Take a Quiz on Hindu Festivals

The Ratha Yatra festival has become a common sight in most major cities of the world since 1968 through the ISKCON Hare Krishna movement. By the mercy of Lord Jagannath and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada successfully transplanted the festival which now happens on an annual basis in places all over the world in over 108 cities including; Moscow, New York, Houston, London, Rome, Zürich, Kolkata, Mumbai, Karachi, Berlin, Heidelberg, Cologne, Florence, Wroclaw, Sydney, Perth, Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Mexico City, Dublin, Belfast, Manchester, Birmingham, Alchevsk, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Stockholm, Bath, Budapest, Auckland, Melbourne, Montreal, Paris, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Toronto, Vancouver, Santiago, Tallinn, Lima, Antwerp, Sofia, Kuala Lumpur, Oslo, Zhongshan, Myitkyina, Bangkok and many other cities.^[5]

Mahashivaratri Festival or ‘The Night of Shiva’ is celebrated with devotion and religious fervor in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity. Shivaratri falls on the moonless 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun, which corresponds to the month of February – March in English Calendar. Celebrating the festival of Shivaratri devotees observe day and night fast and perform ritual worship of Shiva Lingam to appease Lord Shiva.

In Bali, Siwa Ratri, often referred to as the ‘night of Siwa’, is an auspicious time for introspection and meditation, during which the Balinese pray for forgiveness of their earthly sins and for support and strength from the god Siwa (Shiva) in order to reach their higher selves. Part of these rituals involve fasting and staying awake all night, so Siwa Ratri is also known as the longest night.

Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in Kerala. It falls around 14 April of the Gregorian year. Vishu (Malayalam: വിഷു, “Bisu” in Tulu Language),”Bisu sankramana” in Arebhashe dialect is the astronomical new year festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala, Tulunadu region and Kodagu in Karnataka and their diaspora communities. That is the reason why people in these region keep “Vishu Kani” on this day, so that the person seeing this “Kani” (that which is seen first thing in the morning) will have entire year auspicious.

This popular festival is celebrated on Eighth day of waning moon of Bhadrapad(Hindu calendar) and is the birthday of Lord Krishna. It is alsocalled as Krishna Jayanthi. The date falls not only on the eighth day of the waning moon of Bhadrapad, but always on Rohini Nakshatra. Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm in India in the month of July or August.

The actual celebration of Janmashtami takes place during the midnight as Sri Krishna is believed to be born on a dark, stormy and windy night to end the rule and violence of his uncle, Kansa.

A Hindu calendar is sometimes referred to as Panchanga (पञ्चाङ्ग).^[3]

Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala. Though Onam is traditionally a Hindu festival celebrated in Kerala, contemporarily Onam is celebrated by the Kerala diaspora across the globe. Onam commemorates the rule of Mahabali, an Asura(demon) king who loved his subjects. During his rule people were happy, honest and full of righteousness.

Chhath is mainly observed in Bihar and Terai, but is also celebrated elsewhere. It is a festival dedicated to the Sun God for bestowing the bounties of life and fulfilling wishes.

Ugadi (Ugādi, Samvatsarādi, Yugadi) is the New Year’s Day for the people of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana , Karnataka and Maharashtra, states in India.^[1]

Nyepi is a Balinese Hindu “Day of Silence” that is commemorated every Isakawarsa (Saka new year)The day following Nyepi is also celebrated as New Year’s Day.^[1][2]

Many Hindus on the Indian subcontinent observe the same day as new year. For example, the Hindus of Maharashtra term the same festival, observed on the same day, Gudi Padwa (Marathi: गुढी पाडवा). The Sindhis, people from Sindh, celebrate the same day as Cheti Chand, which is the beginning of their calendar year. Manipuris also celebrate their New Year as Sajibu Nongma Panba on the same day. The Hindus of Andhra Pradesh also celebrate their new year on the same day as Ugadi.

