List of Harvest Festivals in India: States, Significance

Indian Harvest Festivals: India as a diverse country is full of many festivals that celebrate many events and are a reflection of various mythological stories. Harvest Celebrations are One of these celebrations that can be seen, are the harvest festivals in different States of India.

Due to different climates and cropping patterns, India celebrates these Harvest festivals at different times of the year. India being an agrarian economy, with the majority of its population dependent on agriculture owes their growth and prosperity to Mother Earth and nature. Hence they celebrate harvest festivals.

Some of the popular festivals are Bihu, Pongal, Lohri, Makar Sankranti, etc. Harvest festivals are a moment to celebrate the food that has been cultivated. Different states, communities, and religions with great zeal & enthusiasm celebrate these harvest festivals. It’s a way through which farmers express their gratitude for their abundance of crops & seek blessings from nature and the almighty.

let’s see the List of Harvest Festivals in India (state-wise) and their significance.

List of Harvest Festivals in India 

Harvest festivals can be found at various times in different states across India the due to differences in climate and crops. The following are the important harvest festivals celebrated in India:

Harvest Festivals Name	States in which it is Celebrated
Lohri	Punjab, Haryana, Delhi
Makar Sankranti or Pongal	Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Himachal, West Bengal, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry
Bihu	Assam
Onam	Kerala
Baisakhi	Punjab, parts of Haryana & Delhi
Nuakhai	Odisha
Vaisakha	Bihar
Chhath Puja	Bihar, Jharkhand & Uttar Pradesh
Pongal	Tamil Nadu
Hemis	Ladakh
Ugadi	Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka & Telangana
Gudi Padwa	Maharashtra, Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh
Vishu	Kerala, Karnataka
Dree	Arunachal Pradesh
Hornbill	Nagaland
Ka Pomblang Nongkrem	Meghalaya
Wangala	Meghalaya, Assam
Karam	Jharkhand
Nabanna	West Bengal

What is a Harvest Festival?

A harvest festival in India is a traditional celebration that marks the end of the growing season and the gathering of crops. A harvest festival is an yearly celebration that occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. It is typically held in autumn, around the time of harvest. It includes religious ceremonies, feasts, and festivals. Customs and traditions associated with a harvest festival vary depending on the region and culture, but they involve the community being together who express their gratitude for a successful harvest and the abundance of the season.

Significance of Harvest Festivals

Harvest festivals signify cultural, social, and religious aspects. They are celebrated for the following reasons:

• Expressing Gratitude: Harvest festivals are seen as a way to express gratitude for a bountiful harvest, and to recognize the hard work and labor involved in growing crops.
• Community Celebration: People come together as a community to celebrate the end of the growing season. This serves as a social and cultural bonding experience.
• Religious and Spiritual Significance: Some harvest festivals have a religious or spiritual origin, often linked to ancient agricultural rituals or celebrations.
• Harvest festivals commemorate the cycle of life and death and also indicate the end of the agricultural cycle and the beginning of the end of the year.
• Celebration of Abundance: In times of scarcity or hardship, harvest festivals are seen as a celebration of abundance and tell us about the value of having a community, and sharing resources.

Despite being deeply rooted in traditions, harvest festivals also reflect the contemporary values and needs of the people who celebrate them.

Key Facts about Indian Harvest Festivals

India being a diverse nation celebrates various harvest festivals owing to different climate & cropping patterns in several parts of India. Despite being deeply rooted in traditions, these festivals also reflect the contemporary values & needs of the people who celebrate them. Harvest festivals are seen as a way to express gratitude for a bountiful harvest, and to recognize the hard work & labor involved in growing crops. Some of the popular harvest festivals in India are:

1. Harvest Festival: Lohri

Lohri is a harvest festival celebrated mainly in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana & Delhi. It is celebrated on 13th January every year & marks the end of the winter season. During Lohri, bonfires are lit, people sing folk songs, & enjoy traditional Punjabi delicacies.

