People nowadays are always up to something unique, something which not everyone has tried yet. That is why even in their choice of holiday destination, they choose the road less traveled which most often leads to India. Indians are jolly in nature; and when they celebrate events, foreigners would certainly enjoy. Now what are these festivals? Despite the recent incidents concerning security of foreigners there, the country offers great experiences – especially if one knows when proper time to go there. 1. Khumba Mela – Known as the largest peaceful gathering in the world, Khumba Mela is an event when Hindus do mass pilgrimage to a sacred river. There are several kinds of it. Maha Khumba Mela is held in four cities (Haridwar, Allahabad, Nashik, Ujjain) in rotation every twelve years. Ardha Khumba Mela is held in Haridwar and Allahabad every six years. The next event will be held in Nashik on 2015. 2. Janmastami – An event dedicated to the Krishna, Janmastami is the time of the year when temples are decorated and musical drama performances about the deity are held. It is usually celebrated around August-September at Mathura. 3. Ganga Sagar Mela – During mid-January, Hindu pilgrims head to Sagar Island to celebrate the Ganga Sagar Mela. They sail to where the Ganges River and the ocean meet. 4. Sonepur Mela - To commemorate the prehistoric battle of elephants and crocodiles, India celebrates Sonepur Mela. It is a spectacular event hailed as the largest cattle fair in Asia. However, ‘cattle’ involves different animals. Held at Patna, Bihar on November/December, people also bathe in the river to cleanse themselves from sins. 5. Rath Yatra – In this event, spectacular chariots with Lord Jagannath, brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra are brought from temple to temple. The biggest and oldest celebration of this event is held every November in Puri, Odisha. 6. Shivarati Mela – Held in February/March at Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, Shivarati Mela is when more than 100,000 Shaivite pilgrims, sadhus, and Adivasis come to the Mahadeo Temple. Symbolic tridents are planted at the Shiva Shrine. Travelers who will come in time for this event are lucky since they may have the chance to meet gurus and holy people. 7. Thrissur Pooram – One of the most interesting events in India is the Thrissur Pooram. It is the time of the year to see elephants covered in jewels, and one doesn’t get to see that often, right? This is one of the most popular and most vibrant temple festivals in India. 8. Ganesh Chaturthi – Honoring the birth of Ganesh Chaturthi, the elephant-headed god, this festival is particularly celebrated in Mumbai. Travelers should get their cameras ready to take shots of the ceremonial immersion of clay statues of the deity on rivers, tanks or the sea. It is celebrated on August/September. 9. Durga Puja – Durga is a ten-armed goddess who is honored during the Durga Puja every October. During the festival, thousands of her statutes are thrown into the Hooghly River while people are singing and dancing. Fireworks displays are also held. 10. Pushkar Camel Fair – Every early November at Rajasthani in Pushkar, people celebrate the Pushkar Camel Fair. It is famous for the camels and cattles dressed up and walking around the area with musicians, acrobats and mystics. It is a colorful event one wouldn’t want to miss. These are basically just ten of the many festivals celebrated in India. Travelers who wish to come witness the events may contact their travel agency in Singapore to book their India tour packages.
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