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India Top 10 Unique Fairs and Festivals Most People Haven’t Heard Of
India Top 10 Unique Fairs and Festivals: These extraordinary fairs and festivals are living proof of how deep and vibrant India’s diversity truly is. Unique Festivals of India:
India Top 10 Unique Fairs and Festivals
Bharat ke Anokhe Mele (India’s Unique Fairs): India is a land of unparalleled diversity—every region has its own unique culture, language, tradition, and festival. While everyone knows about Holi, Diwali, Eid, and Christmas, there are many other mysterious, culturally rich, and distinctive festivals celebrated in India that most people have never heard of. These events are not just rooted in religious beliefs but often represent local lifestyles, agriculture, nature, and folk traditions.
In this article, we explore ten such unheard and unique festivals and fairs of India that, although away from the limelight, are remarkable for their significance, celebration, and extraordinary customs.
1. Jhulelal Jayanti – A Sacred Festival of the Sindhi Community
Jhulelal Jayanti, also known as Cheti Chand, is one of the most significant religious and cultural festivals of the Sindhi community. It falls on the second day of the waxing moon in the month of Chaitra and is regarded as the Sindhi New Year. On this day, Sindhis joyfully celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Jhulelal, worshipped as the deity of the Sindhu River and considered an incarnation of Varuna, the god of water.
In states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, where Sindhis reside in large numbers, the festival is celebrated grandly. A beautifully decorated idol of Jhulelal is carried in a procession through the city, devotional songs are sung in Sindhi, and lamps are floated in rivers to honor the water god. Traditional clothing, delicious cuisine, and special prayers are a core part of the festivities. More than a religious event, Jhulelal Jayanti is a celebration of unity, brotherhood, and cultural pride rooted in the Sindhu civilization.
2. Bhagoria Fair – Tribal Celebration of Love (Madhya Pradesh)
The Bhagoria Fair is a vibrant tribal celebration held annually just before Holi in the districts of Jhabua and Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh. Celebrated enthusiastically by the Bhil and Bhilala tribes, this fair is not just a traditional event but a lively symbol of love and freedom. Often called the “Love Fair,” it offers young tribal men and women a socially accepted opportunity to express love and choose their life partners.
Dressed in colorful traditional attire, young men and women participate in dances and rituals that showcase the beauty and liveliness of tribal culture. When a boy likes a girl and she reciprocates, they apply gulal (colored powder) to each other, publicly declaring their mutual consent for marriage. Bhagoria symbolizes simplicity, natural affection, and social freedom within the tribal way of life and is a powerful reflection of their worldview and cultural integrity.
3. Thimithi Festival – Walking on Fire (Tamil Nadu)
Thimithi (or Theemithi in Tamil) is a daring and spiritual festival celebrated in Draupadi Amman temples in Tamil Nadu and some parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. During the festival, devotees walk barefoot across burning embers—a rare and intense expression of faith, resolve, and inner strength.
The ritual is believed to be inspired by an episode in the Mahabharata, where Draupadi demonstrated her faith and courage by facing a trial by fire. While the specifics differ from scripture, the festival is widely seen as a symbol of her sacrifice and devotion. Devotees believe that true faith protects them from harm. Thimithi is not just a religious display but a profound expression of unity, bravery, and cultural identity within the community.
4. Karni Mata Fair – Temple of Rats (Rajasthan)
Located in Deshnok village near Bikaner, Rajasthan, the Karni Mata Temple is famous for its unusual tradition of revering thousands of rats, known as kaba, believed to be the reincarnated souls of Karni Mata’s devotees.
Devotees offer milk, sweets, and grains to these rats and believe that sighting a white rat brings good fortune. Karni Mata is worshipped as a powerful goddess of protection and strength in Rajasthan. The temple hosts two grand fairs annually—once during Navratri and again in the month of Chaitra—drawing large crowds of pilgrims. Special rituals, prayers, and community feasts make this temple a vibrant center of religious and cultural life.
5. Jet Landing Fair – Meghalaya’s Festival of Clouds
Celebrated in the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, the Jet Landing Fair is a vibrant and deeply traditional festival of the Jaintia tribe. Held to welcome the monsoon and the sowing season, it reflects the tribe’s intimate connection with nature and community life.
Marked by folk dances, traditional music, and unique local dishes, the festival creates a rich and colorful atmosphere. It’s important to note that this is not a Khasi festival—even though both tribes are prominent in Meghalaya, they maintain distinct cultural traditions. The Jet Landing Fair is a generational expression of nature worship, community unity, and ancestral heritage.
6. Khongjom Day – Commemorating Martyrs (Manipur)
Observed annually on April 23rd, Khongjom Day honors the memory of the historic 1891 battle between Manipuri warriors and the British. The Khongjom War is remembered as a powerful symbol of bravery, sacrifice, and patriotism in Manipur’s freedom struggle.
On this day, tributes are paid across the state to honor the martyrs, and youth are encouraged to embrace the ideals of courage and national pride. Khongjom Day is not just a remembrance of history—it continues to inspire the spirit of resistance and pride among the people of Manipur.
7. Kudalasangama Fair – Legacy of Basavanna (Karnataka)
Basava Jayanti is a significant religious and cultural celebration in memory of Lord Basaveshwara, also known as Basavanna, the revered reformer and founder of the Lingayat (Veerashaiva) tradition.
Celebrated primarily in Karnataka and Maharashtra, the festival features devotional singing, discourses, and gatherings of saints to promote Basavanna’s teachings of social equality, spiritual devotion, and a caste-free society. At Kudalasangama, a famous pilgrimage site in Karnataka, lakhs of devotees gather to pay homage. The day stands not only for religious devotion but also as a symbol of social reform and spiritual awakening.
8. Bastar Dussehra – The Longest Dussehra (Chhattisgarh)
Bastar Dussehra, held in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, is India’s longest-running festival—lasting nearly 75 days. Unlike the mainstream Dussehra, there are no Ram Leela performances or effigy burning of Ravana. Instead, it is a tribute to Goddess Danteshwari, the clan deity of the tribal people of Bastar.
Various tribal communities come together to express their devotion through traditional instruments, dances, elaborate processions, and sacred rituals. This festival is a vibrant symbol of Bastar’s cultural richness, tribal faith, and communal solidarity.
9. Cattle Fair – Sonepur Mela (Bihar)
Held during Kartik Purnima at the confluence of the Ganga and Gandak rivers, the Sonepur Mela (also called the Harihar Kshetra Mela or Chhathar Mela) is one of Asia’s largest and oldest cattle fairs. Historically famous for the sale of elephants, horses, oxen, and camels, the modern fair continues to host exhibitions despite the ban on elephant trade.
It also features swings, local plays, circuses, theater, cultural programs, and a vast market for clothing and crafts. The fair’s historical legacy includes visits by rulers like Chandragupta Maurya, Akbar, and Veer Kunwar Singh, enhancing its legendary status in the region.
10. Medarü Festival – Agricultural Festival of Nagaland
Celebrated by the Angami tribe of Nagaland, the Medarü Festival is a traditional agricultural festival observed before sowing crops, usually in March. It is a time to pray for a good harvest and honor nature’s blessings.
Folk songs, traditional dances, colorful tribal attire, and communal feasting are integral parts of the celebration. This festival not only honors agricultural traditions but also highlights the tribal way of life and community values.
These unique festivals reflect India’s immense cultural diversity and deep-rooted traditions, each offering a fascinating glimpse into the lives, values, and spiritual world of its people. Hidden from mainstream spotlight, these celebrations are treasures of heritage and humanity—awaiting discovery.