List Of Indian Festivals & Holidays In 2021

List Of Indian Festivals & Holidays In 2021

Festivals and Holidays of India hold immense significance in the life of every Indian here and of Indians living across the world.

India is known to be a country seeped in culture, heritage, and traditions. Therefore, all festivals and holidays celebrated in India, irrespective of various religious beliefs, hold an unmoving position in the lives of its citizens. The brilliance of the celebration of Indian festivals catches the eyes of people all over the world. Many tourists and foreigners come to India to enjoy and commemorate these occasions with full enthusiasm and lively spirit. There is no other place that celebrates festivals as buoyant as India.

The Feeling Of Humanity And Brotherhood:

India is a secular country where all the festivals, irrespective of religion or caste, are honored with equal importance and passion. These special occasions result in assembling people under a single roof and celebrate festivals without a second thought. They help promote a feeling of humanity and fraternity, thus making every festivity more enlightening and exceptional! This makes India even more joyful and cheerful. The fact that all Indian citizens join together to celebrate a particular festival and make it more special. That is what matters in the end! Today we have brought to you the List of Indian Festivals of 2021.

List Of Indian Festivals And Holidays In 2021:

Below is a list of festivals in 2021 and their respective dates to make this year more enlightening and festive.

There are two types of Government Holidays. They are:

  1. Public Holiday

A Public Holiday is a holiday followed by private and public schools, banks, and other corporations. The various public holidays of 2021 include:

Occasions                                                   Date                                Day

Republic Day                                                    26th January                            Tuesday

Maha-Shivratri                                               11th March                                Thursday

Holi                                                                      29th March                               Monday

Good Friday                                                      2nd April                                    Friday

Ram Navami                                                    21st April                                    Wednesday

Mahavir Jayanti                                              25th April                                  Sunday

Ramadan/Eid-ul-Fitr                                  12th May                                    Wednesday

Buddha Purnima                                            26th May                                   Wednesday

Bakr Eid                                                                21st July                                   Wednesday

Independence Day                                          15th August                             Sunday

Janmashtami                                                   30th August                               Monday

Muharram                                                         19th August                               Thursday

Gandhi Jayanti                                                2nd October                               Saturday

Dussehra                                                           15th October                               Friday

Diwali                                                                4th November                            Thursday

Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti                            19th November                           Friday

Christmas                                                        25th December                           Saturday

 

  1. Optional Holiday

Non-mandatory holiday that depends entirely on the employee’s wish. These restricted holidays include

Occasions                                                  Date                                  Day

New Year’s Day                                                    1st January                             Friday

Guru Govind Singh Jayanti                             2nd January                           Saturday

Lohri                                                                         13th January                        Wednesday

Pongal                                                                      14th January                        Thursday

Hazrat Ali Birthday                                         25th February                     Thursday

Holika Dahana                                                     28th March                            Sunday

Easter Day                                                             4th April                                   Sunday

Baisakhi/ Chaitra Sukladi                              13th April                                  Tuesday

Jamat-Ul-Vida                                                   6th May                                     Thursday

Rabindranath Tagore Birthday                  9th May                                      Sunday

Onam                                                                     12th August                               Thursday

Raksha Bandhan/Rakhi                                22nd August                               Sunday

Ganesh Chaturthi                                            10th September                         Friday

Maha Ashtami                                                  13th October                            Wednesday

Maha Navami                                                   14th October                             Thursday

Govardhan Puja                                              5th November                            Friday

Bhai Duj                                                             6th November                          Saturday

Chatt Puja                                                        10th November                         Wednesday

Guru Teg Bahadur Martyrdom Day      24th November                       Wednesday

 

  1. Observance Holiday

There are numerous observance holidays celebrated in India. These include:

Occasions                                          Date                                          Day

Chinese New Year                                  12th February                                  Saturday

Valentine’s Day                                      14th February                                  Sunday

Maundy                                                      1st April                                             Thursday

First Day Of Passover                          4th April                                             Sunday

Ambedkar Jayanti                                 14th April                                           Wednesday

May Day                                                   1st May                                                 Saturday

Mothers Day                                          9th May                                                Sunday

Fathers Day                                            20th June                                             Sunday

Guru Purnima                                        24th July                                             Saturday

Friendship Day                                      1st August                                           Sunday

Halloween                                               31st October                                       Saturday

Children’s Day                                       14th November                                Sunday

First Day Of Hanukah                         28th November                                Sunday

Last Day Of Hanukah                         6th December                                     Monday

Significance Of Indian Holidays:

Indian Holidays hold great importance in the lives of every individual. They are known to be the ultimate getaways from the regular mundane routine. To spend and enjoy quality time with loved ones is all we ask for.Thankfully, festivals and holidays are exactly which every individual craves. Everyone experiences happiness and tranquillity while being with their family, and reliving the brilliant Indian cultures and traditions is truly exquisite. No one can ever get enough of learning about their respective practices and cultures. Festivals guide us through our heritage and enable us to discover our religion more.

