Diwali
A family guide to the festival of lights, from the stories behind it to a simple Lakshmi Puja at home.
Dhanteras
The first day of Diwali, honouring Dhanvantari, Lakshmi and Kubera, and the lamp lit for Yama.
Naraka Chaturdashi
Chhoti Diwali, the day of Krishna's victory over Narakasura, the dawn oil bath and lamps for Yama.
Govardhan Puja
The day after Diwali, when Krishna lifted Govardhan hill and devotees offer a mountain of food as Annakut.
Bhai Dooj
The last day of Diwali, when sisters apply tilak and pray for their brothers' long life, as Yamuna did for Yama.
Holi
The festival of colours, spring and forgiveness, from Prahlad's faith to Radha and Krishna's playful colours.
Holika Dahan
The bonfire on the night before Holi, remembering Prahlad's unshakeable faith and the burning of Holika.
Sharad Navratri
Nine autumn nights for the nine forms of Maa Durga, with ghatasthapana, fasting, garba and kanya puja.
Chaitra Navratri
The spring Navratri that opens the Hindu new year, honours Maa Durga and ends with Ram Navami.
Durga Puja
Bengal's grand autumn festival, from Mahalaya and the pandals to Sandhi Puja, Sindoor Khela and immersion.
Dussehra (Vijayadashami)
The day of victory, when Shri Ram defeated Ravana and Maa Durga triumphed over Mahishasura.
Krishna Janmashtami
Celebrating the midnight birth of Shri Krishna with fasting, jhulan, abhishek and the joy of Dahi Handi.
Ganesh Chaturthi
Welcoming Ganpati Bappa home with sthapana, modaks and aarti, and bidding him farewell with visarjan.
Anant Chaturdashi
The day of Anant Vishnu and the sacred fourteen-knot thread, and the grand farewell to Ganpati.
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Shiva, kept with fasting, night-long vigil, abhishek of the Shivling and Om Namah Shivaya.
Ram Navami
Celebrating the midday birth of Shri Ram in Ayodhya with fasting, Ramayana path, cradle puja and panakam.
Hanuman Jayanti
Honouring the birth of Hanuman ji, the mighty devotee of Shri Ram, with Chalisa, sindoor and seva.
Raksha Bandhan
The thread of protection between sisters and brothers, tied on Shravan Purnima with prayers and sweets.
Makar Sankranti
The Sun's entry into Capricorn and the start of Uttarayan, celebrated with holy baths, til-gud, kites and charity.
Pongal
Tamil Nadu's four-day harvest thanksgiving to the Sun, the cattle and the family, with rice boiling over in joy.
Lohri
Punjab's winter bonfire festival, with folk songs of Dulla Bhatti, rewri, peanuts and joyful bhangra.
Onam
Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali home, with pookalam, the Onasadya feast and boat races.
Vishu
Kerala's new year, begun by gazing at the golden Vishukkani at dawn and receiving Vishukkaineettam from elders.
Ugadi
The lunar new year of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, begun with an oil bath, pachadi and Panchanga Shravanam.
Gudi Padwa
Maharashtra's new year, welcomed by raising a gudi of silk, neem and a copper pot at every home.
Vaisakhi
The spring harvest and solar new year of Punjab and North India, celebrated with holy dips, fairs and bhangra.
Rongali Bihu
Assam's spring new year of joy, from Goru Bihu's cattle blessings to Bihu songs, dhol and gamosas.
Chhath Puja
Four days of devotion to Surya and Chhathi Maiya, with fasting, river offerings at sunset and sunrise.
Karva Chauth
A day-long fast for the wellbeing of one's spouse, from dawn sargi to the moonrise prayer through a sieve.
Ahoi Ashtami
A mother's fast for the wellbeing of her children, worshipping Ahoi Mata and offering arghya to the stars.
Hariyali Teej
A monsoon festival of swings, green bangles and songs celebrating the reunion of Shiva and Parvati.
Hartalika Teej
A day of strict fasting and night-long vigil, honouring Parvati's resolve to marry Shiva.
Kajari Teej
The monsoon Teej of Bhadrapada, with neem worship, kajari songs, sattu sweets and moonrise prayers.
Nag Panchami
A monsoon festival honouring the serpent deities with prayers, milk offerings at anthills and compassion for snakes.
Guru Purnima
The full moon of Ashadha, honouring Maharishi Vyasa and every teacher who leads us from darkness to light.
Sharad Purnima
The brightest full moon of autumn, when kheer is left under moonlight and Lakshmi is believed to ask, who is awake?
Kartik Purnima
The full moon that crowns the holy month of Kartik, with river baths, deepdaan and Shiva's victory over Tripurasura.
Dev Deepawali
The Diwali of the gods in Varanasi, when the ghats of the Ganga glow with lakhs of lamps on Kartik Purnima.
Tulsi Vivah
The ceremonial wedding of the sacred tulsi plant to Shaligram or Krishna, opening the season of marriages.
Vasant Panchami
Welcoming spring and Maa Saraswati, goddess of learning, with yellow clothes, books at her feet and first letters.
Akshaya Tritiya
The day of unending merit, ideal for new beginnings, charity, worship of Vishnu and Lakshmi, and good deeds.
Jagannath Rath Yatra
The great chariot festival of Puri, when Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra ride out to meet their devotees.
Kumbh Mela
The great pilgrimage of holy dips at Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik, born from the story of the pot of amrit.
Magh Mela
The annual month of holy baths and kalpavas at Prayagraj's Triveni Sangam during the sacred month of Magha.
