Fairs & Festivals of India 2012

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June

3 - Srirangapatanam Chariot festival (Mysore)
Early June - Shimla Summer Festival (Himachal Pradesh)
15 - Ochira kali (Near Kayamkulam in Kollam Dt.)
21 - Puri Rath Yatra (Orissa)
24 - Sao Joao Boat festival at Siolim, Goa (24th June)
25 - Amarnath Yatra, Jammu Kashmir (up to 13 Aug), Chidambaram Chariot festival (Uthiram of Aani)



28 - Kottiyur Kalasattam. It is 2 hour by bus from Thalassery in Kannur.
29 & 30 - Hemis Festival (Ladakh)



The Pandharpur Palki yatra from Dehu near Pune ends on the previous day of Ashadhi Ekadasi at Pandharpur Vithoba Temple in Maharashtra (21 days)

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July

3 - Champakulam moolam boat race (accessible from Alappuzha)
18- Karikidavavu at Sankhumukham beach (Thiruvananthapuram), Varkala, Tirunavaya (Malappuram), Tirunelli (Wayanad), Ponkuzhy Sree Rama temple (Wayanad).
22 & 23 - Teej, is a fasting festival for Hindu Women, mainly celebrated in Jaipur.



24 - Nag Panchami (Adiesha Temple in Andhra Pradesh, Nagathamman Temple in Chennai, Hardevja Temple in Jaipur).

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August

4 & 5 - Sitabari fair (117 km from Kota)
10 - Sree Krishna Jayanti : Guruvayur, Thrissur Thiruvambadi temple, Ambalapuzha temple (Alappuzha) - Shobha yatra,
Dahi Handi (Pune and Mumbai)
11- Nehru Trophy Boat race at Punnamada lake (Alappuzha, Second Saturday of August at 2 pm)
Metemneo Festival in second week of August, Nagaland
15 - Independence Day parade at New Delhi and other State capitals
21 - Tripunithura Attachamayam (Ernakulam), Ganesh Chaturthi ("Ganpati bapa, mouriya! Pudcha varshi, laukar ya!") celebrated all over Maharashtra mainly in Pune and Mumbai.
29 - Thiru Onam, Pookkalam (Flower arrangement from Atham to Onam day). Onavillu, the ceremonial bows an offering to the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on Thiruonam day. Harippad Payippad boat race, Neerettupuram boat race (On the Ambalapuzha - Thiruvalla highway).
30 - Neelamperoor padayani at Palli Bhagavathy temple in Alappuzha district (16 km from Kottayam). Begins at 10 pm on Avittam day in the Malayalam month of Chingam.

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September

1 - Ladakh festival at Leh (up to 15th, lion dances, yak dances, craft stalls, excellent local food and plenty of chang!.)
2 - Aranmula Uttrathadi boat race (10 km from Chengannur/Pathanamthitta), Tazhathangady boat race at 3 pm (first Sunday after Onam, Kottayam).
8 - Sree Krishna jayanti, Manarcad church festival (Kottayam, 7th nadathurackal), Vechoor church, Vailankanni festival (Tamil Nadu)
19 to 21 - Tarnetar fair (75 km from Rajkot)



25 - Navaratri Brahmotsavam at Tirupati is celebrated with Chariot festival in September/October for 9 days (in the month of Asweeja in Salivahana Calendar, when sun is in kanya rasi). Ends on October x with Chakrasnanam.

Jwalamukhi Fair (30 km from Kangra, HP)

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October

11 - Vettikot Ayilyam (Kayamkulam)



14 - Koratty church festival
15 - Mahe St Theresa's church festival
17 - Rayiranallur mala kayattom (Palakkad)
24 - Vijayadashami / Dussehra (Mysore, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, Kota fair), dandiya, Durga Puja (West Bengal), Kollur Mookambika temple.



26 - Bakrid
28 - Marwar festival (Jodhpur, up to 29th)

Cape festival at Kanyakumari (3 days, in October).

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November

02 - Parumala perunnal (Pathanamthitta, located near Mannar/Chengannur)
07 - Mannarasala ayilyam (Snake temple in Alappuzha)



13 - Diwali (Deepawali - festival of light and joy)
13, 14,15 - Kalpathy Ratholsavam (Palakkad)
16 - Mandalakalam begins. Sabarimala is 95 km (3.5 hour) from Chengannur railhead.
19 - Chhath Puja (Nahai Khai, Bihar & UP)
20 to 28 -The Pushkar Fair or Pushkar mela commences on Prabodhini Ekadashi and continues till Kartik Poornima.
21 - Mamburam Makham nercha (Near Kottackal, Malappuram)
24 - Muharram : mourns the martyrdom of the revered Hazrat Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad (Fire walk at Hospet near Hampi in Karnataka, Pune and Hyderabad by Shias), Guruvayur Ekadasi, Thiruvillamala punarjani cave 'noolalal' (Palakkad), Vaikunta Ekadesi at Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy temple (chariot festival, 21 days, Trichy).
27 - Karthigai Deepam (Tamil festival of lights at Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar's temple, 72 m high gopuram with 11 storeys). Mahadeepam is lit on the top of the hill at around 6 pm.



28 - Chakkulathukavu ponkala (near Ambalapuzha, Alappuzha), Shamlaji fair (122 km from Ahmedabad, Kartik Purnima), Sonepur Mela (25 km from Patna, Kartik Purnima)

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December

01- Hornbill festival at Kohima, Nagaland (1 - 7 Dec every year), Parassinikadavu Muthappan temple festival (Offerings include toddy, fish and meat. 20 km from Kannur)
03 - Feast of St Francis Xavier, Goa (3 Dec)
04 - Navy Day. Entry open to Warships at Kochi, Mumbai & Vizag bases
06 to 15 - Perumthitta Tharavad theyyam (26 km from Kasaragod)
07- Ashtami at Vaikom (Kottayam)
10 - Thriprayar Ekadasi (Thrissur)
25 - Christmas : One can see numerous colourful stars and cribs all over Kerala and in Goa.
26 - Mullackal Chirappu (Alapuzha)
27 - Suchindram & Chidambaram chariot festival (Tamil Nadu)
28 - Chettikulangara kumbha Bharani (Alappuzha)
29 to 2 Jan - Kanathur Nalvar Bhoothasthanam theyyam (20 km from Kasaragod)

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Amarnath Yathra 2012

Yatra will start from 25th June to 2nd Aug Raksha Bandhan. 2012 ( Raksha Bandhan, only for 37 Days). So apply in advance so that you could get Darshan ticket as earliest as possible.

Documents Required for Yatra Booking - 1.Id Proof( e.g. Voter Id, Pan Card, Ration Card, Driving Licence etc)
2. passport size photograph if not available in id proof.

Every person seeking registration to undertake the yatra must furnish a health certificate issued by a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP).

A helicopter trip (from Baltal) is recommended for the old and the busy guys. Helicopter Package Rs 16,000 (from Srinagar)