Harvest Festival They are an integral part of India’s cultural heritage and over the centuries the tradition has evolved in various forms and assimilated itself into the local tradition.
1. Onam
onam It was initially associated with the tradition of fertility cult and is a popular harvest festival celebrated in the month of August-September in Kerala. This harvest festival later became the hallmark of the land and is celebrated with Thiruvona Sadhya – a traditional Kerala meal consisting of at least 50 different dishes complete with Onam Pattu and Pulikali, where in the evening people take to the streets dressed as tigers. But let’s get down. Thrissur district in Kerala sees the largest gathering of these ‘tigers’ and is a colorful occasion with drums and banners.
2. Pongal
Pongal or Tai Pongal is a sacred festival associated with the harvest season and, like Onam, is celebrated by all castes and creeds. The festival lasts for four days, of which the second day is the most auspicious. The birth place of the festival is in Tamil Nadu which is usually celebrated in the month of January. It is celebrated all over the country in different forms with different names. Pongal The dish is cooked in the open air by the devotees themselves as an offering to the Sun God. Homes are washed of their year-long impurities and old clothes are thrown away to welcome a prosperous New Year.
3. Ugadi
Ugadi The festival marks the beginning of a new era. Clothes are washed and houses are cleaned with cow dung water which is considered sacred and holy. It falls in the months of March–April and is subject to change based on the solar calendar. It is especially auspicious in the state of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. People welcome Ugadi with new clothes and special dishes reserved for this special day. Ugadi Pachadi – A sweet and savory dish renowned for its taste as well as medicinal properties and is specially prepared for the occasion.
4. Baisakhi
Baisakhi Or crutches It marks the beginning of the harvest season in Punjab and is usually celebrated in the month of April. Vaisakhi marks the first solar month of the Punjab calendar and is celebrated with devotion as well as a lot of fun. The devotional tone of the festival is replaced by fun-filled passion and enthusiasm with stalls and carnivals accompanied by drum beats and music.
5. Vishu
Vishu It is the new year for Kerala and it marks the beginning of the harvest season. Overwhelmed by the myth of Lord Krishna, devotees place many fruits, vegetables and grains together in front of the idol of Krishna. This is known as Vishu Kani and on the morning of the festival people open their eyes to see this sight, which is a symbol of abundance and prosperity for the rest of the year.
6. Holi
Holi Marked as both a spring festival as well as a harvest festival. It is celebrated in different forms in different parts of the world. Usually, it lasts only for two days but depending on the local customs and traditions, it goes on for 16 days. It remembers different meanings and customs for different regions and hence the beliefs and practices change. In general, it signifies the eradication of bad practices and the arrival of abundance and prosperity.
7. Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti It is a harvest festival and as the name suggests it falls in the month of January. Makar Sankranti is celebrated with different names across the country. This is the first transition of the Sun after the winter season and it symbolizes a new beginning. Like all harvest festivals, Makar Sankranti is auspicious and it is Synonym of people who give thanks to the gods Specifically the Sun God who, according to Hindu mythology, is the divine manifestation visible to the human eye.