10 Most Popular Festivals in India

Onam is practically a week-long carnival celebrated in God's Own Country, Kerala! The festival brings everyone in Kerala together as the streets are crowded with performances, elaborate feasts, boat races, processions and more! Visiting Kerala during Onam is an experience you will never forget.

When is it: This year, Onam will begin on 23rd August (23/08/2021).

Significance: Onam is a prosperous festival celebrated by Malayalis as they commemorate the homecoming of the legendary King Mahabali.

Come Holi, and the streets are dotted with people applying dry and wet colours on each other's faces to celebrate the victory of good over evil! Holi is one of the top 10 festivals in India, celebrated with utmost gusto and fervour as people attend parties, indulge in dancing, throwing colours and water balloons and of course, indulging in some lassi!

When is it: March 29, 2021 (29/03/2021, Monday) is the date set for Holi this year.

Significance: Holi symbolises the victory of good over evil according to the mythology of Prince Prahlad killing Holika. The festival also marks the beginning of the spring season.

Undoubtedly one of the major festivals in India, Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the important festivals for the Muslim community around the world. As the festival observes the final day of celebration following a holy month of fasting, the festivities are quite magical. There are community prayer sessions that take place, a sacrificial event, a splendid feast and more where friends and family are called over.

When is it: May 13, 2021, has been announced as the day to celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr (13/05/2021).

Significance: Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims from around the globe following the Ramadan fast month. It is basically a conclusion to the holy month of Ramadan, where Muslims take up fasting.

Rakshabandhan is a very popular festival in India that aims to highlight and celebrate a brother and sister's bond. The festival signifies that a brother has the responsibility to take care of his sister through thick and thin. The rakhi is basically a symbol of the promise the brother makes to his sister. It is a very endearing festival which comes bearing gifts!

When is it: Rakshabandhan falls on August 22 this year (22/08/2021).

Significance: The festival is dedicated to celebrating the bond between a brother and a sister.

As the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna in the Mathura prison, Janmashtami becomes one of the most popular festivals in India. There are illustrious celebrations that take place across the country, especially in Mathura and Vrindavan. There are prayers, dances, bhajans and other hymns sung through the night and day as Lord Krishna's birth is depicted.

When is it: This year, Janmashtami will be observed on 30th August 2021 (30/08/2021).

Significance: Janmashtami is observed as the birthday of Lord Krishna in the Mathura prison. Hence, it is celebrated with tremendous enthusiasm!

As one of India's popular festivals, Durga Puja of Dussehra's celebrations are quite vibrant in the country. The 10th day of Navratri is welcomed with a massive celebratory spirit as Goddess Durga is worshipped. Similarly, massive effigies of Ravana are burnt as a means to showcase victory of good over evil as Lord Rama defeated Ravana to bring back his wife, Sita.

When is it: October 15, 2021 (15/10/2021) is the date announced by the Hindu calendar.

Significance: There are two reasons for celebrating Durga Puja/Dussehra in India. One of them is to commemorate Lord Rama's victory of Ravana. Simultaneously, it also celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over demon Mahishasura.

The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is quite famous in Maharashtra. It is actually a very important festival in India, too, as it signifies Lord Ganesha's birth following a tragic story. The 10-day carnivalesque affair has people bring home Ganesha idols or even raise pandals with Ganpati idols which stay for the duration before the idols are immersed in the sea.

When is it: Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on September 10 in 2021 (10/09/2021).

Significance: The festival symbolises the birth of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity who is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Also recognised as one of the very important festivals to celebrate in India, Navratri comes with myriad reasons for people to ring in the festivities. The one common goal is to worship the diverse forms of Goddess Amba as she takes on new forms to defeat demons.

When is it: This year, Navratri would be from 7th October to 14th October (7/10/2021 - 14/10/2021).

Significance: Representing the nine diverse forms of Goddess Amba (Adi Shakti or Parvati), each day is dedicated to one of her forms as explained in mythological tales. The celebrations lead to the final avatar of Goddess Durga in Dussehra.

Diwali is undoubtedly one of the most famous festivals in India. Celebrated pan India, the festival of lights has several significances for diverse cultures in the country. However, everybody comes together to light up diyas and celebrate the festival of lights in unison. It is quite a spectacle.

When is it: 4th November 2021 (4/11/2021, Thursday) is when Diwali will be celebrated this year.

Significance: The festival of lights is symbolic as it marks Lord Rama's return along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, following a 14 years long exile. It also signifies the death of Narkasur at the hands of Lord Krishna.