Festivals

119

Sanaatan philosophy aims to develop faith in and inculcate reverence for the ultimate power - the Omni-Present Brahma - in all humans. Hence, every festival is associated with worship of a deity and is generally linked to one or more puranic stories. There are many festivals celebrated in Sanaatan Society, many are commonly celebrated by all sects of Sanaatan and additionally every sect has a few additional festivals. Every region has its speciality as well as same festival is given different name and flavor in different regions.

Overall, there are 3 elements to every festival:

  • Philosophical aspect including spiritual angle. 
  • Cultural Aspect, the way it gets celebrated.
  • Puranic Stories

Important Sanaatan Festivals are:

Name Main Deity Region/ States Season Stories Brief Description
Makar Sankranti/ Til Sankranti        

Kite festival in Gujarat and some parts of north India

Lohri        

 

Bhogali Bihu        

 

Pongal        

 

Republic Day        

 

Goa Carnival        

 

Vasant Panchami/ Saraswati Pooja        

 

Holi        

 

Mahashivratri        

 

Chaiti Durga Pooja/ Navaratri        

 

Baisakhi        

 

Gudi Padwa        

 

Ugadi         

 

Pohela Baisakh        

 

Rongali Bihu        

 

Ram Navami        

 

Harela & Bhitauli Shiv-Parvati Uttarkhand Shravan  

 

Hanuman Jayanti        

 

Akshaya Tritya        

 

Naag Panchami        

 

Buddha Purnima        

 

Jagannath Rath Yatra        

 

Rakshabandhan        

 

Janmashtami        

 

Independence Day/ Partition Day        

 

Onam        

 

Ganesh Chaturthi        

 

Vishwakarma Puja        

 

Teacher's Day        

 

Dusshehra/ Vijaya Dashmi/ Durga Pooja/ Navaratri        

 

Diwali/ Dhan Teras/         

 

Kali Puja          
Bhai Dooj or Bhai Phota          
Chhath Pooja         Bihar
Maghi Purnima         Chhattisgarh
?Deccan Festival, Brahmotsavam         Andhra + Telangana
? Reh, Boori Boot, Myoko, Dree, Pongtu, Losar, Murung, Solang, Mopin, Monpa festival         Arunachal Pradesh
? Ambubachi, Bhogali Bihu, Baishagu, Dehing Patkai         Bengal
?Bastar Dussehra         Chhattisgarh
?Sunburn festival, Ladain, Mando         Goa
?Kutch Utsav, Uttarayana         Gujarat
?Rakhadumni, Gochi Festival         Himachal Pradesh
?Har Navami, Chhari, Bahu Mela, Dosmoche         J & K
Karam Utsav, Rohini, Tusu         Jharkhand
Vishu         Kerala
?Lok-rang Utsav, Tejaji, Khujaraho festival         Madhya Pradesh
?Nongkrem festival, Khasis festival, Wangla, Sajibu Cheiraoba         Meghalaya
Yaoshang, Porag, Chavang Kut         Manipur
Chapcharkut Festival         Mizoram
Hornbill festival, Moatsu Festival         Nagaland
Raja Parba, Nukahai         Odisha
Gangaur, Teej, Bundi         Rajasthan
Losar, Saga Dawa         Sikkim
Pongal, Thaipusam, Natyanjali Festival         Tamil Nadu
Bonalu, Bathukamma         Telangana
Kharchi Puja         Tripura
Ganga Dussehra         Uttarakhand
Ganga Mahotsav, Khichdi         UP