View source for List of Hindu festivals

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{{Peacock|date=October 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2025}}
{{Hinduism}}
{{Hindu festival date info|expanded}}

[[Hindus]] celebrate a significant number of [[festivals]] and celebrations, many of which commemorate events from [[ancient Indian|ancient India]] and often align with seasonal changes.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gowda|first=Prabhu|date=8 August 2017|title=10 Hindu Festivals You Should Know About|url=https://theculturetrip.com/asia/india/articles/10-hindu-festivals-you-should-know-about/|access-date=26 September 2021|website=Culture Trip|archive-date=2 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002195139/https://theculturetrip.com/asia/india/articles/10-hindu-festivals-you-should-know-about/|url-status=live}}</ref> These festivities take place either on a fixed annual date on the [[solar calendar]] or on a specific day of the [[lunisolar calendar]]. The observance of these festivals often varies by region, with many celebrated predominantly by particular sects or in specific areas of the [[Indian subcontinent]].

==Terminology==
===Dolu Utsava===
''Utsava'' is the [[Sanskrit]] word for festivals. The Sanskrit word ''Utsava'' comes from the word ''ut'' meaning "starts" and ''sava,'' which means "change" or "decline".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sivkishen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kmVZBgAAQBAJ&dq=Utsava%2C+ut%2C+removal&pg=PT323|title=Kingdom of Shiva|date=23 January 2015|publisher=Diamond Pocket Books Pvt Ltd|isbn=978-81-288-3028-0|language=en|access-date=2 December 2021|archive-date=7 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907153155/https://books.google.com/books?id=kmVZBgAAQBAJ&dq=Utsava,+ut,+removal&pg=PT323|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Dolu'' means "seasonal colouring". Both the solar and the lunisolar calendars operate based on Dolu Utsava.

===Observance periods (''tithi'')===
{{See also|Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar#chandramana}}
[[Hindu calendar]] dates are usually in accordance with a [[lunisolar calendar]]. In [[Vedic timekeeping]], a ''māsa'' is a lunar month, a ''pakṣa'' is a lunar fortnight (two weeks), and a ''[[tithi]]'' is a [[lunar day]].

There are two prevailing definitions of the lunar month: [[Hindu calendar#amanta|''amānta'']], where the month ends with the new moon, and [[Hindu calendar#amanta|''pūrṇimānta'']], where it ends with the [[full moon]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 January 2025 |title=Hindu calendar {{!}} History, Seasons, Months, Days, Astrology, & Festivals {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hindu-calendar |access-date=7 February 2025 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Consequently, the same day may be associated with different but adjoining months. When a festival takes place during ''[[Paksha|śukla paksha]]'' (the waxing phase of the moon), both traditions attribute it to the same month. However, if the festival occurs during ''kṛiṣhṇa paksha'' (the waning phase of the moon), the two traditions assign it to different, but adjacent months.
<div style="overflow:auto">
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" 
|+class="nowrap" | Major Hindu festivals
!rowspan=2|Festival
!colspan="2" |māsa
!rowspan=2 scope="col" style="width: 100px;"|pakṣa
!rowspan=2 scope="col" style="width: 100px;"|tithi
|-
!scope="col" style="width: 80px;"|amānta
!scope="col" style="width: 80px;"|pūrṇimānta
|-
|[[#gudipadwa|Gudi Padwa]]/[[#ugadi|Ugadi]]
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|caitra
|style="text-align:center"|śukla
|style="text-align:center"|[[Prathama (day)|prathama]]
|- 
|[[#ramanavami|Rama Navami]]
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|caitra
|style="text-align:center"|śukla
|style="text-align:center"|[[Navami|navamī]]
|-
|[[Akshaya Tritiya]]
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|{{Hindu festival masa|festival=Akshaya Tritiya}}
|style="text-align:center"|{{Hindu festival paksha|festival=Akshaya Tritiya}}
|style="text-align:center"|{{Hindu festival tithi|festival=Akshaya Tritiya}}
|-
|[[#gurupurnima|Guru Purnima]]
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|āṣādha
|style="text-align:center"|śukla
|style="text-align:center"|pūrima
|-
|[[#nagapanchami|Naga Panchami]]
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|{{Hindu festival masa|festival=Naga Panchami}}
|style="text-align:center"|{{Hindu festival paksha|festival=Naga Panchami}}
|style="text-align:center"|{{Hindu festival tithi|festival=Naga Panchami}}
|-
|[[#rakshabandhan|Raksha Bandhan]]
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|śrāvaṇa
|style="text-align:center"|śukla
|style="text-align:center"|pūrima
|-
|[[#krishnajanmashtami|Krishna Janmashtami]]
|style="text-align:center"|śrāvaṇa
|style="text-align:center"|bhādra
|style="text-align:center"|kṛṣṇa
|style="text-align:center"|[[Ashtami|aṣṭamī]]
|-
|[[#ganeshchaturthi|Ganesh Chaturthi]]
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|bhādra
|style="text-align:center"|śukla
|style="text-align:center"|caturthī
|-
|Ganesh Visarjan
|colspan="2" style="text-align:center"|bhādra
|style="text-align:center"|śukla
|style="text-align:center"|pūrima
|-
|[[Pitru Paksha]] begins
|style="text-align:center"|bhādra
|style="text-align:center"|āśvina
|style="text-align:center"|kṛṣṇa
|style="text-align:center"|prathama
|-
|[[Pitru Paksha]] ends
Sarvapitru Amavasya
| style="text-align:center" |bhādra
|āśvina
| style="text-align:center" |kṛṣṇa
| style="text-align:center" |amāvasyā
|-
|[[Navaratri]] begins
|colspan="2" style="text-align:center"|āśvina
|style="text-align:center"|{{Hindu paksha | waxing}}
|style="text-align:center"|prathama
|-
|[[#durgapuja|Durga Ashtami]]
(8th day of Navaratri)
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center" |āśvina
| style="text-align:center" |{{Hindu paksha | waxing}}
| style="text-align:center" |[[Ashtami|aṣṭamī]]
|-
|[[#navaratri|Maha Navami]]
(9th day of Navaratri)
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center" |āśvina
| style="text-align:center" |{{Hindu paksha | waxing}}
| style="text-align:center" |{{Hindu tithi | tithi=9 }}
|-
|[[Navaratri]] ends
[[#vijayadashami|Vijaya Dashami]]
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center" |āśvina
| style="text-align:center" |{{Hindu paksha | waxing}}
| style="text-align:center" |[[Dashami|daśamī]]
|-
|[[#karvachauth|Karva Chauth]]
|style="text-align:center"|āśvina
|style="text-align:center"|kārtika
|style="text-align:center"|kṛṣṇa
|style="text-align:center"|caturthī
|-
|[[Diwali]] begins
[[#diwali|Dhan Teras]]
|style="text-align:center"|āśvina
|style="text-align:center"|kārtika
|style="text-align:center"|kṛṣṇa
|style="text-align:center"|trayodaśī
|-
|[[#diwali|Naraka Chaturdashi]]
(2nd day of [[Diwali]])
|style="text-align:center"|āśvina
|style="text-align:center"|kārtika
|style="text-align:center"|kṛṣṇa
|style="text-align:center"|[[Chaturdashi|caturdaśī]]
|-
|[[Deepavali]] / [[#diwali|Lakshmi Puja]]
(3rd day of [[Diwali]])
|style="text-align:center"|āśvina
|style="text-align:center"|kārtika
|style="text-align:center"|kṛṣṇa
|style="text-align:center"|amāvasyā
|-
|Annakut or [[#diwali|Bali Padyami]]
(4th day of [[Diwali]])
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|kārtika
|style="text-align:center"|śukla
|style="text-align:center"|prathama
|-
|[[Diwali]] ends
[[#bhaidooj|Bhai Dooj]]
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|kārtika
|style="text-align:center"|śukla

