It’s been said often enough that Hindus celebrate everything. So they do. The birth of gods, death of auras, victory of the gods, marriage of the gods, the new year, new months, full moons, new moons, harvests, birthdays, initiations, marriages, deaths, anniversaries – you name the event, and it is reason for music, dance, processions, and what have you.

And there is the religious bit lurking behind it all. The reasons for this lie deep, in the origin of Hinduism as an organic religion. Its followers have over time considered anything, animate or inanimate, to be sacred and aspects of divinity.

That is also why even secular events like harvests take on religious overtones, with the patron deity presiding over the festivities. As soon as something happens, there is a kind of thanksgiving to the divine that follows it.

• Baisakhi
• Diwali
• Durga Puja
• Dussehra
• Ganesh Chaturthi
• Holi
• Janmashtami
• Karwa Chauth
• Mahashivaratri
• Makar Sankranti
• Naag Panchami
• Navrati
• Onam
• Pongal
• Rakhi
• Ram Navami