List of Hindu festivals
List and descriptions of major Hindu festivals

List of Hindu festivals

Section Title: List and descriptions of major Hindu festivals
Table Section Text: None

Major Hindu Festivals	Photo	Hindu tithi of observance	Descriptions

Makar Sankranti or Pongal and Lohri	Thai Pongal in Colombo	Makara Sankranti or Pongal marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rasi. It marks the gradual increase of the duration of the day.	Pongal is one of the most popular harvest festivals of Tamil Nadu. Pongal occurs in mid January each year and marks the beginning of Uttarayana (sun's journey northwards).

Vasant Panchami	Goddess Saraswati in Kolkata	Fifth day of the waxing moon of Magh (Hindu calendar)	Vasant Panchami (also called Saraswati Puja by Bengalis and Odias) is celebrated for the blessing of Saraswati, goddess of wisdom and the arts.

Thaipusam or Kavadi	Murugan during Thaipusam	The full moon day of the Tamil month of Thai	Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community. The word Thaipusam is derived from the Tamil month name Thai and Pusam, which refers to a star near the location of the moon during the festival.

Maha Shivaratri	Statue of Shiva meditating	Thirteenth night of the waning moon of Magh (Hindu calendar)	Maha Shivaratri is the great night of Shiva, during which followers of Shiva observe religious fasting and the offering of Bael (Bilva) leaves to Shiva.

Holi	Holi in Pushkar, Rajasthan A little kid after Holi celebrating (Haridwar)	Full moon of the Phalgun month (Hindu calendar)	Holi or Phagwah is a popular spring festival. Holi commemorates the slaying of the demoness Holika by Lord Vishnu's devotee Prahlad.

Shigmo	Shigmo is celebrated in Goa as one of the prominent festivals of the Konkani Hindu community.The main festival coincides with Holi.

Rang Panchami	In Maharashtra and parts of Madhya Pradesh, the festival of colors is celebrated five days after Holi on Rang Panchami,.

Gangaur	Mother Gaur	"Gangaur" is the colourful and the one of the most important festivals of people of Rajasthan and is observed throughout the state with great fervour and devotion by womenfolk who worship Gauri, the consort of Lord Shiva during March–April.

Vasant Navratri	First nine days of the Chaitra month (Hindu calendar)	Navratri is the Hindu festival of worship and dance. In Sanskrit the term literally means "nine nights".

Rama Navami	Home shrine on Rama Navami	Ninth of the Chaitra month (Hindu calendar)	Rama Navami is the celebration of the birth of Rama. Rama Navami is the day on which Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, incarnated in human form in Ayodhya.

Gudi Padwa, Chetichand	Traditional Gudhi	First Day of waxing moon of Chaitra (Hindu calendar)	Gudhi Padwa / ChetiChand is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu Lunar month of Chaitra, and is celebrated as New Year's Day by Marathis, Konkanis and Sindhis.

Ugadi	Holigey or Bhakshalu prepared on Ugadi	Ugadi (meaning "the start of an era" in Kannada) is New Year's Day for the Kannadigas and Telugus.	Called Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra

Mesha Sankranti	Ganges at Haridwar, Uttarakhand	First day of solar month of Vaisakha.	Mesha Sankranti (also called Vaisakha Sankranti) represents the transition of the sun into the Mesha (Aries) Zodiac. Marks the start of the solar new year in lunisolar calendars.

Vishu	Traditional vishu kani	Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in Kerala. It falls around 14 April of the Gregorian year.

Tamil New Year	The Tamil New Year follows the Nirayan vernal equinox. it falls around 14 April of the Gregorian year.

Bihu	Bihu dancer with 'pepa'	Vaisakha/Bohag (Assamese Calendar) – The first month of Hindu calendar	Rongali Bihu (mid-April, also called Bohag Bihu), the most popular Bihu celebrates the onset of the Assamese New Year (around 15 April) and the coming of Spring.

Hanuman Jayanti	Shri Hanuman Mandir	Hanuman Jayanti is the celebration of the birth of Hanuman, Rama's loyal devotee. To mark the birth of Lord Hanuman, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated all over India Chaitra.

