- General knowledge
- Classes 3-5
- 4 min read
Festivals of India
Discover festivals celebrated across India, such as Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas, Pongal and Onam, with respect for all.
Let us begin
The big idea
India is a land of many festivals. People of different faiths and regions celebrate with light, colour, food, music and prayers. Learning about each one helps us respect our neighbours and friends.
A festival is a special time when families and communities come together. Some festivals thank nature for a good harvest. Others remember a great teacher or celebrate a story of goodness.
Diwali is the festival of lights. People light lamps, draw rangoli and share sweets. Holi welcomes spring and is played with colours. Many people think of both as a win of good over evil.
Eid-ul-Fitr comes after Ramadan, a month of fasting for Muslims. Families pray together, wear new clothes and share sweets and food. Christmas is on 25 December and remembers the birth of Jesus Christ. People sing carols and make cribs.
Gurpurab remembers the birth of the Sikh Gurus, especially Guru Nanak Dev Ji. There are prayers and langar, a free meal for all. Buddha Purnima remembers the birth of Gautama Buddha. Mahavir Jayanti remembers the birth of Lord Mahavira, a great teacher of Jains.
Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti in many states, and Magh Bihu in Assam are harvest festivals in January. Baisakhi is a harvest festival of spring, mainly in Punjab. Onam is Kerala's harvest festival, with a flower carpet called pookalam and a big feast. Durga Puja is celebrated in West Bengal and other places with beautiful decorated pandals. The dates of many festivals change every year, so people look at a calendar. Whichever festival it is, we greet each other kindly and share joy.
Worked examples
See how it works
Harvest festivals
Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Makar Sankranti (many states), Magh Bihu (Assam), Baisakhi (Punjab) and Onam (Kerala) all thank the land for crops. They have different names and foods, but the same joy about harvest.
Light and colour
Diwali uses lamps (diyas) and rangoli. Holi uses coloured powders. One brings light and the other brings colour, and both bring families together.
Festivals of faith
Eid-ul-Fitr (Muslims), Christmas (Christians), Gurpurab (Sikhs), Buddha Purnima (Buddhists) and Mahavir Jayanti (Jains) are each important to the families who follow those faiths. We can learn about them all and greet friends politely.
Try it at home
My festival chart
You will need
- a sheet of paper
- pencil
- crayons
What to do
- Ask an elder at home which festivals your family celebrates.
- Draw a box for each festival on your paper.
- In each box draw something that goes with it, such as a lamp, flowers or a kite.
- Write one line about how your family celebrates.
- Ask a friend about a festival you do not celebrate, and add it to the chart.
Ask a grown-up: An adult can tell the family stories and help with spellings. You only need to draw and colour. No lamps or fire are needed.
Practice sheet
Check what you learned
Practice sheet: Festivals of India (Classes 3-5, General knowledge)
- Which festival is called the festival of lights?
- In which festival do people play with colours?
- Eid-ul-Fitr comes after the end of which month of fasting?
- On which date is Christmas celebrated every year?
- In which state is Onam mainly celebrated?
- What is a pookalam?
- Pongal is a harvest festival of which state?
- Name the first Sikh Guru, whose Gurpurab is celebrated with prayers and langar.
- Which festival remembers the birth of Gautama Buddha?
- Mahavir Jayanti remembers the birth of Lord Mahavira. Which community follows his teachings?
- Why is it good to learn about festivals that other families celebrate?
Answer key
Answers: Festivals of India
- Diwali.
- Holi.
- Ramadan.
- 25 December.
- Kerala.
- A flower carpet or flower design made on the floor for Onam.
- Tamil Nadu.
- Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
- Buddha Purnima.
- The Jains.
- Sample: It helps us understand and respect each other, make friends and enjoy sharing happiness.