Fairs & Festivals in India

The sub-continent of Indian is one long pageant of colorful fairs and festivals. As the days peel off the lunar calendar, the people of this country who come from widely different racial stocks and profess widely different faiths happily go about celebrating events that live in the collective memory. And that sure makes for an impressive list of fairs and festivals, which are more than the number of days in a year! Here are some of the major Indian fairs and festivals that are extravaganzas in themselves and attract tourists from all over the world every year.

The major festivals that are celebrated in India includes Diwali, the festivals of lights and fire crackers; Holi, the festival of colors; Christmas; Eid-Ul-Fitr; Pongal, the harvest festival; Baisakhi; and the national holidays of the Independence Day and Republic Day etc, that are celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor in India. Apart from all these - the Kumbh Mela has exerted a mesmeric influence over the mind and the imagination of the ordinary Indian since time immemorial. It is when millions of devout congregate on the banks of the holy river Ganges, for a dip in the sacred waters that is believed to bring spiritual salvation and contentment.

The famous Goa Carnival is an event that should not be missed. It is an energetic, no holds barred spring festival that is celebrated with great enthusiasm and revelry throughout the state of Goa before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent which is a 40 day period of penance and abstinence preceding Easter Sunday. Than five day long popular and charismatic Pushkar Fair of Rajasthan has more than one lakh visitors every year! It is a period of relaxation and merry-making for the villagers, and corresponds with the largest cattle fair in the country. Animals, mainly camels, are brought from miles around. Trading is brisk as several thousand heads of cattle exchange hands.

Customs in India

Just take out the customs and traditions from India and it would seem like a colourless sketch of a pretty woman, a woman without ornamentation. The Indian customs begin with each birth and continue from the cradle, right through adolescence, unto the grave.

As Mark Twain rightly said - "India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grand mother of tradition".
Vedic Tradition

The Vedic background of India's religious traditions is a source of pride for every Indian as well as an engrossing topic of debate. Neither the earliest practices nor the earliest practitioners have a certain credibility still the prestige and influence of Vedic tradition is beyond doubt.

Hinduism

The mega-tradition of India, possibly the most ancient of the human civilisation. Its ideology of liberal attitude, quick and indifferent adaptability, infinite tolerance and patience have no doubt made it esteemed and everlasting among the existing religions. Ignominious for its deep rooted casteism and regionalism, yet it is an element of curiosity among the foreigners.

Jainism

Like Buddhism, it is an ancient ascetical tradition. The last prophet was Vardhamana, who was given the title 'Mahavira" (Great Hero) and is believed to be the last of the Tirthankaras (those who had crossed-over or "forded" the ocean of earthly existence and had reached the ultimate realm of eternal bliss). Alike Buddhism, Jainism also got split into subtraditions - Digambar and Shwetambar.

Buddhism

Originating from northern India about 2500 years ago in response to the teachings of Gautama Siddhartha - who was given the title 'Buddha' or awakened-one, the tradition has spread throughout the world and got subdivided into distinct groups. Although monasticism was a major aspect of early Buddhism, the tradition has both monastic and non-monastic followers.

Islam

The youngest of the Abraham traditions, it dates back to seventh century , and emulates itself with the prophetic strands of Biblical tradition. However, it has highly developed legal and mystical traditions of its own as well. It is "religion of the book" in which the Qur'an is widely regarded as the full and final revelation of the "One Creator" of the universe to his last and final prophet, Muhammad. The second (perhaps even first) most populous religious tradition in the world.

Sikhism

The tradition that developed from the teachings of Guru Nanak and his nine successors. The lineage of human spiritual masters ended with Guru Gobind Singh and subsequently the teaching authority passed to the Guru Granth Sahib -- a highly honored scripture -- and the collective membership of the baptized order within Sikh tradition that was established by the last of the human masters -- the Khalsa Panth.

Zoroastrianism

In the last millennium, this tradition probably was at the peak of its influence as a major religion of the Persian Empire. It was overcome by the rise of Islam, and has been preserved mainly through immigrants to India known as Parsi (Persian). More recently its small number of descendants live not only in India but also abroad.

Weather in India

The India Travel does not cease due to its seasons as the tourists come from all across the globe for India Tour. The three principle seasons of India which make up the Climate in India and are responsible to decide the kind of Weather in India are mainly summer, monsoon and winter. Anybody who is coming to India for a holiday or vacation must be aware of this fact.

