Fair Festivals August India

India is a land of diverse religion, heritage, culture, and traditions and the true reflection of this variety is seen through varied festivals, celebrated across the country. While most of the places in the country enjoy monsoon in August, the plethora of charming festivals in August in India help people enjoy the rain splashes all the more.

1) Teej Festival
Teej is a fasting festival for Hindu women. It takes place on the third day of the Shukla Paksha of the Sawaan month of the Hindu calendar, which normally falls between late July to early September. This festival is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and celebrates her return to Lord Shiva. Teej is in praise of marital bliss and the well-being of spouse and children. Falling in the Hindu month of Bhado, Teej also celebrates the arrival of the long awaited monsoon after a brutally hot summer. The festival is a three day celebration which includes both rigid fasting and scrumptious feasting.

2) Krishna Janmashtami
Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm in India in the month of July or August. According to the Hindu calendar this religious festival is celebrated on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksh or the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadon. Sri Krishna is considered as the one of the most powerful human incarnations of the Lord Vishnu. He was born around 5,200 years ago in Mathura. The sole objective of Sri Krishna's birth was to free the Earth from the evilness of demons. He played an important role in Mahabharata and propagated the theory of bhakti and good karma which are narrated deeply in the Bhagwat Geeta.
Sri Krishna was born in a prison in the custody of Kansa. Vasudev, His father immediately thought of his friend Nand and decided to hand over his child to him to save Krishna from the clutch of Kansa. Krishna grew up in Gokul and finally killed his uncle, King Kansa. The actual celebration of Janmashtami takes place during the midnight as Sri Krishna is believed to be borned on a dark, stormy and windy night to end the rule and violence of his uncle, Kansa. All over India this day is celebrated with devotional songs and dances, pujas, arti, blowing of the Conch and rocking the cradle of baby Sri Krishna. The Janmashtami celebration of Mathura and Vrindavan, the places where Sri Krishna had spent his life, are very special. On this day temples and homes are wonderfully decorated and illuminated. Night long prayers are offered and religious mantras are sung in the temples.

3) Nanda Devi Raj Jat Festival
Nanda Devi is the chief patronizing Goddess of Uttarakhand and several shrines are devoted to her all across the central Himalayas. Nanda Devi Fair is one of the most popular festivals in Uttarakhand and attracts people from near and far. Nanda means well-being and prosperity. The fair is held every year in memory of Goddesses Nanda and Sunanda during the month of September and is taken as a symbol of spiritual and material prosperity. The fair is said to have started in the Kumaon region during the reign of Raja Kalyan Chand in the 16th century.
The Nanda Devi Jat is celebrated every year in the Nanda Devi temples spread across Garhwal and Kumaon. The festival commences on the day earmarked for the Devi’s visit to her maiti or parents’ home and culminates with the return to her husband’s home. This tradition is beautifully expressed in the folk songs of Uttarakhand. The Chhoti Jat Yatra celebrations begin at the end of August or early September, starting from Wan and ending at Bedini Bugyal. This festival is then transformed into a huge affair once every 12 years at Roopkund when a four horned sheep is born. The yatra is called Nanda Raj Jat. This magnificent 21-day journey is undertaken by thousands of people, who are guided by the aforementioned four-horned ram leading to Shiva’s home at the base of Trishul. The Nanda Devi Temple at Almora was built during the reign of Raja Udhyot Chand. Thousands of pilgrims at Almora participate in this auspicious procession, carrying the dola of Nanda Devi. This royal pilgrimage was last held in the year 2000, with an estimate of over 5,000 people undertaking this arduous journey.

4) Raksha Bandhan Festival
Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi is celebrated on a full moon day in the month of Shravan (August) according to the Hindu calendar because of which this festival is also known as Shravan Purnima. On the occasion of Rakhi, the bond of affection existing between brothers and sisters is reaffirmed. It is typically a Hindu festival but nowadays people from different faiths celebrate it too. On this day, Sisters tie a sacred thread or a colourful special band, rightly called the 'Rakhi' on their brothers' wrist as a mark of affection, sisterly love, and sublime sentiments. The brothers in return promise to protect their sisters and offer them gifts. Not only siblings but also cousins and friends celebrate this festival with each other. 'Raksha' means protection and 'Bandhan' means binding or bound. The prosperous Indian mythology provides many religious reasons to celebrate the day. The festival is mentioned in most of the Indian epics and its origin can be traced back to the mythological times. The practice of tying thread was traditionally prevalent in the Indian history.