Traditions of South Asia
Diwali, Holi, Eid and Vesak, saptapadi and mehndi: the densest calendar of living traditions anywhere. 337 traditions on EveryParampara so far.
Countries
🇦🇫 Afghanistan 28🇧🇩 Bangladesh 59🇧🇹 Bhutan 14🇮🇳 India 355🇲🇻 Maldives 4🇳🇵 Nepal 69🇵🇰 Pakistan 65🇱🇰 Sri Lanka 44
Cities and towns
On the calendar
🇮🇳 Mumbai, IndiaLalbaugcha Raja
A Mumbai Ganesha festival where millions seek blessings before ocean immersionSpiritual
🇮🇳 Lucknow, IndiaChikankariچِکن کاری / चिकन की कढ़ाई / चिकनकारी
Delicate hand embroidery from Lucknow, India, featuring white-on-white floral patterns and intricate shadow-work stitcheCraft
🇮🇳 Gwalior, India and 1 moreDhrupadध्रुवपद
The foundational vocal and instrumental classical music tradition of northern IndiaPerformance
🇳🇵 Kathmandu, NepalKumariकुमारी
A living goddess tradition in Nepal where a young girl embodies the divine feminine.Spiritual
🇮🇳 India and 1 morePhulkariਫੁਲਕਾਰੀ
Geometric and floral threadwork embroidered by Punjabi women on handwoven cotton.Craft
🇦🇫 Kabul, Afghanistan and 1 moreAttanاتڼ
A Pashtun circle dance of drums and clapping, kept at weddings and gatherings.Performance
🇧🇩 Dhaka, Bangladesh and 1 moreNakshi kanthaনকশি কাঁথা
A traditional embroidered quilt from Bengal, made by stitching layers of old cloth into colourful, patterned textiles.Craft
🇧🇩 Dhaka, Bangladesh and 5 moreInternational Mother Language Day
An annual observance on 21 February to protect linguistic diversity and honour the Bengali language movement.Festival
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreNazar battuनज़र बट्टू / نظر بٹو
A protective custom in South Asia using deliberate flaws or charms to deflect the evil eye.Spiritual
🇮🇳 Nanded, IndiaGurpurabਗੁਰਪੁਰਬ
A Sikh festival marking the birth or martyrdom of a Guru with prayers, processions and community meals.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇱🇰 Colombo, Sri Lanka and 5 moreVesakVisakha Bucha (Thailand), Visakha Bouxa (Laos), Full Moon Day of Kason (Myanmar)
A day to honor the birth, awakening, and passing of the Buddha, kept by Buddhists across Asia.Festival
🇮🇳 IndiaNamasteनमस्ते
A respectful greeting made with joined palms, spoken in South Asia and beyondEtiquette
🇮🇳 Kolkata, India and 5 moreNavaratriनवरात्रि (Navarātri)
A nine-night Hindu festival honoring the goddess Durga and her nine forms through prayer, fasting, and dance.Festival · Fasting and breaking the fast
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreMaha Shivaratriमहाशिवरात्रि
A Hindu night of fasting and vigil dedicated to Shiva, marking his divine union with Parvati.Festival
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreRaksha Bandhan
A Hindu festival where sisters tie a protective thread on their brothers' wrists to mark their bond.Festival
🇮🇳 Pune, India and 5 moreGanesh Chaturthiगणेश चतुर्थी
A Hindu festival celebrating the arrival of Ganesha, marked by clay idols, sweets, and public processions.Festival
🇮🇳 Kolkata, India and 2 moreDurga Pujaদুর্গাপূজা
Ten days of worship for the goddess Durga, closing with images carried to the waterSpiritual
🇮🇳 Mathura, India and 4 moreKrishna Janmashtamiकृष्णजन्माष्टमी
A Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna with fasting, singing and night vigilsSpiritual
🇮🇳 India and 6 moreBuddha's Birthday佛诞
A festival marking the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, observed across Asia with temple rituals and community gatherings.Spiritual
🇮🇳 India and 5 morePongal
Three or four days of boiling rice, garlanded cattle and thanks to the sunSeasonal · Sweets given and shared
🇮🇳 Ayodhya, India and 5 moreRama Navamiराम नवमी
A Hindu spring festival marking the birth of Rama with prayer, fasting and processionsFestival
🇮🇳 Mysuru, India and 2 moreVijayadashamiविजयदशमी (Vijayadaśamī)
A Hindu festival marking the end of Navaratri, celebrating the victory of good over evil across India and Nepal.Festival
🇮🇳 Kochi, India and 5 moreOnamഓണം
A ten-day harvest festival in Kerala celebrating the return of King Mahabali with feasts, flower carpets and boat races.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇳 Amritsar, India and 1 moreVaisakhi
A spring harvest and new year festival kept across India and Pakistan by Hindus and Sikhs.Festival
🇮🇳 Prayagraj, India and 6 moreMakar Sankrantiमकरसङ्क्रान्ति (Makarasaṅkrānti)
A mid-winter harvest festival marking the sun's northward journey, celebrated across South and Southeast Asia with fairsFestival · Feasts and festival meals
🇧🇹 Bhutan and 4 moreLosarལོ་གསར་
The Tibetan Buddhist New Year festival of renewal, offerings, and family feastsSeasonal · Feasts and festival meals
🇧🇩 Dhaka, Bangladesh and 1 morePohela Boishakhপহেলা বৈশাখ
The Bengali New Year festival marking the spring harvest and the start of the agricultural year.Festival
🇮🇳 Puri, India and 4 moreRatha Yatra
An annual Hindu festival where deities travel through the streets in towering carriagesFestival
🇮🇳 Varanasi, India and 1 moreNaga Panchamiनागपञ्चमी (Nāgapañcamī)
A day of worship for serpent deities and cobras, observed by Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists across South Asia.Spiritual
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreUgadiఉగాది
A South Indian New Year feast celebrating life with sweet, sour, and bitter tastesSeasonal
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreUpanayanaउपनयन (Sanskrit)
A Hindu rite of passage that begins a child's study and marks a second birthRite of passage
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreThaipusam
A Tamil Hindu festival honoring Murugan through devotional burdens and pilgrimageSpiritual
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreKarva Chauthकरकचतुर्थी
A fasting festival kept by married women in North India and Nepal for the safety of their husbands.Festival
🇵🇰 Islamabad, PakistanPakistan Independence Dayیومِ آزادی