Hot Summer
The whole northern plains are under the effect of heat current. If you are planning a trip to India during Summer (from April to Mid July) season then you require a toolkit containing light cotton clothes, glucose, sun screen lotion, and sunglasses. The majestic Himalayas in the North India, Nilgris in the South India, and the small hill resorts of Western Ghats in the Western India could be the ideal haven for those striving to get rid of the scorching heat.

Heavy Monsoon
The Monsoon hits India during the months of June and marks its effective presence till Mid September. Heavy rains are highly probable in India specially South India so beware and bring waterproof clothes like a raincoat and umbrella.

Chilling Winter
Winter is the ideal season to tour India. The fog covers the mornings while the days are quite warm contrary to the chilly nights specially in the North India. In rest of India, the cold remains within tolerable limits. The Snowfall areas and snowladen mountains of North India are nice to enjoy the winter sports. You should drape yourself well with a number of woolen garments. Equally necessary are the cold creams and moisturizers. Contrary to this, Southern India has moderate temperature throughout the winter so you don't require much while visiting this region.

About India

Words elude the mind as one searches for appropriate words to define India in crisp and exact adjectives that in the dash of a sentence will lay this complex and ancient land bare. But the search is fruitless, for the proposition is preposterous! So diverse, disparate, disintegrated, and yet strongly unified is India, that short of traveling here and actually experiencing it for yourself, you’ll never ever even vicariously know what the Indian experience is all about.
However, what does come to mind instead, are a series of images. A wise and wizened tortoise cautiously stretching out its neck; a sinister and mean snake slithering in dark alleys; an open and splendid blue sky where there is place for everyone to soar; a dazzling display of peacock feathers that leaves you spell bound; a mutinous murmur of angry bees that rises in the air; the pristine beauty of a rosy dawn; the laughter of innocent children at play …… The likenesses could go on and on, but the picture would still be incomplete. And that is why we at Caper Travels bring you rich and innovative travel packages to India that will reveal this extravaganza and multiplicity of culture, technology, life and life styles in all its glory.
Travel in India is a mixed experience that will have you going through a gamut of emotions. The people, the attitudes, the roads, the bottlenecks, the poverty, the generosity, the scenes will have you smiling in delight, mulling in thought and sighing in exasperation from one minute to the other! It is one of the most insightful experiences that juxtaposes extremes of life-styles and ambitions before you eyes. And it can be tumultuous and fascinating experience wrought with the unexpected and unforeseen, for India should never be considered an easygoing country for leisure travel. But in the bargain what you will get is a kaleidoscopic display of breathtaking locales, fantastic architecture, exciting and exotic wildlife, magnificent beauty of the Himalayas, and unending friendliness and hospitality of the welcoming people.

The Indian sub-continent can be picturised as a rough triangle, with the top formed by the mighty Himalayan mountain chain. Here you will find the intriguing Tibet influenced region of Leh and Ladakh and the amazingly beautiful mountainous areas of Himachal Pradesh, Garhwal, Darjeeling and Sikkim. South of this lies the flat Ganges Plain, crossing east from the colorful and comparatively affluent Punjab in the North West, past the capital city of Delhi, and important tourist attractions like Agraa (with the Taj Mahal), Khajuraho, Varanasi, and the holy Ganges, to the Northern end of the Bay of Bengal, where you will find the teeming city of Kolkata (Calcutta), which seems to sum up all of India’s problems!

South of the northern plains, rises the Deccan plateau. The cities here mirror the rise and fall of the Hindu and Muslim kingdoms, and the modern metropolis of the port of Mumbai that was built by the British. And below this lies the south of India that is the heart of Hindu tradition and was least influenced by the Mughal culture. Hinduism was least altered by outside influences here and is at its most exuberant with innumerable temples dotting the landscape.

To talk about the culture of India, every state has its own language with various dialects, its own unique cuisine that is distinctly different from that of the other states, art and craft, special fairs, fetes and festivals, teeming bazaars and customs that are peculiar to them. All in all, travel in India is a spectrum of experiences and activities that you can choose from. From having an idyllic holiday lying under the sun on the unmatchable golden beaches of Goa, to undertaking a harsh yet very romantic camel safari in the deserts of Rajasthan, trekking through the verdant wild forests of Assam, or visiting the splendid royal forts and palaces, India is a ‘total experience’ tourist destination that is sure to leave an indelible impression on your thoughts. And with us, you can be sure that you will be treated to the very best of its colorful experiences, redoubtable sites and fascinating ways of life!