All great Indian festivals have religious, social and seasonal elements to them. Celebrations are done with religious sanctity, making traditional food and celebration of the season.

Indian festivals are a good way to get-together for social functions. To create an awareness of the heritage and culture that has been handed down to us for generations. These get together can enhance our mental and spiritual dimension that, if left in the dark, make us only poorer and less worthy of our heritage.

So make it a point to get a few of your friends together to celebrate and remember the age old traditions of the past.

It is difficult to transport the same enthusiasm and feeling for the festival when it occurs in India as the number of people recognizing it and celebrating it is far less and spread out. We have outlined some of the major festivals and celebrations held in India. We hope that this can be a starting point to understanding the vast culture and heritage of India.

Diwali	Vijaya Dashami
If there is one occasion which is all joy and all jubilation for one and all - the young and the old, men and women - for the entire Hindu world.	This is among the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar and comes as the finale of the nine-day festival, Navaraatri.
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Yugaadi	Sri Rama Navami
The first day of the year according to the National Calendar of Bharat.	Wherever four Hindus live, Rama and Sita will be there" so said Swami Vivekananda.
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Mahaveera Jayanti	Buddha Jayanti
Mahaveera, also known as Vardhamana, is the last one in the galaxy of Twenty-four Teerthankaras (Jain Prophets).	One of the greatest spiritual teachers of mankind which Bharat has produced is undoubtedly, Buddha.
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Hindu Samrajya Dinotsava	Sri Guru Pooja
This function is to commemorate the Coronation of Chhatrapati Sri Shivaji Maharaj in 1674 A.D., at Raigadh in Maharashtra.	Devotional worship of the Guru - the preceptor - is one of the most touching and elevating features of the Hindu cultural tradition.
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Raksha Bandhan	Sri Krishnaashtami
The Raksha Bandhan stirs up one of the deepest and noblest emotions in the human breast - the abiding and chaste bond of love.	No other God in the Hindu pantheon, or for that matter in any other religion, is associated with so many romantic tales.
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Guru Nanak Jayanti	Sankranhti/Makara Sankramana/Pongal
Punjab, rightly claimed as the traditional sword-arm of Bharatvarsha, has valiantly borne the first brunt of all the pre-European aggressors on her.	Certain Hindu festivals are associated with the annual cycle of seasons. Pongal in the South and Sankranti in the North.
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Holi	Ganesh Chaturthi
This is pre-eminently the spring festival of Bharat. The trees are smiling with their sprout of tender leaves and blooming flowers.	Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati is widely worshipped as the munificent god of wisdom.
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Kojagari	Muharram	Onam	Yugaadi	Bonalu	Id
Basanth Panchami	Gudhi Padva	Datta Jayanti	Dussehra	Diwali	Teej
Guru Nanak Jayanti	Republic Day	Champa Shasti	Bhai Dooj	Easter	Holi
Anant Chaturdashi	Buddha Purnima	Gandhi Jayanti	Christmas	Pongal	Lohri
Independence Day	Maha Shivaratri	Tripuri Purnima	Tulsi Vivah	Gangaur	Ugadi
Parshuram Jayanti	Mahavir Jayanti	Makar Sakranti	Id e Milad	Navratra	Karwa Chauth
Vaikunth Chaturdashi	Rath Saptami	Sri Guru Pooja	Ram Navami	Baisakhi	Nag Panchami
Hindu Samrajya Dinotsava	Ganesh Chaturthi	Ashadhi Ekadashi	Janmashtami