2. Harvest Festival: Makar Sankranti / Pongal

Makar Sankranti, or Pongal, celebrated in various states of India is celebrated on the 14th of January every year. The rotation of the sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn plays significance here. People take a dip in holy rivers, fly kites & have traditional dishes like khichdi, tilgul & gajak. Pongal is celebrated to thank the Sun, Mother Nature & various farm animals that contribute to a bountiful harvest.

3. Harvest Festival: Bihu

Bihu is a harvest festival of Assam which has three parts – Bohag Bihu, Kati Bihu & Magh Bihu. Bohag Bihu, or Rongali Bihu, celebrated in mid-April, marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year. People wear traditional attire, perform the Bihu dance & enjoy feasts of pitha, larus & meat dishes.

4. Harvest Festival: Onam

Onam, a harvest festival of Kerala is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Chingam (August-September) & marks the homecoming of King Mahabali. People decorate their homes with flowers, participate in snake boat races & enjoy traditional Onam sadhya consisting of rice, sambar, avial & payasam.

5. Harvest Festival: Baisakhi

Baisakhi is a harvest festival, celebrated in Punjab, parts of Haryana & Delhi on the 13th or 14th of April every year. It marks the beginning of the new agricultural season. People visit Gurudwaras, perform the Bhangra & Gidda dance & relish traditional dishes like Sarson ka saag & Makki ki roti.

6. Harvest Festival: Nuakhi

Nuakhi is a harvest festival of Odisha is celebrated on the Panchami Tithi of the lunar month of Bhadraba (August-September). It marks the beginning of the new crop season. People offer the deity the first crop of the season & enjoy a feast consisting of rice, Dalma & sweets.

7. Harvest Festival: Vaisakha

Vaisakha a harvest festival of Bihar, is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu month of Vaisakha (April-May) & marks the beginning of the new crop season. The first crop of the season is given to the deity & a feast consisting of sattu, litti & chokha is relished.

8. Harvest Festival: Chhath Puja

Chhath Puja is a major harvest festival of Bihar, Jharkhand & Uttar Pradesh. It is celebrated on the sixth day of the Hindu month of Kartik (October-November) & is dedicated to the sun god. People offer arghya (water) to the sun god, take a holy dip in rivers & enjoy traditional dishes like kheer, thekua & laddu.

9. Harvest Festival: Pongal

Pongal a harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, is celebrated for four days in the Tamil month of Thai (January-February). Sun god is worshipped. People decorate their homes with rangolis, cook sweet Pongal, and offer it to the deity.

10. Harvest Festival: Hemis

Hemis is a harvest festival of Ladakh. It is celebrated in the Hemis Monastery in June-July every year and marks the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. Cham, a traditional dance is performed by people dressed up in colorful attire and relish traditional Ladakhi cuisine.

11. Harvest Festival: Ugadi

Ugadi is a traditional holiday that is considered lucky for beginning new endeavors. The festival’s enthusiasm and excitement demonstrate its significance in various parts of India like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana.

12. Harvest Festival: Gudi Padwa

Gudi Padwa celebrates Maharashtra’s new year. Fruits like mangoes fruits are picked which marks the harvest and conclusion of the Rabi crop for the season. The traditional Gudi or bamboo doll is made using mango and neem leaves, which are then hung in the entranceway. Also celebrated in Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh.

13. Harvest Festival: Vishu

Vishu festival celebrates the worship of Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna, big family meals, nighttime prayers fireworks. It marks the Malayalee New Year’s opening day. Housewives create Vishukkani, a variety of traditional dishes are served to Gods. Also celebrated in Karnataka.

14. Harvest Festival: Dree Festival

The Dree Festival of Arunachal Pradesh commemorates an important time of year for the Apatani tribe – harvest season. Every year on July 5th in the Ziro area of Arunachal Pradesh, Dree is marked by sacrifices & prayers.

15. Harvest Festival: Hornbill

Hornbill a harvest festival of Nagaland, is celebrated every year in the first week of December. Dedicated to the Hornbill bird, which is sacred to the Nagas. People participate in traditional dances, enjoy traditional Naga cuisine, and witness the Hornbill International Rock Festival.

