Indian Fairs and Festivals

July

Rathyatra – Ratha Yatra is the main festival of Orissa that celebrated the mythical journey of Jagannath Dev.

Guru Purnima - The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashad (July-August) is observed as the auspicious day of Guru Purnima, a day sacred to the memory of the great sage Vyasa. All Hindus are indebted to this ancient saint who edited the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata Gita. Vyasa even taught Dattatreya, who is regarded as the Guru of Gurus.

August

Janmashtami – Celebration of the birth of Krishna – the God of love. Dance, music, sweets and handmade toys and dolls depicting the life of Krishna are integral to the festival.

Onam – It is a harvest festival celebrated mainly in Kerala. During Onam, people create a multi-colored floral decoration on the ground in the front of their home called a pookkalam . Young children are often entrusted with the task of gathering and laying out the flowers in elaborate patterns.The snake boat race is another tourist attraction.

Nag Panchami – This festival is dedicated to the snakes – the companion of the Lord Shiva. Nag Panchami is celebrated across India in various ways. In Mumbai, cobras are venerated and fed sweetened milk, usually by women.

Rakshabandhan – It is also known as Rakhi and celebrated by most Indians. This festival celebrates the sacred love of a brother and a sister with a colorful thread that the sister ties on her brother's wrist. It also symbolizes a vow of protection and security.

Ganesh Chaturthi – It is the festival of Ganesha – the elephant headed Indian deity.