National Festivals of India Essay

Vibrant, cheerful and joyful – are the words to describe the festivals of India. There are umpteen number of festivals which are celebrated joyfully in India.On top of these festivals, there are few National festivals that the whole of India proudly comes together to celebrate irrespective of their religion or caste. This National Festivals of India essay is for kids studying in Class 5 and above. The language is kept plain and simple to make it easy for students to understand well. They will be easily able to write a short National Festivals of India essay in English after going through this article.

Long Essay on National Festivals of India

India is a culturally diverse country. It is home to many religions, castes and communities. People celebrate many different festivals in the way the respective festivals are celebrated in their respective communities. But these national festival days have been immensely important in the chapters of Indian history. National festivals help bring in a sense of patriotism. It reminds us that despite all our differences, our love for our country unites us all. We commemorate these festivals with great pomp and show to celebrate the milestones of India’s history. National festivals in India constitute Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti.

Independence Day falls on the 15th of August. On this day, in 1947, the colonization of India by the British came to an end, which had lasted for two hundred years. It took a long drawn out struggle to free the country and its citizens from the shackles of British rule. The likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Sarojini Naidu and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, those who fought for our freedom are honored on this day. This day also marks the partition of India and Pakistan. To commemorate this day, first the President addresses the nation through a broadcast on the eve of 15th August. In the morning of the day, the present prime minister arrives at the Red Fort in New Delhi and the guard of honour greets him. The Indian national flag is hoisted and then the national anthem is sung across the nation. The prime minister addresses the nation from Red Fort, exactly the way Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, had done back in 1947. It is followed by a parade by the Indian military and paramilitary forces. Selected performances by school children are also carried out. Flag hoisting is done across India, majorly in schools and colleges. Every government building in the country sports the tri-color on its terrace. Kids and elders enjoy flying kites and playing with colors of our tri-color. Different plays and movies are showcased on various platforms, to remind the new generation of the contributions and sacrifices the freedom fighters made for us to be able to breathe in the free air.

On 26th of January 1950, the Constitution of India came into effect and our country became a republic. On this day in the year 1929 the Indian National Congress had proclaimed “Poorna Swaraj” against the Dominion status offered by the British Regime. The final draft of the Constitution took two years and eleven months to be ready. It contained the preamble and fundamental rights that are guaranteed to each and every Indian citizen. The commemoration begins with the parade from RashtrapatiBhavan to Rajpath. Unlike Independence day, the President presides over the Republic Day celebration. The armed forces march towards the India Gate, the flag hoisting is done and the national anthem is sung. Armed forces and tableaus from various states, selected by the ministry of defense participate in the parade. Bravery awards are presented, the graves of those who sacrificed their lives for the country are garlanded- a leader from a foreign country is invited as a chief guest to honor the event. People wake up early on a Republic Day morning to watch the parade.

To remember the Father of the Nation Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi also known as Mahatma Gandhi, his birth anniversary is commemorated as Gandhi Jayanti. It falls on the 2nd October. He was one of the revered freedom fighters and is known for his ideologies of non-violence. His beliefs are still practiced. The Prime Minister pays homage at Raj Ghat, his crematorium. This day is observed in the schools too. Students take part in various events like essay competitions, poem recitation and banner-making promoting nonviolence. This day is also celebrated as the International day of Non-Violence in honor of Mahatma Gandhi.

Short Paragraph on National Festivals of India

Three national festivals are celebrated in India. They are Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti. People celebrate the National Festivals of India with as much magnificence as the regional religious festivals. The citizens of the nation get doused in patriotism on all three occasions. Many different events- big and small, get organized all over the country at various locations to celebrate the three festivals.To add splendor to the festive mood, schools, colleges, squares, roads, market spaces, offices, buses etc. are all decked up with flags, balloons, flowers, fairy-lights, and drapes in tri-colour. Essay writing, poem recitation, debates, skits, fancy dress competitions, plays, and many other cultural activities are carried out as a part of these National Day Festival celebrations.In a country like India with so much cultural diversity, festivals like these really help the citizens of the country stay united.

What Are The Major National Festivals Of India? 

India is a very vast country with a wide variety of cultures, religions, etc. So, you can see diversity in festivals celebrated in India as well. These festivals are in huge numbers. Therefore, we will only discuss some of the major national festivals of India. These are as follows:

1. Diwali (Deepavali): It is one of the most important festivals that is celebrated all over India in October - November. This festival is marked by people - lighting earthen lamps, distributing sweets to friends, family and relatives and bursting firecrackers. 

2. Holi: It is also one of the most popular festivals celebrated across the country. It is also named the festival of colours as it is marked by people putting colours on each other's faces, clothes, etc. This festival is celebrated with the start of the spring season. 

3. Navratri: This is one of the major festivals celebrated by the Hindu community. It is celebrated all over India. Navratri is a Sanskrit word and means nine nights. So, as the name suggests, this festival lasts for nine days and nine nights. In some parts of India, people dance during this festival as well. 

4. Durga Puja: If we talk about the major festivals of India, we can't skip Durga Puja. This festival is celebrated all over India by millions of Hindus. It lasts for four days and during those four days, people worship Goddess Durga. All the people wear new dresses during this festival. 

5. Dussehra: This festival is celebrated when Navratri ends or even when Durga Puja ends. Dussehra is also known as Vijayadashami. In different parts of the country, you will see that this festival is celebrated differently. In Mysore, Dussehra is celebrated in the best possible way by decorating the Mysore Palace with dazzling lights. 

6. Janmashtami: It is also one of the most prominent festivals celebrated all over the country. This festival is celebrated on the day of the birth of Lord Krishna. On this day, people from all parts of India worship Krishna either at their homes or at temples. 

7. Ganesh Chaturthi: This festival is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi. It is a significant festival for all the Hindus all over India. This festival marks the birth of Ganesha and is celebrated for over 10 days. 

8. Eid-ul-Fitr: This is one of the most important festivals for the Muslim community of India. It marks the end of Ramadan (the most sacred month for Muslims). It is celebrated on the first day of Shaban (Islamic Month). On this auspicious occasion, all the people wear new clothes, pray Eid Namaz in mosques and visit their relatives' houses. 

9. Christmas: This is the most popular festival in the world as it marks the birth of Jesus Christ. In India, it is celebrated on a large scale as well. It is celebrated on the 25th of December, every year and is followed by the New Year. 

There are other National Festivals that are celebrated in India as well. These include Maha Shivratri, Pongal, Onam, Baisakhi, Rakshabandhan, Gurpurab, Makar Sankranti. 

Summary

The national festivals of India are very important days to be celebrated in honor of our great leaders and to draw inspiration from their unparalleled deeds. It gives us an opportunity to keep the history of our nation close to our hearts even after so many years. It facilitates keeping aside the differences of the citizens and getting united with each other. The events organized to celebrate these days offer us to feel proud of our nation and help us to bond with our neighbors, colleagues and other near and dear ones over patriotism. Students in school develop patriotism from a very early age.

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