Republic Republic Day is an annual event of national importance in India, therefore no stone is left unturned to mark its importance. Although the celebrations of Republic day is held in every state of India but New Delhi, the capital city of India, witnesses the grand show of Republic Day Parade starting from the Rajpath (India Gate) near the President's Palace upto the historical Red Fort.

The festival of Holi or Holikotsava begins on Duwadashi and is celebrated over two days. Holi marks the day when the devotee of lord Vishnu, Bakt Prahlad, seated on the lap of demoness Holika, was saved from the effect of the fire by God and the demoness got burnt instead.Smearing colors on friends and dear ones is the basic idea of Holi, no one is spared. Both the young and the old enjoy throwing water balloons, dry colors, and washable dyes on anyone in sight on the day of the holi. We go around in streets, with a tin drums, armed with tonnes of colors and big syringes filled with colored water. And at the end of the day no one will even remotely resemble themselves.

Muharram is observed by the Muslim community across the world in commemoration of the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Hussain along with his family and followers, who were killed in the Battle of Karbala in AD 680. The Prophet's son-in-law Ali, and Ali's elder son Hassan, are also remembered during this period as having suffered and died for righteous causes. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar which marks the beginning of the new Islamic year. It is also one of the four months wherein fighting is strictly prohibited as the word Muharram has been derived from 'haram' which means "forbidden". The first ten days of the month are observed as a period of mourning. After the death of the Prophet Mohammed, the Quran was considered as the final word. The Prophet had named no successor. One fraction of his followers believed that succession should remain within Mohammed's family, while another disagreed. After a long dispute, Abu Bakr, a loyal follower of Mohammed, was elected as his successor. His reign was peaceful, as was that of his successors. However, during the reign of Ali, Prophet's son-in-law, there was opposition from the masses. Ali was assassinated and his elder son Hassan was poisoned. His younger son Hussain, his family and his troops, were tortured and killed, with Hussain's head being severed and presented to the king. The assassination of Hussain took place on the tenth day of the month of Muharram; hence, the event is called Ashura. It is observed as a day for public expression of grief. These circumstances resulted in the division of the community into two cults - the Shias and the Sunnis. The Shias consider Ali, Hassan and Hussain as the rightful successors of Prophet Mohammed and mourn their death during Muharram. At the appearance of the moon, people clad in black assemble and recite plaintive verses over sweetened cold drink, in memory of Imam Hussain. They observe the entire month as a period of mass mourning. There is no celebration or expression of joy of any kind. Women are expected to forsake all adornments. Public enactments of grief, depicting scenes from the Battle of Karbala, are carried out in Shia mosques on the first ten days. This is done to express the brutalities that Hussain underwent during the battle of Karbala. The Sunnis, on the other hand, celebrate the occasion on a quieter note and indulge in calm and silent offerings.

The largest religious gathering in the world! According to astrologers, the 'Kumbh Fair' takes place when the planet Jupiter enters Aquarius and the Sun enters Aries. Kumbha (Kumbha means pot) Mela (means fair) is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage that takes place at the following four locations of India: Prayag, Allahabad (in the state of Uttar Pradesh) at the confluence of three holy rivers - Ganga (Ganges), Yamuna and Saraswati Haridwar (in the state of Uttar Pradesh) where the river Ganga enters the plains from Himalayas Ujjain (in Madhya Pradesh), on the banks of shipra river, and Nasik (in Maharashtra) on the banks of Godavari river. The pilgrimage occurs four times every twelve years, once at each of the four locations. Each twelve-year cycle includes the Maha (great) Kumbha Mela at Prayag, attended by millions of people, making it the largest pilgrimage gathering around the world.

Ratha yatra, the Festival of Chariots of Lord Jagannatha is celebrated every year at Puri, the temple town in Orissa, on the east coast of India on the second (dwitiya) day of shukla pakshya (waxing cycle of moon) of Ashadh Maas (3rd month in Lunar Calendar). The presiding deities of the main temple, Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balarama and Goddess Subhadra, with the celestial wheel Sudarshana are taken out from the temple precincts in an elaborate ritual procession to their respective chariots. The huge, colourfully decorated chariots, are drawn by hundreds and thousands of devotees on the bada danda, the grand avenue to the Gundicha (King Indradyumna's Queen) temple, some two miles away to the North. On their way to the Gundicha Temple, the three Lords are believed to stop for a while near the Mausima Temple(Aunt's Abode) and have an offering of the Poda Pitha, which is a special type of pancake supposed to be the Lord's favourite. After a stay for seven days, the deities return to their abode.

One of the big events of the year in Kerala is the Nehru Cup Snake Boat Races on the backwaters at Alappuzha (Alleppey), which take place on the second Saturday of August. This annual event is very attractive for oarsmen who practise round all year. The prestigious Nehru Trophy is presented on this occasion. Spectators lucky enough to gain a ringside view will love the spectacle.

