Moving to India: Holidays in India
When moving to India with IntlMOVE India, you will need to get to know the local customs and holidays. This part of the culture will affect days you have off of work and the interactions you have with coworkers, friend and neighbors.
India is a large nation with a variety of religions, cultures and traditions. Different people celebrate different holidays. Although all of the holidays are not listed, IntlMOVE India has put together information that can help serve as a guide to individuals who want to understand more about India’s culture.
Three National Holidays in India
There are three national holidays in India, which you will likely have off of work.
Republic Day
Celebrate Republic Day in India on January 26. This holiday recognizes the day in 1950 that the Constitution of India replaced the Government of India Act 1935.
Independence Day
August 15 is India’s Independence Day, which commemorates India’s independence from British rule in 1947.
Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
Also referred to Gandhi Jayanti, this national holiday takes place on October 2. Mahatma Gandhi created changes in India through peaceful demonstrations, which is also why this day is celebrated as the International Day of Non-violence.
Hindu Religious Holidays
Diwali
Diwali, also known as the “festival of lights,” is celebrated by three different religions: Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. The specifics of the celebrations differ by religion, but it is typically celebrated in October or November. This important holiday is celebrated by families with traditional activities that take place in the home.
Ganesh Chaturthi
This 10-day Hindu festival starts between mid-August and mid-September. The significance of this day represents the day Shiva declared his son, Ganesha, the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune, superior to all gods.
Holi
This religious holiday is celebrated in spring between late-February and March. The Holi season can last 16 days and is also known as Dolyatra or Basanta-Utsav, depending on where you live.
Dussehra
This holiday, also known as Vijayadashmi, celebrates the day that Lord Rama killed Ravana and rescued his wife, Sita. This festival takes place in the fall.
Other Holidays
New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day, celebrated on January 1, is celebrated the same day as it is in the United States.
Birthdays of key political, historical or spiritual figures are celebrated throughout different parts of India. Celebrate Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birthday on January 23. Residents of Orissa, Tripura and West Bengal celebrate this day. Maharaja Shivaji’s birthday is celebrated on February 19 in Maharashtra. In Uttar Pradesh, residents celebrate Kanshi Ram’s birthday on March 15.
Bihar Day is celebrated in Bihar on March 22, Rajasthan Day is celebrated in Rajasthan on March 30 and Orissa Day is celebrated on Orissa on April 1.
Throughout many states and regions of India, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Jayanti birthday is celebrated on April 14. Born into an untouchable family, Ambedkar rose above his caste, or class, and made significant changes to improve the lives for the people in India.
The Sindhi New Year is celebrated the second day of Chaitra. Other people in India celebrate their New Year the first day of Chaitra, which include: Marathi, Kannada and Teluga. The Oriya, Bengali, Malayali, Tamil and Assamese New Year take place on April 15.
May 1 is Labour Day, which is celebrated in Assam, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Puduchery, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal and Orissa. May 1 is also Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day.
Annexation Day takes place on May 16, which is celebrated in Sikkim.
The residents of Jammu and Kashmir celebrate Accession Day on October 26.
Andhra Pradesh Foundation Day, Kamataka Foundation Day and Kerala Foundation Day are all celebrated on November 1.
When you are planning on moving to India, contact IntlMOVE India for shipping your household goods from the U.S. to India.
