Culture 
Festivals & Fairs | Shopping | Cuisine | Music & Dance | Art
The Indian calendar is a long procession of festivals; if you can find yourself in the right place at the right time, it is possible to go through your visit with a festival each day. The harvest festivals of the south, the immersion of Ganesh in Mumbai (Bombay), the car Festival of Puri, snake-boat races in Kerala, Republic Day in Delhi... every region, every religion has something to celebrate. Below is a selection of the major ones, but there are countless others; enquire at local Government of India Tourist Offices for details.
JANUARY /
FEBRUARY:-
Sankranti / Pongal: Mainly Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. 3 days and colourful: Tamil harvest festival.
Republic Day: National: establishment of Republic 1950. 26th January. Grand Military Parade and Procession of dancers etc. Delhi.
Vasant Panchami: National (Mainly in the Eastern region): Hindu – dedicated to Saraswati the beautiful Goddess of Learning. Women wear yellow saris.
Floating Festival: Madurai: Birthday of local 17th century ruler; elaborately illuminated barge carrying decorated temple deities at the Mariamman Teppakulam Pool amids chanting hymns.
FEBRUARY /
MARCH:-
Shivaratri: National: Solemn worship of Hindu deity, Lord Shiva. Fasting and chanting. Special celebrations at Chidambarum, Kalahasti, Khajuraho, Varanasi and Bombay.
Holi: Mainly northern, popularly called the festival of colors. Advent of Spring. Lively and much throwing of coloured water and powders. Public Holiday.
Mardi Gras: Goa: Mainly three days during lent. Unique celebrations at this carnival.
Ramnavami: National: Birth of Rama, incarnation of Vishnu. No processions. Plays and folk theaters.
Mahavir Jayanti: National: Jain festival; birth of Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara.
Easter: Good Friday / Easter Sunday National.
MARCH / APRIL:-
Kumbh Mela: The oldest and most important of the Hindu festivals. It takes place every three years, at one of the four great holy cities; Nasik in Maharashtra, Ujjain (MP), Prayag (Allahabad) and Hardwar (both in UP). It is attended by millions of pilgrims who take a holy dip in the sacred Ganges River.
APRIL / MAY:-
Baisakhi: Northern India, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu; Hindu Solar New Year. Bhangra dancing. Women wear yellow saris.
Pooram: Trichur: New Moon. Spectactular sight of large number of elephants carrying ceremonial umbrellas going round the temple; midnight fireworks display.
Id-Ul-Zuha (Bakrid): Muslim, National: The most celebrated Islamic festival in India, commemorating the sacrifice of Abraham.
Id-Ul-Fitr (Ramzan Id): Muslim, National: Celebration to mark the end of the month of Ramadan.
Meenakshi Kalyanam: Madurai. Marriage of Meenakshi with Lord Shiva. Colourful temple festival. Deities borne by colossal chariot. Ten day festival.
Fair: Rajasthan: Urs Ajmer Sharif. Ajmer, 6 days. Religious cultural and commercial extravaganza dedicated to the Sufi. Music; no procession.
JUNE / JULY:-
Rath Yatra: Mainly Orissa. Greatest temple festival in honour of Lord Jagannath (Lord of the Universe). Three colossal chariots drawn from Puri temple by thousands of pilgrims. Similar festivals, on a smaller scale, take place at Ramnagar (near Varanasi), Serampore (near Calcutta) and Jagannathpur (near Ranchi).
JULY / AUGUST:-
Teej: Rajasthan- Particularly Jaipur: Procession of the Goddess Parvati to welcome monsoon; elephants, camels, dancers etc. Women wear green saris. Colourful.
Raksha Bandhan: Northern and Western India. Legendary reenactment, girls tie rakhis or talismen to men’s wrists. Colourful build up.
Naag Panchami: Mainly Jodphur, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Dedicated to the green thousand-headed mythical serpent called Sesha. The day is also observed in many other parts of Western and Eastern India.
Amarnath Yatra: Hindu: Lidder Valley, Kashmir at full moon. Pilgrims visit the place where Lord Shiva explained the secret of salvation to his consort Parvati.
AUGUST /
SEPTEMBER:-
Independence Day: (15th August). National: Independence Day. Prime Minister delivers address from Delhi’s Red Fort.
