Due to its diverse culture and multiple religions, India has numerous holidays.
More than 120 official holidays are celebrated each year. Many of them are religious holidays, such as Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, Jain, Christian, and Sikh holidays.
Most religious festivals are observed according to the Hindu calendar, which is different from the Gregorian calendar. This means the dates of celebrations may be different each year, unlike the Gregorian calendar.
In addition to religious holidays, national and international holidays are important parts of Indian celebrations.
| Name | Date in 2020 (and other years) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1st | An international holiday, which is celebrated worldwide. |
| Pongal | January 14th–17th | Pongal is a harvest festival, which is usually celebrated from January 14th to 17th. January 14th is the first day of the Tamil month. During the holiday, people cook rice porridge with milk and sugar, called Pongal, and pray for a good harvest and a happy life. |
| Makar Sankranti | January 14th | Makar Sankranti is an ancient holiday, and also a harvest festival, which is celebrated each year on January 14th. This is considered to be the beginning of the sun’s return to the Northern Hemisphere. |
| Vasant Panchami | January 22nd (late January – early February) | According to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, Vasant Panchami is observed every year in late January to early February in the Gregorian calendar. It celebrates the arrival of spring. |
| Republic Day | January 26th | It is an important national holiday to celebrate the date that the Constitution of India came into force. On this day, parades and celebrations are held in the capital, New Delhi. Republic Day is a grand event to display the country’s military strength and cultural diversity. |
| Maha Shivratri | February 13th (February or March) | Maha Shivratri is one of the most important festivals of Hinduism. It falls in February or March each year. |
| Valentine’s Day | February 14th | Originating from Christianity, Valentine’s Day is one of the traditional festivals celebrated in European and American countries. Now it has become a favorite festival for young people all over the world. |
| Holi | March 2nd (February or March) | Holi is the one of the oldest Hindu festivals, as well as one of the most important festivals in India. It is also the Indian New Year, or Indian Spring Festival, to celebrate the arrival of spring. This festival is also observed in other countries that have ties with India, such as Nepal, Guyana, Britain, and Mauritius. |
| Chaitra Sukhladi | March 18th (late March or early April) | A traditional Hindu festival. |
| Easter | April 1st | One of the oldest Christian holidays. |
| Labor Day | May 1st | An international holiday. |
| Children’s Day | June 1st | An international holiday. |
| Father’s Day | June 17th | Father’s Day is an international holiday that’s celebrated on the third Sunday in June. |
| Independence Day | August 15th | Independence Day is a national holiday that was established to celebrate India’s independence from British rule in 1947. The date is set on August 15th each year. On this day, there are celebrations in the capital, New Delhi, and the Indian Prime Minister delivers a televised speech. |
| Dussehra | October 19th (September or October) | Dussehra, also known as Dusshera or Vijayadashami, is a major national festival in India as well being the biggest festival of Hinduism. This festival lasts for 10 days. It usually falls between September and October in the Gregorian calendar. |
| Durga Puja | October 10th–19th (September or October) | This 9-day festival is one of the major festivals of Hinduism and is the largest festival in West Bengal. |
| Diwali | November 7th (October or November) | Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most important festivals of Hinduism, as well as one of the biggest and most popular festivals in India. It is the Hindu festival of lights. Celebrations last for 2 weeks. |
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