Festivals and the commotion exclusively inherent to them, together brings respite into our otherwise busy and taxing life. It is these festivals that rekindle light and hope in us and reclaim spirits in us to perpetuate with the rest of the human struggle. So in keeping with this thought, here is a list of festivals that are scheduled to take place in the year 2017 successively in different parts of India. Take a walk through it and make your favourite pick. We wish you all the best for your journey.
Festive calendar - March
Festival - International Yoga Festival
Place - Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
Date - March 1- 7 2017
Begin the year on a healthier note by attending the International Yoga Festival. The programme will be held early in the month of March and hence plan your days accordingly.
Scheduled to be held in the beautiful Parmarth Niketan Ashram situated in Rishikesh, this trip will also allow you the chance to explore the beauty of Uttarakhand in the month of March. The yoga festival will be administered by several trainers coming from different parts of the world. And remember yoga can find you anywhere and at any age, so encourage your entire family to partake the trip.
We recommend: 2 Nights / 3 Days in Uttarakhand @ Rs 11,200/-
Festival - Holika Dahan
Place - City Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan
Date - March 12, 2017
Make this Holi an unforgettable experience by taking a trip to Udaipur to celebrate the Holika Dahan.
Holika Dahan marks the beginning of the festival Holi and hence is an important festival. On the full moon night of Phalguna, the holy fire is lit and the celebration commences. At this gala festival you will be able to witness palace processions of regally decked horses with royal band. The journey will commence from the royal residence and conclude at Manek Chowk.
We recommend: 2 Nights / 3 Days in Udaipur @ Rs 8,600/-
Festival - Thirunakkara Arattu
Place - Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple, Kottayam district, Kerala
Date - March 15 - 24, 2017
This is a famed temple festival that takes place in the green state of Kerala.
One of the chief attractions for the month of March, the Thirunakkara Arattu festival revolves around a procession that carries the deity for a grand bath. Expert drummers beating rhythmically onto their instruments to match with the other performances such as the Kathakali dance or a Mayilattom performance also known as the peacock dance, together grace the beauty of the festival. The festival marks auspiciousness for the participants.
We recommend: 5 Nights / 6 Days in Kerala @ Rs 15,200/-
Festive calendar - April
Festival - Ram Navami
Place - Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh
Date - April 5, 2017
Begin the month on a pious note by taking a trip to Uttar Pradesh. Come April, one of the most celebrated festivals in India, the Ram Navami is going to be celebrated on the historical land of Ayodhya.
The festival, scheduled to be held on 5th of April, will become the nucleus of devotees coming from several corners of the world flocking in Ayodhya to conjoin in this cosmic celebration. Take a dip in the holy Sarayu river to anoint your troubled soul and engross yourself in the exchange of knowledge in the company of learned people.
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Festival - Baisakhi
Place - Amristar, Punjab
Date - April 14, 2017
Colourful and noisily dulcet, the Baisakhi festival is all about mirthfully celebrating the glory of the history and culture of Punjab.
Baisakhi, as many of us know, is the festival of harvest, and this marks the Punjabi new year. But what many of us may not know is the fact that the Baisakhi festival also commemorates the foundation of the Khalsa. From local cuisines to fairs, from Bhangra dance to other cultural presentations, this festival will be conducted on 14th April in Amritsar. So get ready for a fun-filled April!.
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Festival - Rangali Bihu or Bohag Bihu
Place - Assam
Date - April 14 - 16, 2017
Rangali Bihu, the three-days festival is the most awaited celebration in the state of Assam and it will take place in the month of April. So get ready for your next North-East trip!
This is one interesting festival that you must not miss and here is why - the Bihu festival, albeit takes place thrice a year, the Rangali Bihu or Bohag Bihu, observed in the month of April, is the most significant segment. It is an agricultural festival marking the time to sow the seeds with the arrival of spring. As mentioned earlier this is a three-days festival. The opening day is consecrated to the cows which play an inevitable role in propelling agriculture, while the second day is all about merrymaking with the kith and kin. Finally, on the third day which is also the last day, the Assamese people worship their deities.
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Festive calendar - May
Festival - International Flower Festival
Place - Gangtok, Sikkim
Date - May 1 - 31, 2017
In the month of May, will come into bloom, a wide variety of beautiful flowers in Gangtok. The capital city of Sikkim, becomes the playground of varicoloured flowers including multiple species of Rhododendrons and sprawling orchards growing sweet oranges.
This is also the time when the state grows over hundreds of varieties of unique orchids. Even bamboo cultivation flourishes around this time. You can purchase a lot of bamboo-made products to decorate your home on your trip to Sikkim.
