India a potpourri of different cultures – April brings a host of Indian festivals from different states

India is a rich and diverse land with various cultures and religions co existing. The rich culture if India brings several festivals all though the year with April being a very significant month as far as festivals in India are concerned.

A few key festivals in April are: 

Baisakhi, Punjab, April 13-14:  This is celebrated in Punjab and is considered the spring harvest festival. It marks the Sikh New Year and commemorates the formation of the warriors under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 called the Khalsa Panth.

Bohag Bihu, Assam, April 14-20: This festival is celebrated in the state of Assam which is in Northeast India. It is also called Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu or Xaat Bihu. This festival also marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year and signifies the harvest time.

Chaitra Navratri 2020, March 25 to April 3: This is a significant month for Hindus and is celebrated in Northern and Western India. It covers the states of Telangana, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. This marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year and Maharashtrians celebrate it as Gudi Padwa. The Kashmiri Hindus celebrate it as Navreh,

Ram Navami, Uttar Pradesh, April 2:  This is a very popular Hindu festival and celebrates the birth of Lord Rama who is considered the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. This is celebrated with great fervour in Ayodhaya the birth place of Lord Rama.

Urs festival, Ajmer, April 14: This is celebrated in Ajmer, Rajasthan India and marks the death anniversary of the Sufi Saint Moinuddin Chishti. It is observed in the seventh month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Tamil Puthandu, April 14: This is the Tamil New Year and starts with kanni. At dawn the families keep a large mirror and decorate a tray with tropical fruits, gold ornaments, cash, betel leaves, coconut and so on. Special rituals are carried out at temples.

Ramadan, April 23: The Muslims celebrate this as a holy month and observe fasting. It is a time when they indulge in spiritual reflection and a lot of devotion and worship.

Good Friday, April 10: This is a holy day for Christians all across the globe. This day is observed to thank Jesus Christ for sacrificing himself on the Cross at Calvary for the sins of humankind. The Christians fast and do penance on this day.

Easter Sunday, April 12:  This is another holy day for Christians.  Easter is also also called Resurrection Sunday or Pascha and is a festival and holiday that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

The month of April stands out with its multi-hued texture comprising various festivals, in the unique cultural fabric of India!