The most significant harvest festival celebrated with kite flying, rangoli (muggulu), and traditional dishes like ariselu (sweet rice cakes). Temples, especially the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada, hold special rituals.
State wide
Arunachal Pradesh
Si-Donyi Festival : 5-7.1.2025
Celebrated by the Apatani tribe, the festival honors the Sun (Si) and Earth (Donyi) with traditional dances, prayers, and offerings, blending Hindu and tribal traditions.
Ziro
Assam
Magh Bihu (Bhogali Bihu) :14-15.1.2025
A harvest festival celebrated with bonfires (meji), feasting, and community prayers. Special rituals are held at temples, and pithas (rice cakes) are prepared.
State wide
Jonbeel Mela: 18-20.1.2025
A unique fair where barter trade takes place, accompanied by celebrations of agrarian prosperity and prayers to local deities.
Morigao
Bihar
Makar Sankranti : 14-15.1.2025
Devotees take holy dips in rivers like Ganga and perform rituals at temples. Tilkut (sesame sweets) is distributed as prasad.
Patna
Tila Sankranti Fair : 13.1.2025
Held near Vishnupad Temple, this fair involves worship and rituals for ancestors. It is deeply rooted in the Hindu concept of karma and moksha.
Gaya
Chhattisgarh
Maghi Purnima Mela : 25.1.2025
This religious fair is organized on the banks of the Mahanadi River, where devotees worship at the Rajiv Lochan Temple, considered a sacred Vaishnavite site.
Rajim
Madai Festival : 10-15.1.2025
A tribal celebration infused with Hindu rituals, where local deities are worshipped alongside cultural programs and fairs.
Kanker
Goa
Makar Sankranti : 14-15.1.2025
Celebrated with special rituals at temples like Shanta Durga and Mangeshi. Devotees also prepare sweet rice dishes as offerings to deities.
Ponda
Gujarat
Uttarayan (International Kite Festival) : 14-15.1.2025
The transition of the sun into Capricorn is marked with kite flying. Temples like Somnath and Dwarkadhish hold special rituals for Makar Sankranti.
Ahmedabad and State-wide
Modhera Dance Festival : 19-21.1.2025
Held at the Sun Temple, this festival combines devotion and art with performances of classical dance forms honoring Surya, the Sun God.
Modhera
Haryana
Lohri : 13.1.2025
Bonfires are lit in honor of Agni (the Fire God), and offerings of sesame seeds, jaggery, and rewari are made. Families gather to sing and dance around the fire.
Gurugram
Himachal Pradesh
Magha Saaji : 14.1.2025
A Himachali harvest festival where the first use of new grains is celebrated. Traditional pujas are held in rural temples.
Shimla and surrounding areas
Lohri : 13.1.2025
Villages gather around bonfires to honor the bounty of nature with folk music and devotional songs.
Una and Kangra
Jharkhand
Tusu Festival : 14-15.1.2025
Celebrated by the Santhal tribe, this festival includes prayers to the Sun God and cultural events. Clay idols and colorful displays are part of the celebrations.
Jamshedpur
Makar Sankranti : 14-15.1.2025
Devotees take dips in rivers and perform pujas to mark the transition of the Sun into Capricorn.
Ranchi and State-wide
Karnataka
Makara Sankranti : 14-15.1.2025
Celebrated with offerings of ellu bella (sesame and jaggery mix) and visits to temples like Kukke Subramanya and Dharmasthala.
Bengaluru and State-wide
Kerala
Makaravilakku : 14.1.2025
A major event at the Sabarimala Temple where devotees witness the sacred Makaravilakku light on the hill.
Sabarimala
Madhya Pradesh
Lokrang Festival : 26-30.1.2025
Though primarily cultural, this festival honors Hindu deities through traditional songs and performances.
Bhopal
Maharashtra
Makar Sankranti : 14-15.1.2025
Women exchange tilgul (sesame sweets) while visiting temples for blessings. Temples like Trimbakeshwar hold special rituals.
Mumbai and State-wid
Punjab
Lohri : 13.1.2025
A festival of joy and community, Lohri involves prayers to Agni for prosperity and health. Gurdwaras and temples hold special gatherings.
Amritsar and State-wide
Rajasthan
Kite Festival : 14-15.1.2025.
Celebrated during Makar Sankranti with kite flying, temple visits, and traditional sweets like tilpatti.
aipur and Jodhpur
Tamil Nadu
Pongal : 14-17.1.2025
The four-day harvest festival involves Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal, and Mattu Pongal, where the Sun God and cattle are worshipped.
Chennai and State-wide
Telangana
Makar Sankranti : 14-15.1.2025
Celebrated with kite flying, special offerings at temples like Yadagirigutta, and traditional feasts.
Hyderabad and State-wide
Uttar Pradesh
Magh Mela : 14.1.2025 – 23.2.2025
Pilgrims take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam and perform Ganga aarti.
Prayagraj
Makar Sankranti : 14-15.1.2025
Celebrated with rituals at Kashi Vishwanath Temple and on the ghats of the Ganga.
Varanasi and State-wide
West Bengal
Ganga Sagar Mela : 14-16.1.2025
Devotees take dips at the confluence of the Ganga and Bay of Bengal.
Sagar Island
Pous Sankranti : 14-15.1.2025
The festival includes traditional prayers and feasts to mark the end of winter.
Santiniketan
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Island Tourism Festival : 5.1.2025
A 10-day festival showcasing the cultural diversity of the islands, with performances, exhibitions, and food fairs.
Puducherry
Pongal : 14-17.1.2025
A harvest festival celebrated with fervor, involving traditional kolam designs, feasts, and rituals.
