42 World Heritage Sites
14 Intangible Cultural Heritage Elements
Major Festivals of India
Festival of Lights; celebrates return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya. Millions of clay lamps lit across India. Lakshmi puja for prosperity.
Festival of Colours celebrating spring and the victory of good over evil (Prahlada & Holika legend).
Nine nights of worship of goddess Durga in her 9 forms; Garba and Dandiya dances in Gujarat.
World's largest human gathering (UNESCO ICH 2017). Maha Kumbh 2025 (Prayagraj, Jan 13–Feb 26): ~660 million total pilgrims; ~100 million on Mauni Amavasya (Jan 29) alone — the largest single-day gathering in history. Ritual bath at Triveni Sangam (Ganga + Yamuna + Saraswati). Based on Samudra Manthan. Maha Kumbh occurs once every 144 years.
Birth of Lord Ganesha; 10-day festival popularised by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893 as a national unity event. Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja attracts 15 million visitors.
Major 5-day celebration with elaborate pandals (UNESCO-listed). Kolkata transforms into the world's largest open-air art exhibition.
Harvest festival thanking the sun; new rice boiled in milk (pongal). In North India celebrated as Makar Sankranti with kite-flying.
Harvest festival celebrating the homecoming of mythical King Mahabali. Pookalam flower carpets, Vallamkali boat races and Kathakali performances.
Sikh New Year and harvest festival; also commemorates the founding of the Khalsa Panth in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh.
End of Ramadan fasting; communal prayers, feasts, new clothes and charity (Zakat al-Fitr). India has the world's 2nd-largest Muslim population.
Birth of Lord Krishna; midnight celebrations with Dahi Handi (human pyramid to break pot of butter) in Maharashtra.
Birthday of Lord Rama; celebrated with recitation of Ramayana, processions and fasting.
Rigorous 4-day festival worshipping the Sun god; devotees fast without water and stand in rivers at sunrise/sunset.
World's largest camel fair held near Pushkar Lake; also a major religious pilgrimage to Brahma Temple.
"Festival of Festivals" showcasing the cultural heritage of all Naga tribes; morungs, folk dances, traditional foods.
Largest monastery festival in Ladakh celebrating Guru Padmasambhava's birth; Cham masked dances.
Mother of all temple festivals; 100 caparisoned elephants, percussion orchestras and fireworks at Vadakkumnathan Temple.
India's Living Heritage
Regional Cuisines of India
India supplies 75% of the world's spices · 14 distinct regional cuisines
Butter Chicken, Dal Makhani, Biryani, Naan, Chole Bhature, Samosa
Dosa, Idli, Sambar, Rasam, Biryani (Hyderabadi), Avial, Fish Curry
Dhokla, Thepla, Puran Poli, Vada Pav, Goan Fish Curry, Dal Baati Churma
Rasgulla, Mishti Doi, Litti Chokha, Momos, Pakhala Bhata, Hilsa Fish Curry
Bhutte ka Kees, Poha, Imarti, Bafla Bati, Chakki ki Shak
Jadoh, Smoked Pork, Bamboo Shoot Curry, Masor Tenga, Tungrymbai