Fairs & Festivals of India

Monks at the Thiksey Tsechu in Ladakh

India is indeed a land of Festivals. Indian festivals boast of India's rich cultural and traditional background. There are end number of festivals which are celebrated in this amazing land. The festivals in India may differ in their celebration and rituals but the commonality in all the celebrations is that it celebrates humanity. They represent the diversity of culture on one hand and unity of India on another hand.

Some of the common rituals, which are followed in most of the festivals, are processions in the streets, decoration of homes and sacred places and traditional and folk song and dance performances. Most religious festivals have elaborate prayers, traditions, customs and rituals attached to them.

Color generally seen at a fair

India is known as a land of many religions and innumerable languages, it might well be described as a land of many festivals as well. There is perhaps not a single day in the Indian calendar when a festival or a fair is not celebrated. Bright colors, brightly lit religious places, decorated houses, sweets and traditional dresses and dances and unwavering enthusiasm are the characteristics of all the festival holidays in India. If someone wants to see the deep roots of the culture, belief, life style, living, food, art, traditions of India, the fair and festivals are the window to view the true colour of India. There are festivals for all occasions which include color festivals, festivals to celebrate change of seasons, festivals connected with the harvesting or sowing of crops etc. Even the birthdays of divine beings are celebrated by connecting them with particular festivals. Indian festivals are celebrated according to the solar and lunar calendars. Consequently, dates & months may vary accordingly.

A Few important festivals of India

Mopin (Arunachal Pradesh)
Mopin is the most important festival of the Gallong community of the Adi Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. Mopin across Arunachal Pradesh is celebrated for five days in the month of April. It is celebrated prior to the sowing of the paddy.

People worship the deity of welfare in order to get rid of natural calamities, evil spirits and for good harvest, health and prosperity. During this festival, smearing rice powder on each other’s faces marks the beginning of the festival. One other feature of the Mopin festival is a dance known as Popir which is performed in a very elegant manner.

Bihu (Assam)

A Bihu dancer

It is the most important festival of Assam. It is celebrated with great happiness and enthusiasm and is celebrated by all Assamese irresepective of caste, creed, religion, faith and belief.

The Assamese witness three Bihu festivals in a year. Each Bihu coincides with a distinctive phase in the farming calendar. For example, Rongali Bihu marks the beginning of sowing of seeds, the Kati Bihu marks the completion of sowing and transplantation of the saplings and finally Magh Bihu marks the advent of the harvest period. The three are connected with the spring, winter and autumn seasons respectively.

Bali Yatra (Odisha)
To commemorate the glorious past of commercial voyages to the islands of Bali, Java and Sumatra by Oriya traders, a big fair called ‘Bali Yatra’ is held on Mahanadi river bank at Cuttack on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Kartik.

Kartik Purnima was considered the most auspicious day by traders to venture on a journey to distant lands. To mark the occasion; small boats made of cork, coloured paper and banana tree barks are set afloat on the Mahandi river. The Bali Yatra bears testimony to the rich maritime legacy of ancient Orissa. It is also known as Boita Bandana Utsav, or the "festival of boats".

Man and his best friend at the Pushkar festival

Pushkar (Rajasthan)
Held each November at the time of of Karthik Poornima (full moon), the Pushkar Camel Fair is one of the largest cattle fairs in India. During the fair, millions from rural Rajasthan flock to Pushkar, along with camel and cattle for several days of livestock trading, horse dealing, pilgrimage and religious festivities.

The camel and cattle trading is at its peak during the first half of festival period. During the latter half, religious activities dominate the scenario. It is an occasion for Hindu pilgrims to converge for a holy dip in the sacred Pushkar Lake to "wash away the sins of a lifetime" and pay obeisance at the ONLY Brahma temple in the world.

Sonepur (Bihar)
The Sonepur cattle fair or Sonepur Mela is held on Kathik Poornima (the full moon day) in the month of November in Sonepur, Bihar, on the confluence of river ganges and Gandak. This fair attracts visitors from all over Asia. It is the biggest cattle fair of Asia and goes on for around one month.

Horses at Sonepur

It is quite an exciting fair as nearly all the animals of different breeds are bought here for sale. Persian Horses, Camels, Guinea Pigs, Dogs, Bears, Cats, Rabbits, Buffaloes, Donkeys, Ponies, Sheep etc are specially brought here for sale and buyers from across the globe come to buy the best of breeds from here. A major attraction is the sight of numerous beautifully decorated Elephants lined up for sale.

Kullu Dussehra (Himachal Pradesh)
Dussehra, symbolising the victory of Rama over Ravana, is celebrated all over India but the Dussehra of Kullu has got its own significance. When Dussehra celebrations come to an end in the rest of the country, they begin in Kullu. Over 600 local deities are brought to pay homage to Lord Raghunath. This is a time when the valley is at its colorful best.

