Festivals

Delhi is a rich amalgam of varied caste coming from different parts of India. Local cultures have floated to the capital city of India and one can experience the diversity in cultural, religious and state events. It is the traditions that keep Delhi alive. Its only on these festivals that people get on to the streets and mark their festivals with colors, lights, balloons, ribbons and firework galore.

The festive calender of Delhi starts from January with celebration of Lohri followed by Republic Day on 26th January. Innumerable small and big fairs and festivals follow throughout the year some of which some are celebrated at National level. We have mentioned a few important ones here.

Surajkund Crafts Mela : If you happen to visit Delhi during this festival, it will be an absolute bliss. Artisans across the country display their products here for sale. You will have whole of India here. This fortnight fare is held in the month of February in Haryana which is located south of Delhi.

International Mango Festival : Organized by Delhi Tourism, the festival aims to display the diverse variety of mangoes grown in India. This annual festival is held at Talkatora Stadium in July-August and is visited by hordes of people around the globe.

Janamsahtami : The birth anniversary of Lord Krishna is an occasion of celebration for his devout. Temples are decorated, musical and dance programme are organized the raas lila of lord. The festival is celebrated in the month of August and is marked with Krishan Bhajans and Keertan ceremonies till late in the night. People keep fast till midnight and eat only after worshiping Krishna.

Id-Ul- Fitar : Celebrated to mark the end of Ramzan, the Muslim month of fasting. It is an occasion for fasting and rejoicing. After a month's fasting, its time to enjoy the most delicious food and distribute sweets among friends and family.

Dussehra : After the worship of goddess Durga for nine nights, the tenth day is Dussehra. It is one of the popular festival here. People gather in the evening and burn puppets of Ravana along with his brother and son to the mark the victory of good over evil. Lord Rama defeated these demons in war to win his wife back. People celebrate this day with great joy.

Phulwalon Ki Sair (procession of the Flower Seller) : This festival is celebrated from the period of Mughal Ruler, Bahadur Shah Zafar. Held in early October, the flower sellers of Mehraulli present fans decorated with flowers to all the dignitaries. Streets look picturesque because of the flowering beauty and lures all.

Diwali : The most important festival for Hindus is Diwali. The festival of light is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Rama after exile of 14 years. People decorate their homes with lights, burn crackers, light lamps in earthen pots and worship Goddess Laxmi in the evening. Goddess Laxmi is the goddess of wealth and this festival mark the end of Hindu financial area.

Gurunanak Jayanti : The famous festival of Sikhs, celebrated in the month of Kartik (October / November), marks the birth of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikh Faith. His anniversary is celebrated as Gurupurab with great devotion and dedication. Prabhat feries (early morning precisions), bhajans and keertans( devotional song ceremonies) and free lunches are organized around the city by local Gurudwaras (Sikh Temples).

The list of festivals and fairs in Delhi are endless. Being a multi religious land, each day comes as one or the other fast or a festival. It is difficult to sum up the local festivals into a page. When you visit Delhi, we would recommend you attend some of the festivals mentioned above for an enslaving experience

Fairs & Festivals of Delhi

Delhi's festival calendar begins with the Republic Day parade on 26th January. It is the most colorful of the city's festivals events and also the biggest crowd-puller. Hundreds of thousands people line the route from Rajpath to the Red Fort to watch the pageant of solders, camel crops, armored regiments, brass bands, folk dancers, school children, war veterans and elaborate floats representing the cultural diversity of India. The two hour long parade is usually rounded off with a much-awaited spectacular fly - passed presented by Air Force squadrons. A special display of folk dances also takes place at the Talkatora Stadium. Three days later the Beating of the Retreat takes place at Vijay Chowk. Various bands of the armed forces set the pace for marching troops against the grand backdrop of Rashtrapati Bhawan.

In a much lighter vein, winter also witnesses the Vintage Car Rally when the 'grand old ladies', sprucedup for the occasion, make the long haul from Delhi to Sohna. Winter is also the time for the popular Balloon Mela, the Surajkund Crafts Mela on the outskirts of Delhi, and Delhi Tourism's Gardens Festivals. The latter is a visual feast, for Delhi a blaze with flowers in the month of February Delhi Tourism also organizes cultural performances during the Garden Festivals.

Holi, the festivals of colors, marks the onset of spring. In August, the festival Janamashtami, celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. Ballets in the Kathak dance style depict the life of Lord Krishna

Diwali, the festivals of lights is preceded by several Diwali Melas, where food, handicrafts and a variety of earthern lamps and candles are sold. Large communities of Indians from different states reside in Delhi. As a result, regional festivals are also celebrated in the capital.
 

Fairs & Festivals in India - Calendar for India