Diwali, or Deepavali, is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar and takes place in October/November. The 5 day celebration of the “festival of lights” is a national holiday in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Burma, Mauritius, Guyana and a number of other countries with sizeable Hindu populations. Celebrating the victory of good over evil it is a time for exchanging gifts and is also the start of the Hindu financial year. It is one of a number of festivals and events that are a real added bonus for visitors to India who manage to be there at the right time.
The most colourful of the celebrations is probably Holi, the festival of colours which is usually celebrated in March. Particularly popular in North India the traditions of Holi are exuberant with barriers of caste and status ignored with the throwing of coloured powders, dyes and inks. It’s a colourful sight although probably not ideal to venture out and about without a good sense of humour and clothes that can take the stain.
Onam is a harvest festival celebrated with great gusto in Kerala. It is probably their most important festival and festival and lasts for 10 days in August/September. Houses are decorated, new clothes worn and flower carpets, pookalam, laid out on the ground. There will be boat races, elephant parades, feasts and displays of the Keralan kathakali dancing.
Two other events to try to see are the Pushkar Camel fair in Rajasthan, October/November, or the Snake Boat races in Kerala in August.
With up to 50,000 camels and 200,000 people Pushkar has traditionally been an event when the regions farmers came to trade their livestock. Nowadays it is much more all-round festival or carnival with folk & craft arts, moustache competitions and dancing plus camel beauty pageants and racing. With Rajasthan being one of India’s most colourful states the sights and sounds will be mezmerising.
The Snake Boat Races in Alleppey are an exciting annual spectacle involving huge snake boats (Chundans) over 100 ft long with up to 150 rowers flying down the course of 1.4km. The boats and rowers come from the surrounding region and there is intense local, village and town rivalry. The preparation is intense with the village boat being lovingly prepared and the chosen oarsmen put through their paces. The teams are supported by a throng of humanity, afloat and in temporary stands, which can number over 100,000 and creates a boisterous accompaniment to the drums on the boats. This clip will give you some idea of this lively event.
There is always something going on in India but if you get the chance to coincide with one of these festivals then great. Speak to us at Putney Travel about holidays to India. Happy Diwali.
by TMS