The celebrations continue for a week every year. Dussehra in Kullu commences on the tenth day of the rising moon (the ‘Vijay Dashami’ day) and continues for seven days. On the first day the idol of Raghunathji in a gaily attired chariot and attended by village gods mounted in colourful palanquins, is pulled from its fixed place in the Dhalpur Maidan (open ground) to another spot across the Maidan by big ropes. The pulling of ropes is regarded sacred by the local people. This forms a huge procession. All the gods in the valley visit Kullu during Dussehra in order to pay their homage to Raghunathji.

Elephants at Thrissur Pooram

Thrissur Pooram (Kerala)
Thrissur Pooram, which is known as the "Pooram of all Poorams" or "Festival of all Festivals" is the most awaiting cultural extravaganza in North Kerala.

The festival is celebrated every year during the month of April/May. The sprawling Thekkinkadu maidan located at the heart of the city and encircling the famous Vadakkumnathan Temple is the venue of almost all major events of the Pooram festivals.

The major attraction of this festival is the Elephant procession, which witnesses the participation of elephants from various temples of Kerala. Apart from this splendid procession, other attractions of Thrissur Pooram festival include a spectacular display of colorful fireworks, parasol exchanges, display of pyro-techniques and drup concerts.

Hemis Tsechu ( Ladakh)
The Hemis Tsechu is the largest and most popular monastic festival of ladakh. It is a two day annual festival which is celebrated in the courtyard of hemis monastery. It is celebrated on the 10th day of the Tibetan lunar month. The main purpose of this festival is to commemorate the birth anniversary of Saint Padmasambhava, the patron saint of Tibetan Buddhism and the one who brought Buddhism from India to Tibet. During these two days festivals, the resident Lamas perform sacred masked dances in the courtyard of the Monastery.

The Indigenous People of India

Over the centuries of the rough geographical entity of India, the region has been influenced by most of the major cultures in the world. Being a land of plenty, kings and conquerors from all over the world have been to India – to loot or to set base in the country. From the times of Alexander the Great, to the last British Viceroy, India has been influenced by the West and the East. These influences have been manifested in pratices, rituals, food, fashion and daily life.

However, there are a minor few who were the original people of India. In spite of such invasions and dynasties, the rituals followed by these people have not really been affected. Keeping to themselves, the rituals and lifestyle followed by these people have seldom incorporated any new changes since the time they were recorded. Through INDEBO you can now explore the lives of these people and maybe learn a few tricks on a better way of living. 

There is a substantial list of Scheduled Tribes in India recognised as tribal under the Constitution of India. Tribal peoples constitute 8.2% of the nation's total population, over 84 million people according to the 2001 census. Most of rural India is comprised of tribes, each different in their own philosophy and way of life. The most interesting regions in this aspect are the Himalayas, the hills of Orissa and Chhattisgarh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (although you are not allowed to meet them as they are under threat from modern developments and land encroachment), and the Western Regions of Gujarat. The tribal population of India is one of the strongest examples of diversity in a country that is trying to preserve its identity while inviting globalisation.

Arunachal Pradesh: The main tribes of Arunachal Pradesh are the Nishis, The Adi Miyongs, the Membas and the Khambas. Most of them hold on to their legends and the past through stories that they have memorized in verse. The Nishis practice agriculture & animal husbandry and stand out for their unique headdress of hornbill feathers. The Adi Miyongs are mongoloid in race and worship nature. The Khambas and Membas are of Buddhist origin and have preserved records of their ancestry. They interact with other tribes like the Tangins, Ashings and the Simnongs.

Gujarat: The predominant tribe of Gujarat are The Rabaris. Settled in Kutch, the Rabris trace their descent to Shiva. They were semi nomadic tribes, and consider themselves custodians of the camels, cattle and goats that they rear. The women stand out because they always wear black, the color being associated with that of sadness due to some events that they trace to their collective memory. They can be identified by tattoos, long earrings and stretched earlobes. They are adept at embroidery and create art on cloth, with pieces of mirror in various shapes.

Life and times in Orissa

Orissa & Chhattisgarh: Orissa has the highest number of original inhabitants in India. The most colourful of these people are the Saoras, the Gadabas, The Bondas and the Kondhs. The Saoras live in a stratified society and their pantheon consists of innumerable and ever watchful deities and ancestors. They observe a number of ceremonies at different stages of cultivation and other economic pursuits. Unfortunately polygamy is still practiced and marriage by capture is common. The Gadabas are the most colorful tribe in Orissa, are amongst the earliest settlers in the country and trace their origin to the time of Ramayana.They live permanently in large villages. Their language is called Gutab. They perform a dance called the Demsa. The Bondas are visible at weekly haats, (the market), where they come to buy provisions, and sell forest produce and country liquor. They call themselves Remo and speak an Autro-Asian language. They do not wear clothing, which has unfortunately made them the subject of speculation. The Kondhs belong to the dravidian group and speak the Kui language. Kondh life is full of festivities at the time of sowing and harvesting.