Most Popular Cultural Festivals in India

India is a land of diversity where  you will find a lot of religions and cultures under one roof, you will see a lot of diversity in this country, this is also the land of festivities where you will find a lot of great festivals being celebrated at one place in a grand way. There are many Cultural Festivals in India that you can celebrate. 

So here is the list of Top Cultural Festivals in India to see in 2018 that you will surely have a great time visiting.

Jaisalmer Desert Festival, Rajasthan

There is a Jaisalmer Desert festival happens in Jaisalmer every year in the month of February. This festival is really vibrant and you get to see the diverse folk culture of India through this festival. You will see a lot of folk singers, puppeteers, acrobats, fire dancers during this festival. You will also find a lot of camels that you will find here during the festival.

When? : Jan 29 – 31, 2018

Place: Sahid Poonam Singh Stadium and SAM Dunes, Jaisalmer

Closest Railhead: Jaisalmer (JSM)

Closest Airport: Jodhpur Airport

Khajuraho Dance Festival, Madhya Pradesh

Khajuraho is a place which is really  popular for erotic sculptures and aesthetic temples, a cultural dance festival also happens here every year at the beginning of the spring season. You will find a lot of reputed dance troupes and really popular classical dancers from various places who come here to display classical dance forms like Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Mohini Attam, Chhau, Kathak, Kuchipudi  etc. This is a weeklong festival where every day comes with new classical dance programs. You can search for India Holiday Package for couples.

When?: Yet to be announced

Place: Chitragupta Temple and Vishwanatha Temple, Khajuraho

Closest Railhead: Khajuraho (KURJ) and Mahoba (MBA)

Closest Airport: Civil Aerodrome Khajuraho

Bihu Festival, Assam

Bihu is a great set of three Assamese Festivals that happen during the different farming phases in Assam named Bohag Bihu, Kongali Bihu and Magh Bihu. The first, Bohag bihu or Rangoli bihu is actually a seven day long festival where Assamese New year is celebrated, it begins on 15th of April and ends on 21st of April. 

Magh Bihu  happens on– January 15, 2018

Bohag Bihu happens on– April 13 – 15, 2018

Kongali Bihu happens on– Oct 18, 2018

Place: Guwahati

Closest Railhead: Guwahati (GHY)

Closest Airport: Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati

Hornbill Festival, Nagaland

The Hornbill festival happens in Nagaland every year and it is one of the most popular festivals in Nagaland.  This festival goes on till an entire week.  There are many folk dances and ceremonies that happen throughout the year. There are traditional art of Nagaland that displays a lot of art like paintings and carvings. Also you can try a lot of food during the food festival that goes on here. So you should know all about India tour Packages with cost.

When?: Dec 1 – 10, 2018 (Expected dates)

Place: Kohima

Closest Railhead: Dimapur (DMV)

Closest Airport: Dimapur Airport

Onam Festival, Kerala

Onam is the most famous festival in Kerala, this festival is celebrated in the starting of chingam which happens to be the first month of the Malayalam calendar.  Onam is actually celebrated for four days. However, the second day of Onam is the most important. People start celebrating ten days before the actual festival.  Also there is a famous Puli Kali event that happens during the festival and is the most famous there. People also take part in the snake boat race which is a lot of fun. 

When?: Aug 15- Aug 27, 2018 (Dates may vary)

Place: Thrissur

Closest Railhead: Thrissur (TCR)

Closest Airport: Cochin International Airport

Ganesh Chaturthi, Parts of India

Before the legendary Lokmanya Tilak was born, Ganesh Chaturti was a small celebration that happened in houses where people worship Lord Ganesh. However, in the year 1893, Lokmanya Tilak changed it into a grand celebration where people celebrate this festival whole heartedly for ten days in different parts of India.

When?: Sep 12 – 23, 2018

Place: Mumbai

Closest Railhead: Mumbai Central (BCT) and Mumbai CST (CSTM)

Closest Airport: Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai

Goa Carnival, Goa

Goa is the most happening place in India. You will find a lot of happening things going around in Goa, one of them is the Goa carnival which is celebrated in a grand way and this carnival apart from being happening because of the colourful parade it ends up with, it also has a lot of religious importance. 

