Festivals in January 2024



Festivals in India


India is a land of festivals. Every month witnesses some sort of festival or celebration. There are different reasons behind these celebrations and occasions. Every festival is unique and is celebrated in different parts of the country in different names.

Festivals in January


Several festivals are celebrated in January.

  • New Year (01 January 2024 (Monday))- New Year is among the most popular festivals celebrated all across the globe. The origin of the New Year can be traced back to the reign of emperors. It was the emperors who thought of celebrating a particular day in a year that would commemorate the beginning of a brand new year and the end of the current year. The first celebrations of the New Year are believed to have taken place in about 2000 years in Mesopotamia. While the Persians, Phoenicians and the Egyptians celebrated the New Year in the middle of March that is during the time of Equinox, the Greeks celebrated it in winter. According to the ancient Roman calendar, the New Year was celebrated on the 1st of March. In 46 B.C. Julius Caesar, the Roman Emperor, officially declared the 1st of January as the New Year. During the medieval period, 25th March was declared as the New Year. In later times, the King of England announced 25th December that is Jesus' birth as the New Year. Almost after 500 years, the Gregorian calendar came up whereby the ancient Julian calendar was abolished by Pope Gregory XIII and the Gregorian calendar was introduced. In the year 1582, New Year began to be celebrated on the first of January every month, following the Gregorian.

  • National Youth Day (12 January 2024 (Friday))- National Youth Day, also renowned as Vivekananda Jayanti, is observed on January 12th, Swami Vivekananda's birthday. This day was named National Youth Day by the Government of India in 1984, and it has been commemorated in India every year since 1985.

  • Lohri (13 January 2024 (Saturday))- Lohri signifies the celebration of a season that marks the end of the cold winter and the arrival of warmer days. Bonfires are lit around which people celebrate with music and food. This is the name by which Makar Sankranti goes in North India. Lohri will be observed on 13th January in the northern region of India.

  • Makar Sankranti (14th January 2024)- This is the celebration of the onset of the harvest season in India. This festival is celebrated all over India and is known by different names. It is celebrated with sweet preparations and new clothes. Makar Sankranti will be observed on January 14 in 2022.
  • Pongal (15 January 2024 18 January 2024) - This is the name of the harvest festival in South India. It is celebrated for three days during which the newly reaped Pongal or "Rice" is offered to the Sun god. As it is a three-day festival, it will be starting from January 14 in 2022 and will end on January 17.

  • Kerala Village Fair (14 January 2024 to 23 January 2024)- In January, there are cultural festivals that are held in the villages of Kerala. The ten-day festival is marked by folk dance and music.

  • Bikaner Camel Festival (13 January,2024 to 15 January, 2024) - A chief attraction of this festival is the procession of richly decorated camels. Apart from several competitions that are held during the day, music and festivities also mark the festival. Camel Festival in Bikaner will be celebrated for three days, January 13 and January 15, 2024.

  • Army Day (15 January 2024 (Monday))- Every year on January 15, India commemorates Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa taking charge as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army replacing General Francis Roy Bucher, the final British Commander-in-Chief of India, on that date in 1949.

  • Republic Day (26 January 2024 (Friday))- Republic Day is one of the 3 national holidays celebrated in India. It is celebrated on the 26th of January every year. The day is celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm, especially in the capital city of New Delhi. Spectacular of all the celebrations is the Republic Day Parade that is held in New Delhi near Rajpath. It comprises March past by 3 armed forces, folk dances from different states in India, massive parades. The cultural unity of India is beautifully reflected in the republic day celebrations. It was on 26th January 1950 that India's constitution came up and India thus became a Sovereign, Democratic and Republican state. The patriotic passion of the people in India on Republic Day gathers the entire nation together even with the embedded diversity.

  • Last Updated on : January 17, 2024