Janmashtami: National, particularly Agra, Mumbai (Bombay) and Mathura; Lord Krishna’s birthday.
Onam: Kerala’s Harvest Festival; spectacular snake boat races in many parts of Kerala.
Ganesh Chaturthi: Mainly Pune, Orissa, Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras), dedicated to elephant-headed God Ganesh. Giant models of the deity processed and immersed in water. Colourful, and a particularly worth visiting on the Day of immersion at Mumbai (Bombay).
SEPTEMBER /
OCTOBER:-
Dussehra: National: The most popular festival in the country, celebrated in different ways in different parts of the country. In the north and particularly in Delhi (where it is known as Ram Lila), plays and music recall the life of Rama; in Kulu, the festival is also very colourful celebrated. In Bengal and many parts of Eastern India it is known as Durga Puja, and in the South as Navaratri.
Fair, Himachal Pradesh: Kulu Valley to coincide with Dussehra (10 days).
Gandhi Jayanti: National: Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. No processions.
Diwali: National: One of the most lively and colourful festivals in India. In some parts, it marks the start of the Hindu New Year. In Eastern India, the goddess Kali is particularly worshipped; elsewhere, it is Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, who is venerated. Everywhere there are magnificent illuminations and fireworks.
Gurpurab: Mainly in northern India. Anniversaries of ten gurus, spiritual teachers or preceptors of Sikhism. No procession.
NOVEMBER:-
Muharram: Muslim. Commemoration of Imam Hussain’s martyrdom. Tiger dancers lead processions of colourful replicas of martyr’s tomb. Colourful, particularly at Lucknow.
Bihar: Largest cattle fair in the world; 1 month Sonepur, Patna; on banks of the Ganges.
Pushkar Mela: Pushkar, near Ajmer, Rajasthan. Important and colourful. Camel and cattle fair, attended by Rajputs from miles around. Camel races and acrobatics etc.
DECEMBER:-
Christmas Day: National: Most exuberantly celebrated in Goa, Mumbai (Bombay) and Tamil Nadu.
Shopping
The Indian craftsman has been perfecting his art for centuries, passing down traditions and techniques from generation to generation. Each region has its own specialities, each town its own local craftsmen, its own particular skills. The results is a consummate blend of ancient skills and modern aesthetics. Silks, spices, jewellery and many other Indian products have long been famous and widely desired, and merchants would travel thousands of miles, willingly enduring the hardships and privations of the long journey in other to make their purchases. Nowadays, the marketplaces of the subcontinent are only 9 hours away, and for fabrics, silverware, carpets, leatherwork, antiques the list is endless India is a shopping paradise. Goods are exotic, attractive, beautiful hand-crafted and excellent value for money. Half the fun when buying goods in the bazaars is the bargaining, and you can always check for reasonable prices at state-run emporiums. Below are some of the best buys, either for the souvenir hunter or the connoisseur.
FABRICS:
One of India’s main industries, silks, cottons, and wools rank amongst the best in the world. Of the silks the brocades from Varanasi are among the most famous variety; other major centres include Patna, Murshidabad,Surat and Kanchipuram. Rajasthan cotton with its famous "tie and die" design is usually brillantly colourful, while Chennai (Madras) cotton is known for its attractive "bleeding" effect after a few washes. Throughout the country may be found the "himroo" cloth, a mixture of silk and cotton, often decorated with patterns. Kashmir sells beautiful woollens particularly shawls.
CARPETS:
India has one of the world’s largest carpet industries, and many examples of her ancient and beautiful craft can be seen in museums throughout the world. Kashmir has a long history of carpet making, influenced by the Persians. Pure wool and woven and silk carpets are exquisitely made, and can be bought for a fraction of the cost that one would pay in the west. Each region will have its own specialty; such as the distinctive, bright coloured Tibetan rugs, available mainly in Darjeeling.
CLOTHES:
Clothes are very cheap to buy, and can be tailor made in some shops, usually very quickly. Choose from an unmatchable range; silks, cottons, himroos, brocades, chiffons, chignons, touched with streaks of silver and gold thread, set with sequins or semi-precious gems ...
JEWELLERY:
Particularly of Rajasthan (Kundan), is traditionally heavy and stunningly elaborate. Indian silverwork is world-famous. Gems can be bought and mounted. Apart from diamonds, other stones include lapis lazuli, Indian star rubies, star sapphires, moonstones and aquamarine. Hyderabad is one of the world’s leading centres for pearls.
