India’s calendar is full of very
special events: festivals of religion, harvests and culture are
celebrated with aplomb. India has three national holidays when all
establishments across the country are compulsorily closed: 15th
August-Independence Day, 2nd October-Gandhi’s birthday and 26th
January-Republic Day, which is an extravaganza of a parade.
Festivals
and holidays differ in different regions and some are universally
appreciated across the country. The winter festival of lights, Diwali,
is celebrated in cities, towns and dusty villages with twinkling lamps
and fireworks and is one of the most celebrated and famous festivals in
India. Spring brings myriad hues to the world around and also the
festival of Holi - a happily messy rite of water and colour. The harvest
brings joy and festivities of another order and is celebrated as Pongal
in the south, and Bihu in the east and Baisakhi in the north. Christmas
in Goa is still the most special but the cheer spreads everywhere. The
month of Ramadan and feasting is important to Muslims. Other important
religious events include Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, the Prophet’s birthday,
Good Friday, Dussehra, Buddha Purnima (Buddha’s birthday) and Guru
Nanak’s birthday.
Besides
these, dance festivals in southern temple towns in December and car
festivals of Puri and Madurai when the temple chariots are wheeled
around the city, and the Nehru Cup boat race in the Kerala's backwaters
(second Saturday of August) bring more occasions to celebrate. Find out
more on the Festivals in India 2013.
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