Festivals

Hindu festivals of light are not all saying the same thing. Each one uses light to point to a different idea—divine return, infinite truth, cosmic descent, healing moonlight, devotion, or wisdom. The lamp is the same object, but the meaning behind it shifts from festival to festival.

Navratri is a nine-night festival celebrating the goddess in her many forms. At its heart it marks the power of the divine feminine and the victory of good over evil.

Adi Amavasya is the new moon day in the Tamil month of Adi, falling in July or August. Tamil tradition sees this day as especially powerful for honoring ancestors, combining the sacred energy of the month with the regular potency of the new moon.

Ahoi Ashtami is a fast kept by mothers for the long life and wellbeing of their children. It falls four days after Karva Chauth and is a separate observance, though both belong to the same season of fasting in North India.

Akshaya Tritiya is a Hindu festival day seen as one of the most auspicious days of the year. The tradition holds that anything good started on this day will grow and never diminish.

Ambubachi Mela is an annual festival at the Kamakhya temple in Assam. The temple closes for three days because the goddess herself is believed to be menstruating, and reopens on the fourth day with great celebration.

Anant Chaturdashi is a day in the Hindu calendar that holds two separate observances: a vow to Lord Vishnu called the Ananta Vrata, and the immersion of Ganesh idols that marks the end of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

Attukal Pongala is a festival in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, where millions of women cook a sweet rice offering on open hearths in the streets for the goddess Attukal Amma. It holds a Guinness World Record as the largest annual gathering of women on earth.

Baisakhi falls each year in mid-April, when the sun moves into the sign of Aries. It marks both the rabi harvest in northern India and the start of a new solar year, making it one of the most layered festivals on the Hindu calendar.

Basant Panchami is closely tied to Saraswati, the goddess of learning and the arts. On this day, many families perform Vidyarambham, a ceremony that marks a child's first steps into learning.

Bhai Dooj is a Hindu festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. It is tied to a story about Yama, the god of death, visiting his sister Yamuna, and that story is why the day is also called Yama Dwitiya.

Bhogi is the first day of the Pongal festival, focused on clearing out the old and welcoming the new. The main Pongal day that follows is a thanksgiving to the sun, marked by the famous boiling-over of the pongal pot.

Bonalu is a Telangana folk festival where women carry pots of cooked rice to temples as offerings to the goddess Mahankali. It is a celebration of gratitude, community, and the bond between the goddess and her devotees.

Chhath Puja is a four-day Hindu festival dedicated to the sun and a goddess called Chhathi Maiya. It stands apart from most Hindu festivals because there are no idols, and devotees offer prayers to the setting sun as well as the rising sun.

Dhanteras is the first day of the Diwali festival season. It falls two days before Diwali and is connected to two figures from Hindu tradition: Dhanvantari, the divine physician, and Yama, the god of death. Buying gold, silver, or metal utensils on this day is tied to beliefs about prosperity and protection.

Dussehra is a Hindu festival celebrating the victory of good over evil. It falls on the tenth day after Navratri and is marked by the burning of large effigies and the end of Ramlila performances.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birthday of Ganesha, the elephant-headed god. Clay images of Ganesha are installed in homes and public spaces, worshipped for several days, and then carried to a body of water and immersed.

Ganesha Jayanti and Ganesh Chaturthi are two separate festivals, both celebrating Ganesha but falling on different dates and observed in very different ways. Ganesha Jayanti is a quieter, family-centred occasion, while Ganesh Chaturthi is the large public festival most people know.

Govardhan Puja is a Hindu festival celebrated the day after Diwali. It marks the story of Krishna lifting the Govardhan hill to protect the people of Vrindavan, and it centres on gratitude, food offerings, and the worship of cows.

Gudi Padwa is the Maharashtrian New Year, celebrated on the first day of the Hindu month of Chaitra. The Gudi raised outside the home is a symbol of victory, good fortune, and the start of a new year.

Guru Purnima is a full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashadha, set aside to honour one's teacher or guru. Householders mark it with prayer, gratitude, and reflection on the guru's role in their life.

Harela is a festival of the Kumaon and Garhwal hills of Uttarakhand, celebrated at the start of the month of Shravan. It marks the arrival of the monsoon and is centred on sprouting seeds that stand for new life and prosperity.

Hariyali Teej and Hartalika Teej are both festivals celebrating Parvati and Shiva, observed mainly by women. They fall in different months, follow different fasting rules, and are celebrated in different parts of India.

Holika Dahan is the bonfire lit on the night before Holi. It marks the burning of the demoness Holika and the triumph of devotion over evil. The fire is traditionally lit at a specific auspicious time, with prayers and offerings.

Janmashtami is the Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna. It is marked by fasting, midnight prayers, and devotional singing and dancing.