Sitalsasthi	Sixth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Jyestha (Hindu calendar)	The marriage of Shiva and Parvati is celebrated as Sitalsasthi. It is celebrated as a carnival, in which people and artists from different walks of life participate, making it more beautiful and bringing out the true colour of life.

Vat Pournima	Tying threads around a banyan tree (wata)	Full moon of Jyeshta (Hindu calendar)	Vat Pournima is observed in Maharashtra. Pournima means "full moon." Women pray for the prosperity of their husbands by tying threads around a banyan tree.

Bonalu	Women with Bonam performing parikrama	Bonalu is a festival celebrated for a Mother Goddess ( such as the goddesses Pochamma, Yellamma, etc.) in the Telangana.

Bathukamma	Women dancing around Bathukammas	Bathukamma is a festival celebrated during the months of September and October in 10 districts of Telangana.

Rath Yatra	Rath Jatra in Puri	Second to tenth day of waxing moon phase of month Ashadha (Hindu Calendar)	Rath Yatra is the festival associated with Jagannath.It is the most important festival of Bengalis and Odias.

Raja Parba	Raja Doli khela, Oriya festival	The second day(Raja Shankranti) signifies beginning of the solar month of Mithuna	Raja Parba is a four-day-long festival. It inaugurates and welcomes the agricultural year all over Odisha.

Guru Purnima	Sanyasi performing Vyasa puja	Full moon of Ashadh (Hindu calendar)	Guru Purnima is the day devotees offer puja (worship) to their Guru. This was also the day when Vyasa, author of the Mahabharata was born.

Mahalakshmi Vrata	Mahalakshmi performing Mahalakshmi	Mahalakshmi Vrata is a puja performed by married Hindu women to seek the blessings of Mahalakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity.

Onam	Thiruvathira Kali during Onam in Kerala	Onam Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala. Though Onam is traditionally a Hindu festival celebrated in Kerala, contemporarily Onam is celebrated by the Kerala diaspora across the globe.

Raksha Bandhan	Rakhis	Full moon of Shravana (Hindu calendar)	Raksha Bandhan is a festival celebrated mainly in northern Indian states. Rakhi is a special occasion to celebrate the chaste bond of love between a brother and a sister.

Teejdi	Third day after Raksha Bandhan	"Teejdi" is a festival of Sindhis. On this day Sindhi ladies observe a day long fasting for longer life of their husbands.

Krishna Janmaashtami	Govinda Pathaks forming human tower	Eighth day of waning moon of Bhadrapad (Hindu calendar)	Krishna Janmaashtami is the Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna. It is actually called as Krishna Jayanthi.

Radhastami	Eighth day of waxing moon of Bhadrapad (Hindu calendar)	Radhastami is celebrated all across India especially in Northern India on Bhadrapad Shukla Paksha Ashtami as birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, consort of lord Krishna.

Gowri Habba	Gowri Habba is celebrated in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Gowri is worshipped for her ability to bestow courage to her devotees.

Ganesh Chaturthi	Ganesh Visarjan in Mumbai	Fourth day of the waxing moon of Bhadrapada (Hindu calendar)	Ganesh Chaturthi is the celebrated as the arrival of Ganesh on the earth. It is very important festival in Maharashta.

Nuakhai	Fifth day of the waxing moon of Bhadrapada (Hindu calendar)	Nuakhai is celebrated to welcome the new rice of the season. This is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of western Odisha (Kosal).

Navarathri	Garba dance in Ahmedabad	First nine nights of the waxing moon of Ashvin	Navarathri is the Hindu festival of worship and dance. In Sanskrit the term literally means "nine nights".

Durga Puja	Durga Puja celebration in Dhaka	First ten nights of the waxing moon of Ashvin	These are the most popular forms under which she is worshipped: Durga, goddess beyond reach; Kali, the auspicious power of time; Amba or Jagdamba, mother of the world; Annapurna, giver of food and plenty; Sarvamangala, auspicious goddess; Bhairavi, terrible, fearful, power of death; Chandika or Chandi, violent, wrathful, furious; Lalita, playful; Bhavani, giver of existence;Tara, giver of success in work.

