Delhi Tourism

Festivals in India

Dussehra
Dussehra commences both the victory of the warrior Goddess Durga (consort of Shiva) over the buffalo demon, Mahishasura, and that of Rama (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu), over Ravana, the en-headed king of Lanka, who had abducted Rama's wife, Sita.

Janmaashtami
On the eighth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Shravan, Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu was born to liberate mankind from the atrocities of the evil King Kamsa. Every year Janmashtami is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Krishna. Grand festivities, colorful tableaux featuring the antics and exploits of Lord Krishna, enactment of the Leelas of Lord Krishna, are the characteristics of this festival. Read on to know more about the Lord with the alluring smile, the legends associated with him and significance of this festival.

Deepawali
The festival of lights is celebrated in the month of Kartik (October - November) on Krishna Chaturdasi. The moon rotates around the earth in 28 days. We have fourteen days of light and fourteen days of darkness, Krishna Chaturdasi is the darkest night of the dark period. Diwali is one of the three festivals celebrated all over India along with Holi and Dussera. This festival is different in form and nature from all other festivals. It is associated with the cult of Kali.The mythological background of this festival is many and varied. It is said that when Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana in Lanka, the people of Ayodhya celebrated the event with lights and fireworks on Krishna Chaturdashi.

Kumbh Mela
The Kumbh Mela is the greatest of the north-Indian fairs and it has exerted a mesmeric influence over the mind and the imagination of the ordinary Indian from time immemorial. It is held once every three years by rotation, on the banks of the Godavari in Nasik, the Shipra in Ujjain, the Ganga in Haridwar and the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati in Prayag or Allahabad as it is called now. The Purna (complete) Kumbh or Maha Kumbh, the biggest and the most auspicious fair, which falls once every 12 years, is always at Allahabad, for the Sangam or confluence of rivers is considered to be particularly holy. The last Maha Kumbh was held in 1989. When the particular configuration of the Kumbh at Allahabad falls on a Monday, it is called the Somvati Amavasya and the spiritual benefits increase manifold. The Purna Kumbh is followed by the Ardh Kumbh in importance and this fair falls every six years when millions of devout congregate at Allahabad on the banks of the holy river, braving the hazards of cold, disease, hunger and myriad of other privations to gain spiritual salvation and contentment from.