New Delhi Festivals & Holidays

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There is perhaps not a single day in the Indian calendar when in some part of the vast country a festival is not celebrated or a fair held - replete with rituals, colour, music, feasting, pageantry, fun and frolic. Therefore no matter what time of year you visit, you are sure to experience a festival of some sort while in the country. Many of the festivals are subject to the lunar calendar. The Islamic festivals are celebrated according to the Muslim or the Hijri calendar. Therefore the times the festivals are held can change from one year to the next and the information below is intended as a guide only.

January

Makar Sankranti day or Republic Day 26th January held on the green lawns above Palika Bazar, Connaught Place, this colourful extravaganza attracts national as well as international participants. A splendid parade along the city’s main avenue, Rajpath, commemorates the day India became a republic. Marching soldiers, brass bands, tanks and armoury, the colourful camel corps, folk dancers, school children, colourful floats and an Air Force fly-past together make it the most spectacular event of the year.

Beating the Retreat 29th January The departure of the British is marked by a colourful ceremony with marching bands from the armed forces, set against the imposing backdrop of the Rashtrapti Bhawan, the secretariats and the setting sun. A rehearsal is generally held on 28 Jan, for which tickets are also available. For information, call 3320005.

Martyrs' Day Commemorates Mahatma Gandhi's and others' efforts for India's independence. Participants gather at Raj Ghat for prayers and music.

 

Sikh Festival is the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and is celebrated throughout the city

 

Lohri Hindu festival celebrated with bonfires, throughout the city.

Id-Ul-Fitar is celebrated to mark the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. It is an occasion for feasting and rejoicing.

February

Garden Tourism Festival Held at the Talkatora Garden in February every year, it is based on particular themes. Highlights include an on- the- spot painting competition for children, varieties of flower arrangements, cultural programmes, stalls of rare plants, amusement park, puppet / magic shows, tourism pavilions of the different states of India and martial arts displays. In addition, craftsmen from various parts of the country display and sell their products.

Delhi Flower Show An international horticultural exhibition of flowers, including hybrids is held on the grounds of the Purana Qila. For information, call 3220005.

Thyagaraja Festival This festival of southern Indian music and dance is held in Vaikunthnath Temple across from Nehru University. For information, phone 3320005.

Suraj Kund Mela or Maha Shivratri is the popular Crafts Fair held at Suraj Kund that is set in a rural ambience, with folk dancing, music and food from the different states.

March

Holi On the eve of this exuberant Hindu spring festival, bonfires burn all over the city, symbolizing the destruction of the devil Holika. The next day, in celebration of the arrival of spring, people pelt one another with coloured paint. It is advisable to stay indoors until the noon cease-fire has clearly taken effect if you don’t want to be part of the action.

 

Shankarlal Sangeet Sammelan A festival of Indian music. Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, 1 Copernicus Marg. Phone 3386428 for more information.

Muharram Is an Islamic New Year festival that commemorates the martyrdom of Muhammad's grandson, Iman Husain.

April

Baisakhi, Sikh festival, is celebrated throughout the city

May

Buddha Purnima This day observes the Buddha's enlightenment and attainment of nirvana. Ceremonies and prayers are held at Buddha Vihara on Mandir Marg, adjacent to the Laxmi Narayan temple.

June

Sikh festival Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Sikh festival, is held throughout the city.

July

International Mango Festival Sample hundreds of different varieties of mango at Talkatora Stadium, Willingdon Crescent Road. Phone 3018178 for more  information.

August

Independence Day Like 26 January, 15th August is also celebrated in the city as Independence Day to mark the Indian independence from the British rule in the year 1947. The Prime minister of the nation addresses the nation from the Red Fort and many people gather to hear the Prime Minister's address.

Janamashtami anniversary of Krishna’s birth is celebrated throughout the city mainly in Lakshmi Narayan Mandir.

September/October

Phool walon Ki Sair This festival is representative of communal harmony where large fans decorated with flowers are taken out in a procession.

Dusshera Celebrated all over the country, it concludes with the burning of giant effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkaran & his son Meghnad. This is preceeded by Ramlila folk theatre.

Qutub Festival This festival of classical music and dances of India has the illuminated Qutub as the backdrop.

