New Year's Day Although most communities follow their own calendar, the first day of the Christian year is celebrated by all. Buses are garlanded and the city is in a festive mood, with decorations from Christmas past still very much in evidence. On New Year's Eve, parties are organised in clubs, hotels, restaurants and private homes. The city is illuminated and people go to bed late. Those who manage will go to the races the next day in the afternoon; a hangover 'must' in Calcutta.

Makar Sankranti festival in mid-January marks the winter solstice. Over 500,000 pilgrims gather on Sagar Dwip, an island some 150 km south of Calcutta, for the three-day Ganga Sagar Mela. The city in the second week of January is full of pilgrims on the way to the mela, sleeping in make-shift tents erected in Maidan. The festival lasts from 12th to 14th of the month. On the day the Ganga Sagar Mela ends, the Baul Mela begins. Hindu Vaishnab and Sufi Muslim Bauls from all over Bengal as well as from Bangladesh gather at Bolpur, 150 km west of Calcutta to sing devotional songs.

Ganga Sagar Mela is celebrated at Sagar which is about 105km south of Calcutta where the river Hugli joins the sea. Vast numbers of Hindu pilgrims bathe in the holy water.

Guru Govind Singh Birthday (26th January)

January/February

Saraswati Puja Late in January or early February, Saraswati Puja, is the festival of the Goddess of Learning and is celebrated by students, artists and professors. Saravasti Puja.

Kolkata (Calcutta) Book Fair is the largest in Asia and provides ample opportunities to the bibliophiles to explore the fascinating world of books. The event is held every year in the month of January or February in Kolkata.

February

Shivratri is observed as the night, when Lord Shiva danced the 'Tandav' - his cosmic dance. Fasts and prayers mark the day and devotees throng the temples. The major Shaivite temples at Varanasi, Kalahasti (Andhra Pradesh) and Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu) are noted for their special celebrations.

March

Dol Purnima or Holi as it is called by Northern Hindus, heralds the short spring season. People from all walks of life celebrate the coming of spring by drinking bhang, a mild milk beverage laced with marijuana, by smearing each other with powdered colours, red especially, and spraying coloured water at passers-by. Social barriers are broken. It is a time when poor may touch rich, lower-cast touch upper-cast.

Good Friday is observed by Christians nationwide with special services in the churches.

April

Nabobarsho in mid of April marks the beginning of the Bengali New Year and also the begining of summer. Businessmen carry their new halkhata account books, statues of Ganesh and Lakshmi to the Kali Temple for blessings. In the evening, customers make token payments to their favourite shops while owners offer them sweets. Shops are decorated with garlands, mango leaves, sola pith ornaments and young bananas. On Charak Puja, the eve of the Bengali New Year, devotees at Chatu Babu Bazaar attach themselves to giant rotating swings symbolising the cycles of life. A few days after noboborsho, on Mahabir Jayanti, it is the birth anniversary of the last, greatest Jain prophets and there are processions of the Svetamber Sect from Harrison Road to Kalakar Street, and of the Digambar Sect from Belgachaia to Baisakh Lane.

Baisakhi The Hindu New Year finds expression in this exuberant festival, celebrated throughout India. It was on this day that Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa. Robust revelry and feasting mark the celebrations and dancers perform the vigorous Bhangra to the rhythmic beat of the drums.

Mahavir Jayanti The birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, is observed by the Jain community. Special prayers are offered at temples and shrines.

Ramnavami The anniversary of Lord Rama’s birth is celebrated as Ramnavami by the Hindus. The epic ‘Ramayana’ is read for eight days preceding the festival.

May

Id-ul-Fitr festival marks the end of ‘Ramadan’ - a month when Muslims fast throughout the day and eat only at night. Prayers, family get-togethers and feasts are the major highlights of the celebrations.

June/July

Rath Yatra The first festival of the monsoon is Rath Yatra, in late June or early July, in honour of Jagannath, an avatar of Vishnu. Processions are organised in Calcutta by ISKON and in Serampore, north of Calcutta. Replicas of Jagannath's chariot are sold at Kalighat. Children decorate their chariots with flowers and place clay images of Jagannath, his brother Balaram and sister Subhadra in them.

July

Id-ul-Zuha (Bakr-Id) This Muslim festival is celebrated all over the country. Prayers are offered in the mosques and special delicacies are prepared and served among family and friends on the occasion.

August

Independence Day (15th August) commemorates the day India attained freedom. Independence Day is celebrated with flag hoisting ceremonies and cultural programmes in the state capitals. The Prime Minister’s speech at the Red Fort in Delhi is the major highlight.

