Festivals in India are commemorated with great passion, seemingly as a celebration of life itself. Rich in its cultural inheritance, festivals are an intrinsic part of the Indian ethos. They reflect the diversity of celebrations in a multi-cultural nation which values sentiments, respects traditions and fosters community living.

Every occasion from the harvesting of crops, to welcoming the seasons or marking the full moon is a reason to celebrate.

Festivals are characterised by folk music and dances, feasts, prayers and rituals. Travellers are always amazed by the scale and multiplicity of festivities that add colour to the Indian calendar. Indian festivals are celebrated according to the solar and lunar calendars. Consequently, dates can vary from the Gregorian calendar.

January February/March March/April April/May Pongal Maha Shivratri Jamshed Navroz Jwalamukhi Fair Tyagaraja Festival Holi Mahavira Jayanti Karaga Naba Barsha Sankranti Teppam Mahavira Jayanti Baisakhi Buddha Jayanti Lohri Ramakrishna Utsav New Year's Day Goru and Rongali Bihu Bhogali Bihu - Good Friday Madurai River Festival Gangasagar Mela - Easter Pooram - - Nau Roz Shab-e-Barat - - Ramanavami Id-ul-Fitr - - Dol Purnima Id-ul-Azha - - Gangaur Brahmotsavam Jaitha Ashtami - - Vishu - - - Christian Mela - - - CarFestival - June/July July/August August/September September/October Mela Hemis Gompa Naga Panchami Ganesha Chaturthi Dussehra Car Festival-Puri Raksha Bandhan Onam Velangani Festival Teej Sravana Festival CarFestival Id-i-Milad - The Feast of St. Philomena Janmashtami - - Independence day Khordad Sal - - Kaveri River Festival Urs shah Hamadan - - - Sair-e-Gulfaroshan - - - Ban Yatra - - - Muharram - October October / November November/December December Gandhi Jayanti Diwali Children's Day Christmas - Deep Diwali Karthika Festival Urs Hazrat Nizamud-din - Gurpurab Vaikunth Ekadashi Saint Francis - Tikka - Xavier's Feast - Kansa ka Mela Ras Lila - St. Thomas' Day Fire-Walking Festival - Pushkar ka Mela - - - Urs Moin-ud-din Chishti - - - Khwja Bande Nawaz Chishti Urs - - - Navaratri - -