16. Harvest Festival: Ka Pomblang Nongkrem

Ka Pomblang Nongkrem, a harvest festival of Meghalaya, is celebrated in November every year. The goddess Ka Blei Synshar is worshipped. People perform traditional dances like Shad Nongkrem, wear colorful attire, and relish traditional Khasi cuisine.

17. Harvest Festival: Wangala

Wangala is celebrated in Meghalaya in November every year, dedicated to the worship of goddess Saljong, who is believed to bless the crops. Wangala, a traditional dance is performed & people relish traditional Garo cuisine & witness the flag-hoisting ceremony. Also celebrated in Assam.

18. Harvest Festival: Karam

Karam is celebrated in Jharkhand in September-October every year, dedicated to the worship of the deity Karma, who is believed to bless the crops. People perform Jhumar, wear colorful attire & relish traditional cuisine.

19. Harvest Festival: Nabanna

Nabanna a harvest festival of West Bengal, is celebrated on the day of Vishwakarma Puja in the Hindu month of Bhadra (August-September). The deity is offered the first crop of the season and a feast consisting of rice, fish curry, and sweets is enjoyed.

Conclusion

India, a country rich in culture, heritage, and tradition celebrates harvest festivals in different parts of the country. These festivals are of immense significance and the rituals are performed to mark the occasion. These Harvest Festivals in India celebrate the bountiful harvest season with joy and enthusiasm. From Makar Sankranti in the north to Onam in the south, festivals remind us of the unity in diversity that exists in India.

Due to different climates and cropping patterns, India celebrates its harvest festivals at different times of the year. India being an agrarian economy, with the majority of its population dependent on agriculture owes their growth and prosperity to Mother Earth and nature. It’s a way through which farmers express their gratitude for their abundance of crops and seek blessings from nature and the almighty. Harvest festivals stress the importance of the value of labor, community living, and resource sharing.

FAQs on Harvest Festivals of India

1. What is a Harvest Festival?

A harvest festival in India is a traditional celebration which marks the end of the growing season and the gathering of crops. It is typically held in autumn, around the time of harvest. It includes religious ceremonies, feasts, and festivals. Customs and traditions associated with a harvest festival vary depending on the region and culture, but they involve the community being together who express their gratitude for a successful harvest and the abundance of the season.

2. Why are Harvest Festivals celebrated in India?

Due to different climate and cropping patterns, India celebrates its harvest festivals at different times of the year. India being an agrarian economy, with majority of its population dependent on agriculture owe their growth & prosperity to Mother Earth & nature. Hence they celebrate harvest festivals.

3. List some of the important Harvest Festivals in India.

Some of the popular harvest festivals in India are: Makar Sankranti, Baisakhi, Hemis, Lohri, Bihu, Basant Panchami, Wangala, Ka Pomblang Nongkrem, Pongal, Nuakhai, Gudi Padwa, Nabanna & Onam.

4. Why are these Harvest Festivals considered so auspicious?

Harvest festivals are auspicious and are celebrated with joy. Prayers are offered, deities are worshipped and many important astronomical transitions happen during this phase. Harvest festivals are seen as way to express gratitude for a bountiful harvest, to recognize the hard work and labor involved in growing crops.

5. How do Harvest Festivals bring communities together?

India being a diverse nation and an agrarian economy having different climate and cropping patterns, celebrates harvest festivals in various parts of the nation all year round. These harvest festivals are a way through which communities come together and celebrate the bountiful harvest for which they are thankful to the almighty and the Mother Earth. These signify the importance of resource sharing among communities & value of work and labor involved in growing of crops.

6. How many harvest festivals are there in India?

There are 13 popular harvest festival of India which are Makar Sankranti, Baisakhi, Ladakh Harvest Festival, Lohri, Bhogali Bihu, Basant Panchami, Wangala, Ka Pomblang Nongkrem, Pongal, Nuakhai, Gudi Padwa, Nabanna, and Onam.

7. Why do we celebrate harvest festival in India?

Harvest festivals are not just about celebrating the ripe crops but also an important astronomical change going on in the solar system. They are considered to be auspicious periods and hence are marked with celebrations and prayers.