India Fairs & Festivals #5 - Travel guide
India
Fairs & Festivals #5
Mahashivratri - All over India
On this day, the great night of the Lord Shiva, devotees stay awake throughout the night offering prayers to Lord Shiva. They offer special food made from the fruits of the season, root vegetables and coconut to the Lord. Special celebrations are held in some of the major Shiva temples at Varanasi, Kalahasti (Andhra Pradesh) and Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu)
Mahavir Jayanthi - All over India
The Jain community celebrates the birth anniversary of the 24th and the last Tirthankara, Vardhman Mahavir, the founder of Jainism. On Mahavir Jayanthi, Jain temples are decorated with flags. In the morning the idol of Mahavira is given a ceremonial bath called the 'abhishek'. It is then placed in a cradle and carried in a procession around the neighbourhood. The devotees make offerings of milk, rice, fruit, incense, lamps and water to the Tirthankar. Pilgrims from all parts of the country visit the ancient Jain Temples at Girnar and Palitana in Gujarat on this day.
Makar Sankranti - Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh
Makara Sankranti is celebrated in the month of 'Magh' and is a harvest festival. It is a celebration of spring on the occasion of the 'ascent' of the sun to the north (Uttarayana). In Maharashtra, Karnataka as well as parts of Andhra Pradesh, Makar Sankranti is a day of goodwill and friendship.
Mamallapuram Dance festival - Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu
Once the ancient port of the Pallavas, Mamallapuram plays host to a vibrant festival of Dance. Exponents of Bharat Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak and Kathakali performed against the magnificent backdrop of the Pallava Rock Sculpture.
Marwar Festival - Jodhpur,Rajasthan
It is a festival devoted to the music and dance of Marwar region. The festival was originally known as Maand Festival. Held for two days on full moon - sharad purnima, folk artists bring to life the myths, legend and folklore of the area.
Mewar Festival - Udaipur, Rajasthan
An exhilarating welcome to spring, this festival is a visual feast with Rajasthani songs, dances, processions, devotional music and firework displays. It is celebrated in the romantic city of Udaipur during the Gangaur Festival. A procession of colourfully attired women carrying the images of the goddess Gauri make their way to the Lake Pichola. An unusual procession of boats on the lake offers a fiting finale to this splendid celebration.
Modhera Dance Festival - Sun Temple Modhera, Gujarat
The sun temple at Modhera in Mehsana district is dedicated to Lord Surya, the sun god, has its outer walls covered with sculptures in which the figures of Lord Surya are prominent. The beautiful Sun Temple acts as the backdrop during the festival of Indian classical dances held every year in January for three days. The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat organizes this annual festival of dance. The idea is to present classical dance forms in an atmosphere they were originally presented in.
Muharram - All over India
The festival commemoratesthe martyrdom of the prophet Mohammed's grandson- Hazrat Imam Hussein. It is celebrated with great fervour by the Muslims especially the Shia community. Tazias, glittering replicas of the Martyr's tomb, are carried in procession through the streets. The Tazias of Lucknow and Hyderabad are noted for their splendour. In places like Lucknow, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, grand scale processions are held. People beat their chest in mourning to the tune of beating drums and chants 'Ya Hussain'. Devotees beat themselves and inflict wounds on their own bodies.
Nagaur Fair - Nagaur - Rajasthan
Nagaur bustles with life during the annual cattle fair, which is one of the largest in the country. The Nagaur bulls are renowned for their fleet footedness and attract buyers from all over. Exciting games, tug of war, camel races and strains of ballads create a joyful atmosphere.
Nag Panchami - West Bengal, Maharashtra and South India
On this day, Snakes the symbols of energy and prosperity are worshipped. Milk and cooked rice is offered to snakes carried by snake charmers. Clay snakes are brought home to be worshipped and immersed in the sea / river in the evening.
In Southern India, particularly in Kerala, snake temples are crowded on this day and prayers are offered to the stone or metal icons of the eternal cosmic serpent Ananta or Shesha.
National Kite Festival - Ahmedabad - Gujarat
On Makar Sankranti Ahmedabad is at its colourful best as kites of all colours patterns and dimensions soar in to the sky. Special kites with little paper lamps fill the night sky with myriad flickering lights. Special Gujarati cuisine, exhibitions of handicrafts, and folk art enhance the festive spirit.
Natyanjali Festival - Chidambaram - Tamil Nadu
The ancient Nataraja temple of Chidambaram pays special tribute to Lord Nataraja - the dancing Shiva. The temple has carved pillars depicting Lord Nataraja in 108 poses of Bharathanatyam classical dance in the eastern tower. The Natyanjali festival dedicated to Lord Shiva is celebrated every year for five days in the temple premises. It begins on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri. During this time leading dancers from all parts of India congregate and dance in the temple as an offering to Nataraja. Natyanjali festival is jointly organised by The Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, The Ministry Of Tourism, Government of India and The Natyanjali Trust, Chidambaram. It is designed to promote a universal message of 'Unity in Diversity' conveyed in the universal language of music and dance.
Navaratri - All over India
Navaratri is the longest Hindu festival celebrated all over India for nine consecutive nights in praise of Lord Rama (Hero of the Epic Ramayana) and Goddess Durga. Continuous chanting from the great epic 'Ramayana', along with evening performances from the episodes of his life are held for nine days. On the 10th day falls Vijayadashami or Dussehra.
