Top 10 Monsoon Festivals of India

The smell of mud, the soft sound of drips or the roar of thundershowers tells us that the Monsoon Season has arrived. The monsoon season plays a big role on the culture of society. The rain Gods are beckoned with much fervor because rains have always been associated with greenery, prosperity & a great cropping season.

India is considered to be the land of festivals wherein every other month 2 or 3 festivals are celebrated. There are some very interesting monsoon festivals, which are celebrated across the country with a great fervor & enthusiasm.

Festivals Celebrated During Monsoon

There are many traditional festivals celebrated during this season, below is a list of Top 10 Monsoon Festivals, which are celebrated in India:

• Raksha Bandhan

• Janmashtami

• Puri Rath Yatra

• Ganesh Chaturthi

• Onam

• Adiperukku

• Teej

• Sao Joao

• Hemis Festival

• Behdienkhlam

Raksha Bandhan

This festival is the celebration of the bond between a brother & sister. It is celebrated in the month of Shravan, and it usually falls between the month of July – August. Raksha Bandhan is the most loved festivals of India. This festival is about the fun, leg-pulling & a promise of the love of brother-sister.

Janmashtami

This festival is about the birth of Lord Krishna, and Janmashtami is also falls in the month of Shravan. Janmashtami is the vibrant colorful festival of India. The northern regions, especially in Vrindavan, Mathura & other cities in Uttar Pradesh celebrated this festival with so much enthusiasm. In Maharashtra, the tradition of making a human pyramid to break “Dahi Handi” is the combination of fun & team work.

Puri Rath Yatra

An outstanding visual treat of the Puri Rath Yatra is an extravagant event, which held during monsoon. The deities, including Lord Jagannath is pulled on the chariots across the streets to Gudicha Temple, where they remain for 9 days. The devotees from across the world come to the Puri Rath Yatra to witness the celebration.

Ganesh Chaturthi

This is the 10 days festivals, which reaches its culmination on the last day, when the idol is immersed in water. This festival is celebrated in Maharashtra with maximum zeal, the last day of Ganesh Chaturthi brings state to a complete stand still. There is music, dances & special foods that mark as the main highlights of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Onam

The festival of Onam is the most important festival of Kerala. This festival is very special for the farmers of the state, as they welcome the rains in this season to boost their hard work & growth of crops. Temple rituals, Kathakali dances, Elephant carnivals, Traditional foods & Dresses are widely associated with Onam festival. They also play the snake boat races as well the “Pookalam” or the pattern of decoration outside houses are also the part of Onam celebrations.

Adiperukku

Adiperukku is celebrated in Tamil Nadu, it usually falls in the month of August. In this festival, women pray for the sustainability of water & the importance of life-giving elixir is marked by various festivals, such as delicious food & decorated homes.

Teej

This festival is celebrated during monsoon by the married women. Teej is most prevalent in Rajasthan along with other northern states. Parvati is said to have reunited with Lord Shiva after 100 years & Teej is the festival for celebration & prayer for a happily ever after.

Sao Joao

This is the festival of Goan, it is expected to be extremely colorful, vibrant & fun-filled. This celebrated in the honor of St. John the Sao Joao takes place in the month of June. The monsoon rains spring a lovely freshness and hue into Goa as this festival marks the exchange of gifts & recitations of hymns. Many people enjoy jumping into the beach water for having fun & carnival themed boats were also floating across the rivers, these are all the common sight of this festival.

Hemis Festival

This festival is celebrated in Ladakh during monsoon in the stunning Hemis Gompa, it is two-day festival. Marking the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the Hemis festival is usually falls in the month of July. During this festival, the monks perform traditional dances wearing masks, exquisite headgears & colorful dresses accompanied with music from cymbals, drums & long horns. The Hemis festival is the best time to visit Ladakh, which is reeling under celebrations.

Behdienkhlam

This festival is celebrated in Meghalaya, this festival symbolizes the victory over the Demon of Cholera. It marked with massive celebrations in the form of dance by Jaintia tribes, food, music & prayers to Gods for a great harvest. The Behdienkhlam festival along with monsoon rains is one of the best time to visit northeast.