Fairs and Festivals in India in month of March

International Yoga Week , Rishikesh: 01-07 March 2012: International Yoga Week is a week-long event organised by the State Tourism Department in Rishikesh (Himalayan Foothills) during the first week of February to promote Yoga. Detailed lectures and demonstration of various asanas by prominent exponents of Yoga are the major highlights of the Yoga Week. The annual International Yoga Festival is organized jointly by Uttarakhand Tourism and Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, India. Yoga sessions are held along the banks of the Ganga at Rishikesh. Yoga is an ancient science which leads to health in the body, peace in the mind, joy in the heart, and liberation of the soul.The International Yoga Festival explores the eight limbs of Yoga and how they apply to our lives whether we consider ourselves Yoga students or not.

Elephanta Festival-Elephanta Island, Mumbai: 07 March 2012-This festival is held across the Mumbai harbour, on the Elephanta Island, near the world-renowned Elephanta Caves (A World Heritage Site). This feast of music and dance, celebrated under the stars, transforms the entire island into a large auditorium. The festival of Music and Dance is organised by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). The main highlights of the festival are the illuminated Maheshmurti (Shiva-idol), in the main cave of the island. Folk dances by the local fisher folk, ethnic local food varieties add to the ambiance.

Elephant Festival, Jaipur, Rajasthan: 7 March 2012: Out of several festivals celebrated with elephants, the one which is widely participated by Indians and foreign tourists is the Elephant Festival celebrated in Jaipur during (March/April). During the festival staged at Chaugan Stadium, Jaipur, elephants put up a variety of programs and the arena is brought alive with musicians and dancers which draw visitors from all over the world. All elephants taking part in this festival are female Elephants. The mahouts (elephant keepers) take great care to decorate the elephants painting their trunks, foreheads, and feet with floral motifs and adorning them from tusk to tail with interesting trinkets. Elephants wear anklets and make music as they walk. The elephants greet the visitors, offer garlands to the guests and walk past the ramp before a jury of experts and tourists who select the best amongst them for the "Best decorated Elephant" trophy. Elephant races, polo matches and tug of war between elephants and men is probably the most hilarious highlight of the festival. A ceremonial procession is recreated with caparisoned elephants, lancers on horses, chariots, camels, cannons and palanquins.

Holi , Vrindavan & Mathura, Uttar Pradesh-8 March 2012: Holi is a very popular festival of colors which heralds the beginning of spring and is celebrated in the month of March/April with great enthusiasm all over India. The dates vary every year due to the fact that the Hindu calendar is based on solar cycles. The colorful festival bridges the social gap and renews sweet relationships. On this day, people hug and wish each other. Spraying colors, dancing on traditional Holi songs, rhythmic drum beats and wild processions are the common scenes that one comes across during this festival. According to a legend, Hiranya Kashyap, the demon who ruled over 'Sapta Deep' believed himself to be more powerful than God. He contemplated killing his youngest son Prahlad, an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu after he refused to worship him as God. Holika, the demon's sister who possessed a divine, garment to protect her from fire, agreed to enter the burning pyre with Prahlad in her lap but was burnt herself. Holi thus signifies the triumph of good over evil and is marked by grand festivities all over India and particularly in the Braj area where it is celebrated with great gaiety and fervour. It is believed that Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, in human form played holi with the Gopi's (cowherd maids) in the ancient past. Keeping this tradition alive in Braj, Holi celebrations last for more than a week and are marked by people sprinkling colored water & smearing colored powder on each other. The playful teasing of the Gopis by the Gopas (cowherd boys) is enacted by groups of men and women through special Holi songs and dances, called Rasiya. 48 km. from Mathura at Barsana, is celebrated the famous "Latthmaar Holi" of Braj. Tradition has it that Krishna from Nandgaon use to come to Barsana to play Holi with Radha alongwith his Gopi friends. The Gopis after merriment chased away the Gopas of Nandgaon by beating them with "lathis". So it came to be known as the 'Latthmar Holi' of Barsana. To this day, the village women have the freedom to literally take up cudgels against their menfolk, a right they exercise with all enthusiasm and shower colored water as an expression of joy. The main celebrations at Barsana, take place at the Ladliji temple, dedicated to Sri Radha Rani, (the beloved of Sri Krishna).The day after Barsana Holi, it's the turn of Nandgaon to get soaked with the myriad hues of holi. The men and women of Barsana go to Nandgaon (7 km.) to play Latthmar Holi with each other. 20 km. from Mathura, the town is named after Balram, the elder brother of Sri Krishna. A temple dedicated to Baldeo stands in the centre of the town. The Holi festival celebrated here is famous as Daujee Ka Huranga. Men & women collect here in large numbers to play holi. Falen, a village 15 km. from Kosi, celebrates Holi in a very special way and has great significance. A "Panda" (Holyman) walks bare feet over holy pyres without getting burnt, symbolising Prahlad's emergence from the burning pyre unharmed.

