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Hemis Festival, Ladakh

Experience the Best Summer Festivals in India: A Guide to the Most Amazing Indian Festivals (2024)

India’s summer season isn’t just about enduring sweltering heat – it’s also about indulging in an array of festivities, including music, folk dances, colorful attire, stunning decorations, and more. With a plethora of fascinating festivals, India becomes a hub of excitement during summers, attracting throngs of visitors from all over the world. These festivals are a source of immense joy and pleasure, allowing people to escape their worries, even if just for a little while. In this guide, we will explore some of the most captivating Indian summer festivals that you absolutely shouldn’t miss out on.

Experience the Best Summer Festivals in India: A Guide to the Most Amazing Indian Festivals

So, buckle up and get ready to dive into the world of Indian summer celebrations!.

1. Mount Abu Summer Festival, Rajasthan

Mount Abu is a wonderful tourist place and is the only hill station in Rajasthan. This place celebrates an annual summer festival from May to June and the festival lasts for two days. Mount Abu Summer Festival of Rajasthan is celebrated during the full-moon day of Buddha Purnima. It is all about dance, music, various cultural activities, fireworks, decorations, and more.

Attending this summer festival in Mount Abu can get you closer to folk and classical music and also help you discover the tribal life and culture of Rajasthan. The festival begins with a folk dance performance and is then followed by a boat race at Nakki Lake. Various fun competitions like tug of war, skating races, etc. are also organized during the two days of this festival.

Mount Abu Summer Festival, RajasthanSpeciality Of The Festival: It celebrates the togetherness of the people merrymaking together and spreading the local music, dance, and culture all around. One would enjoy this festival at Mount Abu, in Rajasthan.

Location: Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India

2. International Flower Festival, Sikkim

International Flower Festival held in Gangtok (the capital city of Sikkim) is another exclusive summer festival that you cannot afford to miss out on. This is a one-month-long festival that begins in May. The festival is organized by the Tourism Department of the Government of Sikkim. During this festival, people celebrate the presence of the vast variety of flora in Sikkim and showcase hundreds of varieties of flowers and plants at the White Hall Complex that attracts tourists from various places. Additionally, there is also a special display of various types of bamboo that gown abundantly in Sikkim.

The flower show at the International Flower Festival in Sikkim is followed by a grand food festival where visitors can try different Sikkimese delicacies.

Speciality Of The Festival: The festival allows you to witness a great variety of biodiversity and people get a chance to know about the myriad of flowers and plants.

Location: White Hall Complex, Sikkim

3. Hemis Festival, Ladakh

There is another amazing Indian festival that is celebrated during the summer months and this is one of the most important Buddhist festivals that is celebrated in Ladakh. It is the Hemis Festival which is celebrated annually on the 10th day of the Tse-Chu, or the lunar month according to the Tibetan calendar. This festival lasts for two days and it marks the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava. Hemis festival is held in the Hemis Monastery which is an old monastery that dates back 300 years.

Local people dress up in traditional attires during this festival and gather in the monastery, which is beautifully decorated. You should not miss this festival in India during the summer.

Specialty Of The Festival: It is special to watch the traditional mask dance that is performed by the Lamas to the beats of cymbals, drums, and horns, known as Cham. Many sacred plays are also performed during this festival and they are a treat to watch. Moreover, this vibrant festival also showcases the traditional handicrafts of the local region.

Location: Hemis Monastery, Ladakh

4. Moatsu Festival, Nagaland

Moatsu festival is a summer festival in India that is celebrated on May 1st in Nagaland. It is observed by the Ao tribe, in Mokokchung in Nagaland. The festival is celebrated for three consecutive days and marks a symbol of community bonding. Moatsu festival is celebrated after the sowing of the seeds.

Villagers decorate their houses and enjoy together by gathering around bone fires during Moatsu. They perform various dances and traditional songs which are in gratitude to the Lord for helping the crops grow fair and healthy.

Sangpantu is a symbolic ritual that marks the festival, where a big fire is lit and locals sit around it and enjoy authentic food and rice beer.

Speciality Of The Festival: You can experience the rich culture and heritage and know about the Ao tribe of Nagaland when you attend the Moatsu festival.

Location: Mokochung, Nagaland, India

5. International Mango Festival, Delhi

Summers come with a blessing for mango lovers. In India, the summer season is probably one of the most-awaited seasons for many people because of the wide range of mangoes that comes along. People in Delhi celebrate the International Mango Festival which is hosted by the Delhi Tourism department. More than 500 different varieties of mangoes are put on display during this amazing summer festival and mango lovers can relish Neelam, Dussehri, Fazli, Chausa,Langra, Banganpalli, and many other varieties of mangoes at this festival. You can also buy various mango products and also participate in different mango-eating competitions.

Speciality Of The Festival: You get a chance to buy a wide range of mangoes and take part in different mango-eating competitions during the International Mango Festival. So, it is surely a blessing for all mango lovers.

Location: Delhi

6. Ganga Dussehera, Uttarakhand

Ganga Dussehera is a summer festival celebrated in Uttarakhand. It lasts for ten days and is observed in honor of Goddess Ganga. The festival is held in May or June every year. Also known as the Dasar Festival, it begins on the Amavasya night as per the Hindu calendar and ends on Dashami tithi or the 10th day.

