Religious holidays of India
Photo: Sriram Jagannathan, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
India has a myriad of religious holidays and festivals that can both delight and frustrate travellers. Although they reflect the country's diverse cultures, they can also affect the availability of goods and services.
CalendarsMost Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain holidays follow a common lunisolar calendar, often called the Vikram Samvat.
Hindu celebrationsRama Navami (रामनवमी Rāmanavamī) commemorates the birth of Rama, the legendary king of Ayodhya and the seventh avatar of Vishnu.
Buddhist, Sikh and Jain holidaysThe birthday of Mahavira, the 24th and last tīrthaṅkara in Jainism. The idol of Mahavira is carried out on a chariot on this day, similar to the Ratha Yatra, and religious hymns are recited during the procession.
Muslim festivalsA ten-day festival that commemorates the death of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of prophet Muhammad, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala on 10 Al-Muharram 61 AH (680 CE) by the army of the Umayyad caliph Yazid I (r.
Christian holidaysChristian observance, especially Roman Catholic.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Religious holidays of India" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Sriram Jagannathan, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons