Top 10 Popular Festivals That Indians Love the Most
India is a land famous for its festivals and events. Festivals are an important part of Indian culture. Whether it is about buying rakhi online for Raksha Bandhan or buying crackers, or playing with colors during Holi, Indian festivals always add joy and fervor.
List of Popular Festivals
Here we endeavor to create the list of top 10 festivals that Indians like the most.
Diwali
Touted as the “festival of lights”, Diwali is the top favorite festival which is celebrated all across the nation with much fanfare. The festival marks the triumph of bad over evil. There is a multitude of things to do and enjoy during this festival. “Making rangolis”, decorating homes with the garland of electric lights, burning crackers, preparing sweets, and colorful rangolis, the festival has a lot to offer.
The festival is followed by a number of other festivals like “Govardhan Puja”, “Bhaiya Duj” etc. For years, children all across the nation see it as a festival to enjoy fire play and crackers.
Raksha Bandhan
This festival which celebrates the “bond of love” between a brother and sister is another favorite festival that Indians like the most and wait for. It is the eve of sacred threads, gifts, sweets, and commitments to protect the sister life-long. Apart from buying rakhi online, to shop for gifts and to have a lot of fun.
Though “Bhaiya Duj” celebrated after “Diwali” bears a semblance with this festival. But, “Raksha Bandhan” has its own importance and more fanfare than the former one.
Holi
It is hard to imagine any Indian who does not like Holi. This colorful festival marks the victory of good over evil. The festival is marked by dry and wet colors, “Gujiyas”, parties, dance and “Bhaang”. This festival cannot be ruled out from the list of top 10 favorite festivals of Indians. According to Indian mythology, on this day Prince Prahlad killed Holika which meant victory of good over evil.
This festival means an abundance of joy and celebrations. People sing, dance, and have fun party and fun together.
Eid-ul-Fitr
Without any doubt, Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the major festivals celebrated by the Muslim community all across the world. A final day of celebration after a holy month of fasting is rewarded in the form of “Eid”. Festivities are truly magical. People are able to observe a splendid feast where friends and family members gather and have fun together.
Muslims all across India and across the globe celebrate it with much fanfare. It winds up the holy month of Ramdan where Muslims take up fasting and concludes the entire month with feasting at their best.
Shree Krishna Janmashtami
Festivities all across the nation become all the more apparent on Shree Krishna Janmashtami. This festival implies the birth of Lord Krishna in the prison of Mathura. The illustrious celebrations take place all across the nation and “Jhankis” depicting his entire life are presented everywhere. Illustrious celebrations take place all across the nation with dances, bhajans and hymns sung all through the night in the praise of “Lord Krishna.”
Apart from that, “Dahi Handi” is observed in Maharashtra and the neighboring areas wherein people make a pyramid to reach the pot filled with curd on the top. One person climbs the pyramid and breaks the pot. All the participants in the festival are “Govinda.”
Merry Christmas
Christmas is a prominent Christian festival that is celebrated primarily by Christians but people of all religions in India celebrate it with much fanfare. Birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated with ecstatic joy all through India. Festivities of Christmas are marked by the smell of walnut cakes sweet smell of these cakes entice everyone. Christmas sees the prevalence of these caps and reindeer headgear.
Partying around, decorating Christmas trees, singing carols in Church and receiving gifts from Santa is a common sight on this day. Civilians decorate their caps with reindeer headgear which is mythological ride of “Santa Claus” which is known as “Father of Christmas.” Hanging stars, hanging balls, Christmas cakes and Church visits are the main attractions of this day.
Dusshera
Dusshera is the culmination of 9 days of fasting which culminated on the 10th day in the form of Dushhera. The key attraction of this festival is burning down the effigies of Ravan and his brothers. In the festival effigies ae filled with firecrackers that results in cacophony in the ambiance when 100 feet high structure breaks and tumbles down. The whole procession is cheered by the crowd that celebrates this symbolic feat.
In some places, this day is marked by portraying the entire “Ramayana” in the form of play which is known as “Ramlila.”
Durga Festival
This festival is meant for celebrating the power of Goddess Durga. This is a major festival of the Bengalis in India. This colorful festival is marked with much fanfare and celebrated by decorating the huge pandals where in decorated idols of “Goddess Durga along with “Karthikey”, “Ganesh” and “Sarsawati” are decorated and a wholesome enjoyment then take place with dancing, singing and a thorough enjoyment. Celebrations of Durga Puja is done by dancing, singing, “taking anjalis” in the morning and a lot more. People can expect tons of “fun” and can have a “whale of time.”
Ganesh Chaturthi
Celebrated mainly in the state of Maharashtra, this festival is a culturally charged festival that spans for more than 10 days and the last day of this festival is marked with most of the joy and fervor.
Humungous idols of Lord Ganesha are carried to the sea where the procession of “Viarjan” or immersing of the idol inside the water bodies. Immersing the idol inside the water bodies is the ritual of this festival and a walk around the seashore with dancing and singing marks its end.
Onam
Onam is another prominent festival of Kerala which has significance all across the nation. This festival means a very colorful affair. People celebrate this festival with various floral arrangements, woman wear gorgeous white and golden border sarees. The festivities are marked by “Kathakali” dance and a number of theatrical plays by the artists that are well-dressed as hunters and tigers.
Last Words…
The list does not end here. There are tons of other festivals that are celebrated with much fanfare in India. Whether it is about buying Rakhi Online for “Raksha Bandhan or burning crackers during Diwali or playing with colors on Holi, there are a lot of things to do during each Indian festival. India is a land of festivals and each festival here is celebrated with much fervor.
About The Author
Anurag Malik is the content manager at Rakhi Celebrations, an ethnic rakhi collection online shop. He loves to share his ideas on social media on lifestyle, health, business and more.