India’s festivals are a vibrant tapestry of religion, agriculture, seasons, and regional culture — and they are a consistently tested topic in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, State PSC, and Banking General Awareness exams.
From Diwali and Eid to Pongal and Bihu, from Hemis to Thrissur Pooram, India’s festivals reflect the extraordinary diversity of its 1.4 billion people. This page gives you a complete, updated list of India’s major national, regional, and tribal festivals with their religion, season, state, and exam-critical facts for confident, focused revision.
⚡ Quick Facts
- Diwali (Festival of Lights) is India’s most widely celebrated festival — observed across Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist communities.
- Kumbh Mela is the world’s largest religious gathering — the 2025 Prayagraj Maha Kumbh (every 12 years) was the most recent; UNESCO ICH since 2017.
- Thrissur Pooram (Kerala) is called the “mother of all temple festivals” — celebrated in the Malayalam month of Medam (April/May).
- Bihu (Assam) has three forms — Rongali (spring/New Year, April), Kongali (sombre, October), and Bhogali (harvest feast, January).
- Hornbill Festival (Nagaland, Dec 1–10) is called the “Festival of Festivals” — showcasing all 16 Naga tribes together.
- Durga Puja (West Bengal) was inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021.
Kumbh Mela locations: The four cities are Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain — NOT Varanasi. Varanasi is a very common wrong option. Bihu names: Rongali = Bohag; Kongali = Kati; Bhogali = Magh — both sets of names are tested. UNESCO dates: Kumbh Mela = 2017; Durga Puja = 2021 — don’t mix them up. Onam: It celebrates the homecoming of King Mahabali — not Vamana (Vamana sent Mahabali away; Mahabali is the one who returns).
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🎊 Complete List of Indian Festivals
| # ↕ | Festival ↕ | Religion / Community | State / Region | Season / Month | Key Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diwali (Deepavali) | Hindu | Pan-India | Oct–Nov (Kartik Amavasya) | Festival of Lights; Lakshmi puja; victory of Rama over Ravana; Vikram Samvat New Year |
| 2 | Holi | Hindu | Pan-India (esp. North) | March (Phalgun Purnima) | Festival of Colours; Holika Dahan night before; Prahlad and Holika story; spring festival |
| 3 | Dussehra (Vijayadasami) | Hindu | Pan-India | Oct (Ashwin Shukla Dashami) | Victory of good over evil; Mysore Dussehra most famous; Durga Puja in Bengal |
| 4 | Navratri | Hindu | Pan-India (esp. Gujarat) | Oct (Ashwin) / Mar–Apr (Chaitra) | 9 nights of Durga worship; Garba dance (Gujarat); Dandiya; two Navratri cycles per year |
| 5 | Janmashtami | Hindu | Pan-India (esp. UP, MH) | Jul–Aug (Bhadra Krishna Ashtami) | Birthday of Lord Krishna; Mathura & Vrindavan celebrations; Dahi Handi (Maharashtra) |
| 6 | Ganesh Chaturthi | Hindu | Maharashtra, Telangana, KA | Aug–Sep (Bhadra Shukla Chaturthi) | Popularised by Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1893); 10-day festival; Mumbai most celebrated |
| 7 | Durga Puja | Hindu | West Bengal, Assam, Odisha | October (Ashwin) | UNESCO ICH 2021; Durga vs Mahishasura; Bengal’s biggest festival; elaborate pandals |
| 8 | Kali Puja | Hindu | West Bengal | October (same night as Diwali) | Worship of Kali; Bengal alternative to Diwali; observed on Kartik Amavasya |
| 9 | Eid-ul-Fitr | Islam | Pan-India | End of Ramadan (Shawwal 1st) | Breaking of Ramadan fast; “Sweet Eid”; celebratory prayers; sweets exchanged |
| 10 | Eid-ul-Adha (Bakrid) | Islam | Pan-India | Dhul Hijjah 10th | Festival of Sacrifice; Ibrahim’s devotion; linked to Hajj pilgrimage |
| 11 | Muharram | Islam | Pan-India | Muharram (Islamic New Year) | Commemoration of martyrdom of Imam Hussain at Karbala; Tazias (replicas) in procession |
| 12 | Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi | Islam | Pan-India | Rabi al-Awwal 12th | Birthday of Prophet Muhammad; processions; recitation of Quran |
| 13 | Christmas | Christianity | Pan-India (esp. Goa, Kerala, NE) | December 25 | Birth of Jesus Christ; Midnight Mass; Goa’s Christmas most famous in India |