Gandhi Jayanti This solemn celebration honours of the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat, the site of his cremation.

Navratri is a Hindu festival, that is celebrated throughout the city.

October/November

Deepawali (Diwali) This important Hindu festival celebrates the victory of good over evil as depicted in the epic Ramayana in the homecoming of Lord Rama after defeating Ravana. In the evening, public buildings and homes are lit up with candles or oil lamps. Fireworks add noise and colour to this festival of lights.

Indian Handicrafts and Gifts Fair For information, call the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts at 6145355 or 6147615

Rath Yatra of Puri also known as the Qutub Fesival is organised in November and it gives a glimpse of the cultural grandeur of India. Set amidst the historical background of the Qutub, cultural events are held where veterans of Indian classical music and dance and folk musicians give spectacular performances.

Although not really a festival, there is much fuss and ado about Thoroughbred racing held on Mondays at the Delhi Racecourse from October to April. Inter-venue gambling (simulcast racing) is popular and runs during the rest of the week.

 

International Trade Fair The capital city hosts an international trade fair every year at the Pragati Maidan. For information, call 3371582 or 3315277

Navratri, Hindu festival, celebrated throughout the city in October

Qutub Festival, three-day festival of classical music and dance (Please note this festival’s date time vary from one year to the next – thus it’s mentioned here more than once. For updated info, please contact us).

Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, Sikh festival, celebrated in November throughout the city

Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, celebrated in November throughout the city

Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, Sikh festival, celebrated in November throughout the city

Guru Nanak Jayanti November The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, is celebrated with great devotion.

December

Indian Dance Festivals The India International Centre hosts frequent performances of classical Indian dance and music. 40 Max Mueller Marg, Lodi Estate. For information, call 4619431. Another dance venue is at the Hauz Khas Village, 10km south of Connaught Place. The Trevani Theatre Complex is a popular venue for year-round student and professional dance and theater performances. 205 Tansen Marg, between Bengali Market and India Gate. For schedule information and tickets, call 3718833

Christmas Day The birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated in India, with the traditional exchange of greetings and gifts.

Note: Dates are calculated according to the Hindu and Nanakshahi Era calendars, which vary against the Gregorian calendar thus times are not always as stated above and you are advised to check celebration times prior to visiting the country.

Fairs and Festivals

Mentioned below are a few festivals. They certainly do not form an exhaustive list, but are merely those festivals that definitely deserve a mention in the Delhi travel circuit. Some are already mentioned above but I have repeated them here as they are not to be missed if visiting during the times they are held

Republic Day Delhi's festival calendar begins with the Republic Day Parade on 26th January. It is the most colourful of the city's festival events and also the biggest crowd-puller. Hundreds of thousands of people line the route from Rajpath to the Red Fort to watch the pageant of soldiers, camel corps, armoured regiments, brass bands, folk dancers, school children, war veterans and elaborate floats representing the cultural diversity of India. The two hour long parade is usually rounded of with a much-awaited spectacular flypast presented by Air Force squadrons. A special display of folk dances also takes place at the Talkatora Stadium. Three days later the Beating of the Retreat takes place at Vijay Chowk. Various bands of the armed forces set the pace for marching troops against the grand backdrop of Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Vintage Car Rally In a light vein, winter witnesses the Vintage Car Rally when the "grand old ladies" - beautiful cars from the olden days - spruced up for the occasion, make the long haul from Delhi to Sohna.

Dussehra commemorating the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king, Ravana. A month-long dance festival, the Ram Lila is organised by the Bhartiya Kala kendra, depicting scenes from the epic Ramayana.  Similar presentations of the Ramayana are organized in different parts of the city. On Dussehra evening itself, gigantic effigies of Ravana are set afire. The biggest venue for this event is the Ram Lila ground, off Asaf Ali Road.

The International Trade Fair starts on the 14th of November every year. Held at the Pragati Maidan it is a major event for the business community. Corporate houses from all over the world show their wares and business deals are finalised in a big way. The fair is also a major tourist attraction and is popular with many.

Pragati Maidan is also host to many other fairs that include the Auto Expo and the Leather Fair. Throughout the year Pragati Maidan is the venue for fairs and exhibitions. The Shakuntalam theatre is located in Pragati Maidan and regular film shows are held here.