban tying and Mr. Desert contest, the Camel races,
acrobatics, dances and camel polo are sure to leave
you spellbound. An awe-inspiring fusion of traditional
dances backed by the folk music of the desert is sure
to give you a time of your life. The major attraction
of the festival remains the music and dance performance
on the sand dunes.
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Nagaur Fair
Nagaur awakes to the thronging of cattles, horses
and camels during the time of cattle fair, which is
reputed as one of the biggest in the country. The
Nagaur bulls are renowned for their fleet-footedness
and attract buyers from all over the world. Their
owners with large moustaches and colorful costumes
add a unique charm to the fair. Renowned for trading
in cows, bullocks, camels and horses Held every year
during the month of Magh (Jan-Feb) Provides an opportunity
for a shopping spree to the locals The fair comes
to an end with a series of exciting games including
tug of war, camel races and strains of ballads that
create a joyful atmosphere. Mirchi Bazaar (Red Chilly
Market) is the main attraction and wooden items, iron
crafts and leather accessories are also available
in abundance during the fair.
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Camel Fair, Bikaner
A unique blend of color, rhythm and melody. The Camel
Festival begins with a colourful procession of bedecked
camels, Ships-Of-The-Desert, in the red sandstone
backdrop of the Junagarh Fort. The festivity advances
to the open sandspreads of the Polo Grounds, followed
by camel races, camel milking, fur cutting design,
the best breed competition, camel acrobatics, camel
bands and watching all this, are the gaping spectators.
The camel display amazing foot-work, dancing gracefully
to the slightest direction of their riders. Colourful
bridles, bejewelled necks, jingling anklets and long,
lanky camel shadows on dusky sands, cast a magic spell.
The jubilant, skirt-swirling Gair dancers, the awe
inspiring Fire dance, and dazzling fire-works light
up the fortified desert city of Bikaner.
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Gangaur Festival
The most important local festival in Rajasthan, Gangaur
is held about a fortnight after Holi and the celebrations
go on for eighteen days. The festival is held in honor
of Gauri, a manifestation of goddess Parvati, the
wife of Lord Shiva. The festival is celebrated by
girls and married women throughout Rajasthan. Images
of Gauri are ornamented and offerings are made. This
is also an auspicious time for young people to select
their life partners. Colorful processions with the
town band, horses, and elaborate palanquins make it
a fascinating spectacle. The Gangaur festival is celebrated
throughout Rajasthan with great enthusiasm but the
celebrations in Jaipur and Udaipur have their own
special charm. The festival is also celebrated with
great pomp and show in Bikaner, Jodhpur, Marathwara
and Jaisalmer. Girls worship the goddess throughout
the fortnight. Colorful images of Gauri, beautifully
dressed and bejeweled, are taken out in a procession
accompanied by the town band. A boat procession is
taken out on the Pichola Lake in Udaipur. Women balancing
several brass pitchers on their heads add to the gaiety
of the Udaipur celebrations. Thousands of people from
the countryside come to take part in the procession
of Gangaur, which goes around from village to village.
Tribal men and women get the opportunity to meet and
interact freely and during this time, they select
partners and elope to marry. An unusual, romantic
custom sanctioned by the community, it helps many
young people find their life partner.
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Hemis Festival, Ladakh
The courtyard of Hemis- the biggest Buddhist monastery
in Ladakh, is the stage of the famous Hemis Festival,
that celebrates the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava.
Splendid masked dances are performed to the accompaniment
of cymbals, drums and long horns. A colourful fair,
displaying some beautiful handicrafts, is the special
highlight of the festival.
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