Famous India’s Festivals And Events In October 2024
The blossoming month of October 2024 is welcoming guests to Incredible India. The month is the beginning of the festive season in India and there will be celebrations all over the country. But expect the uniqueness in each part as the traditions and rituals are unique too. We have handpicked some festivals in October in India that you should not miss attending.
Jaipur Shopping Festival, Rajasthan
Pink City is ready to welcome guests in the new tourism season of the year 2024. The walled city of Jaipur has recently been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and undoubtedly it deserved it. Colorful clothes, jewelry, handicrafts, and spices are some of the items that you would like to buy from this beautiful city.
Sawai Jai Singh, the ruler of Amer founded the city 290 years ago. Jaipur is considered as the first planned city of its time. Interestingly, most markets and tourist spots in Jaipur are within the walled city. So you don’t have to travel unnecessarily.
Location: Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan State. It is a significant city in the Golden Triangle Tour circuit in India.
Festival Attractions & food:
Jaipur has been the epicenter of Gemstones for ages now. Colorful gemstone jewelry, vibrant traditional clothes, and handicrafts are available in Jaipur on wholesale prices. The shopping spree is accompanied by delicious street food in the walled city of Jaipur.
Date – 25th September to 23rd October
Nearby Attractions:
1) Golden Triangle (Delhi & Agra)
2) Pushkar
3) Amer Town
Durga Puja, Navratri
The Goddess Durga holds the highest place in Hindu culture and she blesses the devotees with everything they wish for. Navratri literally means nine nights in Hindi. Durga Puja, as it is popularly known in West Bengal region is the biggest festival of the year devoted to worshiping of Devi Durga. The cultural extravaganza is celebrated in the month of October.
Nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped in nine nights during Durga Puja. Durga Puja has been celebrated with the same zeal for thousands of years now. Navratri is the beginning of month-long Diwali celebrations.
Location: Kolkata is one of the largest cities in India. Often cited as the City of Joy, the city is a center of trade & commerce, religion, and cultural activities in the West Bengal State of India.
Festival Attractions & Food:
Lifesize idols of Durga Maa are installed on the podiums in the city in a grandeur manner. Apart from Devi Durga, Saraswati and Lakshmi Goddess are also worshipped in these days. All the shops are filled with new merchandise for the people. Young, old, male and female, everyone starts shopping for the eve.
Durga Puja festival is the best opportunity to experience exotic Bengal culture closely. Many street food vendors sell delicious Bengali food near the installations. Ladies drape traditional sarees and males wear Kurta Pajama. All the members of the family go out for worship.
Date – Durga Puja will start with Navratri Sthapana on 29th September. The nine days festival will conclude on 7th October this year.
Nearby Attractions:
1) Victoria Memorial
2) Howrah Bridge
3) Indian Museum
Dushhera or Vijaydashmi
The festival commemorates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana. It is said that goodness will always win over evil. On this day, small and large effigies of Ravana are burnt to symbolize the end of bad. Fairs are organized in open grounds and people enjoy the fireworks in the evening.
On the other hand in eastern parts of India and in West Bengal the tradition of immersing Goddess Durga idol is practiced on the eve of Dussehra.
Vijayadashmi or Dussehra is celebrated on the 10th day of Navaratri. This year it will be celebrated on the 12th of October.
Mysore Dussehra, Karnatka
A festival which is celebrated by the Royal family and general people together in India is a great scene to see. Mysore Dussehra is one such festival in India that is known for its gallant celebrations. Dussehra festival celebrations stretch for ten days in Mysore.
In the year 1610, Wadiyar King Wadiyar Raja l took the Dussehra festival out of the palace for the general public to celebrate and enjoy the rituals. Since then it has become a tradition of Mysore city. It is a ritual to worship Goddess Chamundeshwari in Mysore on Dussehra festival.
Location: Mysore is a city in Karnataka state of South India
Festival Attractions & Food:
Dussehra festival in Mysore’s attraction is the lighting and fireworks. Mysore palace is decorated with thousands of gleaming bulbs while the fireworks in the sky of the city steal the show. Earlier in the day, decorated elephants are paraded for the public while the festival ceremonies are carried out. The authentic freshly made cuisine of south India savors the taste buds of visitors. It is recommended to taste local street food of Mysore city if you are a food enthusiast.
Date – The festival will kick-off on 3rd October and will end by 12th October.
Nearby Attractions:
1) Maa Chamundeshwari Temple
2) Mysore Palace
3) Brindavan Gardens
Kullu dusshera, Himachal Pradesh
The festival of Dussehra is celebrated all over India. It is a festival of victory of good over evil. Huge effigies of Ravana are burnt symbolic to this victory but, not in Kullu city of Himachal Pradesh. The idol of Goddess Hidimba is taken from Manali town to Kullu city so that the Royal family can take blessings of the kind Goddess.
The history of Kullu Dussehra is said to be thousands of years old. It is believed that once a scholar was crossing the way carrying the images of Gods and Goddesses on his head. The basket fell due to a storm and the images fell at different places. These images turned into deities and thus the tradition came into existence.
Location: Kullu is a beautiful hill town in Himachal Pradesh of India
Festival Attractions & Food –
The whole town becomes the center of cultural activities. People from various parts of India come to set up temporary shops and stalls. The place becomes lively with devotees and tourists from around the globe. Interestingly, on the last day of the festival people of Kullu do not burn effigies of Ravana. The chariot carrying the idol of Goddess is brought back and the pile of bushes is burnt symbolizing the burning of Lanka.
You will find the freshly made local food at the festival ground. The cuisine is a mix as a result of various tourist backgrounds.
Festival Food:
The festival will kick-off on 24th October and will conclude on 30th October.
Nearby Attractions:
1) Rupi Palace
2) Raghunath Temple
3) The Great Himalayan National Park
Kota Dusshera, Rajasthan
The land of the Rajputs celebrates Dussehra in royal style with huge life-size effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhkarna. Kota’s biggest event could be summed up in three words; grand, colorful & joyful.
Dussehra has been celebrated in India for thousands of years but the Kota Dussehra celebrations could be attributed to the royal family of Kotah. From the 17th century till Indian independence, rulers of Kota contributed to making the Kota Dussehra as grand as it could be. Now, it is one of the major fairs in Rajasthan state.
Location: Kota is a city in Rajasthan state. It is approximately 4 hours away from Jaipur
Festival Attractions & Food –
Attractively dressed elephants, horses, and camels are paraded in the procession preceding Ravana Dehan. The fair has become the patronage for the local artists, musicians, and dancers as it gives them the opportunity to show their talent. Handicrafts’ manufacturers from various parts of Rajasthan state and neighboring states come to attend the fair and set up temporary stalls. The street food and local cuisine of the city is another reason for the people to fall in love with the city.
Date – This year Dussehra will be celebrated on the 12th of October in Kota.
Nearby Attractions:
1) Garadia Mahadev
2) Seven Wonders Park
3) Kishore Sagar