|style="text-align:center"|dvitīya
|-
|[[#vasantpanchami|Vasant Panchami]]
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|magha

|style="text-align:center"|śukla
|style="text-align:center"|pañcamī
|-
|[[#mahashivaratri|Maha Shivaratri]]
|style="text-align:center"|magha
|style="text-align:center"|phālguna
|style="text-align:center"|kṛṣṇa
|style="text-align:center"|caturdaśī
|-
|[[#holi|Holi]]
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|phālguna
|style="text-align:center"|śukla
|style="text-align:center"|caturdaśī
|}
</div>

==Sublists==
*[[List of Hindu festivals in Punjab]]
*[[List of festivals observed at Jagannatha Temple, Puri]]
*[[List of Sindhi festivals]]

==List and descriptions of the major Hindu festivals==
The ''[[tithi]] shown in the'' following list is as per the [[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar|amānta]] tradition.
{| class="wikitable sortable plainlinks" 
|-valign=top
! Major Hindu Festivals
! Photo
! Hindu ''[[tithi]]'' of observance 
! Descriptions
|-valign=top
||[[Bhogi]] (also known as [[Lohri]] in Punjab and[[Lal Loi|Laal Loi]] in parts of North India)<br />
|
[[File:Bhogi Flames.jpg|thumb|center|150px|Bhogi bonfire in Andhra Pradesh]]
||[[Bhogi]] marks the first day of the 4-day Sankrathi festivities and occurs one day before [[Makara Sankranthi]], marking the transition of the Sun into Makara [[rāśi|rasi]]. 
|| ''Bhogi'' is a festival celebrated in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Karnataka]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], and [[Telangana]].
Bhogi is a festival that symbolises renewal and transformation, during which people discard old, unused, or derelict items to make way for new beginnings.<ref>[http://post.jagran.com/andhra-celebrates-bhogi-with-gaiety-1389607284] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415202007/http://post.jagran.com/andhra-celebrates-bhogi-with-gaiety-1389607284|date=15 April 2019}} Post Jagran Article 15 January 2014</ref> At dawn, a bonfire is lit using logs of wood, solid fuels, and unwanted wooden furniture. This act represents the disposal of not only physical clutter but also old habits, vices, and attachments to relationships and material possessions. The practice is linked to the "Rudra Gita Jnana Yajna," symbolising the sacrificial fire of knowledge associated with [[Rudra]]. Bhogi signifies the realisation, transformation, and purification of the soul through the adoption of divine virtues.
|-valign=top
||[[Makar Sankranti]]<br />or<br />[[Pongal (festival)|Pongal]] 
or
[[Uttarayana]]<nowiki/>or
[[Maghe Sankranti]]
or
[[Maghi]] or [[Magh Bihu]]<br />
|
[[File:Samkranti muggulu 2015 (3).JPG|thumb|center|150px|Colorful floor artwork (''muggulu'') decorate entrances and streets on Makar Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[File:Thai Pongal at Sivan 8.jpg|thumb|center|150px|Thai Pongal in Colombo]]
||[[Makara Sankranti]] or [[Pongal (festival)|Pongal]] marks the transition of the Sun into Makara [[rāśi|rasi]]. It marks the gradual increase of the duration of the day. <br /><br /> Pongal is the first day of [[Uttarayana]] and coincides with the beginning of the [[Tamil month]] of Thai.
|| ''Pongal'' is a harvest festival in [[Tamil Nadu]]. Pongal occurs annually on January 14 (on the [[Gregorian calendar]]) and marks the beginning of Uttarayana (the sun's journey northward). The Pongal festival lasts for four days. Celebrations include the drawing of ''[[Kolam]]'', swinging, ''[[Jallikattu]]'', and the cooking of [[Pongal (dish)|Pongal]].<ref name="Pongalfestival.Org">[http://www.pongalfestival.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115141248/http://www.pongalfestival.org/|date=15 January 2010}}, Pongalfestival.org.</ref>
|-valign=top
||{{Anchor|vasantpanchami}}[[Vasant Panchami]]  <br />
|
[[File:Goddess Saraswati dressed in yellow sari for Vasant Panchami Festival, Kolkata.jpg|thumb|center|150px|Goddess Saraswati dressed in yellow sari on Vasant Panchami, Kolkata. She sits in a swing, holding a [[Veena]], with books in one corner]]
||Fifth day of the waxing moon of [[Maagha|Magh]] ([[Hindu calendar]]) 
|| ''Vasant Panchami'' (also called ''Saraswati Puja'' by [[Bengali people|Bengalis]] and [[Odia people|Odias]]) is celebrated for the blessing of Goddess [[Saraswati]], [[Hindu deities|Hindu]] goddess of [[wisdom]] and [[the arts]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | last1 = Friedrichs | first1 = Kurt | editor1-last = Schuhmacher | editor1-first = Stephan | editor2-last = Woerner | editor2-first = Gert | title = Sarasvatī | encyclopedia = The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen | year = 1994 | publisher = [[Shambhala Publications|Shambala]] | isbn = 0-87773-980-3 | page = [https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780877739807/page/306 306] | location = Boston | quote = The goddess of&nbsp;... scholarship&nbsp;... She is also the patron of the arts, especially of music. | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780877739807/page/306 }}</ref>
|-valign=top
|| [[Thaipusam]]<br />or<br />[[Kavadi]]<br />
|
[[File:Thaipusam Murugan.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|[[Murugan]] during [[Thaipusam]]]]
||The full moon day of the Tamil month of [[Thai month|Thai]]. 
|| ''Thaipusam'' is a Hindu festival predominantly celebrated by the [[Tamils]]. The name ''Thaipusam'' is derived from the Tamil month ''Thai'' and ''[[Pushya]]'', the name of a group of stars within the [[Cancer (constellation)|Cancer]] constellation. The festival marks the occasion when [[Parvati]] presented Lord [[Murugan]], the Tamil God of War, with a spear to defeat the demon [[Soorapadman]].

''Kavadi Attam'' ([[Tamil language|Tamil]]:காவடி ஆட்டம்) is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of [[Murugan]].<ref name="Divinity">Kent, Alexandra. ''Divinity and Diversity: A Hindu Revitalization Movement in Malaysia''. [[University of Hawaii Press]], 2005. ({{ISBN|8791114896}})</ref> 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 Lord [[Murugan]].<ref name="Hume">Hume, Lynne. ''Portals''.</ref>
|-valign=top
||{{Anchor|mahashivaratri}}[[Maha Shivaratri]] <br />
|
[[File:Bangalore Shiva.jpg|thumb|center|150px|Statue of Shiva meditating]]
||Thirteenth night of the waning moon of [[Maagha|Magh]] ([[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar#amanta|amanta]]) / [[Phalguna]] ([[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar#purnimanta|purnimanta]])
|| ''Maha Shivaratri'' is 'The Night of Shiva', during which [[Shaivism|followers of Shiva]], one of the principal [[Hindus|Hindu]] deities, observe religious [[fasting]] and the offering of [[Aegle marmelos|Bael]] (Bilva) leaves to Shiva.
Shivaratri falls on the fourteenth night of the new moon in [[Phalgun]] (February – March). During the festival of Shivaratri, devotees observe a day-and-night fast and perform ritual worship of the Shiva [[Lingam]] to honour Shiva. The observance begins early in the morning with a ritual bath, often in a sacred river like the [[Ganges]], followed by dressing in fresh clothes. Devotees then visit a nearby Shiva temple to perform a ceremonial bath of the Shiva Lingam using offerings such as milk, honey, water, and other sacred substances.

Throughout the day and night, worship of Lord Shiva continues. Ritual ''pooja'' is performed every three hours, during which priests bathe the Shiva Lingam with a mixture of milk, yogurt, honey, [[ghee]], sugar, and water, accompanied by the chanting of "Om Namah Shivaya" and the ringing of temple bells. A ''jagran'' (night vigil) is also observed in many temples, where devotees gather to sing hymns and devotional songs in praise of Lord Shiva. The fast is typically broken the next morning, following the consumption of ''[[Prasada|prasad]]'' offered to the deity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mahashivratri.org/mahashivaratri-festival.html |title=Mahashivaratri Festival : Festival of Shivratri, Mahashivratri Festival India – Mahashivaratri Festival 2019 |publisher=Mahashivratri.org |access-date=22 April 2018 |archive-date=3 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903153005/http://www.mahashivratri.org/mahashivaratri-festival.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-valign=top
|| {{Anchor|holi}}[[Holi]] <br />
|
[[File:Holi celebrations, Pushkar, Rajasthan.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Holi in Pushkar, Rajasthan]]
[[File:Holi celebrating by a little kid.jpg|150px|thumb|center|A little kid after Holi celebrating (Haridwar)]]
[[File:Holi Bonfire Udaipur.jpg|center|thumb|upright|Holika Dahan (bonfire) in front of Jagdish Temple in [[Udaipur]], [[Rajasthan]]]]
|| Full moon of the [[Phalgun]] month (Hindu calendar)
|| ''Holi'' or ''Phagwah'' is a 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 means "Holika's slaying". The festival is called ''Shigmo'' and ''Shimga'' in [[Goa]] and rural [[Maharashtra]], respectively. In [[Odisha]] and [[West Bengal]], it is also celebrated as [[Dol Purnima]]. 
|-valign=top
||[[Shigmo]] <br /> 
|[[File:A boy with aarat.jpg|thumb|center|150px|Young boy at the Shimgo holding aarat]]
|| 5 days before full moon of [[Phalgun]] until the full moon of [[Phalgun]]
||''Shigmo'' is celebrated in [[Goa]] as one of the major festivals of the [[Konkani people|Konkani]] Hindu community. The main festival coincides with Holi.
|-valign=top 
||[[Rang Panchami]] <br />
|[[File:Rang_Panchami_-_Baburao_Painter.jpg|thumb|Rang Panchami - Baburao Painter]]
||
|| In Maharashtra and parts of Madhya Pradesh, the festival of colours is celebrated five days after Holi on Rang Panchami. Playing a colorful Holi with Palash flowers ([[Butea monosperma]]), also known as butea gum in English, has significant health benefits for the body, which serve as a counter to the increased heat in summer.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025|reason=Makes claims to benefit health, need specifics!!!}}
|-valign=top
||[[Gangaur]] <br />
|
[[File:La déesse Gangaur (musée du Fort Meherangarh, Jodhpur) (8416559160).jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Mother Gaur]]
||
|| ''Gangaur'' is a festival important to [[Rajasthani people|Rajasthanis]], and is observed throughout the state by women who worship [[Parvati|Gauri]], the consort of Lord Shiva during the Hindu month of [[Chaitra]] (March–April).
It is the celebration of spring, harvest, marital fidelity, conjugal blessedness, and childbearing. Unmarried women worship the goddess in hopes of being blessed with a good husband, while married women do so for the welfare, health, and long life of their husbands.
|-valign=top
|| [[Navarathri|Vasant Navratri]]  <br />
|[[File:Shardiya_Navratri_Festival_in_Pune_2020.jpg|thumb|Shardiya Navratri Festival in Pune 2020]]
|| First nine days of the [[Chaitra]] month (Hindu calendar)
|| ''Navratri'' is the Hindu festival of [[worship]] and dance. In Sanskrit, the term literally means "nine nights". During this festival the forms of [[Shakti]], or divine feminine energy, are worshipped, and effigies are burned. During these nine days, devotees fast to devote their worship for shakti. On these nine days, nine incarnations of ''shakti'' (''Maa Durga'') are worshipped.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-10-02 |title=Navratri 2024: What are the nine forms of Maa Durga and the special prasad offered to them |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/events/navratri-2019-what-are-the-nine-forms-of-maa-durga-and-the-special-prasad-offered-to-them/articleshow/71335962.cms |access-date=2025-05-02 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
|-valign=top
||{{Anchor|ramanavami}}[[Rama Navami]]
or

[[Rama Navami|Shri Rama Navami]]<br />
| [[File:Rama, Sita and Lakshmana.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Home shrine on Rama Navami]]
|| Ninth of the [[Chaitra]] month (Hindu calendar)
||''Rama Navami'' or ''Shri 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 [[Ayodhya (Ramayana)|Ayodhya]]. He is the ''ardha ansh'' (partial incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, embodying half of Vishnu's definitive qualities. The name "Rama" translates to "one who is divinely blissful and brings joy to others" and "one in whom sages find delight." Ram Navami falls on the ninth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Chaitra (March/April) and coincides with Vasant Navratri or Chaitra Durga Puja. In some regions, the festival is observed over nine days.
This day is also celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Sita, known as ''Kalyanotsavam''. In Ayodhya, Lord Rama's birthplace, a grand fair is held, attracting thousands of devotees. The celebrations include a ''rath yatra'' (chariot procession) carrying the idols of Lord Rama, his brother Lakshman, his wife Sita, and his devotee Hanuman from various temples. Hanuman's devotion to Lord Rama plays a central role in the festivities.

