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India is a country of FESTIVALS and celebrations. Food is an important part of any celebratory occasion or commemorative event. Every festival has some special dish which is cooked in the homes.The flavour of each is accentuated by the dishes that are closely associated with it.

Esthetically Festivals are a poetry of arts and crafts, and encourage the latent talents of people. Emotionally Festivals lend joy and zest to the monotony of life, providing entertainment and enrichment through discourses and seminars, music and melodies, dances and rhythms of a meaningful life. Socially Festivals bring man closer to man in peaceful understanding. Social harmony is nourished as people of different nationalities, races, religions and backgrounds come together to share their joys and delights. Morally Festivals promote better life. Guiding masses away from drugs & addictions, hatred & violence, they nourish the values of service, sacrifice, discipline, unity & cooperation - restoring man's moral dignity Culturally Festivals retrace old traditions and strengthen our cultural roots by providing deeper insights. Spiritually Festivals inspire and consolidate faith in God. An atmosphere of purity and prayers elevate the soul and helps generate a feeling of universal brotherhood, inter-religious harmony and personal piety Indian Festivals Date for the Year 2024 < Festival Date-Day Importance 14 Jan,sun Lohri Lohri celebrates fertility and the spark of life. puja, involving parikrama (rotating) around the fire, symbolizes a prayer to Agni, the spark of life, for abundant crops and prosperity. Lohri is a joyous celebration, prasad of til, gazak, gur, moongphali, phuliya and popcorn, singing songs and share the warmth with family 15 Jan,mon Makar Sankrati The sun from one zodiac to another. Adults, children, even aged men and women,spiritedly fly kites all day. Kites dot sky 15 Jan,mon Pongal A three-day harvest festival, one of the most joyful events in the South. Newly harvested rice is ceremonially cooked and cows and bullocks are gaily decorated and fed and are led out in procession to the beating drums and music. 26 Jan,fri Republic Day January 26 marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution in 1950 and is India's National Day. Celebrations in the State capitals are colourful. The celebrations in New Delhi, a magnificent parade of the armed forces and civilians, is followed by an impressive cultural pageant and a colourful folk-dance festival. 8 mar,fri Shivaratri Colours vie with each other in the fairs on shores and riverbeds, to which thousands of pilgrims flock. For the Smartas, the time has come for the making of holy ash, but for the rest, it is an expression of their desire to join with Shiva 24 mar,sun Holi 25 Mar,mon Dhuleti The most boisterous of all Hindu festi,vals, observed all over the North. It heralds the end of winter. Men, women and children revel in throwing coloured powder and squirting coloured water on each other. Greetings and sweets are exchanged. 28 mar,thu Shivaji Jayanti Birthday of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is celebrated in Maharasthra as Shivaji Jayanti. He laid the foundation of a Hindu empire. Shivaji has been a source of inspiration and pride for generations for his courage and military acumen 9 apr,tue Ugadi The end of winter and beginning of spring is an eternal symbol of new life. Ugadi, while representing this, also has the sanction of both religion and science. 9 Apr,tue Gudi Padwa The Hindu Year begins on first day of the month of Chaitra, Shuddha Pratipada". New Year is celebrated in different states of India, Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Gudi Padava in Maharashtra. The Sindhis celebrate it as Cheti chand. The Prasad of neem leaves and jaggery is common to all the three. 13 Apr,sat Baisakhi The Hindu Solar New Year Day. People bathe in rivers and go to temples to offer puja (worship). Baisakhi is of special significance to the Sikhs. On this day in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh organised them into the 'Khalsa', brotherhood of man. farmers start harvesting on this day with great fanfare. Villagers perform the 'Bhangra' folk-dance 17 Apr,wed Ram Navmi Lord Ramachandra incarnated on Chaitra sud 9 at 12 noon and established Dharma and the ideals of character, worth emulating by mankind. "Wherever four Hindus live, Rama and Sita will be there" so said Swami Vivekananda 23 Apr,tue Hanuman Jayanti In order to destroy Ravan Vishnu took birth as Rama. At the same time Brahmadev commanded all the gods, gandharvas and rishis to take birth (avatar) to help Rama. So all the gods and goddesses and rishimunis took avatar in the form of "vanaras" (monkeys). The avatar of Vayu (wind) was Hanuman, cleverest and the most powerful. He had the ability of flying with the speed of the eagle. 15 Aug,thu Indepen- dence Day August 15 marks the anniversary of Independence in 1947 and is celebrated with due solemnity. The national flag is hoisted and the occasion marked as a day of Satdedication 19 Aug,mon Raksha Bandhan The Rakhi festival or Raksha Bandhan has a special significance in hearts of brothers and sisters. The silken thread of Rakhi symbolizes the love between siblings. The Rakhi Festival symbolizes all aspects of protection of the good from evil forces. 