A wide array of festivals is celebrated by the Hindus to mark various occasions and the birth or marriage of their deities. These festivals have been an inseparable part of the religion and have been adding color to this vast religious canvas.
Celebrated in a unique way, each festival has some or the other tradition associated with it. Every day serves as an occasion of some or the other festival. Some festivals like Basant Panchami and Lohri welcome the seasons of the year; some others welcome the harvest, the rains, or the full moon.
The birthdays of various incarnations of its deities are also celebrated as festivals by Hindus. The birthdays of divine beings, saints and revered teachers also serve as occasions for celebration. Most of the Hindu festivals invoke the devotees to fast on the day of the festival and culminate with the prayers offered to the lord..
A rich source of devout and ethical fortification, these festivals also serve as binding forces to the various races of Hinduism. Deepaawali, Duessehra, Holi, Janmashtami, Shivratri, Ram Navami, Raksha Bandhan and Makar Sankranti are some of the major Hindu festivals celebrated by Hindus with great pomp and show.
Hindu Festivals 2010
Makar Sakranti
Thursday
14-01-2010
Vasant Panchami
Wednesday
20-01-2010
Maha Shivaratri
Friday
12-02-2010
Holi (Begins on Sunday
Celebrate on Monday)
Sunday Monday
28-02-2010 01-03-2010
Hindi New Year
Tuesday
16-03-2010
Ramayana Week
Tuesday
16-03-2010
Ramanavami
Wednesday
24-03-2010
Hanuman Jayanti
Celebrate on Tuesday
Monday Tuesday
29-03-2010 30-03-2010
Adhik Maas Nimach commence
Tuesday
30-03-2010
Adhik Maas Nimach Last day
Wednesday
28-04-2010
Adhik Maas Gujarat commence
Thursday
15-04-2010
Adhik Maas Gujarat Last day
Friday
14-05-2010
Raksha Bandhan
Tuesday
24-08-2010
Krishna Janmashthami
Thursday
02-09-2010
Ganesh Chaturthi
Saturday
11-09-2010
Pitr-paksha
Friday
24-09-2010
Navaratri
Friday
08-10-2010
Saraswati Puja
(Forms part of Navaratri)
Thursday
Friday
14-10-2010
15-10-2010
Vijay Dashami (Dasera)
Sunday
17-10-2010
Deepavali (Diwali)
Friday
05-11-2010
Vikram New Year 2066
Saturday
06-11-2010
Buddha Purnima - Thursday - 27-05-2010
Guru Purnima - Sunday - 25-07-2010
Easter - Sunday - 04-04-2010
Sun Eclipse - Friday- 15-01-2010
The above lists refer to Hindu festivals as celebrated in North India.Hindu Festivals in South India can add additional days to the lists above.