In Andhra Pradesh, Ram Navami is observed for ten days, from Chaitra Saptami to Bahula Padyami (March/April). Temples in the region often reenact the marriage ceremony of Lord Rama and Sita to commemorate the dual significance of this day as both their birth and wedding anniversary.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Rama_Navami |title=Rama Navami – Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia |publisher=Hindupedia.com |access-date=22 April 2018 |archive-date=17 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417001014/http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Rama_Navami |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-valign=top
|| {{Anchor|gudipadwa}}[[Gudi Padwa]], [[Cheti chand|Cheti Chand]],
[[Ugadi|Yugadi]], [[Navreh]]
(Chandramana Nava Varsha), [[Ugadi]]<br />
|
[[File:Gudhi Padwa Gudhi cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Traditional Gudhi]][[File:UgadiPachadi.JPG|thumb|Ugadi Pachadi]][[File:Coconut holige.jpg|thumb|[[Puran poli|Bobbatlu]] or [[Holigey]] or [[Bhakshalu]] prepared on Ugadi]]
||First Day of waxing moon of [[Chaitra]] (Hindu calendar)
|| ''Gudhi Padwa / Cheti Chand '' is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu Lunar month of [[Chaitra]], and is celebrated as New Year's Day by [[Marathi people|Marathis]], [[Konkani people|Konkanis]] and [[Sindhi people|Sindhis]]. According to the [[Brahma Purana]], this is the day on which [[Brahma]] created the world.
''Ugadi'' (meaning "the start of an era" in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] and [[Kannada]]) is New Year's Day for the [[Telugu people|Telugus]] and [[Kannadigas]].
|-valign=top
||[[Mesha Sankranti]] 
or
[[Baisakhi]]<br /> 
|
[[File:Ganges at Haridwar, Uttarakhand.jpg|thumb|center|150px|Ganges at Haridwar, Uttarakhand]]
|| First day of solar month of [[Vaisakha]].
||''Mesha Sankranti'' (also called [[Vaisakha]] [[Sankranti]]) represents the transition of the sun into the Mesha (Aries) Zodiac and marks the start of the solar new year in lunisolar calendars. It involves bathing in holy waters. Regional new year festivals are also observed on this day such as [[Vishu]], [[Pohela Boishakh]], [[Pana Sankranti|Maha Vishubha Sankranti]] and [[Vaisakhi]]. It represents the vernal (Spring) equinox. 
|-valign=top
| |[[Vishu]]<br /> 
|
[[File:Vishu kani.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Traditional ''vishu kani'']]
|| 
|| Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in [[Kerala]].  It falls around 14 April of the Gregorian calendar. “Vishu” means equal in Sanskrit. Vishu is a symbol of the beginning of spring season. This festival is a phase that is devoted to the Lord Vishnu. Vishu is a festival for the family.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vishufestival.org/story-behind-vishu-festival.html|title=Story Behind Vishu Festival|website=www.vishufestival.org|access-date=1 November 2019|archive-date=23 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023224028/http://www.vishufestival.org/story-behind-vishu-festival.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-valign=top
| |Puthandu ([[Tamil New Year]]) <br />
|
|| 
|| The Tamil New Year follows the Nirayana vernal equinox.  It falls around 14 April of the Gregorian calendar.
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||[[Rongali Bihu]]<br /> 
|
[[File:Bihu dancer with a horn.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Bihu dancer with 'pepa']]
|| Vaisakha/Bohag ([[Assamese Calendar]]) – The first month of Hindu calendar
|| Rongali Bihu (mid-April, also called Bohag Bihu), is a traditional ethnic festival that celebrates the onset of the Assamese New Year (around 14 April) and the coming of Spring.
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|| [[Hanuman Jayanti]]<br /> 
|
[[File:Kashtbhanjan.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|[[Shri Hanuman Mandir, Sarangpur|Shri Hanuman Mandir]]]]
||
|| ''Hanuman Jayanti'' is the celebration of the birth of [[Hanuman]], [[Rama]]'s loyal devotee. Hanuman is known for his great strength, power and his immortal devotion towards Lord Rama. He is considered to be one of the most powerful Hindu gods in India.  On the auspicious day of Hanuman Jayanti, people apply red sindoor from Lord's feet on their foreheads. This is considered a ritual for good health and good luck.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indiaonlinepages.com/festivals/hanuman-jayanti.html |title=Hanuman Jayanti – Hanuman Jayanti 2018 Date – Celebrations in India |publisher=Indiaonlinepages.com |date=31 March 2018 |access-date=22 April 2018 |archive-date=17 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317114147/http://www.indiaonlinepages.com/festivals/hanuman-jayanti.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
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|| [[Sitalsasthi]]<br />
|
|| Sixth day of the bright fortnight of the month of [[Jyeshtha (month)|Jyestha]] (Hindu calendar) 
|| In [[Odisha]], the marriage of [[Shiva]] and [[Parvati]] is celebrated as Sitalsasthi. It is celebrated as a carnival, and begins with the ceremonial marriage of the two deities.
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||[[Vat Pournima|Vat Savitri]]
Or

Vat Amavasya
<br />
| [[File:DrzewaPieńOplecionyNićmi1.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Tying threads around a [[banyan]] tree (''wata'')]]
|| Full moon of [[Jyeshta]] (Hindu calendar) 
||''Vat Pournima'' is observed in [[Maharashtra]]. ''Pournima'' means "[[full moon]]." Women pray for the prosperity of their husbands by tying threads around a [[banyan]] tree.
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||[[Bonalu]]<br />
|
[[File:Parikrama.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Women with Bonam performing parikrama]] 
|| 
|| ''Bonalu'' is an annual festival centered on the Goddess Mahakali from [[Telangana]]. It is celebrated in both [[Hyderabad]] and [[Secunderabad]] between the months of July and August. This festival is dated back to 1813 in Hyderabad and Secunderabad.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.telanganatourism.gov.in/|title=Telangana Tourism – Visit for all reasons & all seasons|website=www.telanganatourism.gov.in|language=en|access-date=1 November 2019|archive-date=9 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109062224/https://telanganatourism.gov.in/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
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|| [[Bathukamma]]<br /> 
|
[[File:Batukamma2-1.JPG|thumb|upright|center|150px|Women dancing around Bathukammas]]
|| 
|| ''Bathukamma'' is a festival celebrated during the months of September and October in the ten districts of Telangana. Celebrated for nine days, it is characterised by exotic flowers from the region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bathukamma.telangana.gov.in/about-bathukamma|title=About Bathukamma {{!}} Bathukamma – Telangana's Floral Festival|website=bathukamma.telangana.gov.in|access-date=1 November 2019|archive-date=4 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104073039/http://bathukamma.telangana.gov.in/about-bathukamma|url-status=live}}</ref>
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||[[Rath Yatra]]<br /> 
|[[File:Rath Yatra Puri 2007 11071 crop.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Rath Jatra in [[Puri]] ]]
|| Second to tenth day of waxing moon phase of month [[Ashadha]] (Hindu Calendar)
|| ''[[Temple car|Ratha]] Yatra'' is a procession where the wooden idol of Jagannath, Subhadra and Balbhadra is taken through the streets in a chariot.
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||[[Raja Parba]]<br/><br /> 
|[[File:Raja Doli khela Odia festival.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Raja Doli khela, Oriya festival]]
|| The second day (Raja Shankranti) signifies the beginning of the solar month of [[Mithuna (month)|Mithuna]].
|| ''Raja Parba'' is a four-day-long festival. It inaugurates and welcomes the agricultural year all over [[Odisha]]. 
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||{{Anchor|gurupurnima}}[[Guru Purnima]]<br /> 
|[[File:chaturmas.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|[[Sanyasi]] performing ''Vyasa puja'']]
|| Full moon of [[Ashadh]] (Hindu calendar) 
||''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.
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||[[Mahalakshmi Vrata]]
or

