Uttar Pradesh» Fairs and Festivals

March- Jhansi Festival

This week-long annual event is a display of the arts, crafts and culture of the splendid city Jhansi. The cultural programmes include folk songs, dances and mushairas.

Holi

During spring, the festival of colours is celebrated all over India. Holi is a time to make merry. People smear each other with coloured powdered. Singing and dancing add to the gaiety of the occasion. The holi celebrations in Mathura - the land of Sri Krishna are spectacular. The Rang Gulal Festival is celebrated for a week with exuberant processions, songs and music. Especially famous is the 'Lathmar Holi' of Barsana and Nandgaon.

August- Janmashtami

The birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great fervour all over the country. In Mathura and Vrindavan - where Lord Krishna spent his childhood and youth, the Janmashtami celebrations are quite elaborate. The Krishna Leela stories of his eventful youth are enacted. In Maharashtra, earthen pots of curd and butter are hung up over the streets. Young men enacting an episode from Krishna's childhood form human pyramids by climbing on each other's shoulders and try to break these up.

November - Lucknow Festival

This festival celebrates Lucknow's living culture. Capital alight during this ten day long event. Colorful processions, traditional dramas Kathak dances in the style of the famous Lucknow gharana, sarangi and sitar recitals along with ghazals, qawalis and thumri create a festive atmosphere. Exciting events like ekka races, kite flying, cock fighting and other traditional village games recreate an atmosphere of Avadh's nawabi days.

Jhoola Fair

The fortnight long Jhoola fair of Mathura and Vrindavan and Ayodhya, when dolls are placed in the gold or silver jhoolas or cradles is worth witnessing.

Magh Mela

This Mela is celebrated every winter in January. People come and settle there for a month to have a dip in the holy Sangam every morning.

Bateshwar Cattle Fair

A famous cattle fair is held at Bateshwar in Agra district.

Kumbh Mela

The biggest congregation, perhaps of the entire world, Kumbh Mela is held at Allahabad every twelfth year. Ardh Kumbha Mela is also held at these places every sixth years.

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