19 Aug,mon Raksha Bandhan The Rakhi festival or Raksha Bandhan has a special significance in hearts of brothers and sisters. The silken thread of Rakhi symbolizes the love between siblings. The Rakhi Festival symbolizes all aspects of protection of the good from evil forces. 26 Aug,mon Krishna Janmastami The birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu and the author of the Bhagavad Gita , is observed all over. It is celebrated at Mathura and Brindavan where Lord Krishna spent his childhood. Night-long prayers are offered and religious hymns are sung in temples. Scenes are enacted from Lord Krishna's early life 7 Sep,sat Ganesh Chaturthi Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati is widely worshipped as the munificent god of wisdom 15 Sep,sun Onam Kerala's most popular festival, celebrated with great enthusiasm, it is primarily a harvest festival. The most exciting part of the festival is the snake-boat race held at several places in the palm-fringed lagoons. 17 Sep,mon Anant Chaturdashi The 14th day of the bright half of Bhadrapad is the day of the immersion of Ganpati. The installed Murti's of Lord Ganpati are taken to a lake, river or a sea in great processions to be immersed in the waters. Thus Lord Ganesha is departed, only to be welcomed the next year with equal excitement.   02 Oct,wed Gandhi Jayanti The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. Special prayers are offered at the Gandhi Samadhi at Rajghat, Delhi and celebrations are held all over the countr 3 Oct,thu 11 Oct,fri Navaratri Navratri festival commences on the 1st day of Aso till the 9th. Devotees celebrate the victory of Lord's Shakti - power, over evil. There are several names attached to this Shakti, such as Amba, Ambica, Bhavani, Chamunda and Durga. Festival of Dance, Dandia Raas and Garba around Goddess Amba 11 Oct,fri Durga Puja Durga Puja , the festival of Bengalis is the worship of 'Shakti'or the divine power. Most of the religious celebrations in the world have legends surrounding them. Images of Goddess Durga are worshipped for four days and, on the last day, taken out in a procession and immersed in a river or the sea. 12 Oct,sat Dusshera It symbolises the triumph of good over evil. In the North, 'Ram Lila' recitations and music recall the life of the legendary hero, Rama. Large fire cracker--stuffed effigies of Ravana, symbolising evil, explode to the cheers of thousands of spectators. In Karnataka, Dussehra is celebrated with magnificent pomp and pageantry. 16 Oct,wed Sharad Purnima The Full Moon Night of the month of Aswin is known as the Sharad Purnima or Ras Purnima.T his is the night when Krishna would play the Ras Leela the entire night. The Bhagvad Gita, is recited throughout the night, and the devotees observing a fast keep awake through the night. Young women may undertake the fast considering Krishna as their consort. 20 Oct,sun Karva Chauth Hindu married women observe a fast on Krishna Chaturthi of Kartik (October-November) for the welfare of the husband, his health and long life. The fast is a rigourousone as the wife does not ven drink water on this dya. In the evening, all married women, dressed in gorgeous wedding garments and jewelley, undertake worship. As the moon rises, they bow down at the feet of their husbands. The fast is broken only after seeing the moon. 29 Oct,fri Dhan Teras Worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and fireworks and festivities are an essential part of the occasion. The sentiment underlying Lakshmi pujan is that the Lakshmi-'wealth' we have acquired is ultimately the result of God's grace. 31 Oct,thu Kali Chaudas This festival occurs on Aso vad 14, also known as 'Narak Chaturdashi' because Lord Krishna vanquished Narkaasur. Devotees pray and ofter pujan to Hanumanji to remove inauspiciousness and fear of evil spirits. Worship of Kali Mata 1 Nov,fri Diwali The festival of lights is one of the most beautiful of Indian festivals. It comes 21 days after Dussehra and celebrates the return of Rama to Ayodhya after his 14-year exile. Countless flickering oil lamps and lights are lit in houses all over the country making it a night of enchantment. 2 Nov,sat Hindu New Year 'Nutan Varsh' literally means 'dawn of the New Year', also called 'Bestu Varsh'. The Hindu New Year's day, of the Vikram era is Kartik sud 1. This auspicious day represents joy and happiness during the whole year. 3 Nov,mon Bhaibeej Bhai Duj The day is celebrated by all the sections of Hindu society as the day dedicated to love of sister for her brothers. 7 Nov,thu Chhath Puja Chhath is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to the Hindu Sun God, Surya, The Sun, considered the god of energy and of the life-force, is worshiped during the Chhath fesival to promote well-being, prosperity and progress.. 25 Dec,wed Christmas Celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike with special enthusiasm. The bigger cities like Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta wear a festive look as Christmas bazaars and festivities are organised