An Aarti takes place on the bank of the Ganges in the famous pilgrimage destination of Rishikesh and Haridwar. The devotees come from various places to take a dip in the holy water of the river and after taking a bath they meditate on the banks of the river.

Speciality Of The Festival: The Aarti that takes place during this festival in the evening is a sight to behold, where you can see thousands of earthen lamps being put afloat on the river. Apart from Haridwar and Rishikesh, this festival is also celebrated at several major ghats like Varanasi, Garhmukteshwar, and Prayagraj.

Location: Haridwar, Rishikesh, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Garhmukteshwar.

7. Yur Kabgyat Festival, Leh

The Yuru Kabgyat is a spectacular Buddhist festival that is held in Leh, Ladakh, and is celebrated during the summer season. This festival lasts for two days and is dedicated to Yamaraj (God of Death) and Padmasambhava (The Second Buddha). It is celebrated at the historical Lamayuru Monastery.

The primary attraction of the Yur Kabgyat Festival is the masked dances or chams that are performed by monks to keep away evil spirits. Prayer wheels scattered throughout the Lamayuru Monastery are a pleasant sight.

Speciality Of The Festival: You can know more about the teachings of Lord Buddha when you participate in or attend the festival.

Location: Lamayuru Monastery, Leh

8. Yercaud Summer Festival, Tamil Nadu

Yercaud Summer Festival is another amazing Indian festival you should attend during the summer. Yercaud is a beautiful hill station located in Salem, in Tamil Nadu, India, and is known for orange groves, coffee, and spice plantations. This festival is celebrated during the second week of May. People from the entire state wait for this exclusive festival that is all about fun, cultural events, and mainly the flower show. Lakhs of flowers are displayed and various floral structures are set by the horticulture department.

Speciality Of The Festival: The flower show is the most exclusive thing that happens during this festival. Some other activities that occur during this festival are boat races, cultural events, dog shows, and more.

Location: Yercaud Anna Park, Botanical Garden, and Rose Garden, Tamil Nadu

9. Shimla Summer Festival, Shimla

The Shimla Summer Festival is celebrated in the summer months as a tribute to the gods for a bountiful harvest. The festival marks the arrival of summer. Shimla Summer Festival started in 1960 and since then it has been attracting numerous tourists. It is held at Ridge Maidan every year. Many cultural events, musical performances, fashion shows, and dog shows are hosted during this festival.

Speciality Of The Festival: This festival aims at promoting tourism in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh and people get to know about the local culture via handicrafts, music, and food.

Location: Ridge Maidan, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.

10. Saka Daka Festival, Ladakh

One more beautiful summer festival celebrated in India is Saka Daka Festival in Ladakh. It is a famous Buddhist festival and is celebrated in the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar (usually falls in June). Saka Daka Festival celebrates the birth of Lord Buddha, his enlightenment, and also his death (Mahaparinirvana).

In the Ladakhi language, ‘Saka’ means Star, and ‘Dawa’ means a month. All the monks gather in the courtyard of the monastery during the start of this festival and then take pledges. All the followers along with the monks lit up candles in front of the statue of Lord Buddha.

Speciality Of The Festival: One of the most important things that occur during the Saka Daka Festival in Ladakh is “Tarboche”, where the monks change the flagpole. Moreover, they also offer prayers in the monasteries and perform Cham Dance.

Location: Ladakh, India

11. Ooty Summer Festival, Tamil Nadu

Known to be the most beautiful and visited hill station in South India, Ooty in Tamil Nadu is not only known for its amazing weather and magnificent natural beauty but also for its Summer festival. The Ooty Summer festival is held annually on the premises of the Botanical Gardens in the hill station. This festival is organized by the tourism department of Tamil Nadu and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of India. It takes place for around 16 days.

The main attraction of the Ooty Summer Festival is a flower show where a thousand varieties of flowers and flora are showcased, and also multiple sculptures made from flowers are displayed.

Speciality Of The Festival: The flower show, dog show, spice show, etc. are some highlights of the Ooty Summer Festival. Moreover, a boat race is also organized during this time and happens at Ooty Lake.

Location: Botanical Garden, Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India

12. Chithirai Festival, Madurai

Chithirai festival is an annual festival that is famous in Madurai and celebrated in the summer season, during May. It brings great joy and pleasure all across South India. The festival is organized at the splendid Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai. Processions where chariots carrying idols of deities are pulled by devotees and accompanied by chants and devotional songs. During this festival, a grand fair is also organized. At this fair various stalls for shopping are organized and numerous adventure rides are also formed.

Speciality Of The Festival: Speciality of this festival is that the temples are decorated beautifully, colorful processions are followed, and the festival celebrates the wedding of Goddess Meenakshi (Parvati) and Lord Sundareswarar (Shiva)

Location: Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Final Words

With so many amazing Indian festivals being celebrated during summer, there are numerous reasons to visit the country and attend the festivals and get immersed in the joy, happiness, tradition, and beauty of these summer festivals that are truly a treat for your soul.

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