| 14 | Easter | Christianity | Kerala, Goa, Northeast India | March–April | Resurrection of Jesus Christ; Holy Week; Good Friday observed nationwide |
| 15 | Guru Nanak Jayanti | Sikhism | Pan-India (esp. Punjab) | November (Kartik Purnima) | Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji; Nagar Kirtan procession; Langar (community kitchen) |
| 16 | Baisakhi | Sikhism / Hindu | Punjab, Haryana | April 13/14 | Sikh New Year; founding of Khalsa Panth (1699) by Guru Gobind Singh; Punjab harvest festival |
| 17 | Paryushana Parva | Jainism | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan | August–September | 8-day Jain festival of repentance & forgiveness; Shvetambara = Paryushana; Digambara = Dash Lakshana |
| 18 | Mahavir Jayanti | Jainism | Pan-India | April (Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi) | Birthday of Lord Mahavira (24th Tirthankara); national public holiday |
| 19 | Buddha Purnima (Vesak) | Buddhism | Pan-India (esp. Bihar, UP, MH) | May (Vaishakh Purnima) | Birthday, enlightenment, AND death of Gautama Buddha — all on the same day |
| 20 | Pongal | Hindu (Harvest) | Tamil Nadu | January 14–17 | 4-day harvest festival; Surya (Sun) worship; Jallikattu bull-taming; Tamil New Year follows |
| 21 | Onam | Hindu (Harvest) | Kerala | Aug–Sep (Chingam month) | Homecoming of King Mahabali; Vallam Kali (snake boat race); Pookalam (flower carpet) |
| 22 | Ugadi | Hindu (New Year) | AP, Telangana, Karnataka | March–April (Chaitra Shukla Pratipad) | Telugu and Kannada New Year; Ugadi Pachadi (6 tastes = life’s experiences); same day as Gudi Padwa |
| 23 | Vishu | Hindu (New Year) | Kerala | April | Malayalam New Year; Vishukkani (first auspicious sight of day); Vishukaineettam (gifts) |
| 24 | Gudi Padwa | Hindu (New Year) | Maharashtra | March–April (Chaitra Shukla Pratipad) | Marathi New Year; Gudi (decorated pole) hoisted; same day as Ugadi |
| 25 | Rongali / Bohag Bihu | Regional / Tribal | Assam | April (Bohag) | Assamese New Year; spring festival; Bihu dance performed; most celebrated of three Bihus |
| 26 | Bhogali / Magh Bihu | Regional / Tribal | Assam | January (Magh) | Harvest festival; community feast (Uruka); Meji bonfires; food and feasting |
| 27 | Kongali / Kati Bihu | Regional / Tribal | Assam | October | Sombre Bihu; NO celebrations; lamps lit in rice fields; farmers have little food |
| 28 | Thrissur Pooram | Hindu | Kerala | April–May (Medam) | “Mother of all temple festivals”; Vadakkunnathan Temple; caparisoned elephants; percussion |
| 29 | Hemis Festival | Buddhism | Ladakh | June–July | Largest festival in Ladakh; Hemis Monastery; Cham masked dance; celebrates Guru Padmasambhava |
| 30 | Losar | Buddhism | Ladakh, Arunachal, Sikkim | February (Tibetan New Year) | Tibetan Buddhist New Year; “Losar” = new year in Tibetan; monastic celebrations |
| 31 | Hornbill Festival | Tribal (Naga) | Nagaland | December 1–10 | “Festival of Festivals”; all 16 Naga tribes; Kisama Heritage Village; named after Great Indian Hornbill |
| 32 | Chapchar Kut | Tribal (Mizo) | Mizoram | March | Mizo spring/harvest festival; celebrated after jhum (shifting) cultivation clearing |
| 33 | Wangala | Tribal (Garo) | Meghalaya | November | Garo tribe harvest festival; “Hundred Drums Festival”; thanksgiving to Sun God Saljong |
| 34 | Ziro Festival of Music | Tribal / Cultural | Arunachal Pradesh | September | International music festival in Ziro Valley; Apatani tribe; UNESCO nomination aspirant |
| 35 | Kumbh Mela | Hindu | Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, Ujjain | Cyclical (Maha Kumbh = 12 years) | World’s largest religious gathering; UNESCO ICH 2017; 2025 Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj; 400M+ visitors |
| 36 | Pushkar Mela | Hindu | Rajasthan | November (Kartik Purnima) | World’s largest camel fair; Pushkar Lake; only major Brahma Temple in India |
| 37 | Rann Utsav | Cultural | Gujarat (Kutch) | November–February | 100-day festival; Rann of Kutch white salt desert; handicrafts; major tourism festival |
| 38 | Konark Dance Festival | Cultural | Odisha | December | 5-day classical dance festival; Konark Sun Temple backdrop; showcases India’s classical dance forms |
