Fall Festival Travel to India

For most people, a vacation is built around a desire to see a place – whether it’s sweeping vistas or specific attractions – and while nice weather is a plus, it can be easy to plan attraction-driver trips at any time of year.

If you’re hoping to catch a few of the local festivals when you’re traveling, however, you need to pay attention to the calendar. And in India, where festivals are tied to the Hindu calendar, figuring out when they occur may be more complicated.

Here, then, is some information about big fall festivals in India to help you plan your autumn trip.

>> Find out more about flights to India and domestic flights within India to make it easier to get from city to city for these various festivals.

Celebrating Onam in India (August/September)

Onam is a 10-day festival that takes place typically near the end of August or beginning of September. It celebrates the annual return of a legendary king under whose reign (it is said) the people were at their happiest. There are sporting events, boat races, parades, and music performances during Onam, but one of the most visual aspects of the festival is the creation of “carpets” made of flowers that adorn the front of every home. Onam is celebrated only in the state of Kerala.

Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in India (August/September)

Ganesh Chaturthi is an 11-day festival that usually starts at the end of August or in September. It celebrates one of the most popular Hindu deities, the elephant-headed Ganesh, and is marked by specially-crafted Ganesh statues being placed in temples all over the country in order to be worshipped during the first 10 days of the festival. On the final day, the statues are taken to the nearest river or shore and submerged in the water.

Celebrating Navaratri in India (September/October)

Sharad Navaratri is a 9-day festival that typically begins in September or October. It celebrates the beginning of autumn and the harvest season. Sharad Navaratri is one of the most important festivals in India, principally marked by dance performances. On the final day of the festival, there are often parades, after which an effigy of the evil King Ravana is burned.

photo by offbit2010