Kaila Devi Fair, Karauli, Rajasthan: 19 March 2012: Kaila Devi Fair is held at Kaila village , Karauli in the month of Mar-Apr. This annual fair is devoted to the goddess of wealth, Mahalakshmi. The shrine of Kaila Devi is situated on the banks of the Kalisil River in Karauli district of Rajasthan on the Trikut hills, 2 km from Kaila village. The erstwhile princely rulers of Karauli state used to believe that Kaila Devi protects their state from any kind of invasion. Over 2 lakh pilgrims gather at the place during the Kailadevi fair. They travel about twenty kilometers to reach the Kailadevi temple. While covering this distance, they even draw lines with their hands in that direction. Some of the devotees endure the rigours of the journey without eating food and taking rest. A lively atmosphere is created by song and dance performances by the groups of Mina tribesmen.

Chaitra Navratri-23 March 2012: Navratri, the festival of nine divine nights is full of festivity and merry making. The festival of Navratri is the perfect blend of fun, dance and worship of Goddess Durga. Navratri is celebrated twice in a year, once in the month of March or April and other in the month of September or October. Navratri is dedicated to worship of goddess Durga and is the most awaited festival for all age groups. Chaitra Navratri or Chait Navratras or Ram Navratri or Vasant Navratri, is observed during the Chaitra month (March - April) in a traditional Hindu calendar followed in North India. Chaitra Navaratri 2012 begins on March 23 and ends on April 1The festival is dedicated to Goddess Shakti and her other three forms- Goddess Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati.It begins on the first day of the Chaitra month and ends with Ram Navami.

Gangaur Festival Jaipur: 26-27 March 2012: Gangaur is one of the most important local festivals in Rajasthan. In some form or the other it is celebrated all over Rajasthan. "gan" is a synonym for Lord Shiva and "gauri" or "gaur" stands for Goddess Parvati, the heavenly consort of Lord Shiva. Gangaur celebrates the union of the two and is a symbol of conjugal and marital happiness. Gangaur is celebrated in the month of chaitra (March-April), the first month of the Hindu calendar. This month marks the end of winter and the onset of spring. This festival is celebrated especially by women, who worship clay idols of "Gan" & "Gauri" in their houses. These idols are worshiped by unmarried girls who seek the blessings of Gan and Gauri for a good husband, while the married women pray for the good health and long life of their husbands. This worship which starts form the first day of the chaitra month culminates on the 18th day into Gangaur festival with a great religious fervour. On the eve of Gangaur festival, women decorate their palms and fingers with henna. The idols of Gan and Gauri are immersed in a pond or in a near by lake on the last day of the festival. A traditional procession of Gangaur commences form the Zanani- Deodhi of the City Palace, passing through Tripolia Bazaar, Chhoti Chaupar, Gangauri Bazaar, Chaugan stadium and finally converges near the Talkatora. The procession is headed by a colorful pageantry of elephants, old palanquins, chariots, bullock carts and performance folk artistes.

Mewar Festival, Udaipur: 25-27 March 2012: The Mewar Festival is celebrated to welcome the advent of spring, in the month of March, in Udaipur, Rajasthan. It is one of the many Rajasthan Festivals. It coincides with the festival of Gangaur. During this festival, the idols of Gangaur and Isar are circulated in a procession through different parts of the city. The procession winds its way to the Gangaur Ghat at Lake Pichhola. The idols of Isar and Gauri are transferred into special boats at the ghat. After the procession culminates, the cultural part of the Mewar Festival begins. Rajasthani culture is portrayed through songs, dances and other programmes. The festival culminates with an impressive fireworks display.

Konkan Turtle Festival, Ratnagiri: March 2012: Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra (SNM) the first organization to take the initiative of protecting and conserving the Marine Turtles has protected more than 600 nests and have released more than 28000 hatchlings into the sea. This gave rise to a new festival called the Konkan Turtle Festival. Once a year, the newly hatched endangered Olive Ridley turtles are released from the small village of Velas, in Ratnagiri, on the coast of Maharashtra. The Konkan coast is slowly gaining importance for the conservation of Olive Ridley turtles. The festival has gained popularity over the years and is spread across 30 villages of Maharashtra. As soon as the female lays eggs and goes away, the SNM removes and transports them to a dedicated nesting site away from poachers and natural predators. After they are hatched, they are released almost a hundred feet away from the shoreline from where the babies flip their way to the waters. The newly hatched turtles take their maiden walk from the village into the sea. You can view this spectacular sight at the annual Konkan Turtle Festival. The dates of this festival keep on changing depending on the nesting season.

Flower Festival: Gangtok, Sikkim: March 2012: Flower Festival held at Gangtok is a rare show of exotic varieties of flowers, orchids and other plants native to Sikkim, a north east state. Held every summer during the peak flowering season at Gangtok in Sikkim, this is a spectacular event attracting people from all over India. The flower festival begins with the Orchid Show in March during which competitions are held in different sections. The imaginative display of flowers in a large glass house at the Flower Exhibition Centre near the White Hall Complex is popular with both tourists as well as locals and attracts a large number of visitors daily. A similar festival is also held at Namchi, South Sikkim every year. The tiny state of Sikkim, famous for its flora which is in full bloom during March-May has around 600 species of orchids, 240 species of trees and ferns, 150 varieties of gladioli, 46 types of rhododendrons along with a variety of magnolias and many other foliage plants.

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