January

Basant Panchami

Basant Panchami is a colourful spring festival where you'll see everyone wearing yellow clothes. Saraswati, the goddess of learning is honoured during this time and if you're invited to someone's house, you'll find that books, musical instruments and other objects related to art and learning are placed in front of the goddess to receive her blessings. January is the only month that the Mughal Garden behind Rashtrapati Bhavan, is open to the public. Catch it while you can.

February-March

Shivratri

During this month, one day of fasting is devoted to Lord Shiva. Mantras are chanted and Shiva Lingams are anointed and then carried in a procession to the temple.

Holi

Marking the end of winter, Holi is possibly one of the most boisterous of Hindu festivals. Unless you have disposable clothes, you are well-advised to stay indoors during Holi. Everyone on the streets throws coloured water at each other. There is general merry-making in the streets and things can get rough. The night before Holi, you can see bonfires all over the city to symbolise the destruction of evil.

March-April

Ramnavami

This festival is a celebration of the birth of Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu. This is a good time to catch local theatre as you will find many theatre groups enacting the interesting and compelling story of the Ramayana.

April-May

Baisakhi

This is a Sikh festival celebrated to honour Guru Gobind Singh who created the Khalsa or the Sikh brotherhood. Punjabis are a joyous, fun-loving people and during Baisakhi, besides reading the Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book) at gurudwaras (Sikh temples), there will be much feasting and dancing.

July-August

International Mango Festival

One of the most delicious festivals in Delhi is the Mango Festival at the Talkatora stadium. Expect hundreds of varieties of mangoes. And expect sticky fingers.

Naag Panchami

The snake festival is held to honour the slithery creature on whose scales Vishnu took a break between universes. All the good snake charmers come out at this time and if you're not squeamish, this is a great time to take a few pictures. You will find people making offerings of food and drink to snakes.

Raksha Bandhan (Narial Purnima)

Raksha Bandan is a festival for siblings. Sisters will tie 'rakhis' (blessed threads) on the wrists of their brothers (and close friends who would be brothers) on full moon day. This is to protect them from harm and bestow only good luck in the coming year. In return for these good wishes, brothers present their sisters with gifts. It is also the time when a few people worship the lord of the oceans, Varuna.

August –September

Janmashthami

Lord Krishna's birthday is celebrated the way he is said to have lived his life... having a lot of fun and being a little naughty. A good place to see proper celebration would be a Lakshminarayana Temple. The Lakshminarayan temples are especially busy.

September-October

Ram Lila (Dussehra)

Dussera is a week-long, very popular festival celebrating the goddess Durga’s victory over the buffalo-headed demon Mahisasura. You will see people lighting up effigies of the demon king Ravana and his accomplices, in a triumph of good over evil. Also called Ram Lila (life story of Ram) you can catch a theatrical recreation of the Ramayana at the Ram Lila Grounds near Turkman Gate.

October-November

Phulwalon Ki Sair (Procession of the flower sellers)

During the time of the Mughal ruler Bahadur Shah, flower sellers of Mehrauli honoured the emperor with fans that were adorned with flowers. Also called the Pankha (fan) festival it is colourful and sweet-smelling.

Diwali (Deepawali)
The noisiest and most joyous of all festivals, Diwali is eagerly awaited by the country's millions of children because it is a time for fire crackers. In traditional homes, oil lamps are lit at night, to symbolise a path to show Rama the way back home after 12 years in exile. The festival takes five days to complete. Day one begins with cleaning of the house and decorating the steps with Rangoli (chalk-design). Day two is dedicated to Krishna’s victory over Narakasura, a tyrant. South Indians wear new clothes on this day. Day three is spent worshipping Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune. For companies, this is the new financial year. Day four commemorates the visit of friendly demon Bali, whom Vishnu put in his place. On the fifth day men visit their sisters to have a tilak put on their forehead. Diwali has also become ‘festival of sweets’ and families give and receive sweets. Diwali is also celebrated by the Jains as their New Year’s day.