HANDICRAFTS AND LEATHERWORK:
Once again, each area will have its own specialty; the vast range includes fine bronzes, brasswork (often inlaid with silver), canework and pottery. Papier Mache is a characteristic Kashmir product, some decorated with gold leaf. Marble and alabaster inlay work, such as chess sets and ornamental plates, are a specialty of Agra. Good leatherwork buys includes open India sandals and slippers.
WOODWORK:
Sandalwood carvings from Karnataka, rosewood from Kerala and Madras, Indian walnut from Kashmir. These are often exquisite and make excellent presents.
OTHER BUYS:
Foods such as pickles, spices and Indian tea, perfumes, soap, handmade paper, Orissan playing cards, musical instruments- anything that takes your fancy.
NOTE:
It is forbidden to export antiques and art objects over 100 years old, animal skins or objects made from skins.
The unforgettable aroma of India is not just the heavy scent of jasmine and roses on the warm air. It is also the fragrance of spices so important to Indian cooking - especially to preparing curry. The world "curry" is an English derivative of "kari", meaning soice sauce, but curry does not, in India, come as a powder. It is the subtle and delicate blending of spices such as turmeric, cardamom, ginger, coriander, nutmeg and poppy seed. Like an artist’s palette of oil paints, the Indian cook has some twenty-five spices (freshly ground as required) with which to mix the recognized combinations or "masalas". Many of these spices are also noted for their medicinal properties. They, like the basic ingredient, vary from region to region. Although not all Hindus are vegetarians, you will probably eat more vegetable dishes than is common in Europe, particularly in South India. Indian vegetables are cheap, varied and plentiful and superbly cooked.
Broadly speaking, meat dishes are more common in the north, notably Rogan Josh (curried lamb), Gushtaba (spicey meat balls in yoghurt), and the delicious Biriyani (chicken or lamb in orange flavoured rice, sprinkled with sugar and rose water).
Mughlai cuisine is rich, creamy, deliciously spiced and liberally sprinkled with nuts and saffron. The ever popular Tandoori cooking (chicken, meat or fish marinated in herbs and baked in a clay oven) and kebabs are also northern cuisine.
In the south, curries are mainly vegetable and inclined to be more hot. Specialities to look out for are Bhujia (vegetable curry), Dosa, Idli and Sambar (rice pancakes, dumplings with pickles and vegetable and lentil curry), and Raitas (yoghurt with grated cucumber and mint). Coconut is a major ingredient of South Indian cooking. On the West coast there is a wide choice of fish and shellfish; Mumbai (Bombay) duck (curried or fried bomnloe fish) and pomfret (Indian salmon) are just two. Another specialty is the Parsi Dhan Sak (lamb or chicken cooked with curried lentils) and Vindaloo vinegar marinade. Fish is also a feature of Bengali cooking as in Dahi Maach (curried fish in yoghurt flavoured with turmeric and ginger) and Malai (curried prawn with coconut).
One regional distinction is that whereas in the south rice is the staple food, in the north this is supplemented and sometimes substituted by a wide range of flat breads, such as Pooris, Chappatis and Nan. Common throughout India is Dhal (crushed lentil soup with various additional vegetables), and Dhai, the curd or yoghurt which accompanies the curry. Besides being tasty, it is a good "cooler"; more effective than liquids when things get too hot. Sweets are principally milk based puddings, pastries and pancakes. Available throughout India is Kulfi, the Indian ice cream, Rasgullas (cream cheese balls flavoured with rose water), Gulab Jamuns (flour, yoghurt and ground almonds), and Jalebi (pancakes in syrup). Besides a splendid choice of sweets and sweetmeats, there is an abundance of fruit, both tropical – mangoes, pomegranates and melons – and temperate apricots, apples and strawberries. Western confectionery is available in major centres. It is common to finish the meal by chewing Pan as a digestive. Pan is a betel leaf in which are wrapped spices such as aniseed and cardamon.
