Harvest Festivals of India: A Cultural and Spiritual Celebration of Agriculture

Table of Contents

• An Introduction to Harvest Festivals in India
• What is the Significance of Harvest Festivals in India?
• Popular Harvest Festivals across Indian States
  • Lohri
  • Makar Sankranti/Pongal
  • Baisakhi
  • Gudi Padwa
  • Bhogali Bihu
  • Basant Panchmi
  • Onam
  • Wangala
  • Nabanna
  • Ladakh Festival
• Conclusion

An Introduction to Harvest Festivals in India

A harvest festival is the traditional celebration of gathering crops after harvest. It is celebrated by the communities of different regions across Indian states with lots of joy. It is usually celebrated in the autumn season when it is the time of harvest. But you must be thinking, why do these festivals hold so much importance in our country? Well, do not worry. Let’s quickly learn the significance of these festivals below.

What is the Significance of Harvest Festivals in India?

Harvest festivals in India hold the utmost significance in terms of social, cultural and religious aspects. The major significance of these festivals is given below:

• By celebrating these festivals, people express gratitude and thankfulness to the farmers and labours who worked hard to grow crops the entire year.
• It is the celebration of the end of the growing season across all states, which lets people come close to each other and forms a great bond between communities.
• It is also celebrated due to some ancient spiritual and religious rituals. Thus, it holds great importance in the farmer’s lives.

Popular Harvest Festivals across Indian States

Lohri

Lohri is celebrated mainly in the northern states of India, such as Punjab, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh to commence the harvest season. It is celebrated on the 13^th of January every year and marks the end of the winter season. It is associated with Rabi crops, particularly sugarcane and the winter crops of wheat and barley. People gathered and lit the bonfire, offering Popcorn, Gajjak and Rewri to the fire. It is also eaten as a prasad.

Makar Sankranti/Pongal

Makar Sankranti is one of India's oldest and most attractive harvest festivals, celebrated with lots of joy and preparation. It is celebrated on the 14th of January every year. It marks the first day of the Sun’s movement to Capricorn, which is known as Makara, which further marks the end of short winter days. People in different regions of India celebrate it with a huge fire, tunes, moves, kite flying, and revitalizes. Different states celebrate this festival with different names, such as Uttarayan in Gujarat, Magha Saaji in Himachal Pradesh, Kicheri in Uttar Pradesh, Maghi in Punjab and Pongal in Tamil Nadu. Pongal is celebrated to thank the Sun, Mother Nature & various farm animals that contribute to a bountiful harvest. Sweet dishes made of sesame and jaggery like “til ke laddoo” and “til ki chikki” are popular dishes made during this festival. Kumbh Mela is the major attraction of this festival.

Baisakhi

Baisakhi is the first day of the new year, according to the Sikh calendar, and is celebrated in mid-April in the states of Punjab and Haryana. It marks the beginning of the new spring. It is celebrated to mark the end of the Rabi crop season and the start of the Kharif crop season. People visit Gurudwaras and relish traditional dishes like “Sarson ka saag” and “Makki ki roti”. Men’s Bhangra and women’s Giddha are the major attractions of this festival.

Gudi Padwa

Gudi Padwa is celebrated as a new year in Maharashtra and some parts of Karnataka. It is usually celebrated in March or April. It is the start of the sowing season for the Rabi crops like sugarcane, wheat, and barley. Mango is a popular fruit in this festival. The traditional Gudi or bamboo doll is made using mango and neem leaves, which are then hung in the entranceway. In Karnataka, it is called “Ugadi” and is celebrated differently. Puran Poli and Shrikhand are famous sweets.

Bhogali Bihu

Celebrating in mid-April, Bhogali Bihu is the beginning of the harvest season and is celebrated as the new year among the people of Assam. It is also known as “Magh Bihu”. On this festival, mejis or pavilions, made of clay and hay, are burnt. People enjoy fish, rice, wine and meat and the popular Bihu dance by females is an important part of this festival.

Basant Panchmi

Basant Panchmi is celebrated in the northern regions of India, which marks the start of the spring season. It is also called the yellow festival and is celebrated in the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Punjab, Odisha and Assam in January or February. The yellow colour signifies the colour of the mustard crop. It is celebrated differently according to the states, such as people in Rajasthan wearing jasmine garlands, whereas people in Uttarakhand people worship Lord Shiva and Parvati as Mother Earth. People in Punjab organizes langar to celebrate this festival.

Onam

Onam is the most important harvest festival for the people of Kerala. It is celebrated in August or September. It is celebrated to honour King Mahabali, a beloved ruler who is said to have ruled Kerala during a golden age of peace and prosperity. People celebrate the successful harvest by decorating the entrance of their houses with flower rangoli. Rasam, Payasam, Avial, earthy-coloured rice, and parippu curry are famous dishes for this festival, which are served on traditional banana leaves.

Wangala

People in Assam and Meghalaya celebrate this festival with the worship of goddess Saljong, who is believed to bless the crops. It is celebrated to mark the end of the agricultural year. It is also known as the drum festival, as the Garo tribes of northeast India performed 100 drums. Drums, flutes, and gongs are the major attraction used for the music.

Nabanna

Nabanna is a harvest festival in West Bengal, which is celebrated on the day of Vishwakarma Puja during the Hindu month of Bhadra (August-September). The first crop is offered to the deity and is celebrated with fresh rice, which is harvested with joy and stored in households. Payesh (Kheer), made from freshly harvested rice, is a major attraction.

Ladakh Festival

The Ladakh harvest festival is celebrated to promote the Ladakh old-age culture. The festival is celebrated in Ladakh, Zanskar, and Kargil. During this festival, monasteries and stupas are decorated, and pilgrimages to the Thangka of Kyabje Gombo are necessary. The festival also features archery, historical social and cultural events, and arts and crafts. Dramas, or ‘Chhams,’ and other dance forms from Tibetan culture are the main attraction of the festival.

Conclusion

These are some of the most popular harvest festivals in India. With its rich cultural heritage, India celebrates harvest festivals in its different states and different parts of the country according to cropping patterns and seasons. All these festivals celebrate the bountiful harvest season with joy and happiness. These harvest festivals also symbolize the lives of agricultural farmers and their dependence on the land and nature for their survival. We will suggest you experience these festivals if you get a chance to visit different states of India.