Festival of India

India is considered as a land of festivals. India, being a multi-cultural and multi-religious society, celebrates holidays and festivals of various religions. There are three national holidays in India, states and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics. Popular religious festivals include the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Dussehra and the Islamic festivals of Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Mawlid an-Nabi which are celebrated throughout the country. Muharram, mourning for the Prophet Muhammad's grandson is observed by some sects of Islam. In addition, the Sikh festivals such as Guru Nanak Jayanti, the Christian festivals such as Christmas, Good Friday and Jain festivals like Mahavir Jayanti, Paryushan are celebrated in certain areas where these religions have a significant following.

Many Indian festivals are religious in origin, although several are celebrated irrespective of caste and creed. Some popular festivals are Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Ugadi, Thai Pongal, Holi, Onam, Vijayadasami, Durga Puja, Eid ul-Fitr, Bakr-Id, Christmas, Buddha Jayanti and Vaisakhi.[138] India has three national holidays. Other sets of holidays, varying between nine and twelve, are officially observed in individual states. Religious practices are an integral part of everyday life and are a very public affair.

Why are festivals celebrated?

• Festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm because of which they form a great source of entertainment.
• Celebration of festivals offers a sense belonging towards social, geographical or religious groups.
• Festivals of mostly all the types are celebrated to meet some specific or particular needs.
• Festivals celebrated in a modern way focus on ethnic or cultural topics and they seem to inform people of their respective traditions.
• In earlier times, festivals used to be the times when the old people used to transfer knowledge and tell stories to the next generation.

Festivals in India

• Bahai Festivals
• Buddhist Festivals
• Christian Festivals
• Hindu Festivals
• Islamic Festivals
• Jain Festivals
• Judaism Festivals
• National Festival
• Sikh Festivals
• Zoroastrianism Festivals
• Occasions
• Other Festivals