Ganesh Chaturthi is the most awaited festival in state of Maharashtra. It's an important Hindu festival, celebrated with great prompt and enthusiasm. Ganesh Chaturthi is marked as the birthday of Lord Ganesha or mythologically called - 'Vigana Harta' (remover of obstacles). On this day, the devotees of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, offer prayers to their deity and seek his blessings.

September/October is the time to head for the hills to see the delightful Festival of the Gods in Kullu. This is part of the Dussehra Festival, which is at its most spectacular in Mysore and Ahmedabad

November is the time for the huge and colourful Camel Festival at Pushkar in Rajasthan.The Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan, India is one of the most unique and popular events not to be missed if you are in India. An annual event, Pushkar Fair attracts many visitors to the otherwise quiet town of Pushkar in Rajasthan. According to Hindu Mythology, Lord Brahma (Creator of the Universe) along with other deities come to Pushkar Lake around this time of the year to take the holy dip. Hindus from all over the world consider a holy dip at the Pushkar lake an auspicious event and many visitors head towards the Pushkar purely because of this holy dip.

Diwali or Deepawali, the festival of "rows of lights", is the most important of all Hindu festivals. Also called the festival of lights, Diwali is one of the most popular festivals celebrated in India. Diwali or Deepavali is an occasion which is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm in most parts of the country. The day of Diwali witnesses celebrations of the highest magnitude as the entire country is lit with beautiful lights and lot of fireworks are used to celebrate Diwali, a victory of light over darkness. Diwali is also an important Hindu festival where Goddess Lakshmi (Wealth Goddess) is worshiped. Deepavali is also celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi, the day when the demon of darkness and dirt, Narakasura, was destroyed by Krishna.

Baisakhi is also the harvest festival of the Punjab and is celebrated with dances and gaiety. Baisakhi has a special meaning for the Sikhs. Guru Amar Das had first institutionalized Baisakhi in 1567 as one of the special days when all Sikhs would gather to receive the guru's blessings at Goindwal. All over the north the solar new year's day is observed on this day, which is also the new year's day of Tamil Nadu. For Hindus, it also denotes the days of the descent of the Ganges to the earth, and people take dips in rivers. It is of special religious importance to Sikhs as the day of the formation of the Singh, who converted the Sikhs into a martial race.

Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated Christian festivals all around the world. It is annual holiday celebrated on the 25th of December to honor the birth of Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus Christ as he is more popularly known. It marks the beginning of the Christmas Season, also known as Christmastide which lasts till 12 days from the day of Christmas, i.e. from 25th of December till 5th of January.

Dussehra or Vijayadashmi is celebrated across India and follows the nine day festival of Navratas. On this day effigies of Ravana (King of Lanka), his brother Kumbhkaran and son Meghnad are burnt by people across India. The country witnesses huge Ramleela (Narration of tales of Lord Rama) functions which are basically stage plays spread over many days and depicting the life of Lord Rama. The last day of the Ramleels sees the burning of the three effigies as mentioned above symbolising the victory of Good over Evil.

GANGAUR March Chiefly celebrated in Rajasthan it marks the quest for marital happiness among women who pray to Parvati. On this day they carry idols of Shiva & Parvati through the streets while marching in gay processions.

GOA CARNIVAL February-March A truly Goan celebration with a Portuguese flavour featuring continuous singing, dancing, loud music, lots to eat, floats and processions. This marks the period February-March before the beginning of the austerities of Lent.

Gurupurab is the birth anniversaries of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism and of Guru Gobind Singh, the last Guru (December-January), are important festivals of the Sikhs.

Eid-Ul-Fitr festival or Id-Ul-Fitr festival, commonly known as Eid is the most important occasions of Islamic calendar. Id ul Fitr festival is celebrated by Muslim community all over the world with great devotion and joviality. Eid ul Fitr festival denotes the end of 'Ramadan', the month of fasting and beginning of the new month namely 'Shawwal'. On the festive Occasions of Eid Muslim devotees break their fast of Ramzan with special prayer and merriment.

Also called Bakrid, Id-ul-Zuha, is a festival of great rejoice. Special prayers and exchange of greetings and gifts marked the Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid), the festival of sacrifice, celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety in India. Id-ul-Zuha is a reminder of Prophet Ibrahim's readiness to sacrifice his son for God's sake. It also marks the completion of Haj (pilgrimage to Mecca). On this day, special `Dua' is recited by thousands of muslims for peace and prosperity.

