Festivals & vrat
Stories, meanings and thoughtful ways to prepare for the celebrations we share.
214 dated entries with sources, recurring vrats and regional notes
15 guides
Diwali
A festival of lamps, welcome and renewal, celebrated through many regional traditions.
Read the guideHoli
Spring colour, community gatherings and the distinct observances of Holika Dahan and the colour festival.
Read the guideRaksha Bandhan
A celebration of care, mutual responsibility and sibling bonds, expressed through the rakhi.
Read the guideNavratri
Nine nights of devotion to Devi, with prayer, music and regionally distinct family practices.
Read the guideDurga Puja
An autumn celebration of Devi with worship, artistic expression and community participation.
Read the guideVijayadashami
A day of victory, learning and new beginnings, expressed through distinct regional traditions.
Read the guideJanmashtami
Devotion to Krishna through song, storytelling and family or temple observances.
Read the guideGanesh Chaturthi
Welcoming Ganesha through prayer, household worship and shared celebration.
Read the guideMaha Shivaratri
A night of Shiva worship, reflection and chanting within a chosen family or temple tradition.
Read the guideChhath
A deeply shared observance honouring the Sun, with offerings at sunset and sunrise.
Read the guideMakar Sankranti
A solar-calendar observance connected with the Sun’s entry into sidereal Makara.
Read the guideEkadashi
An observance associated with the eleventh tithi in each lunar fortnight and devotion to Vishnu.
Read the guidePradosh
A Shiva observance associated with Trayodashi and the evening period.
Read the guidePurnima
The full-moon tithi, associated with varied monthly worship and family traditions.
Read the guideAmavasya
The new-moon tithi, observed through distinct family, regional and remembrance traditions.
Read the guide