We recommend: 3 Nights / 4 Days in Gangtok @ Rs 13,800/-
Festival - Buddha Purnima Festival
Place - Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh
Date - May 10, 2017
Dharamsala observes the Buddha Purnima Festival to celebrate the birth of Gautam Buddha.
Dharamsala is the residence of the Dalai Lama and the headquarters of the Central Tibetan Administration which is the Tibetan government in exile. Pompous religious rituals accompanied by several cultural renditions will be in full swing during this time. You may celebrate this festival with the monks themselves to attain a spiritual maturity in life.
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Festival - Pocheeshe Boishakh/ Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti
Place - Jorasanko Thakurbari, Kolkata
Date - May 7, 2017
On Pocheeshe Boishakh, ‘Pocheeshe’ meaning ‘25th’ and ‘Boishakh’ meaning ‘month of May’ as per Bengali calendar, this beautiful festival is celebrated in large scale in the ‘Jorasanko Thakurbari’, the ancestral abode of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.
On Pocheeshe Boishakh, ‘Pocheeshe’ meaning ‘25th’ and ‘Boishakh’ meaning ‘month of May’ as per Bengali calendar, this beautiful festival is celebrated in large scale in the ‘Jorasanko Thakurbari’, the ancestral abode of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore..
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Festive calendar - June
Festival - Kottiyoor Utsavam
Place - Kannur district, Kerala
Date - June 16 and July 2, 2017
You may not have heard enough of this, but the Kottiyoor Utsavam in Kerala is one of the most beautiful Indian festivals.
Devotees as well as travellers come to visit the two temples, the Akkare Kottiyoor and Ikkare Kottiyoor, to witness this beautiful event. The epicenter of this 28-days festival takes place in the midst of thick and dense forest. The festival has no formal structure. Make sure to attend this festival once in your lifetime simply on account of its uniqueness.
We recommend: 5 Nights / 6 Days in Kerala @ Rs 13,800/-
Festival - Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
Place - Candolim, Goa
Date - June 29, 2017
The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul festival in Goa is one that truly reflects the spirit of Goa.
An annual festival, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul is one where all the Goan fishing communities come together to celebrate the onset of Monsoon. An electrifying atmosphere as a result of mirthful music and dance is what you are to expect from this festival along with a bit of authentic and local culture of Goa thrown in.
We recommend: 3 Nights / 4 Days in Goa @ Rs 5,400/-
Festival - Rath Yatra
Place - Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha
Date - June 25, 2017
Incredible and one of the most-awaited Indian festivals is the Puri Rath Yatra. If you never really attended this festival, do it this month.
Awe-inspiring preparations to pompous celebrations along with the giant and extravagantly decorated chariots make headlines every year. Millions come to take blessings every year. It is a perfect time to travel to Odisha and hence put it top on your bucket list of June 2017.
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Festive calendar - July
Festival - Hemis Festival
Place - Hemis Monastery, Leh, Ladakh
Date - July 3 - 4, 2017
If you are a true traveller, you will care to explore every aspect of a destination. And when the place is Ladakh, you must know that there are manifold and untold sides to its wonderful personality.
Ladakh is bountifully blessed with colourful festivals. One such festival is the Hemis festival. It takes place in the famous Hemis monastery, which is located in the Leh district of Ladakh. This is a two-days festival that will be celebrated from 3rd to 4th July 2017, in memory of birth of Guru Padmasambhava who is the founder of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet. The celebration is an unforgettable mix of masked dancers swaying to the tunes of their traditional music. In fact, the social occasion also becomes the hub of an array of local handicrafts, which you can purchase.
We recommend: 4 Nights / 5 Days in Leh, Ladakh @ Rs 14,100/-
Festival - Dree Festival
Place - Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh
Date - July 4 - 7, 2017
Did you ever travel to Arunachal Pradesh? One of the most beautiful and least explored places in India is Arunachal Pradesh.
This North-Eastern state is home to many tribal clans and each of these have their own festivals. One such distinct ceremony is the Dree festival. Its is an agricultural festival that is exclusive to the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. In this festival they pray to the God who protects their crops. Traditional music and dance are key to this celebration. It is scheduled to be held from 4th to 7th of July, 2017. So get ready and explore the North East India at its best.
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Festival - Teej Festival
Place - Jaipur, Rajasthan
Date - July 26 - 27, 2017
In Jaipur, Rajasthan, the Teej Festival is a beautiful and colourful festival that will be held between 26th to 27th July this year.
Chiefly important for the women, it celebrates the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. This festival is one of the most popular monsoon festivals in India. The stunning fete is one where women with hennaed hands, dance to the rhythm of their folk music. In addition, the grandeur is furthered by a spectacular procession of bedecked chariots, bullock carts and elephants.
We recommend: 2 Nights / 3 Days in Leh, Ladakh @ Rs 6,700/-