On 15 August 1947, India attained freedom from the British Rule. Every year, August 15 is celebrated as the Independence Day in India. This national festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over the country. It's the most important national holidays in India,in India. After India's independence on August 15, 1947, India received most of the subcontinent's 562 widely scattered polities, or princely states, as well as the majority of the British provinces, and parts of three of the remaining provinces. Muslim Pakistan received the remainder. Pakistan consisted of a western wing, with the approximate boundaries of modern Pakistan, and an eastern wing, with the boundaries of present-day Bangladesh.

Janmashtmi celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth incarnation on earth of Lord Vishnu. It is celebrated by fasting followed by feasting and merriment. Lord Krishna is looked upon as a folk hero. Maha Shivaratri.

Maha Shivaratri is the height of the worship of the great Shiva, the third deity of the Hindu trinity. SHIVRATRI, the birth anniversary of Shiva, the Lord of Destruction, is celebrated all over the country with the god being propitiated in temples. People fast throughout the day & ritual prayers are conducted in temples at night.

Mahavir Jayanti commemorates the birth anniversary of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism. It is a day of prayer. There are celebrations in all Jain temples and pilgrimages to Jain shrines.

Makar Sankranti marks the commencement of the sun's journey to the Northern Hemisphere and is a day of celebration all over the country. Wherever there are rivers or the sea, people take a dip in the waters on this day and worship the sun. Also known as Gangasagar Mela, on this day, people come from all over India for a ceremonial cleansing in the River Hooghly,. In Gujarat, Makara Sankranti is celebrated by the flying of kites.

NAGAUR FAIR in January is a major camel & cattle trading fair held in Nagaur, Rajasthan. This is known as a trading event cattle & camels being sold or bought in it . The campfire evenings are an extremely exciting component. In this fair women do not participate.

Navaratri, the Festival of Nine Nights, is celebrated in honour of the goddesses Durga, Laksmi, and Saraswati. This occasion commemorates the homecoming of the Goddess Durga. Her return home is marked by the immersion of her idols in running water.Navratri festival is observed twice a year, once in the month of Chaitra and then in Aswayuja. It lasts for nine days in honour of the nine manifestations of Durga. During Navaratri (the word literally means "nine nights") devotees of Durga observe a fast. Brahmins are fed and prayers are offered for the protection of health and property.

Onam Festival is one of the most important festivals of South India and is celebrated with fanfare and excitement in Kerala. Onam is a bright and colourful festival that celebrates the bounties of nature and a year of good harvest. The Onam festival in India stretches on for ten days - days filled with feasting, boat racing, singing and dancing. Rituals along with new clothes, traditional cuisine, dance, and music mark this harvest festival.

PPongal festival is the harvest festival of Tamilnadu-a state in South India. Pongal is like a thanksgiving Occasions on which the farmers' fraternity owe their respect and honour to the nature and the farm cattle for being helpful during the harvest. The Pongal festival also marks the onset of Tamil New Year with the first month called 'Thai' and is considered an important and auspicious Occasions for the farmers as they thank the nature for making the harvesting season so wonderful and pray for well-being and prosperity in future as well. Pongal festival has derived its name from a Tamil word that means 'boiling' or 'spill over', in this festival boiling of rice mixed in fresh milk with jaggery in earthen pots are considered auspicious a symbol of good luck.

PUSHKAR FAIR, the largest camel trading fair in the world is held in this small town in Rajasthan. Women participate in the religious festivities associated with this event, praying at India's sole temple dedicated to the god Brahma, & taking a holy dip in the waters of the Pushkar Lake. The fair has been held for as long as anyone can remember. Special accommodation & activities for tourists are organised for this fair.

Raksha Bandhan is an integral part of the Hindu family structure whereby a sister ties a rakhi or decorative thread on the wrist of her brother to remind him to protect her if the need arises, it is also the sign of their affection. The festival is celebrated as Coconut Day in Maharashtra as the monsoon seas are calmed by coconuts thrown to Varuna, the god of waters.

Ram, the Hindu religion's most popular god, an incarnation of Vishnu, was born on this day in April &the event is traditionally celebrated in temples as a day of great piety, with the chanting of prayersand the singing of ballads. People observe this day by fasting.

Suraj Kund Crafts Mela from 1st- 15th February held at Suraj Kund, Haryana. Here visitors can see the heritage & skill of the Indian craft world and award-winning crafts-men at work & purchase directly from them. Cultural programmes & fashion shows are also held here during this period.

Vasant Panchami heralds the advent ofspring. This festival marks the first day of spring.Vasanta means the spring. The fields are mustard yellow with the ripening of crops. Yellow is a auspicious color - a color of spirituality. VasantPanchami falls on the fifth day of Magh (Jan - Feb)Shukla or the bright of lunar.Saraswati is the consort of Lord Brahma andis the Goddess of Wisdom and Knowledge. She is thepersonification of knowledge - arts, science and crafts.She represents Shakti, creativity and inspiration andpresents herself when the weather is complacent andNature is in its full grandeur. It is a season of inspiration and passion.