Colour, contribution, enthusiasm, prayers and rituals are the characteristics of the Festivals of India. The travellers are attracted to the scale and elaboration of the merrymaking that populate the cultural scene of the country. The various festivals in the country can be categorised on the national, regional, local, religious, seasonal and social grounds.

The Indian Festivals
Ganesha Utsav
This is a ten-day festival, jubilated during the bright half of Bhadrapad (August - September), celebrates the birth of Ganesha. It is featured with a grand procession of the elephant-headed god. Ganesha Chatturthi is celebrated with immense fun and entertainment in the state of Maharashtra.

Diwali, the Festival of Lights
This is one of the oldest and the most important Hindu festivals falling in the month of Kartik (October-November), which celebrates the return of Rama to Ayodhya after an exile of 14 years. Diwali or Deepawali also marks the beginning of the New Year and is celebrated with the lighting of lamps, burning of crackers. The festival of Deepawali is celebrated in almost all the parts of India.

Hanuman Jayanti, the Birth of Lord Hanuman, the Monkey God
Celebrated mostly in North India, celebrates the birth of the monkey god, Hanuman, during Chaitra (March-April). The festival also highlights the figurative acceptance of the human race's peaceful co-existence with nature and the worship of an animal.

Krishna Janmashtami, the Birth of Lord Krishna
Krishna Janmashtami falls during the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadra (August-September) and is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Krishna to bring an end to the injustice of Kansa. The festival is marked by fasts, prayers and the enactment of incidents from Krishna's childhood.

Shiva Ratri, the Great Night of Shiva
Jubilated on the new moon night in the month of Phalguna (February-March), this Hindu festival is committed to Lord Shiva.

Ramanavami, the Birth of Lord Rama
This Hindu festival goes on for nine days where it is celebrated in the bright fortnight in the month of Chaitra (March-April) and commemorates the birth of Lord Rama who took birth to annihilate the demon King Ravana.

Makara Sankranti, Return of the Sun to the North
Makara Sankranti celebrates the entry of the sun into the Tropic of Capricorn in the month of Magha (January-February).

Durga Puja, The Victory of Good over Evil
Celebrated in the month of Ashvina (September-October) in the state of West Bengal, Durga Puja is a nine-day festival (of which five days from Sashthi to Dashami are the most celebrate one in West Bengal) of the Hindus. It highlights the winning of Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura after a long battle, bringing forth the victory of good over evil.

Christmas, the Birth Anniversary of Jesus Christ
The most important and the most rejoiced festival of Christians is Christmas celebrated on the 25th of December. The festival marks the birth of lord Jesus and is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over the country.

Id, the Festival of the Muslim Community
The sizeable Muslim communities have their Ids in common with Muslims across the world. Idu'l Fitr, Idu'l Zuha and Id-i-Milad are the three festive occasions widely celebrated by Muslims in India.

Basanta Panchami and Holi
Basanta Panchami and Holi are the major spring festivals, held in February and March. They are best experienced in North India, where the changing seasons are more noticeable. Homes are cleaned, and on the eve of Holi, huge bonfires burn away the old year and usher in the new. Children play with colored powders and water, visit the homes of relatives and romp in the streets splashing colors on everyone. This ancient ritual has inspired some lovely and often bawdy - songs which can be heard in the villages. By noon an exhausted silence reigns and the festivities are over.

Onam
Onam is an important festival in Kerala which marks the end of the monsoon (August-September). It features boat races in which elegant snake-boats decorated with flowers and flags and manned with 30 to 40 rowers compete, while crowds line the banks of the river and cheer them on.

Independence Day
India's Independence Day is 15 August. The prime minister addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Delhi and there are celebrations throughout the country.

Buddha Purnima
Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti, the birth anniversary of the Buddha, is widely celebrated, on a full moon night in April/May. The Buddha was born on the full-moon day in the month of Vaisakh in 563 BC. He achieved enlightenment as well as nirvana on the same date.
It is also believed that Yashodara, the Buddha's wife, his charioteer Channa and even his horse Kantaka were born on the same day. On this day, Buddhists offer prayers in their temples. Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh and Bodh Gaya in Bihar are the main centres of celebration.