Kambala is a traditional buffalo race run through flooded paddy fields in coastal Karnataka. It is an offering to local deities for a good harvest and is one of the oldest living traditions of the Tulu Nadu region.

Karthigai Deepam is a Tamil festival of lights celebrated in the month of Karthigai, usually falling in November or December. Lamps are lit in homes and on hilltops because light, especially the sacred flame on Arunachala hill, is seen as a form of Shiva himself.

Kartik Purnima is the full moon day at the end of the holy month of Kartik. Bathing in a river on this day is considered especially sacred because the tradition sees it as one of the most meritorious acts a person can do, connected to several major divine events.

Karva Chauth is a day-long fast kept by married women in North India, praying for their husband's long life. The fast is broken only after the moon rises and the woman looks at it through a sieve, then looks at her husband's face.

Kojagari Puja is the Bengali and Odia celebration of the full moon night in the month of Ashwin, centered on Lakshmi visiting homes where people stay awake. The same full moon night is marked across India, but the focus and customs shift quite a bit from region to region.

Losar is the new year festival observed across Himalayan regions like Ladakh, Spiti, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. Hindu communities there blend Tibetan Buddhist traditions with local deity worship to mark the occasion.

Maha Shivaratri is one of the most important nights in the Hindu calendar, dedicated entirely to Lord Shiva. Devotees mark it with fasting, a night-long vigil, and worship at Shiva temples.

Mahalaya Amavasya is the new moon day that ends the fortnight of ancestor rites. It is believed to be the day Goddess Durga begins her descent to earth, and it marks the start of the Durga Puja season.

Mahanavami is the ninth and final day of Navratri. It is marked by the worship of the goddess Siddhidatri, the veneration of young girls, and in many parts of India, the worship of tools and weapons.

Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival marking the sun's move into the sign of Capricorn and the start of its northward journey. It is one of the few Hindu festivals tied to the solar calendar, so it falls around the same date each year.

Mattu Pongal is the third day of the Pongal festival, when cattle are honoured for their role in farming and daily life. The tradition is rooted in a story about Nandi, the sacred bull of Shiva, being sent to earth to help humans.

Nag Panchami is a Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of snakes. It falls on the fifth day of the bright half of the month of Shravana, and families offer milk, flowers, and turmeric to snake images or live cobras.

Naraka Chaturdashi is the day before Diwali, marking Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura. It is celebrated with an early-morning oil bath and, in many homes, with lamps and festivity.

Nirjala Ekadashi is a fast where no food and no water are taken for the whole day. It is considered the most difficult Ekadashi because of this complete waterless fast, and the tradition holds that observing it earns the merit of all twenty-four Ekadashis of the year.

Onam is a harvest festival celebrated in Kerala. It marks a rich legend and is known for its flower arrangements, a grand feast, and a spirit of togetherness.

Panguni Uttiram is a Tamil festival falling on the full moon of the month Panguni, when the moon is in the Uttara Phalguni nakshatra. This combination is seen as deeply auspicious for marriage, which is why several divine weddings are celebrated on this day.

Pausha Putrada Ekadashi is a fasting day in the Hindu month of Pausha, believed to be especially powerful for couples who wish for a child. The name itself means 'giver of a son', and the day is dedicated to Vishnu.

Pausha Sankranti is a winter harvest festival marking the sun's entry into Sagittarius. In Bengal it is called Poush Parbon, and in Odisha it is celebrated as Makara Chaula, each with its own food offerings and rituals tied to the new harvest.

Pitru Paksha is a sixteen-day period set aside to honor ancestors through rituals called Shraddha. Families offer water, food, and prayers to help the souls of those who have passed on.

Poila Boishakh is the Bengali New Year, falling on the first day of the month of Boishakh in mid-April. It is marked by prayers, processions, traditional foods, and the opening of new account books.

Pongal is a Tamil harvest festival lasting four days, each with its own meaning and practice. The days move from letting go of the old to welcoming the new harvest, honouring the sun, celebrating cattle, and spending time with family.

Bahuda Yatra is the return chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra back to their main temple after a nine-day stay away. It is the closing half of the same festival cycle that begins with Rath Yatra.

Pushkar Mela is a large annual gathering in Rajasthan that brings together two things at once: a sacred pilgrimage to one of Hinduism's holiest lakes, and one of the world's biggest camel and cattle fairs. The two have been linked for a very long time.

Puthandu is the Tamil New Year, celebrated when the sun enters Aries in mid-April. It shares the same solar moment with Ugadi and Vishu, but each festival has its own customs, foods, and regional roots.

Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival where a sister ties a decorative thread called a rakhi on her brother's wrist. It marks the bond between them and a promise of care and protection.

Ram Navami is a Hindu festival that marks the birth of Rama, one of the most beloved figures in the tradition. It falls on the ninth day of the bright half of the spring month of Chaitra.

