In India, the calendar is dotted with numerous holidays and festivals that reflect its rich cultural, religious, and regional diversity. Here are some of the major holidays celebrated throughout the year:
January
- New Year’s Day (January 1): Celebrated across the country, particularly in urban areas.
- Makar Sankranti/Pongal (January 14): A harvest festival celebrated in various forms across India. Known as Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri in Punjab, and Makar Sankranti in several other states.
February
- Maha Shivaratri (varies): A major Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Shiva, celebrated with night-long vigils and fasting.
March
- Holi (varies): The festival of colors, celebrated with vibrant powder, water fights, and festive foods.
- Ram Navami (varies): Celebrates the birth of Lord Rama, an important deity in Hinduism.
April
- Good Friday (varies): A Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
- Easter (varies): Celebrated by Christians to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.
- Baisakhi (April 13/14): A significant festival in Punjab, marking the harvest season and the Sikh New Year.
- Tamil New Year (April 14): Celebrated in Tamil Nadu with feasts and cultural events.
May
- Labour Day (May 1): Recognized in many parts of India, celebrating the contributions of workers.
- Eid al-Fitr (varies): Marks the end of Ramadan, celebrated with feasts and prayers by Muslims.
August
- Independence Day (August 15): Commemorates India’s independence from British rule in 1947.
- Raksha Bandhan (varies): Celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters.
- Janmashtami (varies): Celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna.
September
- Ganesh Chaturthi (varies): A major festival in Maharashtra and other states, celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha.
October
- Gandhi Jayanti (October 2): Marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Dussehra (varies): Celebrates the victory of good over evil, particularly the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama.
- Eid al-Adha (varies): An important Islamic festival of sacrifice.
November
- Diwali (varies): The festival of lights, celebrated with lamps, fireworks, and sweets.
- Guru Nanak Jayanti (varies): Celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.
December
- Christmas (December 25): Celebrated by Christians and many others across India with festivities and decorations.
Moveable Feasts
- Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: Islamic holidays based on the lunar calendar, thus varying each year.
- Navratri and Durga Puja: Celebrated across different states with different customs, culminating in Dussehra.
- Easter: A moveable feast in Christianity based on the lunar calendar.
Regional and Cultural Variations
In addition to these, numerous regional festivals reflect the diversity of India’s states and cultures:
- Onam in Kerala
- Bihu in Assam
- Durga Puja in West Bengal
- Ugadi in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
- Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra
These holidays and festivals often vary by region and community, providing a vibrant tapestry of celebrations throughout the year.
Overview
Travel is the movement of people between relatively distant geographical locations, and can involve travel by foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, or other means, with or without luggage, and can be one way or round trip. Travel can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.
The origin of the word “travel” is most likely lost to history. The term “travel” may originate from the Old French word travail, which means ‘work’. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the first known use of the word travel was in the 14th century.
It also states that the word comes from Middle English travailen, travelen (which means to torment, labor, strive, journey) and earlier from Old French travailler (which means to work strenuously, toil). In English we still occasionally use the words “travail”, which means struggle. According to Simon Winchester in his book The Best Travelers’ Tales (2004), the words “travel” and “travail” both share an even more ancient root: a Roman instrument of torture called the tripalium (in Latin it means “three stakes”, as in to impale).
