Sharad Purnima

Is a harvest festival when Laxmi, the Goddess of prosperity, visits all homes to bring fortune and good luck to all. Kojagiri, the special night, is celebrated with ice-cold, saffron-flavoured sweet milk, shared in the cool moonlight. The newly harvested rice is offered to the gods and lamps are lit before the full moon. November

Sindhu Darshan Festival

The Sindhu Darshan Festival is organised annually at Leh, the capital of Ladakh, in June. A s the name suggests, it is a celebration of the river Sindhu (also known as the Indus), which originates from Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet. As part of the celebrations, water is brought from other mighty rivers in the country, and merged with the Sindhu river, thereby establishing the Sindhu river as a symbol of multi-dimensional cultural identity, communal harmony and peaceful co-existence. The festival is the perfect time to visit the beautiful regions of Leh and Ladakh.

Taj Mahotsav

This ten day event, held at Agra, Uttar Pradesh, the city of the Taj, in February, is a celebration of the arts, crafts, culture and traditions of Uttar Pradesh. Folk music, shayari (poetry), classical dance performances, elephant and camel rides, games and a food festival are the highlights of the festivites.

Tansen Samaroh

The great classical vocalist, Mian Tansen, was one of the "nine jewels", in Emperor Akbar's court. His memorial in Gwalior is the venue for the annual festival of Indian classical music held in November. Renowned singers regale audiences with mesmerizing sessions of much-loved classical raagas . Before performing the singers chew the leaves of a tamarind tree by the tomb - this is believed to improve the voice.

Teesta Tea Festival

This festival, held in Nov / Dec, commences in Darjeeling and Sikkim, and ends in Dooars, the gateway to the neighbouring kingdom of Bhutan. It includes a number of cultural programmes that take place in the lush greenery of historic plains, tea gardens, rolling hills and dense forests.

Vasant Panchami

The ceremonial welcome of spring, this festival is celebrated in North India and West Bengal (especially in the University town of Shanti Niketan), in the month of Magh (February). The mustard flowers are in bloom, and people dress in yellows, sing, dance, make merry and worship Saraswati, the Goddess of learning.