Festival
Hindu festivals explained — their origin story, rituals, and why the date changes every year.
Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
The fifth day of Magh's bright fortnight, the herald of spring: Saraswati puja, yellow clothes and food, a child's first letters (vidyarambh), Kamadeva and the start of spring, and why it is an abujh muhurat.
Read more →FestivalMakar Sankranti
The day the Sun enters Capricorn (Makara), almost always on 14 or 15 January: the end of Kharmas and the start of Uttarayan, the holy dip and til-gud, kites in Gujarat, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri, Bihu, Khichdi and the Ganga Sagar mela.
Read more →FestivalRaksha Bandhan
The full moon of Shravan, when sisters tie a rakhi on their brothers' wrists: the stories of Indra and Shachi and of Bali and Lakshmi, why rakhi is not tied during Bhadra, how to do the ritual, and the other festivals of the same day.
Read more →FestivalHanuman Jayanti
The birth of Hanuman, son of Anjana and Kesari and of Vayu: celebrated on Chaitra Purnima in north India, and on different dates in Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The sunrise puja, sindoor, the Hanuman Chalisa and Sundarkand.
Read more →FestivalRam Navami
Shri Rama's birth at noon on the ninth day of Chaitra's bright fortnight, closing Chaitra Navratri: the birth in Ayodhya, the madhyahna puja, the Ramcharitmanas path, the Surya Tilak at Ayodhya's Ram Mandir, and Sitarama Kalyanam in the South.
Read more →FestivalNavratri
Nine nights of the Goddess, kept twice a year in Chaitra and Ashwin: the four Navratris, ghatasthapana, the nine forms of Durga day by day, the fast, kanya pujan, and how Gujarat, Bengal and the South each celebrate it.
Read more →FestivalKrishna Janmashtami
The birth of Shri Krishna at midnight on the eighth day of Bhadrapad's dark fortnight: the story of the prison in Mathura and the crossing of the Yamuna, the fast and midnight puja, why there are often two dates, Laddu Gopal's care, Dahi Handi and how Mathura, Dwarka, Udupi and ISKCON celebrate.
Read more →FestivalMaha Shivratri
The great night of Shiva, on the fourteenth night of the dark fortnight before Phalgun's new moon: the all-night vigil, abhishek in four prahars, bel leaves, the fast, the stories of Shiva's wedding and the pillar of light, and how India keeps the night from Kashi to Kashmir.
Read more →FestivalKartik Purnima and Dev Deepawali
The full moon that closes the holy month of Kartik: Tripuri Purnima, when Shiva destroyed the three cities; Dev Deepawali on the ghats of Varanasi; the holy dip and deep-daan; Bhishma Panchak; the Pushkar and Sonepur fairs; and Guru Nanak's Prakash Purab.
Read more →FestivalSharad Purnima (Kojagari Purnima)
The full moon of Ashwin, said to be the only one complete in all sixteen kalas: the Kojagari Lakshmi puja, kheer left in the moonlight, Krishna's Maha-Raas, Valmiki Jayanti, the vrat katha and how each region keeps the night.
Read more →FestivalGanesh Chaturthi
Shri Ganesh's birthday on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi: bringing the murti home, the midday puja, modak and durva, why the moon is not seen that night, the 1.5 to 10 days of Ganeshotsav, visarjan on Anant Chaturdashi, and an eco-friendly festival.
Read more →FestivalDussehra (Vijayadashami)
The festival of victory on Ashwin Shukla Dashami: why it is celebrated, the stories of Shri Ram and Maa Durga, a home puja vidhi and how India marks the day.
Read more →FestivalHoli and Holika Dahan
The spring festival of colours: Holika Dahan on the night of Phalgun Purnima, colours the next morning, the story of Prahlad and Holika, Radha-Krishna's Holi in Braj, Holashtak, regional forms and how to play safely.
Read more →FestivalDiwali (Deepavali)
The festival of lamps on Kartik Amavasya: five days from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj, Lakshmi-Ganesh puja in the evening, the stories of Ram's return, Narakasura and Bali, and how Diwali is kept across India, by Jains and by Sikhs.
Read more →What you'll find on each festival page
Every festival here covers the mythology or historical event behind it, how it's traditionally observed — specific rituals, foods and customs — and, where relevant, regional variations in how it's celebrated across India. Diwali and Holi are covered in full, including the story of Prahlada behind Holika Dahan.
Why the date isn't fixed
Unlike a birthday on the Gregorian calendar, most Hindu festivals are dated by the lunar Panchang, which is why they fall on a different date each year. Our article on why Hindu festival dates change every year explains the tithi-based system and the periodic leap month that keeps it aligned with the seasons.
More than a single day
Many major festivals, Diwali included, actually span several connected days, each with its own name and significance rather than being a single isolated celebration — our festival pages break down each day rather than treating the festival as one undifferentiated event.