Navaratri is a combination of many concepts, with the common theme of the victory of good over evil. One concept is that Vijayadashami or Dusshera is celebrated on the day Rama kills Ravana. Another concept is that, Durga, goddesses of power and vitality who is believed to have nine forms called Navadurga, takes a new form on each of the nine days (celebrated as Durga Puja) with the arsenal of weapons to ride a lion and fight the demon Mahishasura. The 10th day on which the goddess kills Mahishasura, is celebrated as Dusshera or Vijayadashami as the victory of good over evil. Lord Rama is said to have worshipped the goddesses, seeking her blessing in order to overpower the evil force of Ravana, the abductor of his beloved Sita.
The most joyous celebration of Navaratri is seen in Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Bengal. In Gujarat, every night people gather in courtyards to dance the Garba and Dandiya Raas, a community dance in which men and women dressed in festive clothes dancing in pairs with Dandiya or painted wooden sticks.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race - Kerala
Alappuzha is famous for its annual boat race, held on the second Saturday of August every year. The long elegant snakeboats, with crews of over hundred men vying to win the coveted trophy, attract spectators from all over.
Nishagandhi Dance Festival - Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
The Nishagandhi open-air theatre in the palace compound holds a dance festival every year. Renowned dancers perform Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kathak, Odissi, modern ballet and other folk forms. Artist and connoisseurs of dance from all over India come to enjoy this cultural treat. The festival organised by the Tourism Development Corporation is free and is usually accompanied with music. It gives a fascinating glimpse of India's rich dance heritage.
Onam - Kerala
Onam, Kerala's most important festival heralds the harvest season. Onam lasts ten days and welcomes King Mahabali's spirit from eternal exile once every year. Main celebrations are held for four days and People wear new clothes, visit temples and offer prayers. Girls perform the Kaikottikkali (Thiruvathirakkali) in the open, dancing around the traditional brass lamp. A major attraction of the onam celebrations are the famed snake boat races along the backwaters at Champakulam, Aranmula and Kottayam. About a hundred oarsmen in each boat row huge and graceful odee (snake boats) to the rhythm of drums and cymbals and songs praising Mahabalis reign. Cultural festivities are held throughout the state at different venues with displays of the famed Kathakali , kaikottikali, Mohiniyattom dances etc.
A spectacular procession in Trichur is followed by a magnificent display of fireworks. At Shoranur appreciative crowds gather on the greens where colourfully dressed Kathakali Dancers re-enact the well-loved stories of the epic heroes and virtuous women.
Pattadakkal Dance Festival - Pattadakkal - Karnataka
Delicately carved temples rich in detail stand still at Pattadakkal, the ancient capital of the Chalukyan kings. A festival of dance celebrates this marvellous heritage.
Pongal - Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
In South Sankranti becomes Pongal. It is a celebration of the harvest, which is observed for three days in January. Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal and Mattu Pongal, are the three days of Pongal festivities on successive days. In certain parts cattle races still enliven the village festivities. Pongal is a colourful and traditional festival with many a ceremony devoted to various deities.
In Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tanjore a kind of bull fight called the Jellikuttu is held. Bundles containing money are tied to the horns of the ferocious bulls, and unarmed men try to wrest the bundles from them.
With ingredients provided by freshly gathered harvest, community meals are held at many a place.
Pooram - Thrissur, Kerala
Pooram is the most colourful of all the temple festivals of Kerala. It is celebrated in Thrissur at Vadakkumnathan temple in the month of Medam (April) where the regaining deity is Lord Shiva. Situated on a hillock right in the centre of the city, the spaciously laid out 'kshetram' or temple, attracts thousands of devotees from all over the land during the Pooram festival.
It is a magnificent spectacle with fireworks, umbrella showing competition and a splendid elephant procession. The best elephants of the state from the various temples in Kerala are sent to Thrissur to participate in the Pooram festival.
At 3' 0 Clock in the night spectacular display of fireworks begins. It lasts till 6' 0 clock in the morning. By afternoon the festival ends.
Pushkar Fair - Pushkar, Rajasthan
This fair is held at Pushkar town, 11 km from Ajmer in Rajasthan for twelve days annually. This cultural and trade cum religious fair is an attractive and lively spectacle with Rajasthani men and women in their colourful traditional attire, saffron-robed and ash smeared Sadhus (holy men) and thousands of bulls, cows, sheep, goats, horses and camels in richly decorated saddles. Perhaps the largest cattle fair in the world, it attracts more than one lakh people, from all over Rajasthan as well as tourists from different parts of India and abroad.
Trading of cattle, camel races and dazzling displays of bangles, brassware, clothes, camel saddles and halters make the fair colourful. Necklaces of glass beads from Naguar, pottery, printed textiles from Jodhpur and Ajmer are all on sale here. Farmers, cattle traders and breeders buy and sell their animals, leather whips, saddles etc. There are facilities for camel rides also. This livestock fair coincides with the climaxing of a religious celebration. Pushkar is among the five main places of pilgrimage mentioned in the Hindu scriptures. It has a large number of temples including one of the only two temples dedicated to Lord Brahma in India. Hundreds of thousands of devotees take a ritual dip in the holy Pushkar lake on the day of the Kartik Purnima (full moon night of the Kartika month) and worship at the Brahma temple (Jagat Pita Shri Brahma Mandir). Pilgrims flock from all over India to be in Pushkar at this auspicious time. They also believe that all the 330 million Gods and Goddesses are present at Pushkar Lake during the occasion.
Apart from the religious rituals and trading, people participate in a number of cultural and sporting events. The sweeping expanse of the desert becomes dotted with thousands of camels, stalls and camping families. The Rajasthan tourism Development Corporation has taken adequate measures to facilitate convenient access of the fair site and to accommodate the fairgoers.
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