Top 10 Cultural Festivals to Experience in India 2025

1. Holi

Holi is a colourful popular religious festival in India that is celebrated during the month of February or March every year. On this auspicious day, people throw colours at each other and the street comes alive singing, dancing, and applying coloured powders on each other faces. In Indian culture, Holi is an incredibly significant festival, has a mythological link with the legendary story of Hiranyakshyap and his son Prahlad, and is associated with Lord Krishna and Radha. 

The vibrant festival marks the arrival of spring and takes place on the full moon day of Phalgun. People also savour different varieties of sweets, including gujiya and meat dishes. They also share and savour dishes like, Dahi bhalle and Thandai (a kind of drink in India) with their close ones. The popular festival is celebrated in every state of India and some parts of Nepal and Bangladesh.

2. Makar Sankarati

The next on the list of top celebrated Indian cultural and religious festivals is Makar Sankarati, which marks the end of the winter and signals the start of harvest season. The famous festival is celebrated as the Hindi and Indian New Year throughout India a day after Lohri. Unlike other Hindu festivals, Makar Sankranti's date remains constant every year following the solar cycle. People enjoy a line of activities on this auspicious day like kite flying, making the Indian sweet dish name, til ka laddoo and savouring different dishes including the Khichadi. It is a time when farmers honour the sun god for a bountiful harvest and celebrate their hard work. 

3. Diwali

Diwali is the most significant and most celebrated religious festival across India celebrated among the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain communities. Known as the festival of lights, people light up their houses with diyas candles and electric bulbs and offer prayers to goddess Laxmi. The celebration begins in the evening and happens in October or sometime in November every year. This biggest Indian festival marks the victory of good over evil and dates back to the time when Lord Ram returned home after a 14-year exile. People wear new clothes; children burn crackers, families gather together to eat, and worshipping Hindu Lords and Deities on this auspicious day. 

4. Mahashivratri

Mahashivratri is a famous Hindu religious festival celebrated annually in India, especially on the north side. As per Hindu mythology, on this special day, Lord Shiva married Parvati.  Mahashivratri is observed on the new moon night of Phalgun every year. Devotees visit the Shiv temple, fast through the day and pour milk, yoghurt, and honey on Shivaling. There are several religious concerts and events organised and cheered by devotees of Lors Shiva throughout the night. 

Hindu priest argues that Shiva performed Tandav on this night, his creation, preservation, and destruction in a cosmic dance. For some people, Mahashivratri is a night of stillness and some believe Shiva became one with Mount Kailash on this day.  Mahashivratri is a perfect day when you can meditate, enlighten your mind and soul and develop your spiritual growth.

5. Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela is the World’s largest gathering and congregation of religious pilgrims held every 3 or 12 years in India, depending on the type of Kumbh and location. The festival involves the bathing of millions of Hindu devotees, saints and ascetics. The sacred festival has 4 categories, which are: Purna Kumbh (held every 144 years), Maha Kumbh (celebrated every 12 years), Ardh Kumbh (held every 6 years), and Kumbh Mela (observed every 3 years). Kumbh Mela is held rotating between 4 pilgrimage sites namely-  Haridwar on the Ganges; Ujjain on the Shipra; Nashik on the Godavari; and Prayagraj on the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and Saraswati. 

The festival is scheduled to be held in 2025 next time. As per Hindu mythology, the dates of the Mela are scheduled as per the astrological calculation, when Jupiter enters the house of Aries and the ritualistic bath dates back to the time when Amrit(Nector of God) was spilt. 

6. Pongal

Pongal is celebrated during the middle of January every year in south- India and ends over 4 days. A harvest and cultural festival show the rich traditional and cultural values of the Tamilians. On this auspicious occasion, People worship the Sun, harvest their crops and worship the harvesting animals. They also seek blessings from nature. The Tamilian community outside India like in Sri Lanka also celebrates the sacred festival. There are various activities that are carried out on the occasion of Pongal like making rangoli at the entrance of home, Pongal pot decoration, cooking Pongal- a dish made with rice and milk and kite flying. 

7. Onam

Onam is a popular cultural and religious festival primarily in the state of Kerala. It is a 10-day Hindu festival that celebrates harvesting and is devoted to the ancient ruler of Kerala, “King Mahabali.” People in Kerala celebrate Onam to mark the homecoming of King Mahabali as they believe his spirit visits his kingdom on this auspicious occasion. Boat races are held all over Kerala on the Onam festival. Apart from that people in the state also decorate their homes, make flower rangoli and play various types of games. They call boat races Vallam Kali and other activities that are popular during Onam are Pulikali -tiger dances, Onathallu -A Tug of War and Kutukutu- A coconut-breaking game.

8. Navaratri and Dussehra

Navaratri is a famous Hindu festival across India that honours the goddess of power “Maa Durga.” It’s a sacred Hindu festival where people in India worship the nine forms of goddess Durga. The word Navaratri translates to nine nights and Navratri is celebrated in nine days. After that, on day 10th Dussehra is held which symbolises the victory of good over evil. In every state of India Navratra and Dussehra are celebrated following various rituals. People fast and offer prayers in temples, decorate and clean their houses and explore the exhibitions, shops and displays at various places. In Gujrat, people put on traditional attire and performed Garbha and Dandiya during Navaratra.

9. Ganesh Chaturthi

Kumbh Mela is the World’s largest gathering and congregation of religious pilgrims held every 3 or 12 years in India, depending on the type of Kumbh and location. The festival involves the bathing of millions of Hindu devotees, saints and ascetics. The sacred festival has 4 categories, which are: Purna Kumbh (held every 144 years), Maha Kumbh (celebrated every 12 years), Ardh Kumbh (held every 6 years), and Kumbh Mela (observed every 3 years). Kumbh Mela is held rotating between 4 pilgrimage sites namely-  Haridwar on the Ganges; Ujjain on the Shipra; Nashik on the Godavari; and Prayagraj on the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and Saraswati. 

The festival is scheduled to be held in 2025 next time. As per Hindu mythology, the dates of the Mela are scheduled as per the astrological calculation, when Jupiter enters the house of Aries and the ritualistic bath dates back to the time when Amrit(Nector of God) was spilt. 

10. Guru Nanak Jayanti

At last, we have picked the famous sikh festival, Guru Nanak Jayanti which is celebrated to commemorate the birth of the first Sikh Guru and founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev. Also, Known as the Gurupurb, during the festival, Gurudwaras are decorated across Punjab and India. Rituals like the Akhand path (continuous reading of the holy book), Prabhat Pheri- early morning procession with singing holy devotional songs, and gatka- a form of martial art played with the sword or wooden stick are seen on and during the Guru Nanak Jayanti. Lungers- a free community meal is also served at various Gurudwaras on Guru Nanak Jayanti.