Fair Festivals July India

The month of rains and showers, July, is an ideal time for solemnizing festivity. The climate becomes fascinating and revitalizing in this monsoon month. Be it the holy festivals all around the country, international mango festival of Delhi or the invigorating boat race in Kerala, July month is filled with a plenty of reasons to celebrate the life.

1) Champakulam Boat Race
Boat races are synonymous with Kerala’s identity and Champakkulam is a name that resonates loudly across God's Own Country. It is the oldest Snake Boat Race in the State and kicks off the boat race season annually. The Pampa River plays host to this race held in Champakkulam, a village in Alappuzha district. Held normally in June or July, the crowds it draws are enormous. Massive boats splitting the waters apart as ancient boat songs are hummed make for an exhilarating experience. This is the event that kicks off the boat racing frenzy which takes over the State for the next few months.

2) Hemis Gompa Fair
Hemis Gompa fair or Hemis festival is celebrated annually on the tenth day of the Tse-Chu month which is the lunar month of the Tibetan Calendar. It is celebrated for 2 days and marks the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava. Buddha Shankyamuni predicted the birth of Guru Padmasambhava on the 10th day of the 5th month of the Monkey year. Various dance performances at the Hemis Monastery are the main highlights of the celebration. The festival also showcases culture and crafts of the area. The main events are held at the Buddhist monastery of Ladakh, Hemis Monastery. The cold area of Leh comes to life during this festival.

3) Jagannath Rath Yatra
Rathyatra of Lord Jagannath is held at Puri in Orissa, during the months of June/July each year. On this day Lord Jagannath with his elder brother Lord Balarama and sister Subhadra, goes on a vacation, to their aunt's place at the Gundicha Temple situated at a distance of 2 km from their temple. This day is of great significance to the Hindus. It is during this time that the three deities of Jagannath, Lord Balarama and Subhadra are taken out in a grand procession in specially made temple-like chariots called raths, which are pulled by thousands of devotees.

4) Bonalu Festival
Bonalu is the Hindu festival, goddess mahankali is worshiped. It is an annual festival of state "Telangana", whereas the celebration will take place in Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Warangal and other parts of the State. The Celebration of Bonalu festival will begin in the month of July/August every year. It marks the beginning of Ashada Masam. Special poojas are performed for goddess Yellamma during the first and last day of the festival. Now, coming to the festival, Bonalu in the Telugu language means ‘food’ and is a ritual in honor of Mother Goddess i.e. Mahankali, Shakti. During this Bonalu festival, women in large numbers offer food to the Goddess Mahankali. Bonalu Jatara which lasts for a month also involves colorful processions and community feasts in the Twin Cities. The month-long festival consists of various rituals like ‘Rangam’- forecasting the future, and the procession of mother goddess atop an elephant and the ‘Ghatalu’ procession.