Guru Purnima is the day devotees offer puja (worship) to their Guru. This was also the day when Vyasa, author of the Mahabharata was born.

The celebration is marked by ritualistic respect to the Guru, Guru Puja. The Guru Principle is said to be a thousand times more active on the day of Guru purnima than on any other day.^[2] On this day, disciples offer pooja (worship) or pay respect to their Guru (spiritual guide). In addition to having religious importance, this festival has great importance for Indian academics and scholars. Indian academics celebrate this day by thanking their teachers as well as remembering past teachers and scholars.

Galungan is a Balinese holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma.^[1] The date is calculated according to the 210-day Balinese calendar. It is the day when Hindu dharma won over in Bali.

The Rongali Bihu coincides with Poi-Sangken festival in Thailand and other regions of East and South-East Asia.^[4] The other two Bihu festivals every year are unique to Assamese people. Like some other Indian festivals, Bihu is associated with agriculture, and rice in particular. Bohag Bihu is a sowing festival, Kati Bihu is associated with crop protection and worship of plants and crops and is an animistic form of festival, while Bhogali Bihu is a harvest festival.^[5][6] Assamese celebrate the Rangali Bihu with feasts, music and dancing. Some hang brass, copper or silver pots on poles in front of their house, while children wear flower garlands then greet the new year as they pass through the rural streets.^[7]

Vasant Panchami is the festival dedicated to goddess Saraswati who is their ancient goddess of knowledge, language, music and all arts.^[7]

On the island of Bali and the Hindus of Indonesia, it is known as “Hari Raya Saraswati” (great day of Saraswati). It also marks the beginning of the 210-day long Balinese Pawukon calendar.^[8]

Durga Puja and Navratri

This is the most popular festival during which God is worshiped in feminine form as :

• Durga, goddess beyond reach;
• Kali, the auspicious power of time;
• Amba or Jagdamba, mother of the world;
• Annapurna, giver of food and plenty;
• Sarvamangala, auspicious goddess;
• Bhairavi, terrible, fearful, power of death;
• Chandika or Chandi, violent, wrathful, furious;
• Lalita, playful;
• Bhavani, giver of existence;
• Tara, giver of success in work.

The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha clay idols privately in homes, or publicly on elaborate pandals (temporary stages). Observations include chanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts such as Ganapati Upanishad, prayers and vrata (fasting).^[1] Offerings and prasada from the daily prayers, that is distributed from the pandal to the community, include sweets such as modaka believed to be a favorite of the elephant-headed deity.^[2][3] The festival ends on the tenth day after start, wherein the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in nearby water body such as a river or ocean, thereafter the clay idol dissolves and Ganesha is believed to return to Mount Kailash to Parvati and Shiva.^[1][4]

Bihu is the chief festival in the Assam state of India. It refers to a set of three different festivals: Rongali or Bohag Bihu observed in April, Kongali or Kati Bihu observed in October, and Bhogali or Magh Bihu observed in January.^[2] The Rongali Bihu is the most important of the three celebrating the Assamese new year and the spring festival. The Bhogali Bihu or the Magh Bihu is the one that is all about food. The Kongali Bihu or the Kati Bihu is the sombre, thrifty one reflecting a season of short supplies and is an animistic festival.^[3]

Bihu is the chief festival in the Assam state of India. It refers to a set of three different festivals: Rongali or Bohag Bihu observed in April, Kongali or Kati Bihu observed in October, and Bhogali or Magh Bihu observed in January.^[2] The Rongali Bihu is the most important of the three celebrating the Assamese new year and the spring festival. The Bhogali Bihu or the Magh Bihu is the one that is all about food. The Kongali Bihu or the Kati Bihu is the sombre, thrifty one reflecting a season of short supplies and is an animistic festival.^[3]

Full moon of the Phalgun month (Hindu calendar). Holi or Phagwah is a popular spring festival. Holi commemorates the slaying of the demoness Holika by Lord Vishnu‘s devotee Prahlad. Thus, the festival’s name is derived from the Sanskrit words “Holika Dahanam”, which literally mean “Holika’s slaying”. The festival is called Shigmo and Shimga in Goa and rural Maharashtra respectively.

