Events India

Events

 Key dates

January 1:
New Year's Day.
January 26:
Republic Day.
August 15:
Indian Independence Anniversary.
October 2:
Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.
December 25:
Christmas.
Using a Lunar Calendar, the dates of Indian local and national festivals vary from year to year.
January.
January 13:
Lohri or Makar Sankranti festival, celebrated throught the entire of Jammu with fires, dances and decoration.
Vasanta Panchami, festival of spring dedicated to the goddess of Knowledge. In the north, kite festival.
February-March.
Purmandal Festival (mela) in Shivaist temples.
Mahashivaratri, day dedicated to Shiva with processions and singing.
Holi, popular and exuberant feast mostly in the north, an occasion to throw water and coloured powders onto passers-by.
March-April.
Chaitri Chaudash, in Uttar Baihni, near Jammu.
Bahu festival, in Bahu fort's Kali temple, in Jammu (als in October-November).
Ramanavami, celebrating the birth of Rama. Dances.
Celebration of Baisakhi marking the end of winter and the,, beginning of the monsoon season.
Holy Friday, Christian feast also celebrated in India.
May-June.
Buddha Jayanti, celebrates the birth, rebirth and entrance to Buddha's nirvana.
July-August.
Pilgrimage to Amarnath's grotto.
Naga Panchami, feast dedicated to the snake Ananta (bringing offerings).
Raksha Bandhan (Narial Purnima), feast of the coconut marking the end of the monsoon.
Ganesh Chaturti, festival in honour of Ganesh, very popular god with an elephant head.
August-September.
Janm Ashthami, birthday of Krishna, a public holiday.
September-October.
Dussehra, the most popular festival at the end of the monsoon period.
October-November.
Diwali, the liveliest feast with fireworks and illuminated neighbourhoods.
Govardhana Puja, festival dedicated to the sacred cow.
November-December.
Birthday of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikh religion.
Ladakh festivals are set according to the Tibetan Lunar Calendar.
September.
Ladakh festival during the first two weeks in September. Dance performances, sports and traditional outfits, especially in Leh, the main city. In Deskit and Sumur in the Nubra valley, organisation of camel races, "war" shows and ceremonies of traditional weddings.
From November to March.
Celebation of many festivals in Spituk, Stok, Thiksey, Chemrey and Matho.
Second half of February.
The New Year's Festivals of the "scapegoat" of Likir and Deskit (Nubra valley) coincide with the one in Dosmoche with many ceremonies and rituals. Losar festival takes place between December 8th and 30th.
Muslims festivals vary, around 11 days earlier each year.
For 2004:
February 2: Eid-ul-Adha.
2 March: Ashura.
2 May: Birthday of the Prophet.
12 September: Ascension of Mohamed.
November 14: Eid-ul-Fitr, end of Ramadan.