[[Varalakshmi Vratham]]
<br />
|[[File:Ravi Varma-Lakshmi.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|[[Mahalakshmi]]]]
[[File:Varalakshmi Vratham - View.jpg|thumb|center|150px|A typical view of the Varalakshmi Vrata Pooja in a South Indian household]]
|| 'Vara MahaLakshmi Vrata' is celebrated on the Second Friday or the Friday before the day of the full moon – [[Purnima (day)|Poornima]] – in the month of [[Shraavana|Shravana]], which corresponds to the Gregorian months of July–August.
||''Varalakshmi Vratham or Mahalakshmi Vrata'' is a [[Puja (Hinduism)|''puja'']] performed by married [[Hindu|Hindu women]] to seek the blessings of [[Lakshmi|Mahalakshmi]], [[Hindu deities|goddess]] of wealth and [[:wikt:prosperity|prosperity]].
It is celebrated as [[Varalakshmi Vratham]] in South Indian states. It is performed by married women (''sumangalis'') for the well-being of all their family members, especially the husband and to seek progeny among other things. It is believed that worshipping the Goddess Varalakshmi on this day is equivalent to worshipping [[Ashtalakshmi]] – the eight goddesses of Wealth, Earth, Wisdom, Love, Fame, Peace, Contentment, and Strength.
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||[[Onam]]<br /> 
|[[File:Thiruvathira Kali During Onam.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Thiruvathira Kali during Onam in [[Kerala]]]]
|| 
||''Onam'' is the harvest festival of Kerala. Though it is traditionally observed in Kerala, contemporarily it is celebrated by the Kerala diaspora across the globe. 
Onam honours [[Vamana|Bhagwan Vamana]], the fifth avatar of [[Vishnu|Bhagwan Vishnu]], and marks the birthday of Bhagwan Vamana and annual visit of his benevolent devotee Bali (the grandson of [[Prahlada|Bhakta Prahlada]]).<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rinehart |first1=Robin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hMPYnfS_R90C |title=Contemporary Hinduism: Ritual, Culture, and Practice |last2=Rinehart |first2=Robert |date=2004 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-57607-905-8 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kumar |first=Ajith |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-KoPEAAAQBAJ&dq=Onam+birthday+Vamana&pg=PT29 |title=The Murder of Alexander the Great, Book 1: The Puranas: Book 1: The Puranas |date=14 December 2019 |publisher=Argead Star llc |isbn=978-0-9990714-0-3 |language=en}}</ref>
It falls during the month of [[Chingam]] (August–September) and lasts ten days. The festival is marked by various festivities, including intricate flower carpets, [[Sadya|Onam Sadya]] (elaborate banquet lunches), snake boat races, Onappottan, Kaazhchakkula in [[Guruvayur Temple|Guruvayoor]], Puli Kali, Kaikottikkali etc. 
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||{{Anchor|rakshabandhan}}[[Raksha Bandhan]]
or

[[Raksha Bandhan|Rakhi Purnima]]<br />
| [[File:Rakhi 2.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Rakhis]]
||Full moon of [[Shravana]] (Hindu calendar)
||''Rakhi Purnima'' or ''Raksha Bandhan'' is a festival celebrated mainly in northern Indian states. Rakhi is a special occasion to celebrate the chaste bond of love between a brother and a sister.
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||[[Teejdi]] or
[[Teej|Kajri Teej]]
|
|| Third day after Raksha Bandhan
|| ''Teejdi'' is a festival celebrated by Sindhis. On this day, Sindhi women observe a day-long fast for the long life of their husbands. They break their fast after "Chandra Darshan" i.e. seeing the Moon.
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|Shitla Satam
|
||Seventh Day after Raksha Bandhan
||''Shitla Satam'' is celebrated on the day after Raksha Bandhan. On this day, mothers fast for their children and eat food that is not warm. Women observing this fast keep the stove/gas turned off for the entire day. This day is generally observed by Gujarati families.
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||{{Anchor|krishnajanmashtami}}[[Krishna Janmaashtami]]
or

[[Krishna Janmashtami|Krishnashtami]]
<br />
| [[File:Govindashtami.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Govinda Pathaks forming human tower]]
[[File:ISKCON temple, Delhi at Janamashtami.jpg|thumb|center|150px|ISKCON temple in Delhi at Janamashtami]]
||Eighth day of waning moon of [[Shraavana|Shravana]] ([[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar#amanta|amanta]]) / [[Bhadrapad]] ([[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar#purnimanta|purnimanta]])
|| ''Krishnashtami'', ''Krishna Janmaashtami'', or 'Krishna Jayanthi'', is the Hindu festival celebrating the birth of [[Krishna]]. 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 in India in July or August. According to the Hindu calendar, this religious festival is celebrated on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksh or the 8th day of the dark fortnight in [[Bhadon]]. Sri Krishna is considered as one of the most powerful human incarnations of the Lord Vishnu. He was born around 5,200 years ago in [[Mathura]]. The sole objective of Sri Krishna's birth was to free the Earth from the evilness of demons. He played an important role in [[Mahabharata]] and propagated the theory of bhakti and good karma which are narrated deeply in the Bhagavad Gita. Sri Krishna was born in a prison in the custody of Kamsa. Vasudev, His father, immediately thought of his friend Nand and decided to hand over his child to him to save Krishna from the clutch of Kamsa. Krishna grew up in Gokul and finally killed his uncle, King Kamsa. 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, Kamsa. All over India, this day is celebrated with devotional songs and dances, pujas, arti, blowing of the Conch and rocking the cradle of baby Sri Krishna. In [[Mathura]] and [[Vrindavan]], the places where Sri Krishna had spent his life, temples and homes are decorated and illuminated. Night long prayers are offered and religious mantras are sung in the temples.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.calendarlabs.com/holidays/india/janmashtami.php |title=Janmashtami / Krishna Janmashtami : A hindu religious festival |publisher=Calendarlabs.com |date=9 March 2018 |access-date=22 April 2018 |archive-date=23 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423171003/https://www.calendarlabs.com/holidays/india/janmashtami.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
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|| [[Radhashtami]]<br />
| [[File:Radha Syamasundar Vrindavan Radhastami 2004.jpg|thumb|center|150px|Radhashtami celebration at Iskcon Vrindavan]] 
||  Eighth day of waxing moon of [[Bhadra (Hindu calendar)|Bhadrapada]] (Hindu calendar) 
|| Radhashtami is celebrated all across India, especially in Northern India, on the eighth day of Bhadrapad, as the birth anniversary of Goddess [[Radha]], consort of Lord [[Krishna]].
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||[[Gowri Habba]]<nowiki/>or 
[[Teej|Hartalika Teej]]<br />
|
|| 
||''Gowri Habba'' is celebrated in [[Karnataka]], Andhra Pradesh, and [[Tamil Nadu]]. [[Dakshayani|Gowri]] is worshipped for her ability to bestow courage to her [[Bhakti|devotees]]. [[wikt:newlywed|Newly wed couples]] are invited to the house of the groom's parents and served with [[Indian food|varieties of food]].
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||{{Anchor|ganeshchaturthi}}[[Ganesh Chaturthi]]
or