The excitement we get while wholeheartedly rejoicing and immersing in the traditional values and beliefs of festivals and holidays brings the human mind to peace. The ultimate happiness we receive while performing various rituals during celebrations tranquilizes us to the very core of our hearts.

The Takeaway

Indian Holidays are a tremendous opportunity to bring all Indians closer together, thus imparting a feeling of humanity and amity within all individuals. Honestly, India can be considered the only country to commemorate special occasions to every person, irrespective of religious beliefs.

Celebrating these occasions results in creating a special bond of humanity and brotherhood, which is unbreakable and robust. This unity formed between people is all that we need to make an occasion joyous and enlightening. So, let us take forward the beautiful Indian cultures that we have nurtured through centuries and thrive and comprehend its true essence and cultures.

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Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra

Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2021 Date, Time & Significance

The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, the ‘Festival Of Chariots, is a joyous occasion of the Hindus who are devoted to ‘Lord Jagannath’ – The Supreme God. It is also known as Gundicha Yatra, Ghosa Yatra, Dasavatara Yatra and Navadina Yatra. The annual occasion is held at Puri, situated in Odisha, India. Every year on the second day of Shukla Paksha (the waxing cycle of the moon) of Ashadha Masha (the third month in the Odia calendar), people gather around to celebrate it.

This grand festival is considered to be one of the oldest of occasions to be celebrated in the world. Intricate descriptions of it can be found in Padma Purana, Skanda Purana, Brahma Purana, and Kapila Samhita. The deities worshipped in this great festival are Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra (Lord Jagannath’s brother), and Goddess Subhadra (Lord Jagannath’s sister), along with Sudarshana Chakra (the star wheel).

Description Of The Grand Festival: 

 The world-famous Jagannath Rath Yatra celebrates Lord Jagannath’s yearly visit to Gundicha Temple. This is through Mausi Maa Temple (Motherly Aunt’s home), which is located near Saradha Bali in Puri.

During this festival, the three presiding deities in the Jagannath Temple– Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, and Sudarshana Chakra, are brought out of the temple ceremonial parade and placed in their respective marvelous chariots. Millions of devotees then draw these chariots.

The Magnificent Chariots:

The grand chariots- Nandighosa, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalana, are built beautifully every year using wood of certain trees- dhausa, phassi, and many more. These chariots are purchased from the ex-princely state of Dasapalla. An exclusive group of carpenters buys them.

As followed for centuries, the three chariots stand on the Bada Danda, the Grand Avenue, and are decorated according to their particular scheme.

Destination Of The Chariots:

The glorious chariots travel to the Gundicha temple, located nearly two miles towards the North direction. While being on their way, Nandighosa (Lord Jagannath’s chariot) stops by the cremation area of a Muslim Devout, Bhakta Salabega, to pay respect.

While returning from the Gundicha Temple, the three chariots also stop by Mausi Maa Temple to pay their tribute. The deities are then offered the delicious Poda Pitha, a unique kind of pancake known to be the Lord’s favorite. After staying for a week, these chariots drawback the deities to their home. This brings an end to the glorious Rath Yatra.

Shri Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2021:

The Ratha Yatra, known as the ‘Festival of Chariots’, is considered one of India’s most joyous and glorious festivals. This grand festival includes pulling three chariots (Nandighosa, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalana) with three presiding deities (Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra) by devotees to Gundicha temple.

Date And Time:

This year, the Rath Yatra 2021 is to be held on 12th July 2021. However, it is scheduled to occur annually on the second day of Ashadha month (late June or early July).

Significance OF Shri Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra:

The annual Ratha Yatra is known to be among the most sought-after occasions to its devotees held in India. According to the people of India, there is no other parade as magnificent and eminent as this yearly Yatra. This glorious festival held every year holds great significance in the heart of devotees.

Devotees have a deep, religious desire to pull the ropes of the chariots carrying the Lords. This is because they believe that one who gets the opportunity to remove the ropes of the chariot gets all their sins erased by the Lord himself. It is considered lucky by all devotees to get a glance of the deities presiding in the chariots. This is because one glimpse of the Lords grants the blessing of a hundred horse sacrifices. In the previous times, this opportunity was made available only to the kings. Another fantastic fact regarding this festival is that even Non-Hindus and foreigners are permitted to visit the Gundicha temple and receive their blessings during this time of the year.

EndNote:

 The prestigious Jagannath Rath Yatra is considered amongst the prominent and hugely celebrated festivals among everyone across the world. All the devotees, even the non-Hindus and foreigners, come together to attend this joyous occasion. This is because it is believed that even a glimpse of the mighty Lords is enough to attain the boon of a hundred horse sacrificed. It is also thought that the pulling of ropes of this chariot allows you to destroy all the sins one has ever committed during their entire lifetime.

This magnificent celebration of at least ten days is enough to make everyone’s minds and hearts come to a peaceful alignment. Anyone who wishes to observe the grand Rath Yatra should do it at least once in their lifetime to attain peace of mind and paramount joy. We promise; you are bound to forget all your worries here when you engage in its serene hospitality and celebrations. So, why keep waiting? Plan for it now. Rathyatra is around the corner.