India is a dynamic land with a beautiful culture, which believes God lives everywhere around people, starting from the sun to a blade of grass. Thus, Indians have the heritage of celebrating every small detail around them as festivals.
June is one of the peak summer seasons and the place is quite dry and humid. This doesn’t stop the locals from celebrating the sun, nature or deities of the land. Are you visiting India during June of 2020?
Here are the top festivals and celebrations in India in June 2020.
1. Puri Rath Yatra Festival
Location: Orissa
Date: 23rd June 2020
This is a festival of chariots, which take place in the PuriJagannath Temple. The temple’s main deities will be taken on grand chariots and a procession will take place through the streets to a nearby temple. The procession includes musical instruments, dancers, singers and thousands of pilgrims. Pulling the chariot or even being a part of the procession is considered as a sacred element.
During this festival, you can find unique rituals and a large fair around the temple grounds. When the chariots reach the Gundicha temple, rituals and celebrations start in that temple for the rest of the day.
Get Complete Info : About Chariot Festival of Puri- The Jagannath Rath Yatra
2. Sindhu Darshan Festival
Location: Ladakh
Date: 12th to 14th June 2020
This festival is celebrated on the banks of Sindhu River. The natives believe that the river is the main reason for harmony among different people in the region. This is a three-day festival during which, you can find many folk cultural performances, Buddhist rituals, and others. During this festival, the soldiers of the land are honored and prayed for.
Also Read: List of Famous Buddhist Festivals in India
Suggested Tour Itinerary
- 10 Days Trip to Ladakh
- 9 Days Trip to Ladakh from Manali
3. Hemis Gompa Festival
Location: Hemis Monastery of Ladakh
Date: 30th June – 1stJuly 2020
Also called the Hemis Tsechu, this is one of the famous festivals of Ladakh. The monk dance of the monastery is the emblematic celebration of this festival. Apart from this, the festival is celebrated with other dance forms, processions, rituals and displays of heritage items of the monastery to the public. This festival is celebrated to mark the birth of the religious head, Guru Padmasambhava.
Get Complete Info : About The Colorful World of Hemis Festival
4. Sao Joao Festival
Location: Goa
Date: 24th and 25th June 2020
This festival is the feast of St. John, the Baptist. This is an interesting feast, where you can find unique activities like men jumping into wells to find alcohol bottles. Apart from this, you can find other activities like dance and music performances, boat races, and others. Many mass prayers are conducted, during which people pray for a safe and good monsoon ahead. This festival is celebrated as the Village Festival of Music and Dance in many villages of Goa.
5. Bonalu Festival
Location: Telangana
Date: 28th June to 19th July 2020
This 18th-century festival is celebrated for Goddess Mahakali. This annual festival is a way to say thanks to god. Sweet delicacies are cooked in earthen pots and reserved to the deities. The first day celebrations take place in Golconda Fort and each day, the venue varies. Numerous rituals and cultural activities take place everyday. Processions take place at various destinations and you can watch tranced people dance during these processions. A feast is offered to the deity with meat-based delicacies and alcohol.
Also Read : 25 Best Places to Visit in India in June
6. Panihati Chida Dahi Utsava
Location: Bangalore
Date: 4th June 2020
Every year, the ISKCON temple of Bangalore celebrates this day with grand rituals, boat festival, distribution of sweets and others. The temple’s pond will be decorated with flowers and a procession takes place from the temple to the pond. The deity will be placed on a palanquin and taken to the pond, where he would be bathed with honey, milk, ghee, curd, fruit juices, and others. Later, the deity is taken on a small boat in the pond. Many stalls will be erected outside the temple for souvenir shopping during this festival.
Read More Info: Top Tourist Places Near Bangalore within 200 kms
7. Kottiyoor Utsavam
Location:Kottiyoor temple, Kerala
Date: 3rd to 30th June 2020
This is a 28-days long temple festival celebrated in Ikkare Kottiyoor and AkkareKottiyoor temples, which are located on either side of the banks of Bavali River. The Akkare temple is open only during this festival. This festival is celebrated with numerous rituals, celebrations, and events. Fairs will be conducted during the special days of the festival. The first and last days of this celebration are considered more sacred and more beautiful.
Also Read: Onam Festival – The Harvest Festival of Kerala
8. Shimla Summer Festival
Location: Shimla
Date: First week of June, every year (exact dates are not yet announced
This is the summer festival of this hill station, which is celebrated to honor nature’s gift during the summer. This festival usually lasts for five days. You can find numerous cultural performances and attractions like dog shows, folk performances, musical events, handicraft exhibitions, food festivals, adventure activities, flower shows and much more. This festival is also the harvest festival of the region. It is celebrated in the ridge of Shimla where you can find numerous stalls and exhibition houses.
Also Read: Top 15 Offbeat Places to Visit in Himachal Pradesh
9. Ganga Dussehra
Location: Varanasi, Haridwar, Allahabad, Rishikesh, and Garhmukteshwar
Date: 1st June 2020
This festival is dedicated to River Ganges. This day marks the event when Goddess Ganges descended to earth to flourish it. Taking bath in River Ganges is considered very sacred during this festival. It is said that a holy dip on this day will purify one’s soul of any earthly sin. The best place to perform the holy dip or watch rituals is the Dashashwamedh Ghat of Varanasi.
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10. Ochira Kali
Location: Kollam district of Kerala
Date: 15th and 16th June 2020
This is a mock fight festival, which recreates the historic war that took place between the Ambalapuzha and Kayamkulam regions, during the medieval times. The festival takes place in a waterlogged region where they take part in mock combat using sticks and other medieval weapon replica. You can also hear ceremonial war music in the air, throughout the festival. You can find many interesting rituals in the Ochira Temple, during this festival.
11. Saga Dawa
Location: Gangtok
Date: 5th June 2020
This is a Tibetan religious festival, which is celebrated to mark the birth, death, and enlightenment of Lord Buddha. This is a colorful festival, which takes place in many monasteries in this region. Apart from the iconic masked monk dance of Rumtek Monastery, this festival is famous for the grand monk procession. During this procession, a large group of monks walk from Tsuklakhang Palace Monastery through the streets of the town carrying holy books of their religion. During this procession, you can also witness musical performances.
Also Read: Sikkim International Flower Festival
12. Yuru Kangyat
Location: Lamayuru, Ladakh
Date: 18th and 19th June 2020
This is the annual festival of Lamayuru Monastery. It takes place for two days and the main attractions of this festival are masked monk dance, rituals, musical performances, and others. This Buddhist festival is celebrated as a tribute toPadmasambhava and Yama. A dance drama is conducted to explain mythological stories to the public.
Festivals in India are very colorful and interesting. At the same time, the climate of June is not something to take lightly. Be prepared for a hot, humid and dehydrating climate and pack clothing and accessories accordingly.
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