[[Ganesh Chaturthi|Vinayaka Chavithi]]<br /> 
|[[File:Anant Chaturdashi.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Ganesh Visarjan in [[Mumbai]]]]
|| Fourth day of the waxing moon of [[Bhadrapada]] (Hindu calendar) 
|| ''Vinayaka Chavithi'' or ''Ganesh Chaturthi'' is celebrated as the arrival of [[Ganesh]] on Earth, celebrated in [[Maharashtra]], especially in [[Pune]].
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||[[Nuakhai]]<br />
|
|| Fifth day of the waxing moon of [[Bhadrapada]] (Hindu calendar) 
|| ''Nuakhai'' is celebrated to welcome the new rice of the season. This is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of western [[Odisha]] ([[Western Odisha|Kosal]]).
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||{{Anchor|navaratri}}[[Navaratri]]<br />
|
[[File:Navratri Garba.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|''Garba'' dance in [[Ahmedabad]] ]]
||First nine nights of the waxing moon of [[Ashvin]] 
|| ''Navaratri'' is centered around the worship of the Divine Feminine. In Sanskrit, the term literally means "nine nights". During this festival, the forms of [[Shakti]] are worshipped. This nine-day period from the new moon day to the ninth day of Ashvin is considered the most auspicious time of the Hindu calendar and is hence the most celebrated time of the year. Although it has different names in different parts of India, Hindus from all regions celebrate it as the conquest of good over evil. Every region has its own myths and reasons to explain this.<ref>The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (2025, March 31). Navratri. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Navratri</ref>
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||{{Anchor|durgapuja}}[[Durga Puja]]<br />
|[[File:Durga puja in Dhakeshwari temple.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Durga Puja celebration in [[Dhaka]] ]]
||First ten nights of the waxing moon of [[Ashvin]] 
||''Durga Puja'' is a celebration of the goddess [[Durga]]’s triumph over [[Mahishasura]].<ref>The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (2025, April 23). Durga Puja. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Durga-Puja</ref> These are the most popular forms under which she is worshipped:  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. It is the most important festival of Bengalis, Nepalis and Odias.
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.webonautics.com/ethnicindia/festivals/navarathri.html |title=Indian Festivals |publisher=Webonautics.com |access-date=22 April 2018 |archive-date=7 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407183028/http://www.webonautics.com/ethnicindia/festivals/navarathri.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
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||{{Anchor|vijayadashami}}[[Vijayadashami]]<br />
|
||Tenth day of waxing moon of [[Ashvin]] (Hindu calendar)
|| ''Vijayadashami'' is the Hindu celebration of good over evil.
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||[[Govatsa Dwadashi]]<br />or
Dhanteras
|[[File:Sacred cow2.jpg|thumb|center|150px|In a poster condemning the consumption of beef, the sacred cow [[Kamadhenu]] is depicted as containing various deities within her body.]]
||Twelfth day of the waning moon fortnight (Krishna [[Paksha]]) in the month of [[Kartik (month)|Kartik]] (Hindu calendar)
|| ''[[Govatsa Dwadashi]]'' is the worship of cows as chief source of livelihood and religious sanctity; being the first day of [[Diwali]] celebrations. ''Sripada Vallabha Aradhana Utsav'' of [[Sripada Sri Vallabha]], at [[Pithapuram]] Datta Mahasamsthan in the state of [[Andhra Pradesh]].

Dhanteras - Dhanteras (Hindi: धनतेरस), also known as Dhanatrayodashi (Sanskrit: धनत्रयोदशी), is the first day that marks the festival of Diwali in India. It is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the Hindi calendar month of Ashvin. Dhanvantari, who is also worshipped on the occasion of Dhanteras, is considered the God of Ayurveda who imparted the wisdom of Ayurveda for the betterment of mankind, and to help rid it of the suffering of disease. The Indian ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy, announced its decision to observe Dhanteras, as the "National Ayurveda Day", which was first observed on 28 October 2016. Usually, Gujarati families will enjoy a meal of daal baath and malpura to ring in the new year.