Holi celebrations start on the night before Holi with a Holika Dahan where people gather, perform religious rituals in front of the bonfire, and pray that their internal evil be destroyed the way Holika, the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, was killed in the fire.

The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi – a free-for-all festival of colours,^[10] where people smear each other with colours and drench each other. Water guns and water-filled balloons are also used to play and colour each other. Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children and elders. The frolic and fight with colours occurs in the open streets, open parks, outside temples and buildings. Groups carry drums and other musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance. People visit family, friends and foes to throw coloured powders on each other, laugh and gossip, then share Holi delicacies, food and drinks.^[18][19]

Deepavali which means “row of lights/lamps” in Kannada and Telugu and Marathi and Sanskrit is called “Diwali” in North India, Deepa means lamp and in Hindi a lamp is mostly called a Diya.

First Day of waxing moon of Chaitra (Hindu calendar). Gudhi Padwa / ChetiChand is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu Lunar month of Chaitra, and is celebrated as New Year’s Day by Marathis, Konkanis and Sindhis . According to the Brahma Purana, this is the day on which Brahma created the world.

Unlike Gregorian calendar which adds additional days to lunar month to adjust for the mismatch between twelve lunar cycles (354 lunar days)^[5] and nearly 365 solar days, the Hindu calendar maintains the integrity of the lunar month, but insert an extra full month by complex rules, every few years, to ensure that the festivals and crop-related rituals fall in the appropriate season.^[4][2].

Odalan temple festivals are held on the anniversary of when the temple was consecrated and usually on a new or full moon.

Since every village has at least three major temples, there is always some kind of community religious activity going on in Bali. Aside from the village temple festivals, every household compound’s family temple also has its ceremony every 210 days.

Ninth of the Chaitra month (Hindu calendar). Rama Navami is the celebration of the birth of Rama. Rama Navami is the day on which Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, incarnated in human form in the land of Ayodhya.

In Andhra Pradesh, Ram Navami is celebrated for 10 days from the Chaitra saptami to the Bahula Padyami that fall in the month of March and April. Temples re-enact the marriage of Lord Rama and Sita to commemorate this event, since this day is also the day they got married.^[7]

Thaipusam falls on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Thai. The word Thaipusam is derived from the Tamil month name Thai and Pusam, which refers to a star near the location of the moon during the festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a spear so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.

Kavadi Attam (Tamil:காவடி ஆட்டம்) is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Murugan.^[4] It is often performed during the festival of Thaipusam and emphasises debt bondage. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.^[5]

Makar Sankranti or Pongal

Makara Sankranti or Pongal marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rasi. It marks the gradual increase of the duration of the day. Pongal is the first day of Uttarayana and coincides with the beginning of the Tamil monthof Thai.

Pongal is one of the most popular harvest festivals of Tamil Nadu. Pongal occurs in the middle of January every year and marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayana (sun’s journey northwards). The Pongal festival lasts for four days. Celebrations include a drawing of Kolam, swinging & the cooking of delicious Pongal.^[2]

This day coincides with Makara Sankranti. Pongal is also commemorated by Jallikattu as a part of festivities as a sport of valor. The festival is celebrated mostly on January 14 of the Gregorian calendar

Bali, Indonesia has two types of Hindu calendar. One is a 210-day based Pawukon calendar and the other is similar to Indian Saka calendar and it is called the Balinese saka calendar which uses Hindu methodology.^[37]The names of month and festivals of Balinese Hindus for the most part are different, though the significance and legends have some overlap.^[37]

The Hindu calendar saka samvat system is found in Indonesian inscriptions, dated to 611 CE.[39][40]