| 39 | Khajuraho Dance Festival | Cultural | Madhya Pradesh | February–March | Classical dances against Khajuraho temple backdrop; week-long national festival |
| 40 | Hampi Utsav (Vijaya Utsav) | Cultural | Karnataka | November | Celebration of Vijayanagara Empire heritage; Hampi (UNESCO World Heritage Site) |
| 41 | Surajkund Mela | Cultural | Haryana | February | International crafts fair; artisans from across India and world; Faridabad, Haryana |
| 42 | Taj Mahotsav | Cultural | Uttar Pradesh | February | 10-day crafts and culture fair at Shilpgram near Taj Mahal, Agra |
| 43 | Lohri | Hindu / Sikh | Punjab, Haryana, HP | January 13 | Winter solstice bonfire festival; harvest of Rabi crops; especially celebrated for newborns & newly-weds |
| 44 | Makar Sankranti | Hindu | Pan-India | January 14 | Sun’s transit to Capricorn; kite flying in Gujarat (Uttarayan); equivalent to Pongal, Bihu, Lohri |
| 45 | Teej | Hindu | Rajasthan, UP, Bihar | July–August | Women’s festival; dedicated to Parvati; married women pray for husband’s wellbeing; green colour |
| 46 | Chhath Puja | Hindu (Harvest) | Bihar, Jharkhand, UP, Delhi | Oct–Nov (Kartik Shukla Shashthi) | Sun worship; 4-day festival; NO idol worship; offerings at rivers at BOTH sunrise & sunset; 36-hr fast |
| 47 | Sangai Festival | Cultural | Manipur | November | Named after the endangered Sangai deer; showcases Manipuri culture, sports, and arts |
| 48 | Puthandu | Hindu (New Year) | Tamil Nadu | April (Chithirai) | Tamil New Year; celebrated in mid-April after Pongal; Vishu Kani tradition similar to Kerala |
| 49 | Poila Baisakh | Hindu (New Year) | West Bengal | April (Baisakh 1st) | Bengali New Year; celebrated on first day of Baisakh; business ledgers (Hal Khata) renewed |
| 50 | Cheiraoba | Hindu (New Year) | Manipur | April | Meitei New Year; ritual hill climb; part of April cluster of Indian regional New Year festivals |
⚖️ Compare Two Festivals
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
Kumbh Mela was inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017 — recognised as the world’s largest peaceful congregation of people, held at Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. Durga Puja (West Bengal) was inscribed in 2021 — described by UNESCO as one of the world’s largest collective artistic performances. Other related ICH inscriptions: Ramlila (the Ramnavami drama tradition), Vedic Chanting, and Yoga (2016). The 2017 vs 2021 distinction is a very frequently tested question — do not mix them up.
Rongali / Bohag Bihu (April): Assamese New Year; spring festival; most celebrated; Bihu dance performed. Kongali / Kati Bihu (October): Sombre; NO celebrations; lamps lit in rice fields for good harvest. Bhogali / Magh Bihu (January): Harvest festival; community feast called Uruka; Meji bonfires. Key: each Bihu has two names — both forms are tested in exams.
Four locations: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, Ujjain — NOT Varanasi (very common wrong option). Maha Kumbh: every 12 years at Prayagraj — 2025 Maha Kumbh was a landmark event (400–500 million+ visitors over 45 days; largest ever). Ardha Kumbh: every 6 years at Prayagraj. Kumbh: every 3 years (rotating cities). UNESCO ICH since 2017.
Tamil Nadu: Pongal (January 14–17) — 4 days; Surya worship; Jallikattu. Kerala: Onam (August–September) — King Mahabali’s homecoming; Vallam Kali snake boat race. Assam: Bhogali Bihu (January) and Rongali Bihu (April). Punjab/Haryana: Baisakhi (April 13) + Lohri (January 13). Bihar/Jharkhand: Chhath Puja — Sun worship at rivers; NO idol worship; both sunrise and sunset offerings; 36-hour Nirjala fast.
Hornbill Festival (Nagaland, Dec 1–10): “Festival of Festivals”; all 16 Naga tribes; Kisama Heritage Village; named after Great Indian Hornbill. Chapchar Kut (Mizoram, March): Mizo spring festival after jhum clearing. Wangala (Meghalaya, November): Garo tribe; “Hundred Drums”; thanksgiving to Sun God Saljong. Ziro Festival (Arunachal, September): International music; Apatani tribe. Losar (Ladakh/Arunachal/Sikkim, February): Tibetan Buddhist New Year. Sangai Festival (Manipur, November): Named after the endangered Sangai deer.
