Indian Festivals: Festivals in January

There is nothing better than starting the year with a great holiday to one of the most exotic destinations of the world. If you are travelling to India in January, ensure that you check the Indian festival calendar to catch some of these exciting events.

Here are some of the Indian festivals and events in January to check out:

The Jaipur Literature Festival

There is no better way to ring in the New Year with some intellectual company! Asia’s largest Literature festival invites authors and thinkers of international repute to present their work and interact with audiences in the form of readings, discussions, talks and personal interactions. Names like William Darymple, Ahmad Rashid, Avijit Ghosh, Gurcharan Das and John Elliot have been present in the past years so one can expect an impressive list in 2013 as well. Also, the destination could not have been better, as one can complete the Rajasthan sector with ease.

The Jaipur Literature Festival -2013

Kambala Buffalo Races

The Mangalore ( South Western) belt of India has an interesting period from January to March where the villages indulge in a unique sport called’ Kambala Buffalo Races’. These are held over the weekends where the young men of the village come together and compete ferociously in slushy fields. A photographer’s delight, this event is definitely not a one to miss.

Kambala-race

Kite Flying in Rajasthan

The harvest festival of Baisakhi / Sankranti is held on 14th January all over North India. Rajasthan is especially colourful on this day as thousands of kites sprinkle the blue sky in a competition of might. Local terraces spill with people as teams are formed with vigour to ensure that opponent kites are brought down instantly. This festival gained popularity in Jaipur in the initial years but is now celebrated all over the state.

Kites flying high in Rajasthan and Gujarat

Pongal

While the North of India celebrates with kites, the same harvest festival in South is known as ‘pongal’ and is celebrated vivaciously across the state of Tamil Nadu and other Southern states with Tamil population. It is best to get invited to a local house so you can see the food preparation and the making of the ‘rangoli/ kollam’ outside houses. Incidentally, pongal is a dish made of milk and rice.

Pongal-Festival Rangoli

Republic Day in Delhi

Book ahead to sit and watch the annual parade in Delhi, which commemorates the success and independence of India on 26th January every year. Watch the armed forces march impressively and state floats represent the growth in India in a half day parade. The event is held under heavy security but will be a fun experience to see thousands in the stands, cheering on!

Republic-Day-Flag-2013

Hampi Festival

The pride of Karnataka and the former Kingdom of Vijaynagar, Hampi, celebrates the annual festival of dance and performing arts every year in January. The festival is held in the backdrop of an impressive topography, unique to Hampi. It has gained international acclaim in the last 5 years and one can see a variety of south Indian arts in this forum.

Hampi-Festival

Goan Wine Festival

A relatively new concept, Goa is the chosen destination for The Grape Escapade, a wine and haute cuisine festival. With the influx of western tourists, this is an apt destination for wine connoisseurs. Free wine tasting and attractive discounts on exotic wines are part of the festival. Apart from that, one can enjoy the cultural performances, music concerts and fashion shows.

Goan-Wine-Festival

Bikaner Camel Fair

The winter month of January is an important one for Rajasthan. The camel fair at Bikaner is a great opportunity for photographers to capture camel trading between locals. The destination starts with aplomb with camel parades and also includes races, dancing and pageants for the animals.

Camel Fair in Bikaner - rajasthan

Mamallapuram Dance Festival

The coastal town of Mamallapuram hosts a unique dance festival each year in January. The rock sculptures of the town make a wonderful backdrop while Indian art forms are performed by famous artistes in an open air venue.

Mamallapuram-Dance

Indian Festivals: Eid Ul Fitr in India

Eid-ul-Fitr (breaking of the fast) is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. It is a time of quiet reflection and worship. It is believed that more than 1,300 years ago, in the month of Ramadan, the prophet Muhammad received the Qur’an, the holy book of Muslims. Hence Ramadan is also knows as the ‘month of the Qur’an’.

Jama-Masjid-Delhi,India

Breaking the fast

A few dates and a glass of water is used to break the fast every day. Other foods consumed may vary from platters of fresh fruits, salads, nuts, legumes to fried savouries and kebabs. The meal with which the fast is broken every day is known as ‘iftar’. Iftars are often community gatherings, with people gathering to break their fast together. The meal is shared with family and friends, and it’s common for Muslims to invite non-Muslims over. Iftars in India have grown into mega banquets with politicians and celebrities throwing iftar parties all through the month.

Breaking-Fast-during-eid-ul-fitr

New moon

At the end of Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr is heralded in with the sighting of the new moon. Most countries rely on news of an official sighting and it is common to see newspaper reports like this one: “Eid to be celebrated on Wednesday, moon spotted”. Since the time of the moon sighting varies according to which part of the world one is in, Eid celebrations can begin on different dates.