When?: Feb 10 – 13, 2018

Place: Panjim

Closest Railhead: Madgaon (MAO)

Closest Airport: Dabolim Airport, Goa

Losar Festival, Ladakh

Losar Festival is a really famous festival that is celebrated in the Ladakh region of India where it will fill your heart with happiness looking at the decorated monasteries, it is the Tibettan new year where you will see people coming out together to pray and there would be festivities all over celebrating the beginning and people wearing their best clothes, this is one of the best festivals ever.

Time of the year: Feb 16 – 18, 2018

Place: Leh

Closest Railhead: N.A.

Closest Airport: Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport, Leh

Diwali, All Over India

Diwali is one of the most famous festivals in the Hindu religion, there are a lot of experiences that one can have during the festival of Diwali. People light Diyas and candles during this festival which is one of the most prominent Hindu festivals and is one of the happiest times for Hindus to celebrate and light up not just their homes but also their lives. People worship Goddess Lakshmi and God Ganesha on this festival and also you will spot a lot of firecrackers on the streets and the sky on this festival. 

When? : Nov 07, 2018

Holi, All Over India

Holi is one of the most famous Hindu festivals that is celebrated in India. It is the festival of colours, where people colour each other and it is all fun and happiness, this festival also has a lot of religious importance as well, this is one of the most popular festivals in India which is celebrated massively and one can actually have a lot of fun while enjoying the celebrations.

When?: March 1, 2018 

Puri Rath Yatra, Odisha

This is again another great way of worshipping the almighty where a huge gathering of Hindus assemble at a place from all parts of the world and experience the diverse culture of India,  you can get to know a lot about the cultural and religious side of India through these festivities.

When? : July 14, 2018

Place: Puri

Closest Railhead: Bhubeneshwar (BBSR)

Closest Airport: Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubeneshwar

Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan

There are many great sites where the Hindus go to worship the almighty, one of the major religious site of Hindus happen to be Pushkar, also Pushkar Camel fair happens in Pushkar every year. It is a wonderful place where one can get a lot of great experiences to cherish for a lifetime. You will also witness a lot of local performances in Pushkar Camel Fair.

When?: Nov 15 – 23, 2018

Place: Pushkar

Closest Railhead: Ajmer (AII)

Closest Airport: Jaipur International Airport

(Also Read - Top 10 Historical Places in Rajasthan for Visit)

International Kite Festival, Gujarat

This is a really famous festival that happens in Gujarat, it is a wonderful festival that happens in Gujarat every year, people from all around the world gather in Gujarat to witness this famous kite festival.

When?: Jan 7 and 15, 2018

Place: Sabarmati River Front, Ashram Road Ahmedabad

Closest Railhead: Ahmedabad (ADI)

Closest Airport: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad

Rann Utsav, Gujarat

The Rann Utsav or the Kutch Mahotsav is again a really famous festival that happens in Gujarat in the Rann where there are tents made up for the tourists and one can witness while being in Gujarat, you can witness the real Gujarat while being in the Rann of Kutch.

When? Date is yet to be announced

Place: Bhuj

Closest Railhead: Bhuj (BHUJ)

Closest Airport: Bhuj Airport

Durga Puja, West Bengal

Durga Puja happens in Kolkata and is one of the most important festivals in Bengal. It is a four- five days of festivities that go on for long time. The locals call the start of celebration as“Akal bodhan” also there are many great things that happen during this festival and the entire city is beautifully decorated during this period.

When? : Oct 15 – 19, 2018

Place: Kolkata

Closest Railhead: Howrah (HWH) OR Sealdah (SDAH)

Closest Airport: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata

Eid ul-Fitr, All over India

Eid is the most prominent festivals that is celebrated by Muslims all over the country, this is one of the most wonderful festivals that is celebrated with a lot of happiness and joy and there are also a lot of festivities that happen every year during this festival which is one of the most important festival of Islam.

When?: June 14, 2018

Place: The best place to experience Eid al-Fitr is at the Jama Masjid, New Delhi

Closest Railhead: New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS)

Closest Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi

Thus, these are some wonderful festivals in India that you must surely attend to get a glimpse of the exotic culture and traditions of India where you can actually get a variety of diverse experiences that will surely  light up your lives and fill it with a lot of vibrant colours of love, joy and happiness. You should simply get an India tour which will surely not be just a tour for you but an experience of a lifetime for you.

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