Another custom is to eat with your fingers but remember only of the right hand ... Besides the main dishes, there are also countless irresistible snacks available on every street corner, such as samosa, fritters, dosa and vada. For the more conservative visitor, western cooking can always be found. Indeed, the best styles of cooking from throughout the world can be experienced in the major centres in India. Tea is India’s favourite drink,and.many of the varieties are famous the world over. It will often come ready brewed with milk and sugar unless "tray tea",is specified. Coffee is increasingly popular..Nimbu Pani (lemon drink), Lassi (iced buttermilk) and coconut milk straight from the nut are cool and refreshing. Soft drinks (usually sweet) and bottled water are widely available, as, are ’Western alcoholic drinks. Indian beer and gin are comparable with the world’s best, and are not expensive. Note that Liquor Permits are required in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
The variety of Indian cooking is immense, it is colourful and aromatic, it can be fiery or not as desired and it is inexpensive even at the top class hotels. No wonder, then that it is now the third most popular cuisine in the world nor will it be any more surprising when it becomes the first.
Indian music (Hindustani in the north and Carnatic in the south) has been evolving as part of India’s culture for centuries. Aspects of musical from such as tonal intervals, harmonies and rhythmical patterns are the unique products of a wealth of musical traditions and influences; they are also very different from those familiar in the west. Much of the music recalls Indian fables and legends, as well as celebrating the seasonal rhythms of nature. Indian dancing, similarly unique and timeless, is also widely performed throughout the country, either at major festivals and recitals, or at the many cultural shows which are staged in hotels.
Music Festivals
The following is a list of the major music festivals in India:
Sangeet Natak Akademi - New Delhi.
January: Tyagaraja - Tiruvayyaru, near Thanjavur.
March: Shankar Lal – New Delhi.
August: Vishnu Digambar -New Delhi.
September: Bhatkhande - Lucknow.
October: Sadarang - Calcutta.
November: Sur-Singar - Bombay.
December: Tansen - Gwalior.
Music Academy - Madras.
Shanmukhananda – The Music, Dance, and Drama Festival, Bombay.
The visitor may also be lucky enough to witness dancing at a village festival or a private wedding.
During the last few years, the contemporary art scene in the country has blossomed into a high profile attention getter, auctioned at never before prices by international auctioneers. The works of all India’s best artists are pre sold almost always, but can sometimes be seen at art galleries in New Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, Vadodara and Trivandrum. Art exhibitions are held in these cities from time to time, and feature solo and group shows. Museums all over the country exhibit objects that range from finds at archaeological sites, miniature paintings, royal memorabilia to India’s finest traditional crafts. Of course, this varies from one museum to another.
New Delhi’s National Museum exhibits a range from terra-cotta figures of the 5th and 6th centuries BC to exquisitely dama- scened swords of the Mughal period. Also in New Delhi, the Crafts Museum displays the folk art of India. Periodical exhibitions include textiles, wooden sculptures of coastal India and other thematic subjects. Jaipur’s City Palace, itself an object of wonder, houses a collection of royal i2 memorabilia, as do the museums in other parts of Rajasthan: Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Alwar and Bundi. Each of these were princely states whose rulers were great patrons of art, and miniature paintings in the distinctive style of each state forms the nucleus of many a museum’s treasures.
In Gujarat, the city of Ahmedabad has a sprinkling of museums, all the private collections of an individual or a family. The Shereyas Museum of Folk Art, the Calico Museum of Textiles, the Kite Museum and the Utensils Museum, each display another facet of the rich heritage of craft traditions of Gujarat. Vadodara’s museum is housed in an old palace building and includes extremely rare bronze figurines. In the north, Jammu’s two museums display a valuable collection of miniature paintings collectively known as ’Pahari’ or hill schools.
Srinagar’s SPS Museum is the only place in India where one can see stone sculptures of deities executed in the distinctive style that was a hallmark of Kashmir in the 7th to 11th centuries. Bhopal’s museum revolves around the considerable tribal skill of Madhya Pradesh, the focus of which is dhokra figures, made in the lost wax technique out of bell metal. Pune’s Dinkar Kelkar Museum is the lifelong collection of one man whose theme was the celebration of everyday life in art. Ink pots, cooking vessels and betel nut crackers, all display the wealth of everyday art. Hyderabad’s most famous museum is the Salar Jung Museum, again a personal collection which features priceless treasures and whimsical objects side by side. Trivandrum has a museum whose building is probably the most photographed edifice in the city. Objects displayed inside are exquisitely carved bronze temple figures. Cochin has a number of museums housed in buildings that were built by the Dutch as palaces, and by local rulers. A small museum on the outskirts of the city is the Museum of Natural History, the vision of its founder. Sound and light shows bring to life all the figures exhibited that range from classical dancers to Portuguese traders. Kolkata (Calcutta) too has a museum that was the personal collection of one family, at Mallick’s Palace. It is impossible to give a brief account of a subject that requires a full volume to itself. Every city or town in the country will have a museum featuring classical, tribal or folk art. Information regarding timings and special exhibitions will be available at the hotel counter.
