Originally written on 8/6/2014
Introduction
With one of the longest histories and richest cultures in the world, India is an excellent destination to visit during any time of year. However, if you want an especially exciting trip, plan your visit to India to coincide with local holidays like Diwali. The vibrant celebrations and incredible friendliness are sure to leave you with fond memories for the rest of your life. Just be sure to get your Indian visa ahead of time to avoid the rush!
Famous Holidays
One of the best parts about Indian holidays is the fact that, while many celebrations come from a wide variety of religious traditions, they are still a time for people of all faiths to come together and be happy. Some of the most famous holidays that you should participate in include:
Holi: the Festival of Colours
By far the most visually striking of all Indian holidays, Holi is a day to celebrate spring, love, and friendship. Throughout all the streets in India, people run around with coloured powder or water and play. Anyone is fair game to be hit with a burst of colour! Bands wander and provide music and dancing for the festivities. As things calm down in the evening, everyone takes the opportunity to visit friends, foes, and family alike to ensure a good relationship in the rest of the year. While Holi is celebrated all over India, there are some variations by area. The most notable difference is in Mathura (northern India). There, the party goes on for several days and includes a day where men carry shields and women run around to beat them (in a friendly way) with sticks.
Krishna Janmashtami
Krishna is by far the most mischievous god in Hinduism, so it is only right that his birthday is celebrated with silly pranks like the ones he often practiced. The most famous of these involves baby Krishna stealing butter from his neighbours; because of this, Krishna Janmashtami is a time when people (especially in northern India, Uttar Pradesh) run around breaking pots filled with butter or buttermilk. But there's a catch: these pots have been tied high above the ground! People make human pyramids and compete with each other to see which groups can break the most pots. If you're coming to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami, make sure to visit Uttar Pradesh (especially Mathura). Because Krishna was born in Mathura, that's where most people go to have fun.
Diwali: the Festival of Lights
Diwali is part of a five-day festival that celebrates the triumph of light and good over darkness and evil. Diwali itself falls on the third day, on the new moon, when the world is darkest; people light up candles and lamps both inside and outside to show victory. Like Christmas in the west, Diwali is a time for:
Introduction
With one of the longest histories and richest cultures in the world, India is an excellent destination to visit during any time of year. However, if you want an especially exciting trip, plan your visit to India to coincide with local holidays like Diwali. The vibrant celebrations and incredible friendliness are sure to leave you with fond memories for the rest of your life. Just be sure to get your Indian visa ahead of time to avoid the rush!
Famous Holidays
One of the best parts about Indian holidays is the fact that, while many celebrations come from a wide variety of religious traditions, they are still a time for people of all faiths to come together and be happy. Some of the most famous holidays that you should participate in include:
- Holi: the Festival of Colours (early spring; origin: Hinduism)
- Mahavir Jayanti: the birth of Mahavira (spring; origin: Jainism)
- Vesak: Buddha Day (late spring; origin: Buddhism)
- Eid al-Fitr: the Sugar Feast (late summer; origin: Islam)
- Krishna Janmashtami: the birth of Krishna (late summer; origin: Hinduism)
- Ganesh Chaturthi: the birth of Ganesha (early fall; origin: Hinduism)
- Navaratri: a celebration of Durga (fall; origin: Hinduism)
- Guru Nanak Gurpurab: the birth of the first Guru (fall; origin: Sikhism)
- Diwali: the Festival of Lights (20 days after Navaratri; origin: Hinduism)
Holi: the Festival of Colours
By far the most visually striking of all Indian holidays, Holi is a day to celebrate spring, love, and friendship. Throughout all the streets in India, people run around with coloured powder or water and play. Anyone is fair game to be hit with a burst of colour! Bands wander and provide music and dancing for the festivities. As things calm down in the evening, everyone takes the opportunity to visit friends, foes, and family alike to ensure a good relationship in the rest of the year. While Holi is celebrated all over India, there are some variations by area. The most notable difference is in Mathura (northern India). There, the party goes on for several days and includes a day where men carry shields and women run around to beat them (in a friendly way) with sticks.
Krishna Janmashtami
Krishna is by far the most mischievous god in Hinduism, so it is only right that his birthday is celebrated with silly pranks like the ones he often practiced. The most famous of these involves baby Krishna stealing butter from his neighbours; because of this, Krishna Janmashtami is a time when people (especially in northern India, Uttar Pradesh) run around breaking pots filled with butter or buttermilk. But there's a catch: these pots have been tied high above the ground! People make human pyramids and compete with each other to see which groups can break the most pots. If you're coming to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami, make sure to visit Uttar Pradesh (especially Mathura). Because Krishna was born in Mathura, that's where most people go to have fun.
Diwali: the Festival of Lights
Diwali is part of a five-day festival that celebrates the triumph of light and good over darkness and evil. Diwali itself falls on the third day, on the new moon, when the world is darkest; people light up candles and lamps both inside and outside to show victory. Like Christmas in the west, Diwali is a time for:
- decorating homes and yards
- shopping for friends and family
- celebrating with friends and family with dinner and sweets