Most Popular Festival: Diwali and Other Major Hindu Celebrations in India

When people talk about the most popular festival, a large-scale cultural and religious celebration observed by millions across India, often tied to seasonal changes and spiritual beliefs. Also known as major Hindu festival, it brings families together, lights up cities, and stops daily life for days on end. That’s Diwali. Over a billion people celebrate it—not just in India, but in every country with a Tamil or Hindu community. It’s not just fireworks and sweets. It’s about light winning over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and starting fresh. Diwali isn’t just one event—it’s a cluster of rituals: cleaning homes, lighting oil lamps, sharing meals, and praying for prosperity. And while it’s the biggest, it’s far from the only one that matters.

Every region in India has its own Hindu festival, a religious observance rooted in ancient texts, local myths, and seasonal cycles, often involving temple rituals, fasting, dance, and community feasts. In Tamil Nadu, Pongal is the big one—four days of thanking the sun, cattle, and harvest. In Bengal, Durga Puja turns streets into open-air temples with massive idols, music, and dance. In Gujarat, Navratri lasts nine nights of fasting and garba dancing. These aren’t just holidays—they’re living traditions passed down through generations, each with its own rules, foods, and meanings. And while Diwali gets the most attention globally, for many Tamils, Thai Pongal or Karthigai Deepam might feel even more personal.

The Indian festivals, a diverse set of annual cultural and religious events across India, varying by region, language, and community, often tied to Hindu, Tamil, or local folk traditions you’ll find here cover all of that. You’ll read about why gods are painted blue during these times, what people actually wear to temples during festivals, how food rules change depending on the occasion, and why some dances—like Bharatanatyam—are performed as offerings, not entertainment. There’s no single answer to what makes a festival ‘important.’ It’s about who’s celebrating, why, and how deep the roots go. These posts don’t just list events—they show you how they live in people’s daily lives, from the kitchen to the temple to the dance floor.

What you’ll find below isn’t a checklist. It’s a window into real traditions—the kind that don’t show up on tourist brochures. Whether you’re curious about why Diwali is the most popular, or you want to know how Tamil families celebrate their own unique festivals, these articles give you the real stories behind the lights, the drums, and the prayers.