A nationwide summer holiday commemorating the birth of Pakistan on 14 August 1947Ceremony
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreGuru Purnimaगुरुपूर्णिमा
A sacred South Asian festival honouring spiritual guides, teachers, and mentorsSpiritual · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLohri
A northern Indian midwinter festival of evening bonfires, folk songs and harvest foodsSeasonal
🇮🇳 Varanasi, India and 1 moreChhath Pujaछठ पूजा
A four-day Hindu festival honouring the sun and Chhathi Maiya along riverbanksSpiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast
🇮🇳 IndiaHanuman Jayantiहनुमानजयंती
A Hindu festival marking the birth of Hanuman with prayers, readings and offeringsSpiritual
🇮🇳 Gaya, India and 1 moreShraddhaश्राद्ध
Rituals of faith for the ancestors, kept yearly and through Pitru PakshaSpiritual
🇮🇳 Varanasi, India and 1 morePitri Pakshaपितृ पक्ष (Pitṛ pakṣa)
A sixteen-day Hindu period for honoring ancestors through food offerings and rites.Spiritual
🇮🇳 Guwahati, IndiaBihuবিহু (Assamese)
Three annual festivals in Assam marking the new year, crop cycles and harvest with dance, music and feasts.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇳 Haridwar, India and 3 moreAntyestiअन्त्येष्टि
The traditional Hindu funeral ceremony and final rite of passageRite of passage
🇮🇳 Puri, IndiaAkshaya Tritiyaअक्षय तृतीया (Akṣaya Tṛtīyā)
A spring festival of lasting prosperity observed by Hindus and Jains in India.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇳 Varanasi, India and 2 moreKartika Purnimaकार्त्तिकपूर्णिमा (Kārttikapūrṇimā)
A full moon festival of lights and holy baths celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains across South Asia.Festival
🇮🇳 Kolkata, India and 1 moreKali Pujaকালীপূজা
A Hindu festival of midnight worship and illuminated shrines honoring the goddess KaliSpiritual
🇮🇳 Goa, India and 2 moreBhai Doojभाई दूज
A Hindu festival of sibling bonds marked by forehead markings, feasts and blessingsFestival · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreDhanterasधनतेरस (Hindi), धनत्रयोदशी (Sanskrit)
The first day of Diwali, a festival of lamps, health and wealth kept across India and Nepal.Festival
🇳🇵 Kathmandu, Nepal and 4 moreDashainबडादशैँ
A fifteen-day festival of family gatherings, blessings, and feasts across NepalFestival
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Maha Shivaratri: Navneesh Ramessur, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Rama Navami: Adityamadhav83, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pongal: Saral Shots, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Raksha Bandhan: Suyash.dwivedi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Durga Puja: Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Vijayadashami: DiplomatTesterMan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Makar Sankranti: Saloni Desai, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Losar: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vesak: ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เ, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vaisakhi: Michael Clark, CC BY 2.0, source
- Ganesh Chaturthi: Original uploader was MatthieuMoy at fr.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, source
- Pakistan Independence Day: Khaum, CC BY 3.0, source
- Onam: Jiteshgt, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Pohela Boishakh: Abidhasan00, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ratha Yatra: G.-U. Tolkiehn, CC BY 2.5, source
- Chhath Puja: Steffen Gauger, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ugadi: Kalyan Kanuri, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Pitri Paksha: Firoz Shakir, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Naga Panchami: No machine-readable author provided. Krish Dulal assumed (based on cop, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Antyesti: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Kali Puja: Jonoikobangali, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Karva Chauth: Iamwiki001, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kartika Purnima: Pictowrit, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Navaratri: Mukerjee, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dashain: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Lohri: Karen Sandhu, CC BY 2.0, source
- Bhai Dooj: SandeshLamsalNepal, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Guru Purnima: Yercaud-elango, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hanuman Jayanti: Haha sugarr, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bihu: Diganta Talukdar, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Akshaya Tritiya: Fgndgndgnr, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dhanteras: The original uploader was F16 at Hebrew Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Namaste: Ms Sarah Welch, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Upanayana: vinodbahal, CC BY 2.0, source
- Shraddha: Billjones94, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Phulkari: Sheebamadanloewinger, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lalbaugcha Raja: ninadism, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Kumari: Nirmal Dulal, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Gurpurab: Gill Gagandeep, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- International Mother Language Day: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nakshi kantha: A junaid alam khan ( talk ), Public domain, source
- Chikankari: Joey Berzowska, CC BY 2.0, source
- Nazar battu: Wiki-uk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Thaipusam: hams Nocete, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Krishna Janmashtami: Nvvchar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Buddha's Birthday: User: (WT-shared) Manoj nav at wts wikivoyage, Public domain, source