The Orissa State Museum
A visit to the museum provides an instant overview of Orissa as it was and still is. It has a rich collection of sculptures, coins, copper plates, stone inscriptions, lithic and bronze age tools, rare manuscripts written on palm leaves, traditional and folk musical instruments.
The Handicrafts Museum (Secretariat Road)
This museum has a splendid collection of stone sculptures, patta paintings, brass castings, horn toys and Orissa’s famous silver filigree work.
Tribal Museum
This museum provides an insight into the tribal culture of Orissa.
Art and Architecture
chronological History of indian Art and Architecture
A look around the temples
In Bhubaneshwar the orientalist is in for a delightful break . The temples of Laxmaneswar, Satrughaneshwar and Bharateswara built in the 6th Century AD are relics of early religious shrines in Orissa.
Parasurameswara Temple built in 650 AD is one of the few earliest temples of Bhubaneshwar. This temple built in the Kalinga style of temple architecture was dedicated to Lord Siva but there are images of Lord Vishnu, Yama, Surya and seven Mother Godesses. In typical fashion, it is liberally sculpted with amourous couples, animals and floral motifs.
Just south of Parasurameswara temple is the Swaranajaleswara temple. Built in a similar style, the motifs on the walls however differ, depicting scenes from the Ramayana.
Rajarani Temple (C 1100 AD)
The Rajarani temple, is an essay in grace and poise and is particularly interesting in that it has no presiding deity. The name of this temple is supposed to be derived from the red- gold sand stone used - Rajarani being the local name for the stone. The Deul is intricately carved with figurines in various stages of daily chores. The lower portion of the Deul has the ’Guardians of the eight directions’ guarding the eight cardinal points of the temple.
Vaital Deul ( C 800 AD)
Vaital Deul is the Shrine of Chamunda (a tantric form of the Goddess Kali) or Shakti. Seated on a corpse in a dark inner sanctum is the Goddess Chamunda, garland of skulls round her neck and flanked by a jackal and an owl. The niches on the inner wall depict equally startling images along with scenes of tantric rituals. It is the first of the temples to depict erotic scultpures, it is also unique in that the outer surface of the vault is plain while profusely embellished on the inside.
Mukteswara (C 950 AD)
Often referred to as the "Gem of Orissan Architecture" this temple has been built on the lines of the Kalinga School of temple architecture. This temple too is a deviation in that the architects have blended old and new techniques of planning and execution, Many new innovations in later temples are from here. A ’Torana’, an arched gateway is a unique feature of this temple. The temple dedicated Lord Shiva - Mukteswara, is carved with figures of ascetics in various poses of meditation and scenes from the store house of Indian fables, the ’Panchatantra’. A dip in a sacred well to the east of the temple is supposedly a cure for infertility .
Brahmeswara Temple (C 1050 AD)
Brahmeswara temple depicts the mature Orissan style of temple architecture. The Deul and the Jagmohana are both intricately carved and for the first time in temple architectural history musicians and dancers appear on the outer walls and iron beams find their first use. In the western section Chamunda, Siva and other deities are depicted.
Lingaraja (11th Century AD)
The Lingaraja temple dominates the skyline of Bhubaneswar from as far away as 15 kms and exhibits the skill of the Orissan temple architects at its completely mature and developed stage. This temple was constructed in the 11th AD at the site of an old seventh century shrine. Along with the Deul and the Jagmohana the Lingaraja temple has two new structures, the nata mandira (Dance Hall) and the Bhoga mandapa (offering Hall). Dedicated to Lord Siva the Lingam here is unique in that it is a hari hara lingam -half Siva and half Vishnu. Ther are around 150 subsidiary shrines within this giant temple.