Vijayadashami	Tenth day of waxing moon of Ashvin (Hindu calendar)	Vijayadashami is the Hindu celebration of good over evil.

Deepavali	Rangoli decorations	New moon of Ashvin (Hindu calendar)	Deepavali which means "row of lights/lamps" in Kannada and Telugu and Marathi and Sanskrit is called "Diwali" in North India, Deepa means lamp and in Hindi a lamp is mostly called a Diya or Di.

Bhai dooj	Second day of the waxing moon of Kartik (Hindu calendar)	Bhai dooj, also referred to as Bhaubeej in Marathi or Bhaiphonta in Bengali, is the ceremony performed by Hindus, generally, on the second day of Deepavali.

Kartik Poornima	15th of the Full moon day of Kartik (November–December)	A unique festival is celebrated in Varanasi this day which is called Dev Devali. The Kartik Purnima festival also coincides with the Jain light festival and Guru Nanak Jayanti

Chhath	Morning worship at Jamshedpur	Chhath is mainly observed in Bihar and Terai, but is also celebrated elsewhere. It is a festival dedicated to the Sun God for bestowing the bounties of life and fulfilling wishes.

Skanda Sashti	Skanda Sashti is decided on lunar month during sixth day of Karthika Masam (October–November). It is one of the most important festival dedicated to Lord Murugan the second son of Shiva.

Champa Sashti	Champa Sashti festival is a six-day festival observed from the first to the sixth of the Hindu month of Margashirsha (November – early December).

Prathamastami	After 8 days of Kartik Purnima	Prathamastami is a festival that originated in Odia. It is held on the eighth day of the month of Agrahayana, when older female relatives pray for the prosperity of their eldest child.

Yatra	Dnyaneshwar's palkhi holding the footwear of the saint	Yatra (also Zatra and jatra) refers to the pilgrimage festivals celebrated at Hindu temples. Idols and murtis are taken out on special procession in a palkhi (a palanquin) or a chariot called the rath.

Karthikai Deepam	Pithalai vilakku during Karthigai Deepam in Mumbai.	Karthikai Deepam is an ancient festival of lights celebrated by Tamil Hindus on the full moon day of Karthikai month (November/December).

Pancha Ganapati	A Winter Solstice celebration that lasts five days.	Pancha Ganapati is a modern Hindu festival celebrating Lord Ganesha, the Five-Faced Maha Ganapati—Lord of Categories.

Kumbh Mela	Procession of Akharas marching over the Ganges.	A pilgrimage made every four years to the Ganges river	The Purna (complete) Kumbh takes place every twelve years, and is an ordinary large Kumbh Mela. The Ardh (half) Kumbh Mella, a smaller Kumbh Mela, is celebrated every six years.

Godavari Pushkaram or Purna Kumbha Mela	Arch Bridge Rajahmundry over Godavari	Godavari Pushkaram or Godavari Pushkaralu is most commonly stated as it is the festival of the river Godavari. The main significance of this Godavari Pushkaralu is that It occurs once in every 12 years in other words called as Pushakara.

Sama Chakeva	"Sama Chakeva (Nepali or Hindi: सामाचकेवा) is an important festival observed by Mithila region that extends from Terai of Nepal to Bihar and Jharkhanda states of India.

Tulsi Pujan Diwas	Tulsi Pujan Diwas Festival	December 25 every year	Tulsi Pujan Diwas is celebrated on December's 25 by Hindus in India. Tulsi in Hinduism is used for medicinal and spiritual use.

Naga Panchami	Nagabana at Belle Badagumane, Moodubelle, Udupi	Fifth day of Shravan month of the Lunar calendar	Naga Panchami is a traditional worship of snakes or serpents observed by Hindus throughout India, Nepal and other countries where Hindu adherents live.

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Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Ganesha.

final_sentence: Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Ganesha.