August/September

Janmashtami The birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great fervour all over the country. In Mathura and Brindavan - where Lord Krishna spent his childhood and youth, the Janmashtami celebrations are quite elaborate. The Krishna Leela - stories of his eventful youth are enacted.

September

Vishwa Karma Puja On the 17th of the month this festival is celebrated by all industrial houses, artists, craftsmen, and weavers. The tools utilized during production are cleaned and all machinery is repainted. The statue of Vishwakarma holding a hammer is erected in workshops. People are also found flying multi-coloured kites around the city and it’s a fun time for kids to join in on the action.

October

Durga Puja This is the biggest festival of Bengal and celebrated with great excitement not only at Kolkata but by Bengali communities across the globe. The start of winter coincides with Durga Puja, the most important festival in Bengal. According to Hindu mythology, all gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon endowed Durga with a portion of their own energy to give her strength, or shakti, to destroy the evil forces. Some 2,000 pandals are erected throughout the city. This is the season for gifts. New clothes are purchased and shops overflow with the latest goods. People take to the streets to visit the thousands of puja pandals which spring up virtually on every street corner. The puja climaxes on Mahadashami, the 10th day when the image of the god is carried in decorated carts or trucks in festive processions to be immersed in the river Hooghly. At sunset, huge effigies of Ravana, his son and his brother are burned on the Maidan.

Laxmi Puja five days after Mahadashami, on the full moon, is the festival of the Goddess of property, Laxmi who is worshipped daily in most Hindu households for the family's well-being. Public Pujas are performed in the same premises as for Durga Puja.

October

Gandhi Jayanti (2nd October) The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi - the 'Father of the nation' The President and Prime Minister, along with other eminent political leaders, pay homage at Raj Ghat - the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi. All offices and schools, throughout the country, remain closed on this day.

Dussehra Celebrated to mark the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama, Dussehra symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The Ramila - an enactment of the life of Lord Rama, is held during the nine days preceding Dussehra. On the tenth day, larger than life effigies of Ravana, his son and brother - Meghnath and Kumbhakarna, are set alight. In West Bengal, puja pandals have beautifully decorated images of the goddess Durga and people gather here in large numbers to enjoy the festivities.

Muharram Commemorates the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson—Imam Hussein. Tazias, glittering replicas of the martyr's tomb, are carried in procession through the streets. The tazias of Lucknow and Hyderabad are noted for their splendour.

Diwali This festival of lights is the prettiest and the most eagerly awaited occasion in India. It celebrates the return of Lord Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana, to Ayodhya after a fourteen year exile. The flickering lights of the traditional clay lamps or 'diyas' illuminate the houses and fireworks resound through the night. The goddess of wealth and prosperity - Lakshmi, is worshipped on this day. Houses are white washed and elaborate designs drawn at the thresholds to welcome the goddess. The exchanging of gifts and sweets among friends and relatives and playing of games of chance at night are all an integral part of the celebrations.

October/November

Kali Puja or Diwali Two weeks later, is another popular festival, Kai Puja. Kali is the Goddess of destruction. The image of Kali usually shows her foot on Lord Shiva's chest, a severed head in one hand, her sword in the other and wearing a garland of skulls. Kali is worshipped as the Mother Goddess who protects all from evil. She also epitomises strength or shakti and the darker side of life. The actual puja takes place at midnight on the day of the new moon.

Brother’s Day Two days after Diwali is Brother's Day, Bhai Phonta or Bhatri Dvitiya. Elder sisters dip their little fingers into kajol, a mixture of ghee, rice-paste and almond paste and put a mark on their brothers' forehead.

Guru Purab The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak - the first guru of the Sikhs, is celebrated with great fervour. The 'Akhand Path' - recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib, is held in gurdwaras all over the country. Taking the holy book out in procession is also an integral part of the celebrations.

Other Exhibitions This Month are the Textile Fair, Art and Handicrafts Fair, and the Leather Exhibition. The city is also resonant with Film and Theatre Festivals, music conferences, rock shows, art exhibitions and various other cultural activities such as the fairs of rural Bengal.

December

Poush Mela is celebrated in the Shanti Niketan usually on the 22nd or 23rd of December. The three-day function marks the foundation of Shanti Niketan near Kolkata.

Christmas is widely celebrated in Kolkata, not only by the Christian community. Streets are illuminated, there are parties in clubs and hotels and masses are held at St. Paul's Cathedral (candle lit on this occasion) at St. Andrew's Kirk and at the Murgihatta Catholic Cathedral as well as at other Christian institutions around the city. A pandal with a nativity scene is erected on Dharamtala Street (Lenin Sarani) in front of the St. Thomas Church.