Harvest festivals: “Pongal Tamil, Onam Kerala, Bihu Assam, Baisakhi Punjab, Chhath Bihar”
P = Pongal (TN) | O = Onam (Kerala) | B = Bihu (Assam) | B = Baisakhi (Punjab) | C = Chhath (Bihar)
Three Bihus — ROB: Rongali (Spring/April) | Oh-Sad Kongali (October) | Bhogali (Harvest/January)
Regional New Year cluster (all April): Bihu (Assam) · Vishu (Kerala) · Ugadi (AP/TN/KA) · Gudi Padwa (MH) · Baisakhi (Punjab) · Puthandu (Tamil Nadu) · Poila Baisakh (WB) · Cheiraoba (Manipur) — all fall around April 13–15, coinciding with Mesha Sankranti (Sun’s transit to Aries).
🃏 Flashcards
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🧩 Practice Quiz
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Durga Puja from West Bengal was inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2021. It was described by UNESCO as one of the world’s largest collective artistic performances. The Kumbh Mela was inscribed earlier, in 2017 — a commonly confused pairing in exams.
The three Bihus are Rongali (= Bohag Bihu, April), Kongali (= Kati Bihu, October), and Bhogali (= Magh Bihu, January). Options B and C are both correct as they are alternative names for the same three festivals — making D the best answer.
The four Kumbh Mela locations are Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain — NOT Varanasi. This is one of the most common exam traps. The Maha Kumbh is held at Prayagraj every 12 years (2025 was the most recent). UNESCO ICH since 2017.
The Hornbill Festival (December 1–10, Nagaland) is called the “Festival of Festivals” because it brings together all 16 Naga tribes at Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima to showcase their music, dance, food, crafts, and traditions. It is named after the Great Indian Hornbill — an important bird in Naga culture.
Onam celebrates the annual homecoming of King Mahabali (Maveli) — a beloved king who ruled Kerala in a golden age. Vamana (dwarf avatar of Vishnu) pushed Mahabali to the netherworld, but he is allowed to visit once a year during Onam. The festival is marked by Pookalam (flower carpets), Vallam Kali (snake boat races), and the Onam Sadhya feast.
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Two major Indian festivals have been inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Kumbh Mela was inscribed in 2017 — recognised as the world’s largest peaceful congregation of people, gathering tens of millions at Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. Durga Puja from West Bengal was inscribed in December 2021 — UNESCO described it as one of the world’s largest collective artistic performances, with millions participating in elaborate pandals, artistic installations, and community worship. India has several other cultural traditions on UNESCO’s ICH list including Vedic Chanting, Ramlila, and Yoga (2016).
India celebrates multiple regional New Year festivals reflecting its linguistic and cultural diversity, most concentrated in April. These include Rongali Bihu (Assam), Puthandu (Tamil Nadu), Vishu (Kerala), Ugadi (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka), Gudi Padwa (Maharashtra), Baisakhi (Punjab — Sikh New Year), Poila Baisakh (West Bengal), and Cheiraoba (Manipur). All fall around April 13–15, coinciding with the solar transit into Aries (Mesha Sankranti). Gujarat observes its New Year at Diwali (Bestu Varas). This cluster of April new year festivals is a very high-frequency exam topic — usually in the format of “which state celebrates X as its New Year.”
Chhath Puja is a 4-day Sun worship festival observed primarily in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and among Bihari diaspora across India. What makes it unique: (1) it is one of the few festivals with NO idol worship — only the Sun and water bodies are central; (2) devotees stand in rivers at sunrise and sunset to offer arghya (water offerings) to the rising and setting sun; (3) the festival involves a strict 36-hour fast without water (Nirjala vrat); (4) it is the only major Indian festival where BOTH rising and setting sun are worshipped. The festival falls on the 6th day of Kartik Shukla Paksha (October–November).
Indian festivals are tested in UPSC Prelims (Indian Society, Art & Culture, Current Affairs), SSC CGL, Banking General Awareness, State PSC exams, and Defence entrance tests. Key tested areas include UNESCO ICH festivals (Kumbh Mela 2017, Durga Puja 2021), the three types of Bihu (Rongali, Kongali, Bhogali), harvest festivals by state (Pongal-TN, Onam-Kerala, Bihu-Assam, Baisakhi-Punjab, Chhath-Bihar), regional New Year festivals (Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Vishu, Bihu — all in April), the story behind Onam (King Mahabali), Northeast tribal festivals (Hornbill-Nagaland, Chapchar Kut-Mizoram, Wangala-Meghalaya), the Kumbh Mela’s four locations (not Varanasi!), and the unique features of Chhath Puja.
