Fairs & Festivals

📖 Major religious festivals

• Diwali (Deepavali) — festival of lights, celebrated across India, symbolising the victory of light over darkness.
• Holi — festival of colours, marking the arrival of spring.
• Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha — major Islamic festivals marking the end of Ramadan and commemorating Ibrahim's sacrifice, respectively.
• Christmas — celebrated by India's Christian community, marking the birth of Jesus Christ.
• Guru Nanak Jayanti — celebrates the birth of Sikhism's founder.

🎪 Major fairs (melas)

The Kumbh Mela, held on a rotating basis at four sites (Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, Ujjain), is the largest peaceful religious gathering in the world, drawing millions of pilgrims. The Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan is a major cattle fair combined with religious pilgrimage.

🌾 Regional and harvest festivals

Many festivals are tied to harvest seasons and regional identity: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Baisakhi (Punjab), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), and Makar Sankranti (celebrated nationally under various regional names) — each marking the harvest season with its own local customs.