1.Diwali

Diwali, the most prominent Hindu festival of India, is celebrated with a lot of pomp and show. During this festival of lights, houses are decorated with clay lamps, candles, and Ashok leaves. People wear new clothes, participate in family puja, burst crackers, and share sweets with friends, families, and neighbors.

Significance: The festival marks the return of Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, after a long exile of 14 years.

Key attractions: Homes decorated with fancy lights, candles and clay lamps, bustling shops and markets, and fireworks and crackers

When: The darkest new moon night of Kartik month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to mid-October – mid-November as per the Gregorian Calendar

Where: All over the country

2. Holi

Also known as the festival of colors, holi is one of the famous festivals of India, celebrated with a lot of fervor across the country. On the eve of Holi, people make huge Holika bonfires and sing and dance around it. On the day of Holi, people gather in open areas and apply dry and wet colors of multiple hues to each other, with some carrying water guns and colored water filled balloons.

Significance: It signifies the victory of good (Prince Prahlad) over evil (Holika) and the arrival of spring.

Key attractions:  Holika bonfire, playing with colors, and bhang thandai

When: Full moon (Purnima) of the Phalgun month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to the month of March of the Gregorian calendar

Where: Almost all over the country; most vibrant celebrations can be seen in North Indian states 

Top 2Unique Indian Festivals

1. Hemis Festival 

Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery (gompa) of the Drukpa Lineage, located in Hemis, Ladakh, India. Situated 45 km from Leh, the monastery was re-established in 1672 by the Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal. The annual Hemis festivalhonoring Padmasambhava is held here in early June

2. Rural Olympics

 Kila Raipur near Ludhiana (Punjab)

What is it about: Known as the Kila Raipur Sports Festival or simply the Rural Olympics, this is a much awaited affair for locals as well as sporting enthusiasts across the world. As many as 4000 participants descend on Kila Raipur near Ludhiana every year for the festival which has been going strong for nearly 60 years now!

The W Factor: This festival includes several unique sporting events such as dog, camel and tractor races, horse dances and some brute display of strength in the form of pulling cars and bikes with teeth, riding cycles which have been set aflame and several other similar stunts. The festivities last for three days.