The festivities

On Eid day, Muslims gather early morning in mosques or outdoor locations to perform the Eid prayer. After the prayer, new clothes are taken out and visits are made to relatives and friends. Colourful bazaars and malls are full of families doing their last-minute Eid shopping; women apply mehndi (henna) and wear colourful bangles. Children look forward to getting ‘eidi’ (money given by elders to children).

Festivities-shopping-Eid-ul-Fitr

It is common for non-Muslims to visit their Muslim friends and neighbours on Eid to convey their good wishes. It’s also time for feasting on special Eid delicacies like sheer khurma – a sweet dish prepared with milk, roasted vermicelli and garnished with dry fruits. After a month of fasting, sheer khurma comes like a warm bowl of comfort.

Other mouthwatering items on the menu include biryani, kebabs and korma and the delicious haleem – a meat stew made with lentils. The nihari is another popular dish during Ramadan – a rich stew of goat meat or beef, it is cooked overnight for six to eight hours and served hot early morning. In south India, Muslims break their fast with nonbu kanji, a rich, filling rice dish of porridge consistency, cooked for hours with meat and vegetables.

Eid Hot Spots: Where to celebrate

Eid-ul-Fitr is a public holiday in India and government offices, businesses and schools remain closed. While Eid is celebrated all over India, there are some cities that are well-known for the scale and range of festivities. If you want to get a taste of the real thing, it is best to get an invite to a Muslim household. Here’s a list of places where you can get get a ringside view of Eid celebrations.

• Jama Masjid in New Delhi where huge crowds gather to pray
• Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, another location where people come together for prayer
• Aishbagh Idgah (the biggest prayer ground in the city) in Lucknow
• Dargah Sharif in Ajmer
• The Red Road in Kolkata where thousands of Muslims gather for a community prayer on Eid – it is a sight to behold.
• Agra is another great place to witness Eid festivities. In 2011, the Taj Mahal was opened to all for free for three hours on the occasion of Eid.
• In, Mumbai, the place to be seen at is Mohammad Ali Road. The place comes alive after sunset every day during Ramadan when restaurants in the area stay open all night serving up sumptuous dishes like tikkas, kebabs, hot paya, deep-fried parathas, kheeri and kaleji and stuffed baida rotis.

Indian Festivals: Ladakh Festival

With the Himalayan wonder, Ladakh, becoming more accessible to visitors from across the country, it is a great opportunity to get an intimate view of the unique festivals of the region.

One of the most exciting cultural extravaganzas, the Ladakh Festival, is celebrated between every 1st to 15th September. Great weather and fewer tourists make this a great time to enjoy the region’s heritage, depicted in dances, music and local food.

About the Festival

The Ladakh festival was the brainchild of the state tourism ministry and local communities to bring forth the rich cultural heritage of the region for everyone to enjoy. Leh, Kargil and the farway Zanskar valley participate in this festival.

Lamas-dancing-during-Festival

The festival starts with parades of local dance and music troupes which slowly go past the main Leh market to finally end in the Polo Ground. The most important part of the Ladakh Festival is the polo match. The winners are conferred with the Ladakh Festival Cup. This was introduced to take forward the lineage of this traditional sport of the Western Himalayas. Some of the other events include archery, singing contests and dance competitions.

Ladakh-Festival-Cup-Polo

The most exhilarating performance is that of the Lamas, who dance to haunting tunes in traditional colourful masks. These monks are chosen from a handful of monasteries and their performance is one of the highlights of the festival.

Childern-Dancing-Ladakh-Festival

Local food stalls line up at the venues so dig into some Tibetan food like Thukpa and Tsampa. Skyu is also something worth a try. This is a pasta dish with vegetables. Apart from the local food, you can also find local versions of other cuisines.

The festival marks the end of the pleasant weather as soon after the festival, the weather gets chilly and the in a month’s time, the high passes close due to snow. The Ladakh Festival leaves visitors and locals with colourful memories before the cold takes over the region.

Parade-during-festival

How and When to get there

Leh, the capital city where the festival is held, is accessible by both road (via Manali or Srinagar) and air. The road trip itself is magnificent, but if you are planning on arriving on the opening day, you should keep 2 days for road travel. You can also fly in from Delhi, but arrive at least a day or two early to acclimatise to the altitude. With much walking, participation and following the parades, it can get very exhausting.

Tips for Visitors

• Get local help beforehand to get seats in the Polo Ground if you want to watch the entire procession. Alternatively, a great vantage point from atop a building also makes a good viewing point.
• With prior permission from the Tourism office, you can also get close access to the parade to get brilliant photo-opportunities.
• If you can arrange to meet some of the troupes before or after the parade, more up-close pictures can be obtained.
• This is also a good time for shopping for handicrafts as locals bring out their best wares and the variety is incredible. Although be prepared to bargain as visitors can be over charged a little. Local help will come in handy to get a decent bargain. Silver jewellery, mementos, prayer flags and more elaborate souvenirs like shawls and rugs are in plenty.