Harvest Festivals of India, Significance & Celebration

The majority of the Indian population live in villages. Their livelihood depends on agriculture. Thus there are different harvest festivals in India. India celebrates many important harvest festivals every year. Do you know why harvest festivals are celebrated in India? We are here to talk about the Harvest festival of India, and the significance of harvest festivals, and celebrations. 

Why Do We Celebrate Harvest Festivals in India? 

Farmers also enjoyed their work and they celebrated it in the form of festivals. The hard work of farmers along with family members has given the results. People harvest their crops from the field and bring them to their homes. They keep in the safest place in the home. After harvesting their crop, they celebrate harvest festivals.

Diversity of Harvest Festival in India

The diversity of Harvest festivals depends upon the season. Harvest festivals vary according to geographical location. Harvest festival celebrations are deeply connected to the local culture and tradition. The South Indian harvest festivals are celebrated in different ways than North Indian harvest festivals. The same festival is celebrated with different names at different locations. e.g. Makar Sankranti is celebrated with different names at different locations.

Significance of Indian Harvest Festivals

The Indian Harvest Festival plays a significant role in farmers’ lives. These festivals are connected to nature, food, and animals.

Harvest Festival Signify the Start of the New Year

Cultural diversity in India can be seen based on local cultural beliefs and traditions. Based on the local culture and tradition, harvest festivals signify the start of the New Year in many cultures. 

Tamil New Year Start with Pongal which marks the beginning of the Tamil month called Thai which is considered an auspicious month. Ugadi is a New Year celebration in Andhra, Telangana, and Karnataka.

Harvest Festival Signify the Start of Harvest Season

All these festivals are based on their local harvest season. Those regions which are involved in agricultural practices plan their respective harvest seasons. Lohri festival signifies the end of winter and the beginning of a new harvest season. 

Thanking Mother Nature for Good Harvest

Nature has given us everything for life on earth. Harvest festivals are the celebration to thank the Sun, Mother Nature, and the various farm animals who help to contribute to a bountiful harvest. Through Harvest festivals, farmers perform rituals to thank mother nature.

Harvest Festival Celebration

When the crop season starts and farmers are ready to harvest their crops in the field, excitement can be easily felt on their faces. We can easily see the excitement on every farmer’s face when they are going to harvest their crop in the field. They celebrate this moment in the form of festivals. 

The harvest festivals in India involve customary traditions and joyous celebrations. From the start of digging the seeds into the field to the crop season, small or large festivals are organized.

Harvest Festivals of North India 

Some of the major harvest festivals in India are Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Uttarayana, Lohri, and Bhogali Bihu. These festivals are mostly celebrated in North India. These festivals are celebrated in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

Harvest Festivals of South India

The South Indian harvest festivals are different from North Indian harvest festivals. Pongal, Onam, and Ugadi are the famous harvest festivals of South India. These festivals are celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Telangana. All these festivals help one know about the culture of South India.

Conclusion

India is also an agrarian country. Farmers are the backbone of the nation. Former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri has given a famous slogan i.e. Jai Javan Jai Kishan. This means farmers in India are given the same respect and honor as our armed forces. They do hard work throughout the year and feed the nation and grow different grains and crops throughout the year. Harvest festivals bring joy and happiness to farmers’ faces. Their hard work in the field brings a good harvest and hence they need to celebrate together.