Rath Yatra is a great chariot festival celebrated in Puri, Odisha, where three deities ride on three large wooden chariots through the streets. Each chariot has its own name, colour, and meaning in the tradition.

Ratha Saptami is a Hindu festival on the seventh day of the bright fortnight in the month of Magha. It marks the moment when the sun god Surya is believed to reach full strength as his chariot turns northward.

Saga Dawa is the holiest month in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar, marking the Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and passing. In Sikkim, both Buddhists and Hindus observe it, making it one of the clearest examples of how the two traditions blend in that region.

Saraswati Puja as celebrated during Durga Puja in Bengal is part of a larger five-deity worship, where Saraswati stands alongside Durga and other gods. This is different from Vasant Panchami, where Saraswati is the sole focus of the celebration.

Sharad Purnima is the full moon night in the autumn month of Ashwin. It is seen as one of the most sacred and beautiful nights of the year, and kheer is left in the moonlight because tradition holds that the moon's rays on this night carry a divine nectar.

Sheetala Ashtami is a Hindu festival honoring Sheetala Mata, the goddess of cooling and healing. On this day, no fire is lit and no fresh food is cooked. Families eat only food prepared the day before.

Sital Shashti is a festival in Sambalpur and western Odisha where the wedding of Shiva and Parvati is re-enacted as a grand street procession lasting several days. It is one of the largest celebrations of its kind in eastern India.

Sitalsasthi is an Odishan festival marking the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, observed on the sixth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Jyeshtha. The way it is celebrated differs quite a lot between Sambalpur in western Odisha and the coastal towns of the east.

Skanda Shashti is a six-day festival honouring Murugan, the son of Shiva, and his victory over a powerful demon. It is one of the most important festivals in Tamil Nadu, marked by fasting, prayer, and a dramatic re-enactment of the battle.

Thaipusam is a Tamil Hindu festival honouring the god Murugan, held on the full moon of the Tamil month Thai. The Kavadi is a physical burden that devotees carry as an act of devotion and penance.

The main Diwali falls on the new moon night of the month of Kartik and centers on Lakshmi Puja. Kartik Diwali, also called Dev Diwali or Tripuri Purnima, comes fifteen days later on the full moon and is a different celebration with different deities and rituals.

Navratri is nine nights of worship for the goddess Devi. Rama Navami is the celebration of Rama's birth, which falls on the tenth day right after Chaitra Navratri ends. They are connected by the calendar but are focused on different deities.

Hampi Utsav is a three-day cultural festival held each November at the ruins of Hampi in Karnataka. It brings back the spirit of the Vijayanagara Empire's grand royal celebrations, using the ancient site itself as its stage.

The Kumbh Mela is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, held at four sacred cities in India. Which city hosts it in a given year depends on the position of Jupiter and the sun in the zodiac.

Aadi Perukku is a Tamil festival held on the 18th day of the Tamil month Aadi. It celebrates rivers reaching their fullest and thanks the water for the life and crops it brings.

Holi is a spring festival of colors with more than one story behind it. The best-known tells of a devoted boy, a wicked aunt, and a fire that burned the wrong person.

Thrissur Pooram is a grand annual temple festival in Kerala, famous for its rows of decorated elephants, a dramatic parasol-exchange competition, and a fireworks display that is considered the finest of any Kerala pooram.

Tulsi Vivah is a ritual wedding between the Tulsi plant and a Shaligram stone, a form of Vishnu. It marks the end of Chaturmas, the four months when Vishnu is believed to sleep, and signals that auspicious events like weddings can begin again.

Ugadi is the Telugu and Kannada New Year, celebrated on the first day of the Hindu month of Chaitra. Panchanga Sravanam is a key part of the day, where a priest reads aloud the year's astrological almanac to the community.

Vaikuntha Ekadashi is the most sacred of all Ekadashi days in the Hindu calendar. It falls in the Tamil month of Margazhi and is believed to be the one day when the gates of Vaikuntha, the realm of Vishnu, stand open.

Vasant Panchami is a Hindu festival that marks the arrival of spring and honors Saraswati, the goddess of learning, music, and the arts. It falls on the fifth day of the bright half of the month of Magha.

Vat Savitri Vrat is a fast observed by married Hindu women for their husbands' long life. It centres on the story of Savitri, a woman who outwitted Yama, the god of death, to bring her husband Satyavan back to life.

Vishu is the Kerala New Year and harvest festival, celebrated in April. The Vishukkani is a carefully arranged display of auspicious items that people look at first thing on Vishu morning, in the belief that this first sight shapes the fortune of the year ahead.

Diwali is celebrated as a festival of lights marking the victory of light over darkness. Different communities celebrate it for different reasons, and the stories and customs behind it vary across India and the world.