Festivals of India

India celebrates over 100 major festivals every year. Only three of them are officially “National Festivals” — and none of the three is religious.

MCQ Questions

Festivals of India

100+ Festivals, 3 National

Only three festivals hold official “National Festival” status

Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti — all secular, none religious.

26 Jan

Republic Day

Marks the Constitution’s adoption in 1950.

15 Aug

Independence Day

Marks freedom from British rule in 1947.

16 Jul 2026

Rath Yatra, Puri

3 chariots, rebuilt yearly with no nails or metal.

3 Jul-28 Aug 2026

Amarnath Yatra

57 days, to an ice Shivling at 3,888m.

Faiths, Regions, and the National Calendar mcqquestion.com

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Must Know

• India celebrates over 100 major festivals, across different religions, regions, and cultures.
• India has exactly three official National Festivals: Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti.
• Republic Day falls on 26 January, marking the Constitution’s adoption in 1950.
• Independence Day falls on 15 August, marking freedom from British rule in 1947.
• Gandhi Jayanti falls on 2 October, marking Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.
• All three National Festivals are secular, not religious, and are marked across every state.

Good to Know

• Diwali is widely considered India’s single biggest festival.
• It is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists alike.
• Major festivals span every faith practised in India, not just one tradition.
• These include Holi and Navratri for Hindus, Eid al-Fitr for Muslims, and Christmas for Christians.
• They also include Guru Nanak Jayanti for Sikhs, Buddha Purnima for Buddhists, and Mahavir Jayanti for Jains.
• Regional harvest festivals mark the same season differently across states.
• These include Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Baisakhi in Punjab, and Onam in Kerala.
• Onam celebrates the mythical homecoming of King Mahabali, and features the Vallam Kali snake boat race.
• Beyond fixed-date festivals, India also holds major annual pilgrimages, like the Rath Yatra at Puri and the Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir.

Test Yourself

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1. How many official National Festivals does India have?

Two

Three

Four

Five

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Great to Know

• India’s festival calendar reflects its layered history, not just its present-day diversity.
• National Festivals stay deliberately secular, marking the nation’s civic identity, not any one faith.
• Religious and regional festivals instead carry the weight of India’s many distinct communities.
• Both categories coexist on the same calendar without one replacing the other.

Current Affairs

• The 2026 Amarnath Yatra ran for 57 days, from 3 July to 28 August 2026, ending on Raksha Bandhan.
• Ahead of Raksha Bandhan 2026, Delhi Post Circle set up 34 special Rakhi mail counters. These covered post offices across Delhi, plus Delhi Railway Station and New Delhi Railway Station. The posting deadline for timely delivery was 22 August 2026.
• The Amarnath Cave sits at 3,888 metres in Jammu and Kashmir.
• It houses a naturally forming ice Shivling, plus two smaller ice formations representing Parvati and Ganesha.
• Pilgrims can reach the cave via two routes: the shorter, steeper Baltal route, about 14 km, or the longer, gentler traditional Pahalgam route, about 46-48 km.
• The cave is believed to be where Shiva revealed the Amar Katha, the secret of immortality, to Parvati.
• 2026 registration opened on 15 April 2026, through jksasb.nic.in or 554 designated bank branches.
• The 2026 Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra began on 16 July 2026, in Puri, Odisha.
• It carries Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra about 3 km, from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple, along the Bada Danda.
• Three chariots take part: Nandighosa for Jagannath (16 wheels), Taladhwaja for Balabhadra (14 wheels), and Darpadalana for Subhadra (12 wheels).
• The procession order is Taladhwaja first, then Darpadalana, then Nandighosa.
• All three chariots are rebuilt every year, from sacred wood, using no nails or metal fasteners.
• Instead, they use wood-and-rope joints, built according to ancient architectural texts.
• On the same day, PM Modi called Rath Yatra “a radiant expression of India’s timeless spiritual and cultural heritage.” (Source: PIB)
• He also shared an article by President Droupadi Murmu, describing her lifelong devotion to Lord Jagannath. (Source: PIB)
• PM Modi separately shared a Sanskrit Subhashitam, seeking Lord Jagannath’s blessings for the nation. (Source: PIB)