festivals of tamilnadu
Located in South India, Tamil Nadu is a land of colourful festivals and is a nature’s paradise with crystal blue beaches. Tamil Nadu’s myriad festivals are celebrated throughout the state with festivity.
1. Pongal :
India is bestowed with the bliss of festivity. A major segment of the population here depends on agriculture. As a result, most of the festivals are also related to the agricultural activities of the people. These festivals are celebrated with different names and rituals in almost all the parts of India. Pongal is one of such highly revered festivals celebrated in Tamil Nadu to mark the harvesting of crops by farmers.
2. Chithirai Festival :
The Chithirai festival begins on the 5th day of the bright half of the month of Chithirai. The key events fall on the 8th, 9th and the 10th days of the festival. The eighth day of the Chithirai festival witnesses the coronation of Meenakshi and procession on silver thrones, while the 9th day is the digvijaya festival. The 10th day (Chitra Purnima) marks the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar.
3. Cape Festival :
This three-day long festival is celebrated with grandeur and festivity in Kanyakumari in the month of October and is marked by a series of cultural programmes. Kanyakumari is also known as ‘Cape Comorin’ and is located at the confluence of Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. Bathing here in the ocean is considered sacred.
4. Natyanjali Dance Festival :
Starts from the day of Mahashivaratri, for 5 days. Chidambaram is situated along the coast of the Bay of Bengal, 75 kms south of Pondicherry. Lord Nataraja, according to the Hindu mythology is a cosmic dancer. He is called the Lord of dances. This is an opportunity for all dancers, from all India, to perform and to pay their tribute to Lord Nataraja. The Natyanjali festival, which brings all the prominent dancers of India, together on the same platform, opens on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri, in the month of February.
5. Tea & Tourism Festival :
Tea & Tourism Festival, a three day extravaganza in Ooty in January/February, is jointly organized by the Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu and Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Tea lovers from all over the world converge during this festival and tourists can also taste and select from wide varieties of tea available. Cultural programmes, cousins of the south and a pleasant climate adds flavour to this aromatic festival.
6. Dance Festival Karthigai Deepam Festival :
The celebration of Kartikai Deepam marks the conclusion of the ten day Bhramhotsavam in the month of Kartikai (Scorpio, Nov 15 through December 15). Each of these festival days is marked by the procession of the Pancha Murthy's (Somaskandar (Annamalaiyaar), Unnamulaiyaal, Ganapati, Subramanyar and Chandikeswarar) in gaily decorated mounts. Most noteworthy among these are the Rishabha Vahana Utsavam celebrated on the fifth evening of the festival and the Rathotsavam, celeb
rated on the seventh day of the festival.
7. Dance Festival :
The Dance festival in Mahabalipuram starts on the 25th of December every year and is organized on all Saturdays, Sundays and Government holidays, upto February first week. Dancers and musicians of repute from India and abroad participate in the festival and thrill the crowds every year. Cultural programmes like folk dances from of India adds more colour to the festival.
8. Mango Festival :
The famous Mango festival is organized at Krishnagiri during the last three days of June. A wide variety of succulent mangoes are kept on display. It is also an event for the buyers and sellers to meet.
9. Tourist Fair :
This colourful Trade Fair is organized by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation at Chennai. This fair introduces tourists Tamil Nadu. Its tourist’s attractions, cultural wealth, economic scenario and much more is presented in multiple forms and colours.
10. Deepavali Festival :
India is a land of festivals. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated with fervor and gaiety. The festival is celebrated by young and old, rich and poor, throughout the country to dispel darkness and light up their lives. The festival symbolizes unity in diversity as every state celebrates it in its own special way.
11. Jallikattu (bull fight) :
On the 4th day, Kanya Pongal, coloured balls of the Pongal are made and are offered to birds. A kind of bull-fight, called the 'Jallikattu' is held in Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tanjore in Tamil Nadu and several places in Andhra Pradesh. Bundles containing money are tied to the horns of ferocious bulls, and unarmed villagers try to wrest the bundles from them. Bullock cart races and cock-fights are also held.
12. Kavadi Festival :
Dancing in a hypnotic trance to the rhythm of drums, devotees of Muruga carry the 'Kavadi' a flower decked decoration, all the way up the Palani Hills to fulfil their vow. According to Hindu mythology, Idumban is said to have carried two sacred hillocks on two ends of a pole laced on his shoulders.
13. Mahabalipuram Dance Fes
tival :
The internationally acclaimed and globally renowned "Mahabalipuram Dance Festival" is organized by the Department of Tourism, every year in Mahabalipuram - the renowned and ancient 7th century centre for Pallava culture and arts.
14. Mahamagam Festival :
The Kasi Viswanathar Temple in the temple town of Kumbakonam is associated with the Mahamagam festival which occurs once every 12 years; when 9 of the saters of the revered rivers in India are believed to assemble in the Mahamagam tank.
15. Navrathri Festival :
Navratri - the nine sacred nights is one of the most celebrated festivals of India. This begins from the first day (Pradhamai) after Amavasya in the month of Purattasi as it is known in Tamil. This nine days festival is essentially celebrated to worship Devi and to commemorate the victory of good over evil, i.e. bringing to an end the atrocities of Asuras like Mahishasuran, Shumban, Nishumban, Madhukaidapan, Thumralochanan and Rakthabheejan.
16. Velankanni Festival :
Mysterious legends surround the church. A story goes behind the festival Our Merciful Mother rescued a few Portuguese merchant sailors from a violent storm, which wrecked their ship. When the merchants reached the shore of Velankanni they were taken by local fisherman to the thatched chapel.
17. Vinayagar Chathurthi :
Ganesh Chaturthi or Ganesh Utsav or the birthday of Ganesha (the elephant-headed God of Wisdom and Prosperity) falls on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada (around August-September). It is celebrated all across India and is the biggest festival in Maharashtra.
