Cultural Festival in India: Cultures are a part of our life. Cultures are our identity by which we are defined. India is the hub of different cultures, religions, and traditions from modern to ancient. There is amazing cultural diversity throughout the country. Every state has its unique art, culture, and tradition. People speak different languages, dress differently, follow different religions, and eat different food. The one thing that is common for all states is that people of the same temperament. If compared, there is hardly any culture in the world that is as varied and unique as India’s.
Indian traditions today are not new ones. India was like that for more than 6000 years. There are so many proofs in history. Human beings want to migrate to India. India is a country that welcomes all religions. Most tourists who come to India are amazed by personally observing the Indian culture.
Cultural Diversity in India | Culture of India
Diversity in India defines different cultures and traditions. A Festival not only means joy and happiness, but it also means an essential display of tradition, values, and culture. Almost every day India celebrates a unique festival. Some are religious, national, and cultural or harvest festivals.Â
Every state in India has its own major festival and people become culturally alive during this time. We are here to talk about different cultural festivals of India based on their geographical location or states. Here is the list of cultural festivals widely celebrated in different corners of India.
Cultural Festival in North India
- Kila Raipur Sports Festival – Punjab
- Losar Festival, Ladakh
- Ladakh Festival – Ladakh
- Jaisalmer Desert Festival, Rajasthan
- Pushkar Fair/Camel Festival – Rajasthan
- Mewar Festival – Rajasthani
Kila Raipur Sports Festival- Cultural Festival of Punjab
Popularly also known as the ‘Rural Olympics’, this festival of sports takes place in Punjab and covers a wide variety of sports.
Kila Raipur is situated in Ludhiana, Punjab, and the sports festival is celebrated every year in February, thousands of people including foreigners attend the event.
In addition to sporting events, animals like bulls, dogs, camels, donkeys, mules, and other animals are also used.
The purpose is to cultivate individual strength for working in the fields and garnering the specifics. The winner is awarded and respected.
Ladakh Festival – Cultural Festival of Ladakh
The Ladakh festival takes place in the month of September and is organized by the state tourism department. The festival is as much of cultural importance as it is traditional. Almost all festivals are performed either inside a monastery or in the vicinity of one. The festival has dance, art, processions, yak and dragon dances, and whatnot.
The Ladakh Festival is actually a mélange of festivals that are collectively referred to as a whole. Some of these festivals are named Hemis, Ladakh, Losar, and Sindhu Darshan festivals. The summer transforms the valley into a combination of vibrant colors, which stays during the entire course of the festival.
Pushkar Mela – Cultural Festival of Rajasthan
Puskar Fair or Mela is the largest fair in the state of Rajasthan, The Pushkar Fair as the name suggests is a camel and livestock fair held all across the town of Pushkar. The fair is held during the months of October and November. The fair attracts tourists from all over the country and the world.
On this day, camel and cattle traders get together to do business at the holy Kartik Purnima festival. The men are busy with the goats, camels, sheep, and cows while the women pass their time in the stalls selling native jewellery, clothes, and textiles. Apart from the regular transactions of livestock, several competitions are held such as ‘The longest moustache’, ‘The bridal competition’, ‘Breaking the pot (Matka Phod)’, and many more.
Also Read:-Â List of Fairs in India
Mewar Festival – Cultural Festival of Rajasthan
Mewar Festival is the cultural festival of Rajasthan celebrated in Udaipur. The festival is celebrated to mark the arrival of the spring season. This festival has a vast history and has been celebrated since the Sisodia Dynasty was ruling India.
If you want to be a witness to the cultural and traditional aspects of Rajasthan at large, you shouldn’t forget to attend this festival. Know more About Rajasthan Culture and Tradition. Visit here:- Rajasthan Culture and Tradition
Cultural Festival in South India
- Onam, Kerala
- Pongal, Tamil Nadu
- Thaipusam Festival, Tamil Nadu
- Thrissur Pooram – Kerala
Onam – Cultural Festival of Kerala
Onam is a South Indian Festival celebrated in Kerala State. It is the major festival of Kerala that marks the Malayalam New Year. Onam is celebrated for ten days in the month of August or September, it celebrates the homecoming of the legendary king Mahabali.
