The Sikkim Flower festival

The international flower festival is conducted every year in the month of may in Gangtok, Sikkim. Sikkim is blanketed with different varieties of flowers, orchids, trees and ferns, mangolias, rhododendrons, gladioli, and many more plant varieties. The view of the flowers takes us to a different world. Along with the display of flowers and plants, experts also hold seminars and lectures. The festival is not only for flora lovers, but also for foodies and adventure seekers. Food festival is organised which provides a wide variety of sikkimese delicacies. For the adventure in tourists and locals, river rafting and Yak safaris are also organised.

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Thrissur Pooram

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The biggest and the most colourful temple festival of Kerala is Thrissur Pooram, being celebrated every year in Vadakkumnathan Temple in Thrissur. The festival is very famous for its procession of decorated and colourful elephants, from across various temples of kerala.
Apart from the elephant procession, the pooram festival also has other attractions like the firework display, drum concerts, umbrella showing competition, etc. The festival goes on for 36 hours and because of the splendid display of elephants and fireworks, the festival attracts huge crowds, both local and tourists.
Thrissur Pooram is an excellent light into the temple cultures and traditions of Kerala. According to the legend, on this day, 101 Gods and Goddesses from the neighbouring villages visited Lord Ayyappan, the deity of Arattupuzha Temple.

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Nagaur Fair

The Nagaur fair for showcasing the livestock including cows, bullocks, oxen, camels, horses, etc is conducted in the Maharashtrian city of Nagpur. This is the Rajasthan’s second largest cattle fair, and it is held during the month of January of February.

The Villagers from Rajasthan are seen wearing colourful turbans and they flaunt their clothes and long moustaches. This fair not only showcases the cattle, but also houses the plentiful local crafts including wooden artefacts, iron crafts, leather works, and other handicrafts.

Apart from the exhibition of handlooms, crafts and cattle, the Nagaur fait also conducts competition and games like tug-of-war, cock and bull fights, camel races, etc. These games attract both local and tourists. There is also cultural performances including folk and dance performances that keep everyone involved and gives a varied taste into the Rajasthani tradition.

The experience one has from the Nagaur fair is unique. One can peek into the spectacle of colours of Rajasthan, local lifestyle, culture and tradition.

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Mango Festival

In India’s capital city, New Delhi, the Mango Festival is being celebrated every year in the month of July. The fair happens in the Talkatora stadium. It marks the advent of mangoes and the fair presents more than 550 varieties of mangoes. These varieties of mangoes are from different states of the country.

The visitors are presented with the opportunity to taste the summer fruit from across the country under one roof, and also learn more about each variety. The festival also offers the agro industries and food processing industries to offer products with mango preparations like Jam, fruit juices, etc.

Some recreational activities are also conducted in the festival like mango eating competition, mango slogan writing, mango carving demonstrations, magic shows, etc. There is also prizes of biggest mango for everyone winning these competitions.

This festival is a tasteful experience for tourists and locals.

Slurrppp.. Tasty tasty mangoes. Can’t wait for July month!

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Snake Boat Race - Vallam Kali

The Snake Boat Race, also known as the ‘Nehru Trophy Boat Race’ happens every year in Alappuzha, Kerala. This event is mainly promoted for tourist attraction. A lot of tourists from India and across the world travel to Kerala to see this event. Honouring India’s first Prime Minister, this event was first conducted in the year 1952.

The boat holds approximately 150 men, of which 4 are helmsmen, 25 Signers and 125 oarsmen. The boat race depicts unity and team spirit. Without harmony among these men, it is impossible for them to win the boat race and then the trophy.

It is an awesome show of harmony as this event also promotes fraternity. This is a must watch for any tourist. If you are visiting Kerala in the second weekend of August, make sure you include this in your list of places to visit on Saturday. This event simply cannot be missed.

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Chennai Music Festival

The Chennai Music Festival is very popular and anticipated, and it is characterised as the world’s largest Cultural event. It happens for a month and provides plethora of traditional South Indian music and dance performances. Over 1000 performances take place, along with music related seminars, discussions, etc.

The festival was first created in 1927 by a group of individuals who later established the Madras Music Academy. The season was initially held during March/April (the Tamil month of Panguni), the timing of the season was later changed to December (the Tamil month of Maargazhi) due to more favourable weather conditions and the likelihood of attracting more tourists during this period.

Previously it was a festival solely consisting of Carnatic Music concerts, however over the years, it has diversified into dance and drama as well. 

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Surajkund Crafts Mela

Surajkund is named from the amphitheatre sun pool from the 10th century, a part of which is still seen there. The crafts mela is organised by Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Culture-Government of India in collaboration with Haryana Tourism.

Surajkund International Crafts Mela is a unique festival that showcases handicrafts, finest handlooms and Indian cuisine. The mela is not only for crafts and cuisine, you will also find the tryst of folk dancers with the beats and rhythms. Artists and craftsman from all over India display their crafts and unusual products. You will find talents everywhere including paintings, pottery, textiles, stone work, ivory work, terracotta, etc. that characterises the culture and tradition of their mother state.

Visit Surajkund during the month of February and indulge in shopping without a guilt!

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Khajuraho Dance Festival

Khajuraho is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh, 650 km southeast of Delhi. Khajuraho is famous for the temples that has erotic sculptures. It was the cultural capital of the Chandela Rajput. This Hindu dynasty ruled between 10^th and 12^th centuries.

The festival of Dances celebrated in Khajuraho at the time when winter ends and season of Spring starts. The dance forms from all over India, with their cultural roots and traditions is shown as a feast for the eyes and minds for the dance lovers from across the world. Watching these dance performances reveals the age-old customs and nuances that are firmly established.

These dances are being performed over a long time, yet the aura of these dances are not dimmed over the ages. The glory and charm of it is enhanced. The dance festival is to pay tribute to all those forgotten sculptors who had built the masterpieces in Khajuraho.

Have a look at this performance of 'Shiva Parvati Tandava Lasya' 

Festivals

India is a land of many things. Festivals is one of them. The population in India is so culturally diverse that there are many different varieties of festivals being celebrated all across India. The very common festivals are known to everyone in the country. But most of the festivals are specific to that particular region or the state, that others who don’t live in that particular place or those who are not from that religion are not aware of the regional festivals.

Every single city in India has some special festival for which the entire city comes alive. I have tried to capture some of the regional festivals that happen across India. I am making a bucket list of these festivals and will visit them all soon!

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