Dussehra
Dussehra (tenth day) is one of the significant Hindu festivals, celebrated with much joie de vivre in the entire country. The occasion marks the triumph of Lord Rama over the demon king, Ravana, the victory of good over evil. Brilliantly decorated tableaux and processions depicting various facets of Rama's life are taken out. On the tenth day, the Vijayadasmi day, colossal effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghnad are placed in vast open spaces. Rama, accompanied by his consort Sita and his brother Lakshmana, arrive and shoot arrows of fire at these effigies, which are stuffed with explosive material. The result is a deafening blast, enhanced by the shouts of merriment and triumph from the spectators.

Easter
On Easter, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as it is told in the Bible. This holy day celebrates the triumph of life over death.Easter Sunday moves between 22 March and 25 April

Muharram
Muharram is not a festival in the celebratory sense as it mourns the Karbala tragedy when Imam Husain, grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was martyred in the early days of Islamic history. It is observed in different ways in various parts of India.

Raksha Bandhan Raksha Bandhan is celebrated in some parts of India as a festival to honour the sea god Varuna. However, at most places, it celebrates the love of a brother for his sister. On this day, sisters tie rakhi on the wrists of their brothers to protect them against evil influences. This is also the day set apart for Brahmins to change the sacred thread they wear. In Mumbai, it is an occasion for offering coconuts to the sea.

Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri is celebrated throughout the country; it is particularly popular in Uttar Pradesh. Maha Shivratri falls on the 14th day of the dark half of 'Margasirsa' (February-March). The name means "the night of Shiva". The ceremonies take place chiefly at night. This is a festival observed in honour of Lord Shiva and it is believed that on this day Lord Shiva was married to Parvati.
On this festival people worship 'Shiva - the Destroyer'. This night marks the night when Lord Shiva danced the 'Tandav'. In Andhra Pradesh, pilgrims throng the Sri Kalahasteshwara Temple at Kalahasti and the Bharamarambha Malikarjunaswamy Temple at Srisailam.

Ugadi
The New year festival or Ugadi comes close on the heels of Holi. While the strong colors of Holi start fading away, the freshness of spring lingers on with sprightliness all around. The flame of the forest (trees with bright red flowers that blossom during holi) are in full bloom signifying an affluent season.It is believed that the creator of the Hindu pantheon Lord Brahma started creation on this day - Chaitra suddha padhyami or the Ugadi day. Also the great Indian Mathematician Bhaskaracharya's calculations proclaimed the Ugadi day from the sunrise on as the beginning of the new year, new month and new day. The onset of spring also marks a beginning of new life with plants (barren until now) acquiring new life, shoots and leaves. Spring is considered the first season of the year hence also heralding a new year and a new beginning. The vibrancy of life and verdent fields, meadows full of colorful blossoms signifies growth, prosperity and well-being.

Gudi Padwa

Gudi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month. Gudi Padwa is celebrated as the New Year day by Maharashtrians.

Gudi Padwa is also known as Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. This festival marks the beginning of the spring season. People celebrate this festival with great spirit and joy.

Houses are cleaned prior to the festival. Colourful rangoli designs are drawn at entrances. New clothes are worn on this day. There is a family gathering and Maharashtrian delicacies are prepared for everyone. The Maharashtrians make puran poli or sweet rotis, soonth pak and usal.

Traditionally, bittersweet leaves of the neem tree are eaten on this day. A paste of crushed neem leaves, cumin seeds, jaggery and salt is taken before eating any food in the morning.

Id E Milad
Popularly known as Barah Wafat (twelve death), this festival is celebrated on the twelfth day of the third month Rabi-ul-Awwal, in September / October. His death anniversary also falls on the same day, the word barah standing for the twelve days of the Prophet's sickness.

Hanuman Jayanti
Sri Hanuman is worshipped all over India-either alone or together with Sri Rama. Every temple of Sri Rama has the murti or idol of Sri Hanuman. Hanuman is the Avatara of Lord Shiva. He was born of the Wind-God and Anjani Devi. His other names are Pavanasuta, Marutsuta, Pavankumar, Bajrangabali and Mahavira.
On this holy day worship Sri Hanuman. Fast on this day. Read the Hanuman Chalisa. Spend the whole day in the Japa of Ram-Nam. Sri Hanuman will be highly pleased and will bless you with success in all your undertakings.

