Festivals in December 2022 in India are a joy as winter is a month where you can enjoy warm sunny weather to cold and snow, depending on which part of the country you are in.
Even so, winters as a season bring a particular vigour to the country’s surroundings. With the right mix of contemporary and traditional fairs and festivals, the country is revived. Indian culture is brought to life via the performances during the festivals that take place during this time of year.
A list of December’s fairs and festivals is ready for you to plan your vacation:
Konark Dance Festival
Date: 1-5th December
Pic Credit : P.L. Tandon
The Konark Dance & Music Festival, which is renowned as the forerunner of Orissa’s current list of events, is a one-of-a-kind experience. The fiesta, which has been going on since 1986, takes place against the background of the world-famous Sun Temple. The Konark Dance Festival is held every year in the city of Konark and lasts for three days. The famed classical dance ensemble of national and worldwide renown will be performing at the fiesta, which will be broadcast live on the internet.
Chennai Dance & Music Festival
Date: Mid December
The Chennai Dance & Music Event is a well-known fiesta in South India, and it is really devoted to South Indian Classical music and dance. It is held in the middle of December and attracts a large number of visitors. The first edition of the Chennai Music and Dance Festival took place in the year 1927.
Originally known as the Margazhi festival, it was held to mark the anniversary of the Madras Music Academy. However, the event quickly gained popularity, and now, most music schools around the nation participate, turning it into a cultural spectacle.
Hornbill Festival
Date:1-10th December
Pic Credit: Vikramjit Kakati, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Hornbill Festival is one of the most important festivities of the indigenous warrior tribes of Nagaland, and it is held every year in August. Every year, from the 1st to the 10th of December, people get together to celebrate. The Naga people have a long and illustrious history of preserving their own traditions and customs.
In the Naga language, “Hornbill” refers to a bird that has been represented and revered for thousands of years by the people of that region. The significance of this bird is shown in the folklore and songs that are performed during the whole event.
Perumithitta Tharavad Kottamkuzhy
Date: 7 – 16th December
It is a prominent event held in Kottamkuzhy, Kasaragod District of Kerala, near Chandrapuram, and it is known as Perumthitta Tharavad. A ten-day Theyyam festival is being conducted in Perumithitta Tharavad Kottamkuzhy, and it is open to the public.
Perumthitta Theyyam festival is among the ancient ritual art forms in Kerala, and it is a large event that showcases the majority of the state’s Theyyam forms. These ceremonies, with their pomp and grandeur, are enchanting, and they are contributing to the preservation of a historic tradition.
The Winter Festival at Mount Abu
Date: 29–31st December
The Winter Festival, which is jointly hosted by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and the Municipal Board of Mount Abu, strives to promote the rich culture and tradition of Rajasthan while providing travelers with a relaxing holiday in the middle of some breathtaking scenery.
The three-day celebration starts with a magnificent procession through this hill station in Rajasthan, which concludes at the famed Nakki Lake, which is the culmination of the event.
The Festival is particularly well-known for its Sufi Kathak performances as well as a variety of traditional Rajasthani folk dance acts such as Ghoomar, Daph, and Gair, among others.
Hot Air Balloon Festival
Date: Entire month
The Hot Air Balloon Festival is held concurrently at three locations in Karnataka – the towns of Bidar and Mysore, and the historically important village of Hampi – for the first time. At the end of December, the festival will take place for four days, with the possibility of it extending into January.
This is an excellent time to take a journey in a hot air balloon because of the cool temperature and pleasant surroundings. The smooth flight of a hot air balloon, along with the most fundamental scientific concepts, makes it a wonderful means of transportation for individuals of all ages.
Karthigai Deepam
Date: 7th December
Karthigai Deepam is a traditional event in Tamil Nadu, and it is celebrated annually. There have been celebrations of this occasion for hundreds of years in adjacent states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. On this day, all of the houses are cleaned and washed. In front of the home, floral designs known as ‘Kolams’ are created with rice flour paste to greet the deities that are worshipped there. A large number of lamps are used to beautify the whole home.
Cochin Carnival
Date: 23 December to 1 January
Cochin Carnival is an annual entertainment event hosted in Fort Kochi in the city of Kochi, Kerala, in the last week of December. It is the largest carnival in the world. This event takes place primarily during the last two weeks of December and concludes on the first of January.
The ceremonial opening ceremony takes place in Vasco da Gama Square, with the hoisting of the Indian national flag. It is the big parade on New Year’s Day that is the major attraction of the carnival, which is led by elephants decked out in elaborate trappings.
The parade includes performances of different dances. Different cultures, including Portuguese, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalee, Kannada, Arab, and Dutch, as well as Anglo-Indian culture, have come together to form this hybrid and makes this one of the best festivals in December..
Christmas
Date: 25th December
Midnight Mass is traditionally held on Christmas Eve, and this is how most people celebrate. For Catholics, it is one of the most significant rites on Christmas Day, especially throughout the Christmas season. During this time, all of the family and friends, relatives, and friends come together to attend the mass, which is followed by receiving blessings from the elders, exchanging gifts, and eating cakes.
When it comes to Christmas Eve, almost all churches are lavishly decked with holiday decorations such as holiday trees and lights, large Christmas wreaths and fresh flowers, fragrant candles, and Christmas ornaments such as balls, bells, bead chains, Santa figures, and other similar items.
Vishnupur Festival
Date: 27-31st December
The Vishnupur (Bishnupur) Festival, which takes place each year between the 27th and 31st of December at the Madanmohana Temple, celebrates the rich tradition of this temple town, which is known for its exquisite terracotta temples and gorgeous silk sarees. I
t is around 100 km northwest of Kolkata, West Bengal’s capital, and was previously the capital of the Malla Kings. Bishnupur is known for its crafts and was once the capital of the Malla Kings. In addition to the display and sale of local handicrafts, the festival features performances of the rich musical culture that Vishnupur is known for. The event is quite popular.
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