Major Festivals in India

India is often described as a land of many religions and languages, but it might as well be described as a land of festivals. Some festivals observed throughout the country: others have  specific regional associations. People belongs to different religions celebrate different festivals. However, some festivals have pan-religious and are celebrated by all the sectors in the India. Each festival in each region has its own particular foods and sweets appropriate to the season and crops and days are spent in their careful preparation.

National Holidays of India:

1. Republic Day: This is celebrated on 26th January. On this day India become republic.
2. Independence Day: This celebrated on 15th August, as India gained independence from British Rule on this day in 1947.
3. Gandhi Jayanti: This is celebrated on 2nd October which is father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi's birthday.

10 major festivals of India:

1. Baisakhi: Baisakhi or Vaisakhi is celebrated by sikhs and some sectors of Hindus too. This harvest festival is celebrated especially in Punjab region by the Sikh community. For Sikhs, this festival celebrates for the new harvest and also the birth of Khalsa. Baisakhi is generally celebrated either on 13th or 14th April. People usually go to Amritsar to visit The Golden Temple. The folk dance of 'Bhangara' is also performed of the people as a marker of their joy and happiness.
2. Christmas: Christmas, is the annual celebration is a fest central to the Christian liturgical year. This is celebrated by all over the world by Christmas on 25th December. Family re-unions and the exchange of gifts are the stock features of the festival. Christmas carols, cards and Santa Claus are some of the popular derivatives of the festival that have developed across the globe and have a crucial part of Christmas celebrations.
3. Diwali: Diwali is also termed as the Dipawali, is widely celebrated and most famous festival of the Indian festival. The festival is first said to have been celebrated by the people of Ayodhya when Lord Rama back from exile with wife and brother after fourteen long years. The festival was celebrated by lighting little clay lapms and the whole city of Ayodhya was decorated for welcoming the mighty king. Literal meaning of Diwali is row of lights. In the evening, after offering prayers to God Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi, people lit their house with vibrant colors and candles thus creating a striking view. According to Hindu lunar calendar, festival takes place on the moonless night of dark half of Kartik. Highlight of the festival is the firework carried out all across the country.
4. Eid: Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and is a three-day Muslim celebration. Ramadan is the Islamic holy month of fasting during which followers of Muslim religion observe a strict fast from dawn-to-sunset. It is believed that the Koran was reveled to Prophet Mohammed in the month of Ramazan. Eid-ul-Fitr is thus celebrated with great enthusiasm.
5. Ganesh Chaturthi: The spectacular eleven day of Ganesh Chaturthi festival honors the birth of the beloved Hindu god, Lord Ganesha. The start of the festival sees huge, elaborately crafted status of Ganesha installs in homes and podiums, which have been especially constructed through the streets, accompanied by much singing and dancing and then submerged in the ocean.
6. Holi: Holi is two day festival that also celebrates the victory of good over evil, as well as abundance of the spring harvest season. It's commonly referred to as the "Festival of colors". People exuberantly throw colored powder and water all over each other, have parties and dance under water sprinkles. A paste made from cannabis plants (Bhang) is also traditionally consumed during the celebrations. Holy is a very carefree festival that's great fun to participate in if you don't mind getting wet and dirty.
7. Karva Chauth: Another important Indian festival that celebrates the most beautiful relation on earth of that of a husband and wife is Karva Chauth. To ensure the well-being, wealth and long life of their husbands married women observes a very difficult fast on this occasion. They neither eat food nor drink water the whole day. They get dressed up like newly wedded brides and decorating hands and feet by creating intricate designs with henna is one of the most common traditions largely follow on this occasion.
8. Navaratri, Dussehra and Durga Puja: The first nine days of this festival is known as Navaratri and are filled with dance in honor of the Mother Goddess. The tenth day called Dussehra is devoted to celebrating the defat of the demon king Ravana by Lord Rama. It also coincides with the victory of the revered warrior Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Last day of the celebrations come to an end by immersing the idols in the nearby water channels on the evening of Dashami as it is believed that goddess to her abode on this day.
9. Onam: Onam is the festival which is celebrated by the people of Kerala in South India. It is celebrated as the homecoming of the mythical king Mahabali. People wear new traditional dresses and eat the traditional food of rice poured on banana leaves along with four different types of dishes. They celebrates this occasion by decorating a pyramid of beautiful flowers and pray for their good health and wealth. On this day people of Kerala also participate in an enormous boat riding competition.
10. Raksha Bandhan: A festival celebrated to bring out the love and affection between brothers and sisters, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated mostly in India. On this day, sisters pray for long life of their brothers and God to bless them with his blessings. As a symbol of their love and care for their brothers the sisters tie Rakhi or Scared threat of protection on their brothers wrists. Brothers, in turn give them enticing rakhi gifts and promise to care for them till the end of their lives.