There is an underlying similarity in many of the festivals as are the stark differences in the styles and forms of celebrations observed by different religions. What is unfailingly common and the joyous reason to celebrate is the various gastronomic and aesthetic delights that mark all such celebrations. Bawarchi.com introduces a special section devoted to the various festivals of India, which is a humble effort to unravel the mythological tales behind many of the popular festivals, unrestricted by any one religion, caste or belief.

"Festive Recipes" by Sundaravalli Veeraraghavan

India is a country of festivals. There are many festivals and every festival has some special dish which is cooked in the homes. I have written special recipes for the specific festivals of India. I have forty five years of cooking experience.     More

Vishu and Varsha Pirappu

Vishu is the first day in the first Malayalam month of Medam (March - April) and Varshapirappu is Tamil New Year.     More

Ram Navami

Ram Navami commemorates the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh reincarnation of Lord Vishnu     More

Naba Barsha -- Bengali New Year

Nabh Barsha is celebrated as a New Year for Bengalis.     More

Baisakhi - Harvest Festival

Baisakhi is festival of North India, more prominently in Punjab     More

Navreh - Kashmiri New Year

The word 'Navreh' is derived from the Sanskrit word "Nav Varsha" meaning New Year.     More

Cheti Chand - Sindhi New Year

Cheti Chand is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month known as Chet in Sindhi.     More

Gudi Padwa

Gudi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month.     More

Navroze -- A Parsi Festival from Free Press Journal

Navroze is the Parsi New Year which is celebrated on 21st March annually. It is regarded as the Parsi New Year chiefly by only a sect of Parsis viz., the Faslis...     More

Ugadi -- New year Day

Ugadi is celebrated with festive fervor in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh...     More

Jain Festival - Paryushana

The Paryushana is the most important festival among the Jain festivals and ...     More

Saint Valentine's Day from Free Press Journal

Saint Valentine's Day, the 14th of February is name after a ...     More

Raidas -- A Poet Saint from Free Press Journal

To Raidas God alone could grant redemption from our sins and passions...     More

Maha Shivaratri by Malini Bisen

Shiv - the word meaning auspicious - is one of the Hindu Trinity...     More

Mauni Amavasya and Kumbh Mela from Free Press Journal

This Mauni Amavasya (24th January) coincides with the famous Kumbh Mela.     More

Kumbh Mela by Malini Bisen

The 42-day Maha Kumbh Mela (Great Kumbh Fair), which begins January 9, will draw 30 million devotees     More

Vasant Panchami -- The Festival of Saraswati Puja from Free Press Journal

Vasant Panchami heralds the advent of spring.     More

Makar Sankranti by Malini Bisen

The great diversity of Indian religious beliefs is projected through the various festivals that are celebrated in our country. They arise from the innate desire of man to seek diversion from humdrum activities and they help in symbolising, reflecting and enriching social life in a specific cultural setting.     More

Pongal by Malini Bisen

The great diversity of Indian religious beliefs and the varied cultured traditions of the different states are very interesting and this is seen in the festival of Pongal.     More

Kojagari Purnima from Free Press Journal

The full moon day of Ashwin is called the Kojagari Purnima     More

The holiest month - The Kartik from Free Press Journal

Kartik is the eighth lunar month of the Hindu year when the sun is Krittika or Pleiades.     More

Festival of Navratri Bommai Kollu from Free Press Journal

The Navratri Bommai Kollu Festival is almost held in every South Indian Tamilian house.     More

Navratri -- Different Types of Celebrations from Free Press Journal

Different regions of India celbrates Navratri in different manner. Have a look at different types of the celebrations in India.     More

Navratri -- The Festive Time from Free Press Journal

Dassera (tenth day) is one of the significant Hindu festivals, celebrated with much joie de vivre in the entire country. The occasion marks the triumph of Lord Rama over the demon king, Ravana, the victory of good over evil.     More

Durga Puja from Free Press Journal

The Durgapuja - a national festival of the Hindus takes place in the month of Aswin or Kartik i.e. months of September and October according to the English calendar year when melow sun treads softly in Bengal landscape.     More

Parsi New Year by Malini Bisen

Navroj is the first day of the first month of the Zoroastrian year. "Struggle for good against Evil With Humata (good thoughts), Hukta (good words) and Havarshta (good deeds).     More

Shravana: The Month of Festivals from Free Press Journal

The month of Shravan is the fifth month of the Hindu calender beginning from Chaitra, and is the most auspicious month of the Chaturmas.     More

Nag Panchami by Malini Bisen

Nag-Panchami is an important all-India festival and is celebrated on the fifth day of the moonlit-fortnight in the month of Shravan (July /August).     More

Id by Malini Bisen

There are a number of Muslim festivals like Muharram, Bakri Id, Ramzan, Id-I-Milad Shab-I-Barat and others.     More

Gokul Ashtami by Malini Bisen

In Indian religion and culture Lord Krishna has a unique status as a divine personality, combining in himself the qualities of a hero and a statesman, a warrior and a philosopher.     More

Rakshabandhan - Narial Purnima by Malini Bisen

Our Hindu festivals are mostly based on legends and aim at propitiating deities who are believed to be endowed with supernatural powers. Rakhi Purnima or Raksha Bandhan is one of the most popular festivals in the country and is celebrated with lot of zest and enthusiasm.     More

Holi by Malini Bisen

Holi is the most colourful festival of the Hindus and falls on the Full moon day in the month of Phalgun according to the Hindu Calendar which is the month of March as per the Gregorian Calendar.     More

Holi -- Rituals

The color, noise and entertainment that accompanies the celebration of Holi bears witness to a feeling of oneness and sense of brother-hood...     More

Christmas and New Year by Mrs Malini Bisen

Christians all over the world celebrate the birth or Nativity of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, on 25th of December every year. This is the most important and the gayest festival of the Christians.     More

Diwali from Free Press Journal

Diwali is the most beautiful and the grandest festival of jubilation that heralds the advent of Kartik the holiest month.     More

Diwali by Mrs Malini Bisen

Diwali, the festival of lights even to-day in this modern world projects the rich and glorious past of our country and teaches us to uphold the true values of life.     More

Dassera by Mrs Malini Bisen

The festival of Dassera, also known as Vijayadashmi, is one of the fascinating festivals of India and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm for ten continuous days. The first nine nights are spent in the worship of goddess Durga and hence these nights are known as "Navaratri".     More

Ganesh Festival by Mrs Malini Bishen

Religion in India is still a living force and Indians appreciate and cultivate the festival spirit even in this age of industrialisation and political upheavals. May be Ganesh festivals bring people together and make the nation move forward and grow. Ganesh Festival is very popular in our country.     More