Ganga Dussehra
Celebrating the descent of Maa Ganga to earth through Bhagiratha's penance, with holy dips, daan and aarti.
Ganga Saptami
A family guide to the day Ganga is honoured as Jahnavi, with legends, home puja steps and customs along the river.
Vat Savitri
The story of Savitri and Satyavan, the banyan tree puja and a practical vrat guide for married women and families.
Narasimha Jayanti
Honouring Vishnu's lion-man avatar who protected Prahlada, with the legend, fasting guide and a home puja for families.
Parashurama Jayanti
Remembering Vishnu's sixth avatar, the warrior-sage with the axe, on Akshaya Tritiya, with stories, puja and customs.
Sita Navami
Celebrating the appearance of Mata Sita, daughter of the earth, with her story, home puja steps and temple traditions.
Radha Ashtami
Celebrating the appearance of Shri Radha in Braj, with her story, the midday puja, Barsana customs and home worship.
Vamana Jayanti
The day Vishnu came as a humble dwarf and measured the worlds in three steps, with its story, puja and customs.
Kali Puja
The new-moon night worship of Maa Kali, with her symbolism, legends, puja steps and famous temples.
Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
The full-moon night when Maa Lakshmi asks who is awake, with Bengali and Odia customs, alpana, bhog and puja steps.
Saraswati Puja
Honouring the goddess of learning, music and wisdom on Vasant Panchami, with puja steps, customs and food.
Vishwakarma Puja
Honouring the divine architect and patron of craftsmen, engineers and workers, with tool worship, kites and puja steps.
Jagaddhatri Puja
The worship of the Mother who holds the world, famous in Chandannagar and Krishnanagar, with legend, puja and customs.
Pitru Paksha
A calm, practical guide to the fortnight of honouring ancestors through shraddha, tarpan, food offerings and charity.
Mahalaya
The dawn that ends Pitru Paksha and invokes Maa Durga, with tarpan at the ghats, the radio recital and family customs.
Thaipusam
Lord Murugan's festival of the Vel, kavadi and devotion, celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Malaysia, Singapore and beyond.
Skanda Sashti
Six days of fasting and devotion to Lord Murugan, ending in Soorasamharam and his divine wedding, with home vrat guide.
Karthigai Deepam
The Tamil festival of lamps honouring Shiva as endless light, with Tiruvannamalai's Maha Deepam and home customs.
Aadi Perukku
The Tamil monsoon festival thanking the Cauvery and all rivers, with riverside puja, variety rice and sacred threads.
Varalakshmi Vratam
The Shravana Friday vrat to Goddess Lakshmi, the boon-giver, with the Charumati katha, kalasha setup and puja steps.
Navaratri Golu
The South Indian tradition of arranging dolls on steps for the nine nights of the goddess, with setup, puja and sundal.
Bathukamma
Telangana's nine-day flower festival honouring Gauri as the mother of life, with flower stacks, songs and immersion.
Bonalu
Hyderabad's Ashada festival of offering cooked rice to Mahankali and the mother goddesses, with customs and safety tips.
Gangasagar Mela
The Makar Sankranti pilgrimage to the meeting of the Ganga and the sea, with legend, rituals and travel tips.
Gangaur
Rajasthan's festival of Gauri and Shiva, kept by women for a happy married life, with puja steps, songs and food.
Vivah Panchami
Celebrating the divine wedding of Shri Rama and Mata Sita, with the story, Janakpur festivities and home puja.
Gita Jayanti
Honouring the day Shri Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita at Kurukshetra, with reading plans, puja and family ideas.
Dattatreya Jayanti
Celebrating Lord Dattatreya, the guru who unites Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, with his story, puja steps and sacred places.
Shani Jayanti
A calm guide to honouring Shani Dev, the just teacher among the grahas, with his story, puja steps and simple remedies.
Durga Ashtami
The eighth day of Navaratri honouring Durga as Mahagauri, with Sandhi Puja, Kanya Pujan and pushpanjali.
Phulera Dooj
The Braj festival when Krishna plays Holi with Radha using flowers, with temple customs, home puja and wedding beliefs.
Rang Panchami
The fifth day after Holi when colours are offered to the gods, with Indore, Maharashtra and Braj traditions.
Rama Ekadashi and Diwali Week
From Rama Ekadashi to Bhai Dooj, a day-by-day guide to the week of lamps, with katha, fasting rules and puja tips.
Chhoti Holi
The evening of Holika Dahan, when the bonfire recalls Prahlada's faith, with the legend, puja steps and safety tips.
Basoda (Sheetala Ashtami)
The day cold food is offered to Sheetala Mata for the family's health, with her story, puja steps and food customs.
Kanya Pujan
Honouring young girls as forms of the Divine Mother in Navaratri, with meaning, step-by-step vidhi, food and etiquette.
Janmashtami Dahi Handi
The joyful Gopalkala tradition of breaking the curd pot for butter-loving Krishna, with its story, customs and safety.
Mauni Amavasya
The new moon of Magha devoted to silence, holy bathing and charity, with Prayagraj traditions and a home guide.
Somvati Amavasya
When the new moon falls on a Monday: holy bathing, peepal parikrama, ancestor offerings and Shiva worship.
Shravan Maas
A guide to the monsoon month sacred to Lord Shiva, with Somvar vrats, Kanwar Yatra, festivals and daily practice.
Kartik Snan
The month-long practice of pre-dawn holy bathing, lamps and tulsi worship in Kartik, with a daily routine and tips.
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