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|| {{Anchor|diwali}}[[Diwali]] or [[Deepavali]]<br /> 
|[[File:The Rangoli of Lights.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|[[Rangoli]] decorations]]
[[File:Sparkles phuljhari fireworks on DIWALI, festival of lights.jpg|thumb|center|150px|A child playing with ''phulbaja'' or [[sparkler]]s during Diwali]]
[[File:Fireworks Diwali Chennai India November 2013 b.jpg|thumb|center|150px|Diwali night fireworks over Chennai]]
||New moon of [[Ashvin]] ([[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar#amanta|amanta]]) / [[Kārtika (month)|Kartika]] ([[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar#purnimanta|purnimanta]]) 
|| ''Deepavali'' which means "row of lights/lamps" in [[Kannada language|Kannada]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]] and Marathi and [[Sanskrit]] is called "Diwali" in North India, Deepa means lamp and in Hindi a lamp is mostly called a Diya or Di. The festival is celebrated on the occasion of [[Lord Krishna]] and his wife [[Satyabhama]] killing a demon [[Narakasura]]. Another story says the festival is celebrated for the return of [[Rama]] and [[Sita]] to the kingdom [[Ayodhya (Ramayana)|Ayodhya]] after fourteen years of exile.
Rama is exiled to the forest for 14 years, his devoted wife Sita and humble brother Laxman decide to join him, after 14 years the whole village know he is returning so light lamps or 'divas' to guide him, his wife and brother home. So every year lamps are lit to represent Rama finding his way back home after the harsh punishment of being sent to exile in the forest.
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||{{Anchor|bhaidooj}}[[Bhau-beej|Bhai dooj]](Bhratri Dvitiya)<br />
|
|| Second day of the waxing moon of [[Kartika (month)|Kartik]] (Hindu calendar) 
|| ''Bhai dooj'', also referred to as ''Bhaubeej'' in Marathi or ''Bhaiphonta'' in Bengali, is the ceremony performed by Hindus, generally, on the second day of [[Deepavali]]. It is celebrated among brothers and sisters and is similar to ''Raksha Bandhan'', except there is no tying of ''rakhi'' involved.
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|| {{Anchor|karvachauth}}[[Karva Chauth]] (Kark Chaturthi)<br /> or [[Atla Tadde]]<br />
|[[File:KarvaChauthMoon1.jpg|thumb|center|150px|Women observing Karva Chauth]]
|| Four days after purnima (a [[full moon]]) in the month of [[Ashvin (month)|Ashvin]] ([[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar#amanta|amanta]]) [[Kārtika (month)|Kartika]] ([[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar#purnimanta|purnimanta]]). Like many Hindu festivals, Karva Chauth is based on the [[lunisolar calendar]] which accounts for all astronomical positions, especially positions of the moon which is used as a marker to calculate important dates. The festival falls on the fourth day after the [[full moon]], in the [[Hindu calendar|Hindu lunisolar calendar]] month of [[Kartika (month)|Kartik]] 
||'''Karva Chauth''' is a one-day festival celebrated by [[Hindu]] women from some regions of India, especially northern India. On Karva Chauth, the married women, especially in [[North India|Northern India]], [[Fasting|fast]] from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and longevity of their husbands.<ref name="ref25lojir">{{Citation | title=Let's Know Festivals of India | author=Kartar Singh Bhalla | publisher=Star Publications|year= 2005 | isbn=978-81-7650-165-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WORYY5Vl0ygC | quote=''... 'Karva Chauth' is a ritual of fasting celebrated by married women seeking longevity, ... married women in the northern and western parts of India, especially Delhi, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, vJammu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand ... eat a little food before sunrise and start the fast ... After the moon rises ... finally, break their fast ...'' }}{{page needed|date=October 2019}}</ref><ref name="ref32laqul">{{Citation | title= women in England: their religious and cultural beliefs and social practices | author=S. K. Rait | publisher=Trentham Books|year= 2005 | isbn=978-1-85856-353-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRfkTq1ykSIC | quote=... Karva Chauth, a fast kept to secure the long life of husbands, was popular among women ... }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.filmiwood.in/12/2019/top-10-facts-should-know-makar-sankranti/ | title= Makar Sankranti Top 10 Facts You should know about | date=13 February 2020 | quote=... Hindu women Friday celebrated Karva Chauth in the city. The minority arranges different functions in the city to mark the day where women collectively sighted the moon and broke their fast ... }}</ref> The Karva Chauth fast is traditionally celebrated in the states of [[Delhi]], [[Haryana]], [[Rajasthan]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Jammu]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Madhya Pradesh]].<ref name="ref25lojir" /><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/16/AR2007101601513.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | title=A Hungry Heart | first=Anu | last=Kumar | date=21 October 2007 | access-date=30 January 2020 | archive-date=17 October 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017021818/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/16/AR2007101601513.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ref58cebuc">{{Citation | title=Crafts of Himachal PradeshLiving traditions of India | author=Subhashini Aryan | publisher=Mapin | isbn=978-0-944142-46-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bkfrAAAAMAAJ | quote=... Karva Chauth, when all married women universally fast a small pot, Karva, is required ...| year=1993 }}</ref><ref name="ref64ruxax">{{Citation | title=Because it gives me peace of mind: ritual fasts in the religious lives of Hindu women (McGill studies in the history of religions) | author=Anne Mackenzie Pearson | publisher=SUNY Press | isbn=978-0-7914-3038-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=na-x4ahfXaQC | quote=... Karva Chauth seems to be in western Uttar Pradesh ...| date=1996}}</ref> It is known as [[Atla Tadde]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]].
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||[[Kartik Poornima|Kartika Purnima]]<br />
|
|| 15th of the [[Full moon]] day of '''[[Kartika (month)|Kartik]]''' (November–December)
||A unique festival is celebrated in Varanasi this day which is called '''Dev Devali'''. The Kartik Purnima festival also coincides with the '''[[Jain]] [[light festival]]''' and '''[[Guru Nanak Jayanti]]'''
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||[[Chhath]]<br />
|
[[File:People Celebrating Chhath on 2nd Day Morning Around the Pond.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Morning worship at [[Jamshedpur]] ]]
|| 
|| ''Chhath'' is mainly observed in [[Bihar]] and [[Terai]], but is also celebrated elsewhere. It is a festival dedicated to the [[Solar deity#Hinduism|Sun God]] for bestowing the bounties of life and fulfilling wishes. During Chath, devotees worship God Surya early in the morning.
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|| [[Sooranporu|Skanda Sashti]]<br />
|
|| 
|| ''Skanda Sashti'' is decided on lunar month during the sixth day of Karthika Masam (October–November). It is one of the most important festival dedicated to Lord [[Murugan]] the second son of [[Shiva]]. On this festival is celebrated the victory of Murugan against the [[Asuras]].
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||[[Khandoba|Champa Sashti]]<br />
|
|| 
|| Champa Sashti festival is a six-day festival observed from the first to the sixth of the Hindu month of [[Margashirsha]]  (November – early December). It is one of the most important festivals dedicated to Lord [[Khandoba]].This festival celebrates the victory of Khandoba against the demons Mani-Malla.
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||[[Religion in Odisha|Prathamastami]]<br />
|
|| After 8 days of [[Kartik Purnima]]
|| ''Prathamastami'' is a festival that originated in [[Odia people|Odia]]. It is held on the eighth day of the month of [[Agrahayana]], when older female relatives pray for the prosperity of their eldest child. The festival is followed by rituals and recitations of the [[Lakshmi|Glory of Mahalakshmi]] and [[Shashti]] Devi.
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||[[Yatra]]<br />
| [[File:Alandi Palki 08.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Dnyaneshwar's palkhi holding the footwear of the saint]]
|| 
||''Yatra'' (also ''Zatra'' and ''jatra'') refers to the [[pilgrimage|pilgrimage festivals]] celebrated at [[Hindu temples]]. Idols and [[murti]]s are taken out on special procession in a ''palkhi'' (a [[palanquin]]) or a chariot called the ''rath''. Every temple observes this festival once a year on the traditional day. Palkhi is main tradition of Maharashtra. Sant Dhnyaneshwar had started the palkhi from Alandi (Pune) to Pandharpur. Every year Marathi people celebrates Palkhi from Alandi and Dehu to Pandharpur. 
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||[[Karthikai Deepam]]
or

