Festivals of India

Some of the most popular festivals in India

which are also celebrated internationally are
Diwali · Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja,
Raksha Bandhan, Dussehra, Eid al-Fitr,
Onam, Pongal, and Pushkar Camel Fair.
 Diwali:festival of
lights
• The five-day festival celebrates the victory of
light over darkness. Hindus across the world
are celebrating Diwali. The five-day festival of
lights is one of the most popular holidays in
India, and Thursday is the main day of
festivities, when the faithful pray to the Hindu
goddess of wealth.
• During Diwali, people wear their finest clothes,
illuminate the interior and exterior of their
homes with diyas and rangoli, perform worship
ceremonies of Lakshmi, the goddess of
prosperity and wealth, light fireworks, and
partake in family feasts, where mithai (sweets)
and gifts are shared
Holi : The
Vibrant Festival
Of Colors
• Holi celebrates the arrival of spring, the end
of winter, the blossoming of love and for
many, it is a festive day to meet others, play
and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair
broken relationships. The festival is also an
invocation for a good spring harvest
season.
• Each color also carries a meaning. Red
symbolizes love and fertility; yellow is the
color of turmeric, a powder native to India
and used as a natural remedy; blue
represents the Hindu God Krishna; and
green is for new beginnings
 Ganesh Chaturthi: Eleven
Days Of Pampering Lord
Ganesha Of Pampering Lord

• The festival celebrates Lord Ganesh as the

God of New Beginnings and the Remover
of Obstacles as well as the god of wisdom
and intelligence and is observed throughout
India, especially in the states such as
Maharashtra and Goa.
• The idol is immersed in water so that
Ganesha may return to his home after his
'stay' at the devotees' home or temple
where the Ganesha Chaturthi rituals are
conducted.
Durga Puja : held for
10 days in the month
of Ashvina
(September–October)

• Durga Pooja, also known as

Durgotsava or Sharodotsava,
is an annual Hindu festival
originating in the Indian
subcontinent which reveres
and pays homage to the Hindu
goddess Durga and is also
celebrated because of Durga's
victory over Mahishasur.
 Raksha Bandhan : special
bond between siblings
• Raksha means safety and bandhan
means bond. Raksha Bandhan or
Rakhi is an important Hindu festival,
dedicated to brothers and sisters.
On this auspicious day, sisters tie a
thread on her brother's wrist and
pray for his long and prosperous
life. In return, the brother gives a
token of love to his loving sister.
 Pongal : referred to as
Thai Pongal

• Pongal, is also referred to as Thai

Pongal, is a multi-day Hindu harvest
festival celebrated by Tamils in India and
Sri Lanka. It is observed at the start of
the month Tai according to Tamil solar
calendar, and this is typically about
January 14.
 Dusshera : nine-day
Navratri festival
• Dussehra, also called Dasara or
Vijayadashami, in Hinduism, holiday
marking the triumph of Rama, an
avatar of Vishnu, over the 10-
headed demon king Ravana, who
abducted Rama's wife, Sita. The
festival's name is derived from the
Sanskrit words dasha (“ten”) and
hara (“defeat”).
Eid al-fitr
• Eid al-Fitr is the earlier of the two
official holidays celebrated within
Islam. The religious holiday is
celebrated by Muslims worldwide
because it marks the end of the
month-long dawn-to-sunset
fasting of Ramadan
 Onam
• Onam marks the first month of the
Malayalam calendar known as
Chingam. The
festival commemorates the
appearance of the Vamana avatar
of Vishnu and the subsequent
homecoming of the legendary
King Mahabali.
THANK YOU
-Sumona Mathur