Onam festival is deeply attached to Kerala Culture, thus this festival is considered the Cultural Festival of Kerala. People decorate their homes with beautiful flower arrangements and dress in their finest traditional clothes. They wear traditional wear, adorn houses with Pookalam (floral designs), and prepare Onasadya (an elaborate meal of about 13 dishes).
Many cultural events are organized during the Onam Festival. legendary boat races are held and a variety of dances are performed such as the tiger dance, women’s dance, and mask dance. Folk songs are sung and martial arts are displayed. The streets are full of festive colors and flowers.
Thrissur Pooram – Cultural Festival of Kerala
Thrissur Pooram is a South Indian temple festival held annually in Kerala. The festival is celebrated to commemorate the establishment of 10 temples around Vadakkunnathan Temple. It was mainly started by Raja Rama Verma and the surrounding temples participated in the festival.
The festival has events like Flag Hoisting (Kodiyettam), Firecrackers, displays of ornamental caparisons, royal fans, peacock feathers, and sacred bells. If you want to see the beauty of the South Indian Festival Especially Kerala Festivals, You should attend Thrissur Pooram.
Cultural Festival in North-East India
- Bihu Festival, Assam
- Hornbill Festival, Nagaland
- Durga Puja, West Bengal
Bihu Festival – Cultural Festival of Assam
Bihu is a northeast Indian Festival celebrated in the Assam State. A celebration of spring- in nature as well as of life, the Bihu dance is a joyous experience that sees men and women alike perform folk Bihu songs. Traditional Assamese wear and jewellery enhance further the spritely zest of the dance performances characterized by rapid hand movements and a rhythmic swaying of hips that is itself quite a delight to watch.
Hornbill Festival- Cultural Festival of Nagaland
The Hornbill Festival is a North-East Indian Festival celebrated in Nagaland State. Hornbill festival is generally called the Festival of Festivals. It is a week-long Festival celebrated from the 1st to the 7th of December in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland. Hornbill is all about celebrating ancient tribal traditions, lifestyles, and heritage. Each and every tribe of the state take part in this beautiful festival of colors and traditions.
Several stalls are set up at the festival to display art and crafts, and herbal medicine. There are various activities that take place throughout the week such as games, beauty contests, rock bands, traditional archery, Naga dance, wrestling horse-riding, painting, flower show, chilli eating challenge, and much more. If you want to see a glimpse of the cultural and traditional heritage of the North East, especially the Nagaland people, you should plan your trip to Nagaland during the Hornbill festival.
Durga Puja- Cultural Festival of West Bengal
Undoubtedly, the Durga Puja is a Cultural Festival in Bengal. Durga Puja festival celebration continues over several days and is named Maha Panchami, Maha Shashti, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami, and Bijaya Dashami. The festival marks the triumph of good over evil. The festival falls mostly in the English month of October.
Mahalaya Amavasya marks the inception of the festival and on that auspicious day, people give tributes to their deceased relatives. The festival ends with ‘Kojagori Lakhsmi Puja’, which is the worship of Goddess Lakshmi on a full moon night.
Also Read – Durga Puja in Bengal
Cultural Festival Allover India
- Dussehra, All over India
- Eid-ul-Fitr, All over India
- Diwali, All Over India
- Holi, All Over India
Cultural Festival in Mid-India
- Khajuraho Dance Festival, Madhya Pradesh
- Kite Festival, Gujarat
- Ganesh Chaturthi, Maharashtra
- Goa Carnival, Goa
- Puri Rath Yatra, Odisha
- Konark Festival – Odisha
Konark Festival – Cultural Festival
This sand art festival is related to the Sun Temple in Konark, Odisha. It is organized to spread awareness about the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage monument. Organized for the first time in 1989, the festival has tremendous cultural and traditional values.
The Indian culture is surviving with pride in the modern era. It timely imbibes the qualities of various other cultures and comes out as a contemporary and acceptable tradition.
On the world stage, either through international film festivals or through beauty pageants, India regularly displays its talent and culture. The flexibility and movement with time have made Indian Culture fashionable and acceptable too.