[[Karthikai Deepam|Kartika Deepam]]<br />
| [[File:Karthigai.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|''Pithalai vilakku'' during Karthigai Deepam in [[Mumbai]].]]
|| 
||''Kartika Deepam'' or ''Karthikai Deepam'' is an ancient festival of lights celebrated by Tamil Hindus and Telugu Hindus on the full moon day of Karthikai/Kartika month (November/December). This occurs on the day when the moon is in conjunction with the constellation Karthigai (Pleiades) and purnima. It is the same as ''Kartik Poornima''; however, since Tamils follow the Hindu Solar calendar with correction for [[precession of the equinoxes]], the Tamil date matches the actual constellation.
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|[[Vaikasi Visakam]]
|
|Birth star of [[Kartikeya]]
|''Vaikasi Vishaka'' is ancient Hindu festival celebrated on [[Vishākhā]] star on [[Vaisakha]] month by South Indians and Sri Lankans especially followers of [[Kaumaram]] and [[Shaiva Siddhanta]].
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||[[Pancha Ganapati]]<br />
|
|| A [[Winter Solstice]] celebration that lasts five days.
||''Pancha Ganapati'' is a modern Hindu festival celebrating Lord [[Ganesha]], the Five-Faced Maha Ganapati—Lord of Categories.{{Citation needed|reason=Your explanation here|date=July 2017}}
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||[[Kumbh Mela]]<br /> 
| [[File:Kumbh Mela2001.JPG|thumb|upright|center|150px|Procession of [[Akhara]]s marching over the [[Ganges]].]]
|| A pilgrimage made to the [[Ganges]] ,[[Yamuna]] and [[Sarasvati River|Saraswati]] river
|| The Purna (complete) Kumbh takes place every twelve years, and is an ordinary large Kumbh Mela. The Ardh (half) Kumbh Mella, a smaller Kumbh Mela, is celebrated every six years. The normal Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 3 years. The Maha (great) Kumbh Mela, a special large Kumbh Mela, occurs every 12 'Purna Kumbh Melas', or 144 years.
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||[[Shravani Mela]]<br /> 
| [[File:Baidyanathdham.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Devotees at Shravani Mela in Deoghar]]
|| A month-long Hindu festival observed in the month of [[Shraavana|Shravan]] (July–August) at the [[Baidyanath Temple|Baba Baidyanath Dham temple]] in [[Deoghar]], [[Jharkhand]], India.
|| [[Shravani Mela]] is one of the largest religious gatherings in India, attracting millions of devotees, primarily the Kanwariyas, who undertake a pilgrimage to offer holy water from the [[Ganges]] to Lord [[Shiva]].
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||[[Godavari Pushkaram]] <br />or<br /> [[Purna Kumbha Mela]]<br /> 
| [[File:Godavari pushkaralu 2015 at Rajamandry-7.jpg|thumb|center|150px|Stage of Godavari Aarathi in Rajamundry]]
||
||''Godavari Pushkaram'' or ''Godavari Pushkaralu'' is most commonly stated as it is the festival of the river Godavari. The main significance of this Godavari Pushkaralu is that It occurs once in every 12 years in other words called as Pushakara. The river Godavari took it birth at triambakeswar of Nasik which is located in Maharashtra state. It flow along the various regions of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Telangana]], [[Maharashtra]] and [[Karnataka]] and finally flows into the Bay of Bengal. ''Maha Pushkaralu'' which comes once in 144 years.
Main centre's that celebrate Pushkaram are [[Rajahmundry]], [[Bhadrachalam]], [[Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple|Trimbakeshwar]] & [[Nashik]]. Most of the Godavari River is connected with Rajahmundry, where it has wide spread across the city.
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||[[Sama Chakeva]]
||
||
|'''Sama Chakeva''' ([[Nepali language|Nepali]] or [[Hindi]]: सामाचकेवा) is an important festival observed by the [[Mithila (region)|Mithila region]] that extends from [[Terai]] of [[Nepal]] to Bihar and Jharkhand states of [[India]]. With great enthusiasm, young brothers and sisters celebrate this festival in [[Kartik (month)|Kartik]] as per the [[Vikram Samvat|Bikram Sambat]] Calendar, typically in November. This period traditionally marks the migration of beautiful and colourful birds from the [[Himalayas]] to plains of Nepal ([[Terai]]) and [[India]]. This festival demonstrates love and affection between brothers and sisters.
This festival begins immediately after the conclusion of [[Chhath|Chhath festival]] in Nepal and northern parts of India, and it ends on the full moon day of Kartik, which coincides in the month of November.
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||[[Tulsi Pujan Diwas]]<br /> 
|
|| 25 December every year
|| Tulsi Pujan Diwas is celebrated on 25 December by Hindus in India. Tulsi in Hinduism is used for medicinal and spiritual use. It is considered sacred in Hinduism and it is believed that Tulsi brings prosperity.
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||{{Anchor|nagapanchami}}[[Naga Panchami]] <br /> 
| [[File:Nagabana.jpg|thumb|upright|center|150px|Nagabana at Belle Badagumane, [[Moodubelle]], [[Udupi]] ]]
|| Fifth day of Shravan month of the Lunar calendar
|| Naga Panchami is a traditional worship of snakes or serpents observed by Hindus throughout India, Nepal and other countries where Hindu adherents live.
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Hinduism}}

; Hindu festival-related concepts
{{col div|colwidth=40em}}
* [[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar#chandramana|Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar]]
* [[Coconut#Religion|Coconut: use for worship]]
* [[Culture of India]]
* [[Dhupa]]
* [[Hindu prayer beads]]
* [[Hindu temple]]
* [[Incense of India]]
* [[Garland|Mala]]
* [[Ghat]]s
* [[Mudras]]
* [[Namaste]]
* [[Pādodaka]]
* [[Pranāma]]
* [[Parikrama]]
* [[The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual]]
* [[Yatra]]
* [[Paryaya]]
{{colend}}

'''Others'''
* [[Buddhist prayer beads]]
* [[Guru-shishya tradition]]
* [[Jain festivals]]
* [[Lists of festivals]]
* [[Puja (Buddhism)]]
*[[List of Hindu Empires and Dynasties]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[https://www.indiaculture.nic.in/festivals-religious Festivals], Ministry of Culture

{{Hindu festivals}}
{{Worship in Hinduism}}
{{Hinduism footer small}}
{{Hindudharma}}
{{Public holidays in India}}

*[https://festivalscountdown.com/2021_festivals.html, 2021 All Festivals | Date, Timing, History]{{Dead link|date=February 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hindu festivals}}
[[Category:Lists of festivals in India|Hindu]]
[[Category:Hinduism-related lists|Festivals]]
[[Category:Lists of observances]]
[[Category:Lists of religious festivals]]
[[Category:Lists of festivals in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Hindu festivals| ]]