Celebrating India's colors, traditions and flavors
The festivals of India bring families together through prayers, rituals and festive food. Many of them mark a new year or a harvest, and each comes with dishes cooked only for the day. Explore them by season and by region, watch our short festival videos, and for the stories behind them, read our Culture Chronicles.
Festivals of India by Season
India’s festival calendar follows the harvest and the moon, so the dates move a little every year. This is roughly when the big celebrations fall.
May
Spring
Holi, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Baisakhi, Vishu, Puthandu, Rongali Bihu, Thrissur Pooram
September
Monsoon
Rath Yatra, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Onam, Ganesh Chaturthi
November
Autumn
Navratri, Durga Puja, Dussehra, Diwali, Chhath Puja
February
Winter
Christmas, Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Basant Panchami
Festival Stories & Celebrations
Watch our short videos and see how India celebrates, from the family shrine to the temple town.
Jagannath Rath Yatra: A Celebration of Faith
Every year in Puri, Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra leave the temple on three giant wooden chariots, pulled through the streets by lakhs of devotees. Our short film looks at the festival and at Mahaprasad, the temple food that tastes of home to every Odia living far from Puri.
Watch on YouTube
Viewer favoriteVishu Kani
The first sight of Vishu morning: fruits, grain, gold, a lamp and golden konna flowers set before Krishna.
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Ugadi
Ugadi pachadi puts six tastes in one spoon, one for each kind of moment the new year may bring.
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Puthandu
Prayers at the home shrine, then a naivedyam of mango pachadi, payasam and sakkarai pongal.
Watch on YouTube
Baisakhi
Punjab's harvest festival, with prayers at the gurdwara, bhangra in the fields and festive sweets.
Watch on YouTube
Vishu Sadya
The Vishu feast on a banana leaf, served dish by dish in the order Kerala tradition sets.
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Thrissur Pooram
Fifty caparisoned elephants, parasol displays, chenda drums and fireworks at Kerala's grandest pooram.
Watch on YouTube
Pakhala Dibasa
Odisha's day for pakhala bhata, cooled rice soaked in water, also offered to Lord Jagannath in Puri.
Watch on YouTube
Rongali Bihu
Assam's spring New Year, with Bihu dance, dhol, festive food and the green of the new season.
Watch on YouTubeFestivals Across Regions
Every region celebrates in its own way. Explore each region’s festive recipes to cook at home, and the places to visit when you travel there.
North India
Festive recipes and travel ideas for Lohri, Holi, Baisakhi and Diwali.
Explore North IndiaSouth India
Festive recipes and travel ideas for Pongal, Ugadi, Vishu, Onam and Thrissur Pooram.
Explore South IndiaEast India
Festive recipes and travel ideas for Durga Puja, Rath Yatra, Rongali Bihu and Pakhala Dibasa.
Explore East IndiaWest India
Festive recipes and travel ideas for Ganesh Chaturthi, Gudi Padwa, Navratri and Gangaur.
Explore West India
