Soak up in the vibrancy of these popular summer festivals of India

With an unmatched level of culture and tradition in its backdrops, India is a nation that exhibits a diversity of colors through its various festivals that are worth discovering for anyone. Let’s get lost in them.

 

# Shimla Summer Festival

 It’s a 5-day long festival that is organized every year in Shimla, the queens of hills. The festive celebrations are poised to mark the beginning of happening summer season, which brings fortune for the locals here who come here to seek respite from scorching heat in the plains. If you’re lucky enough to be here during the festival, you can get exposed to some never-before-seen regional handicrafts, family sports, ice skating shows, food exhibitions, flower shows, photography contests, poster making competitions and live theater. Live performances by amateur and renowned artists from various countries are truly the showstopper of this summer season festival in India.

Location – Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Dates for Shimla Summer Festival 2020 – May/June (Dates awaited)

 

# Hemis Festival

Being one of the most significant festivals of the Ladakh region, Hemis festival brings the colorful hues of festivities in the barren, deserted region of Ladakh. Primarily meant to highlight the local culture, the festival attracts thousands of people across the world who come here to discover the grandeur of this place.
 
Devoted to the birth of Buddhist Lord Padmasambhava, who is the originator of Vajrayana Buddhism in Ladakh, Hemis festival is celebrated on the 10th day of the Tibetan lunar month. Much clear from its name, the celebrations of this world-famous festival take place in the Hemis Gompa or monastery, which, along with holding a sacred position, is also the largest of its kind in Ladakh.

Location – Hemis Monastery, Ladakh

Dates for the festival – 30th June – 1st July 2020

 

# Sikkim Summer Festival

Boasting of its immaculate natural beauty, Sikkim is a place located in the Eastern part of the country. The state is blessed with a plesant climate conducive for different types of flora and fauna.

Sikkim Summer Festival or Carnival is organized during the peak flowering season in Gangtok. It has been arranged by the Tourism Department since 1981. The location of the festival is White Hall in Gangtok and the festival is celebrated for the entire month. The entire complex comes to life with old-style Sikkimese presentations, music and dance, film shows and exhibitions. The major attraction of the festival is the beautiful rhododendrons and other floras of Sikkim. You can also indulge in Yak Safari, river-rafting and other adventure happenings during this festival.

Location – Gangtok

Dates – 1st May – 31st May 2020

 

# Mount Abu Summer Festival

Just before the onset of monsoon, the entire region of Mount Abut gets filled with the air of festivities during its summer festival. From a host of cultural performances, cuisines, and colorful entertainment, there are lots of things that show Rajasthan’s true colors to the world. 

The festival starts with traditional songs and ballads being sung along with a boat race at Lake Nakki. The main attraction of the festival is the Sham-e-Qawwali musical show that is held in the evening.

The opening day of this festival lies on Buddha Poornima, which gives a spiritual touch to the festival and celebration.

Location – Mt. Abu

Dates of the festival – 6th – 7th May 2020

 

# Yercaud Summer Festival

This summer festival organized annually is held at this hill town in Tamil Nadu is a pretty famous event here. The festival of Lord Servarayan, the ruling divinity of the Shevaroy Hills is celebrated during the festival. The festivities include flower shows, dog shows, various cultural displays, boat races, and a village fair, spurring the whole town into a fever of activity.

Over 2.5 Lac flowers are displayed and floral structures of a tractor with a farmer, state assembly, the queen, flight and cartoon characters of Motu, Patlu and Sinchan have been created by the horticulture department, to keep the visitors besieged.

Location – Yercaud

Dates – 2nd week of May

 

# Moatsu Festival, Nagaland

Moatsu festival is organized by the Ao tribe of Nagaland during the first week of May every year. A number of rituals are performed during this festival. The festival typically takes place once the sowing is done. The festival time enables the tribal people to indulge in a period of activity and entertainment after getting into the strenuous job of clearing fields, clearing jungles and sowing seeds.

For the Ao community, it is time period filled with joy and celebration and they make the most out of the same by getting themselves excessively involved in the festivities. 

Location – Mokokchung

 

# Ooty Flower Festival

Since the Nilgiri Hills are world-known for their untamed natural beauty, the place is also popular for serving the venue of Ooty Summer Festival, which is held every year. 

The flower show, which is the major attraction of the summer festival in the Nilgiris, is generally headed by a variety of other activities such as the Spices Show, the Rose Show, and the Vegetable Show. Summer is perfect when flowers remain on top of their beauty and when people can easily enjoy the same during the summer holidays. 

Location – Ooty