Baisakhi
Baisakhi, the Sikh New Year, is the holiest day of the calendar for over 20 million Sikhs worldwide. It is celebrated on 13 April each year. On this day in 1699, Sikhism was born as a collective faith. Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th Master of the Sikhs, initiated the Sikhs as the Khalsa or the pure and sincere. He bound the Sikhs to a strict code of conduct and, with unshorn hair, beard and turban, gave the Sikhs a distinct identity.

Buddha Purnima
Buddha Purnima is the most sacred day in the Buddhist calendar. It is the most important festival of the Buddhists, and is celebrated with great enthusiasm. Although Buddhists regard every full moon as sacred, the moon of the month of Vaisakh (April - May) has special significance because on this day the Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and attained Nirvana when he died. This strange, three - fold coincidence, gives Buddha Purnima its unique significance.

Guru Purnima
The day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh is traditionally celebrated as Guru Purnima by Hindus. Also known as Vyas Purnima, the day is celebrated in remembrance and veneration to sage Ved Vyas. He is the Adi (original) Guru of the Hindu Dharma, who classified the Vedas, wrote the eighteen Puranas and the Mahabharat. On this day, the Guru is offered Pujan (worship)by the disciples. First we shall consider the role of a Guru in life.

Bhai Dooj
The fifth and final day of diwali festival is known by the name of Bhayya Dooj in the hindi-speaking belt, Bhai Phot in Bengal, Bhav Bij in the marathi-speaking communities and in Nepal by the name of Bhai Tika.
After the diwali celebrations, sisters get ready for the most awaited 'Bhai Dooj' - when sisters ceremonize their love by putting an auspicious tilak or a vermilion mark on the forehead of their brothers and waves an aarti, she wishes him lot of love and protection from evil forces. Sisters are lavished with gifts, goodies and blessings from their brothers.
The celebrating of this day has its own importance in continuing to maintain the love between brothers and sisters for it is the day of food-sharing, gift-giving and reaching out to the inner most depths of the hearts

Karva Chauth
Karva Chauth is observed by married women (suhagini) for ensuring wedded bliss and wishing long life for their husbands and children. A married woman who observes this vrat is called .Saubhagyavati. (joyous and happy state of wifehood).
On the occasion of this vrat (Fast) a kalash (small container) is filled with either milk or water. In that kalash is placed Pancha Ratna (five pieces of different metals gold, silver, copper, brass and iron). The kalash is then presented to a Brahmin and also exchanged with other married women. While thus presenting the kalash, a wishful prayer is offered to Lord Ganesh: "Let the offerings of this Karva (Karak (gift bring long life to my husband and may my saubhagya be everlasting". And express such desire that .May my death precede that of my husband so that I can enter the chitaa (funeral pyre) as a bride (not as a widow).

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Top Indian Festivals for the Year 2007

January	February
Jan 14 - Makar Sankranti Jan 16 - Pongal Jan 26 - Republic Day Jan 30 - Muharram (Tajiya)	Feb 14 - Valentine's Day Feb 16 - Maha Shivaratri

March	April
Mar 04 - Holi Mar 04 - Dhulivandan Mar 19 - Gudi Padwa Mar 19 - Ugadi Mar 19 - Navratri Mar 27 - Ram Navami Mar 31 - Mahavir Jayanti	Apr 01 - Id-e-Milad Apr 02 - Hanuman Jayanti Apr 08 - Easter Apr 14 - Baisakhi

May	June
May 02 - Buddha Purnima May 13 - Mother's Day	Jun 19 - Father's Day

July	August
Jul 29 - Guru Purnima	Aug 15 - Independence Day Aug 20 - Pateti Aug 28 - Raksha Bandhan

September	October
Sep 04 - Janmashtami Sep 15 - Ganesh Chaturthi - Anant Chaturdashi	Oct 02 - Gandhi Jayanti Oct 12 - Navratri Oct 14 - Ramzan Id Oct 21 - Dassera Oct 29 - Karva Chauth

November	December
Nov 08 - Dhanteras Nov 09 - Diwali Nov 09 - Lakshmi Puja Nov 11 - Bhai Dooj Nov 24 - Guru Nanak Jayanti	Dec 25 - Christmas