In a land of linguistic and cultural diversity, one has the opportunity to enjoy and experience a wide range of cultures, tressurable fairs, and festivals, and India is the epitome of such opportunities. There are festivals and fairs all over India, with the majority of them taking place at sacred sites or marking the passage of time. Most pilgrimage site fairs draw tens of thousands of people. Every Indian state has its own festivals and fairs. Indian celebrations are enjoyed by both locals and visitors. These fairs and festivals are part of our society’s intrinsic cultural fabric, as well as a continuation of our heritage. In this spirit, Flyopedia enthusiastically presents some of India’s most vibrant, fascinating, and beautiful fairs and festivals, organized and celebrated with great enthusiasm throughout the country. You can book cheap international flight tickets to travel to India keeping in mind the timeline of these fairs.
Once every 12 years, one of the world’s largest peaceful religious gatherings takes place in one of four locations in India: Haridwar on the Ganges in Uttarakhand, Ujjain on the Shipra in Madhya Pradesh, Nashik on the Godavari in Maharashtra, or Prayagraj at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the Sarasvati in Uttar Pradesh. The festival honors Lord Shiva and draws millions of Hindu pilgrims over its duration. Every third year, organizers hold the Kumbh Mela in one of four alternate locations. The Maha Kumbh Mela (Great Kumbh Mela), which holds the most significance, takes place in Prayagraj every 144 years or after 12 Purna Kumbh Melas. Many people consider the Maha Kumbh Mela to be very auspicious and a once-in-a-lifetime event. The Kumbh Mela in 2019 drew more than 150 million pilgrims.
Sonepur Mela, Asia’s largest cattle fair, has been a festival for over two thousand years, dating back to the Mauryan Empire. The fair is primarily intended for the sale and purchase of livestock such as birds, dogs, goats, buffaloes, donkeys, and horses. The main attraction of the fair, however, is the Elephant market, which features hundreds of elephants lined up for sale on the banks of the Ganga. Aside from that, there will be music and dance performances by well-known regional artists. The festival is a one-of-a-kind spectacle that transports you back in time to learn how ancient people traded. You can travel to India by booking cheap international flight tickets to witness this fair and travel back through the lanes of time.
The Chandrabhaga Mela is a Hindu pilgrimage fair held in Bhubaneswar, in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. Every year in September, thousands of people gather on the banks of the Chandrabhaga River to bathe in its holy waters. The river, which flows from the Chilika Lagoon to the Bay of Bengal near Puri, has religious significance in Hinduism. Several gods are said to have bathed here after defeating demons. Music and dance are used to commemorate the occasion. Visitors often visit this fair to seek blessing and prosperity and to know Indian culture in depth.
The Puri Rath Yatra, one of the country’s largest religious events of the year, is a grandiose spectacle on a grand scale. Every year, over a million devotees, gather near Puri’s famous Jagannath Temple for the Rath Yatra. The yatra involves three massive temple-shaped chariots being drawn to the Gundicha Temple and then back to the Jagganath Temple after nine days. The yatra is held in June or July and is considered one of the holiest events in Hinduism. Overseas travelers often avail the last minute flights at rebated prices from Tripbeam to be a part of this event.
They hold the Amububachi fair every year in Kokrajhar, a town in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. It is one of India’s most important and largest carnivals. The fair began during the British Raj and has since become an important part of Indian cultural tradition. The event takes place in the Assamese month of Ahaar in June when the Brahmaputra River is raging. This is a festival celebrating the annual menstrual cycle of the goddess Kamakhya. This festival draws devotees from all over the country and foreign countries like USA and Canada. The devotees performing pooja and the Pandits singing mantras on their behalf make the fair a must-see.
Every year, people hold the Gangasagar Mela on Sagar Island in West Bengal. To commemorate the passing of another year, organizers hold the festival in conjunction with the Bay of Bengal. According to an ancient legend, Lord Vishnu bathed in this confluence every year on Makar Sankranti. He would ride a Garuda vahana from his abode “Vaikuntha” with his wife, goddess Lakshmi, to Sagar Island. During Makar Sankranti, pilgrims gather here to take a dip and pray for prosperity. You can also book flight tickets to Kolkata from USA and then travel to the location to pray for abundance.
The city has been celebrating the Madurai Floats Festival, a very old festival, for a significant duration. It takes place every year in the last week of January or the first week of February. During the festival, people take the gods and goddesses of the Madurai temple for a boat ride in the city’s lake, continuing a tradition initiated by a 17th-century Tamil king. However, before the ride, thousands of devotees take out the gods and goddesses from their temple at dawn in a procession. They then place the deities on a mandap on the lake’s banks, where devotees can offer their prayers. Later, a boat transports the gods across the lake.
The Vintage Car Festival, a one-of-a-kind festival held every December during the Lucknow Mahatsov, is a celebration of people’s vintage car collections from all over India. Since its inception in 1904, the festival has been an integral part of Lucknow’s culture and heritage. The festival draws car enthusiasts from all over the country and even the world, and there are some beautiful vintage models on display. You can have a glimpse of these vintage models by traveling to India after booking cheap international flight tickets.
The northeastern state of Nagaland hosts the one-of-a-kind folk festival known as the Hornbill Festival. Held in a region with rich tribal heritage and traditions, the Hornbill Festival is an effort on the part of the Nagaland tourism department to bring the culture and beauty of Nagaland to the world. Every year from the 1st to the 7th of December, the festival is an amazing exhibition of the Naga way of life, attracting thousands of tourists.
Pushkar Mela, arguably the largest fair in Rajasthan and one of the largest livestock fairs in the world, is a fascinating meeting of nomadic culture and Rajasthan’s most beautiful town. It is primarily a marketplace for the purchase and sale of camels and livestock, but with its growing popularity among foreign tourists, competitions such as ‘Matka Phodh,’ ‘bridal games,’ and ‘longest mustache’ have become popular events. The Pushkar Mela is an excellent opportunity for visitors to learn about Rajasthan’s nomadic lifestyle by traveling on cheap international flight tickets.
In a country where a new cultural identity embraces you every hundred kilometers, you can enjoy diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and heritage. A fair in India is a joyous celebration and a great way to spend time with family and friends. Indians believe that “togetherness” is the key to success and prosperity. This sentiment makes it easier for them to gather at various locations such as fairs, exhibitions, and festivals to celebrate special occasions such as Diwali, Holi, and Eid. Flyopedia wishes that your next trip to India to witness a fair is memorable and exciting.
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